Anchored Position 09° 45.8 N 118° 43.7 E
Puerto Princesa, Palawan
We seem to have gotten stuck here in Puerto Princesa, having been here now six weeks and still counting. The plan was a stay of about two weeks and move on further north, well it seems that as usual those plans are laid in floppy jell-o.
Our first set back was whatever flu type bug that was affecting the yachtie population when we first arrived. The major setback was caused by a small mosquito bite and my coming down with Dengue Fever. This was not a fun thing at all. Headache, joint ache, fever, chills and a very strange rash which put me lying down for about eight days before I then started to feel better but took perhaps another week to be my chipper self again. I'm glad that is over!!!
We are enjoying our time here. Prior to my Dengue outbreak we took a short road trip across to the west coast of Palawan to visit what is listed as one of the seven modern natural wonders of the world. The Underground River of Puerto Princesa! We made this a two day trip. You first get your permit for the trip in Puerto Princesa. We then had a trike driver take to a tour operator to organize things. The trike driver's reward from the tour operator a five kilo bag of rice for each person he brought in. When your daily wage is 300 to 600 pesos, that's 7 to 14 $US a day those bags of rice were quite important to him and his family.
We were picked up from the Abonico Yacht Club where we left our dinghy and it was a two and a half hour drive across the island to the village of Sabang. Our river tour was the next day so we first found a room for the night and then a walkabout along the beach and through the village. Rooms for two varied from $20 to $200 US per night. Prices in the resorts varied greatly. We stopped at a beachfront hotel bar where a beer and bottle of water were almost $5 US later I bought eight beers, one water and a small bottle of rum for $9 US. Hey the resort hotel did have a nicer view. The room we did get was oceanfront for $125 US with air conditioning and TV. We got to watch the US election results and a replay of a US gridiron game. Hey the first real football I've gotten to see in several years.
The next day we met with our tour group at 9 am, they had departed Puerto Princesa at 5 am, we then boarded a local "banka" for the fifteen minute motor to where the underground river is located. The "banka's" are long and narrow with outriggers on both sides. They range in sizes from ten to perhaps sixty feet and are the boats used for pretty much everything here. It was a fun experience to ride in one. Once on the actual river tour we were in a small paddle powered "banka". The underground river itself is basically a river flowing through the limestone mountains creating a scenic series of caverns. It runs about five miles though the tour just takes you a small distance but it was well worth the trip. On return to Sabang we checked out of our hotel and made the return trip with the tour group. We were happy not to have done the whole tour in a single day.
We have lately been busy with some never ending minor projects. We are ready to head north to some other areas BUT!! First we figure it would be easier to get our next visa extension here, so we are waiting for payday, 1 Dec. We don't know if this is just a go in and fill the papers out deal or if it takes a couple of days. It will give us 59 more days though it costs about $150 US per person. The next issue is what is now tropical storm and soon to be typhoon "Bopha". Yes today it's 1800 miles west of us but moving closer as it intensifies. We will be keeping a weather eye open.
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