Planuri, ganduri, angoase…

RO: Sa incepem cu o barfa mica: Filipinele nu a dat drumul turismului domestic nici pana in momentul de fata (09.07.2020). Defapt, ce tot spunem noi aici: nu poti calatori in interiorul tarii in alte scopuri decat acelea de a pleca din tara spre tara ta de origine. ATAT si cu mari dificultati. Asta vine ca raspuns la numeroasele intrebari primite pe adresa redactiei :). Cati nu viseaza sa ajunga in El Nido sau Coron si cati dintre acestia n-ar da orice ca zonele astea fantastic de frumoase sa fie ale lor, macar pentru un minut? Multi platesc bani grei pentru tururi private care-i duc pe ocolisuri sau pe contrasens sa poata ajunga la Small Lagoon inaintea tuturor, la Baracuda Lake sa fie primii sau la nu stiu ce epava din Coron sa nu se-nghesuie cu altii. Ei bine, suntem la nici 200 de kilometri de ele si nu putem ajunge sa le vedem. E ok, le-am mai vazut de cateva ori in viata si n-o sa lasam frustrarea sa ne puna capac (chiar daca asta a fost unul dintre motivele pentru care am decis sa mai ramanem un pic… ce naivi am fost, nu-i asa?:) ) insa nu putem sa nu remarcam, dincolo de orice decizie locala, buna sau proasta, dincolo de orice frica fondata sau nefondata, dincolo de orice infrastructura existenta sau inexistenta, ca inertia in care intrasera niste locuri din Palawan (si nu numai) a fost brusc si violent intrerupta.

EN: Let’s start with a little gossip: The Philippines has not resumed domestic tourism even until now (05.07). In fact, what we’re saying here: you can’t travel within the country for purposes other than to leave the country for your home country. THAT’S IT and with great difficulty. This comes in response to the many questions you’ve sent :). How many don’t dream of reaching El Nido or Coron and how many of them wouldn’t give anything for these fantastically beautiful areas to be theirs, just for a minute?
Many pay a small fortune for private tours that take them on detours or on the opposite side to be able to get to Small Lagoon before everyone else, to Baracuda Lake to be first or to whatever wreck of in Coron and not get smushed like sardines with others.
Well, we’re not even 200 kilometers away and we can’t get to see them. It’s ok, we’ve seen them a few times in life and we’re not going to let the frustration get to us (even if that was one of the reasons why we decided to stay a little longer… how naïve we were, weren’t we?:) ) but we cannot fail to notice, beyond any local decision, good or bad, beyond any grounded or unfounded fear, beyond any existing or non-existent infrastructure, that the inertia in which some places in Palawan had entered (and not only) was suddenly and violently interrupted.

RO: Povestile sunt menite sa circule ca sa fie pastrate vii. Locurile turistice care au inceput anul trecut sa scoata capul din gramada trebuie mentinute arzand ca sa existe in continuare… Cu riscul de a ma repeta, cred cu tarie ca anumite locuri au fost pur si simplu sterse de pe harta si daca turismul va reveni (de dragul optimistilor), va fi la un nivel de incepator. In momentul in care vom ajunge in Romania vom fi venit dintr-un loc in care multi spera sa ajunga, atunci cand “nebunia asta va lua sfarsit”. Din pacate locul in care vreti sa ajungeti, nu este la fel ca cel in care voiati sa ajungeti inainte… Si de data asta nu acceptam ca argument faptul ca e mai bine asa, fara turisti sau ca acum cerul s-a mai limpezit, apele s-au umplut de pesti si coralii au inceput sa se refaca. Ceea ce facea locul atragator s-a stins, ceea ce te facea sa experimentezi si sa simti, nu mai exista, ceea ce te facea sa vrei sa revii s-a terminat.

