remembering the anawangin experience

Our weekend get-away in Anawangin Cove and Capones Island left marks on my life, figuratively and literally. The experience that transpired on May 1-2 of this year will be remembered for a lifetime and will be passed on to the generations that will come after.

Figuratively speaking, the experience of living the primitive way made me appreciate everything I have back in Manila. The comfort of having electricity through a little socket. The mobile phones and internet connections we curse whenever it slows down. The immediate availability our kitchen stoves offer. The insect-free luxury our bedrooms provide. The bathroom we can run to when nature calls.

All of these comforts are not available in Anawangin Cove and Capones Island so you have to be creative in providing for your group. What would be more exciting than creating your group's bonfire! The mobile phones had to take a break as we had hilarious getting-to-know-you activities. The camping cooksets and the make-do grillers did well in cooking our rice, veggies, sinigang, adobo, corned beef, noodles, sisig and liempo. Our tents gave enough shelter we needed throughout the cold night. And when nature called on us, the makeshift bathrooms gave us adequate relief with its toilet bowls and old-school poso.

The group preparing our dinner.

Now, why has this experience left marks on my life literally as well? First, because of the insect bites on my skin which, fortunately, have lightened up a bit. The dark teeny-weeny insects, whatever they were, kept crawling on my skin despite a generous application of Doc Joey's citronella oil, off-lotion for kids and off-lotion overtime. They were an exotic breed, I suppose, as they only hit on me from 4-6PM. The other mark is obviously what I loved most --- my tan line.

With Audrey and Bels, I'm showing off my tan marks!

We were originally a group of 25 people. But due to the unstable weather condition last week, only 9 of us went ahead. The crowd who was left behind in Manila were showered with envy seeing our photos. There will definitely be a part 2 of our Anawangin Cove and Capones Island experience!

The group having a last minute photo session in Capones Island.

All photos courtesy of our new friend,
Rizza Angeles.