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Having rearranged our travel plans a few months previous we found ourselves aboard a plane headed for Manilla in the Philippines. Many a traveller had told us of the wonders that awaited us and our excitement grew as we approached. Having linked up with Sophie a friend made whilst diving in Sipidan we planned a extravaganza around the best diving spots the Philippines had to offer, our only limitation being the 2 weeks we had allotted ourselves in which to do it.
With our every growing aversion to long stops in cities we elected to leave Manilla without much more than a cursory glance. We made our way south to the port town of Batangus, having missed the last ferry we found ourselves scurrying down the tiny alleys between houses in the local slums. A somewhat dubious yet entrepreneurial security guard led us to a small boat and a local captain. What followed was an incredibly slow 3 hours of stormy seas, rain and occasional fearing for ones life! The strange atmosphere and odd looks that waited us upon arrival at Sabang were unexpected. To our surprise we had landed in the home of the middled aged fat westerner and the tiny young prostitutes of the Philippines. Needless to say we didn't fit in or in fact feel particularly comfortable seeing grown men folding children that clearly weren't their own. Undeterred we found a room for the night and booked some diving for the following morning.
Up early we headed to Cocktails Divers - Garden of Eden Resort and met with a group of over enthusiastic but under skilled German divers and headed into the blue. We were in search of a thresher shark that was a rare sight and had been seen the previous day. Unfortunately there was no shark but we enjoyed 2 dives and had a nice evening meal. The next day we boarded a boat for the 40mins trip to nearby Verde Island, known to be one of the highlight dives in the Philippines and it didn't disappoint, a pinnacle of rock isolated from the mainland with only its peak just visible above the surface of the sea. Teaming with fish and oozing with the life. The sea was in a bad mood however and we quickly found ourselves being thrown around by the current. At one point out guide turned a corner and was sucked out to sea in a wash of bubbles. We ascended quickly for a breather before the next dive. There was some obvious hostility towards us from the large contingent of Germans who's dive trip we had apparently 'crashed' and with our guide out of action we joined one of their groups. They were first in the water with instructions to wait for us, however when we entered the water we found ourselves alone in the blue. Like water off a ducks back we dropped down under the waves and completed a solo dive in very difficult conditions, the whole experience akin to being in a randomly revolving washing machine! Safely aboard the boat again we made our way to the island for a barbecue and few beers!!!!
Later that night and back on the mainland we received our bill and were disappointed to find we had been over quoted by a fairly hefty some. A meeting was called and we quickly demolished the extremely rude and aggressive german manager before leaving vowing never to return. Sabang had been fun but we knew there was more to the Philippines than slums, con men and prostitution.
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