Our friends Alex and Allison invited us to go with them to Pandan Island over a 4 day weekend. We were more than happy to join them as we had been wanting to dive the famous Apo Reef since we arrived in the Philippines. So the easiest way to get there (or so we were told) was to drive south to Batangas, get on a roro (roll on and roll off ferry) and then drive another couple of hours on the island of Mindoro, then get on another boat (without the car) to Pandan island. Sounds simple right?
We left Manila at 2am to catch the 6am ferry. I drove as Bob was recovering from the flu. I have only ever driven in Manila, so driving on the highway was a big adventure for me. I made it in record time to Batangas with Alex as my navigator. We got all checked in and began our wait for the ferry. Around 6am, nothing was happening. Nothing that looked like we were getting on a boat anytime soon. Allison and Bob start asking around to fine out what was happening and NO ONE speaks English. Then they hear that the 6am boat is canceled due to low tide (uhh....anyone every heard of a tide chart perhaps?) The next boat isn't until 10. We settle in thinking we are going to be there for awhile when some cars behind us start moving. Apparently there was an 8am boat and they are all trying to jocky a spot on the boat (they don't hold very many cars). So we get in line. Of course there is no orderly line and no one with uniforms so we pay some random guy who gives us a ticket to get on the boat. We look at the boat and I swear this is one of those boats that they tell you - if it doesn't seem safe, don't get on it (ferrries are notorious for sinking here). The boat was REALLY old, rusted and did not look very sea worthy. However, we didn't feel like waiting another 2 hours so on we went with some of the most overloaded trucks I have ever seen in my life!
Allison and I go ahead while the boys park the car so we can reserve a seat. Neither one of us had ever been on a roro before, so imagine our surprise when we head up to the top deck and realize it's an open area and there are no seats, but hospital style bunk beds. We quickly scramble to get 4 bunks together. Bob and Alex come up and are just as stunned at us to see bunk beds instead of chairs. We jump in our bunks and take a nap for part of the 3 hr ride. I wake up to ants crawling all over me and start flicking them off when I realize Alex and Allison are below us. Oops!
Once we came into the port, we realized there was a ferry crashed up against the coast leaning over, rusted with holes in the bottom....it was with the same ferry company as ours. Thank god we were on land!
Holy shit....we aren't in Kansas anymore.
Getting off
Shipwrecked
No comments:
Post a Comment