after the rain: Welcome to North Philippines, the land of unpaved roads, beautiful rice terraces and Igorots.

One of the busiest bus terminals in Baguio.

After just a whole day of resting in Manila (not sure if you can call it resting), I moved again. This time It’s only me, because as some of us ‘are here on vacation’ the other ones has to work. Any way, the plan is that those more difficult to explore parts of Philippines I will be doing on my own. Due to long bus rides, there is not much sense to go up North for less then 3 days, so using the advantage of not having any time restrictions, I’m good to go. Fully rested, I’ve left the hotel around 7pm to catch the night bus, only roughly knowing which bus to take. It’s all about improvising this time, as I knew there are to routs to get to Sagada, which gives you plenty of choices. The first choice I was recommended was to take a bus going through Banaue, as there are some good views on the way. The problem was that the bus terminal for this bus was located on the other side of the town. Which during rush hours means additional at least hour and a half to get to the bus station itself. So as I didn't have any plan only knew that there were some other options, I decided to take a taxi and ask for the nearest bus terminal for buses going up north.

I actually got this number saved in my phone as I was very close to use it at least couple of times:)

Well, it end up a good idea as the driver took me to a bus stop near by. Slightly better option to the one I was going to do originally (only 20 min). Apparently the driver’s wife was from Baguio (second option to get to Sagada), so he knew this station well, sweat! He also explained me that buses to Baguio leases every 30 min, and I can also choose from normal and deluxe buses, so couldn’t complaint. Knowing what to expect then, I decided to check the options available, you know, if the price difference is not to big why not to upgrade. Unfortunately, once I go to the station there was no time to calculate neither to compare.

My ride!

Jeepney

The deluxe bus was leaving in 2 min, where the normal one 5 min later, which didn’t leave me much time to think, so decided to hoop in to the normal one. Well, free Wi-Fi, 2 seats just for me (there just few people in) with plenty of legroom, a film to watch in English and that’s all for only 445 pesos (Deluxe is720 pesos). You can’t go wrong with the Victory Liner (bus company), friendly staff, not too many stops, with just one issue, plastic foil on the seat, gets uncomfortable after a while. Then another issue was wrong timing, but that was my fault. As I took the bus earlier then originally planed, I got to Baguio just after 3am, but the earliest bust from there to Sagada was at 6:30am. So when the Victory Liner bus terminal was looking very lively and safe at the same time, the bus terminal where I was going to catch the was to Sagada was a different story. Pitch black, with hardly anyone, only few homeless sleping here and there, trust me, it wasn’t looking good. But then I found this local restaurant open 24h, where a cup of milo bought me a table with access to a socket, which I later replaced with another cup of hot coffee and funky looking cake (which later cause some problems). So those 3h wasn’t actually that bad, I manage to go through some of the photos, wrote some more text for the blog, and watched the latest part of X-manJ.

While in the bus!

Normally I would go for a walk to have a look around, but there is not much to see at 3am. Any way, those 3 h gone quick so around 6am I decided to find out which ride is mine. And here, hmm, I’ll just say that victory liner bus would look strange at this terminal, probably to fancy. This time I was getting a big old stinky diesel bus, with massive crack on the windscreen, even bigger gaps between windows and few big dents, which reminded me of Nepal. Well, there was no other option out there and I wasn’t going to complaint anyway, so 6.15am I was already sitting in the bus, not knowing what to expect. And here, a thing a have to mention is my seat partner, what a luck, out of all of these tinny Pilipino, I got this old big lady. And what is even more annoying; the route Baguio to Sagada is, I would say very bendy, going up or down, have to say that I found very uncomfortable I first part of this trip (after probably 40 min my neighbor left so I go slightly more comfortable). Seriously, I have thought Nepal got the worst roads in Asia, but what I went through on the way to Sagada won the number one spot (lack of quality and safeness). The craziest corner I have seen was 180 degrees going down probably good 25degrees, steepest piece of road I’ve ever seen. I would be a real workout on the pushbike (definitively not safe with those buses there)! Ok, let’s put it that way, I’m a person who never gets communication sickness, not until now at least. The funky piece of purple cake came decided to remind itself after couple of hours, and have to say that I for most of the way it was causing me some problems. Even can of coke didn’t help, so I decided to sleep it over and to my surprise it helped a bit. One kid sitting few seat behind unfortunately wasn’t so lucky, and thanks to his mum’s reflex, no fluid got outside the plastic bag. And that’s how I learn what where those plastic bags hanging next to door for! Next tip I have learned during this ride, if you ever decide to eat during bus stops, always follow your driver. They will always go to those safe places, where you shouldn’t get anything dodgy.

