As Rachel mentioned, they are a rare breed. What occurs is that you are in the boat as it rides along, and we were 7 tourists with one "interactor", the guide who gives the signal to get in and where to go, and where to look. he jumps in with us. There are 2 spotters who check the water for large dark shapes and let the interactor know there is a shark... then we jump in the water, swim to the spot they tell us and then he says look down... and the next thing you know there is a massive creature swimming towards you or next to you or even under you... and frankly that was scary for me!
The water was a little cloudy... I guess there are a lot of little microorganisms that attract the sharks to that area, but the result is that yo can not see much more than 10-15 feet down, although maybe more like 20 feet near the surface...
The water is clean out there and is a nice deep turquoise. The whale shark nearly blends in with the water which is why sometimes you'll look down and see nothing.. and then the next thing you know these spots materialize out of nowhere and there is this massive beast heading right at you... in my case, I looked down twice and it seemed like the skar was gunning me down... and I nearly freaked... I am not sure how good their sight is and never know if you might end up in their way... mostly I swam alongside it...
Unfortunately we missed our opportunity to buy an underwater camera here in Manila and by the time we got to Donsol it was overpriced... the interactor actually took photos for some people, and some really good ones that they plan to share with the whole group... as soon as we get some we will share them with you for proof... All we have now is the picture on the boat so you'll have to take our word...
We will get a camera though since we are headed to Coron and other places where there will be plenty of opportunities to take underwater photos!
Cheers for now!
Thursday, March 27, 2008
Tuesday, March 25, 2008
Next time I'll know to save! I just wrote this nice big blog and lost it cause I went to another page without saving first. So this one will be shorter cause dinner's calling.
Good things to know about the Philippines: there are bakeries everywhere that sell different kinds of buns for 1 pesos (2.5cents). And you can buy a mickey of rum for 65cents! That beats the record from Thailand's whiskey at 2$. Although, transport and accommodation is generally more expensive than the rest of South East Asia. Like that hut in the picture with Jay was 15$ - but that's the most expensive we've paid yet. We're paying 9.50$ tonight - and we get TV with HBO and CNN...ooh la la.
As we said before, the people here are so friendly and helpful. I can't help but smile and get cheered up when I walk down the streets of small towns and have everyone say Hi..smiling and giggling.
The next picture here is on the catamaran that took us out to swim with whale sharks. It was surely one of the best activities we've ever done. We saw 7 of them. These beasts are a rare breed. They are only found in a few spots in the world and most divers would rave to see one if they had a chance. 
The first one you see is so exhilarating. You look below and see this massive fish swimming so close you can touch it and slow enough that you can just follow it. The ones we saw were between 9 and 11 meters long!! We saw their enormous mouths open widely in front of us...but we weren't fearing cause we knew that they are filter feeders that don't prey.
The first one you see is so exhilarating. You look below and see this massive fish swimming so close you can touch it and slow enough that you can just follow it. The ones we saw were between 9 and 11 meters long!! We saw their enormous mouths open widely in front of us...but we weren't fearing cause we knew that they are filter feeders that don't prey. Can't wait to go check out more sea creatures in a few days....
Tuesday, March 18, 2008
Haircut in Manila
Okay so my hair was getting long and it's just going to be too hot as we head south to keep it all... so I got a haircut.
Other pictures include a view of our terrace up here at Friendly's Guesthouse in Manila, and a view of the Adriatico Street below, as well as some rice terraces seen in Banaue (pronounced Ban-ow-ey) while in the north,and our jeepney ridde to Bontoc...
Other pictures include a view of our terrace up here at Friendly's Guesthouse in Manila, and a view of the Adriatico Street below, as well as some rice terraces seen in Banaue (pronounced Ban-ow-ey) while in the north,and our jeepney ridde to Bontoc...