EN: Stories are meant to circulate to keep them alive. The tourist places that started last year to pull their heads out of the pile must be kept burning so that they still exist… At the risk of repeating myself, I strongly believe that certain places have simply been deleted from the map and if tourism will return (for the sake of optimists), it will be at a beginner level. By the time we get to Romania, we will have come from a place that many hope to reach, when “this madness will end”.
Unfortunately, the place you want to go to is not the same as the place you wanted to get to before… And this time we don’t accept the argument that it’s better this way, without tourists or that now the sky has cleared, the waters have filled with fish and the corals have started to recover. What made the place attractive is gone, what made you experiment and feel ceased to exist, what made you want to come back is over.

RO: In Port Barton multi au devenit constienti ca vor fi in Ianuarie 2021 (mega optimist vorbind) la nivelul de acum 5 ani. Majoritatea au facut tabula rasa si incep sa se gandeasca la variante in care sa supravietuiasca acestui moment, chiar daca asta inseamna sa vanda Pancit Canton multi ani de aici incolo. Altii si-au vandut sau incearca sa-si vanda afacerile si alti multi sunt faliti. Pandemia i-a prins fix cand faceau saltul spre faza a doua de dezvoltare: cei care nu aveau nicio afacere au fost prinsi acum incercand sa-si faca una, cei care aveau un restaurant au fost surprinsi in a-si mai face inca unul, cei care aveau un hotel isi deschideau un restaurant si tot asa. Sunt si multi care speculeaza disperarea altora si la fel de multi care asteapta sa se stranga si mai multa disperare. Afacerile mici s-au dus pe apa Sambetei, cele de familie sunt aproape de colaps, zambetele s-au sters de mult timp de pe fetele tuturor iar asta nu cred ca e un specific al locului ci se intampla peste tot in lume. Cel mai probabil hostelurile nu vor mai exista in forma care le facea atat de atragatoare, hotelurile decente, daca vor sa mai existe, vor trebui sa se conformeze cu noile reglementari pentru a reintra si a fi competitive pe piata in timp ce marile hoteluri vor fi probabil cele care vor reusi sa supravietuiasca prin constanta, servicii, calitate si cel mai important, prin capital. Si asta coroborat cu faptul ca Filipinele a luat tot timpul din “prea plin”-ul altora. Ma indoiesc sincer ca vor mai exista backpackeri care vor vrea sa stea la un hotel de 4 sau 5 stele asa cum ma indoiesc ca vor exista oameni care sa nu ceara ca resortul in care vor sta sa nu le ofere cea mai safe experienta cu putinta, de la cap si pana la coada. Si, cu tot respectul pentru locul care ne-a gazduit pentru 2 ani, insa Filipinele va trebui sa lucreze mult si greu pentru asta…

EN: In Port Barton, many have become aware that they will be in January 2021 (mega optimistically speaking) where they were 5 years ago. Most of them have done the tabula rasa and are starting to think of ways to survive this moment, even if it means selling Pancit Canton for many years to come.
Others have sold or are trying to sell their businesses and many others are broke. The pandemic caught them right when they were making the leap to the second phase of development: those who had no business were now caught trying to make one, those who had a restaurant were surprised to make another one, those who had a hotel opened a restaurant and so on. Many speculate on the despair of others and so many who are waiting for even more despair to gather. Small businesses have gone down the drain, family businesses are close to collapse, smiles have long been wiped off everyone’s faces and I don’t think that’s specific to a place but it’s happening all over the world. Most likely hostels will no longer exist in the form that made them so attractive, decent hotels, if they want to exist, will have to comply with the new regulations in order to re-enter and be competitive on the market while the big hotels will probably be the ones that will manage to survive through consistency, services, quality and most importantly, by capital. And that’s in conjunction with the fact that the Philippines has always taken from the overflowing cup of others.I sincerely doubt that there will still be backpackers who will want to stay in a 4 or 5-star hotel as I doubt that there will be people who do not ask that the resort they will stay at offering them the safest experience possible, from beginning to end. And, with all due respect to the place that hosted us for two years, but the Philippines is going to have to work hard for that…

