There Are Sand Mites In Paradise

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Ditatayan Island, Busuanga, Palawan- secluded picture-perfect island with a long stunning sand bar (see this post). We were so happy to find this place, we were literally jumping with joy… until the sand mites devoured us and drove us away.

Relaxing in Ditatayan island before the attack of the sand mites.

Malcapuya Island, Busuanga, Palawan- another one of those beautiful tropical islands with a long wide stretch of white beach. We were enjoying the peace and quiet until boatloads of orange life vests aka tourists shattered the reverie with their loud voices and rowdy music.

You think Boracay’s White Beach would be the perfect place to sail to? Wait till you try to sleep at night and the music from the multitude of bars on the beach travel over the water to you, different tunes all at the same time, each one trying to outdo the other. Or try relaxing on deck during the day amidst the drone of the engines of the bancas that ply White Beach during the day, at least one passing by every 10 minutes.

Mt. Guiting-Guiting in the background. Sibuyan Island.

There’s a piece of bright yellow plastic garbage in the waterfalls deep in the woods in Sibuyan Island, Asia’s version of the Galapagos Islands, garish amidst the lush green forest and crystal clear cold rushing water.

There’s a dead dog in Bulabog Beach in knee deep water a meter in front of me and I almost step on it. It must have been there for several days already because it is bloated, skin so tight it looks like it is ready to burst, with some parts missing, its skin a sickening white color. I run before I throw up...

There are jellyfish, invisible stinging critters in the clearest waters with the most vibrant underwater life.

Mosquitoes keep you awake at night in the most serene anchorages, the ideal spots you dream of spending the night- calm waters, quiet, uninhabited, peaceful. And during the day, the heat can be oppressive.

Birds will roost and poop on your pristine deck, leaving foul-smelling black streaks that are difficult to clean.

No, I am not nitpicking. I am just reminding myself that there is no such thing as a perfect world. Maybe the perfect world is in heaven when you die but I’m not going to kill myself to get there. In the meantime, I appreciate and cherish all the blessings around me, right now, in this beautiful world, sand mites and all.