j a n s e n. i. s. m.

I decided to make my 25^th birthday celebration different by inviting a few friends to join me in an out-of-town beach trip to Puerto Galera (Note: it was not all expense free). At 5am on Friday, May 1, I checked the PAGASA website and was relieved that the typhoon is now out of Mindoro and heading to Palawan. The morning was In fact very unlike yesterday and later when I met up with the travelmates, the sun was just a tiny shy from coming out but we didn’t want to get too excited and put on the sunscreen just yet.

Our journey officially began around 7am. It was my closest cousin and college friend Sheena’s first time seeing grade school friends Arem and Gretchen since she returned from Dubai. As for my high school friend Shen, it’s her first meeting them, then she is acquainted to Sheena from high school and through Ann. Instantly, in the jeepney on our way to Pala-pala, Dasma, the group had instant chemistry and that’s where I also realized the stuff I missed packing in my bag (towel, hair wax).

From Palapala, we took a van ride going to Batangas pier which was roughly 3 hours long. Pringles, Sunflower crackers, my iPod’s music and Arem’s seemingly unending ways of entertaining made the long travel time seem short. Finally, we reached the port, bought our two-way ride boat tickets and beach, here we come!!

The long wait was over when we saw the shoreline and spotted the representative the hotel sent to pick us up. He was carrying a signboard which said “Welcome, Jansen and company” and offered to carry some of our bags (only Chen’s actually). I booked at Rem’s Hotel which Arem referred to me last week. I browsed their site and inquired via text about their rates. It wasn’t beach front but their holiday/weekend rate is just same as any day, the amenities were okay as well, it made the decision making quite easy.

The way to the hotel was 3-5 minute walk as Carmela (the hotel assistant manager who was my contact) gave me as a head’s up. But I prefer the word ‘trek’ because it wasn’t exactly a smooth one and this included passing residential areas and a path with harmless goats around. We checked in at room 301, the two-bed room was spacious and comfortable enough for the five of us.

After putting our bags down and finally applying sunscreen, we headed back to the beach area and looked for a place to have our first try on what Galera has to offer to our appetite. The restaurants are located side by side facing the beach, it was hard to choose. We had lunch almost 2pm already in “Food trip sa Galera” which had fancy dining table shaped like a jet ski and offered unlimited garlic rice which was surprisingly had a quite literal translation of garlic on top of rice.

We returned to our base and changed to our swimming attires. We’re not exactly swimmers, so we just enjoyed the sight seeing, saying the word “spotted”, and walking on the sand more than the swimming itself. We went from one beach end to the other, that I can almost hear my legs and feet complaining. I was walking ahead of the group when I saw someone in front waving at me. I wasn’t wearing contact lens or eyeglasses then so I waited the image to register and it was Oliver, a former colleague from work. He introduced me to his girlfriend who I forgot the name but I find pretty and friendly and when my friends had reached me, I returned the courtesy and introduced them.

We headed back to hotel room, showered one by one, got dressed and we’re ready to explore Galera by night. Shen, who is turning a year older on Monday treated us dinner. We wanted to eat something grilled so we had grilled liempo and kebabs with mango shake for our dinner (I forgot the place, any of you guys remember?). Afterwards, we went for another beach walk. We enjoyed the sounds and laser light display from the V8 Baresto that we found ourselves dancing on the sand and we weren’t exactly drunk. My friend Rodel who’s been here twice texted me and has tipped us about going to a specific location in Galera. We’ve heard about it from other sources as well and this triggered the curious side of Arem. He sort of did an undercover and went there alone while the rest of us did some tiangge shopping. When he came back he told us of his observation and the confirmation why it smelled kinda awful on that side of the beach. He took me with him on his second try and observed independently.  It was too dark and creepy slient anyway, we didn’t see much and had nothing much to share either.

Returning to the hotel again, partly disappointed and somewhat thirsty, we decided to order some light beers in the dining area. The hotel manager, Rod, who we met earlier in the beach had asked us for the nth time if we’re interested with snorkeling (which of course comes with a good price). I was and in fact one of the reasons why I wanted to go to Galera was to try it but my travelmates were not so adventurous for it and Php1500 was expensive for just five people, I knew I just had to let this one go. The hotel manager, further showed his hospitality by introducing us to some of his other guests. We met two guys– Jules and DJ. They just returned from their room to get something, so when Rod asked them to seat with us they politely refused and said that they will come back later. No promises since they are meant to be broken as DJ put it and we all knew how cliché it was. As a consolation, Rod stayed with us and filled us in with stories about future plans for the hotel, shareable family dramas and even superfluous name-dropping. Carmela, his amiable wife joined us later and after all our bottles were emptied, we returned to our room and contemplated how our first night was ending soon.

