After a comfortable night's sleep (mercifully drama free), I had my complimentary breakfast and hit the road. Decided to head back to the main road via a different route. Inevitably, my GPS and Google maps couldn't agree on the best way, so after a couple of wrong turns and I was headed towards Baguio.
At one point, a friendly local riding pillion on a scooter overtook me, turned around looked at me and pointed to his numberplate. OK. I stopped and sure enough, mine was hanging as one of the bolts holding it on had dropped off somewhere. Tried to find a store to buy a zip tie or some string to tie it back on, but there was just an endless string of dried fish shops. I tried to work out how I could use a dried fish to re-attach the plate, but I must have missed that badge in the scouts. It took me way too long to remember I had a random zip tie in my tank bag. Job done.
Finally got to the turn off for the (famous?) Kennon road through the hills, winding it's way up to Baguio. Not a bad introduction of hopefully better things to come. It wasn't mind blowing though......But few places live up to the hype. One of the few places I've visited that truly matched the hyperbole was the Taj Mahal (an Indian curry house in Brent, incredible food!!).
Baguio seems nice. Quite a bit cooler up here than last night by the coast. Had to put my long trousers on!!
Soundtrack: "John the Baptist" - John Martyn
Next morning saw an earlier start for the push deeper into the mountains. The forecast was sketchy, the possibility of heavy thunderstorms increasing or decreasing every time I checked the weather app. But, onwards and upwards. I ignored the Google maps route suggestion in favour of a smaller, quieter road which twisted it's way up and down as it burrowed it's way on.
At one point, I arrived at the "New Highest Point" of the Philippine road network. Not that anything could be seen as the mist clung limpet like to the surroundings. Just before and just after the high pont the views were good though. The rain never really materalized, a bit of mizzle for about a minute which didn't even make the road wet.
It took around 7 hours to cover the 200 ish Km to Banaue. Although I did stop for lunch in a tiny hamlet. Very good it was too (a fried beef thing with rice and an egg). As everyone (it seems) speaks English, getting fed is a breeze. Fortunately, my stomach issues have abated.
The guesthouse in Banaue is quite new, but empty apart from me and everything shuts down at 8pm. Early night then. Again!
Soundtrack: "Eject" - Senser
Early to bed, early to rise. On the road by 9am (a record on this trip!). Beautiful sunshine and an incongruous full English breakfast from the guesthouse (!) set me up nicely. First stop just a few Kms down the road for the Banaue rice terraces viewing platform. Actually pretty good; astonishing feat of collective endeavour.
Then the twisty road continued up, up at first, then down, then up a bit, down again........you get the picture! An enjoyable ride but I really need to learn to stop more and breath it all in, I always say to myself "just 5 more minutes, then I'll stop, I'm sure the perfect place is just around the next bend" as I sail past dozens of perfect places!! Moron.
Quite a long day at 220 ish Kms. Not big distances, but the conditions make for slow riding. Another 7 hour ride brought me to Vigan; an old Spanish colonial town. Pretty enough, but tourist central and.......we'll, it's culture innit? (wasted on me!). It also appears to be election time in the Phillipines. Been seeing lots of posters everywhere proclaiming the next saviour of the people. Also a big rally in Vigan kicking off some hopefuls campaign. Not my cup of tea. Currently sat by the town square listening to the circus...... fortunately, I can't understand a word.
Soundtrack: "Give the Anarchist a cigarette" - Chumbawamba.
No comments:
Post a Comment