tumbling tumbling dice

So, I awake the next morning thankful that each couple seemed to have been all played out from their NYE romping.... and at this stage, I am torn... as you might recall from my initial itinerary, my plans on 1/2 were unplanned... because my flight back to Manila was not until 8p on 1/3, I had the option of staying an extra night in el Nido on 1/2, traveling back to Puerto during the day on 1/3 and going straight to the airport... or I could leave Nido on 1/2 and use 1/3 to explore Puerto a bit more.

I gambled.... since I hadn't done a tour.. and since the tour guides seemed very confident that the storm had passed (in fact it had, and skies were clear), I chose to stay an extra night in el Nido.  I found another place in town (seeya later Doublegem.. thanks for the memories) and this place was the cheapest yet... less than $10US.  As it turned out, I liked it better.... it was right in the thick of things... was basic, but did have private bathroom...

The point is... I really really wanted to see el Nido beyond the shoreline...   So, I reserved a spot with a tour guide not far from my hotel

The next morning, I awoke and went to see about the status of the tour... who should I meet there?  My French friends of course... they had booked with the same tour guide as I!!  Now, this is really really odd since there were probably a hundred tour guides in town... and they had booked BEFORE me... really really coincidental... we were all amazed.... Anyway, we wait and wait.. first the tour is on... then they don't know... and we wait... for like 3 hours.  talking and waiting.. and the tour guides are very nice but so disorganized, it was actually funny.  Hard to imagine that they do this every day.. honestly.

Long and short of it... .the tour is cancelled.. all boats grounded.  When returning our money, the guides mistakenly give my French friends an extra 600ps!  Nice!  We are left considering how to spend the day.   Ok.. this next part might not represent the safest decision I have made in my life, but my friends convince me that what we should do is take matters in our own hands and rent sea kayaks and do a tour ourselves!!!!  And that is exactly what we did.... I mean, the sky was clear.. the sea looked calm enough.....

We use their 600ps and buy a nice picnic of fruit and crepes and chips... and head off.. on the high seas... in kayaks.... to explore a brave new world.  Damion went with Annelue and I paired with Alex.   Yet another adventure had begun!