I really meant to complete things one after another, but things--also, one after another--got in the way. So anyway....here's the last post on Bora. I decided I better put it up because I'd be back there in about two weeks time with visiting family from the U.S.--which just about signals that I have pretty much run out of time. =)
KITEBOARDING! The one thing that soothed my guilt over having to work on what should have been a holiday. When I first realized I would have to work on Holy Week, I kinda expected the Hubby to complain. Aside from the fact that the theme all of last year seemed to have been "I have to work even though it's a holiday", Holy Weeks are usually spent going home to Marinduque where his family lives (and it's not very often, really, that he gets to see them).
KITEBOARDING! The one thing that made him think maybe it wouldn't be soooooooooo bad that I'd be working during Holy Week. HAHAHA. =D
On our first night, we already set out to find the Hangin Kite Center. One of his wakeboarding buddies apparently knew one of the owners/instructors, and since he was advised that early mornings (when the wind and the waves are not yet as strong) is really best for beginners, he was adamant about signing up that night so he can start soon after breakfast the following day. After dinner with the Studio 23 folks, we scoured the beach up and down, left and right trying to find the darn center. The tourism desk was already closed so all we had to go on were the directions of people who all pretty much acted like they knew what they were talking about--except that they kept pointing us in different directions. Ngyah. Tired and sticky, I finally decided to put "the search" off til morning when we finally walked through dark and dusty streets to arrive at.....uh......the mini-hospital. Double ngyah. Hahaha. Time to call it a night!
Early the following day, after the breakfast @ Jona's, the search began once again. Things really become much clearer in daylight and with the tourism desk open (yey!), we finally got ourselves some decent directions. It was then that we realized that we couldn't find the darn thing because it was NOT on White Beach (the main beach). It was on the OTHER side. You walk through D'Mall to get to the side where Julie's Bakeshop and the mini-grocery are. Then you cross the highway (just a 2-way street, really =D) and walk down this side street. Probably a good reason not to find it at night. It wasn't exactly well-lit. =)
The short (but hot and sticky) walk will take you to the beach on the other side of the island where the wind comes full-force. (I remember being on the window-side of the plane as we prepared to jet down Caticlan, that Boracay has indeed changed, because where there used to be only bancas and the occasional banana boat, from the plane I could see kiteboards and parasails dotting the clear Boracay sky.) The short walk will lead you to this. Not the classiest joint in the island, but it shouldn't matter. When I think about it, it actually seems like some old, beat-up closet that takes you to a more exciting other-world.
Walking through the makeshift bamboo fence will lead you to the beach. Not quite as pristine as White Beach where most of the tourists stay, but infinitely more invigorating as the wind flowed more freely and strongly. I'm not sure if it was because it was on the "Habagat" side of the island or if it was because this side is still much closer to how Boracay used to be. Very few structures on the beach, none of them concrete. As the wind blew through my hair, I stood in awe at the dozens of kites that dotted the water. Some were held by beginners standing closer to the shore. Others were held mostly by foreigners who were zigzagging from one end to the other showing off tricks that they must have learned in some other place.
Sadly, Hubby Sweet was told that Mars went home to Bicol for the wake of his Tita, but what the heck. Discount or no discount, the Hubby was set on learning kiteboarding before he heads home to Manila!
We soon found out that Kiteboarding is not exactly a budget-friendly sport (and I thought wakeboarding was expensive!). The lessons / packages were tiered. One can either go for the Beginners package (almost P4,000) or the Intermediate (approximately P8,000) or go the full length to "The One that Will Allow You to Earn a Kiteboarding License that Will Allow You to Kiteboard Anywhere in the World"!. That last one costs P12,000.00.
Surely, the last one seemed like an overkill because I don't really think the Hubby will necessarily need a license that will allow him to kiteboard anywhere in the world anytime soon. Then again......=D
See, the thing is....the P4,000-beginner's package will apparently teach you how to manuever a beginners kite--while standing on water, close to the shore. Yes, a beginner's kite while standing on water. The beginner's kite being just a, well, a commercial and more colorful version of the...uh...boca-boca. HAHAHA! 'D You pretty much can complete this phase in one day. No, let me correct myself. The Beginner's Package pretty much buys you 2 hours worth of....uh....kite-flying lessons. Haha. Soooooooo not worth it, right? Ngyah. =D (Then again, yes, that's the Hubby with his sosyal na boca-boca, haha!)
