Etape 11 - Back in Palau

Check-in at Yap airport
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Good day my friends! Yet another day has begun in paradise. Yesterday I took a flight back from Yap to Palau and I am staying here until tomorrow Friday evening before continuing to Manila.

It is funny but so true. Main national airports are the main image creators for countries. They are the places which give the first impression about country to travellers and they are normally what people last remember about the country. In Yap I had a bit surreal experience, again. I had checked-in to Continental Micronesia's flight via internet on Tuesday night and in the end of the online checking process the system told me that I'm checked in but the boarding pass cannot be printed and has to be collected at the airport and that I should be at the airport 60 mins prior to the scheduled departure at 08:15 am. Consequently I arranged with to have airport drop off from my hotel at 06:45 am. The airport was just 10 mins drive away so I should have plenty of time. At 06:15 am the reception boy calls me and tells that airport asked everyone to be there by 06:30 am. Great. Well, in the end I was at the airport at 06:50 am and realised that the 06:30 am deadline was just bullsh*t. There were no x-ray machines so each luggage was manually searched prior to check-in, all done outside the 'terminal'. ;) I was not even the last one and easily managed to complete the check-in procedure. Apparently my online was successful since boarding pass was waiting for me, with a surprise upgrade.. so good so far. ;-)

Last memory of Yap, no way back to the paradise..
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Then all passangers were asked to queue for 'passport control', security check and carry-on baggage search, also outside. The staff which did the check-in had closed the counter and moved to the security checkpoint. No problem to pass this but the 'waiting room' at gate was a bit of a surprise. It was like a dark cell. One entrance from where people came in and one exit to tarmac. When the last passanger had gone through the security clearance the police closed the 'door' which in fact was iron bars. The whole outside wall of the room was covered with iron bars like in a prison cell and on the exit there were two police officers making sure that no one escapes to the tarmac. It felt just like being a convict who is waiting  for a transfer to another prison. No way to escape back to the paradise! ;) Besides there were not enough chairs for all people who had checked-in to sit and wait for the boarding call. We were joking about the place as it was really going to be the last memory everyone was carrying out of Yap. Funny but not good for the Yapese govt. :)

View from the Caroline's
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In Palau I decided to spoil myself and stay at a relatively expensive Caroline's Resort. It was a sort of eco-style resort up on the hill overlooking the Central Rock Islands. Interior was worn out and simple and it was really two things that could (partially) justify the outrageous price: magnificent view and free access to nearby 5-star Palau Pacific Resort's beach, pool and sports facilities. I was so tired about the trip and past days that after arriving to my bungalow I had a 2-hour afternoon nap.

Earlier in the morning I had received a phone number of a relatively new  massage place called Rainbow's End Therapy Center which was located only 500 meters from my hotel. I decided to call them and book a massage as after all the diving and travelling my back was a bit stiff and aching. I was lucky and by 4 pm I was there. I had expected some standard relaxing massage but realised that the person running the Center was a trained physiotherapist who had previously worked at a hospital and private clinic. So I end up having one-hour professional sports massage and I felt reborn after it. I was also stunned about the price as it was one third of what I would pay for any 40-min massage in Western Europe. Really an excellent value for money!

Then I decided to explore the Palau Pacific Resort and have dip in their pool. In the end I ended up staying there the whole evening and had a fantastic lobster dinner... ;-) Nicht schlecht nie.

This morning I went to check my ear back at the Palau National Hospital and I was happy to get good news. There were still some infection left but most of it had disappeared and ear was 'intact'. Hearing capacity was normal in both ears and no lasting damage had occured. Very good. Now I am sitting in an internet cafe checking my emails, writing this blog, handling my photos etc. Afternoon I will be back on the beach... :)

Enjoy your day!