TBK Travels to the Philippines- part nine b- 2020- the Underground River, revisited

A boat heads into the Underground River on New Year's day, 2020

As we spent New Year's eve of 2019 in Sabang Ran and I decided to do the Underground River trip again ( well his first time) on New years day. 1.1.2020! We got up at 6 am , showered and had breakfast. The restaurant staff were mostly still asleep so we had to ask for cutlery, bowls, cups and butter and jam at 7 am. Then we met our tour guide, Jimmy, in reception. As the hotel is just along the beach from the setting off point our group of 10 had a short walk in the sun along the beach and then had to wait to be registered and get our boat to the start of the Underground river.

Walking to the setting off point

Even though it was early on New Year's day there were several groups in front of us so we sat in the sun and waited our turn. The tent of 2013 had been replaced with a permanent structure , but otherwise everything was the same. The boatmen lining up in turn with their clean brightly rigged freshly painted and numbered boats, the coastguard checking all the paperwork, a sheet for each boat listing the occupants and a sheet per tourist with their environmental permit.

The boatmen clean their boats and line up in order to depart once the paperwork is completed for each boat by the tour guides

Eventually around 8 am we set sail. Ran and I shared a boat with a charming American couple and their two kids, and we headed out to sea and across the bay to the Underground river. Soon after we left, as it was a little choppy, the little boy started being sick over the side of the boat and Kuya Ran did his big brother bit holding the boys life jacket so he did not fall overboard before handing him back to his parents. Disaster struck soon after when floating plastic got wound around the propeller and stalled the engine and we floated helplessly waiting for another boat to help us. However the boat helper came to the back of the boat and managed to get the engine going again and guide us safely to the beach.

 

Number 59 sets off

From the beach there is a short walk to the Subterranean park where we collected our hard hats and something new, an audio guide to hang around our neck in our choice of language to hear the history of the cave and the environmental and health and safety instructions.  Another short wait as the groups ahead of us were assigned to their boats - this time a 6 seat paddle boat with the boatman paddling at the rear, and we entered the cave.

We get kitted out with hard hats and audio guides before being allocated seats on the paddle boat

Ran and I just sat back on the tour and took in the splendor of the stalagmites and stalactites and rock formations and the thousands of bats that fly around in the dark.  Another American, also from our hotel, sat in front of us pulled out his variety of cameras and phones and his torch to ensure he recorded everything ( he had been using his drone to film our departure as we waited for the boat earlier!) 

Young Tilly found it hard to sit still and be quiet so her parents kept stuffing her with cookies, and thankfully her brother was not sick on this part of the trip. When we finally got back to dry land their mother and I discussed our sore bottoms from the hard wooden seats and our claustrophobia. Sorry , Jhoanna, but I cannot face the caves a third time!

The British Kabayan trussed like a turkey and ready for the caves

 

I think I counted ninety boats in total

Our boat was waiting back on the beach ( number 75) and then we had another choppy ride back to the hotel and our friend was sick again . Ran had to rush back to the bathroom as well, and we decided to have an hours rest before our lunch at noon.

After our late night celebrating the new decade, and early morning, we spent the afternoon asleep!

The next day we packed, had an early breakfast and headed off for another new place for me- St Vincente and the 14.8 km long beach 

I will tell you all about our adventures there in another blog but for now this is the British Kabayan signing off and wishing you all a great day

Ingat

Kita kits xx