Tick off Cebu!
Monday 9 June
After a long trip from Taipei via Manila we finally arrived at Cebu to be met by our friendly driver from Cesario Hotel who made us feel very welcome. We were transported to the hotel quicktime and made a run for the restaurant as soon as we had checked in as we all were very hungry after the 12 hour transit from Taipei.
Tuesday morning came too quickly and we were soon in a taxi for up-town Cebu where we had a quick look around before heading to the North bus station to find and catch a bus to The Beach House at Antipolo. It was at this point the girls realized we were in a 3rd world country, the public bus station was bedlam with people and vehicles rushing round and the place was crowded with people selling stuff, food, drink, souveniers etc. We found the correct Ceres bus for Antipolo and climbed on board to ensure we had a seat as it was filling up fast. The cost was good, 60 peso each at 42 to the A$, and that was for a 4 hour bus ride from Cebu City to the north west coast and Antipolo! A pity it was fresh air cooled and as it was 35c and as Kate remarked several times “Its bloody hot mate” It was also very crowded and we were jammed in seats designed for small asian bottoms with all seats occupied with many people standing for the whole 4 hour trip.
The girls were sitting quietly, seemingly overwhelmed by their first exposure to the 2nd largest Philippine city as the bus launched into the chaotic traffic, madly excellerating and then braking heavily, swerving round slow moving vehicles and pedestrians with amazing precision. It was not until we cleared the built-up area and began travelling through the beautiful tropical countryside with the sea on the right side and mountains to the left that the girls began to relax and start talking about the mad experience of the bus departure from Cebu.
The Beach House.
We had told the conductor we had to get off at Antipolo in order to take a tricycle to the Beach House about 2 km away. When the bus pulled over and the conductor shouted “Antipolo, Antipolo” we looked around and thought he had made a mistake. We were unloaded into a dead quiet and isolated 2 building community and left standing on the side of the rode as the bus roared away in a cloud of dust, each one of us looking at each other wondering what we were going to do now. As luck would have it a tricycle ridden by a young man pulled up and we all piled aboard after agreeing he knew where The Beach House was.
A couple of k’s along a rough track brought us to the entrance to The Beach House, it looked lovely and we soon were checked in and swimming in the tropical sea across the road. The Beach House was lovely and after the first night we were the only guests so we were treated very well by the staff. The place only had 4 rooms and had the feel of a private house with beautiful gardens and was very well kept.
For the next 3 days we explored the neighboring villages, meeting lots of friendly people with the girls receiving much attention, particularly from the young men! Kate was a big hit.
We left early to find the bus back to Cebu and nobody was looking forward to the long bus ride, but in fact it was quite pleasant and we made it back to Cebu in time to do some shopping and have a look around Cebu City which we all agreed was a bit of a hole.
Everyone is really looking forward to Phuket, meeting Al and Helen and taking receipt of our bareboat charter yacht "Alissa" which is a Bavariar 42.
