An Escape to Anawangin!

071612. monday.

let me share to you our post-summer getaway to Anawangin, Zambales!

we’ve been wanting to do this since graduation but we never really had the time and money. HAHA. until finally, without any plans or anything, with only the urge to go, ago, roc, jonas, and i still pushed through with this escapade. HAHA.

it was a two-day outing. i must say that though it was just two days, it felt like forever! HAHA.

DAY 1

it took us almost six hours to get to Zambales from Manila. it was raining when we pulled in. it took us another hour of a nauseous boat ride to reach the island itself. the view on our way to Anawangin - the clear waters, the other untouched islands, the green mountains - was breathtaking enough to make me feel better. HAHA.

we first fixed our things and set up our tent upon our arrival. 

we changed clothes right away, then off we went swimming excitedly. the surge of the waves was so strong we couldn’t get farther from the shore at first. so, we just started throwing sand at each other instead. we even played with the waves. the four of us would be fighting the tides and whoever would fall on his/her feet loses the game. we’d get closer to the strong waves every time until only one remained. i’d always, always be the one to fall first. so weak! HAHA. we had fun just like kids. HAHA.

then, we headed back to our place for lunch. the food was included in the package so we  didn’t have to worry about what to eat. every meal, they served us with scrumptious dishes! woooo! HAHA. oh, i’d have to say this, their food was absolutely great. we were always bloated after the meals! and, they were very accommodating. whenever we needed anything, we’d just tell them and they’d take care of things from there. wonderful people. :)

after lunch, jonas insisted that we play frisbee, and so we did. it was the first time for the three of us(except jonas of course. HAHA). roc and i were teammates against ago and jonas. HAHA. well, we enjoyed it, realized it wasn’t that hard to learn. HAHA. 

we also went trekking that day. it was cool but tiring. the way up to that mountain was so steep and narrow plus rocky. it was no easy hike. you can just imagine how sweaty we were then. oh, and let’s not forget the sunblock we put on when it melted and ran down from our foreheads to our eyes! it hurt! HAHA. all the sweat and bruises paid off when we got to the top. the view, it was amazing, beautiful! it was there that we really got a full view of Anawangin and the other islands around it. wherever you look, all you’d see is the beauty of nature, untouched. :)

what else is better to do after trekking than to soak up in that salt water. HAHA. and yes, we swam again. this time we learned the trick. we just had to follow the waves and let them carry us up to keep us afloat from time to time. instead of getting scared when the tides came near, we were then excited. the bigger the waves, the better! HAHA.

it was already evening when we returned to our camp. HAHA. all the guests came rushing to the showers. we still had to queue for our turn. following bath, we had dinner. again, they never failed us. the food was overflowing. it’s perfect. after a jam-packed day of fun, a delicious dinner was the only thing we needed. the bonfire added to the beach “feel” right there. HAHA. while eating, we had a little chat of how cool our experiences were so far. we could think of only the good things. HAHA.

DAY 2

we were awaken to an appetizing breakfast, just enough to get us through a fun-filled day ahead. HAHA. we played frisbee for awhile before we hopped on to the boat for island hopping!

actually, we were supposed to  visit three islands, but due to the rain, we only got to check out one. it was fine though since it was for our safety. HEHE.

Capones Island was such a beauty. this virgin isle found in the heart of Zambales has fine white sand. it is surrounded by cool boulders. the shells are scattered everywhere. the rocks under the sea are so huge that our boat couldn’t get ashore. we all had to swim to get to the shoreline. thanks to the life vest, i managed to work my way there. HAHA.

there was a lighthouse on top of the hill. in order to reach it, we had to hike again. HAHA. o man, it was oh so tiring. every step seemed so heavy. we just enjoyed the climb and laughed the stress off. HAHA. when we arrived at the top, there was this old structure. i have no idea what it was before. it was beautiful though. then we took photos in the lighthouse. from there, we once more witnessed God’s wonderful creation. :) the view was worth the effort. see for yourselves.

when we walked down the hill, we swam and we swam and we swam again. HAHA. it was fun there. it would’ve been more fun if not for the sharp stones underneath the water. when the waves strike, the solid rocks come with them. you can only imagine how much our feet and legs suffered. i had bruises right after. HAHA. the sun was at its peak when we finished. HAHAHA!

it was an amazing experience. we even met new people. i forgot to tell you that there were five groups who availed the package, including us. we were with them in all the activities we did. there were those who’re friendly and approachable, there’re those who weren’t. HAHA.

thanks to the kuyas and ates who showed warmth and generosity to us while we were in Anawangin. :)

this video sums up everything that happened in two days.

just like Charlie in that The Perks of Being a Wallflower novel, i felt ‘infinite’ that moment, hearing the waves, feeling the sand. i didn’t wanna leave. it felt perfect that second, like nothing wrong could happen. :)

i hope to see you again, Anawangin!

*thanks to jonas, roc and ago for the photos and video(edited by ago).