The never ending boat trip and Iloilo

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My boat to Iloilo didn't leave until 3pm so I got up and headed for the shops in search of trousers seems my skirt, my one pair of shorts and my one pair of trousers all had permanent egg stains on them. Two pairs and six dollars later I was happy so went to book my boat ticket. On the schedule it didn't tell you when the boat arrived but need not worry I figured it would probably arrive some time the next day late arvo. In actual fact after 17hrs on the boat I thought it would be a good idea to find out when it would be arriving. The following day, early morning I told. Opps my bad two nights on the boat! And it was so hot in economy, there were about 40 bunk beds on an open deck with a roof but at night it felt like an oven.
After the first night on the boat we arrived at Cuyo Island early morning. We spent the day here leaving at five. I went for breakfast with one of the ladies I met on the boat, rice obviously. Then we took a walk around the town stopping at a church that had a beautiful lookout over the island. There wasn't really much to do here for the day but it nice to get off the boat so I took full advantage! We walked along the beach, read, bought snacks for the boat and listened to music. Not many tourists reach the small island, it is part of Palawan but 18hrs by boat from Puerto. There is no white sandy beach but the beach is nice to watch the locals fish and its mostly empty. Then it was back onto the boat quickly when I heard the siren go from the beach.
On the boat there is nothing really to do except sit on your bed, read, listen to music and attempt to learn some Indonesian and talk to the locals of cause. There isn't an outside area and there is nothing on the boat except beds and a hole in the wall to buy food. Needless to say people slept alot.
We arrived in Iloilo about six in the morning and I got on my first Jeepney! And my second who dropped me off two large blocks away from where I wanted to be. So after a twenty minute walk I finally arrived at Family Pension. Luckily they let me check-in so early. But the room! It was terrible the bathroom was actually in the bedroom with a door to access it but no wall around the door, very strange. But no complaining I did my laundry and went off to discover what Iloilo had to offer.
First it was off to the shopping mall where I paid double the price I should have to get my eyebrows threaded but they looked better than last time and it was still only two dollars so what can you say. Then I had a long chat with the guy in the tourist information centre who told me about Iloilo, diving in Apo and Bohol. I decided diving in Apo was a must! The best dive site in the Philippines. The art museum was next, o how I love museums and I haven't been to one in so long. They had some amazing pieces and I had the chance to meet one of the artists. The ten pieces are in a competition to get into the finals of the Asean art competition. But an annoying lady was adamant she wanted to give me a tour, I was grateful when their lunch arrived and she left me alone.
After lunch I took a jeepney to visit the Cathedral, Iloilo is famous for it's Spanish influence and culture and this includes its Cathedral and Church. The Cathedral is the smallest I have seen but it is beautiful and inside its amazing. The Church is one of the few Churches that has only female saints inside and it was there I visited next. I think the Church was almost as big as the Cathedral, and inside so amazingly designed.
For dinner I went to a nearby cafe with free wifi but they seated me infront of the mouth drooling desert cabinet, it was very hard to resist!
I only stayed the one night in Iloilo and it was an early start in the morning to make the 6° clock boat to Bocolod where I then caught the scary bus to Dumageate. I firstly caught a jeepney into the city centre which at 5 in the morning was surprisingly easy, the jeepneys are constant. Asking directions a guy was adamant he would show me the way even though it was only a five minute walk. Arriving in Bocolod I took a jeepney to the south bound terminal where I found a non air conditioned bus to Dumageate soon to be leaving. It was a 54 seater bus, it had a college group on it, 50 girls, two teachers, the driver and me! Mmm it made for an extra interesting journey. The first part of the trip until we reached out lunch stop was quiet and easy, just a girl sleeping on my shoulder. After lunch which involved all of the girls asking me every question they could think of and inviting me on their trip with them for four days. (As much as I would have liked to have said yes I think 4 days of 24hrs a day spending with a group of 50 girls would have drove me crazy! So I politely declined). We drove across the island through the mountains and honestly I thought we were going to die! The roads were terrible but the driver was crazy no wonder he had Rosary beads above his seat! He tried to over take trucks on blind corners with cliffs dropping down the side of the very narrow road constantly. Lucky I couldn't see as I was sat on the aisle but the girls by the windows kept screaming.
Anyhow the views were amazing and we finally arrived in Dumaguete in record time.

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