Rain, Rain Go Away. Little Irah (ehem) Wants to Play!

I've wanted to see the secluded cove of Anawangin since last year.  Everyone’s talking about it -- some claimed they found solitude and tranquility upon experiencing Anawangin while a few groups had cursed the place for the ‘accidents’ and ‘mysteries’ that they experienced.  I even come across a blog saying, “Don’t be a victim behind the beauty of Anawangin!”

 

Presumed to be ‘mystical and ‘enchanted,’ this intriguing beach enticed me to see it for myself.

 

Plans had been made since early part of May but didn’t push through due to various reasons. Nearing the last days of summer, the thought of experiencing Anawangin became vague.

 

But then came the email from SirNoel that read, "Psst!  We’ll be going to Pundaquit then trek to Anawangin with Angel and Rina, his girlfriend, this coming Saturday and be back on Sunday. Kayong dalawa na lang girlfriends ko, hehehe.  Overnight lang. We’ll be driving in my car so there are two more slots for passengers. If you two are interested please come and join us. I have an extra tent for the two of you. Of course chip in tayo sa gas-tos.  Siguro budget eh mga Php 1,000.00 lang including na food. You may opt to ride the boat instead of the trek. It is a 5-hour up-and-down-hill-walk. Ano sa palagay nyo..."

 

Without hesitation, I replied, “Yes! Ayos! Game!”  Then he emailed me back with a long list of things to bring.  I’m used to packing my stuff; even have a kikay kit that’s always ready for a biglaang laag; but going to a place like Anawangin, a camper’s beach, I wanted to make sure that I bring all the needed ‘basics.’  Simple as it may sound, I tell you it’s hard to bring all the ‘basics,’ from a girl’s standpoint, that is.

 

So, on the dawn of May 30, SirNoel fetched me & Chie.  He was surprised to see me with just an average-sized backpack.  I’m good at fucking este packing. :)

 

We then fetched Angel & Rina, and it was a smooth, uneventful trip to San Antonio, Zambales.

 

When we reached Barangay Pundaquit, the jump-off point for Anawangin, it was raining.  Trekking was cancelled as it would be dangerous.  Plan B was the boat ride.  While waiting for Ayin, our boatman, we indulged ourselves with a classic Pinoy pastime, videoke!, plus another classic Pinoy drink, Tanduay Rhum!  I once swore never to drink Tanduay again, but there I was with a glass of Tanduay on one hand and a glass of Coke on the other.

 

After about 10 songs and 2 bottles down, our boatman arrived.  It was still raining that time and so the waves were incredibly strong.  That would have made me panicked and scared, but thanks to Tanduay, I enjoyed every wave that we encountered.

 

From a distance, I saw a pine tree-infested cove with a stretch of white sand, just like in the photos posted online.

 

And we were finally there.  And it was jam-packed.  And it was raining.  :(

 

We found a perfect spot to pitch our tents, in between a pine tree and a coconut tree, near a bamboo table & bench, which was covered by the entrance fee of Php100.  The entrance fee also covered the use of toilet and bath, actually 3 decent toilets and an open shower with a poso (water pump).

 

It did not actually rain throughout the entire day.  And when the rain stopped, I had the chance to sleep by the sea shore, one of the things I love most.  With the cold sand on my back, the sound of waves crashing against the shore and the gentle breeze of the sea, just peaceful and relaxing, I could sleep forever.

 

But most of the time, it was raining.  :)  It rained a bit while we were having lunch.  Again, when we had our snacks.  And yes, when we had our dinner.  And picture this, the bamboo table & bench doesn’t have a roof and we weren’t able to bring a trapal (plastic sheet) for cover-up as well.  Thus, our pritong Spam turned into sinabawang Spam. :)

 

Darkness came.  Spending the night was one of the toughest times in the island.  In an island with no electricity, no cellphone signal, there’s almost nothing to do but kwentuhan and inuman.  We did just that -- kwentuhan and inuman -- but under the rain.  I would have preferred doing that while sitting in the sand around a bonfire and with dry clothes but my first night in this mystical Anawangin, with all the laughs that I had from SirNoel’s antics and Angel’s Mountaineering 101, was something out of the ordinary and I wouldn’t change that for anything.