Where's Ron?
Philippines, 28 December 2017 - 28 February 2018
Ron in Philippines, January 2018
Manila to Cebu
3 January 2018
Afton, Virginia, USADear family and friends,
Finally a report from Ron on his trip from Manila to Cebu. The trip began (I think) on 16 December, and Ron arrived in Cebu on 21 December.
i am keeping the home fires burning (literally, in our wood stove) and trying to stay warm in the record-breaking blast of cold air we are having in much of the US. Hope everyone else is warm and safe.
Love to all,
Ellen
3 January 2018
The Trip from Manila to CebuHello, my dear,
A very long bus ride and I slept a lot of the trip. I am learning to take warmer clothes on 1st class buses and ferries. They really like it cold vs the outside which is really hot.
There is so much open space that appears to be unused and underpopulated between the random small towns. Beautiful views when we go along a coast line and beautiful forest and mountains along the way. But quite a contrast to the population density of Manila.
Near the end of my time in Manila the door from the grocery store I usually went to for supplies was locked when I was leaving and I had to exit out a different cash register and door. I was on sort of autopilot and knew where I was, not paying much attention and suddenly realized I was in a different world. It stopped me cold and I was disoriented for a few minutes. The street I was living on was a major street with traffic on both sides of the elevated train in the middle. Lots of high rise building and more being built, with large advertising signs and the sidewalks crowded with people.
But when I went out the back of the grocery store I found a quiet one-level neighborhood of small houses packed one next to another with Christmas lights and decorations on the outside and inside. Children and teens everywhere with older folks sitting outside in front of their houses on steps or seats. Occasional car, motorbike, or cart. I wandered around for a couple of hours. People were friendly and the sites were interesting. A community outlined on all four sides by major roads cut up in a series of small blocks. Contrasting as a small town to the capital Manila. Dense but feeling so different from the main roads I was experiencing.
And then I find myself sleeping on a bus going through space sparsely populated. The masses migrate to the cities and leave the countryside vacant. Such a contrast from Afton and our 50 acres.
The bus first went to Legazpi and then went back north on the east side of Mayon Volcano to Tabaco, a small city on the north side. Because of the rain the bus took a lot longer than scheduled and I arrived after dark. It was raining but the hotel where I had made reservations was just across the street from the bus stop. But it was still difficult to find because the name was hard to find and it appeared to have a different name. (marketing?) There were not that many hotels in town and the airbnb apartment I considered was outside of town. Glad I chose the hotel.
I enjoyed my couple of days there and spent one day on a mushroom farm. A guy with my name "Ron" was providing some of the key work for a woman who owned the operation. I was impressed by her boot strap approach to the business. She had little capital, land from her family, a house that was livable but still being built as money allowed. There were concrete columns in place for the future building to house the mushrooms being grown. In the meantime there were two small tarp wrapped metal roof shacks where the mushrooms were growing. The mushrooms were beautiful shapes and colors.
I spent the day helping Ron with various tasks: taking out the stuffed bags from metal drums where they had been sterilized the day before and reloading the barrels for the day's fire and sterilization. With her daughter I also cleaned out bottles of inoculate that had gone bad and putting the bottles in the barrels also to be sterilized. I learned a lot and can understand her business plan to reach the size operation she needs to have to be profitable. Until then she works on a computer online to maintain some web sites for another business for the cash flow to grow her mushroom business.
The town was small, quiet, and friendly and I walked around looking at the people, places and restaurants.
The Typhoon that was moving through the Philippines was what I was watching and making my plans around. As it went west from the area I wanted to go to, I went south to catch the ferries and other buses to Cebu. Worked out fine. I got to Matnog too late for the Ferry and found a guest house to spend the night. The room was plain and the toilet didn't work, water was in barrels for flushing and showering. But the view from the room was fantastic overlooking the water, the ferry docks and the boats. There was a strong fan that kept me cool. Found a restaurant where all the travelers were eating, including a family driving a car from Manila to Cebu.
