The islands are calling...

In my pursuit of happiness, I find myself returning to Hawaii to live. I can't be a backpacker forever, so I was on a quest to find a place to settle for awhile. And by awhile, I mean less than a year. That's how I roll. Nothing is long-term in my life, you should all know that by now. I've had 8 months to ponder which island I wanted to live on. I was dead set on Maui by the 6th month of my trip. I planned to travel to Oahu, Kauai, The Big Island and Maui. In that order. Here's my opinion of each island:
Oahu- great job opportunities await me, but it's too crowded and touristy for my taste. Choose only as a back up plan.
Kauai- very quiet and laid back. But I felt like I would get bored there quickly.
Maui- I've always loved Maui, it was a no-brainer that this was the place I wanted to be.
THEN, I get to the Big Island. Never been here before, mind you. I pick up my rental Jeep at the Kona airport. As I make the 2 hour journey from the dry, arid west side to Hilo, the scenery starts to change from dry, ruble rock to a lush green rain forest. I'm in awe as I pass fields as green as Ireland and countryside speckled with horses, cows and sheep. Sometimes I swore I was in New Zealand. I drive along the north shore, called the Hamakua coast, and I'm blown away.

Hamakua coast

As I pass through the small, quaint towns perched along the sheer cliffs of this amazing coast, something clicks. Like a light bulb turning on above my head, cartoon style, I realize that this is the place I want to live. There was just SOMETHING about this place. I loved the vibe. I'm all about vibes. People have vibes, places have vibes, even things have vibes. This place had a very good vibe. I had to make it my home.

The very next morning, I started on my quest to make this island my home. With the help of craigslist, I found a house for rent in a tiny town called Pa'auhau, which is about a mile from Honoka'a. What I like best about the house is the fact that I have a tranquil view of the ocean from my lanai and bedroom window. There is a hospital in Honoka'a that just happened to be looking for travel nurses. (ooh, pick me! pick me!) The town is so cute and cozy. Just my style. Everything just seemed to fall into place and I knew it was meant to be. Maui will always be there, it will just have to wait.

I have a good feeling about this place. I highly doubt I'll experience my infamous island fever here. This island is so diverse, how could anyone get bored here?
It seems very country to me. There isn't that crowded feeling and I don't feel like the island is crawling with tourists. This is a true paradise. I feel like I've struck gold.
I spent the week getting to know the island. I was fascinated as I found sea turtles beached up on the shores of black sand beaches, basking in the warm sun.

Enjoying the warm sun

One night I saw the eerie red glow from an active volcano, simmering, looking ready to blow. I felt like a movie extra in "Joe vs the volcano".

I drove to the southern most point in the US and hiked 6 miles to a green sand beach.

Green sand beach

Another day, I hiked through molten lava rocks in Volcanoes National Park and warmed myself by the natural steam vents, natures own sauna.
One night, I drove up to the top of a volcano named Mauna Kea, which is the highest point in Hawaii, to star gaze. We seemed to magically drive up and above the clouds, into an alien-like world. I shivered as I peered at the stars gleaming brightly in the night sky. It's said that you can see 90% of the stars from Mauna Kea.
I hiked deep into the Waipio valley and also witnessed the tallest waterfall in Hawaii, the Akaka falls, crashing violently into a pool below.

Akaka falls

I had no idea the Big Island was so amazing. Yep, this is the place for me. At least for now. I've found my own slice of heaven, and I intend to rejuvenate myself here until I'm ready for my next big trip. I'm going to nourish myself with fresh organic fruits and vegetables that are so abundant on the island, and clear my head with the use of yoga.
Here's a few amazing facts about the Big Island of Hawaii:
~It's the youngest of the Hawaiian islands at the tender age of 800,000 years old.
~It's continuing to grow in size as the active volcano, Kilauea, spews volcano lava.
~Of the 13 climatic regions on earth, the Big Island has all but 2.
~It has the world's most active volcano, Kilauea.
~It has the wold's tallest mountain, Mauna Kea, when measured from it's base below sea level to peak.
There's just so much to do and see here! I'm so excited to explore this phenomenal island!!!

