The Best of Boracay!

Van and I agreed that there just aren't enough recommendations about taking a trip to Boracay geared towards low budget travelers/youngins such as ourselves so here it is! The definitive guide to Boracay on the cheap!

ACCOMMODATIONS;
1. We highly recommend the Blue Mango Inn to those who are looking for a very reasonable place to stay that offers clean, very comfortable accommodation on the quite end of the beach. This isn't the cheapest place to stay, nor is it the nicest but it seems to us to be that perfect medium in between. The owner Vaughn is a riot! We had such a good time knockin a few back with him on the beach and the man knows the meaning of customer service. We felt way too pampered for the price we paid. The food we had there was excellent too so it makes it on the top of our restaurant list as well.
2.The other place we stayed was Linganay Resort on the other side of the island. That place is BEAutiful and very reasonably priced as well for what it is. The only thing we had to complain about was how far it was from the action. Waiting 45 minutes for our shuttle driver and trying to find a phone to call him on was a bit of a hassle. For the budget traveler, I would suggest sticking to the White Beach side of the island.

DINNER:
Most people planning trips to Boracay are looking for the best beach buffet they can find. I say, good luck with that cause none of the ones we saw looked all that great. We heard that Fridays has the best one, hands down but they only do it on certain nights and it's a bit pricey, 45$ per when we were there. We did do one on White Beach that we very much enjoyed at Le Soleil. The buffet was inside which has the drawback of not being on the beach but the plus of being a clean and fresher buffet than most you will find. The food was quite good.

;) If you MUST do one on the beach, pay the extra $ and head to Fridays.

1. Choosing the number 1 budget food place is a bit tough. Food on White Beach just isn't that cheap when it comes to dinner. There are plenty of Lunch specials but what we really struggled with was choosing what to do for dinner each night. SO, of our dinner spots, my personal choice for best value was Don Vitos. This was one of only a few Italian spots on the island and it was very VERY yummy. We chose to eat outside on the beach and we are very glad we did. The atmosphere was lovely with the beach crashing to one side and the people walking by on the other side and an excellent band playing a very beachy mix of 90's rock songs, and original music. We highly recommend the Pecan Crusted Swordfish and the House Lasagna. If that stuff wasn't home made, it was a damn good pre-made!

2. My second favorite dinner meal was at True Food. This cozy little Indian restaurant stuck out amongst all the other restaurants and to be honest, I thought it was a bit out of place on the beach but we gave it a go based of some good recommendations and we were so glad we did! The Northern Indian sampler was AMAZING! I do have to say though, that the dishes are very heavy and one sampler could have fed 3 people easy and I can stuff it away. This was very traditional and as far as I could tell, very authentic Indian. Well worth the little extra to get the lamb.

3. My last dinner recommendation is the priciest one but it's a MUST do in Boracay. Take a trip to the fish market in D'Talipapa and get yo'self some lobsta! It's not the cheapest lobster I've seen in the world but it is CHEAP FOR LOBSTER!!! 1200pesos per Kilo when we went was the going price and the restaurant right across from the market had a fantastically cheap cooking service was some delicious side dishes as well. All in all, a 40$ Lobster dinner for the two of us! A MUST DO IN BORACAY!!!

CHEAP EATS:
For lunches and breakfasts we tried to budget so we could splurge on dinners. Staying at the Blue Mango made this super easy as the breakfast was big, delicious and INCLUDED!!! We ate lunch there quite a few times too and were never disappointed. My other suggestions for lunches are Nigi Nigi's Best Burgers on the Beach. They weren't high quality burgers but they were cheap and tasty and just what we were looking for. Also, down at the far end of the beach by Friday's Rock there's a Mexican place called Jony's. Their Shrimp Fajitas with Guacamole were fantastic and that's coming from us Texans! Avacados aren't easy to come buy on the island so we were amazed they had Guac to begin with and while my dad and I can make better, it was pretty damn good!

DRINKS:
Last but not least, where to get the best drink deals. To be honest, we were a bit disappointed with the drink selection on the island. You can find cheap beer and rum and cokes all over the place. Just pick a spot you think is pretty. As for cocktails, call us snobs if you like but we both feel that you should be able to get a killer Margarita and a killer Pina Colada and a decent Mojito on any beach anywhere in the world. No place we went to had any of these. The ONLY good Pina Colada we got was at True Food, the Indian restaurant! It was very creamy and delicious but still wasn't a "killer." A few other good drinks; Jony's happyhour Margs were about as good as they came on the island. A little hint, a splash of Amaretto in any Marg will make it taste better. The cheapest cocktail we got that was drinkable was the Sunset Watcher at German Bar. It's sweet, it's potent, it's cheap. Hard to beat. Must be drunk whilst watching the sunset however.

