Manila, Shwarma, and future packing nightmares

We are in Manila. Right now in the Peace corps office, but forgot the camera so no new pictures. Anna and Laura are editing the Kwan (literature/newsletter) with Cady as a guest editor.

Last night after watching the newest Harry Potter movie, we had some good middle eastern food at Shwarma. I was the only one that didn't have a shwarma (also known as gyro and doner kabob). A very satisfying day.

Before that we had a crazy few days. First a night bus from Baguio to Banaue through mountains with a crazy driver which was not conducive to sleep. Then a vigorous hike into Batad and the amazing rice terraces. One night there and a hike back out. There were a bunch of nutty Japanese(with huge Panda hats) and Koreans(with green and red grape wine). They of course had brought only the bare necessities for a hike to rice terraces. After that we had another night bus to Manila but with much more sleep. So two nights on buses and one amongst the 2000 year old terraces.

Now we are relaxing and looking forward to California and finally back home. Later today we are off to the mall of Asia, which is the largest mall in the Philippines and 7th largest in the world (as if we needed more stuff).

On the move

We just spent three days on the most fantastic farm I think I will ever be priviledged enough to be on. We hiked an hour down to the small farmhouse and surrounding nippa huts, nestled into a series of terraces in a small valley. It rained a little, we did a lot of weeding, a little carrot planting, played some balderdash, ate good food, hollered at the seven dogs that followed everyone around. Good farm stuff. It was really cool to meet yet another of Anna's friends, Sherry, whose host family owns the farm and is looking to use it for environmental education. The farm was actually just classified as a WWOOFing (Willing Workers On Organic Farms), so people from around the world should be able to visit the farm and do a little work to earn their room and board.

Jeff and Anna had to rip me away from the farming life and throw me on the night bus to Banaue. It was an eight hour trip over frighteningly curvey, steep roads in a bus with brakes that worried Anna greatly, and thus, me even more greatly. We got into Banaue at 5 this morning, and have spent our time since then eating breakfast and trying to figure out exactly when the jeep leaves to go to Batad (apparently Batad is the ultimate place for rice terrace viewing). So far, people here have told us the jeep leaves at 9, 10, 11, 2, 3, and 5. But we know there is only one regular jeep, so it seems whenever this jeep leaves is really anyone's guess. Or we could hire a trike. Actually, we had just decided to take a trike, when a jeep driver said, no, he would leave in 1 hour with no special charges, and he will even come find us in the internet cafe when he's ready to leave. Or at least that's what he told me. We'll see.

More wanderings

So, I guess it has been a few days since our last post, and that means that you poor people stranded in various parts of the United States or possibly Cypress, need to once again be made aware of our movements here, though the tropical jungle paradise.


We spent a total of five days on Palawan, including two days lounging in hammocks, swimming in the sea, drinking beer and eating ourselves silly at a beachside hostel. While we were there we were also lucky enough to enjoy a stir-fried wild boar dish which was pretty amazing, really. We also did some pretty rigorous hiking to visit the very famous, world heritage site, Underground River. It is thought to be the longest navigable underground river in the world, and we got about a 45 minute tour by boat of the different rock formations on the first stretch of the river. The hike to get there was also fantastic--on a trail called the monkey trail through pristine jungle. We did manage to see a monkey or two, macaques, sitting at the end of the trail.

After our time on Palawan, we added another form of transportation to our Philippine experience--a 24 hour boat ride from Puerto Princesa to Manila. From there we took a 6 hour aircon bus to Baguio, where we are now. Tomorrow we are travelling on to meet Anna's friend on an organic farm and from there we will spend a few days visiting the rice terraces. So, friends, it might be a few more days before we get back on the internet, but don't worry. We're trying hard to have a good time...

I've decided that there is way too much for me to try and distill the amount of fun we are having into a post every few days, apropo, in an internet cafe (which don't serve coffee as far as I can tell). This is the third internet cafe we tried (one the connection was down and the other was full).

I think Cady is summarizing the past few days, so I will say that the pensione(same as a hostel) we are at now has been great place to relax and do some crossword puzzles. Everywhere we have gone the people are friendly. They may tend to stare at me when Anna decides we should go into the local library, but do I belong there?
I don't think I could ever get used to people trying to sell me dried fish, but that is not really that bad. The experience of riding in a jeepney or multicab and just watching the beautiful country side fly by is something you just have to come and experience.

Anyway we have already done enough for a vacation and we are only half way done. This definitely makes me want to travel to more exotic locations, especially when friends are there to show you around. Too bad I couldn't go on the Cyprus trip too. Well maybe next time.

Tomorrow we are headed to the longest underground river in the world. After that we are headed up north to work on an organic farm, see the rice terraces and just look around a new island. After that it's a 14 hour flight and a week in Northern California. Hope everyone is enjoying the summer, especially anyone in Cyprus.

Tired in a crowded internet cafe

Hello faithful adventure-followers. I'm not sure how many insightful gems I have for you on this post--I'm actually quite tired and am not really in the mood for crowded places, even if they are air conditioned. Our new excitments include a trip to Anna's old host family's island baragay on this incredibly frightening pump boat. Once on the island, though, it was immediately apparent why Anna liked the people there so much. They were so friendly! And everyone was so excited to see Anna again.

We also bought a live chicken from one of her friends, transported it back to the mainland on the scarry boat in the middle of loads of rain. Anna and Jeff slaughtered the chicken (while I, chicken myself, went to buy charcoal) and plucked it and cleaned it out (while this chicken merely chopped garlic and squeezed limes to use to marinate it). We had a few delicious pieces, at least those pieces that were cooked all the way through.

We are now on the island of Palawan, in Puerto Princessa--supposedly the cleanest, safest city in the Philippines. We also managed to find a laundromat with washers AND dryers (Anna is very excited about this) and are currently waiting to pick up our laundry. We did a lot of crafty shopping and went to a crocodile farming/rehab place.

Now I think I'm ready for a cold shower and a long, long nap. Maybe in the hammock on the porch of our hostel, listening to the peaceful squaking of their resident parrot....