Today is the day to go to Port Barton! So I woke up at 10:30 AM. I was reading a book yesterday, so I didn't fall asleep until 2 a.m. The strange noises in the hostel dorm were loud too, so I couldn't sleep well without earphones.
A morning spurred on by Taro Okamoto's words
At night I read Taro Okamoto's 'Have Poison Within Yourself.' It's like my personal bible. It teaches a lot of good things about how to live. It doesn't matter if people around you hate you or what they think. The question is whether you lived a life you can be satisfied with. And since 99% of challenges will fail, isn't someone who tried and failed more beautiful than someone who never tried? It really inspired me again.
After getting up I passed an Aussie kid. Maybe I was too sleepy or still shy, but when I said 'Hi' in a small voice I was ignored (lol). Still, I think this kind of experience is nice. At least I think it's a great thing that I said 'Hi.'
The adventure starts in a jam-packed van
So I hurried to take a shower, brush my teeth, and pack my things. Today was really cutting it close again. With that, I moved my schedule earlier and checked out. I waited on the sofa for the van to arrive.
Then it came right away and I jumped into the van. On trips before, like from Bangkok to Pattaya in Thailand, I've suddenly had stomach pains or desperately needed a toilet, so today I adjusted how much I drank. Instead, I took two mineral tablets.
Then the van ride adventure began. I wondered how many people were on board and worried about what if it was full, but that wasn't the case at all. However, the driver uncle made detours to various hostels to gather the people going to Port Barton.
In the end, with the loads of luggage and people it became full. It turned into a jam-packed van. But I thought that was adventurous and fun. Piled-up backpacks and suitcases. Everyone around me was French. Some Belgians. I always wonder why there are so many French people.
The inner struggle of not being able to speak to others
The French kid next to me was watching soccer match results the whole time. I thought about talking to him, but I ended up relaxing and listening to music. I wonder if that was me 'running away.' I really wanted to talk. But I used listening to music as an excuse. I felt ashamed of myself. I want to be someone who can casually start conversations more easily.
What I realized on this adventure is that 'if you don't talk to someone, you can never make friends.' It's obvious, but I was able to truly understand it again and learned the importance of having the courage to speak up.
I mean, people who come to Port Barton tend to be couples, friends, or families — solo travelers were really rare, to the point of being hard to find.
Come to think of it, a mother with her family was smiling a lot and friendly saying 'Hello guys' to everyone. So I thought if you approach people with a smile they're very likely to respond.
Encounter with fried banana
Along the way, whether it was lunchtime or not, the bus driver stopped at a cafe. So I took a break there too. They had something like fried banana, so I ordered it. It was ridiculously delicious. I immediately ordered another one, saying 'One more, please!' after eating it.
Then, an hour later, we arrived at Port Barton. It had rained really hard along the way, so I wondered if it's the rainy season now, but it wasn't. By the time we arrived in Port Barton the sun was shining and it was great weather.
First Japanese person at the bamboo hostel
I dropped off my luggage, said bye to the bus, and headed to the hostel alone.
Port Barton's scenery. I can only expect it will develop from here.
The place I'm staying today is interesting. Like when I went to Kota Blue in Malaysia, it's a hotel made of bamboo. After arriving I checked in safely and went inside.
The hostel lady asked 'Are you Japanese?' and when I said 'Yes!' she looked genuinely surprised. She said a Japanese person coming here might be the first this year! I'm glad I could be the first Japanese!
So I took a little rest at the hostel. I ended up taking a nap for about an hour. When I woke up I was sweating unbelievably—like crazy. It's because there's no separation between outside and inside, and insects get in. There was only a fan. So when the temperature is high the breeze is hot. I was sweating a lot. Thinking I should hydrate, but not wanting to waste the time, I decided to go to the beach.
The beauty of a Hidden Gem and its sunset
On the way to the beach I hesitated about renting a bike, but decided it was fine and walked.
Filipinos and Europeans coming and going. Everyone was young and full of energy. Most were couples, and precisely because it's a remote spot, it felt like those kinds of people gather here.
It's really rural, but the vibe here is different from Puerto Princesa, and I like it. It's a very small town but very simple.
I arrived at the sea and it was truly beautiful. I'm not sure you can swim right off this beach, but I'm sure other islands are beautiful. I definitely need to go island-hopping.
The coconut trees on the beach, people coming and going, people's laughter — it was all really beautiful. This was truly a hidden gem. On the street they were selling banana cake, so I bought one. One for 10 pesos (25 yen). Very cheap. I ate it while walking on the beach. Eating a banana pancake while watching the sunset on the beach was really delicious.
I walked eating it and watched the sunset. How romantic it was.
The sea isn't insanely beautiful and there aren't many waves so it's not really a surfing spot. But as a town I thought it could become a charming hidden gem as a resort.
The loneliness of solo travel and the nature of humans
Even walking by the sea, really everyone was couples or families and there were no solo travelers at all! Maybe one or two? I wondered what people traveling alone think. Do they feel like me? Thinking such things, I walked along the beach.
Alone, I really felt lonely. Especially when the surroundings are only couples or families. That means the reason we humans can't live alone is because other living beings exist besides ourselves.
If I were the only being in the universe, there probably wouldn't even be a definition of 'loneliness.' People are, after all, influenced by those around them. I felt again how important the surrounding environment really is.
A night with geckos and insects
At night I went to a restaurant near the hostel. I had a cheese pizza and something like mango juice. Maybe because I've been drinking fruit juice every day, have I gained weight a bit? On my face. But oh well! (lol)
Here I'm writing in my diary. Night comes and it gradually gets darker. At one point an insect landed on the pizza, and a gecko came nearby. Geckos are, as always, so cute, I thought.
And so, I was relaxing at the cafe.
