Good morning, world! It’s another bright and sunny day here on Bantayan Island. I’m currently on vacation, and let me tell you, it’s been a long time coming. I’ve reached that point where having a beer in the morning feels perfectly acceptable—vacation rules, right? We’re staying at a fantastic beach resort; for the price we’re paying, you honestly can't get much better than this.
The plan for today is to head over to Kota Beach. I’m looking forward to just sitting down, having a few drinks, and enjoying some snacks—which, in this part of the world, almost always means seafood style. But before we can head out, I have to get through my "office hours." I’ve set up my workstation right here at the resort, complete with my own fan, speakers, and wireless headset. It’s not a bad office at all.
Speaking of the little man, he’s been extra energetic today. I caught him "raiding the fridge" earlier. He’s at that age where he knows exactly when he’s done something wrong—he tried to hide his head when I called him out on it! But it’s hard to stay mad at him for long; he gave me a big hug, and all was forgiven. Jessa also showed off a new "bunny" hat she bought, which she claims is good for her hair. I think most people stop wearing those when they’re ten, but hey, if she likes it, who am I to judge?
Once the work was done, we made our way toward Kota Beach.
We finally settled in at Kota Beach, and I have to be honest—it’s a bit of a mixed bag. The view is still stunning, and that iconic sandbar is as beautiful as ever. However, the beach itself isn't as clean as I remember. There’s a lot of dried seaweed and trash that hasn't been raked up. It’s a bit sad when you have such a world-class location, and nobody takes the time to clean it. But that’s the Philippines sometimes; you just have to take the good with the bad.
Liam didn't care about the seaweed, though. He was desperate to go swimming. Jessa took him in first, and he was having the time of his life, even if the water was getting a bit deep for him. While they played, I relaxed with a beer and a Piña Colada, just taking in the view. Eventually, Liam got completely "knocked out" and took a nap right there on the beach, which gave me a chance to finally jump in the water myself.
The day ended on a great note. We ran into a couple by total coincidence—a retired US soldier, his daughter, and his girlfriend. We ended up having dinner with them, and they were so nice that we’re even talking about splitting the cost of a boat to Virgin Island together. I didn't film during dinner because I wanted to be respectful of their privacy, but it was a great way to cap off the day.
See you in the next one!
