Hundred Islands Adventure with Microsoft Community (2008)

Summary

Destination: Alaminos – Hundred Island Pangasinan
When: April 12, 2008 to April 13, 2008
ETD (Manila) 1:40 AM ETA (Alaminos) 7:28 AM
ETD (Alaminos) 8:40AM ETA (Hundred Islands) 9:15 AM

ETD (Alaminos) 11:00 AM ETA (Manila) 7 :20 PM April 13, 2008

Who:

Microsoft Community Members

Keen (sharpangel)

Glen Gamboa (ggsubscribe)

Michael Corpus (dreamlordzwolf)

Rhea (rhea)

Jerome Punzalan (punzie)

Dennis Alfaro (den16)

Things brought:
PSP w/ Cam
Mobile Phone
Ipod (Jerome)
Extra clothes (which was not enough)
DSLR cameras (Glen, Mike and Dennis)
Digital Camera – Cannon Powershot (Jerome)

Money: (See below for breakdown)

Transportation

L300 Van Package (48 hours rent with drivers) = 6000.00
Bus (Ubaya, Pangasinan to Manila) = 287.00
Gas = 1300

Boat (Package for overnight and special tours) = 2800.00

Food

Tourist Center Prices
Tortang talong = 35.00 Php
Rice (Marami ang rice nila.. di pa NFA ) = 10.00 per cup/

Quezon Island
Value Meal 1 = 75.00 Php
1 soft drink
1 sardines (MEGA)
1 rice

1 service pancit canton (Lucky me) = 20.00 Php
Snorkel Gear (feet protector, air tube, snorkel glass) = 250.00 Php
Fishing rod set with bait = 250.00 Php

Adventures

Preparation
I left the office early to buy a camping tent to use for the trip. I went to ACE hardware (3rd floor Landmark) and found this cool sleeping bag with very soft mattress so I end up buying it instead of the tent thinking that I want to sleep under the stars. 

I arrived home around 6:30 PM and started packing my things to bring. I had dinner in Jake’s house and shared a couple of mango slices with lola in our house. I left the house at 11PM.

The good deed near 7 eleven Kamias

Call time was supposed to be 12MN. Glen said that there will be a delay for the pickup since the van will be coming from Mall of Asia and will be picking up Mike and Rhea in Ortigas first.

I’m from the North so I took a bus to Cubao/Aurora overpass. I know I was early and in an adventurous mood. Instead of taking a cab or bus to Kamias in the north bound lane, I walked 300 meters to 7 eleven Kamias at 11:30 PM! It was scary knowing that I’m in Cubao area at this time.

Just in the 7 eleven Kamias block, a lady (Maam Sheila) and a 9 year old girl (Keisha Mae) approached me and asked my help to give them transport fare to their house in Marilao, Bulacan. (Naman sakto! Sweldo day ko.haha) I was in this kind of situation before and it was very unpleasant. Needless two say the two were very desperate and Keisha looked pale.

I sensed that they were hungry so I asked them to eat in this ‘Binalot’ restaurant beside 7 eleven Kamias. Seeing them take the first bite of their steak orders made me feel good. I was in a sudden realization that the reason why I chose to walk instead of taking a cab was because of them. Anyway I am not a saint; it just feels good to help out. I’m just a common fellow with a full wallet that time.  Now I’m the helpless one, just kidding.haha

I was the first to arrive in the pickup site at 12:30AM. Next is Jerome, followed by Dennis and Glen.

The Van arrived in the pickup site with Mike and Rhea at 1:30. With no much time to spare, we left 7 eleven Kamias at 1:40 AM bound to Pangasinan.

Pit stop in a bridge

The sunlight was slowly swallowing the night sky when we passed by a bridge in Pangasinan where Glen, Mike and Dennis took photos from their DSLR cameras. (Aba, Magpapatalo ba naman ang PSP camera ko?? )

Alaminos, Pangasinan

Finally, after a couple of wrong turns and roads taken. We arrived in Alaminos port at 7:28 AM. Picture time!

We ate breakfast in the local tourist center.

We left Alaminos port with our private boats to Hundred Islands at by 9AM and took a 35 minute great sea trip to the Hundred Islands’ Governors Island.

