Bohol and Northern Luzon - World's smallest monkey, largest captive snake and 1400+ chocolate mountains !!

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Day 59 (Sun 4^thNov)


Woke up early again, starting to become a bit of a habit. Was showered and fed and out the door by 8. Walked to the bus stop where I was told there were minivans going to Baguio City, from there I could go up the west coast to Vigan. Hopped on the minivan, paid and waited to leave Banaue. Once the minivan was filled we left. I’d been told it was 6 to 6 ½ hours on good roads. Funny that as it ended up being nearer 8 and the road was terrifying. It seems there’s a huge mountain range in between where I was going from and too. The road was very windy and had horrible drops off the side, at some points off both sides. The drops in areas were over 1000 ft so I wouldn’t fancy our chances should it have gone overboard. We also had a slightly overloaded van and Lewis Hamilton driving. I was clinging on for dear life in many places, especially when we were 1ft from the edge. There were a couple kids in the van throwing up most the way which didn’t help at all. The road is called the Halmesa Highway and after some research this evening I find it’s considered one of the most dangerous in the world should you google it. If I’d known this I may have given it a miss and just gone back to Manila. It also has the distinction of being the Philippines highest highway at 7440ft, saw the statue pointing this out half way through. It was the least enjoyable 7 ½ hours I’ve ever spent and I’m glad I don’t have to go back that route at all as I definitely wouldn’t be up for that.


So I arrived in Baguio, with heart palpitations I’ve never had before and a sore arse from sitting down for so long. Got chatting to a lad on the van towards the end who showed me to the bus terminal to catch a connecting bus to Vigan. This was very handy as it wasn’t close and not sure if I’d have found it otherwise. Talking of handy, the lad, Kim had 3 thumbs. On his right hand he had an extra digit, being a baby carrot looking thumb. I couldn’t help but notice it but I made sure not to bring it up into conversation. Got on the bus to Vigan after grabbing some tea with Kim and off I went.



Now this was a far more straight forward process, only 5 hours and I was in Vigan not long before midnight with nowhere to stay. I’d done little research but had heard the name of the cheapest place in town so got in a trike and went there to get a room, which I got. Went to my room, which was boiling and only had a fan, which wasn’t great. Also on the way to the toilet found geckos roaming the halls everywhere and a cockroach on the floor in the bathroom. As I’d only ever seen these in the wild I was a little surprised and it took me a while to get ready to sleep as was uncomfortable. I did get to sleep, having to leave the fan on which made a racket overnight.



Day 60 (Mon 5^th Nov)


Checked out Vigan in the morning. Took my usual routine of walking around without much prior research to see the area. I found a few nice plaza’s and a couple nice buildings, being St Pauls Cathedral and the local government buildings. After this I walked back to hotel to go online and see what there was to see. Turns out I’d seen all the recommended things on trip advisor and wikitravel, except the beach which is pointless as I’ll see plenty soon. On this news I decided I might as well leave, so paid for my room and went to the station to get the bus to Laoag. I also knew there wasn’t loads here but there was the sinking bell tower and some other nice churches and buildings. This took 2 hours to get there arriving 1:30pm. I knew there was a 10pm bus to Manila so I went to the station to book it as I didn’t think I’d need to stay a night. I got my bus booked, left my belongings in terminal and walked around. This took me until around 5 as again there isn’t a load to do or see here. So I’m now sat in terminal waiting for my half 8 bus to Manila. I’m on the super deluxe bus so hopefully have a bit of space and be comfortable. I shall wake up in Manila in 12 hours or so.

In hindsight I wouldn’t have bothered coming from Banaue north, I’d have gone back to Manila. By the time I get to Manila I’ll have spent 27 hours out of about 48 on buses or vans and it’s not worth it. Both Vigan and Laoag are nice enough places but they’re too far out of the way and there’s too little to do to recommend it to anyone. The Spanish influence is definitely here, can tell that from the buildings and villa’s but I could have saved a lot of sitting on buses. We live and learn.



Days 61 - 63 (Tues 6^th Thurs 8^th Nov)


Haven’t really done a lot the last 3 days. On Wednesday I arrived back into Manila around 5am, 3 hours earlier than I thought. This had both positives and negatives. The good thing is that it was 3 hours less sat on my back side, the bad thing is there was no way I could check into my hostel this early.

