Richard & Jo's Blog

After such a traumatic travel day, we slept well. I slept for nine hours with just a little awake time at about 1.00am.

We awoke to cloudy skies but a very warm day.

Shortly after six we were in the camera room getting the cameras ready for the first dive. So far, everything seems to be working fine.

Breakfast was the usual offering of freshly cooked eggs of your choice, hash browns, extremely crispy bacon (wonderful), cereals and fresh fruit. Severed with fruit juices and fresh coffee that is strong enough to strip paint, however, when watered down to 1/3 coffee and 2/3 hot water it becomes delicious.

At the dive centre for 8.00 where we met our wonderful dive guide, Nanni. So pleased that he puts up with us.

The boats here are small, which is just to my liking. This morning on the boat we had Wendel in charge, a Kelvinas crew, Nannie, us and Romnick with Darral and Dianne.

First dive of the holiday is Saim Saim, which is a barren sandy slope. Fabulous! A gentle dive down to about 25 metres seeing, mimic octopus, Shaun the sheep slugs, sexy shrimps, lemon goby, various shrimps in anemones and some tiny scorpionfish.

Camera worked well. Had to make a few adjustments to the settings but generally pleased. Not so sure on any of the photos but, hey, it’s only the first dive.

At this point Richard and I realise that we dive using nitrox but on air tables. Time to change the computers! Oh! Can’t work out how to change my main computer. Suunto! If it ain’t broke, don’t fix it! The Suunto gekko computers were brilliant, but the new version is so hard to operate. Luckily Nanni has the same computer as me, so now I’ve had a little training.

Back to base for our surface interval as we had someone new joining the boat, Martin from Argentina. His first day. He seems nice.

Second dive was Manit Corner (Slug City). This is one of the closest sites to the dive centre. A beautiful rocky outcrop on a peninsula, covered in life. This was a nice bimble, again to about 25 metres. Lots of slugs, feather duster worms and other lovely stuff. Played with my snoot! Got a snooted picture of a slug.

After sorting the cameras, a spot of lunch (BLT for me and spag bol for Richard) followed a little time for relaxing, blogging and picture work.

This afternoon, on the boat was us and Martin with Nanni. Third dive of the day was at Elmer’s Point where we saw the current fish! There was lots to see and take photos although sometimes it was a challenge as the critters were waving about like a farts in a thunderstorm. I saw a very brave zebra moray who was determined not to move regardless of how close I got. Richard got a lovely shot of a a goby on a wire coral.

A dip in the pool between the third dive and the night dive and a chat with Jack, an octogenarian from Emsworth! You go almost half way around the world and bump into a near neighbour! Amazing!

It was out to the dive site called Bubbles for the night dive, with Nanni and Martin. This site is so called due to bubbles rising out of the ground due to volcanic activity and if you put your hand into the sand in some places it is to hot for comfort. An excellent dive, once I sorted out my fogging mask. We saw lots of stuff. Many different nudibranchs, shrimps, cup corals and many, many different featherstars feeding and rather more unusually a feeding basketstar.

A very quick shower and an application of 80% DEET to keep the mosquitos away followed but a spot of tea. Lovely Sisig, with Mango and cumber salad and fried rice. Richard had a mango float for dessert. Must remember to take food photos next time.

A quick look at the rest of the days photos and a couple of keepers have been spotted. Hundreds deleted. As I always say “don’t show the shit ones!”

We’re on our way. Taxi bound to LHR, now then, did someone say breakfast?

Check in was quite painless and not without entertainment as the previous flight was still checking in, we were directed to a holding queue where we watched other folk try and jump into the previous queue. It all sorted itself out in the end and we got checked in super quick, security was quick, nothing out of your bags apart from laptops, well OK.

Then we have to choose from the glittering array of food choices available in the departure lounge. Sadly no ‘Spoons’ so a WH Smith meal deal it was!

Meal Deal dealt with so now it’s just the waiting game before we get summoned to the next queue.

The flight was fine, we watched many movies but don’t ask me what and before long we land in Singapore.

Now for the story of how we get from terminal 3 where we arrived to terminal 2 where our flight to Manilla departs from. We have almost 2 hours so no drama (!).

The facts behind this story are as follows: we were in T3, we had to get to T2 and our departure gate was F60.

We head off to the Sky train which moves people between terminals but upon arrival it says that the train to T2 is non operational. So we have to take the train to T1 then walk from T1 to T2. What a trek!!!

In the mean time Jo mentioned seeing a sign to F60 on the other direction. Regardless, I knew we had to get to T2 and then find the gate.

We get to T1 and walk the length of it to get to T2. Curiously spotting no signage to T2 until we get to the very end. We are in T2 and start the long walk. Way to our gate. Disappointingly, our gate was nowhere to be seen, we get to the end of the walkway, still no gate, noone to ask. Hmmm.

We about face, walk all the way back to the other end of T2 to find T1, walk the length on T1 and her the sky train back to T3.

Closer examination of the signage reveals that there is a different train to T2. In particular, the bit of T2 where our gate F60 is located.

Our walk. Through T2 is another long one, about 10 minutes. W finally find the train we want and hop on.

Before long we find ourselves in T2, but not the T2 we found first time round. Now then, where is gate F60, oh. Just another 10 minute dash.

Curiously, at the end of this debacle, we are just in time to check in, we pass through security and collapse in a sweaty heap just before boarding commences, Phew!!!!!

The second flight was all fine and we land at Manilla though one we have landed we have to stay put on the tarmac for a while whilst a thunderstorm passes through. All to do with lightning strikes apparently (I did see some lightning as we landed) but as we are being collected by the resort transport we don’t need to worry too much about things here on in, it should all just happen.

Then again, we’ve been sat here for the next part of an hour so far…

Well then, 1hr later and we are cleared to the gate. Once at the gate there is an announcement for a long list of names to contact ground staff on arrival and guess what? Yep, we’re on the list. Jo immediately suspects missing luggage. Looking on the bright side I suggest that maybe we are lucky prize winners, a free holiday perhaps?

As it turned out, I was wide of the the mark whilst Jo had hit the nail on the head, no bags for us! We set about filling in forms and describing the missing items and are told that there is no need to worry as they will be on the next flight. When’s that we ask, actually sir, its just landed!!!!

Sure enough, the missing bags are some of the first off that plane, we can all calm south to a frenzy now.

As I write, we are headed south towards Batangas with our driver Robert in an air conditioned Toyota van.

I do most seriously hope that these things come in threes and that’s our quota done for the trip, time will tell…

We even have our dinner order placed and some Red Horse waiting in the super chiller!

Brace yourself for another round of the same food pictures, same resort pictures and same boat pictures as last time, interspersed with anecdotes and observations on everything that was expected and more interestingly – everything that was not expected!

Next Update – Tuesday 11th October