Hooked on Hawaiian hiking

Now that I'm in Hawaii, I have endless hiking options awaiting me, and I'm taking full advantage of this! I've been hiking almost every single day. While on Oahu, some of the hikes I did were Diamond Head, Koko head and Moana falls. 
Diamond head is pretty easy. It provides awesome views of Waikiki at the top. A girl from Scotland and an American guy joined me for this hike. It had been 4 years since I'd hiked Diamond head. I'll tell you this, nothing about it has changed. 

Koko head was more of a challenge. It consists of 1,048 steps up the side of the crater. Driving to Koko head, you see from afar the massive "staircase" leading to the top. At this point you might question your sanity. These steps are constructed from old railroad ties. As you huff and puff your way to the top, the incline increases, testing your endurance. It's a good way to get your cardio in for the day, and to get buns of steel. Koko head pales in comparison to the ultimate "stairway to heaven" hike that I braved 4 years ago. It was like Koko Head on steroids. It's nearly 4,000 steps up the side of a mountain. It's actually illegal to do but if you're sneaky, you can climb the giant mountain and have the bragging rights that go along with it. It's not the safest hike, which is why it isn't legal. My legs were excruciatingly sore for days after, but it was so worth it!

Stairway to Heaven~ 2008

Koko Head hike

At the top of Koko Head

Top of Koko Head

Manoa falls was easy-peasy-lemon-squeezy. A bit muddy and the falls were more of a trickle, which was disappointing. You want to yell "aww, come on, I hiked all the way for this?!" I guess the waterfall is more abundant in the winter. 

Manoa Falls

When I got to Kauai, I was in hiking heaven. The hikes were more secluded and less crowded. It's easy for me to gage how much I've changed after moving off of Oahu 4 years ago. I really dislike the crowded island these days. My style is the more laid back, chilled islands. Waikiki is a rat race, not a paradise. 
Anyway, there are lots of awe-inspiring hikes waiting for you in Kuaui. I strived to do most of the hikes solo. I needed to do a lot of thinking, and hiking creates the ultimate thinking conditions. 
Hiking in Hawaii is awesome. There are no dangerous animals to worry about. I found it difficult to thoroughly enjoy hiking in Alaska due to my inability to get over my irrational bear phobia. 
You don't even have to worry about snakes in Hawaii. Because there are none! It's perfect. 
But don't let your guard down completely. There has been lots of tourists coming back home in a body bag after deadly hiking accidents. Falling off the side of a cliff, drowning in currents....
Just be careful. 
These are the hikes I did in Kuaui. I'm rating them from best to worst:
#1. Kalalau trail. Unarguably the best hike on Kauai. This hilly trail snakes along the pristine Na Pali coast. There's an option to hike the entire grueling 22 miles, which includes a night of camping, but most out-of-shape tourists choose to hike a measley 2 miles in to the secluded beach. If you're feeling adventurous, you can hike 4 miles to Hanakapi'ai falls. Which is what I did. There is a monster of a waterfall there to greet you. The sight of this majestic waterfall plummeting over black lava rock speckled with green fuzz makes all the hard work worthwhile. Take a while to soak in the sights of this pure eden. Eat some trail mix and refuel. Better yet, take a refreshing dip and feel the force of the water by swimming under the falls. Then prepare to hike back the way you came. If you choose only one hike to do in Kauai, choose the Kalalau trail. 

Beautiful Na Pali coast

Bamboo carvings along the way

Refreshing waterfall at the end

#2. Nualolo trail. 7.6 miles. This trail can be deceiving. It's mostly downhill all the way there. Actually, I ran most of the way down, watching out for dangerous tree roots. Don't want a broken ankle on this trail! At the end of the trail, you have amazing views of the coast and regal mountains. I couldn't believe my eyes as I stared at the stunning landscape, wide-eyed. There are a few dangerous spots that could send you tumbling a very long way to an unpleasant death if you happened to slip or the ground gave out. Again, be very careful. 
I met a very nice California couple at the top whom were traveling with their 9 year old son. I chatted with them for a while at the lookout as we ate our lunch. 