I headed on to the hostel anyways and had breakfast there. Having stayed there a week ago, they remembered me so when at 7am I went upstairs to the reception they let me check in early and go to bed, very handy indeed. In the afternoon I planned my next steps in the Philippines and booked some flights and hostels. I did the same thing Wednesday morning and now pretty much have my remaining time bar the last week in the Philippines sorted. I was doing this whilst following the US elections on BBC news as our hostel seems to have that channel for some reason, so at least I could follow it without having to listen to yanks all the time. Just as Obama won re-election I left for the airport, to fly to Cebu. Got a taxi to my hostel and checked in for 1 night as I’m leaving in the morning for Bohol where I will stay for 9 days total.

Got the morning ferry from Cebu to Taglibaran which took 2 hours on fast craft, although the fast craft was smaller than the sea cat back home and there was no space really to walk around. The views though were good off unspoilt beaches and woodlands down the Bohol coast. Got a trike, jeepney and scooter ride to my home for 3 nights, being a hut village near Loboc, literally in the middle of nowhere. I don’t think I’ve ever been to a place with no internet before. The town I’m in only has 12 families which shows its small, and there’s dog’s howling at night, whilst I’m in a double bed hut, managed to get upgraded for free which is good, need a couple nights good sleep.

I nipped to the toilet before bed and on return to my hut was accosted my firstly the biggest frog I’ve ever seen, which came from nowhere and then there was what must have been a foot long lizard about 3 inches from my door and no I’m back in my hut hoping the thing doesn’t end up in here. Totally not used to lizards roaming around, especially ones not in cages. I hope he’s more scared of me than I am him otherwise it may be a long night, think he’s on the roof.



Day 64 (Fri 9^th Nov)


Today I took a tour of Bohol’s sights with Arthur, the lad from the guesthouse. I paid him to be my driver for the day and he took me everywhere. First the Chocolate Mountains, these being 90-150ft perfectly semi circular mounds, which seen from the viewing point are quite unusual. I’ve seen things like this before in Korea but they were tombs and not natural unlike these. There are some 1400+ of them apparently for every direction as far as the eye can see.


From here we went to the Tarsier sanctuary, the bit I wanted to see most. Tarsiers are the world’s smallest monkeys and they are stupidly small, a kitten would probably outsize them. The oldest one was 16 and no bigger that a clenched fist with a long tail though. I think they said they could get up to 6 inches in length but that’s nothing for a primate. They also have huge eyes compared to the size of their body and are incredibly cute. I would have loved to hold one but no can do, only to look at. There were amazing to see and are only found on this 1 island in the Philippines and nowhere else in the world. They apparently don’t do a lot during the day and move more at nights so very like myself in that respect. I actually could have stayed there all day just looking at them. Quick stop at a souvenir market before leaving there, to the zip line.

For a bit of an adrenaline rush after being told I could zip line across a river I said yes. Once I got there and looked at it is was far more cautious. Zip lines I’m used to seeing in water parks or adventure parks you hold onto handlebars and slide down. This one you basically lie on a sort of blanket that is attached to 8 hooks and you go down it headfirst on your belly, like an aerial version of a skeleton. It was incredibly scary but very enjoyable, going over trees before the river and more trees before coming to a stop very quickly. Once done you have to zip line back to the other side again. Second time round wasn’t as nervy.


I was then taken to Loboc river cruise, where I boarded a boat to go up and down the river for an hour, this also included and all you can eat buffet. I was on the boat first and the food was ready so I’d eaten a plate before anyone else got on, which was nice. The cruise and river itself was spot on. The river sidelined by forests and river huts all the way along and very green water. There was a display of local dancing by a group of girls that seem to just sit on a platform and wait for the boats to come along. Every tour of Bohol seems to go on this river cruise and it was quite busy.

In the afternoon I saw a butterfly sanctuary, a small local zoo, some monument to sailors or something, the Philippines oldest church and the largest python in captivity. The python is a beast. It was 27ft long and its girth was the same size as my waist. It also weighed around 280kg or so I was told. He only eats once a month which is a pig or similar pretty much the same weight as myself so when asked if I wanted to get in cage I quickly declined and looked from a couple feet away instead.

After this I headed back to the guest house for an evening of films in my hut, as there is little by the way of entertainment here. It’s nice to completely relax though.



Days 65 – 66 (Sat 10^th – Sun 11^th Nov)


Over the weekend I did very little. I looked round Tagbilaran on Saturday and watched James Bond at the Cinema and Sunday I moved to my new location of Alona Beach on Panglao Island. I checked in, had a quick look around the beach resort then had my first swim in the sea since I was 18 I think, can’t remember any more recent times. Early night to get ready for the start of my scuba diving open water course.

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Photos

Room mate
Monitor Lizard living in my bamboo hut