I've had a very relaxed attitude to this trip from the word go. There has been a very basic outline of what I've wanted to see and do and I've let the “how” and “when” take care of itself, sometimes not deciding on the next destination until that morning.
Anyway, it was a slow start to my last day in Davao. Ran a few errands, said goodbye to Mr Cool and eventually got going to make my way to Ecoland terminal to catch a bus to Cagayan De Oro.
I was initially going to get an overnight bus, however was persuaded to travel during the day. This suggestion was taken and I was treated with the most spectacular scenery. The countryside between Davao and Cagayan de Oro is amazing. The bus meandered through the mountains, driving by plantations and small rice fields. The evergreen hills and cliff-faces cut an imposing view on the landscape. One could also see the local villages, most homes or makeshift shacks were made of bamboo with thatch roofs, and some with rusty corregated roofing on a house which seemed to have been built by someone with a very bad spirit level and a nack for improvisation. Villagers were of course getting on with their everyday lives – people minding their livestock whilst perched on their hammocks. People putting the washing out on the line, or in this instance the highway roadside railing. People manning their stores, grandparents sitting just outside the dwelling looking weather-worn but relaxed and watching the day pass by whilst the grand kids play around them. I was travelling in a bus which had it's airconditioning turned up to arctic conditions and wished that a) the bus ride was more smoother b) the bus window was cleaner, and c) that I was more alert. All of he above hindered me from being pro-active and as a result I've got no photos of the trip to Cagayan :-(
6 and a bit hours later I arrived in Cagayan. Not much to say really. I stayed (at the Grand City Hotel) – I ate (at a local street eatery) – and I left. Aside from a quick browse through some shops and time at an internet cafe I didn't do much else as this was only ever a stopover to get to Camiguin.
The (crammed) minibus trip to Balingoan was scenic, with the drive at times hugging the coastline and slowly revealing the island of Camiguin.
Approaching Mahinog, the main port on Camiguin from Balingoan. The ferry takes approximately 1hour
Enigmata treehouse - literally! I stayed at this cheap backpackers but moved on after one night as it was a bit far away from the main town and White island.
The next few days I stayed at Jasmine's By The Sea. Melinda is the owner/manager and was very friendly and helpful. I got along with her and her staff really well. She helped organise a day drip around the island with Rollie on a motor bike for 
me. It's about 67km round trip -not including the distance on the off beaten tracks. I later went out to a village "disco" with Rollie, Mimmie and her mum Minda, which was really fun.
Keeping the ball rolling , I also met a British couple at Jasmine's. Turns out we lived in the same area in London NW3 but they in a different suburb on the Northern Line. A much more mature couple than I, but very young at heart, I got a slight reprimanding for being "anti 
Northern (tube) Line". They relayed great stories from their previous travels, also ended up being my travelling companions from Camiguin to Cebu City, and they took great interest in where I was going and gave helpful, sound advise for my next destination.
Sunset on White island, a sand bar on the coast of Camiguin
Some sites on Camiguin:
The sunken cemetery, caused by a nearby volcano erupting and changing the surrounding land
The current church build within the Catarman church ruins, destroyed by Mount Vulcan eruption
Soda cold water spring pool
Santo Nino cold springs pool
Laguna fish pen for lunch
Katibawasan falls
Philvolcs observatory station
Ardent hot springs. 3 cascading pools, with the maximum temp of the last pool being 38degrees . I swam in all four spring pools today, it was awesome.
My "crazy dancing" partners-in-crime Mimi and Rollie
And just relaxed in the evening before the Poms and I head to the port to catch the overnight ferry to Cebu.
No comments:
Post a Comment