Day 6, Tuesday, June 28, Culion
Today started out a little rough. I still felt sick and didn’t really want to get up and pack. But somehow I managed, because I needed to, and taking a “shower” de tabo felt good. Tabo is where you have a big scoop that you use in a bucket so you can shower or wash after using the toilet. I joined the family for breakfast, but could only handle a few slices of orange. All of them but Sabrina had instant oatmeal.
After we were done packing, Elee picked us up in a trike. Then we went to the dock, where I asked him about getting a copy of the Culion book I read last night. He took me to Tabing-Dagat to check, but they were out of books, so he went just a little ways down, to the nonprofit that sponsored the book’s production. Minutes later, I was the happy owner of a hard cover copy, just one of three left. So blessed! And for 500 pesos, instead of the 700 dollars (a typo?) listed on Amazon. Drew sweetly agreed to have it in his bag. Can’t quite convince him to take some of my other stuff. What is in my very heavy bag, I don’t know, but sometimes, like now taking it places, it feels a little ridiculous.
= = =
Coron
The boat ride is a good chance for a nap. I shut my eyes and the next time I open them, it is time to dock at Coron. The crew nicely keep our luggage for us while we enjoy lunch at Sea Dive. It has a relaxing sea front restaurant with a cooling breeze. We all order either fruit or salads, their menu catering more to the Western sensibility, which is welcome after being sick. I enjoy my watermelon shake but cannot get myself to eat the Sea Dive salad of coleslaw and thousand island dressing. The server didn’t charge me for my salad, which was unnecessary but appreciated. Elee shows up and tells us that our van driver is there. We shake hands with Elee and thank him. The Kawil Tours (The Culion-Coron Palawan Expeditions) crew have been so good to us.
Off we go to Busuanga airport. We take the same van we took when we first got to Coron – with another group and a woman who pitched some Coron tours to Wesley. I want to sleep, but instead visit with a lady from Manila whose husband retired as a doctor and they pulled up stakes in Florida to live near Tagaytay. I enjoy the conversation, but it wipes me out. She asks me how the kids have done traveling here, and I could truthfully say, with pride, that the kids have been troopers – bathrooms without toilet paper or soap, bring it on. Eating from turo-turo dining establishments, why yes. Rooms with oldish fixtures, no problem. Really, they are good travelers.
Our flight is delayed, due to heavy rains here in Busuanga. We are all happily just reading, or learning Korean or writing in a journal. I felt good enough to eat some cup noodles, bulalo (beef marrow) flavor. The electricity flickers now and then. I joke that security would be hampered, but to be honest, I get the impression security here is not too strict. Even full water bottles are allowed in.
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