Island Hopping

Governors Island
PBB house
The local beach
Governor’s point – this is considered the island lobby where you can see a spectacular view of the other islands on top of the Governor’s island.

The cave

The hidden beach – this is located on the western part of the island where you need to take a narrow and dangerous steps.

Quezon Island – generally this is where Glen, Mike and Dennis found their photo subjects  Nah, not that subject, the views, birds, and beaches Too bad my PSP cam cannot take long range shots!hahaha 

This is where I did a long snorkel to the platform. It was a very scary and exciting experience at the same time. I was able to see colorful fishes and marine life up close. Looking down in the middle of the islands was the scary part as ocean darkness shuttered most of my senses.

Scout Island – The Island has a small beach with very fine white sand. This is where most of us took a dip under the hot sun. With the Korean HELP academy Baguio students! Ah oh did I say most of them were female students in swim wear???  Shhhhh..

Lopez Island – this is where we made our camp. I took the liberty of snorkeling around the island after setting up Rhea’s tent. This is also the time that I realized I was addicted to it. Hahaha

The night sky

It was almost seven at night when we ate our packed dinner. The last thing that I remembered was that the group made a discussion about the scariest experiences that they had. I was sooo exhausted from the day trip that I just fell asleep in my sleeping bag.

Around midnight, I opened my eyes as the moonlight gaze over the sky and provided luminance over the sea. I looked up and there they were… stars,stars,stars! I stood up and walked on the seashore, it was very calm and I could hear the sea breeze. The feeling was very cool. Until now I’m still looking forward to experience it again.20 minutes of fulfillment. That’s a minus one to my bucket list. 

Morning dew

It was almost six in the morning and sky was clear. I can see Glen and Mike taking photos. In one side there’s this fisherman trying to sell some of his catch. Dennis and Jerome are still down, fast asleep as they helped in the monitoring of our camp from rats and snakes.

From Lopez island, we started packing at 9 and made our way back to Quezon Island for breakfast. We had multiple photo sessions in the island from Glen’s camera.

Quezon Island photos

Back to the Mainland

We then made our way back to Alaminos port and arrived around 10:30 AM. Ofcourse, doing another set of photo ops. We returned the snorkel gears and fishing rod to the Municipal tourist center and then ate lunch. I only ate halo-halo in the cafeteria since I’m still full from the pancit canton and bread that we had for breakfast. And oh, Glen ate a sea urchin!

We headed our way back to Manila in the Van at 11:10 AM

Stranded

At exactly 1:00 PM, the Van stopped near the border of Bugalion and Ubaya, Pangasinan. The driver and his assistant checked and it appears that the carborator(not sure if this is the name) is damaged due to a loose water pump. The loose water pump stopped pumping water pushing the carborator fan towards the screen. This made a damage/hole in the carborator that is regulating heat for the engine thus a loose carborator equals overheat! (Hmm.. I sound like a mechanic now.hehe)

We found shade in the kind Santaban compound. As usual, the playful me was able to adapt to the children’s personality. 

The accident

At 2:21 PM Just 50 meters away, a car, a tricycle and a single motorcycle collide with each other. Glen was one of the first respondents of the accident. I was partly shocked but I still managed to get some photos of this dark experience. (takot ako sa dugo)

At 3:20 PM, the Van is still not fixed so we decided to take a bus to Manila. We arrive in Manila at 7:20 PM with Victory Lines and the ticket cost 287.00 Php. Me and Rhea was the first to get off the bus and bid our fellow community adventurers farewell.

Special thanks.

To Glen, Dennis, Jerome, and Mike – for teaching me about shutter speed, aperture, and other DSLR concepts. Sadly, I cannot buy a DSLR camera for now.

To Rhea – Skulmate! Salamat sa kwentuhan!

To Mang Jaime at Duncan – ang aming mga boatmen na sumama samin at natulog sa bangka.

To Santaban Family, salamat sa pag welcome sa inyong compound

At kay God uli, salamat sa paggawa ng Hundred Islands 

Lesson learned.

Function ng Carborator sa sasakyan ay mahalaga!
325 pamasahe papunta Alaminos Pangasinan