HUNDRED ISLANDS PART 2

The story continues...

And so riding our banca, we headed for the islands. Ethan was really curious and very excited. He kept on saying "Wheeeee!" and kept on looking at the white waves that the boat created as it broke through the water. It took us some minutes before I could finally see the islands up close. I didn't think the boat ride was going to take that long because the islands did not seem to be so far away from shore. As we neared the islands it was quite breathtaking. I was really fascinated at the rock formations, the lush vegetation, the clear water and the different shapes of the islands. I couldn't stop taking photos.

Our guide first brought us to Governor's Island. On that island was built the Pinoy Big Brother house which was visible from the water but we did not go directly there. We were brought to the viewing deck which entailed a steep and rough and rocky staircase climb to the top. Needless to say that was an unexpected cardio workout. Nikki was panting by the time we reached the top and the first thing he said was, "Mommy, WATER!!" It was that exhausting. Even my regular-exerciser mom was breathless when we finally made it. But the trek was worth it. The view was spectacular. We could see islands scattered about, we could clearly see the inviting blue-green water and the picturesque view. We took several photos once more and then headed to a cave that was located down the hill. So down another staircase we went. I was a bit fearful of having a misstep and falling down the hill and injuring myself. It was a bit scary but we took our time to avoid any accidents. We reached the cave and it was low and deep. Nikki said it was spooky but I think it was only because of the rough walls and dark interior. After taking several photos, we finally went to the Big Brother house for some final shots and then headed for our banca. But before boarding, we had to pay a one-time entrance fee of P20 each. My sis shouldered the bill. =D

We headed to other islands again but this time, we just took photos from the boat. We saw other islands with lots of people and some islands that were isolated. Some islands looked like mushrooms and others had portions that sadly, collapsed into the sea. Some islands were long, others were so small they looked like stubs. After going around for a bit, we headed for Children's Island so we could enjoy the water and have a swim. It was a safe choice as well since there were no deep waters in that area. When we got out of the boat, a boy selling some keychains approached me and showed his wares. I loved the designs of the keychains so I bought some. The small shells cost P10 and I bought 3. We did not get a cottage/shed any longer but found a nice shady spot by the shore and immediately, the boys got into the water and swam and paddled in their floaties. The water was wonderfully warm and we spent the afternoon swimming, making sandcastles, lazing around and exploring the nearest island which was only a few meters away. From Children's Island to that island the water never got any higher than my chest. We all had a lot of fun. Nikki was all over the water in his floatie and I was proud of him. He is usually very cautious but that afternoon he was not scared to go a few meters from shore in his floatie. Even Ethan felt a bit daring and went into the water without his floatie. I was getting nervous as he headed more and more out to sea but he stopped when the water was chest-high. It was nice seeing them enjoy the sea, the sand and nature. By 4pm we were ready to go since we heard thunder in the distance. We did not want to experience rough waters on our way back to the docking area. A few minutes after we departed it started to rain. Fortunately the water was not too choppy and we got back without any trouble.

We were very happy with our guide so we gave him a tip. Hopefully he was happy to have us as well. The boys were all tired out that night but I was so glad that they had a lot of fun that day. It was fun visiting a new and spectacular place but I think it was even more fun that I got to spend it with family. Hopefully we will have another trip like this in the near future. =D