February 2011
25th – Flight to Clark for our first experience of the legendary Jeepney to catch a bus to Baguio. Arrived so late and, owing to the renowned Flower Festival for which every Filipino was in town, we struggled to find a room. A run all over town in a taxi, a quick sim card purchase from the 7-Eleven and a few phone calls later we finally found a room at midnight. The next day revealed the extent of the madness when we couldn’t even get a taxi driver to venture in to the melee by taking us to the bus station. Anyway, we got there in the end for a bus to Sagada where we met a brilliant English couple, with whom we have so much in common, and with which we have become very good friends, Chris and Sarah.
26th – Arrival in Sagada at about 5pm. We teamed up with Chris and Sarah and stayed in the same hotel. We enjoyed a couple of evenings with them and together visited the Hanging Coffins at Echo Valley and explored the local village where we picked up a local, young and unofficial tour guide by the name of Tony and his friend whose morbid curiosity showed no restraint.
28th – Bus to Banaue via Bontoc. Our first ride in the bizarre tricycle, the chosen method of transport around those parts, to a viewpoint over the rice terraces nearby. All day hike next day through more famous and epic UNESCO World Heritage rice terraces and mountainous terrain (see coinciding blog). Treacherous and, frankly, dangerous tricycle journey to our drop-off point will never be forgotten. Especially by Nick’s bones.
March 2011
2nd – All day bus to Manila that seemed to take a week longer than it should have. Visited third biggest mall in the world, the Mall of Asia, where we wished we had more time.
3rd – Flight to Boracay where we met up again with Chris and Sarah, who were more or less doing the same route. Spent 4 glorious days on a beautiful island, which we all agreed was paradise. We all hired a sailing boat to explore around the island and enjoyed beer o’clock on many an occasion. It’s five o’clock somewhere! Did not want to leave.
6th – Flight to Manila. Whistle-stop tour of Manila, which included the must-see Intramuros, some of which has survived since the Portuguese occupation. Sought out the site of the 1975 Thrilla in Manila between Muhammad Ali and Joe Frazier, the Araneta Coliseum. A PBA basketball game was about to begin so we bought nosebleed seat tickets for about 50pence so we could get inside for some pictures. Was bummed to see that the likes of Kermit the Frog and Fred Flintstone, among other more worthy acts, had graced the venue with its presence over the years and it had not survived as a shrine to the legendary fight, but I guess the show must go on.
7th – Flight to Kota Kinabalu, Borneo to sleep in airport for early morning flight to Taipei, Taiwan.
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