Water boy

Theo at laguna hot springs

Theo in the Philippines

Theo in the Philippines
Theo seems to fascinate many people here. They overlook the havoc he causes as he races around the restaurant, refusing to sit down, or grabs all the delicate objects from the shop shelves, and just tussle his hair, smile at him, point him out to friends, high-five him and even pick him up for a cuddle. Its lovely to see men being just as affectionate as women, very gentle and calm, absorbing themselves in his world for a moment.
He seems to unwittingly draw attention to himself. Here at the laguna hot springs resort, a luxurious Korean family thermal spa on the outskirts of Manila, he often has an audience, which makes it hard to tell him off, wipe his snot on the grass or help him have a sneaky pee in the bushes. It doesn't help that he's always taking his pants off - he swam naked in Palawan, which I think is normal for a 2 year old swimming in the sea in a remote area - but was the cause of much hilarity for onlookers. People tend to swim with their t-shirts and even trousers, and for those who can't swim, life jackets too. So the trunks are a must at the resort, but he keeps derobing, flinging them to one side and insisting on being a 'NAKED BOY!', which is quite embarrassing.
Dyl says the attention stems from the rarity of seeing a toddler swim unassisted with arm bands and jump off the edge confidently, as Theo does. He loves the water so much he has a permanent smile and is always involving himself with people. We are also the only Europeans at the spa so he stands out with his blonde curls and little white body. Many of the guests are Korean and are not used to seeing white European kids.
He is completely fearless. In Palawan he jumped off the bangka boat into the deep ocean, unphased by the dark water and choppy waves. He even came with us as we swam from the boat through a limestone cave into to a huge lake in a volcanic canon. Lala said he gave her more confidence in the water - if he isn't scared, why should we be.
Traveling with Theo is demanding and rewarding - and definitely fun. I don't get a break for long, although Mum, Dyl and Lala have been wonderfully helpful. Im trying to potty train him too, which is again an extra challenge in the circumstances, but working quite well.
Despite his cuteness, Theo is truly exhausting - just 2 gears, full speed or passed out. Non-stop mischief and an incredible ability to blank any instructions that ruin his fun. I miss Tom so much at times.
His vocabulary is improving at an impressive rate since we have been away. The urge to relate his new experiences has made him acquire new words with alarming rapidity.
Inevitably, I worry about him all the time (especially without tom here to do the worrying for me). Key worries: his diet - especially being veggie (I tried him with some fish, to no avail), his mozzy bites (they love him), overheating, getting sun burn, being thirsty, being anxious, missing dad, missing home etc etc etc - but these seem abstract, as he really appears to be flourishing. He swam in the thermally heated waters of the pool from the moment he got up until supper time today. Ate a huge portion of Korean rice, veg and egg ( its similar dishes 3 times a day here, with rice for breakfast - we've smuggled bread and dairylea into our room) and then fell fast asleep in our cabin. Sleeping in the same bed together in new beds, new rooms, being continually on the move and getting into a routine with the jet lag ( 8 hours difference) has been a challenge, but I think we've cracked it.

Hot springs, wreck dive, Culion island

Hot springs, wreck dive, Culion island

Dyl, Theo and I took the bangka boat to the hot volcanic springs. You approach them by swimming through a mangrove. Theo delighted by the swim through the dark leafy tunnel, flanked by enormous mangrove roots. Even more excited on the discovery of the 'outside bath', a rock pool of translucent thermally heated water under the trees.

I chatted to friendly filipino family from Manila. When I told them we were of the the island of Siquijor on our next trip they looked very worried. They warned Dyl about the vampires and dangerous spirits that roam the island.

Siquijor is populated by many mediums and is believed to be a very spiritual place. Many Filipinos practice their indigenous religion alongside Catholicism, and belief in good and bad spirits, dangerous dwarves and vampires (which can leave half of themselves at home while the other half seeks to satisfy its bloodlust) is not uncommon. Apparently the tabloid papers have many stories of this kind, reported as fact. It makes Siquijor all the more alluring. As darkness falls at 6 or 6.30pm all year round, in the pitch black night with all the noises of the tropics, its doesn't take a great leap of the imagination to envisage a mischievous spirit lurking in the shadows of the thicket.

The wreck dive was incredible, clown fish, angel fish, luminescent sea slugs. It's clear why diving is so addictive - some people here spend every moment of their holidays diving, up to 3 dives a day. But the total immersion into an underwater world which forces you to forget the problems on the land is so alluring. You feel an incredible sense of serenity and a wonderful tranquility. On surfacing, the spell is broken, so little wonder that they spend thousands on making that intoxicating pleasure of escape last and last.

It was a strange visit to Cullion island. Until a cure was discovered in the 1980s, all the lepers of the philippines were herded up and sent to the island, forcibly. They formed a close knit and well organised community together, with their own schools and police force. They were looked after by a team of medical staff and nuns, who lived in a separate, segregated community. Many tests were carried out on the sick, and it was on the island that some of the major development were made towards finding a cure.

If any of the lepers gave birth, they were separated from their children at birth. Whisked off to the orphanage, parents were only allowed to see their children once a week through a glass screen.

