New Years Eve Surprise

So if you are following this, you'll understand that when I awoke the next day, it was 12/31/14.  I did have two nights booked in el Nido, but remember that I arrived a day early, giving up a night in wondrous Port Barton.   After checking out of my initial flop, I moved to the place I had reserved online... the Doublegem hotel, about a mile or so out of town on a beach called Corrong Corrong.  Before I left, I did have a chance to walk into town only to discover that due to high seas, the Coast Guard had cancelled all tours.  Bummer...  the rain was falling and it was pretty gloomy overall.  Boo!..

I made it to the Doublegem but imagine my surprise when they take me, not to the facility advertised in Trip Advisor, but to a nipa hut right on the beach... and when I say that... I mean the water was like 6 feet away at high tide!!!  Well.. that looked promising right?  This was a rather expensive place.. I think I paid upwards of $50US/ night.  The nipa was basic, with outdoor toilet and shower... but it looked adventurous!  As it turned out it was, but for the wrong reasons.

Without a tour, there was not much to do here.. particularly outside of el Nido proper.  So, I read, walked along the beach between the raindrops and generally got my feel of the environment.  I went into town for lunch... went back home... showered, changed, and then went back to town for dinner (more curry, yum!) Well, of course it wasn't long before I found myself at the Rasta Bar... and lo, who should be there but my complete barkada!!!!  And they were waiting for me... even saved me a seat right in front of the stage!!!  I tell you, some great people here!!!  Well, it was New Years Eve so of course we drank beer and had more laughs and the music played..... and I had more beer but it wasn't long before I started feeling the same feelings I was feeling on Christmas Eve.  Anyway, things were jamming on the beach and in the bar.. and the fireworks... I mean soooo many fireworks....  ridiculous amounts.. like a war zone... Anyway.... I left... was home before midnight, drunk and feeling rather miserable about things.

Ok... so the weird part starts now...  this nipa hut Im in... what I didn't mention is that it is one nipa, split into four units... each separated by a network of palm fronds and bamboo.....   so.. essentially, there is this illusion of privacy right.... but audibly.... well, you can hear just everything.... every.thing..... Ok.. so it starts getting pretty awkward when the first couple arrives (american, from Iowa, as it turns out... I gather this without much trouble mind you...)  and they start going at it....

And then the second couple arrives.. I had met these folks on the beach earlier in the day, they are from the Czech Republic.... and they start....   well all this action might be interesting if indeed, I weren't feeling so down and out about my own situation, right?!!  But I had to leave this aural orgy... this, this cacophony of desire....  In short, I had to leave the room I paid for.... at like 2am.... and it was raining... and well.. that was how I spent New Years Eve 2014.