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Creatures in the Philippines
Still on the island of Biliran. Still raining. There were downpours last night that I thought would sweep away the building. The rain hits the roof with a deafening sound that builds and builds and builds. This hotel sits on the edge of town and I get beautiful views across green fields into trees and villages and then on to the mountains. The fields are …
The Rice Terraces of Ilyusin
I did return to the same area on my bike yesterday. This time, however, I made sure to have a big breakfast before I left, and that made all the difference to my mood. If there is one rule I should always stick with it is that I should have a full breakfast at the beginning of every day before I get on my bike. …
The Road to Almeria and into the Mountains
I found a new place to have a meal. It was a typical eatery but had actual chairs and tables. That was kind of nice. One thing in my life here is that I often end up sitting on stools and benches and at awkward and rickety plastic tables. It drives me crazy and makes my back really hurt. I’ve never been able to sit …
Cross-Island Road on Biliran
It’s rare that I make the right decision. But two days ago, it happened. It was when I rode my bike north out of Naval to explore that part of the island. I reached a point where I had to decide whether to keep going in a loop and go in a circle back to Naval going across the middle of the island or to …
Cycling Around Biliran
Another chorus of roosters and the eye-burning stench of cigarette smoke to greet the new day. I don’t know why, but it appears that I’ve become much more sensitive to cigarette smoke. It has actually become a big problem in the Philippines. People smoke in the hotel rooms all around me, and the smoke slowly seeps into my room. Even the smallest amount causes my …
Walking Around Naval
I spent yesterday simply walking around Naval exploring and waiting for the charm of the town to reveal itself. The exploring was interesting, as always, but the charm remained elusive.
I had had enough of riding my bike through congested streets, so I set off on foot with my pannier bag converted to a knapsack. I had my camera with me, intending to make it a …
Mountainous Route to Naval, Biliran
I am now in the bustling town of Naval, so it’s understood that I did load up my bike and head out of Caligara yesterday when the weather seemed to be breaking. Packing up was a long and involved process. As I mentioned, my gear has simply refused to fall into neat packages on this trip. Nothing seems to fit right in any of my …
Plans to Go to Biliran
The skies look good this morning so I imagine I will be hitting the road. I hope that physically I do better than I did on my ride here from Tacloban. I don’t have my hopes up too far, though. I’m not in good shape. My right ankle is very sore. It’s difficult to walk first thing in the morning. My right knee is sore …