Tales and Tails

We have an addiction. We can't get enough of it and I happy to say I have a friend who has the same problem. I HATE being addicted to something alone. Everyone needs a crack buddy, don't they? Our crack comes in the form of a beach called Boracay.

I am sure there are better beaches....somewhere in the world, but I doubt it. This past trip there was by far the best. Maybe it was because we took Lani (yaya tinkerbell) along. Maybe it was because it was "off season" and there weren't near as many tourists. Maybe it was because it wasn't nearly as hot as it usually is. Or maybe, it is because it is like Disneyland: the happiest place on earth.

We went on an island hopping tour this time. We took a tricycle (our first), which can miraculously fit two American adults, one child, one yaya, the driver, the boatman and the candlestick maker, to the other side of the island to hop on a boat.

We stopped along the way to do a little snorkeling, Holden was even a trooper and fed the fish and snorkeled a bit. Nate was a show-off and headed to the bottom to bring up one of the blue starfish that dot the bottom of the ocean.

Then we went off to visit two caves; the first of which you climb down and through a very narrow spiral staircase to the ocean. Everything was peachy as we moved to the next cave. Again down the steep stairs and across a bridge that is about knee deep in water and through a VERY narrow cave. SO narrow and short that Nate was clawing through on his hands and knees. It was truly "Filipino size." Into the water we went but after a while...everything started to itch...painful itching and stinging. Everyone is out of the water. Jellyfish is what they told us. Pouring fresh drinking water all over ourselves we head back through the claustrophobic cave to the water bridge when the guide yells for us to stop, be careful, snake! WHAT!?! I yell back at Nate that there is a snake to which he responds "whatever" thinking I am telling him that so he will pick up his crawling pace. I grab Holden unsure whether or not to turn around and high tail it back to the jellyfish or encounter the snake. This snake, is it IN the tunnel with us? Is it headed our way? I don't know. Because all the guide said was....snake! Luckily Lani was with us and the guide came over to help us around the snake which was half in, half out of the water. Safely across the bridge I asked the guide if the snake was deadly. The response: "yes ma'am, one hour," and then he makes a slice across his throat with his index finger with the sound affect of "keeek." GREAT!

Ever since we have moved to the Philippines, we have talked about getting certified to dive. Ah, but time. Precious precious time has prevented us. We stopped by a dive shop to see how many days it would take and decided to do a trial dive where they teach you the basics, take you down 10-12 meters one on one for as long as you have air. It was a fantastic experience now we're on a mission to get certified, then maybe we will get addicted a new beach...but I

doubt it!