I think the ferry docked at Allen on Samar Island. But in any case all the buses were already fully booked. I had a basic plan, but a police woman wrote out on a strip of paper bag the series of towns and the means of travel, sort of like my trip down the Mekong River from Lantraban to Vientiane. There was a police stop at the edge of town and the guys were very friendly and wanted to help me get a bus, so they stopped every bus and inquired about seats - but they were all full and finally I convinced them I was ok with a Jeepney and caught one to the next town. There was another family going south on the Jeepney and they took me with them to catch the bus. It was hot and crowded but I was surrounded by friends to the next city where they got off just before we got to the city center. I was going to stay on the bus but it got so crowded and a rather large woman was put between me on the aisle and they guy next to the window (three seats) and I just decided to get off and find something to eat and drink and look for the Grand Tour Van (the name on my little slip of paper bag). After having some Filipino noodles I found the Grand Tour Van place and bought a seat to the next town south.
On the Van the guy next to me was kind and we had a good conversation. He explained he had a candy business and gave me samples of his candies. I was most impressed with his packaging - they looked very upscale, like something that would be sold in a five star hotel shop. One was Glem Pili Nuts Pastillas made from Fili Nut, milk and sugar. The other was a Glem Pili Bar, like a chocolate bar made from the same ingredients. At the next town he walked me to the place to catch the next van to Tacloban City.
I continued in the front seat of an air-conditioned van to Tacloban City where I found out there was no van or bus continuing on to Ormoc to catch the ferry to Cebu. I had not read about Tacloban but found a decent hotel and then started looking for dinner. The staff at the hotel was suggesting I catch a taxi to a place with restaurants and while I was walking to the center and looking for a taxi or Jeepney I found a pizza place and was happy.
When I travel I am very cautious of people I meet and believe a little paranoia increases my safety. But everyone I met was so helpful and kind - from the police woman who mapped out my route from the first ferry to the second, the military guys at the check point outside of the ferry terminal, the family from the Jeepney who took me to the bus and watched out for me on the crowded bus, the restaurant where I ate, the candy entrepreneur on the van, the hotel staff in Taloban City and even the guys in the pizza parlor. And I like the people also.
Next morning caught a Grand Tour Van to Ormoc and was dropped off at the ferry terminal, where I bought my ticket and then had a wait. I had planned on spending the night in the small city because of our wonderful experiences in Bali at Padangbai where the ferry went to Lombok but instead had spent the night in Taloban which was a much larger town.
So I just went on and took the ferry to Cebu. With my second ferry ride I could begin to see the choices and similarities. I have continued to opt for a business or tourist class ticket so I get a reserved seat next to the window with a view. But after the boat takes off, everyone else moves into the section and takes what seats are available without paying the premium. Fine with me. But the air conditioning is sooooo cold. I have learned to pull out my coat or wind/rain jacket to stay warm. Between the buses, ferries and air conditioned rooms I have picked up a cold with sniffles and a cough.
My first night in Cebu I booked myself a room near the Fuente Osmena Circle near Mango Mall which was supposed to be the night life area. The hotel room did not look like the room I had booked and had no phone signal or WiFi signal or any windows. After complaining, they gave me a room a little better than the one I had paid for but said I would have to pay more if I stayed longer. This was my second bait-and-switch accommodation, but with some complaining and smiling I managed to get fine rooms. But a bother. All my reservations I am making on line. Seems I have to pay much more if I just walk in and try to negotiate.
What I have learned about traveling in the Philippines from the trip between Manila and Cebu is that I can do it. With people speaking English it is a new experience traveling in Asia. People are really friendly. Not too expensive, but more than I had anticipated. Lemons $.50-.75. Transportation cheap, hotels get what they can. Love my AirBnB one room apartment located near Ayala Mall in Mabolo. Food can be good (often too salty) but mostly not like my other food experiences in Asia like Vietnam, Thailand and Singapore.
Next chapter will be about my stay in Cebu. I am having fun, enjoying the people I meet, and looking forward to the rest of the trip.
Love and miss you,
Ron
Forward to Ron's travel in Cebu, Mandaue, Mactan, and Bohol
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Questions? Send email to Ellen, ebouton 
Last updated: 24 February 2017
