It was just what we needed. We did a whole lot of nothing, ate well and recharged ourselves. We also met some great people. Most of that warm snuggly feeling was stripped away however by the time we reached our next destination, Dumaguete, a pleasant city (that is saying A LOT for the Philippines) some 5 hours away.

Traveling is never as easy as jumping on a bus and going. You usually have to take various forms of transport just to get to the bus and then, depending on the bus, there are stops galore. By the time we arrived into Dumagete, it was nearly 8 p.m. We left Sugar Beach at 11 a.m. Anyone doing the math? I said it's a five-hour ride from the two destinations. We left Sugar Beach by walking with packs on across the beach, taking a paddleboat, walking 1km in the heat and humidity (still with our packs on...and, by the way, both of mine are heavier than Porl's!). Then a tricycle to the bus stop. Waiting for the first bus, which, when it arrived zipped us to our destination in under an hour. Then waiting two hours or so for next bus. Then immediately getting onto our last bus which was very crowded. This meant sitting in the last row. For fellow motion sickness readers, you know my pain! Even with my travel sickness meds, I was hanging on for dear life -- and a red plastic bag just in case. Slowly, I made my way up as seats became available. Until I was nearly at the front. The bus driver didn't make the journey any easier on our bodies. He sucked. Honestly, the worst bus driver we've had. His idea of slowing down meant SLAMMING on the brakes. Often. On certain bus lines, there are conductors that ride the bus. The conductor is the one who punches out your ticket and who you pay. However, every so often, the bus will stop in some random remote area, and another bus employee will jump on. These are inspectors. They check the tickets and passenger count to make sure no one is riding for free. Typically, inspectors have gotten on a bus about two or three times during a journey. For whatever reason, inspectors got on this bus at least 10 times. Often the bus would pull over to the side and stop while the inspector did his thing. Try to imagine being on a VERY crowded bus in the heat with no air-con while a man looks through tickets. AGAIN. Give the crappiness of the driver (he also had a knack for starting to pull away before passengers were safely off the bus. Seriously!) I can understand why the inspectors got on so often. But after being on this bus for three hours, I was ready to scream.

I'm lucky to report Porl and I both survived. Me, from travel sickness and Porl from being hungover the entire day. My money was on him vomiting during the paddleboat ride, but he proved me wrong!

We were attempting to go to a nearby island for some snorkeling today but both of us just can't bear the thought of getting on anything with wheels today. So it's officially an internet-laundry-chilling out day.

Hopefully by tomorrow we will be ready again to take on the Philippines in all it's transportation glory!

written by  Groovespook on July 23, 2010 from Dumaguete, Philippines
from the travel blog: Nuttter and Groovespook go Philippine island hopping
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GROOVESPOOK:
to even attempt to describe a quarter of the last few days of my life in the Philipinnes would take most of the storage capacity of Blogabond so I will try to compact what my eyes have seen and what my body has managed to accomplish, just at Camaguin Island.

The ferry from CDO to Camaguin was really awesome. Thanks to the jumbo sized Red Horse and a stunningly beautiful day. 

Then the ferry landed and again the nightmare (for me) of getting to the next place loomed once more. 

I am slowly getting used to the utter culture shock of getting off any type of transport and being accosted by thirty or so Filipinno drivers of various modes of transport. Thankfully at this point Nuttter brilliantly manages to not only explain where we need to go but how much it it SUPPOSED to cost.  I cower like an utter whimp at this stage of our travels and pretty much dread every minute of it.  My head says "we are literaly thousand of miles from anything remotely familiar and Western and could very well be dinner for these people" were it not for their smiles and good nature that is!

So we get to our hut, meet the obligitory gecko ( if there is NOT one in your room then worry about bugs) and whatch the sun set over the sea on our balcony through palm trunks.

Sucks here.

The next morning we hired mountain bikes and headed for Enigmata, a treehouse art gallery which we rode right past. Twice. In blistering tropical heat. Needless to say it was pretty amazing.  We then (foolishly, we found out later) decided on capigsawan falls. Well, after a 4km ride/walk/stumble/pant up roads so steep that the tricycles were banned, we made it! Just as two German tourists with filipinno girlfiends/daughters/wives motorbiked up there too, arriving about three minutes before.

Our vision of a perfect and private visit shattered, we dipped nontheless into the icy. Fresh water.  After our sweltering ride, a ride that proved that my heart is still able to kick it like a caterpillar engine, diving into that water did make it stop. 

Just for a second.

