Settling Down in Camotes Islands

GPS waypoint: 10°38'45.95"N 124°22'53.72"E
Location : Camotes Islands, Cebu (province), Philippines

1 Month Down, 1 More to Go
After a month in Camotes Islands, I decided to renew my stay by another month. I'm ok to think I'll be here on a month by month basis - that's as far as I can stretch my here-and-now. Accordingly, I've settled quite comfortably in my rented room, developing my own routine, and even buying essential household things. This is as close as I get to having a home.

Peoplescape
Camotes Islands isn't exactly a tourist destination so I don't come across travelers to hang with. But I'm good with the staff and owner of my lodging place. They're quite nice to me, inviting to come along if there's an event in the family or knocking on my door with food to share with.

Outside, I default to hanging out at Kayla Me food kiosk, manned by Mitchell, a Kiwi, and Grant, an Aussie. They have interesting projects in Camotes along the lines of organic, low-key, native and natural. Interestingly, they are open to having me being a part of their scene. This ties-in with a vision I have with my Cebu City friend, Jeanne, about having a yoga retreat here. Nothing concrete yet for me, but it looks promising.

I've also come within the orbit of Joy, Poro's tourism officer who was introduced online to me by our mutual friend from Cebu City, Bobette. Already, Joy and Abel took me up to Altavista for a scenic view of the neighboring islands from Camotes' highest peak. Again, I was invited to be a part of Abel's birthday gathering in Esperanza, Poro where I met their neighbors and colleagues.

This is as close as I get to a normal social life. When I was on the road, friendships take on a 48-hour shelf life.

Bicycle
I stumbled upon a parked bicycle gathering dust in a garage. I talked to the owner, offering to rent it for a month, on condition that I will have it cleaned, lubed and calibrated. Whatever part needs to be replaced, I will replace it. He liked my offer and agreed to rent it to me for a very reasonable P500/month. It's a Japanese surplus pink lady's bike with a basket. I don't care! What's important is that I have a bike to take me from point A to Point B. With a bike, my range exponentially increased, biking as far as Esperanza (San Fran), Poro, and most of the far flung barangays.

On the 2nd month, hoping to save my P500/month, I offered to buy it at P1,500 + 1 night for 2 at Aladin White Beach Resort, a luxurious beach resort at P3500/night. He didn't sell me the bike, but took the resort offer and instead, allowed me to use the bike indefinitely for as long as I am in Camotes. That also suit me well and good. At least I had no cash outlay. As for the resort accommodation, that was a credit balance from a separate barter deal I had with with resort owner. So far, things had been going my way and I'm able to conserve my precious and limited cash.

Baywalk
What makes San Francisco special in Camotes is the Baywalk and its surroundings (carinderia, food kiosks, market, stores, sidewalk vendors, etc.) where people gather and meet. It adds dimension and color to the place. I could just hang in Baywalk and chill, watching people go by and enjoying the fresh clean ocean air. The only downside to Baywalk is its numerous and blaring karaoke bars on full blast. When I reach my saturation point, I simply leave and ride my bike elsewhere.

Workout
Mornings, I bike to Baywalk for my morning workout where I use its open-air public exercise facility - dipping bar, monkey bars, horizontal bars and chinning bar. I also get to do my skipping rope. What's great about it is it's beside the ocean - fresh clean air as you gasp your breath. I follow my workout always with pranayama and meditation. With that routine, I could really feel my strength coming back.

Exploration
With my bicycle, I ventured out to other resort pockets in San Francisco. En route, I would detour to obscure dirt roads leading to the water and come across signs about caves and beaches. That's how I came across Holy Crystal Cave and Timubo Cave. As a tag-along to my lodging staff, I spent time in Santiago Bay Beach, a stretch of white sand beach lined up with beach resorts, bars and restos. At Mangodlong area, I went inside 2 plush resorts to check-out their beach scene. At Esperanza, I came upon the Aladin White Beach Resort - an ambitious newly built multi-story resort fronting a white sand beach. Further up was the tiny island of Tulang Diot. I've only scratched the surface. With my additional month, I plan to scour the rest of the island.

Cooking
From Cebu City, I brought my mini rice cooker. With it, I was back to being a guerilla chef, doing creative kitchen things with only my Swiss Army knife. I have cooked pizza from scratch. More often though, my rice cooker is my water kettle, my oatmeal maker, pasta cooker and everything essential.

Documentary Films
The free time that became available to me by settling down allowed me to view as many film documentaries as I could possibly devour from Youtube, Top Documentary Films, etc. I would eat them all up from cutting-edge science (holographic universe, absolute zero, light, quantum mechanics) to spiritual (Krishnamurti, Sadguru, Bashar, Yoga) to politics (Bernie Sanders, Duterte, Trump, world events), etc. I was a kid lost in a candy factory.

Responsive Web Design
Lastly, and it's my bad, I had been way behind in web design technologies. While I have continued updating my sites, they were essentially copy-and-paste functions from pre-existing templates that were dated to begin with. Finding time to catch up, I realized how far behind I've lagged. Now, I make time to learn HTML5, CSS3 and Responsive Web Design. By the time I leave Camotes, I should be able to hand-code from scratch, a responsive website compliant to the latest W3C standards, SEO best-business practices and emergent design trends. The operative word being, "hand-code from scratch" - not from a template (like Wordpress or Bootstrap). Nowadays, there are few web designers who can hand-code - this will be my unique edge.