Life at the top of this mountain is fine and dandy, you're enjoying an unbelievable view of the coast, then you remember you have to hoof it up the mountain. Uffda. It's uphill almost the entire way. If you're not dripping with sweat after 3.8 miles of steady incline, you're not human. 
I had so much fun on this hike. I saw only 5 people hiking on the way in, and no one on the way back. I had the forest to myself. I was like a little fairy bouncing through the forest. Just me and nature. Not many things make me happier. 
#3. Sleeping giant. There's a mountain in Kauai that looks like a giant sleeping on his back. I think it was about 4 miles roundtrip. Uphill there, downhill back, with rewarding 360 degree views at the top. 
#4. Hoopii falls. This is a very easy hike that brings you to 2 separate waterfalls after about 25 minutes. 
#5. Moalepe trail. This is a flat 4 mile trail with good views of the mountains. It's popular with mountain bikers and equestrians. I only saw 1 other person on this trail. So peaceful. 
Hawaii is my tropical utopia playground and I'm beaming with joy that I can hike wherever I want, whenever I want. And I don't even have to carry bear spray with me!

A birds-eye view of Kauai

Do you ever wonder what it would feel like to be a bird? To be completely free and for the wind to catch your wings and carry you wherever you wanted to go.

The closest I came to this was as a passenger of a helicopter over the Garden Isle of Kauai. 
Helicopters crash a lot. I know, I know. But what are the chances that MY helicopter was going to crash? I can't live my life in fear. But shamefully, I was very fearful of my helicopter ride. This helicopter ride was like a present to myself, a pat-on-the-back for surviving the last 8 months traipsing through third world countries. I was celebrating my hard work and success.

Joining me on the flight were 5 other vacationers, a couple from Texas and a family of 3 from Michigan. 
I arrived at the Safari Helicopters office on the day I booked my tour, only to discover the flight was delayed. After the 3 hour delay, it was canceled. Bad weather. This was fine with me, I didn't want our lives to be in jeopardy as we whizzed through the air in a tiny piece of metal.
I returned the next day and our flight was given the thumbs up. Hooray!
We were given little yellow life vest pouches for the unlikely event of a water landing, and then escorted to the helicopter that was awaiting us. 
As we approached, the blades were spinning like a blender on high speed. I crouched lower than required to avoid an unwanted scalping. The horrific YouTube video where a man was decapitated from a helicopter blade was playing through my head on repeat, taunting me. I looked like a timid dog and I crawled to the doors of the helicopter.
I donned a headset and was given a short safety briefing. 

Scared

Still scared

Our pilot was born and raised on Kauai, which made it even more special. During the flight, he pointed out the small village he grew up in.
He gently lifted the helicopter off the ground and we were off! It felt like I was flying, but as the houses became smaller and smaller, I got more and more nervous. But the amazing views ahead created an element of excitement. My palms were sweaty and my hands were shaky. I was more nervous than a 16 year-old on her first date. The woman next to me had been an ER nurse for 23 years. She held my hand for awhile when she saw my fear. Her calming method worked and my fears eased. I wondered how many patients she had calmed with this peaceful, motherly touch.

Although I tried to conceal my fear, it must have shown on my face because the pilot kept asking me if I was ok, then he would laugh and tell me I was going to be fine. He never asked anyone else if they were ok...... ??
We soared through the air, over green pastures with lazy cows, then over fuzzy green mountains and through the Waimea Canyon, dubbed "The Grand Canyon of the Pacific". The pilot decided to check if our adrenal glands were working as he sped over the cliff of the canyon, which opened up to a river below. For a moment we were weightless and we all screamed in unison. My belly did a somersault. He said "Just checking if you're awake". Ugh.

Tranquil Hawaiian music was pumped in through our headsets as the pilot gave commentary on the sights. We glided past stunning enormous waterfalls that could only be seen by helicopter. Endless amounts of water plummeted hundreds of feet to small lakes below. It's mind blowing what spectacular sights nature has created.   

Soon we hit a rain storm. As we flew through the fluffy gray rain clouds, water slid off the windshield easily but created a bumpy ride. I instinctively braced myself, as if to catch my balance. It's a terrible feeling not being in control. I could see the rest of the passengers looked a little uneasy themselves. I looked at the nurse next to me and frowned. Her eyes were wide with fright also. The flight wasn't quite as smooth as we were told it would be, so this made me fear the worst. To make matters worse, sometimes it sounded like the blades were sputtering. I tried to shut out the morbid thoughts of our helicopter crashing violently into the lush green vegetation below. It's only natural to have these thoughts, though. After the flight, the other passengers expressed how equally scared they were during the turbulence. The little aircraft felt so flimsy whizzing through the air, like the slightest wind from the Hawaiian Gods could have blown us right into the magical mountains. 

