We spent the Chinese New Year in Boracay. This place has been top on our list to visit for the last three years, so we were all looking forward to it! It was no small feat getting there. Three hour delay in the Shanghai airport due to fog. Checking into our Manila hotel at midnight, no hot water. Early flight the next morning on a small jet to Caticlan from where we took a boat to the island Boracay. The first two days were overcast, Typhoon warnings, but it didn’t stop the kids from playing on the beach. The rest of the week the weather was fabulous. This place is paradise! The sand is like powder, no need for shoes.
On Sunday there were no church services on the island, so John led a great interactive Sunday school discussion. I had hours in the afternoon to catch up on my blog. We read, played games and took walks -- making for a very peaceful day. John and Emma are reading the Divergent series, I’m reading Light Between Oceans, James is reading the Legend series, and Eliza started the Uglies. We found a great restaurant right along the beach where the Canadian owner eats gluten free and therefore had a great gluten free selection for James.
John and James signed up for open water scuba diving training — it was about four hours a day for three days, plus a couple hours studying a book and DVD for the final written exam. They came home after each dive telling us how amazing it was. They are now PADI certified divers.
Emma, James and John went parasailing one afternoon. The next day we all went snorkeling. The girls were uncomfortable with the jellyfish and didn’t last long.
It was hard to say good-bye to the beautiful blue skies and water, but nice to finish our trip in the Manila temple on our way back home.
Jet to Caticlan — Eliza runs once we land, she is so excited!
Took this boat to the Island of Boracay. They put our suitcases on top.
Paid two local kids $2 to make this for us.
We saw so much poverty in town that we were happy to give them a job. Later we saw the police kick them out which made us sad.
Tessa was sick for four days before our trip. She didn’t have much energy the first few days on vacation either but she never complains.
View from our room
Girls in the water
John and James got PADI certified!
Taking a boat out to snorkel, can’t believe how blue the water was.
Laurel and Tessa getting ready to snorkel
We stayed in two different resorts. The second had a pool.
John, James and Emma said parasailing was peaceful.
Manila temple
