Day 1 in Boraquay: Endless hours of travel...

This feels strangely backward, trying to review an entire week's vacation despite the fact that I kept a daily journal. The latest study in the NYTimes says that planning and anticipating your vacation gives you the most "happiness." Another finding is that the more relaxing your vacation, the more "happiness" you feel. Maybe I qualify under both conditions.



Day 1: A very long one indeed...



We booked our tickets very late, so our options were limited and made for a very long travel day. We were up at 4 AM and in the car by 5 AM. Taipei was strangely quiet with very little traffic, and the ride was actually enjoyable. We were in line before 6 AM, but we are all freezing this morning. Beach clothes and jackets were not appropriate for the low temperatures. We were in line until 7 AM...massive amounts of people leaving for the holiday this morning. Thank you, Kerri Vines, for the donuts! We are finally through security and walk straight on the plane for the 7:45 AM take-off that actually happened 30 minutes later as we waited for everyone to get through the multiple lines (see picture blog). Breakfast on the plane: Fried fish cubes on noodles...loved the fruit and coffee!

We are supposed to have 3 1/2 hours between planes in Manila. Our first line in Manila is immigration...another long hour wait Now we stand in line for "free" ride to the domestic terminal. People keep jumping the lines and getting into vans...we begin to understand that "baksheesh" is exchanging hands. We finally get into a van, and the driver demands 20 pesos from each passenger for the "free" ride. We struggle to oblige as no one has gotten any money exchanged as yet. As we pull away from another hour wait, the "free" bus pulls up behind us and loads up the remaining 3 passengers (see picture blog)!

We are finally in the domestic airport...very busy, very noisy, very dirty...as we wait another 45 minutes for the Zest Air prop plane to Koliba, the "gateway to Boraquay." When we land at Koliba, the luggage is kidnapped and carried to a bus where tip money is demanded. We are starting to learn how to play this game! We wait on the bus for anther 45 minutes for two more late arrivals (see picture blog.)

We begin the two hour trip over hill and dale to the boat dock. The houses and businesses are inches from the two lane highway. We drive from one side of the island to the other...bus driver honking all the way...around scooters, tuk-tuks, jitneys, small trucks and buses. We bounce our way from village to village through endless rice fields in various states of growth and harvests. I'm certain the water buffalo are signs of wealth for some farmers. One farmer rides his water buffalo across the highway just as the bus gets to his village.

We are finally at the jetty where we will board "outrigger" boats to Boraquay. Our "guide" must go to three windows to buy our tickets...the pier tax window, the environmental tax window, and, finally, the boat tax window. We load onto colorful boats with outriggers for balance. Life jackets hang above the seats, and we all put them one...Filipino boats having the reputation they do. A is especially nervous, but gets through the ride like a real trooper. It's only a short hop across the bay to our "final destination."

Section 1 of the island turns out to be the boat piers. We load into trucks with suitcases on the top. Section 2 is the heart of "downtown" and beach access. "D'Mall" may be the "cleanest" part of town, many small shops and peddlers, access to clean water...we must walk through D'Mall to get to the beach. Section 3 and our hotel, Alta Vista, is a 20 minute ride from D'Mall. We have now been traveling over 15 hours in order to get to paradise...7 adults and 8 kids (7 boys aged 17 to 8) and 1 girl (Good old A who always goes with the flow!...see picture blog).

We unload suitcases, "freshen up," and head for the dining room. The Alta Vista is really lovely (see picture blog). After two glasses of white wine, the bar runs out. We order our dinner...two end up with fish "fillets" that have heads and eyes that they cannot eat...another dinner is ordered, and, miraculously, white wine is now available, though quite warm from its ride up the hill. We ask for the bill, and it is a MESS! We each end up writing our orders on a napkin, using my mini-calculator, and paying from the napkin...poor, poor waitress, but really poor food! Remember, two free breakfasts come with each room, so we will have to be back to fill up 8 kids before our days begin. The end of a very long day....

Pictures from the Tian Mu Baseball Park

The Dodgers are Coming! The Dodgers are Coming!

Tian Mu Baseball Stadium is located directly behind the Children's Playgrounds in Tian Mu Park. The Dodgers' traveling team that includes a famous Taiwanese player or 2 will be playing an exhibition game on Saturday, March 5th. Kevin says the park holds upwards of 10,000 + people, but only 1,000 tickets went on sale to the public. People slept out overnight, brought their chairs and blankets, card games, kids, and food to wait in line...a line that went almost 3 blocks long. We happened to walk by as they were trying to hand out numbers, so I'm not sure how many people actually ended up with tickets. We didn't hear about any riots! The true elites will be in attendance, thanks to donations and corporate support. I understand the traveling team will also stop in at least two other cities.