After I managed to get these horrible thoughts out of my head, I sat back and enjoyed the 1 hour tour over Kauai. It was a fantastic view from my window seat. I was silent as I was mesmerized by the mystical scenery passing by and constantly had goosebumps. I felt so alive. Living life to the fullest. I couldn't believe how beautiful it was. It almost made me cry. I'm a dork, I know. 

Na Pali coast

This is such a perfectly put together piece of the earth. Everything jives and creates a breath-taking beauty unparalleled to anywhere else in the world. God had a good day when he created the Hawaiian Islands.
We glided next to the impressive Na Pali coast and I took this short video. I also have the entire hour long flight on DVD that was filmed by the helicopter company, but I'm pretty sure it would take forever to upload to YouTube.


As I soaked in all the sights below, I decided I would be ok with being reincarnated as a bird. I would live in Hawaii. What a wonderful life :)
As we neared the end of our epic flight, the famous Hawaiian song "Somewhere over the rainbow" by Israel Kamakawiwo'ole came on in our headphones. What a perfect ending to a perfect flight. 
The chopper gracefully touched the ground and I felt a sense of relief come over me. I was happy to survive my first helicopter ride! 

Coming to America!

Flying to Hawaii from the Philippines really threw me for a loop. It was the worst case of jet lag I had ever experienced. My body just couldn't adjust to it's new environment and time zone. I laid awake in bed at 2:30 am, my mind fully active. I tried to force myself to drift into la-la land, but I just could not do it. This went on for 3 long nights. To complicate matters, I was super excited to be back in Hawaii.
Wouldn't you be?

It was a pivotal moment for me. A chapter of my life was ending and I wasn't sure if I was ready for this. But, I needed a break from all the traveling, emotionally and physically. This was such a special time in my life. The memories I created will be with me for a lifetime. As I lay awake in bed, my mind reminisced of the different places I'd been and I could see the people's faces I met so vividly in my mind. I have an incredible photographic memory and can even draw out the floor plan of each hotel I stayed in. I flashed back to countries that are so far away now, but at the time they felt like home to me, and nothing even close to foreign. I've left footprints all around the world. That makes me happy :)

I'm slowly adjusting to life in America. Although, I wouldn't say Hawaii feels 100% like America. There's culture here, which is one of the reasons why I love it so much. I knew there would be some degree of reverse culture shock once I arrived in the USA. I'm prepared for another round of shock once I get to the mainland.
In the aloha state, my mind is playing tricks on me. Every time I see a brown-skinned person, I expect to hear a foreign language spewing from their mouth, but instead when they speak, I hear English! 

I catch myself thinking how I'm going to play charades with people to ask a question. Then I realize I just have to speak my fluent English and they will understand me! 
Also, I can actually read ALL the ingredients on the packages at the grocery store! Things are so easy here!!!!
I caught myself throwing my used toilet paper in the garbage can, which I had been so accustomed to doing in third world countries where plumbing is poor. A little embarrassing....
I feel like a prisoner that's been released from jail and now has to adjust to life in the real world. 
I get overly excited when I see things such as Greek yogurt, hummus and York Peppermint Patties at the supermarket. It's a strange phenomenon. 

I feel completely spoiled for being able to talk on my cell phone and use the internet without having to connect to wi-fi. These days, I can lay on the beach and use the internet until the cows come home. 
I get so excited when I hear the chime of a new text. Don't laugh. Remember, I haven't heard this for 7.5 months. 
Driving a car took a little getting used to. Before I drove out of the rental car parking lot, I made sure I familiarized myself with all the electronics. Straighten the mirrors. Position the seat. Just like driver's ed had taught me. It was the first time since I was 16 that I was actually nervous to operate a vehicle. I pushed down on the accelerator with my foot and the car jolted ahead forcefully. I slammed on the brakes and quickly looked in the rear view mirror, hoping the workers didn't see me. I felt like a teenager stealing my parents car. Slowly, I got the hang of it again and was cruising around Honolulu like I own the place. 

