„Take your drybag and swim to your accommodation!“

The mentioned accommodation actually is a lovely bamboo basecamp with open air bucket shower somewhere in the north of Palawan island between El Nido and Coron. By swimming to the first lonely paradise beach we feel like the participants of an adventure TV-show. Five days of remote island hopping are ahead of us.

Since the departure in El Nido it feels like a relaxed, easy-going school trip but for this days my school class consists of an American opera singer, a British former rugby player with (for me) challenging Manchester accent, a young Spanish-German Enrique Iglesias, a translator for Thai, Lao and Burmese and further likeable Brits, Belgians, Dutchs, Swiss, Canadians and Germans. What a great combination of adventurers!

In the evening we and the Red Horses (local beers) are sitting at the beach bonfire singing, laughing and heading – tired to death from our first expedition day – to our bamboo huts – the waves are playing our lullaby.

At 6 a.m. we get woken by the rattle of the crew who is already loading our big boats for the upcoming day and preparing breakfast with coffee, ginger tea, pancakes and fresh fruits for us – everything done in the beach kitchen. In the afternoon several snorkeling spots with rays, turtles, sharks and thousands of colourful fishes are awaiting us. For lunch and dinner a variety of fish, rice and vegetables will be prepared for us by the lovely crew members – Robinson Crusoe de Luxe!

Right in the middle of the trip we are staying at the Tao farm where young Filipinos are educated to become chefs, mechanics or coconut tree climbers. Women get taught how to do a proper massage – of course we offer ourselves willingly as their guinea pigs. Everything is founded by the Tao ship expeditions with tourists. Big thanks to my former colleague Bjoern for the recommendation of Tao Expeditions.

For sure the week remote island hopping from El Nido to Coron was one of the highlights of my travels. Besides nice sandy beaches and amazing snorkeling spots I met loads of gorgeous people. I am especially looking forward to meet K.C. and Michael in New York City in July and hope to see Omar and Sam again someday.

AND of course – for all fans of black humour – obviously there is a party game in the UK and US called “Cards against Humanity” – not politically correct at all but really funny!

After a nice chilled day in Coron I am heading to Taiwan at 26st – maybe I will meet there some former travel mates from Sweden.