There is something to be said for gradual changes in body temperature. Wow. So then, miracle of miracles, the germans departed and we were alone.  This pristine waterfall, cascading down about 170 feet, soaking a shear volcanic rock wall infested with foliage that is hell bent on reclaiming  every inch of planet was just picture perfect. Then, as we were thinking of leaving, 28 screaming adolescant Koreans then proved this was a good move.

The mind bendingly arduous journey up, 2 hours that my body is still coming to terms with 2 DAYS LATER, took a magical 9 minutes to fly down.

The next day we jumped on another crazy motorbike filled wih Filipino school kids and jumped on a ferry to Bohol.

The same nightmare scenario of tribesman wanting my flesh to feed thier children got us on a bus that just dumped us on the corner of some street 5 kms from Loboc.  Then an enterprising Filipino named Ta Ta managed to fit us on the smallest motorbike ever and drove us to where I now sit sweating over my iTouch. No internet access again but never Mind. We are in a small hut by the river. This would be idilyc if not for the local tourist boards brilliant idea to place multi-colored spot lights all along the river for the floating restaurants, repleat with cheezy live entertainment, to tool up and down the river.  Lame. But sort of fun too.

Thankfully this is only during lunch so we do get the majority of time listening to nothing but forest and birds and insects. David Attenborough's second home.

written by  Groovespook on July 18, 2010 from Bohol, Philippines
from the travel blog: Nuttter and Groovespook go Philippine island hopping
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So anyway, here is a brief run down of the last few days and believe me, I WISH I could fully convey what we have been doing and how surreal this life is right now!

From Davao and the Zip Line madness we took a seven and a half hour bus trek across Mindanao Island to CDO ( trust me, it is easier to say it that way) and stayed one night there before getting on another bus in order to get a ferry to Camiguim Island, then another small Jeepny to Seascape, a hostel with bungalows on the black sand beach. Really lovely.

We hired mountain bikes the next day and nearly killed ourselves cycling to a fantastic waterfall, deep in the forest and, as we found out, up increasingly steeper and steeper hills. I honestly have never exerted myself more than that day. But diving into that icy fresh water was incredible.

Then again, more Jeenpys and buses and ferries and motorbikes - yes, Maria, and I and a driver on a small 250cc motorbike WITH OUR BACKPACKS and no helmets in sight, careening through winding roads through tropical forests. I was sitting at the very back, on the handle normally reserved for the passenger. When we got to our destination, NutsHuts, it was another 750 meters down a dirt road. I N S A N E !

NutsHuts though is beyond description, we have another large bungalow nestled in rain forest next to an opal green river. There is a main hut with a restaurant that is up around 300 steps from us, and THAT is halfway up the gorge before we get to the 750 meter long dirt track that takes us to the road.

Tomorrow we are going to hike up the other side of the gorge and go to the BAT CAVES!!! (Well, I am going into the bat caves anyway)

Today we motorbiked all over Bohol and visited the Chocolate Hills, a geological anomaly (I blame the Aliens of course - testing sound based weapons about 3000 years ago) and then a butterfly farm.

Anyway, I have no water left in my body and we have to leave this closet filled with people and computers and eat somewhere, who knows, maybe the floating restaurant the tools up the river, maybe back to the cabin and the local delicacies.

Love you all and sorry we are incapable of contact and awesome stories as much as we would like.

Rest assured we are having a fantastic time. The Filipino people LOVE us, and us them!!!

written by  Groovespook on July 17, 2010 from Bohol, Philippines
from the travel blog: Nuttter and Groovespook go Philippine island hopping
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Groovespook:
The flight from Manila to Davao was uneventful, hell, flights always are aren't they?(attempts at jetsetter malaise). Oh, aside from the monumental Cumuli Nimbus I flew through that is.

Finally arrived at the Ponce Suites in Davao after a harrowing cab ride through insane slums mixed with the odd fancy house and saw my pretty princess for the first time in a number of days and the glow of love extended once more to envelope the both of us.

Then Nuttter mentioned (again - thanks to Raph) the Camp Sabros ZIP LINE EXTRAVAGANZA!!!

So off we went!

The journey to Camp Sabros featured local jeepneys trough bustling downtown Davao, a bus through tropical landscapes of breathtaking beauty, a motorbike turned into a five-seater minivan with intricately welded steal, and,finally, an old motorbike.The details of THAT ride I am leaving to the pen of Nuttter.

After all these modes of transport, it was our feet that traversed the last mile of washed-out dirt track to Camp Sabros. Nestled amongst the rain forest and pine trees commanding spectacular views of Mt. Apoand the surrounding valleys we trudged up to five young Filipppino lads , all incapable of understanding any English. Hand gestures (nice ones people) led up to the main camp administration and we (read: Nuttter) negotiated our zipline options.