Arem and I decided to return to the beach while the girls opted to stay behind. Suddenly on the second floor where the reception area is, we saw DJ and his other friends. I called the girls from our room and soon, we were exchanging names with Carlo, Eric, Vince, Resty, Van and Rey. They were 8 in the group all in all, and officemates in a company in Libis. They invited us for a drinking session on the rooftop. Soon, vodka shots were being passed, good music was filling the air, cameras were flashing, friendly conversations and healthy laughter were overflowing. It was past 4AM when we ran out of supplies and said goodnight. We stayed on our separate rooms and back in ours we couldn’t believe how our night had turned out after all and our plan for the next two days had been changed tremendously.

As a matter-of-factly, on day two, we were supposed to go swimming early but the guys last night invited us to go trekking to Tamaraw falls which Van said would be about an hour one-way. We knew they will be waking up late, so after a breakfast meal at the hotel, we went to beach for some photo ops on our own. The sun was up and above, going back to the hotel we just chilled in the reception area where there are magazines and cable TV. Some of our new friends came and we were relieved somehow that they still remember us. Instinctively, we thought the trekking adventure was not going to happen because it was already late. While having our late lunch, in the hotel restaurant again, we were discussing that maybe it wasn’t a good idea to stick with them during the day as it may appear too assuming and they might have other plans for the day that couldn’t involve us. Carlo approached us in our dining table, and told us they will be going to the beach ahead of us. Discussing what activity we’ll do next back in our hotel room, Sheena got a call from Van telling that they were swimming in the beach in the big rocks area.

Minutes later, we joined them. We explored the other side of the long stretch of the beach in Galera. From White Beach where were at, we went to the posh and relaxing Tamaraw beach where foreigners usually stay. Next, the Aninuan beach and an unnamed beach we just called the Virgin beach, in which we had to cross the water to reach it.

Heading back to White beach, we bumped into Rod and Carmela and led us to the other way to Rem’s hotel. We searched for a place to have ‘merienda’  because the long walk had tired and got us all hungry. Rod and Carmela led the way to the store, we sat down and had ‘halo-halo’. Several minutes later, back in the hotel, we had some picture taking in the façade trying our best to look as if we just belong to the same class.

Next on our agenda was our Saturday night ‘gimik’. The girls were in their beach dresses and looked quite coordinated again. The dinner this night was my belated birthday treat to them, we dined in at Tia Maria’s and feasted on Mexican food (love the quesadillas and tacitos but hating the Mexican rice).

My cousin Sheena wasn’t feeling well perhaps the trek that afternoon got her so we returned to our room and she decided to be left behind to rest. Shen took some time off as well alone and high hopes were set that she will not return alone while Arem, Chen and I spotted our new friends having drinks between Tipzinakku and Mikko’s bar and were asked to join them. Van made the cocktail mix, I was not exactly sure what was I drinking at first but I knew it was hard to say pass. Unlike the previous nights, there were lesser conversations and most of the guys did not stay on our table which we didn’t take offense at. Shen finally showed up with Carlo and we couldn’t help but tease on her. The next batch of drinks which was a mix of grenadine, gin and soda, started to hit on me. Chen accompanied me to the rest room to have a forced puke and I felt a lot better after. Sheena managed to get up and was able to follow in the bar later. When the drinks were all done, we knew it was time to return to hotel leaving the rest behind. I managed to still change clothes before sinking to bed. I was half-conscious that Arem, Chen and Shen were still outside the room, but I didn’t exactly care because I was ready to sleep and the next thing I remember, opening the door for them.

When we were all awake, around 8AM, they filled in Sheena and I about what we missed while both of us were sleeping. Arem was complaining about bodyache  after helping the rest of the guys carry DJ (who just had too much and regretfully didn’t make it to his bed) from the sand to the hotel, which I was sure took more than the normal 3-5 minutes trek.

Our last meal in Galera was on the same place we had our first meal, yes, we had the “garlic rice meal” again then some last minute picture taking and souvenir shopping.

When we returned to the hotel, our new friends were having their breakfast and we knew that the awkward farewell part was soon to come. We checked out around 11:00 am, returned the key to the reception and said our short goodbyes to the guys who were waiting for the Pacman fight that time, with hopes that this wouldn’t be the last time we’ll hear from them.

Having boarded the boat that will take us back to Batangas pier, I realized how I’ll miss the beach. There’s something about walking barefoot in the sand , feeling the warmth of sunshine on your skin, tasting sea water  while trying  to swim, spending the whole day with old good friends and conversing with new ones that make you far beyond the troubles of life, make you forget momentarily what you fear to face, and the decision that has to be made.

Needless to say, it’s been an ultra fun trip and I wouldn’t change a thing about how I spent my 25th birthday (and also how I spent my money on it). We made it safely back to Dasma around 5pm and dined in at Pizza Hut before continuing the remaining 1 1/2 hours of journey to home.

Thanks Shen, Arem, Gretchen and Cous… see ya on the next trip.