Phillipines - days 4,5, 6 ,7, and 8

Sorry it took so long to write again. I went on an unexpected road trip for a few days. So here's a quick recap of what has been happening. Day 4 Mom, Linda, and I went weight boarding at the CWC resort in Camsur. Mom and Linda managed to make it across the beginner’s pool. I managed to get halfway across before I fell off. Of course, after teaching us how to weight board, our instructor just went across the pool 3 times like it's no big deal. Then I met my cousin Pam. I can tell if she lived in the states, or if I lived here, we would hang out all the time. She's really cool, and has the nicest personality. After the meet and greet, we had to go to S&M to buy clothes because we weren't told to pack clothes, or that we were going to be away from Aunt Pinky's house - where our luggage is for the next few days. Then we headed on over to my great Aunt Mary Roses's house. There we ended up singing karaoke, and dancing for the rest of the night. They just happened to have a karaoke machine that can also play dance music ,and dance lights. It makes me wonder how often they use it when they do not have a quirky American to entertain. Day 5 I woke up at 4 am to go to Caramoan to go island hopping. Apparently they taped a season of Survivor there. I can see why. With the white sand, and blue water, it is what you think of when you think of a desert island. I almost started humming the theme song from "Gilligan’s Island." Seeing the coral in the water made fighting my allergies, and getting up early worth it. I also learned that boatman will take pity on you if you say you're hungry. My mom was saying she was hungry for about an hour, even while Aunt Pinky was going to get food to be prepared for dinner that night. To help curb my mom’s appetite, our boatman gave her the two pieces of bread he brought with him for his lunch. I dubbed the bread he gave mom "boatmen’s bread." Later that night, soda exploded at the lodge we were staying at from being shook up all day. Day 6 We went ATV riding! That was so much fun. I think the last time I did that was when I was in Wisconsin. But this time I got to drive it! I loved it when my guide told me to go faster. *hehe* After that, since they had a place to zip line there, mom decided she wanted to go zip lining. She took off first, excited, like it was nothing. I went up there and I turned white. Seriously I didn't want to go because all I saw was how far up we were, and how bad I could fall if something happened. So I let Linda, Aunt Evee and Aunt Pinky go ahead of me. After five more minutes of deliberating if I wanted to go or not, I went. It was fun. Then my Aunt Jo took her turn. Then we checked into the Hotel Venezia, and settled in for the night. Day 7 We had breakfast at the hotel. Then we went to Misibis Bay, a luxury island resort for most of the day. We started off with being greeted with Polynesian dancers who put a necklace around us, and we all got a complementary glass of lemon juice. After that we went canoeing and paddle boarding. Then we went snorkeling where I got to see some of the most beautiful coral I have ever seen. I didn't want to leave. I just wanted to keep on swimming looking at the coral and the fish swimming by me. After lunch we went zip lining. I wasn't afraid this time. After my Aunt Pinky went, she said it was "ordinary " now. Then we went on an eco-tour where we saw a cathedral with two really huge chandeliers overlooking the ocean that people can get married in. We also saw an amphitheater which was pretty cool. Then we all went for a swim. My mom called the pool an "endless beach" because you can see the ocean from the pool. I didn't want to leave. I mean I was in a pool in a luxury resort in the Philippines- how much better can it get? But of course all good things must eventually come to an end. After drying off, we left the resort and stopped in Kawa-Kawa to see the 12 Stations of the Cross. But we saw station 1, 2, 3 and4. After that we got lost direction and saw station 12, 10 and 11. We tried to find the other stations, but it was after dark and the trail wasn't clearly marked, so we just went back to the car. I just joked around and said looking for religious statues after dark in the Philippines sounds like something out of the Da Vinci Code- minus the race against time. We spent the night in Naga at Mary Rose's place again. Day 8 Today we went to a hot spring not too far from Naga and visited my great grandmother’s grave. Then we headed back to Daet, where Aunt Pinky lives. (On the way home, a soda bottle ended up exploding on Aunt Jo. Ha ha! lol) I was so relieved because now all the clothes I packed are there and that meant an evening where I didn't have to look at something, or sit around in a van to get somewhere. After we got settled in, I saw all the clothes I got from Aunt Evee's boutique. We put them in my luggage, and it nearly takes up all the space. I couldn't believe I have to go back to my life in the states after they have been nothing short but kind and generous since I stepped foot in the Phillipines. I wondered why I have to have relatives that live so far away I have to take an 18 hour flight just to see them. It's been a blast getting to know them so far. Tonight, mom, Linda, Aunt Evee, and I went for a walk on the beach, and while we were there, Aunt Evee talked about how she is in love with a guy even though she knows he is married. Whenever she talks about this guy, she always has this big smile on her face, and sighs a little. It also reminded of how my friend Melanie is whenever she talks about Dustin. It's cute. I have to admit though, it is surprising hearing a woman who used to be a model talking about unrequited love, especially after she said other guys have wanted her, but she only wants the one that is married, or someone she is really in love with that loves her. I guess it goes to show you we're all looking for something. I also learned that mom's family had a hard time keeping a housekeeper growing up because they would play pranks on them. For example, Aunt Pinky remembers tying one up just because she was asleep. Another time they had a housekeeper who has really nice, long, hair, and one of them cut it. At one point no one wanted to work for them because of that, so they had to help out with chores. Right now, part of me is thinking ok, I drank water from a coconut, rode a horse and buggy to the beach, and ate squid- I am ready to go back to the states. But, I suppose one more week on the island never hurt anyone.