That's it for now, this post is long enough!
Next edition will be; Places to shop, daytrips to take, and Dive shops.

Korean Island Beach trip (part duex)

lunch time: After setting up our camps, smearing beacoups of sunscreen over our pasty bodies, we begin preparations for lunch- hamburgers. It has been so long since I have had a hamburger. Heaven does exist and it is called grilled hamburger.

After lunch: Laying around soaking up the suns rays and watching the tide slink away was obviously the next step after stuffing our stomachs so full of meaty goodness. I have never seen a tide recede as far as this one. When does it stop?




Later: Clam digging! Someone hands me a small pick and says that we are clam digging?
"how can we tell where to dig?" I ask
"Look for holes." I am told
"Any hole?"
"I guess, no one really knows."

I aimlessly walk around looking for holes in the sand for about thirty minutes . Some people are digging massive holes as they don't know how to find these ellusive clams.

One guy brings us four clams he has just dug up.

The rest of us who have been wandering around hopelessly stare aghast!
"how?" we stammer

He shows us his method and within a minute he has yet another clam!
"Amazing!" we exclaim like small children dumbfounded by a magic trick.

Once the trick is mastered, I feel like a detective on the hunt. One, two three clams. Spot a microscopic hole. Dig like a dog burring it's bone until the water spills in. Feel around for the squirmy fella. Gotcha! Another in the bucket. I am now a clam digging aficionado! Four, five, six. I have lost count by now.

Nap time: I crawl under the shade of my tent and take my siesta. Kyle is off finding firewood for tonight's bonfire.

Wakey wakey time: The sun is having a hard time keeping it's golden eyes open by the time I wake. After searching for the hubs, we walk towards the designated sunset cliff. It's beautiful!


Din din: Spaghetti in my tum tum is delish!

Bonfire: The fire is untamed, but the heat has escaped into the vacuum with the sun. Frosty air has taken it's place. The temperature on this island is like night and day... oh wait... it changed with the night and day. Hee hee...I made a funny.

We go to bed earlier than normal, not without peeing behind the rocks in the designated pee spot. I wonder how many people have peed back here. I hope I'm not standing in someone's pee right now. Ewwwww..

Morning: Breakfast of champions... pancakes and sausage. I make mine into a pig in a blanket. AND we have REAL maple syrup! Heaven!


Hike time: Kyle and I go exploring the beach, but we are deterred in our mission by jagged rocks and our unwillingness to climb them all. So we attempt a photo shoot. 30 pictures later and very few "good" shots later, we walk back towards our camp site.

Around 2pm: We have to leave now. Boo! I don't want to leave. I don't want to go back to work! You can't make me!!

Unfortunately however, I am not writing this post from the beach. In fact, we did have to return. But this is not the last the beach will hear from us. We are on a break for the time being while I perform my responsible duty as a teacher, but soon, we will be back. Expect us at every turn!

In case you didn't see the video: You can watch it here.

Korean Island Beach trip

Friday evening
8:00 pm- We are packing anxiously for our beach get-a-way this weekend. I am pumped. Ecstatic. Deliriously jumping for the stars. Sometimes I feel like this place is tearing into me, shredding my sanity slowly like fajita shredded chicken. I am afraid one day Kyle will wake up one day next to I a crazed monkey and wont understand what happened to his wife. This weekend is a much needed escape. Only one more hour till we leave.

9:00 We are waiting on the doorsteps of our co-worker/friend's steps waiting for her to arrive back home so we can VAMANOS already. Is that her footsteps I hear? No, it is the children playing around the corner. Wait, wait, I hear heels. Pack is on, I am ready!

9:45 Amy has packed, we took our taxi to the station, and we are on this train. I am so sleepy. I'm worried we aren't going to make it to our destination before the subways stop running. Kyle's lap is as inviting as a down feather pillow. Gravity is pulling me down, I can't resist the urge to sleep any longer.