Thursday, March 13, 2008
North Luzon
We arrived yesterday in Manila after our flight from Auckland to Hong Kong had been canceled. Apparently Cathay no longer flies from Auckland Wednesday mornings and we were not the only disappointed customers. Luckily, we caught the next one as well as the next connection to Bangkok and after a little running, made it in time to catch our flight here. We landed early in the am, and headed straight up to North Luzon, and are now in Baguio. Didn't want to stay in Manila too long cause big cities aren't our thing...they're stressful, noisy, super polluted, and there's lots of poverty.
So far the Philippino people are nice...if it wasn't for a man on the jeepney with us in Manila, we would of never found our way to the bus that took us to the North. Manila doesn't seem to be so tourist friendly as far as signs and infrastructure. But at least almost everyone speaks some English.
We will do hikes and check out the rice terraces and hill tribes for the next few days and before long head back south to the lower lands and beach areas.
It is weird to be back in vehicles that drive on the right side of the road and I have been confused a little. It would be much more difficult to drive here, so we will stick to taxis and jeepneys (sort of like decorated pick up trucks) when we need it, and buses for the long hauls.
There will not be many opportunities to write any blogs, so we will when we can. The weather is hot here which is nice. We will boil down by the beach in a week or so. Longer term plans have us taking a ferry to Palawan (Coron and Puerto Princessa) and then off to Cebu...
The food here is very cheap, but I think Rachel may have a hard time finding a lot of vegetarian places... oh well. There is one restaurant here which we will make the most of at least!
Cheers all!
So far the Philippino people are nice...if it wasn't for a man on the jeepney with us in Manila, we would of never found our way to the bus that took us to the North. Manila doesn't seem to be so tourist friendly as far as signs and infrastructure. But at least almost everyone speaks some English.
We will do hikes and check out the rice terraces and hill tribes for the next few days and before long head back south to the lower lands and beach areas.
It is weird to be back in vehicles that drive on the right side of the road and I have been confused a little. It would be much more difficult to drive here, so we will stick to taxis and jeepneys (sort of like decorated pick up trucks) when we need it, and buses for the long hauls.
There will not be many opportunities to write any blogs, so we will when we can. The weather is hot here which is nice. We will boil down by the beach in a week or so. Longer term plans have us taking a ferry to Palawan (Coron and Puerto Princessa) and then off to Cebu...
The food here is very cheap, but I think Rachel may have a hard time finding a lot of vegetarian places... oh well. There is one restaurant here which we will make the most of at least!
Cheers all!
Monday, March 10, 2008
More pictures
Since you requested more, we felt compelled to comply!
This photo is of the landscape on our way to Mt Cook from Te Anau, taken in a small valley called Lindi's Pass.
Next is a shot of Mt Cook, Autralasia's tallest peak at 3755m.
This would be a closer shot... not sure how to edit the photo to make it easier to view... sorry!
View from the top of the Devil's Pass at Mt Tongariro. The weather on top was too harsh to continue our journey, and we decided we would probably not have seen the craters in the fog anyway... oh well! Mordor was fun nonetheless.
Mt Tongariro from outside the park...
This photo is of the landscape on our way to Mt Cook from Te Anau, taken in a small valley called Lindi's Pass.
Next is a shot of Mt Cook, Autralasia's tallest peak at 3755m.
This would be a closer shot... not sure how to edit the photo to make it easier to view... sorry!
View from the top of the Devil's Pass at Mt Tongariro. The weather on top was too harsh to continue our journey, and we decided we would probably not have seen the craters in the fog anyway... oh well! Mordor was fun nonetheless.
Mt Tongariro from outside the park...
Pictures!
Here are some of the recent shots taken along our trip, this part being the South Island.
So in the first photo, we can see some Lake at the bottom of a hill in Queenstown. It was a steep up, but well worth the view it provided.
Next up is a picture of the Southern Alps as we made out way from Te Anau to Milford Sound, early in the morning as the fog still lingered around the mountains...
