I am so bad at posting pictures on my blog because I’m always so lazy to process or transfer photos from the SLR. I should be changing that because photos are such interesting elements to add into a post. This entry is a bit overdue but it’s something I really wanna share and put here. When I went home to Cebu for vacation about a month ago we decided to go to Bantayan Island. Time was limited but we promised ourselves that we would go for a small family trip together with cousins who also came back from New York. We only stayed for a very short time, barely a 24-hour overnight stay but it was so. Damn. Worth it. I fell in love with the place.

It’s a little bit weird because my family comes from the northernmost part of Cebu and Bantayan is literally just an hour away but this is my very first time to set foot on the island. I’m kind of embarrassed when I think about it but what matters most is that I went, I saw and I loved it. So here’s a little photo dump. I didn’t get to use the camera a lot because I was too engrossed in having fun and taking in the weather and making the most out of the short time.

We took the ferry from the port and brought along two cars. We went with family, extended family, families of in-laws and in total there were about 30-40 of us so when we docked in the island about 15 or so tricicads (Cebuano word for bicycle pedicabs) waited for us to take us to our resort because it took time for our cars to be loaded off the ferry. Simple pleasures, because it was so much fun. The pedi ride took about 15 minutes with all the peds lined up in a convoy. I took a video from my ride together with my sister and little cousins. Honestly because there were so many of us, I didn’t even personally know some of the people who went or who was at the back of me in the video.

Random kid we came across.

That was right in front of the resort we stayed in. The weather was great! In fact it was too great that it was so damn hot but it was just perfect for the day. We spent lunch eating in huts (food was GREAT) then when it got less sunny we spent the day walking around the beach, exploring resorts, picture taking (of course), taking short naps under the palm trees. We even went to the public market to look for things to buy and taking in all the culture. The afternoon was concluded with kayaking and swimming in the sea, which was probably the highlight of my day. NEVER ENDING laughs.

This family photo was shot funnily because the sun was BLAZING like mad and we had to get out of the shade for a while. We had to wear shirts according to family color (just us the immediate ones) and we had to pose under the heat. My shirt was oversized (I seriously thought it was for my dad–who couldn’t be with us because of work) and the moment the cameras stopped clicking I took it off straight away. There was a funny moment about the photo below, that’s us trying to drag the kayak back to the shore but we couldn’t because it was too heavy. We spent probably an hour laughing and my cousin B was rolling around the sand because either he was frustrated, or just plain crazy. A kind-hearted soul who shall not be named brought it to the sea for us earlier then and we had no idea how to bring it back anymore. By night we got together, had a few drinks, shared a few stories, while some swam under the moon.

I was never a fan of sea or ocean-related vehicles. I hate boats and being on them and the thought of being in sea in the middle of nowhere pretty much freaks me out. This time I was with really fun people I almost forgot I was on a boat. I love my family because we just never stopped laughing all throughout the trip. This was also my first time to see our car being taken in and out from a boat. I’ve been to many places but believe me when I say I’m that ignorant when it comes to these things.

Leaving the island the next day felt a little bit surreal and journey back to the port was bittersweet. We left right after sunrise and it sort of got me into an emotional state. As much as I didn’t want to leave I had such a great time and that was more than enough. It was spent with most of the people I love. There are some things beneath this entry that need not be mentioned but mattered all the same to me. If not, then even more. I promised myself that every time I go back to the Philippines for vacation I would always make a point to go back to Bantayan. I left a part of my heart there and I can’t wait to go back 🙂

This was just a portion of my best vacation ever.