We traveled two years through Central and Southern America sometimes
using donkeys for hiking the Cordilleras in Peru, visited places in India,
Pakistan and other Asian countries, spent two years in Africa, a lot of
it on a bicycle. We learned heaps about surviving in the wild, living
off the land and appreciating Mother Natures wonders. We sold a few
travel stories and handicrafts along the way, and l luckily found well-paid
work in Mammoth Lakes, one of the most beautiful places of California,
in the Sierra Mountains, near Yosemite and worked there 3 different times
for varying amounts of time over a 9 year period.
In 1986,
after almost 14 years of extensive travel all over the world
and seeing many pristine places and remote islands in the world, plus
lots of idyllic ones slowly destroyed by large, uncaring Commercial Tourism,
I felt it was time to try to preserve a small piece of paradise from big
developments somewhere in Asia. I'd almost decided on Koh Tao, Thailand,
but there were several small things niggling me about doing this, plus
Mark (my English partner) was steering me towards Cape Tribulation, Northern
Queensland, Australia. While passing through Penang, Malaysia, at a sidewalk
cafe, I overheard a well traveled Swiss couple rave about the pristine
beauty of one of the best kept secrets of Mother Nature in Northern Palawan,
Philippines. When I mentioned my own goals and wanting it to be
in Asia, but could not decide on mountains or sea, they said that somewhere
around El Nido Palawan had to be the place, as it had both, plus a special
magic and very fragile environment.
We arrived in Palawan in November 1986, just after Marcos' time, having
stopped only briefly in the Philippine capitol, Manila. After Puerto Princesa,
we traveled via a dilapidated Jeepney to a small town called Abongan.
In those days, except for a very bad track, main road transportation stopped
here. We walked 3 kilometers to a riverside village called Tabuan and
being on a tight budget, waited the three days for the regular El Nido
market boat. This little town at the time was well known for its dangerous
saltwater crocodiles. I hadn't believed the woman who warned me not to
wash or swim in the river until I saw a small croc surface not far from
where I'd been swimming.
Although the small town of El Nido in the north of Palawan blew his
breath away, Mark could not imagine living a long time with such a simple
lifestyle. The many surrounding islands, healing magnetism and call of
Mother Nature made my decision easy. After only one week, Mark had parted
and I was anxious to explore. By
September 1987 I was living on the island. To this day its still amazing to me how
at that time I decided to abandon a 14-year long traveling partnership
to live the rest of my life on remote and stunning Private Island. I chose
this island because of its beauty and friendly local people; plus I wanted
to help protect the Green turtles that visited the island to lay their
eggs on its 220 meters long white sand beach; and because Morami, dynamite
and cyanide fishing were rampant in the area.
On my first visit to the island, though I found the striking cliffs with
lush jungle backdrop beautiful, my very first impression of the beach
with its "then" difficult access at low tide was one of a little disappointment.
In 1988 the Palawan
Governor initiated "Bantay Sa Dagat" (Protect the Sea) policy, which was very supportive
to those of us who lived on the islands of Bacuit Bay in discouraging
illegal fishing practices. Then later in 1989 a Philippine WWF ‘Debt for
Nature Swap’ was introduced and now with continued funding from the United
Nations, a working Park Policy with fees collected from visitors, our
fragile island paradise is now better protected.
Some say Robinson couldn’t
have found a better adventure island paradise to get back to Mother Nature
and clothes-optional freedom.
In those early years however, life was a little dangerous. The name of
the ‘Strange Island Lady’ (among others) given to me by the local
people not long after I arrived was not just because of my weird exercises
on the beach, odd diet and fasting habits. (read
more about this in Marine Reserve)
Thankfully over time and with much muscle power and voluntary support
from caring guests, we've been able to create a clean channel just wide
enough for our boat to pass, even in low tide. Sadly there were a few
little creatures that lost their watery home and had to also rebuild.
Now with our permanently floating access line, boats are discouraged from
dropping an anchor in our reef and new growths abound.
With almost zero capital, I slowly created a small farm with pigs,
chicken, ducks, goats, quail, guinea fowl etc. Finding the income near
impossible to live on, I took to El Nido's quaint streets, inviting
backpackers to the island. For only P150, one could sleep on a stretcher
bed, on the beach (I had no blankets or towels, not to mention many other
things) and visitors had to help with meals in the kitchen. Ah! the
start of my Robinson days were a challenge to say the least!
Several visitors over time have offered financial support to
build simple, cute cottages and very slowly I have improved on
it.
Life, like a snakes and ladders game, has been a wonderful challenge
and an interesting learning experience. Sometimes during my slow
rainy seasons when I hadn't seen a visitor for and weeks and even months
at a time, I did wonder if it was all worth it, as the difficulties seemed
insurmountable at that time . Now I can look back and be thankful of my
strong commitment to support this pristine wonder of Mother Nature and
to allow my life to unfold into the arts of healing, encouraging connectedness,
love, peace-building and stress release that my path is taking me.
Not having close ties, being the eldest, leaving home early with
very different plans than most, plus my extensive traveling in 3rd world
countries has helped me adapt to the natural and holistic life here in
paradise at the end of the earth, here is southern Asia. Living in such
a remote environment has been a challenge indeed, both emotionally and
financially. Yet, with my continued thirst for alternative knowledge and
nature cures, plus my delight to share this beautiful island my goals are
unwavering. May you too find Mother Nature's caring and nurturing peace
here, allowing you to find more inner peace and balance. Maybe you will
find, like myself a deeper spiritual path to walk.
