As the prospect of extended overland trips from the UK diminishes, the option of fly-in and rent is becoming increasingly necessary.
So, new horizons. Somewhere I've never been before. The Phillipines, specifically Luzon (the big north island). Limited time means limited (or no) island hopping; so sticking to the North. Contacted MotoRent Manila and rented a Honda CRF300 Rally. I did flirt with the idea of renting the highly rated CF Moto 450MT, but I like my Honda, so.......
This means that highway/toll roads (CC restricted) are off limits. No bad thing! A seeming eternity of route research and planning gave me the outline of a plan; a very loose, flexible plan but a plan nonetheless. Flights booked via BKK and then the slow, tedious countdown to the off began.......tick tock........
I decided to embrace modern technology (only about a decade after the rest of the planet) and get an eSim. Mainly to be able to use Google Maps to navigate as a back up to my increasingly erratic Garmin. I'm sure I've got the settings wrong on the feckin' thing, but it will suggest the most eccentric route to travel 100 metres, suggesting a 10 km detour. And I don't know how to change it!! Maybe embracing technology isn't such a great idea! Wouldn't be the first time I've been accused of being a Luddite.
Soundtrack: "Anoana" - Heilung