11:29 -Well, my fears have come true. We missed our connecting subway by a skimpy 15 minutes. WHY!!! Why do the subways stop running SO EARLY!!

12:00 am Without too much of a hitch we luckily find a jimjilbang to sleep at, Dragon Hill jimjilbang.

Saturday

5:00 am- I have looked at my phone about a 20 times by now from paranoia that we will sleep past the alarm. Amy got up at 4:20am complaining that the woman next to her was speaking Korean in her sleep. This pillow is about as comfortable as a boulder. We need to be on the subway by 5:48, should I get up? I am lying in a pool of my own sweat, but I am not one for rising before an alarm.

5:50 am We are on the subway, thank God. I wish I drank coffee right about now.

7:30 am McDonalds breakfast makes it all worth it.


8:30 We are on the ferry. We had a little problem finding the group, but we have settled down now. This ferry might be identical to a Western ferry except for the small fact there are zero chairs. Asians sit on the floor. Inside the Koreans have taken off their shoes and have either settled down for a nap, are having a picnic breakfast of kimchi and seaweed soup or have already drunk enough soju to kill a horse and are currently playing a Korean gambling game. After some seagull picture taking and minimal socializing, I have settled down for my nap.



Fun Fact: The longest bridge in Korea, Incheon Bridge, is a cable-stayed bridge structure with 800m main span length. This main span length means the distance between two pylons, and it is the 5th longest in the World.
10:30ish Time is sprouting wings. Soon, we will go our separate ways, and wont find each other again until the finale of the weekend. We get off our ferry onto a small speed boat with holes on the sides allowing frigid ocean water to lick our feet with it's icy tongue. For some reason, we all receive adjuma (old lady) hats. They are called this because there is a VERY particular way the adjumas in Korea dress and act. The hats are extremely long and they often wear them completely covering their face when they go on walks or hikes. Don't get in their way either, they will shove you. They own this country. I feel like I should go weld some metal wearing this clown hat.

11:30 ish- we arrive on our deserted island beach. What feels like miles to my sleep deprived body is about a fifteen minute walk to our camping ground. The sand is deep and loose. My feet sink deep into the sand like quicksand. Despite the unexpected workout, the sand between my toes enlivens me. This is why I came this weekend. This is why I woke up before the sun, to feel the grains of the earth tickle my toes.

Time has flown off with the seagulls. It is beach time now..
Stay tuned for part 2!

Beach trip video

We went on a beach trip a couple of weekends ago. I will be adding the story later, but for now, enjoy the video.
Click here

The Tale of Squimo

So I'm a turtle. A Kemp's Ridley Turtle to be exact and I'm about...oh 5 months old now, give or take. I look a little something like this


