Boracay: A lifetime of memories

Boracay: A lifetime of memories

By Millicent C. Mercurio

(In loving memory of Boracay’s Talipapa market, burned down a few days ago)

It has been my lifelong dream to visit Boracay. Imagine picturesque white-sand beaches, pristine crystal-clear blue water, sun revelers frolicking in the sand, and the ubiquitous smell of charbroiled seafood in the air…Aaah! The stories I heard about the island were certainly enough to fuel my imagination as a child, not to mention make me drool as an adult. But, I also heard rumors that Boracay didn’t come cheap. It apparently catered only to the chosen few and affordable only to the rich and famous. Since I was “none of the above”, I stopped dreaming and went on with my ho-hum and predictable North American way of life.

Then something miraculous happened in August of 2002: I found a long-lost friend on the internet (Thank You, Google!) and suddenly, Boracay was back in the picture. And why not? I can’t think of a better way for my college friend Grace and I to reconnect than to frolic at a beach, really. Girls, after all, just want to have fun! Thus, no matter how overrated Grace and the rest of the madlang pipol claimed Boracay was, our escapade began on May 13, 2003.

I still remember how excited I was while waiting to board the plane from Manila to Kalibo that sunny Tuesday morning. Despite the lack of sleep (I’ve just arrived from Toronto three days before), I just couldn’t wait any longer. The last time I saw Grace was 10 years ago, and we have been planning this reunion for 9 long months! Talk about TORTURE!

Anyway, the plane departed without a hitch, and before I knew it, we were beginning our descent into Kalibo. Lisa (another long-lost friend) was already at Kalibo airport to meet me, and we spent the next 2 hours catching up while waiting for Grace to arrive.

Two hours later, a van pulled up, and a familiar face got off. With her stylish sunglasses and petite frame there was no mistaking she’s my good friend Grace, who I affectionately call “Bohemian”. A plethora of girly, giddy sounds filled the humid Philippine air as we celebrated our long-awaited reunion.

As we settled in the van and off it sped to Boracay, I found out that we still had 3 long hours to go. The trip didn’t feel that long however, because we had a speed demon of a driver! He was going too fast, the van was filled to capacity, and not surprisingly, we had no seatbelts on! Zilch. Nada. Yaiks!

Thankfully, we arrived safely at Caticlan, where we registered and paid for the 10-minute boat ride that will get us across the island. We dragged our baggage to the docking area and finally boarded these colorful outrigger boats, locally known as “bangkas”. By that point, I couldn’t tell if I was dizzy from the waves, or from plain euphoria. At a distance I can already see plenty of fun aquasport activities: windsailing, jetskiing, even para-gliding! VERY neat!

As the island was getting nearer I recalled asking Grace to pinch me – it really felt like it was all just a dream! But it wasn’t; I’m wide awake, and everything was real. As real as the waves lapping at my feet when we finally got off the boat, as discernable as the scorching sun on my back, and as authentic as the smell of salty beach water in the air. I’ve made it! I have arrived! Boracay, here I come! Woohoo!!!
Upon arrival, Grace’s friend Sam ushered us to our room at Starfire, an affordable motel in station 2. The room that he booked for us was clean and thank God, was air-conditioned! It was so humid during the day that most of the time we were forced to either browse for deals at Talipapa (market place) or go back to our room and nap! But, we did party from dusk till dawn almost every night.

Boracay is famous for its nightlife. If you came to party, you’ve come to the right place. Plenty of bars cater to the younger, nocturnal crowd and barhopping is the order of the day – er – night. We played billiards at Coco Mangas and hopped over to Alice in Wonderland for drinks and karaoke one night; watched outdoor mini-concerts, had more drinks, and wreaked havoc on the dance floor the next night. If you are planning to go, look out for places with “happy hours” – their 2-for-1 deals are to die for. (I must have ingested too many Baileys shake that week, more than the legal limit for sure!) The many varieties of fruit shakes are definitely must-haves: perfect when the heat’s unbearable and you’ve just returned from say, an afternoon of jetskiing or scuba diving.

For the young at heart, there are many relaxing activities that await you. Try a rejuvenating massage on the beach, for example. If that’s too sedentary for you, I recommend renting a boat for sightseeing and island hopping. We hopped over to Crystal Cove, an islet off of Boracay and explored 4 underwater caves, and even snorkeled and fed some lucky fish on our way back. If golf is your cup of tea, check out Fairweathers, a golf resort with breathtaking views of the island, for a game or an afternoon soiree with friends. Better yet, take a romantic walk towards Station 1, where magnificent sandcastles come alive at night. Just make sure you have petty cash to make the local sand sculptors happy!

If you’re too tired to walk, I have 2 words for you: star gaze. Have your wish ready, because I guarantee that you will catch a shooting star. With San Mig Light in hand, we lied down on the sand by the beach one night, and stargazed the night away. Aaah…What can I say?

The days that followed all seem like a blur now, with the details fading into oblivion (as Grace would put it), but I sure had a marvelous time. Who would have thought that I could set foot in Boracay? I still don’t consider myself affluent by any financial standards. I guess I’m just fortunate to have many wonderful friends to spend time with and create lifetime memories with. On that note, maybe I’m rich AND famous after all. J Special thanks to Grace, Lisa, Jerome, Sam, Charlie, Shane, Ezra and Marie for making my Boracay dreams come true.