The neat thing is that the city has put up baseball sculptures and chairs all around the stadium in celebration of the event. I took lots of pictures that I hope will give you some sense of the ball park and the new sculptures.

CNY in the Lobby and in the 'Hood

CNY at ACC and Sogo's

Back to Life in the Big City

I truly nearly killed some people trying to get on the local train with my suitcase, carry-on, and over-the-shoulder handbag. The Taiwanese on board were very forgiving, and found a place for me to sit before I could hurt myself and others. The train was very crowded with others going into the city to prepare for Chinese New Year. The walk, MRT, and Taxi parts were not nearly so dangerous! And even though I though I had downsized, I must downsize even more before we leave as each person must hoist their bag on the bus or boat on the long trip to the beautiful island of Borrocay.

I left all the travel gear in the apartment, and set out to get Kevin a birthday present...an LED picture frame for his desk. Ch has it up and running, butnow we need to upload the pictures. C & A arrived home after a 3 1/2 hour CNY party. A brought home a painted fan, a brush-painted red lantern, a string of "firecrackers," and red envelopes containing even numbers of chocolate coins. The room mothers who planned everything for 5 classes surely did a great job. We 3 took off to do more errands, stopping first in the neighborhood to see Jeannie's new apartment. They moved into the new place after my arrival in January. They spent 18 agonizing months in India with Dell (hairraising stories), but the artwork and rugs they bought were quite unique. You know I love to see that! C had helped her place her pictures. Her mother-in-law and other family members arrived yesterday, and they will spend CNY in Bali.

C picked up Indian tiebacks for her living room (pieces of painted art) and an outdoor bunny candle holder, and a chair for A's room and a red Chinese table at the Porch Gallery's sale. She had been waiting and waiting and calling and calling about the chair, so we hurried over when the telephone call came that they had arrived...well, at least two of them had arrived. She has made arrangements with a friend who has a car to pick them up today.

Ch arrived after our return home with two friends in tow who would spend the night. K arrived last with local food and 4 boxes of pizza from the ACC. The last thing I heard was a "SHUT UP!" between 2 and 2:30 AM. Let's just say they were all a little droopy on Thursday.

I was thrilled to be able to get my roots done and have my toenail polish changed at the ACC on Thursday morning. I made sure that was a possibility before I confirmed the Fulbright...a definite dealbreaker without it! Peter does C's hair, so he is familiar with those of us who wish to remain blonde until the day we die. He's lived in Taiwan for 20 years, after moving here from Hong Kong. He is spending his CNY holiday biking in the mountains during the daytime, and sitting in the hot springs at night. We also discussed earthquakes and typhoons...some things I am trying to prepare for in advance of those experiences, although I must say they are not new to me.

The remainder of Thursday was spent checking more "to do" things off the list before we leave. We ate lunch at Mosburgers, a local chain that the Ks like. I had my first fish burger...the "bun" was two thick "cookies" of sticky rice that are heated and browned before a mixture of fish and seasonings is inserted between them. C & I had pomelo tea, Asian "grapefruit" in the bottom of an iced tea glass. ..all very tasty and cheap. The 3 girls then walked to Sogo, and the boys went to TAS to play some football/basketball and hang out. We taxied back to TAS where I slipped out to check out The Bazaar for Chinese shirts and jackets...nada, only dark, heavy, wintry jackets on sale. We met back at the Havaiana flip flop store so the Ks could outfit themselves for the beach. The only one frustrated was C who could not find her slim size. Dinner was back at Shebaba for three families and kids. Just before we were scheduled to leave the apartment, the food from Mosburger's told me to stay home near a toliet. Nausea and low temp disappeared over night, but I still think I will be very careful today. I hope I am not looking for toliets as we make our way to Borrocay VERY early tomorrow. Today will be spent washing and packing and prepping for the early departure.

I have taken it upon myself to give you a feel of all the CNY decorations going up. The first set is from the ACC yesterday. I will walk around the 'hood today, weather permitting, to get some more perspectives. It has gone from 91 degrees yesterday noon, to 55 degrees as a high for today. I'm still going to try to walk the park this AM...it was good to hear the strains of "Yes, Jesus Loves Me" and "Take it to the Lord in Prayer" wafting through the air in Mandarin from the Christian dancers/exercisers again yesterday.

I just found out the ACC pictures will be uploaded on a separate post...I am such a techie....NOT!

Up on the Roof Top for Australia's National Day