We went with the 400 meter tandem followed by a whopping 830 meter solo. 400 pesos each. That's less than $10. Yeah.

I have video of our tandem ride which describes it, not only visually but-thanks to Nuttter's amazing ability to verbalize emotion--orally too but, being in the middle of nowhere in an internet cafe designed specifically NOT for people like me with USB HD video footage (Just crashed my second computer), you will not be able to see it, possibly for 3 weeks. sorry.

The solo one, as most of you can can only imagine, was like being suspended in time as this dream sequence of flying was realized. One of the most invigorating experiences I have ever had without doubt. Slowly gaining speed as the forest below dropped further and further away, the whir and hum of the harness above you increasing as the humid air refreshes and streams through your very soul. I felt my whole being open and release all fear as I ran through the various thoughts that I think all zipliners must have:

1. The Superman, complete with gestures of course!
2. The Airplane.
3. The Dream. Nutter referred to this one as The Twilight bit.
4. The Abandon. All care, fear and wordly thoughts get flushed from you.
5. The Panic.

After what seems like a minute of four, one looks up to realize that the ground and a large metallic structure is very, very quickly becoming your only concern. It is at the moment just slightly past your idea of when you can possibly safely stop without becoming part of this metal structure that you are yanked back to reality and then smoothly come to a halt in the arms of a disinterested and nervous young Filippino boy, who is more interested in getting you out of his way than hugging you and laughing and crying at the same time, which was my initial want when he unhitched me. Thankfully Nuttter, who went first, was able to attend to that!!

After a 7.5 hour bus ride through dense tropical madness on roads still being finished (or is it begun?) by people who clearly look like they have no business building roads, we are at last still. In Cagayun. A ferry to Camigun island awaits tomorrow morn, where we will spend 2 to 3 days ( if I can convince that mad Nuttter to sit still that is!)

love to all!

written by  Groovespook on July 14, 2010 from Davao, Philippines
from the travel blog: Nuttter and Groovespook go Philippine island hopping
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Groovespook:
So I got to Manila after a fairly painless but far-too-long mixture of airports, alcohol and airplanes and alcohol. Flying is a 24 passport to drinking in The Book of Porl. Negotiated my way to the hotel in Malate, threw my bags in the room and went straight down to the bustling, dirt, half constructed, cutlure-shock of the streets. Found a bar that was more like a bar than a strip club - which was difficult, not because I wanted to go to a strip club, just because nearly ALL the bars are strip clubs - and sat quietly in a corner with my first Red Horse beer and watched the Philippino underworld go by.

After a few minutes I was beckoned to the table near me by three lads, college kids areound 20 years old. They were incredibly happy and had already had a large sampling of my new favorite (despite my headache this morning) beer, The RED HORSE.

They precceded to buy me 5 of them (I didnt complain much as they were US .75 each) as I enthralled them with my exotic upbringing. Then they thanked me for making their lives interesting - hey, this was their own words - and told me of their aspirations to go out and see "The England".

Woke up early and walked down through the only slightly fecaly-infused streets to the bay. Actually I am not completely convinced that it is a bay and not just a water-logged refuse tip. It was pretty filthy.

Now I have 6 hours to kill before my flight to Davao and to the loving arms of my Nuttter!

written by  Groovespook on July 11, 2010 from Malate, Philippines
from the travel blog: Nuttter and Groovespook go Philippine island hopping
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On my second van ride, I was fortunate enough to sit next to a nice Filippino guy. His English was very good and we chatted the whole way. He was great and my only regret is I didn't give him my contact info as he is planning to be in NYC later this year. He is a seaman (he he he) and travels on the seas for long stretches of time. He was coming home from one of this trips. We talked about the local culture, politics, the land, etc. It really was a pleasant time. And it's the longest conversation I've had in a week! When we got to his final stop, I jumped off to use the Comfort Room (ie bathroom) and he paid for my entrance fee. He has three older sisters and they raised him well!

After he got off, I continued on for another 45 minutes. I could have gotten on a ferry that was leaving in 30 minutes. It would have been a three-hour ride, but I opted to spend the night in town and take the ferry (6 am) tomorrow. From there, I plan to take another ferry to an island I am trying to reach. The town I'm staying in is very small. And the room is definitely one of the cheapest I've stayed in. It's about $5 and it's very, VERY bare bones. I'll spare you the details. I've been spoiled by air-con rooms with bathroom towels and televisions. Needless to say, I have no doubt I'll be getting in early night's sleep! Not much to do!

