Sunday, December 24, 2006

Take note!
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Dismantling the ruins of the bar
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Calm again

Wednesday, December 20, 2006


Talk about getting kicked while we are down! Last night (we estimate around 10pm) someone broke into our cottage and robbed us. I'm guessing the offenders were probably kids, and they didn't have very long to rummage around, but cash was missing, and my Ixus camera. No doubt we'll discover that other things have been taken in time; it's hard to catalogue everything you own.
Above is a picture of the grotty building next door to what's left of our bar which we have been lucky enough to have the use of for the last few days. We call it the 'refugee camp'! PD already caught someone trying to break in through the kitchen window there a couple of days ago.

Monday, December 18, 2006

Well, considering the amount of typhoons this country has experienced this year it seems it was only a matter of time before one of them finally made it's mark on Boracay. We've dodged the bullet for too long I guess and our luck ran out! Typhoon 'Seniang' made landfall in Boracay on Saturday the 9th and was a direct hit on the island - and the worst storm for over 50 years. Both our little bar and our boat were wipd out completely.
It was an extremely frightening experience, and I spent most of the night hiding in the bathroom with a candle, hoping the roof would stay on. The cottage was shaking like crazy, water was pouring through the roof, and I had this mad fear that it would take off spinning through the air like Dorothy's house in the "Wizard of Oz"!
While we will be building another boat, we are still waiting to hear from the property owners as to whether we can rebuild the bar. At the moment we are camping in the old building next door, and still managing to serve ice cold beer from the cooler!
The island was without running water for a couple of days, and we only just got electricity back in our area. It's been pretty dire, but we're still alive, as well meaning friends keep reminding us.
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One week prior to the typhoon...


After the typhoon


All that's left of our little boat

Wednesday, December 06, 2006


Yes, we're still alive. Typhoon Durian (which caused extensive damage to some regions but had minimum impact in Boracay) has departed, and all we suffered was a bit of wind (!) and a little rain.
What have we been up to? Last Monday evening Joe and I were treated to a massage treatment at the fabulous Mandala Spa, which was my first experience there. All I can say is it's a magical, tranquil place with soft lighting and extraodinary attention to detail - especially the lovely tropical flowers strewn casually but deliberately all around the place. While I was having my Mandala Signature Massage (with exotic oils and soft, ambient music in the background) I could also hear the chirruping of the crickets and cicadas outside our cabana, as well as geckos and even an owl hooting! Fire flies flitted in the trees outside, and the treatment itself left me so relaxed I had trouble getting up afterwards! Later, we were given ginger tea and relaxed in another pretty bamboo cabana.
I'm glad we went there in the evening as there were very few people around, and it's quieter at night.
Afterwards we headed out for a delicious Indian meal at Crafts and I managed to spill orangey brown tandoori sauce all over my white pants. Not a good look!
Since then nothing much exciting has happened, at least not to me. Joey, on the other hand, has gone on a free all expenses paid trip to beautiful Palawan, courtesy of a wealthy friend of his. He left yesterday. I'm very disappointed not to be going along, but trying to keep a cheerful face on.