THE PHILIPPINES' RECIPE
Preparing time:
29 days on spot, or 4451 kms
Cooking time:
134 hours spent in 58 different transports
Ingredients:
3 planes
9 ferrys
1 speedboat
4 local buses
3 jeepneys
4 minivans
4 Grabs
5 bankas
2 pick-ups
12 tricycles
1 buggy
8 scooters
1 habal-habal
1 kayak
Seasonings:
1 volcanic eruption
1 crazy drive in a buggy
1 overdose of rice and fried chicken
5 nights in a bungalow with a heavenly setting
1 hunt of a lizard blocked in our mosquitoe net
4 endless hours of sea sickness
1 lost external battery
1 definitely broken GoPro
2 good downpours on our heads (preferably when driving a scooter)
1 upgrade thanks to our bloggers' status
5 unforgettable sea excursions including:
1 choppy wind swell forcing us to swim back to the shore
3 local meals tasted on boat
1 mortal sea snake
1 boat wreck
6 sea turtles
1 war wound (if possible, try to get down by the LEFT side of the motorbike)
8 visits to the pharmacy
1 transit to the hospital
1 stay in a guesthouse built on stilts in the middle of a slum
15 hours delayed departure including (if possible):
5 hours of waiting in a boarding room without A/C because of an electricty cut
1 police Jack Russel educated to detect drugs
1 boat engine failure
1 night and 3 meals improvised on board
1 dedicated karaoke
1 big fright of missing our plane (2 hours more and it would have become true)
Method (overview):
BOHOL
Sunset/Sunrise on the Chocolate Hills
Buggy getaway
SIQUIJOR
Booking a guesthouse off the beaten track
Strolling in scooter without rushing
NEGROS
Excursion to Apo Island to meet the sea turtles
SIARGAO
Loop of the island with a two wheels
Discovery of the palm tree forest
Lunch stop at the Pacifico Resort
Island Hopping Activity
PALAWAN
Island Hopping in Port Barton
Full-day Island Hopping in a private banka in the El Nido region
Stay in Coron between scooter trip, sunset and last Island Hopping
The bill (for 2): 1293€
Positive feedback:
The kindness and attitude of locals towards us (smiling, funny and helpful)
The openness of the Filipino culture
The landscapes and turquoise waters worthy of postcards
Negative feedback:
The country remains more expensive than other Asian countries
The influx of tourists to El-Nido and Coron, which makes it difficult to access an authentic experience in this region
The food not very varied and largely influenced by the American colonization (burgers, pizzas, fried chicken ...) and the poverty of the country (neck, intestines and chicken legs ...)
To go further and read the recipe's full details, click HERE !
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