Another thing I've noticed about America after being gone for awhile, sorry to say, but people are mean! I'm not used to such harsh people. I cower when someone says something impolite to me. I feel like crawling into the fetal position and crying "Please, just leave me alone!". I'm used to nice, polite locals. I've realized, more than ever, that Americans are rude. Not all of them, however. I guess I'll have to grow thick skin again if I want to live here....
If you've ever took an extended trip, you know there are a lot of things you need to sort out with yourself after you return home. 
I feel like I've changed so much and learned so many valuable lessons.
My brain feels like a tangled web that hasn't quite sorted out everything I've experienced. 
1 month of Hawaiian- island-hopping should suffice to organize my thoughts upstairs.  
I'll just lay on this beach a little longer, 'til I have everything figured out....

Runny tummy

"Aloha, welcome aboard Hawaiian airlines flight 456", the intercom announced tranquilly as I searched for seat 33G. Hawaiian music played softly in the background. The plane smells of tropical flowers. I'm on my way to Hawaii from the Philippines. Something in my mind has been triggered and I remember the immense joy I felt while living in the serene islands of the Pacific. Magically, I'm able to vividly recall my life in Hawaii. It was such a good time in my life. As the plane lifts off the ground in Manila, I'm acutely aware that I've now left foreign land and the next time I step foot on the ground, I will be in my mother land once again. America! It's been 222 days since I've been in America. I wonder when I'll be on international land again. During my last week in the Philippines, I find myself researching my next trip on the internet: South America, along with Antarctica. I'm blatantly honest with myself; it's hopeless, I'll always be a travel addict. 

Fiji

The plane emits a calming buzz as we fly over the Pacific. The lights are dimmed and I drift off to sleep, dreaming of the aloha state. Only a 10 hour flight separates me from my beautiful islands. 
I'll spend the next month gallivanting around the Hawaiian isles. Oahu, Kauai, The Big Island and finally Maui, where I will settle. I need this time to sort some things in my head, to take in everything I've experienced on my trip. 
My international escapade has come to an end. I begin to reflect back on the last amazing 7.5 months of my life. One thing that comes to mind is how thankful I am that my body didn't give up on me after abusing it so harshly with all the unbalanced meals, pollution and restless nights. I realize an intense detox is needed when I arrive in Hawaii. I feel like I've aged 10 years. I fully understand why people in third world countries look older than their chronological age. 

With cute Fijian kiddos

One question I'm asked, being a traveler, is : "do you get sick a lot when you travel?" By "sick", I assume they mean stomach problems. In case you're wondering, on this trip, I did get sick one time, in Nepal. I don't think anyone can escape Nepal without an episode of peeing out of their butt hole, at least once. Considering my less than standard living conditions, I think that's pretty impressive. 
This wasn't always the story with my belly. I couldn't even go to Europe without my stomach giving me problems. I've come a long ways since then. 
These days, very rarely do I have problems with my belly. I've been exposed to so many bugs from traveling, I've developed a stomach of steel. Just another perk to being a travel addict. If you have a touchy stomach, perhaps you should try traveling a little more?
Travelers diarrhea? Nope. Delhi belly? Not this girl. Doesn't pertain to me. I even drank the water in India and didn't get sick. I'm a super mutant. 

Fiji~ Yasawa islands

Here's an example of how my weak stomach used to pester me:
When I was in Fiji, I had almost made it through my one month vacation without any type of stomach issues arising. One ill-fated day, this all changed. Who knows what type of scary island bug I acquired, but it seriously messed me up. 
I remember sitting in my room one day, curled over, holding my cramping stomach and grimacing. There was more gurgling going on in there than a New Zealand hot spring. It felt like a naughty little gremlin was building a house in my intestines. One of the Fijian ladies came in to clean the room. The Fijian people are some of the nicest people in the world. She saw me in my state of agony and came right over to me. She said, in her thick accent, "What's the matter honey? Runny tummy?" I burst out laughing at her choice of words and shook my head yes. 
From then on, I adopted the term she used for the Hershey squirts. It sounded more pleasant than "diarrhea". She was a large, plump lady, looking very similar to Aunt Jemima. I remember how comforting and motherly she was, and I found myself wishing I had my mom there to help me fight off this evil stomach monster. 
I don't care how old you are, when you're feeling so sick that you think you're going to die and you're in a country half way around the world, all you want is your mommy. Don't deny it. No one's going to judge you :)


P.s.  Nurses have absolutely no qualms about discussing bowel movements. 