Met, a young lady who works at Majikas, showed us round. Her grandfather had leprosy , her father separated from him at birth. The islands tragic past pervaded the present - the atmosphere here is forlorn and heavy. The hospital buildings, testing labs and orphanage still stand. Being there with Met, so closely linked to the islands history, made the visit powerfully poignant. It is also Met who cannot afford to see her son more than once a month. She was thrilled to get a chance to see him during our visit to Cullion and brought him a big gift. He had a very serious little face and hated to be parted from her once again as we headed back on the boat to Majikas cottages.

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Bangka boat

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Palawan

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Settled in, Majikas in Palawan

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Local boy

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Stopping off for lunch

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Barracuda lake

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Barracuda lake

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Palawan, on bangka boat

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Plane to Palawan

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Airport, trip to Palawan

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Metro Manilla airport

Metro Manilla airport

The pandemonium in Manilla airport was testimony to the fact that this was the busiest day to travel from the Uk to the Philippines. We walked out of the airport into what felt like a wall of tropical heat. In true British fashion we immediately began to sweat profusely.

It is forbidden to greet passengers in the airport or outside the airport terminal, so expectant friends and relatives waited en masse behind a police controlled barrier on the other side of a busy road. We were herded down a pathway and bundled into the road, but our attempts to cross were futile, as were those of the other passengers. Several luggage trolleys spilled into the traffic. We eventually made it across but no sign of Dylan. Mum parked herself up in the dark - night falls early here, around 6pm, - behind a snack stall and Theo and I searched the crowds, Theo yelling DYLAN as he sat on my shoulders. 40 minutes later Dyl and Lala appeared and he drove us confidently home through the bustling streets. It's so wonderful to be together again!

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Christmas

The main Christmas festivities are on Christmas eve in the Philippines. The owner of the collection on bamboo cottages in which we are staying is called Majika, a tall dynamic local woman who owns a small empire of businesses in the area - dive shop, gift shops, numerous boats and large chunks of several islands. Majika distributed gifts to her employees at a Christmas eve party she threw in the glade of trees below the cottages. Lights were strung up and a sound system with doggy speakers played an eclectic mix ranging from happy hardcore to Diana Ross.

Majika employes over 500 people, and those working for her on this island were given big sacks of rice and wrapped gifts from under a tropical Xmas decorated branch for the children as a kind of xmas bonus. After food, dancing began and mum hooked up with another lively granny looking resplendent in a leopard print jump suit who boasted 7 kids and 17 grandchildren. Whenever mum sat down, exhausted, she kept jollying her new dancing partner back into the dancing throng.

Having a wonderfully relaxing Xmas day, sunbathing and reading. Off underwater diving to a Japanese WW2 wreck this afternoon and to visit a beautiful island that served as a former leper colony. With no wi-fi or phone signal this really feels like a complete break. The only thing I'm missing is Xmas grub - as a veggie I'm living on starchy white rice, slightly stale bread rolls and fried veg with the occasional egg thrown in, which is ok but pretty monotonous 3 times a day. Oh what I would do for a fresh feta salad, or even jacket spud and beans. Theo eating ok with lots of fruit and veg, easier to please than me.

The huge economic gulf between us as tourists and the local workers is acutely apparent and saddening. One of the workers has a 2 year old son on another island that she can only afford to see once a month as her wages don't cover the diesel needed for the boat trip.

We were asked if we had any washing we needed doing. I did some myself with shampoo when I arrived but it all smells fusty. I gave mine to a 13 year old girl works here to give to the house keeper but it turns out she has to do it herself. It's Christmas day and she's down by the well taking hours to do it by hand. I feel terrible - offered to help and she looked at me as if I was nuts, naturally. It's the way things are here, extra cash for her the family etc but watching a kid wash you clothes on Xmas day while you sunbathe feels like awful exploitation. I really truly wish I'd never passed them on and done them myself.

4 days in Palawan

Started packing almost as soon as we arrived in Manilla for our trip to one of the most remote islands in the Philippines, in the Palawan region near Coron island. Short flight, bumpy jeep ride and half an hour on a local 'banka' boat and we had arrived.

Less than a square mile in size and surrounded by glassy seas, we moved into our visitors huts, made from woven bamboo, and felt we had settled into the garden of Eden.

The spacious huts, which have electricity at night and toilets that flush with a bucket, stand in a grassy glade, hammocks swinging from the palms trees, which lead on to a small white sanded beach. This is not just beauty constructed for the tourist dollar, but an overwhelmingly naturally gorgeous region. While many people living in Manila don't visit these 'provinces' and the lure of the city is all-consuming, one cannot help thinking that subsistence farming in a place like this would be a better option than inner-city poverty.

Theo in his element, swimming off the boat in the deep ocean (with armbands), collecting giant starfish and making friends/ fighting with the local kids. We have toured the local islands by banka boat, snorkelled to a wreck and explored the coral reefs.

Night times are not so pleasant - Theo is jet lagged and awake every 3 hours, this feels like looking after a 2 week old rather than a toddler. The heat and loud noises of the tropical night take some adjusting to. But an improvement last night- slept 9 until 5 and Dylan has taken him up the ridge in the sling where you can admire an astonishing view of the islands, thickly carpeted in lush vegetation and scattered across the translucent seas. Things can only get better as he adjusts to the rhythm of life in the Philippines.