My name is Charlie Rheinberg, I am 22 years old and have just graduated
from Northumbria University with Honors in Journalism. I have had a love
for traveling since I took a gap year in Eastern Africa and continue to
build up an enviable repertoire of Countries visited. Traveling, I have
found, certainly gives you 'the bug' and I hope to never stop. I am
aiming to combine my passion for writing with my enthusiasm to travel,
Moving into a career within journalism. I live in Coxwold, where my
family run The Fauconberg Arms - somewhere that has been pivotal in my
ability to travel parts of South East Asia this year and not just
because of the late finishes and long shifts. Family and friends at home
share my enthusiasm for traveling and thankfully I can take great pride
in knowing that people can live my experiences through my writing.
It
sounds absurd to go to the other side of the World knowing little about
your itinerary but for me that really is half the fun. As I was
browsing the travel section of the WHSmiths at Newcastle airport I
beamed out a smile at the prospect of the unknown. I was about to embark
on a 3 month trip to The Philippines, Borneo, Indonesia, Singapore and
Malaysia. The places I was to call home for the next 12 weeks were sure
to offer religion, food, landscape, activities and people like that I
have never come across before.
Our flight to the Filipino capital took 16 hours. Unfortunately, what
our guide book described as 'a mega City with opportunity round every
corner' felt far more accustomed to cranes, lorries and industrial work
forces than it did to a trio of wide eyed young travelers looking to be
'wowed' upon their arrival to a tropical paradise.
After a sweaty nights sleep in a very cosy hostel room we began to pick
at what Manila had to offer. And, surprisingly, it conjured up one of my
lasting memories of The Philippines. Our taxi had gotten lost and we
found ourselves at the foot of a mountain. 'Smokey mountain' as the
locals call it, is constructed entirely of rubbish. The result of years
of City waste being dumped in one area is where thousands of people call
home. Seeing a 'slum' brings every sense in your body alive. Your nose
is doing overtime whilst your ears hear twice the amount of things your
eyes see. But, the most notable thing our unplanned City tour showed us
was the amount of normality that remains in this vastly different way of
life. Women tended to young children and groups of men sawed at wood or
worked on tatty machinery, whilst young children smiled and kicked
football's in the streets. It felt strange but I was glad the experience
left me with a sense of motivation and relief rather than my initial
thoughts of pity and sadness.
I began taking notes on my time in The Philippines on the island of
Borocay. The white sand beach hurt my eyes without the shield of
sunglasses and the sound of the lapping waves proved far more appealing
than any song on my ipod. Escaping the hustle and bustle of mango
sellers and dive school enthusiasts I sat on the sand under the shade of
some banana trees enjoying the tranquility the lack of activity
offered. The previous night, Manny Pacquiao - a Filipino hero and king
of World boxing - entertained a crowd of hundreds with a rendition of a
90s love song. Bottles of local 'Tanduay' rum flowed for less than a
pound and it was a sobering thought realising how well the small island
had the ability to play host to people looking for such contrasting
surroundings.
Our journey from Borocay in the North West of the Visayas to the island
of Negros took us through Iloilo City and the island of Guimaras. The
latter is famed so much for its sweet mangoes that it is local law to
only have juicy fruits indigenous of the island allowed through customs.
I began to feel as though we were getting off the beaten track here.
Becoming aware of how universal a thumbs up is no matter where in the
World you are. Riding on the back of a motorbike, sun in my face, bag on
my back, I returned a smile back to the tens of locals scrambling to
give a wave to the ginger haired European who had come to explore their
home.
Our Guimaras base was a cabin resort with stunning views of lush green
forests and ocean sunsets. There was even a swimming pool tucked away at
the base of a valley but for £4 a night there were draw backs, hence
the bed bugs did bite!
We opted for engine power over pedal power to see more of Guimaras, the
30 degree heat proving decisive in our decision. The rugged landscape
was just about doing enough to take our eyes off the unpredictable road
surface long enough to enjoy the beautiful views of 17th century Spanish
churches, swaying palm trees, sparkling blue waters and more smiling
faces. Highlights included firing a 44 caliber police pistol and a lunch
stop at a local eatery where we sampled 'batchoy' - basically spicy
water with stringy noodles and chewy chicken. You could tell we were on a
budget and diving into the Filipino way of dining!
Next on our travel hit-list was the University town of Dumaguete - a
place where both activity and relaxation mold into one to create a very
appealing atmosphere. Keeping in line with our experience's of native
Filipino's, the welcome was warm and the sense of pride they hold in
knowing their country is keeping you entertained and happy shined
through.
Apo island, just a 30 minute boat ride from Negros mainland, was
where we had my first encounter with nature. The marine reserve on the
east of the island blew my mind with its rainbow coloured corals,
abundance of fish life and, most impressively, the opportunity to swim
side by side with 3 foot long wild sea turtles - a truly unforgettable
experience.
Ｔｉｍｅ ｗａｓ ａｇａｉｎｓｔ ｕｓ ａｓ ｗｅ ｈｅａｄｅｄ ａｗａｙ ｆｒｏｍ ｔｈｅ Ｖｉｓａｙａｓ ｔｏ ｔｈｅ ｓｔａｔｅ ｏｆ
Ｌｕｚｏｎ．Our 5am ａｒｒｉｖal ｉｎ ｔｈｅ ｔｏｗｎ ｏｆ Ｌｅｇａｓｂｉ left my body and head tired
from the bumpy 9 hour journey from Manila. So much so that the cloudy
view of the Mount Mayon was far less important than the rock hard
mattress and grubby pillow that awaited in any guesthouse we could find.
However, in the morning, 'Wow!'. Mayon is described as the most
perfectly formed volcano on the planet and I cannot argue with that
after seeing it first hand. It slopes up symmetrically on all sides,
spewing natural gases from its steaming peak and showing signs of why it
remains one of the most active and dangerous volcano's in the World.
All too soon we were choosing our final destination to visit within a
country that had inspired, entertained, exhausted, impressed and
surprised us throughout. Fittingly, I think, we chose the Caramoan
Peninsula. Off the beaten track, not a package holiday in sight, it
fitted the quintessential idea of what The Philippines keeps hidden so
well.
Paddle in hand, grilled fish and rice in our rucksacks, we headed out to
sea in search a castaway style island. I could see the ocean floor 50
meters before the point at which the sandy beach began peering over the
surface of the calm waters. We heaved the kayak far enough up the beach
to be sure it wouldn't be caught by the tide - we knew immediately this
was important because being marooned here was a serious possibility!
There was know one else on the tiny island we had landed on.
Temporarily, it was all ours!
Spending the day dipping in and out of the warm waters, laying on
deserted beaches and gazing at the mountains we had ventured from, our
final few days in The Philippines were using up any superlatives we had
left to describe our time there.
From cockfighting in Manila, gawping open mouthed at volcano's in
Southeast Luzon, being caught in typhoons in the Visayas and standing on
desolate beaches in the Caramoan Peninsula, the parts I saw of the
7,000 plus islands that make up The Philippines seemed authentic, real
and, refreshing, not yet geared directly towards a rush of demanding
Western tourists. I loved it!