Fiji

Lady boys and other Filipino tidbits

Here are a few points I wanted to share about the Philippines. I've been vagabonding through the country for 3 weeks now, here are my observations:
~Holy moley, there's a lot of lady boys here! I thought Thailand had an overflow of them, but the Philippines takes the cake. Oh sorry, for those that don't know what a "lady boy" is, it's a male that acts and dresses as a female. Some of them are slightly attractive with their slim, trim bodies, beautiful long, stick straight black hair and impeccable makeup. But as soon as they open their mouth, you realize they're a lady boy. The Adam's apple gives them away, too. Some do a horribly poor job at female impersonation. I'm almost embarrassed for them. They sway their hips awkwardly, wear orange lipstick and lack any hint of grace as they brush the hair from their face. BUT, I do give them a lot of credit for being who they want to be. 

Basketball, a favorite Filipino pastime

I had the pleasure of dealing with a moody lady boy at the reception of one of the hotels I stayed at. What a nightmare. When I asked him what his name was, he responded "Miss Arnell", with a funny lisp. I sputtered, "wait, did you just say..... Oh, never mind". He was dressed as a male, however. I think he enjoyed making my life miserable. Any little thing he could find to inconvenience me, he did. I'll warn you: Dealing with a sassy lady boy is way worse than dealing with a bitchy female. 
One night on the island of Panglao, me and Eva (my Lithuanian sidekick) decided to check out the local club scene. After eating a scrumptious meal on the beach, we kidnapped our dive instructor, Denec, and asked him to show us the nightlife of Panglao. He suggested we go to the local club. While we were there, we met 2 lady boys, Samantha and Jo. We snickered as we watched them sashay around the club and confidently flirt with all the boys. Samantha was skinnier than a starving cat in Ethiopia, but surprisingly, she had boobs. 

She was very open about her transgender, so I asked her how she managed to grow her own ta-ta's. She explained that she takes a monthly hormonal injection which comes from Thailand (lady boy capital of the world), and it costs 500 pesos (about $11). She said she saves all month for it. It made me sad to think that $11 was so little to me, but so much to the locals. This was obviously something that was very important to her. 
Samantha had this woman thing down pat. I was mesmerized as I watched her flaunt herself proudly. Talking to her was just like talking with one of my girlfriends. These 2 "girls" were a riot! We danced together on the dance floor to the tune of upbeat American songs as we drank $1 beers.There were even stray dogs wagging their tails happily on the dance floor with us. Only in the Philippines....

Left to right: Jo, Eva, Samantha, Brazilian guy, Denec

Everyone was so friendly and sweet. This was such a great local experience. I felt like I created a stronger bond with the country and really fell in love with it at that point. We got to know Denec a little better and discovered he was a genuinely good guy. Very charming and real. Filipino style :)
~Ok, observation #2. Everywhere I look, I see a young, beautiful Filipino girl with an old, fat, white man. It's actually disturbing. I'm not sure if there's a website where they find these beauties, but it seems like almost every single grandpa has himself a pretty Filipino gal. She daintily holds the rough, white arm of her old man with her tiny brown hand. She hangs on him as they eat at expensive seafood restaurants and shop for new dresses. It's a win-win situation. He gets a gorgeous girl, she gets money. I still think it's disgusting. 

~On to a more pleasant topic.... bakeries! Filipinos love their baked goods. The streets are lined with bakeries, displaying their tantalizing cookies, breads and rolls in the glass cases. I've become addicted to the delectable coconut bread. 

