Philippines

The breeze picks up and blows the salty tropical air over the balcony of our tiny beach shack. I take in a deep breath and let out a sigh of relief. 

We've finally arrived in paradise after a crazy week of international travel, a cross country roadtrip, and a weekend getaway at a Wyoming jail. (Those who know the story, this is where our Asia trip begins).  

Our mad dash to Asia started Monday morning when I picked up Theo from the Sublette county jail after spending the weekend there over a marajuana charge. Apparently the state of Why is not as open welcoming to pot as their southern neighbor Colorado. Noted. 

Our flight was 6AM the next morning and google maps the drive was just enough time to park and ran to our flight. We barely had enough time to stop for gas and pee breaks. SO, after a 15 hour car ride from Wyoming to San Francisco, we hopped on our flight to LA, flew to Tokyo where we had a 30 minute layover, then off to the Philippines. We arrived in the capital city of Manila at 10PM.

Tired but excited to be in a new city, we made our way to our hostel, dropped our bags in the room, and headed out. The streets were bustling with backpackers, ladyboys, and bars selling cheap booze. After a few beers and a lively chat with a Canadian chicken farmer, we passed out around 3AM. 18 hours later we woke up in a confusion about the date and time, and "did we really just sleep 18 hours?" Apparently we both needed it. 

The city of Manila is just like any other city in a developing country; dirty, crowded, and not that pretty. 

After catching up on sleep for a couple days, we flew to Cebu, another large city on an island south of Manila. 

I was a little disappointed that the city was just like Manila. However, it was a transit stop on our way to Siargao- an island where we would spend a majority of our time in the Philippines. 

Between a creaky fan and the giant rats/cats (not sure what they were) that were running around the room, I didn't get much sleep that night in Cebu. 

* * * 

Need a little entertainment? There is no shortage of televised cock fights - a big sport in the country. 

The next morning we woke up at sunrise, sleep deprived and desperate for coffee. We headed out and as we walked around I noticed that there was a stark contrast of the surroundings throughout the city- one that I've never seen in any other city before. 

We walked down rows of houses made out of wood pieces and metal scrap built on top of each other. Chickens and malnourished dogs ran freely as we passed rivers of garbage that scented the air of sewage. We would turn a corner and end up at a shopping mall with manicured lawns and a Starbucks. 

Crumbling shacks next to high rise buildings. Dirt roads polluted with trash, a block over from paved streets lined with palm trees. Mega malls advertising designer brands were surrounded by slums. 

I was ready to get out of the city... to an island covered in palm tree forests.  

That afternoon we took a flight from Cebu to Surigao, a smaller island next to Siargao (confusing I know). We stayed at a hotel for the night and took a two hour ferry to the island of Siargao the next day. 

We got off the ferry at Dapa in Siargao and took a tuk tuk ride to General Luna, the largest town on the island. GL is mostly known for its famous surf break, Cloud 9. However, it still reminds untouched by major tourism and upholds a backpacker vibe. 

The locals were exceptionally friendly. Everyone smiles and waves, especially the kids who all yell "HELLO!!", every time you pass them. When talking with the locals, they acknowledge you with "sir" or 'ma'am". 

A huge plus traveling to the Philippines is that it's CHEAP. We splurged on big fish dinners, with drinks, for around $20. Beers are $1 (local beer is 7% ABV). Motorbike rental for the day was $6.

From the main town, we headed over to a smaller fishing village where we rented a beach shack for a week. It was a beautiful place, however the electricity and water ran sporadically, which made it less than ideal for cooking. We spent the rest of the week trying to find surf-with no luck. But successfully found a lot of great places to eat. I was lucky enough to have found a place that serves really good acai bowls and espresso. Theo would usually go somewhere for 2nd breakfast about an hour later. Then we would head out for the afternoon on the bike and explore the island. Towards the evening we would head back into town for a couple beers and fresh fish.  

... Theo refuses to take a normal picture

We headed up North of the island where we spent the last few days in Siargao at Pacifico Beach. An Aussie couple we met at the airport were staying there, and the four of us spent the afternoon surfing and hanging on the beach. As the sun set, rum shots were poured, and we ended up at a Karaoke bar singing all of the classic rock & 90s hits... and of course Disney classics.

After 2 weeks of eating, drinking, and exploring the island of Siargao, we caught a flight to Palawan, a popular island chain on the other side of the Philippines. We spent the majority of the time in Port Barton- another sleepy fisherman town with a chill backpacker vibe. 

We found a place that had really good coffee, where Theo parked himself every morning. 

... While I would stretch out on the balcony overlooking the bay 

The Filipino's are genuinely nice- even the local locals, not just the people working in the bars and restaurants. When passing local villages the people would look at us with smiles, waves, and curiosity. When our bike got a flat, a construction worker from the area picked me up and took me to the nearest repair shop. One afternoon a younger guy asked us if we wanted fresh baku (coconut)and returned with freshly chopped coconuts from an exceptionally tall palm tree. He refused our money when we offered, he just wanted to do something nice. The vibe was warm and friendly, more so than any other place i’ve visited before.