Ending Thoughts
The freedom to travel has been Holy Grail to most people toiling the 5-9 routine. But ironically, with my newfound freedom at settling down, I feel the liberation from the bondage of travel. I liken myself to a prison inmate released from incarceration with time on his hands to pursue many things put on hold.

At some point, I know I'll feel restless and it would be time for me to pack-up again and hit the open road. But that hasn't happened yet. For now, I am enjoying this borrowed time.

--- Gigit (TheLoneRider)
YOGA by Gigit | Learn English | Travel like a Nomad | Donation Bank

Next stop: Tudela and Busay Falls

Reader Comments:

Camotes Islands, Cebu, Philippines

tourist attractions

• Lake Danao Park - inland twin lakes in San Francisco
• Santiago Bay Beach - stretch of fine white sand with a cluster of beach resorts
• Buho Rock - dive boards perched from a high rock outcropping, Poro
• Tulang Diot - white sand beach on a tiny island just 10 minutes by boat from the main Camotes Island
• Busay Falls - groomed plunge pool, dirt trail walk with 2 stream crossings, Tudela
• Capasanan Spring - crystal clear open spring water source in San Jose, Poro. Free
• Hagnaon Spring - clean drinking water coming out of the rocks, dipping pool you might share with carabaos in San Jose, Poro. Free

caves

• Timubo Cave - groomed trail inside cave with lights, swimming inside, limited penetration
• Bukilat Cave - cathedral-like caverns, top lighting from cave openings, high tide swimming
• Holy Crystal Cave - cave formation glitters, human bones, limited penetration
• Paraiso Cave

important spots

• San Francisco - town center, wet market, municipal hall, eateries, live music, bar, Baywalk
• Poro - town center of Poro Municipality, port to Cebu City and Danao
• Tudela - town center of Tudela Municipality
• Pilar - town center of Pilar in the island of Ponson Island
• Consuelo Wharf - port for Danao ships
• Poro Port - port for Danao and Cebu City ships

resort hotel

•  Aladin White Beach Resort and Retirement Investment
  beachfront property, swimming pool, modern amenities and facilities
  Esperanza, San Francisco, Camotes Island, Cebu, Philippines

Camotes Island FYI / Tips

• Camotes Islands is a group of islands composed of 4 municipalities:
  1. San Francisco - this is the biggest municipality covering the West major island. Its town center is the busiest with the market, eating places, live music and the Baywalk. The beach resort clusters, however, are concentrated in Santiago Bay, Mangodlong and Esperanza
  2. Poro - Poro is on the other big island to the East. It has its own port and the town center is likewise busy
  3. Tudela
  4. Pilar - this occupies the small north east island
• the busy area where most of the social gatherings take place, eating places, is located at the Baywalk area of San Francisco, 30 mins by motorcycle from the Consuelo Port. Travellers usually stay in their resort outside the Baywalk
• the resorts in Camotes Island are scattered around the island. There are none around the Baywalk area of San Francisco
• perhaps the only downside to Camotes Island is the inescapable deafening sound of karaoke - it is played very loud and it's everywhere. In Baywalk, there are 3 karaoke bars beside each other going full blast all at the same time

Camotes Island Cost Index

• PHP 100 habal-habal ride from Consuelo Port to San Francisco
• PHP 55 Pale Pilsen beer
• PHP 10/pax regular fare for habal-habal within San Francisco
• PHP 500/tour habal-habal rate for island tour up to 2 pax
• PHP 800/tour tricycle rate for island tour up to 4 pax

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Camotes Islands Blogs by TheLoneRider

1. Daghang Salamat (Many Thanks) Camotes Islands, Goodbye Apr 6, 2017
2. A Culture of Noise Apr 5, 2017
3. Exploring Tulang Diot (Little Island) Apr 2, 2017
4. In Search of the Hidden Beach Apr 1, 2017
5. Pizza-Making Party in Camotes Islands Mar 25, 2017
6. Zesto and Exploited Child Labor Mar 20, 2017
7. The Bayot (Gay) Construction Worker Mar 20, 2017
8. Yoga Calisthenics in Camotes Islands Mar 3, 2017
9. Bathing with the Carabaos at Hagnaon Spring, Camotes Islands Feb 28, 2017
10. Taking a Dip at Capasanan Spring, Camotes Islands Feb 28, 2017
11. Exploring Bukilat Cave, Camotes Islands Feb 28, 2017
12. Exploring Tudela and Busay Falls, Camotes Islands Feb 21, 2017
13. Settling Down in Camotes Islands Feb 19, 2017
14. Clam Chowder Pizza from Scratch on a Rice Cooker Feb 15, 2017
15. Exploring Timubo Cave of Camotes Islands Feb 9, 2017
16. Exploring Holy Crystal Cave of Camotes Islands Feb 9, 2017
17. Exploring Camotes Islands of Cebu Jan 13-14, 2017

»» next Traveling story: Exploring Tudela and Busay Falls, Camotes Islands
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