I remember waiting for February 16 2008 with as much anticipation as I waited for Christmas. And the end of Friday’s shift gave me so much jubilation I almost jumped out of my seat just to get the debrief over and done with ASAP. At last, the shift ended and my five-day bliss officially started. We left the office around 8:15 AM and picked up my brother from my parents’ house, after which we went back to Cavite to pack our things. Due to overwhelming excitement, we forgot we actually had to bring clothes and prepare our luggage! (***wink-wink***) We were at the Terminal 2 of NAIA at around 2 pm, two hours before our scheduled flight. We were all first-timers with an airplane ride so we were all jittery with the thrill of our airplane ‘deflowering’ (somehow, it doesn’t sound right. J). To pass the long two-hour wait, we took pictures and soaked in the sight of the huge aircrafts with passengers already boarding. We also had a quick snack of dimsum and donuts (no Jollibee or McDo at the terminal. Too bad.) to quell the rumblings of our stomachs. So with full tummies and gleeful hearts, we welcomed Air Philippines Flight 943 to Puerto Princesa Palawan with open arms. We left the ground at around 4 in the afternoon. My knees were shaking (but my lips were smiling. Kodak moment.) as I walked down the plane tarmac. The inside of the plane looked like the interiors of a newly imported airconditioned bus from Japan. I chose the seat near the aisle as I would not risk a heart attack caused by seating near the plane’s window. I was not yet ready to face my fear of heights. So with clammy hands, feet, underarms, and various other body parts, I strapped the seatbelt on and waited for the scary takeoff. It wasn’t as bad as I expected it to be. I actually did not throw up!J Anyway, all throughout the flight my husband and JR took pictures of the aerial view of Manila and later on, a close-up of the clouds, while I take little peeks at the window. With only minor bumps on the road (I mean the flight),about an hour later, the view of the islands of Palawan loomed ahead. The sky was a little overcast, so we didn’t see the sight in full glory, but nevertheless, I was awed. I have not seen greener seas and even greener mountains in my life.
I said a little prayer of gratitude as we landed at the Puerto Princesa Airport, as it felt so good to be on solid ground again! Puerto Princesa Airport was surrounded by trees and the smell of the ocean is undeniable. The air was fresh, and the feeling was revitalizing. Eventhough the airport itself was just a one-storey building, it was void of the ambiance of rush and craziness that Manila airport had. Exactly what I needed actually. Once we checked out our baggage we hurried outside where Jules’ relative and another guy was waiting for us with a van all ready to take us to Badjao Inn where we will be staying for the next five days. It was a really quick (like 5 minutes) ride to the Inn which was situated right along Rizal Ave. (a major road stemming from the airport). Since the accommodation was pre-arranged for us by Jules’ relative there (who happens to be a bodyguard of the governor), we had absolutely no idea what it looked like. We later found out that it was a quaint little place with a breakfast gazebo within a garden, a cozy lobby, and surprisingly, an internet shop! We chose a room without airconditiong as we would rather have fresh Palawan air to breathe in (@450 bucks per day plus 150 for the extra bed…costs way less than an airconditioned room.). The downside was that we did not have a TV or even a radio, so our only form of entertainment, would have to be, errr….ourselves. J
FRESH! Now we realized we were starved as hell, so after depositing our bags inside the room we immediately dressed to go out. We found Ka Lui, a very popular restaurant, well-recommended by previous Palawan visitors. Fortunately it was just across the road from our place so our tummies did not have to suffer much. We hurried on inside, looking for a table, only to realize that all the tables had “Reserved” on it. Oh and more embarrassing was, a waiter got our attention to inform us that we had to take our shoes off! Anyway, we were too hungry to dwell on this so we immediately left our stuff in the shoe-deposit area and the waiter got us a free table. The menu wasn’t an exhausting array of what-not’s, in fact it had about a maximum of 15 choices of viands. It was mainly composed of seafood options, so we decided to get the KaLui of the Day, a combination of about 3 main dishes, an appetizer, and rice. We also opted to get this curious version of sinigang which they called Sinigang ni Kaka. For refreshments we all decided to get fruit shakes so we can forgo dessert. I got the avocado shake, Jules went conservative with the mango shake and my brother followed his sour tooth with a pineapple shake. Appetizer of seaweed salad was served first. I wasn’t exactly a seaweed fan so I took only one little bite. Later on, the main dishes, Grilled Tuna Steak, Fish Cordon Bleu, Adobong Kangkong, Halabos na Hipon and the Sinigang ni Kaka were served. I tried the grilled fish first, and man, to think that it was just tuna skewed on a blazing fire, it proved to be a heavenly dish in Ka Lui! The fish was super fresh, like it was still alive 10 minutes ago, it had very little seasoning (of what, I really don’t know) but it was tasty and light at the same time. It did not leave any signs of lansa on the tongue. I then moved on to tasting the unique sinigang which utilized fresh buko juice as an ingredient. It proved to be a palatable experience as the buko juice provided a hint of sweetness to the sour broth. The Fish Cordon Bleu was also a delight to the senses for again, the fish was impossibly fresh (really almost too good to be true), the breading was not too thick for comfort, and the combination of cheese and cream gave an exact flavoring to the fish. Even the simple Adobong Kangkong tasted gourmet in Ka Lui! The leaves were bright green, clean and obviously newly picked. The light sauce was complimentary to the verggies and helped amp the tastiness. The shrimp was another treat, as it was, as everything else we tasted so far, garden-fresh and absolutely scrumptious. Oh and of course, I had to commend the fruit shakes! Unlike the ones they usually serve in restos in Manila, the shake was made of real fresh fruits (not powder), and was primarily fruit than water or ice. Thus, the meal ends with a large, very much satisfied burp. We didn’t leave the place without pictures of course. (Sorry for discussing the food first, it’s just irresistible!) We had to share the beautiful ambiance, which was very Filipino in a bahay kubo setting. Artwork was displayed in various corners, and the sawali walls were creatively structured too. The table arrangement was classy and the seating was not too crowded. You even had an option to actually sit on the floor. Outside the dining area was the airy garden. They had a sparkling, flowing fountain-and-jars arrangement as well as anito-like rock sculputures. Trees and plants also gave the ‘forest-feel’ of the place. For about 700 bucks, we really got more than what we paid for.
The night ends at around 9 pm. Way earlier than how we would usually do in Manila, but with a better finale than what we would usually have….With a full, happy tummy and worry-free sleep. 
