Life has been becoming extra toxic the past few weeks and I long to escape, not to the nearest mall, but somewhere I can sleep under a canopy of stars. With no network coverage. no electricity. Where I can have the luxury of shutting off my mouth and resting my weary spirits. Thanks to a post by blog-friend, Ferdz, I found the perfect place -- Anawangin. Just 4-4 1/2 hours away from Manila yet like the cliche, it is really seems like a world away. My travel buddy, Tinskie, was entertaining the same idea, as if by chance. Grabbing the opportunity last weekend, we went off to anawangin and momentarily left the world behind. It is a piece of paradise found, indeed. we had a big chunk of the beach and forest just to ourselves. We lounged around, swam the afternoon away, reading, talking, catching up. When we were hungry, we just bring out the stove and our rations, cooked and ate under the stars. And the delightfully surprising part is that we did it on a backpacker's budget. It's true what Ferdz wrote (thanks buddy) -- see Anawangin before the developers spoil the simple beauty it has to offer. I pray and hope they won't as we're running out of nice places to escape to. If you're planning a trip, please bring trash bags and pack your trash out of the island. Mother nature (and future visitors) will thank you for it.
Details on going to Anawangin: Ride bus headed for Iba, Zambales (Victory Liner - P209, one way, approximately 4-4 1/2 hours), alight at San Antonio; ride a tricycle to Pundakit (around 15-20/person; approx. 15 minutes); hire a banca headed for Anawangin (prices vary from 700php up; approx. 15-20 minutes) • As there is no Globe or Smart coverage in the island, make arrangements for the bangkero to fetch you at a specified date and time.