RO: Planul este sa ne gandim la “Planul de Plecare” de abia dupa data de 15 iulie si Matei sugera ca pana atunci sa incerc sa nu-mi mai fac griji, sa ma bucur de ce e in jur si sa absorb totul ca si cand nimic nu se intampla. Nu pot sa depasesc faptul ca intre timp Palawanul a inregistrat mai multe cazuri si ca, asa cum se intampla si prin alte parti, s-au izolat locurile respective la pachet cu altii care vor sa se izoleze preventiv. Asa am aflat, chiar in ziua in care ne-am innoit viza ca trebuie sa ne intoarcem pentru ca vom intra din nou in lockdown (e drept ca am interpretat totul ca fiind o carantina si ca vom fi nevoiti sa stam in case asta daca vom fi lasati sa intram in sat, cum nu de putine ori altora li s-a intamplat). Mi-a fost greu si sa admit ca sunt oameni care vor sa plece de saptamani sau poate luni si nu reusesc pentru ca zborurile le sunt anulate, pentru ca pierd conexiunea care leaga singurul ferry (2GO) de Capitala si mai apoi de singura companie care s-a aratat de incredere (cel putin in Filipine) pe toata perioada aceasta, si anume Qatar Airways. De asemenea mi-e greu sa accept, interiorizez si sa actionez in consecinta cu privire la lipsa de coerenta a informatiilor pe care le primim. La inconsecventa declaratiilor, la rapiditatea cu care se schimba lucrurile. Literlamente la o saptamana dupa ce este declarat un caz sau doua intr-o zona, e 99% posibil ca zona sa se inchida fara un anunt in prealabil iar gandul de a sta cu bagajele facute si de a fi pregatiti sa plecam in orice moment, ma terorizeaza. Coroborat cu faptul trebuie ne ferim mai mult acum de Dengue si de febra care ar putea sa ne schimbe planurile radical…

EN: The plan is to think about the “Departure Plan” only after July 15th and Matei suggested that until then I try not to worry, to enjoy what’s around me, and to absorb everything as if nothing was happening. I cannot overcome the fact that in the meantime The Palawan has registered several more cases and that, as it happens elsewhere, these places have been isolated together with others who want to isolate themselves preventively.
That’s what we found out, the very day we renewed our visa that we have to go back because we’re going back into lockdown (it’s right that we interpreted everything as quarantine and that we’ll have to stay in this house if we’re allowed to enter the village, as not seldom it has happened to others). It was hard for me to admit that there are people who want to leave for weeks or maybe months and do not succeed because their flights are canceled, because they lose the connection that connects the only ferry (2GO) to the capital and then to the only company that has shown confidence (at least in the Philippines) throughout this period, namely Qatar Airways. I also find it difficult to accept, internalize, and act accordingly on the inconsistency of the information we receive. The inconsistency of statements, the speed with which things change. Literally a week after a case or two is declared in an area, it is 99% possibility that the area will close without a prior announcement and the thought of sitting with your luggage packed and being ready to leave at any time, terrorizes me. In conjunction with the fact that we are now avoiding Dengue and the fever that could radically change our plans…

RO: Intre timp ne-am cumparat doua valize mari de tot ca sa ne fie usor sa caram tot ce avem cu noi, planul initial fiind ca vom lua doar strictul necesar restul fiind trimis ulterior prin curier la o alta viitoare adresa. Am renuntat la idee, vrem totul cu noi (chiar daca nu-s multe) insa clar nu vrem sa mai taraganam, ingreunam si bazam pe altii. Vom incepe sa “migram” spre Manila probabil in jurul datei de 15 August, sperand ca pana atunci zborurile sa se stabilizeze. Inca nu stim daca ne vom lua un bilet de avion din Puerto Princesa direct spre Bucuresti sau daca vom merge in Manila cu ferry-ul (sau cu avionul) pentru ca mai apoi sa ne rezervam biletele de avion spre casa. Vom vedea… Momentan din Palawan se poate iesi doar de patru ori pe saptamana cu avionul si acest zbor am vrea sa-l legam cu cel care are o singura escala spre Bucuresti, prin Doha. (de 3 ori pe saptamana)

