Manila

Manila is a very discombobulated place.  It doesn’t really have a centre and doesn’t feel like a city but more a sprawling mass of connecting towns.  It’s not pretty, and feels slightly dangerous with armed security guards at every shop, fast food restaurant and ATM.  My introduction to the city certainly played up to its reputation.  I took my luggage from the taxi and put it on the ground.  I picked up my rucksack, and a little kid tried to make a grab for a painting in a wicker carrier I had bought in Combodia.  I put my foot on it and told him to get lost.  

A Jeepney in Manila

We were really shattered after our flight and checked into a Hotel to get some rest.  Our time was short in the Philippines and we didn’t really fancy hanging around Manila any longer than necessary, so we planned to get a night bus to Banaue in the evening.

We got an interesting Filipino lunch at a nearby restaurant complete with a live Mexican style band wearing cowboy hats and playing maracas.  They were working their way round the tables crooning away, we managed to gobble up our lunch before they made it round to us.

We didn’t do much the rest of the day partly down to the fact we were exhausted, and also as I don’t think there are many sights to see in Manila.

We arrived at the bus station a couple of hours early, and luckily managed to secure the last two seats on the bus to Banaue.  We put our bags on the bus then found a nearby bar/restaurant to have some dinner and a couple of beers before our journey.

The journey wasn’t too bad.  I managed to get a fairly decent kip, it probably helped that I was absolutely shattered from the previous travel day.  When I awoke I was in the wonderful highlands of North Luzon. 

Manila is a very discombobulated place.  It doesn’t really have a centre and doesn’t feel like a city but more a sprawling mass of connecting towns.  It’s not pretty, and feels slightly dangerous with armed security guards at every shop, fast food restaurant and ATM.  My introduction to the city certainly played up to its reputation.  I took my luggage from the taxi and put it on the ground.  I picked up my rucksack, and a little kid tried to make a grab for a painting in a wicker carrier I had bought in Combodia.  I put my foot on it and told him to get lost. 

We were really shattered after our flight and checked into a Hotel to get some rest.  Our time was short in the Philippines and we didn’t really fancy hanging around Manila any longer than necessary, so we planned to get a night bus to Banaue in the evening.

We got an interesting Filipino lunch at a nearby restaurant complete with a live Mexican style band wearing cowboy hats and playing maracas.  They were working their way round the tables crooning away, we managed to gobble up our lunch before they made it round to us.

We didn’t do much the rest of the day partly down to the fact we were exhausted, and also as I don’t think there are many sights to see in Manila.

We arrived at the bus station a couple of hours early, and luckily managed to secure the last two seats on the bus to Banaue.  We put our bags on the bus then found a nearby bar/restaurant to have some dinner and a couple of beers before our journey.

The journey wasn’t too bad.  I managed to get a fairly decent kip, it probably helped that I was absolutely shattered from the previous travel day.  When I awoke I was in the wonderful highlands of North Luzon.