Aside from a couple in Manila and another couple in Naga (only at the aiport), I have been the only tourist I have come across. The. Only. One. I am a walking freak show (or at least that's what it feels like some days). Without fail, people will stop and stare once they notice me. Conversations will end abruptly, something will be said to someone who hasn't noticed me and then all eyes are on me. Imagine walking into a restaurant and Every Single Person starting at you and continuing to glance over at you while you are there. I have to say it's been a bit exhausting at times mentally. I keep trying to imagine I'm some famous person and this is what happens when you are well-known, but it doesn't stick. Having said all of this, the people here really are very nice. They really go out of their way to make sure you are okay, have an answer, know where you are going.

Today, when I arrived in this small town Liloan, I asked the guy running the place if he knew what time the ferry left in the morning. He doesn't understand English. So, I went downtairs and asked two guys working a pawn shop (as you do). They translated my question to the hotel guy and he walked over to some people to find out. When he came back and said 6 a.m. and it would take five hours, I asked if there was a faster boat. The pawn shop workers and the hotel guy got a local to go on his bike to the ferry terminal to find out! Seriously. He came back in about five minutes with the news. 6 a.m., a three-hour ride and he even knew how much it would cost. So, even though I loathe the staring, they are a very nice bunch of people.

Miss you all and send me an email when you can. I might not have Internet access too often, but it's always good to hear from you!

GROOVESPOOK:
Went to the Franklin Tavern Blues Jam.

written by  Groovespook on July 8, 2010 from Liloan, Philippines
from the travel blog: Nuttter and Groovespook go Philippine island hopping
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GROOVESPOOK:
Dentist glued tooth back in, watched The Dark Crystal, had a beer.

written by  Groovespook on July 7, 2010 from Davao, Philippines
from the travel blog: Nuttter and Groovespook go Philippine island hopping
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Things didn't go as planned. I left at 8:30 and returned a very tired and roasted woman at 3:30. While the ride provided stunning scenery: papaya trees, mountains encircled by clouds, stunning blue waters and fairly empty roads, it was exhausting both physically and mentally. I reached the midway point of my ride around 10:30. I pulled off to stock up on bottled water and ended up chatting with a lovely family. Imelda is a mom of two, Kenneth and MaryGrace. She talked Kenneth, who is studying to be a nurse, to show me some magic tricks. He was amazing!!! I wish I could have recorded it. We ended up chatting for about 30 or so minutes and it was a nice break. It turns out Imelda lives in the town I'm staying in. She even offered me a ride back in her van if I was too tired and she wrote down her cell phone for me. I cycled onwards until reaching the beach area. There were several unmanned wooden catamarans along the beach, half of them dipping into the blue-green waters. It was quite a stunning place. The water was so warm. I dipped my feet and then noticed a middle-aged man had appeared near my bike and bag. I went over and we chatted for a bit. He, too, offered me a ride home. He invited me to his house on the beach for some coconut milk and to avoid the midday sun and to hang with his family, but my danger-stranger instinct was buzzing and I politely declined. He seemed nice enough, don't get me wrong. But I just felt weird about it and was leaning toward taking Imelda up on her offer.

As I cycled back, I knew I was beat. I was looking forward to putting my ego aside and accept Imelda's offer. But I'm fairly certain I rode right past her van without seeing it. I kept telling myself it was just around the next bend, the next hill, but after an hour had passed, I knew I had missed it. So, I sucked it up (and had some Gu thank goodness for that!) and cycled the whole way back. The heat was brutal. It was like cycling in an oven. I took lots of stops in the shade. During one break, a pedestrian struck up a conversation with me. He asked the usual questions: Where are you from? How long have you been here? How long will you stay? Where are you going? Are you traveling alone? He also asked me my age (not uncommon here to get asked that). I told him to guess and he said 13, then 20. Hmmmmm, my guess is he's not too good with the numbers. It was a pleasant conversation and gave me the break I needed. And while I had sunblock with me and did reply -- I swear I did -- but this morning, I awoke to sunburnt shoulders, hands and face. Ouch!

Needless to say, I opted to take it easy today. A hard thing for me to do -- I always feel the urge to keep going and exploring and doing. But after what I put my body through, I have to give it a day of rest. It's the least I can do!

GROOVESPOOK:
One of my molars fell out.

written by  Groovespook on July 4, 2010 from Sorsogon, Philippines
from the travel blog: Nuttter and Groovespook go Philippine island hopping
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GROOVESPOOK:
90-degree weather? PAH! I say, it's 90-degrees here too, only I am pushing a lawn mower over my straw-like lawn instead of a mountain bike through a glistening rain-forest. PAH! Again.

written by  Groovespook on July 3, 2010 from Sorsogon, Philippines
from the travel blog: Nuttter and Groovespook go Philippine island hopping
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