The Manila to Daet, Camarines Norte drive was 8 hours long so we just slept, ate and talked loudly inside the van. We were with other people but we didn't mind. With almost everything, we never really mind anyway. After the long drive, it was a 2-hour boat ride to the island. Okay, I didn't forget how rough Camarines waves were. What I did forget though was to bring meds for it. A few years back, during my trip to Caramoan, which is at Camarines Sur, the 2-hour boat ride gave me an insane anxiety attack that I cried when we got off the boat. Good thing I was with my family then and they were geared up with lots of meds and even had a pulse fingertip oximeter. Now, it was a huge mistake to forget even just a single medicine for this trip, but thankfully, I survived it. Vivi hugged the shit out of me and let me smoke 3 cigs straight when we got on land. If ever I go back to Camarines for any remote island, remind me of my meds, alright?
Calaguas is magical. Scorching bright sun, white and smooth sand and the water is clear as crystal. No blaring music but the sound of people having fun and the waves hitting the shore. Calaguas is, again, magical.
So what did we do? Nothing. We just frolicked all day. We soaked up nature's finest - the sun, sand and water. It was perfect.
We hiked up this 20-minute trail to see the island from the top.
Almost killed me, of course,
but I'm happy I did that climb.
When the day turned in to night, I was floating in the sea. I let the water hug and carry me as the sun descended from the sky and the canvas of the earth changed from bright blue to a mixture of red, orange and purple. It was there when I asked myself, "What am I doing here? Do I even belong here? Why am I here?"
When all the colors seemed to be eaten by the darkness, I let those questions linger, had dinner and commenced the obligatory alcohol sesh with the rest of the group. Great place, food and people, what more can I ask for? We played lasing bobo loudly while drinking and it was one of the best lasing bobo games ever. Drinking and getting wasted by the beach with my friends and the new ones elevated that moment from happy to the best. And we all know what happens to best memories, yeah?
I was 2 bottles of Red Horse away from getting drunk but luckily, the alcohol gave up on us first. I decided to go skinny dipping with Florie and Drew and it was beyond crazy. Crazy in a very good way, of course. It's liberating. We didn't have any light except what the moon provided but the laughter with what we're doing was music to my ears. It was a night of pure laughter, I have to say.
I let myself float again under the black sky, unreal bright moon and tiny stars shattered everywhere as if pieces of broken glass. I always appreciate moments when I can get to see stars. Being a city girl, I hardly see stars anymore or most of the time, I'm way too comfortable with the city's dashing lights that I forget that stars exist. There, surprisingly, I got the answer to my very emotional questions earlier. It's as if the the moon, stars and the cold sea whispered it to me... "You're here to see this. Exactly this. Because you are a part of all this. You're right where you're supposed to be."
Floating in the dark, instead of being scared, I was smiling. I am smiling now as I type this. That moment made me feel more than good. More than human even. It made me feel one with every fiber of my being. It made me one with everything. I felt sheer bliss.
I wish I had a picture, even just a single picture of the sun, moon, sky, sea, the colors, of that moment, all in one frame. Not just to put in here but for people to understand what I felt because of those elements. But I guess what I got there is only for me.
And for that, I am forever thankful of you, Calaguas.