OK, so the Beginner's Package did not exactly give much so we asked the desk person what the full-day course will provide (the "full day" actually referring to 4 hours--2 hours in the morning and 2 hours in the afternoon because the wind goes "dead" mid-day).
"Oh, lessons in wind theory, kite piloting, basic rigging skills and body-dragging," she said.
"Interesting...." I said, "What exactly do you mean by piloting, rigging and body-dragging?"
"Ay, tuturuan po kayo mag-set-up ng kite," she explained, "kase yung totoong kite na po ang gagamitin. Tapos sa tubig po, tuturuan kayo kung pano i-maneuver yung kite."
We looked at her suspiciously and, dreading the answer, asked, "Meaning, nakasakay na sa board, right?"
She looked at us with a smile and said, "Ay, hindi po! Wala pa pong board. Makakasakay lang kayo ng board kung in-approve ng instructor niyo na marunong na kayo mag-maneuver ng kite."
"Wala pang board?????!!!!!!" I asked again, thinking the P8,000 Intermediate Package is also turning out be sooooooooooooooo not worth it. Ngyah. (But, yes, that is the Hubby now learning how to set-up his rig. *Insert sheepish grin here...=D*)
Back to the conversation with the desk person......=)
"Wala pa pong board," she smiled. "Kung gusto niyo po, sa end na lang yung bayad para hindi separate yung charges kase mas mahal pag separate. Pag natuto po kayo mag-handle nung kite at na-approve ng instructor niyo na kaya niyo na, chaka na po kayo mag-decide kung gusto niyong dumerecho at matutong sumakay sa board."
Eh, siyempre, the end objective is to be able to actually do kiteboarding--which pretty much means PILOTING A KITE WHILE STANDING ON A BOARD! I want to meet the person who drew up the packages at the Hangin Kite Center. He can teach us Brand Folks a thing or two about building your brand's value-for-money to the level that will make people think it would be soooooooooooooooooomuch better to voluntarily shell-out P12,000 instead of P4,000 over 2-1/2 days. HAHAHA!!! Ngyah. =D
Hubby Sweet, being a fast learner, was actually able to stand on a board that afternoon (and was able to maneuver even better the following day). Buti na lang! Haha. =)
During my free time (from all the walking up and down the beach to check on the FNR booths), I would scoot over to the Hangin Kite Center, and sit on the sidelines with a bottle of my favorite ice-cold drink, a giant bag of Clover Chips (Chili & Cheese) and a copy of New Moon. While I initially toyed with the idea of learning, I decided my curiosity ain't worth P12,000. =)
This, however, managed to pique my interest a bit. As I was watching the Hubby go through his lessons, a very loud whirring sound caught my attention. I looked to my right to find this slightly chubby man strapped to what looked like a gigantic industrial fan. I had to contain my laughter at the risk of people thinking I have gone bonkers--sitting there alone and laughing like crazy. It's just that....well....from where I was sitting, it did look like a disaster waiting to happen.
Then, he let the motor kick, and soon the fan was whirling at full-force, and then he started to take off....and the entire time, I was extremely fascinated--watching a real-life version of what I thought I would only see in one of those old Road-Runner / Willy Cayote cartoons. Imagine that! Hahaha! I wonder if his fan was branded ACME. HAHAHA! 'D
Hmmmm......maybe I'll try it next time. Haha! Uh...then again, maybe not. =)
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I was going to post contact details for the Hangin Kite Center here, but when the Hubby called last month on behalf of a friend, the one we originally had seem to now lead to some person who referred us to another person who also referred us to another person. (They're probably SIM cards that have been passed on from one person to another. Hahaha! Seems to be a recurring theme. Hmmmmmnnnnnn....=D)So, if you're really interested learn kiteboarding, maybe it would be best to simply go to the Tourism Desk along White Beach once you get on the island and ask. =)