EN: In the meantime we bought two large suitcases to make it easy for us to carry everything we have with us, the initial plan being that we will take only the bare necessities the rest being sent later by courier to another future address. We gave up the idea, we want everything with us (even if there isn’t much) but clearly we do not want to drag, make it difficult, and rely on others. We’ll start “migrating” towards Manila probably around August 15th, hoping that by then the flights will stabilize. We still don’t know if we’ll get a plane ticket from Puerto Princesa directly to Bucharest or if we’ll go to Manila by ferry (or plane) and then book our plane tickets home. We’ll see…

RO: Multi spun ca ar fi bine sa ramanem aici, ca nimic nu ne obliga sa ne intoarcem, ca macar avem natura, si cald, si soare, si momente de liniste. A fost asa pana la un moment dat, acum, desi lucrurile s-au mai relaxat situatia nu mai e deloc compatibila cu lucrurile pe care ni le dorim, cu lucrurile pe care le putem accepta si cu cele in care credem. Stim ca nu vom da de Paradis odata ajunsi in Romania, stim ca o sa ne fie greu si mai stim si ca ne vom trezi in miez de noapte fara sa auzim greieri sau broaste in jurul nostru. Probabil ca vom intalni alt gen de oameni speriati si alt mediu nou caruia trebuie sa ne adaptam.

EN: Many say that it would be good to stay here, that nothing forces us to return, that at least we have nature, and warm, and sun, and moments of silence. It’s been like this up to a point, now, although things have relaxed, the situation is not at all compatible with the things we want, the things we can accept and the things we believe in. We know that we will not find Paradise once we arrive in Romania, we know that it will be difficult and we also know that we will wake up in the middle of the night without hearing crickets or frogs around us. We’re probably going to meet a different kind of scared people and a new environment that we have to adapt to.

RO: Trebuie sa recunosc ca ceea ce am vazut toata perioada asta, aici si dincolo, este ceva ce m-a intristat si m-a pus pe ganduri. Nu pot sa nu remarc modul in care s-au schimbat oamenii pe care ii cunosteam intr-un fel si nu pot sa nu sesizez ca traim, acum mai mult ca niciodata, afundati in erori. Fara sa ne mai punem intrebari si fara sa gandim de capul nostru. Suntem un aparat dat peste cap, cu polii derutati si plin de praf ce s-a pus repede si trebuie curatat si mai repede. Ar trebui sa ne gasim, pana nu e prea tarziu, logica si ratiunea, compansiunea, bunul simt si intelegerea. Ar trebui sa intelegem ca suntem ceea ce vrem sa fim si ca n-ar trebui sa devenim niciodata ceea ce vor altii. Sa fim mai atenti la ce acceptam acum cu usurinta si mai precauti cu ceea ce ne dorim noua …dar mai ales altora. Sa cercetam mai mult, sa gandim mai mult, sa facem mai mult. Sa fim mai putin judicativi, mai putin aroganti si mai putin intruzivi. Sa ascultam mai atent ce spune despre noi vocea care tipa vehement la altul. Sa fim mai atenti la ce ne desensibilizam acum si sa ne facem timp pentru noi si ideile noastre. Sa aprofundam mai mult si sa fim mai putin superficiali…

EN: I have to admit that what I’ve seen all this time, here and there, is something that made me sad and has me thinking a lot. I can’t help but notice how the people I knew have changed in a way and I can’t help but notice that we’re living, now more than ever, immersed in errors.
Without asking questions and thinking about ourselves. We’re a messed-up machine, with the confused and dusty poles that have been put in quickly and need to be cleaned even faster. We should find ourselves, before it’s too late, logic and reason, compassion, common sense, and understanding. We should understand that we are what we want to be and that we should never become what others want us to be. Let us be more careful about what we accept with ease and more cautious with what we wish for ourselves but especially for others. Let’s do more research, think more, do more. Let’s be less judicious, less arrogant, and less intrusive. Let’s listen more carefully to what the voice that screams vehemently at each other says about us. Let’s pay more attention to what we’re desensitizing now and make time for ourselves and our ideas. Let’s go deeper and be less superficial…

To be continued