Coconut bread.... delish

~The Philippines are pretty Americanized. American music flows through the air everywhere I go. Almost everyone speaks English, which makes things much easier. But sometimes I prefer the challenge of a language barrier. It spices things up a bit. Call me crazy, but traveling in third world countries has become almost effortless for me at this point, so I appreciate a challenge every once in a while. 
~Filipinos use the word "ma'am", after almost every sentence. "Need a tricycle, ma'am? Good price, ma'am. Thank you, ma'am. Yes, ma'am." But with their accents, it sounds like they're saying "mom". The first time I was addressed as "mom", it caught me off guard. I thought, "They just called me mom, that's strange. Guess that's what they do in the Philippines." Now, I know better. Sometimes I joke with them. "No thanks, dad", I reply. They always laugh at this. 

Watermelon juice, I'm going to miss this....

I write this blog on my last day in the Philippines and I get the feeling that I don't want to leave. The last 3 weeks felt more like 3 days. I would have probably spent more time here if it wasn't for my 3 week visa expiring.  The longer I spend here, the more I love the place. This is mainly due to it's residents. Filipinos have warmed my heart with their kindness and charm and never fail to squeeze a giggle out of me. They are real, and I'm definitely a fan of real people. 
Maybe it's because I'm at the end of my round-the-world trip, but traveling through the Philippines has been quite facile. I've had an absolute blast and rarely felt frustrated or stressed. I definitely needed this vacation after my vacation!

The smallest monkey and man of the Philippines

Today was a strange day. By strange, I mean extremely bizarre. Eva (my new Lithuanian friend) and I decided to do an all day tour with our own private car and driver. There were many stops, but I'm only going to highlight the weirdness of the day. First, we saw the smallest monkey in the world, the Tarsier, which I was extremely excited about. Tarsier monkeys are 3-6 inches in length. They have big brown alien eyes and E.T.-looking fingers with round balls at the ends. They can jump extremely long distances from tree to tree. Tarsiers are indigenous to the Philippines, and especially on the island of Bohol. This was the main reason I came to this island. You all should know by now that I'm an avid monkey lover.

dangerously adorable

They keep the miniature monkeys in a sanctuary, which mimics their natural environment. However, these animals are nocturnal and I'm sure they don't appreciate the hoards of tourists gawking at them all day and snapping their photo while they're trying to take a snooze. Walking along a footpath, the Tarsiers can be spotted clinging to a tree branch. I would seriously love to take one home with me, but sadly, they are nearly extinct :(

Although they have an uncanny resemblance to a rat with their long hairless tail, or even a bat or a mouse, you have to admit, they are cutey patooteys.

Can you spot the Tarsier?

After the Tarsier sanctuary, we went to see Bayoyoy, the smallest man in the Philippines. Strange enough, he's also one of the oldest, at the ripe age of 65. All the tour agencies in town were advertising this little guy and included a stop at his house on nearly every tour. We didn't understand what all the hype was with this little guy, but we decided to check it out anyways. Plus, we thought it was funny to pronounce his name and erupted into a fit of giggles each time we said it. 
Arriving at Bayoyoy's house, we removed our shoes and entered the house where he lives with his sister. It's a typical Filipino home. We had to wait a few minutes for a large group of Filipino's to file out of the house. They were also there to catch a glimpse of Bayoyoy. Eva and I walked up a few steps and when we looked to our left, we see Bayoyoy in a baby stroller. Here's where it gets strange. We instinctively gasp. I've never in my life have seen a smaller human being, unless you count babies. 

This man is less than 3 feet tall. I knelt next to his stroller and stared in amazement. His head was the size of a softball and his legs were contracted. A dozen medical thoughts whizzed through my mind as I did a visual inspection of him. I tried to hide how shocked I was, as his sister was standing in the doorway. We were allowed to take pictures with Bayoyoy. But something didn't feel right. I felt like he was a circus attraction. He is blind and mentally handicapped.

to compare size

He obviously had dwarfism, but the family had found this to be a lucrative opportunity. They rely on donations from the tourists to survive. There was a donation box on the front of Bayoyoy's stroller. I set 40 pesos (1 dollar) down and thanked his sister for letting us visit. Her eyes lit up when she saw the donation and gave me a genuine "thank you". There were only small coins in the donation box, and I think some visitors leave no offering at all. 
This sort of thing would never happen in a developed country. This is just another sad example as to what people in third world countries must do in order to survive. 
After our day of seeing tiny primates and little people, Eva and I returned to our hotel in a bit of a daze. Hmmm, that was really bizarre, we both thought.