I haven’t written for a while because here in the Philippines my internet time is severely limited. Plus I am too busy having fun and seeing amazing things to spend time sat in front of a computer. I have 1 hour and 34 minutes of internet time today so I am going to write backwards, starting with today and see how far I get.

Once again I can’t upload any photos, which is a shame because the places we have been made for some spectacular photos, but for now words will have to do.

Early this morning (8am) we all (me, Emily, Brian, Fatima, Joshua and his two friends, Frederick (Fatima’s brother) Ian (pronounced Ion) Fatima’s cousin, Prezel and Melnet) piled in to back of Papa’s (Fatima’s dad) Jeepney and headed off on our second adventure of the weekend.

Today was a special day in the Philippines called sanwan (I dunno how to spell it) meaning get wet day. Sanwan is always on the last Sunday in June and on this day everyone in the country has to get wet, although I have no idea why! Before we left Fatima warned us that there may be people on the streets throwing water into the back of the very open jeepney as we journeyed towards Kipot Twin falls.

Filipinos work a six day week and enjoy a lie in on Sunday morning so travelling early in the morning meant few people were up and we made it to our destination with dry clothing.

We parked at the entrance to the falls, paid 2GBP for us all and walked down some steps to a hut (well roof) with a table in the middle. Here we set up camp for the day. Immediately the kids were off exploring whilst the adults took things at a more leisurely pace.

Emily and I sat looking at our at the green lushness of our surroundings. We remarked to Fatima that it felt like we were in a rain forest. To which she pointed out that we pretty much were! As Emily and I marveled at our location brain sat on his phone texting (as usual) and Frederick and Ian busied themselves making a fire to cook the fish for dinner.

As the last of the fish was being cooked we got ready to walk down the steps to the waterfall for a swim before lunch. Fatima organized the kids and Melnet, Brian refused to come saying there was no way he was: “walking all the way down there.” So we persuaded the boys to come with us as Brain was there to look after the cooking fish.

It wasn’t far to the waterfall. We descended a number of steps before costing a bridge across the forest and traversing some narrow paths with steep drops that eventually lead down to the river and a massive double waterfall.

We stood for a while taking pictures of the water crashing into the river and trying to overcome our dead at taking off our clothes and revealing our pasty white bodies clad in skimpy bikinis. Once the boys had disappeared behind some rocks it became easier and I tentatively removed my shorts and decided the best option was to submerge myself in water as quickly as possible. This however, wasn’t to be as many of the rocks were slippery and the water was shallow. Instead I ended up slowly picking my way across the rocks often having to bend over and use my hands to steady myself. I’d like to say no-one had a camera but Fatima was busily clicking away with mine, the result being some very unflattering pictures.

Once I’d crossed the rocks I sat in the water and played a game of who can splash the hardest with Joshua, which I won every time as he turned away spluttering and gasping for air.

I spent a while sat in the shallows with the kids but was desperate to get into the deeper water and swim towards the crashing waterfall. When I eventually got into the deeper water the current from the falling water was very strong and proved difficult to swim against. Almost as soon as Emily and I were in the water Frederick and Ian, who had been sat drinking rum, decided to join us. Apparently Frederick has a bit of a crush on me and we were soon being told to pose for pictures together in the water!

Once I’d established that I didn’t actually want to swim under the falling water as it would probably have been petty painful I got out to go and sit back in the shallows. I found myself a very comfortable spot between some rocks with water crashing each side of me. It was like sitting in a natural Jacuzzi – umm this is the life!!!

As we got out of the water Brian appeared with Melnet having decided the walk ‘all the way down there’ after all.

We’d soon worked up an appetite and went back to our hut for some of Fatima’s chicken adobo that she made the previous night to bring with us. We ate and chilled out for a bit before heading back to the waterfall for another dip. This time we passed Frederick and Ian on the way back up They obviously had the right idea because no sooner had we arrived than it started to spit. Then the spitting got harder and harder until we were caught in a torrential downpour.

When we got to the river there had been a lot of people around stareing at us so we’d decided not to swim. But by the time we reached the hut we were as wet as if we had swam!

Everyone tried their best to dry off before making a frantic dash for the jeepney. Once everyone was in the jeep and the boys had got soaked carrying the massive cool box back up the steps in the rain we began the journey home.

This time the kids in the villages were awake and had prepared themselves. It wasn’t long before Ian who was sat in the front shouted something in ilonggo as he stuck a massive gold umbrella out the door and opened it. Frederick was sat beside the back door and did the same just a massive amount of water hit the umbrella. As we took the umbrella down we were greeted by the sight of about 30 kids chasing the vehicle all with water carrying vestibules in their hands.

As we reached an area where the road was bad the attempted soakings became more frequent. We sat in the back screaming and howling with laughter as the gold umbrella broke showering Frederick in water and leaving us all more exposed. Then a kid who been hiding on the other side of the road launched a surprise attack completely soaking Brian! The merriment and fun carried on for a while as we passed group after group of kids intent on making sure everyone got wet today. As the road improved the jeepney was able or move more quickly and the attempted soakings became less frequent. Emily and I were sat in the middle of the jeep and had avoided most of it, Unlike ‘pa’ who was soaked after someone checked some water through the drivers window.

Everyone carried home in good spirits, but wet and tired.

After a shower I headed into Bacolod to the PC room where I’m sitting now writing this. So that is all for today. Hopefully once I’ve replied to a few emails I still have enough time to write about yesterday.

Bye for now.

* Posted by j150vsc on 24/06/2007.