The eighth wonder of the world (final)

Joseph continues from Bangkok to the famous rice terraces of Banaue in the Philippines. He leaves Sagada behind him and heads towards Banaue where the eighth wonder of the world, the two-thousand-year-old rice terraces, will unfold before his eyes.

It is (almost) finished

Today is the last day and tonight it is the intention to spend the night in a good hotel in the inhabited world of Manila. That is why it was decided to leave last night at 6 o'clock in the morning. You read that right six hours!

Norman goes back to his hometown of Baguio and will drop me off after a 2 ½ hour drive at the bus station from where buses go to Manila. From there I have to continue by bus for about seven hours, depending on the departure time of the bus. Quite a trip and because I don't have the energy to arrive in the dark, we leave at this unfortunate time.

Breakfast consists of just a cup of coffee and then you're on your way. The fog that hangs over the mountain ranges in the early morning has a somewhat ghostly appearance and twice we make a short stop to let the camera do its job. The whole area is magically beautiful and after a 2 ½ hour drive we arrive at the bus terminal. Fortune smiles upon me; The Victory Liner Company bus will leave for Manila in ten minutes. For 376 pesos or about seven euros I am the man. The bus is well occupied and at the very back on the last bench there are still three free places. Take the middle seat coming out of the aisle, because I can use my legs a bit better there.

A few stops are made along the way to relieve the passengers of any moisture, if necessary. It is striking that it is the ladies who are crowding the toilets. Do they drink more or do they have a smaller bladder I wonder.

Trying to kill time by writing my travelogue on my laptop, but that's not feasible because of the many bends the bus has to make. Just look outside and there is a lot to see in the local villages that we regularly pass. Dissatisfied compatriots should live in this neighborhood for a while, that could be very enlightening. Compared to Thailand, for example, it is clearly noticeable that the prosperity, if there is any, is significantly less.

We pass the somewhat larger town of Solano and the opulence does not radiate there either.

The road we drive on is narrow with a lot of traffic. When passing cars you get the feeling that they are whizzing past. Getting closer to Manila, a real highway comes into view and tolls have to be paid. When we arrive in Angeles City, the place from which I departed, it still takes about two hours before I can stretch my limbs in Manila.

Here too, just like in other countries, it is a robbery of taxi drivers and many other people who want to offer their services. Having become rich through experience, I sit in the waiting room until everything has calmed down a bit, after which I calmly take a taxi to the Lotus Garden Hotel, which I know from an earlier visit and which I really liked. Have not reserved anything, but it is low season and sometimes you should not want to book everything in advance.

Even negotiating the taxi price yields something. I am aware that as a white foreigner I still pay too much, but live and let live is the motto in this not exactly wealthy country.

Lotus Garden Hotel

I feel happy to be able to stay in a great hotel again and to be surrounded with a little more luxury. Admittedly, Manila cannot offer the natural beauty of Banaue and this city, with more inhabitants than the whole of the Netherlands, does not exactly make a rich impression. Lots of beggars and people sleeping on the street at night.

Have a bite to eat in the hotel and after a tiring long taxi and bus ride, it's a wise decision; I go to bed on time.

I had a great night's sleep and after a good breakfast I have all the time today to look around in the area. Manila has no less than 21 million inhabitants, so more than the whole of the Netherlands. So can't tell I've been to every corner of the city. I have already seen the biggest sights on a previous visit and now only stay a bit in the vicinity of the hotel in the Ermita district.

Visit a large department store that sells everything you can think of.

Fallen from my faith

I lost my faith there too and bought a new phone. Now go enlist the help of one of my three granddaughters to teach their grandfather how to handle such a sophisticated toy.

It has become a simple Samsung Galaxy J1 and such a thing requires the necessary driving skills, I have already understood. Have always disliked anyone who plays with such a case on any occasion or cannot help fiddling with it even in company. It always bothers me and I also experience it as very indecent. Promise everyone it won't happen to me.

Today I have plenty of time to arrange everything at my leisure because my 3 ½ hour flight to Bangkok will only leave Manila tonight at a quarter past eight and will arrive in Bangkok just before midnight, where it is an hour earlier.

Manila has three airports and I depart with Cebu Pacific Airlines from terminal 3. Don't want to rush and take a taxi well in time, which is also necessary in this metropolis with a traffic chaos of the heaviest.

So far everything is going as planned; taxi to airport, check-in and to the gate. But then the trouble begins. A delay is announced. How much delay do I ask. No one who can say a sensible word about it.

Don't go into all the trouble that this causes. And then a free drink and various snacks cannot make up for much. Understand the delay, but not the fact that you are left completely in the dark about the duration.

Just to skip the annoying things of traveling; I arrive at my hotel at four o'clock in the morning. Had my suitcase brought to the room and ordered a pot of beer. Even at this early dawn I had quite an appetite for it and it washed away all the nasties of the flight.

Go to bed and what time do I get up? Joost should know.

The journey to the eighth wonder of the world is over and it was quite an experience.

Explanation:

For those who plan to take this beautiful trip a little explanation. Travel times by bus to Baguio or Banaue are very long. I myself prefer the luxury of my own transport and paid for the services of driver Norman from Baguio for 4 days all-in 14.000 pesos, or about 275 euros for the entire trip. With 5 people you have plenty of room in the van and you share the costs. You can make good arrangements with Norman and if desired he will pick you up in Manila, Angeles City or wherever. He gives the price in advance, so you will not be faced with any surprises. Norman Buenaventura can be reached: [email protected]