Yes Virginia! It’s true! The best things in life are free. Last Holy Week, I stayed for a week in Boracay with my budget pegged at US$50, and I ended up spending US$100. How did that happen? Well, I told you, when one is lucky, a lot of people will rescue you. I have proven that time and time again. Bora 2007 was another proof, I had second thoughts of going since I didn’t want to spend. Luckily, a friend “adopted” me and said I could stay with him in his room, a beachfront resort at that located in Station 1. Bamboo Bungalow is one of Boracay’s best, in front of it is the famous henna artist stall that sells the “alibata” necklaces made from carabao horns. The room we got was overlooking the beach, it was well appointed airconditioned space with a veranda to boot. Wifi is free, thus I get to check my mails and my eBay account every now and then. Breakfast was on the house, as well as lunch and dinner. I got to do my assignment for Star Studio Magazine, and get to reimburse my expenses since I will be paid for the paparazzi photos I took during my stay. On the 2nd day, I get to join newly-minted friends like Katrina Halili on a sunset cruise aboard a twin-hull catamaran yacht. We circled around the strait between Caticlan and Boracay, and we partied like Spartans, one kept shouting “Tonight we dine in hell!” (lifted from the movie “300”) and on board as well were brazilian models, girls and boys. How’s that for glamour, please check out my friendster photos where I have a shot against a stool that says “Be Glamorous”. That sums up that experience. The next day until the 4th day, I haven’t spent a grand, since everything has been paid for by well-meaning friends. The only thing I paid for was my occasional green tea and crepes at Café Breizh. When my friends left, I decided to stay a little longer in the island, staying in a dorm that charges P500 a day, behind the my favorite crepe place, and I get to hang out there everyday since they have free wifi. Boracay has changed a lot, before, I had to bring 3 rolls of camera film, there was no phone signal, no wifi, now? I use a digital film camera, I text a lot thanks to GSM coverage, and what used to be a daily trip to an internet café by the Tourist Center, now, I get to do my internet by the beachfront. Heck! I don’t need airconditioning since I am out the whole day baking under the sun. I heard mass on Easter Sunday, the 12th year I have been doing it in the church by the main road. The church is still unfinished until now, to think they have received a lot of donations already. All my celebs target for the photo assignment had been shot already, so I got to relax during the rest of my stay. I will miss Bora, since it will be another 10 days before I get back, or maybe 10 weeks, or 10 months. I will pray that Boracay will be free again for the next visits. God is really good.
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