and let me tell ya, life SUCKS right now. It all started the day I was born. I woke up one morning with my head crunched up somewhere near my butt and I thought to myself, "this freakin ping pong ball is totally crampin my style." A turtle's gotta move dude. My bros and sistas were getting the same vibes I was. So there we were, all squirming and fighting and finally, I busted outa that crib and then I was like, "what's up with all the sand?" And someone else was like, "where the heck is mom?" And someone else was like, "What are we supposed to do next?" So then I was like, "well all the noise is coming from up so...dig up?" So then we all start digging and we're making some progress right, so then we're all getting excited cause we're thinking mom is gonna be waiting for us when we finally dig ourselves out but THENNN, I make it out and there's this huge freakin ball of super hot super bright light and I'm like, "OH MAH GAWD! I'M BLINDED!" And mom's no where to be found, and the stinkin sand is burning my flips off, and then I see it! The big blue wet, and somethin just clicks and I'm like, "That's what I'm talkin about!" And so we were all like yep, that's where we gotta go, so we all start runnin right, which by the way is mega hard for us little turts. So anyways, we're like half way there right, and outa no where this big crazy white thing falls outa the sky right next to me so I freeze...and I slowly turn my head to look at it...and it looks at me with these black beady eyes, down it's giant sharp looking mouth and goes, "MINE!?" And I go, "BWAAAAAAAHHHH! RUUUUNNNN!!! And we're all runnin, and these giant white things are snappin at us yelling "MINE!? MINE!?" And I'm huffin and heaving! It was pure chaos man! But then I made it to the wet and I'm like, "ahhhhhhh, that's muuuch better." And don't ask me how but somehow I know how to swim and I'm quick too. So I'm swimmin, and the waves are rollin, and life is good. So for like the next few months I'm just doin mah thang, eatin some seaweed, chillin with what's left of my family, and you know, it's kinda scary cause I'm all small and there's like these big shiny monsters that swim by and eat a cousin or a sister every now and then but I'm fast and I'm good at hiding so it's cool and life is pretty legit. Then, one day, I'm swimmin along, goin with the flow and I see this tasty lookin morsel crawling along the sand about, I dunno 10, maybe 12 fins below me, so I look around and the coast is clear so I start workin my way down. I snap up the little booger and I'm takin my time, savoring my little mid afternoon snack when suddenly it get's all dark all of the sudden, and I'll be honest I think I peed a little, cause I turned around and all I see is teeth, HUGE, WHITE, TEETH! So then I was like, "BWAAAAAAHHHH! I'm gonna die, I'm gonna die, I'm gonna diehihie, wahhhhhh!" And I'm like a freakin windmill, and then BAM! SUCH PAIN!...Then I passed out I guess cause next thing I remember was waking up in a huge pile of seaweed on the flippin hot sand again. And I was like, "This...seriously...blows..." Did a quick damage check and I was like, "This...blows...big fat baby chunks!" The teeth took a front flip and a few toes dudes. Super, SUPER lame. So there I was mourning my flip and just basically drained from my wipeout, not to mention a little messed up in the noggin from like almost dying, and then the craziest thing happened. This HUGE and I'm talkin HUUUUUUGE, crazy lookin turtle walks up to me, WITHOUT A SHELL!!! BUCK FREAKIN NAKED DUDES! And he must be albino or somethin cause he's super white, and I'm freakin out cause he's lookin at me like he's gonna finish me off, and I can't do anything cause I'm super tired and Don't wanna make any sudden movements that might put him into kill mode ya know? Then, he runs over to this other group of huge naked albino turtles, only some of them are a lot smaller than the others and they're like making homes that are way to small for them with the sand and the first huge naked albino says somethin to them and they all come runnin over to me and I am seriously freakin out. Then he sticks me in this bucket with some seaweed to make me taste better or something and then things got really weired cause he carries me to his shell I guess but it's WAY to big for him, so big in fact that 2 other huge naked albinos get in with us and then we start moving, but we're like not in the wet at all! Anyways, long story short, he takes me out of his shell like 15 minutes later and hands me off to this other huge, naked, albino turtle that puts me in HIS huge land shell, and then he takes me out and puts me in this room and he's pokin me and proding me and I'm all traumatized but there's nothin I can do about it and THEN he puts me back in the wet! And I'm like sweeeeeeet! I mean, it's a much smaller wet than I'm used to but it's still pretty nice and there's a few other turts in here that have lost some flips just like me! Anyways, I've been here for like a month now and I gotta tell ya, I'm not sure I wanna leave. No monsters, steady food supply, and I've made a few friends here so things have definitely turned out real good, and it's all thanks to that huge, naked, albino dude that saved me. If any of you know who I'm talkin about, let him know I appriciate it k? Though, maybe leave out the huge, naked, albino part. Oh ya, so I've been learning this Eenglish language that all the huge, naked, albino turtles speak and I got to thinkin about that day I washed up on the beach. The two little huge, naked albino turtles that were making homes outa sand, ya they weren't gonna eat me cause apparently they thought I was super cute and they said I looked like the turtle named Squirt from finding Nemo whatever that means, but that I had a bad flip like Nemo so they decided to name me Squimo, so that's what the huge, naked albino that put me in my new home calls me. I kinda like it! Ok, got some squid to eat. See ya later dudes!

So this isn't the exact one I rescued but same type, only Squimo is a little darker and missing his front left flipper and a few toes off the back left one. He's one lucky turtle and is quite happy at the UT research center in Port A.

In which I look like I have the plague

So we went to the beach... because after all that is what you do when you are AT THE BEACH! And I put on sunscreen, twice, in three hours.

But I still look like this:

I think the problem was during the re-application process, but one can't be too sure about these things. You see, after laying on our towels basking in the sun and attempting to ignore the overly fit people who made us feel inadequate, we went into the ocean to play. The wind was really strong, and so was the undercurrent so after a while we went back to the land to dry off.

Kyle and I wanted to to build a sandcastle.

