I have a sunburn. 80% of me is tan; 20% is not (think of a mix between Crayola Radical Red and Jazzberry Jam). Apparently SPF 30 Sport doesn’t cut it in these parts. Or maybe laying out requires too much physical exertion. I mean, after all, I did have to flip over from time to time. Do they make a Super Sport? One can hope. So, what does one do on a tiny island when they’ve reached their sun-soaking limit? They go on a walkabout, of course.
Malapascua is actually much smaller than I had originally thought, coming in at just under 2.5 x 1 kilometers. It’s home to approximately 3,000 residents, although you’d never know it by simply walking around. To me, it feels rather deserted, which only adds to the charm. The island survives primarily off of tourism from the diving community, but trades such as boat building and fishing are still widespread. Divers started flocking here in the mid 90’s due to the abundance of Thresher Sharks swimming off shore, as well as its close proximity to several wreckage sites. While I personally don’t dive — a regret that I hope to soon change — I am completely fascinated by all that’s lurking below. It is said that water covers 71% of the Earth’s surface, and 95% of it has yet to be explored. Just stop and think about that for a second — it’s hard to wrap your head around. The possibilities… the marine life and ecosystems we’ve yet to uncover. Mind-boggling, that’s what it is. Fucking mind-boggling (sorry, mom and dad… haaaad to).
I spent the better part of my day getting the lay of the land; I can successfully walk from one end to the other without getting lost. While wandering the paths, I played with puppies, watched young boys shoot hoops, and helped the littler ones climb out of ditches. I also met a farmer who let me accompany him while feeding his livestock — mainly pigs — and even though he didn’t speak English, we had a conversation through hand gestures and facial expressions. As silly as it sounds, sometimes I feel as though you can communicate more effectively using that medium, as opposed to words.
And just as my hut came into view, the wind picked up, the clouds rolled in, and the rain started to fall… a storm is said to be on its way.