Next we have a shot of the famous Mitre Peak, known in a ton of shots of Milford Sound. It would have been cool to go for a kayak toour around here, but it is pretty cold here in March. A hike around here is impossible unless you book a hut, and the huts were booked through to April. Let that be a lesson to all!
Om our way back from Milford, having done only a small hike, we decided to do the Divide, and up to Key Summit. This is actually the end part of a 3 day hike known as the Routeburn trail. We began on the trail 2 days earlier from the other side of the Alps, while we were staying in Queenstown. Needless to say, the views were better on this end...
Same shot from a bit higher... can't seem to delete it!
So in the first photo, we can see some Lake at the bottom of a hill in Queenstown. It was a steep up, but well worth the view it provided.
Next up is a picture of the Southern Alps as we made out way from Te Anau to Milford Sound, early in the morning as the fog still lingered around the mountains...
Next we have a shot of the famous Mitre Peak, known in a ton of shots of Milford Sound. It would have been cool to go for a kayak toour around here, but it is pretty cold here in March. A hike around here is impossible unless you book a hut, and the huts were booked through to April. Let that be a lesson to all!
Om our way back from Milford, having done only a small hike, we decided to do the Divide, and up to Key Summit. This is actually the end part of a 3 day hike known as the Routeburn trail. We began on the trail 2 days earlier from the other side of the Alps, while we were staying in Queenstown. Needless to say, the views were better on this end...
Same shot from a bit higher... can't seem to delete it!
Sunday, March 9, 2008
End of NZ?
For now anyway...
But this is how we spent the last week...
After the glaciers we visited Queenstown which is basically a touristic central where a lot of activities begin... we travelled to Glenorchy to a nice hike in some warm weather. We did part of the RouteburnTrack in Mt. Aspiring Nat Park and took a little sun. Next was off to Te Anau, the closest town to Milford Sound which we headed to for some beautiful scenery. And we were not disappointed. We climbed the end of the Routeburn track, known as the Divide, to Key Summit and had some spectacular views of the valleys, mountains and glaciers!
We then headed northeast to Mt Cook where we luckily caught a few sun rays in a short walk before the clouds moved in and blocked most of Australasia's highest peak (3755 m) and the following pictures shall show it in all it's splendor!
Quick driving brought us up to Kaikoura, then on back to the North Island where we attempted Mt. Tongaririo (also known as Mordor from the Lord of the Rings Trilogy - scenes from the 3rd movie likely!). Unfortunately the weather was not so compliant and though we tried, the wind and cold got the best of us... after having completed a perilous ascent in the Devil's Staircase. With a quick stop off in Taupo, we have made it back to our base of operations, Auckland. Rachel and I fly out of here Wednesday morning on 3 flights which end in Manila! Philippines, here we come!
But this is how we spent the last week...
After the glaciers we visited Queenstown which is basically a touristic central where a lot of activities begin... we travelled to Glenorchy to a nice hike in some warm weather. We did part of the RouteburnTrack in Mt. Aspiring Nat Park and took a little sun. Next was off to Te Anau, the closest town to Milford Sound which we headed to for some beautiful scenery. And we were not disappointed. We climbed the end of the Routeburn track, known as the Divide, to Key Summit and had some spectacular views of the valleys, mountains and glaciers!
We then headed northeast to Mt Cook where we luckily caught a few sun rays in a short walk before the clouds moved in and blocked most of Australasia's highest peak (3755 m) and the following pictures shall show it in all it's splendor!
Quick driving brought us up to Kaikoura, then on back to the North Island where we attempted Mt. Tongaririo (also known as Mordor from the Lord of the Rings Trilogy - scenes from the 3rd movie likely!). Unfortunately the weather was not so compliant and though we tried, the wind and cold got the best of us... after having completed a perilous ascent in the Devil's Staircase. With a quick stop off in Taupo, we have made it back to our base of operations, Auckland. Rachel and I fly out of here Wednesday morning on 3 flights which end in Manila! Philippines, here we come!
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