We wanted it to look something like this:
or this

but instead it turned out more like this:

or this:

except we adorned it with a spiny rope I found in the ocean probably broken off from a pirate ship blown off after a cannon fight. Either that or it was sent from a deserted island to alert someone of their presence and their need for assistance. Those are the two most likely possibilities for that rope. It had spines and other green things growing on it as proof of it's long voyage from the pirate ship and/or deserted island. And as an extra addition we added pineapple leaves from a pineapple we found floating in the ocean half eaten by birds. Our sandcastle did have a mote however- which was our main achievement. Either way, it wasn't a sandcastle to be proud of. I wish I had had my camera so I could share our sad castle with you but we didn't bring it because wind, sand and nice a camera unprotected are not always a good combo.

But back to THE PLAGUE...

After we returned from frolicking in the ocean, I decided to air dry before re-applying. I did this while building the castle aka blob, which resulted in my entire body being crusted in sand. I couldn't use our towels as they were also covered in sand. So I then attempted to re-apply with the sand. I do think I succeeded in a proper exfoliation of 6 of my 7 layers of skin, but I don't know how much of the sunscreen made it to my skin and how much was lost to the sand and excess water. As you can see by the pictures above, the application process failed somewhere. It doesn't help that I am Casper. Kyle is so florescent white that his skin reflects the sunlight somewhere else and somehow escapes the burning caused from the suns evil rays.

Morals of the story:

Our sand castle sucked. We need more practice

White people weren't made for the sun. Especially those who look like Casper.

And I look like I have the plague but not to fear, it's not contagious.

What's happenin at the beach

The day begins when we lazily get up. And I should emphasize LAZY here as it is an important word to keep in mind. We have had difficulty waking before 11:00 am nearly every morning.

Breakfast- we are trying to be good eaters so I bought several grapefruits which we adorn with cinnamen and honey and stick in the broiler for five minutes. Yummy. Either that or blueberry waffles. Kyle has also insisted that in order for him to be fully happy, he requires that we make eggs benidict one morning. So we found a very low fat recipe, and if it is good, I will share it with you.

After we break the fast- check emails, lay out in the sun, read. I am currently reading "The Many Lives and Secret Sorrows of Josephine B" which is amazing. It is part of a trilogy about the wife of Napolean Bonapart. I am really loving it and it is an easy read because it is in journal style.

After lazy time- we force ourselves to do part of the P90x program. Yesterday was yoga and it kicked our behinds. It isn't yo grandma's yoga yo! Today is legs and abs, I am shivering in my booties.

After exercising- we have a number of options

-go to the beach after the sun has started to go down a bit so that we don't scorch

-read some more

-do some shopping with our imaginary money

And in the evening we watch a movie. Last night was "Forgetting Sarah Marshal" super funny, but tonight we will watch "Pride and Prejudice" the new version. I am ignoring the whining and complaining as often happens when I want to watch a "girl" movie. But secretly I think Kyle enjoys these movies, he just feels it is his civil duty as a male to complain at great lengths before watching said "chick flicks".

p.s. I wish we could take credit for these awesome wave photos but I must admit they were sent to me in an email. They are super beautiful though eh?

Rest and Relaxation....well....rest at least

Progress update: Still no progress.
Emotional update: General demeanor and emotional wellbeing has vastly improved since the arrival of wife. Stress level still above normal and steadily increasing but not quite in the red.
Physical update: Still overweight but with wife home, caloric intake has gone down almost 25%!!! Just started the p90x program as well and I gotta say, it’s by far the most intense exercise routine I’ve ever done. I can totally see it working, assuming it doesn’t kill us first!
So Van and I decided that while it was wonderful seeing friends and family this past week, we needed some time just to ourselves. After toiling over where to go, what to do, and getting some excellent suggestions from everyone, we decided to go the cheap route. Cheap as in free route. My grandparents have taken a trip to New Mexico, so we have invaded their beach house! So far it’s been absolutely wonderful. It’s been just what the doctor ordered. Anyways, just wanted to say thanks to all who sent suggestions!

P.S. After receiving an email claiming that this month Mars would be very large to the naked eye, I was very disappointed to find out recently that Mars will never appear to be the same size as the full moon as it claimed.  I was surprised to find out that the email being sent around is almost 7 years old! Quite a lifespan for a hoaxmail message! For future reference though, if Mars does one day begin to appear as big as the full moon, find someone to hug cause we’ll have about 5 seconds left. ;)