This was originally posted on a couple of other discussion forums... Unfortunately I can't include photos.... There seems to be some kind of restriction on how many photos I can upload. Doesn't seem to matter if it's a new thread or a separate post. I suspect that I won't be able to upload photos to the gallery either.... If you want to see photos look me up on facebook.... you can also see some of my photos at underwaterphotography.com entered in the photo contest... feel free to vote for any that you like Here's the link: http://www.underwaterphotography.com...aspx?MID=24058

Moalboal-Part One
We were transported from Malapascua to Maya by boat. Our driver was waiting for us and from Maya we went by car to Cebu City. Steve my instructor for all my courses came along. A clip on one of the buttons for his housing had somehow came off and he had got some moisture inside his housing. Not enough to totally trash the camera, but enough that his video camera needed a visit to the Sony Service Center. He was also hoping to find a replacement clip.

The driver took us to Castle Peak Hotel in Cebu City. 1188 pesos a night. It was a nice basic room. Full size bed, a/c, and of course hot/cold "freshwater" showers :-) As soon as we were dropped at the hotel in Cebu and we were checked in. I unpacked all my dive gear and gave it all a good freshwater rinse. I then had the first freshwater shower I'd had in a week and a half.

I met Steve downstairs and we grabbed a taxi. Taxis are cheap transportation in Cebu and unlike in Manila they will use the meter, except for special trips like out of town or to the airport. I don't think we ever paid more than 60 pesos for a taxi. We drove around for a while looking for a steak place. Eventually we ended up at a pub/restaraunt.

In talking to the waitress she says that one of the regulars is also a diver. After dinner we move to the bar. Turns out the bar is kind of an expat's hang out... We met the owner from William, from Scotland and Pat the diver, the waitress told us about who was from Sweden as it turned out, the same place Steve's girlfriend Mal is from. William was investing in a new business, a live-aboard dive boat to operate in the waters around Cebu and Pat was going to be in charge of the operation.

We met other various people as they came in who were from the US, Europe, and Filipinos as well. Ed one of the Filipinos told me I should really check out Moalboal. Go down and see Nelson he said, tell him I sent you. By this point several people had mentioned Moalboal to me. After I thought about it I remembered that one of my friends in the dive club in Japan who was from the Philippines had also been to Moalboal and mentioned Nelson as well. What are the odds that we would come into a random bar and meet other divers to hang out with? :-) In the middle of Cebu City, not on the water somewhere ;-)

After sleeping on it, the next day I called Philippine Airline and changed my ticket. I had planned on going to Manila. When I was planning my trip, I was between Subic or Anilao/Puerto Galera for the remainder of my trip. I figured I could decide once I got there. The lack of a "fixed" plan does give me a little bit of flexibility in my vacations :-) There was nothing really to prevent me from going Moalboal.

The airline asked if I could go to one of their offices in Cebu and pay the change fee. I met Steve downstairs for breakfast (they had a nice buffet). After breakfast we grabbed a cab and headed to SM Mall. We visited a couple of camera stores, had to stop in the bookstore (of course :-)) and we stopped by the Philippine Airline office so I could pay for changing my ticket. I had been having problems with my battery charger for my AA batteries. We stopped in at Ace Hardware and I picked up a voltage converter. After that we grabbed a taxi and headed to the Sony Service Center. After a visit to the Sony Service Center where they told Steve they would have to order parts from Manila we headed back to the hotel. There we dropped everything off and went to find a place to eat. We ended up at Ayala Mall at Tequila Joes a Mexican restaraunt. Good food. Not cheap, more in line with what we would pay in the US. We then found an internet cafe in the mall and got caught up on email etc... After that we went back to the hotel. Took a shower changed and headed over to Williams pub (which of course I can't remember the name :-)) I do remember passing a big church and a Mcdonalds to get there though :-)

We had a good time and headed back to the hotel around 2AM. When I woke up the next morning I grabbed a shower and packed. After checking out of the hotel, I spoke with the doorman of the hotel and got a taxi to take me to Moalboal. I had already checked around about the going rate and a couple of people had told me it was around 2000 pesos. This is probably a little high, but I'm not one to quibble to much (at least about certain things) when I'm on vacation. As long as I don't believe that I'm being ripped off or someone tries to change a deal on me.

After a very scenic drive I reached Moalboal around 2:30 in the afternoon. I walked into the dive shop and met with Nelson. We talked a little, I told him I was planning on staying for at least a couple of days, that I definitely wanted to do some night diving. He asked if I had a place to stay yet and I said no. I left my dive gear there in the shop and he took me next door to Eve's Kiosk which is run by his sister. I checked in there, 1500 pesos a night. A large room, hot freshwater... that was okay with me :-)

When I came down from looking at the room to get my bags, as soon as I set foot outside the hotel entry I was approached by a lady wanting to my laundry. I had quite a bit, even though I had been mostly in a swim suit and a wetsuit for the last week and a half. I ended up giving her I think 300 pesos to do all my laundry. I got everything back the next day neatly pressed and folded. There was also a small group of ladies who sat outside the hotel in the shade of a tree who would approach you to sell t-shirts and other souvenirs.

Since I was basically out of clean clothes, I bought a couple of t-shirts immediately and a pair of shorts from one of the souvenir stands that was right next to Nelson's storage room. I paid 250 pesos a piece for t-shirts. I found that if you really wanted to bargain hard you could get them for less ;-)... but not much less :-) They never came into the hotel itself, everything was transacted outside. They were all very nice and friendly people, but they were definitely trying to get a sell :-)) I got approached on a daily basis, the first day I was surprised to find one enterprising lady who was actually waiting for me on the beach when I came back from a dive to see if I wanted any more souvenirs :-)). I took all of this with a smile and a sense of humor since I appreciated they were just trying to make a living. I tried to buy a little from as many as I could, but had to tell them on the last day as they gathered around to make the last minute sale, that I only had so much money and so much room in my suitcases ;-) Everyone knew my name right away and they all said goodbye and see you next time when I left.

There was a restaraunt there in the hotel and I ate breakfast and lunch there pretty much every day I was there. For dinner I would walk around and try out some of the other local places. I went up got unpacked. Then came down and had a light meal. Cucumber Tomato salad with the crab/corn chowder. Very good :-)

Nelson had told me to come back at 5:30 for the night dive. To be continued....