First Stop Philippines.

  I've never travelled this south of the Philippines, or ever been quite this touristy when here. Far from the northern mountains where my family comes from, I'm in Boracay, the paradise jewel of the Philippines. Here every day is a Saturday, life's so chilled its on ice.

Boracay one of the hundreds of islands that makes up the archipelago, it's reached by ferry after an hours flight from Manila. I have my first tastes of this lazy town, as I arrive at 9 everyone slowly meanders without any pressures to be anywhere anytime soon. The people still moving slow assuming this is due to the drinking of last night. Perching myself along one of the beachside eateries munching on the chemical free fruits and their sweet nectar, watching the boats glide by.

A long strip of pristine white sand beach is lined by palm tree after palm tree, azure waters and cloudless skies are in every direction you look, and when the sun beats down it's practically blinding. The beach is just steps away, kids are running free cartwheeling across the sand, bands cover Bob Marley, seafood so fresh the guy that caught hasn't even taken a shower. The rest of the world is also here to play here in this paradise, with the outgoing tide washing away your problems and leaving you with a layer of constant sea salt in your hair. 

 This is all met by an adjacent boulevard of hotels, restaurants, bars, shops and vendors trying to make theirs and take advantage of the flooding amounts of tourists. Where hidden from view behind the towering hotels, a mere 10 meters away a sorer sight is seen as local life continues to bustle seemingly unaffected by the riches next door. This is the Philippines, this is South East Asia, pockets of wealth mixed in with province and overcrowded urban sprawl in countries finding their way in a world moving faster than their known way of life. 

Fresh coconuts and rice filled breakfasts are the norm, with rum being the popular choice of drink here as seafaring towns do drink along with the local San Miguel and Redhorse beer. Fruit juices and shakes take the place of coffee and tea, sand is always between your toes and every where really and you can't take a bad photo around here if you tried. Welcome to the Philippines, where V's are pronounced like B's, F's like P's, the cars sound like they're talking to each other with the constant beeps, the humidity hits you like a wall, it's where a cousin can be found on every corner and every women treats you like her own child.