It Is An Amazing Race

I just had four days off and what better to do then pack them full adventure and seeing more of the Philippines....... and riding on top of jeepnees, caving, picking strawberries!

SUNDAY

So it started off all Amazing Race style. Originally we planed to leave Monday morning at 4am, but just after finishing a meeting in Antipolo Sunday night plans changed. It took little to change our minds and take an overnight bus that would be leaving in two hours. Usually a taxi ride from Antipolo to the bus stop would take one and a half hours. So we ran like crazy down the steep Anitipolo hills and rushed to find a taxi. You can only imagine the scene we caused, 5 crazy white girls! Our taxi driver was slow and did not have enough gas, but we where on our way. We still had to go back to our house and pack up. Melinda waved down a second taxi to take us from our home to the bus station. This taxi was fast but we got lost as none of us were totally for sure where the station was. After getting and attempting to give directions in Tagalog we pulled into the station just at the same time the bus was supposed to leave. Luckily most things do not happen on time in the Philippines and we made it on the night bus safe and sound. So we settled down for the 9 hour ride to Banaue.

MONDAY

We arrived in Banaue Monday morning just in time to wake up to the beautiful rice terraces

After breakfast we went on a crazy 3 hour drive to Sagada that can not even compare to the logging roads back home. The views where amazing in I road the the country side and into the town of Sagada on top of a jeepnee.

Once in Sagada we settled into this lovely mission house up on the hill over looking the city. Sagada is a small mountain town and very easy to fall in love with. We hiked though Echo Valley to the hanging coffins which is how the tribe people berried their dead.

TUESDAY

This was a huge deal for me as I hate small spaces (even drive-through car washes freak me out a little). We went over 100 meters below the earth and jumped into a huge swimming pool! I am very determined to always try everything once and not let fear hold me back. I enjoy trying new things and challenging myself. After belly crawling through an opening in the cave I had a really since of accomplishment. This is nothing like the Lewis and Clark caverns I have been to before. There is not electric lights or hand rails to guide your path. It is just you, the rocks, the water and the bat guano with a small lantern lighting the way. That is what I love about foreign countries there is a real since of adventure no rules holding you back from riding on top of cars or jumping into a pool of water far below the earth.

WEDNSDAY
We caught the 5am bus from Sagada to Baguio a six hour bus ride that was pure torture. I was car sick and losing my stomach the whole way. I can only imagine it is like to putting your body into a cement mixer and hanging out for six hours while driving a crazy road down a mountain. Once again however the views where breath taking!

THURSDAY
We spent time picking strawberries and shopping in Baguio. After we picked them we bought Ice cream and chocolate and made ourselves a very tasty dessert (and breakfast!)