Banton, Romblon - my adventure

April is the best month to visit this little island where my husband was born and raised. The seas are calm, the college students are home, and many relatives are home for vacation. Never mind the fact that the heat is almost unbearable, we were sweating like crazy and the electricity comes on for only 5 hours at night and a couple of hours early in the morning. Never mind the 4 hours pumpboat (outrigger canoe with diesel engine) ride from Pinamalayan, Mindoro Oriental, completing the 12-hour 'biya" (up & down) trip from Manila.

My right leg is still not strong, am still using a cane, so everyone was concerned of how could I get on and off the pumpboat. Well, I am back home so obviously I survived. Where there is a will there is a way, as they say. I like the Tagalog version better: "Pag gusto, may paraan; pag ayaw, may dahilan." I didn't think I am adventurous, it is just if there is a need, or desire for that matter, human nature has a way of finding a solution.

So, this is a summary of my dramatic entrances (and exits) to get on and off a pumpboat:

I rode a small dhingy held steady from the waves by 6 bronze-skinned men (fee: 10 pesos).I heaved myself up the boat side and gingerly found a little corner for me to sit. This is one of the three spaces where you can actually sit: the third one was for the captain. All the rest of the passengers have to find a space to sit, among the baggage or on the floor on the "second level."

Next, in order to get off the boat to the pier, I had to make my way through an 8-meter long, 10 inches wide piece of plank which was inclined 35 - 40 degrees. There were pieces of wood nailed to the plank for steps. The rail was a piece of long bamboo being held by two strong (I hoped!) men. I did not relish the idea of slipping off that wood and swimming in the blue water below. And it was dark at 8:00 PM!

It was about the same for the return trip, only this time it is early in the morning, the grade was only 5-10 degrees, but there are more wellwishers and sightseers on the pier watching the "event of the day," a pumpboat loaded with people leaving for Manila. And the fact that if I slip and fall, I will be wet for the next 12 hours.

The final exit was getting off on the same piece of wood, but since the tide is low and the boat was anchored far into the water, the piece of wood fell a couple of meters short of dry land. Guess how the creative crew did it? One burly fisherman offered his left shoulder for me to sit, he took two or three steps and voila! I was on dry land. (fee: 10 pesos)

I know, I know. It would've been more dramatic if I actually fell on the water - but I was not after drama - I was after making it home in one piece, dry!

The trade-off? Blue green clear waters, snorkeling, fishes, corals, relatives, games, late-night talks, quiet evenings, stars that seem to be easy to reach, gorgeous sunrise, cool, clean sea breeze all the time. Beautiful beaches, picnic in the beach with relatives.

It was a great trip!