Fireflies, Cave Spelunking, Ziplining, Eating Worms & Underground Rivers

Monday, Feb 11th - Flying out to Palawan

I actually slept in this morning and then did my neural wake-up call and kicked my own butt doing an hour of the Insanity-inspired bodyweight work out.  Afterwards, I had this awesome brunch the girls made us:

Yummy brunch before we caught our 3pm flight: fruits, eggs & Whole Foods sausage 

We're in Palawan!

 

Lara and I dropped off our stuff, had our second dinner and then we went to on

a firefly boat tour at Iwahig River.

 

Waiting for our turn.

 

Our souvenir

 

 I couldn't really capture any of the fireflies on my camera (flash photography doesn't work!), but it looked like this. 

The boat ride tour itself was pretty incredible - the tour guide would flash a red light at the trees and the fireflies would light up.  They light up because they think the red light is a predator, and they light up as a defense mechanism.  The stars were shining bright and the guide was very knowledgeable about the constallations and educating us on the fireflies.  The tour was a 2km boat ride; it was really enjoyable and relaxing.


Tuesday, February 12th - Caves, Ziplining & Underground River

We were rushed this morning, because we were getting picked up at 8am for our cave tour!

 Lara and I decided to get our brekkie to go and eat in our van.

 

Our view outside our hotel;

these are the taxi cabs in the Philippines.

We did a pit stop and found some toys. 

This has become a staple for car rides.

 

 It's time to do some spelunking (exploring caves) and rock climbing.

We got a little introduction to what was ahead of us.

 

Our awesome tour guide and photographer, Marlin - who looks exactly like one of my best friend's (Precious) father. I was tripping out!

 

 

Headgear!

 

Just hanging around

We made it to the top

 

Way down - ziplining!

 

 

 

 

 

Lara & I left our mark.

 

 

It was then lunch time!  My meal, x2.

Tamilok, mangrove-boring mollusk, which actually looks like a woodworm. 
It's a Filipino delicacy, and doesn't look too appetizing.

 

I was not planning on doing this food challenge when Lara told me about it a month ago.  I still can't believe I did it.  I'll put the video footage up, once it is loaded.  It's funnay.

We drenched it in vinegar and it tasted like oysters.

Lara had 2 servings of this worm - because the camera did not work the first time she did it; obviously, it doesn`t count when you don`t have proof.

 

After lunch, we went to the Puerto Princesa Underground River boat tour.

 

 

 

 

Joke of the trip when people ask if Lara and I are Tita Pilar`s daughters:
"Jenna`s from husband #1; Lara's from husband #2." 

 

The tour was pretty cool - it was full of bats - 44,000 of them.  Most of them were sleeping as it was 3pm, but we did see a few fly around.  Our tour guide told us many times not to talk unless we wanted bat shit. Haha!  We saw cool limestone structures in the cave - some were shaped of the Virgin Mary, there was another one of Jesus' face; it was pretty amazing.

 

After we got back from our awesome day, we were exhausted.  Lara and I chilled for a bit and decided that we needed to go on a fruit & chocolate scavenger hunt around the town - we were craving!  However, we ended up going for a full dinner and dessert:

Our yummy desserts! 

  

Lara and I pinky swearing that we would fast tomorrow, after this cheat day. 

Puka Beach, Butanding & Coconuts!

Tuesday, Feb 5th - Final day in Boracay

Lara and I did our 10-minute neural wake-up call and then I did a 20-minute circuit that I posted previously (burpees, jumping jacks, push ups with shoulder taps, side planks & reverse lunges) and then finished it out with some Insanity moves. 

Last breakfast in Boracay

I actually decided to do intermittent fasting today; a 30-hour or so one. I like to do them after cheat days and we're travelling today, so it makes it so much easier not worrying about what I'm going to eat; keeping it simple.  This meant I was just having water and green tea all day.

I've been experimenting with intermittent fasting since last April and really like it; I've seen great results and I'm (surprisingly) not hungry and really focused on fast days.

There are plenty of benefits such as: decreasing blood glucose levels, increase in insulin sensitivity, increase in growth hormone, lower blood pressure, lower inflammation, etc. and you learn what real hunger is!  I am definitely an advocate, but it is not for everyone and it is hard the first few times you try it. You have been warned.

If you are curious about it, fitness experts such as Dr. John Berardi,  Brad Pilon and  John Romaniello have done an excellent job explaining the science behind it and have created some kick-ass IF programs.

We then spent the morning at Puka Beach – it was a short 15 min drive from the resort. 

 It was secluded and wonderful. 

 Lara and I having some fun in the sand. 

No volleyball? No problem! A coconut will do.

 I could live here.  And I wouldn't even be mad!

Mom, Dad & B-man:  I’ll send you all postcards.

Back at Alta Vista:Lara on the interweb just before leaving.
 Look at that view from the lobby!

At 2:30pm, we took a shuttle back to the dock; we then got on a bus and then made it to the airport. 

We got back to Manila at 8pm and were greeted by Katrina and her driver – we finally made it home!  I was so tired, I just unpacked, re-packed and then went straight to bed because we had to catch another flight the next morning to Donsol Island to hopefully see and swim with whale sharks (aka, butanding in Tagalog). My family likes jam-packed excursions!

 

Wed February 6th - Donsol Island

 Woo! Fast is over, I was surprisingly not that hungry when I woke up at 6am (fasting curbs hunger, I tell you!) - my first meal at the airport was an apple and veggies & chicken.  I also had chicken & veggie soup.

 

Tita Pilar was telling the guy who was making my meal that I was America and didn't like rice and to hold off the soy sauce (Paleo protocol); we have to justify not eating rice in Asia.  Haha.  She kept on schmoozing and he gave me more veggies.  Yay! 

Spotted: Lara getting her Holy Hour on

and setting intentions for the day in the airport. 

I admire this girl for sticking to her guns despite the 5am wake up call and getting her workout on at 4am and setting herself up for an amazeball day; I was just happy I had time to brush my teeth and remembered to grab an apple before leaving the house =)

 

 

 2 flights within 10 hours; it's a good thing we like airports.
 

We look fresher on this morning flight than our last morning flight several days ago -

2 hours makes all the difference.

 

 Lara, show me your excited happy-pants face! 

 

Donsol Island

 

 

We threw our stuff in our hotel, and then jumped on the boat. 
Whale sharks, here we come!

 

C'mon butanding, reveal yourself!

 

 Our new English friend, Jessica.

 

 

We spent 3 hours on the boat, and decided to get a workout in. 
I think chin-ups on a moving boat is now my favourite body weight exercise.

 

Hanging leg lifts - "Take the picture fast, this is hard!"

 

Eating bukayo - a yummy coconut and molasses/sugar dessert;

Filipino macaroons 

 

We unfortunately, didn't see any sightings of the butanding;
 it is never guaranteed. 
We are planning on coming back next week and try again.

 

For dinner, we went coconut crazy!

 

The staff let us go behind closed doors and shred the coconut meat.

Lara is a natural:

This rockstar rockclimber is also a coconut tree climber! 

 

We wanted fresh boku (coconut water), but they were out. 

So they sent out Jeff to climb the coconut tree and he scaled it so fast!

 

 

 

The tastiest coconut milk ever was then made.

Dessert: coconut water & halo-halo with mango and coconut milk

 

You know you're consuming too much coconuts in one meal when the servers tell you they are monitoring your table's coconut consumption to prevent indigestion;

Smart Serve for coconuts. Haha!

 

Even though we did not get to see the wondrous butanding,

we still had a great time. 

 

Hopefully we'll spot one next week. 

I'm going to start Law of Attracting that bad boy now!