One of the first rice terraces I've seen that day.

Right so with 2 stops for food, drinks and toilet, we have managed to do around 160k in just under 6h, not bad considering that last few k was either one way or unpaved. So by midday I was already in Sagada, surprised that there was no one waiting at the bus, no tricycle riders offering you a ride neither people offering you cheap accommodation, how strange! Apparently Sagada is way to small and hill for the tricycles, where walking itself from one side to another won’t take more than 30min, and if you want to go anywhere outside Sagada, you have jeepneys coming to the main market, which is also the central point of Sagada. Well, it didn’t take me long to find a place to stay myslef, as 40 meter away to my left I could see a hostel recommended by lonely planet. Single room, with just one tinny bed, small desk and the holy bible was for 250pesos, can’t complaint, share bathroom with HOT WATER. So don’t always trust to ‘lonely planet’, and their ‘only cold water showers, but buckets of hot water can be purchase additionally’ (our book was published last year)!!! Well, rest of the info was fine, even the map they put there was more accurate than the one I’ve purchased in a local shop.

Sagada Special! Hanging coffins.

Checked in, unpacked, slightly tired after long journey, but willing to get some adventure, I decided to do a small trek on my own. So as I previously mentioned, I got myself a map from the local shop and I have to say one thing. I later got a much better map on t- shirts I’ve bought as souvenir, so you can imagine. I still had one which comes with ‘Lonely Planet’, but the problem is that I left it in the guest house. So equipped only in map from local shop and my compass I went for a short hike to ‘Echo Valley’. 20 min later, I was back already in the GH to get my Lonely Planet, and possible ask for so more instructions on how to get the valley. To explain you this in more detail, I would probably have to take you there. But basically if you are not local and you don’t know where you going, it’s not the easiest to find unmarked path, especially hat the map had it only marked roughly with a cross and some arrows going into different directions.

More coffins.

So it took me good 20 min just looking for a path to go down, and trust me some of the paths where finished with very big drops (so called viewing terraces) ! Any way, I have finally made it, and as I got down to the valley it was only getting more difficult to find the right way. Heading somewhere, not having clue what to expect on very bushy paths wasn’t the easiest, I have even considered turning back probably around 2 to 3 times. Nevertheless, after probably an hour of going through some proper hedges filled in with mosquitos and all sort of other flying, dropping into the water once, getting my shoes wet completely, I have finally made it. I supposed to be an easy trek!, although there is a note in the guide that some people had some issues out there and came back after few hours with plenty of bruises, so I can say I have done well. Definitively enough for my first day, especially that I have book a guide for 7am next morning and could feel the results of long journey in a sore lower back. That all caused that by 6pm I was already asleep, getting ready for next day. And have to say, 12h of sleep always help to get some rest. Then filling local breakfast, set me up for whole day hike, where the process of ordering it was quite surprisingly I would say.

Echo valle, neither going up or down was pleasant out there.

First of all I had to find I place which was open so early (this wasn’t actually any difficult) and what was even easier, there was only one meal to choose from, no problems you would think! So this lovely lady the offered me a scramble eggs with some corn beef meat, so 2 scramble eggs with corn beef, that’s it, which has been quickly confirmed by the cook. Well as I knew there will ba a lot of walking to do and no way I will get some cook food till the evening, I decided to double the portion, I mean only eggs, make it large, McDonald style. So instead of 2 eggs I have asked if I can get 4. And then after just few min here comes coffee with milk, brown sugar in the pot, that’s first surprise, coffee is a must do, so no one even ask. Then after just few more minutes, here comes my full size meal, massive omelet made from 4 eggs, a fair portion of corn beef with vegetables and a big portion of rice (another side dish they don’t question). Oh well, I can only say that 11 hours later I still wasn’t hungry and next hot meal I had 12 h later was twice smaller obviously. Any way, while having my breakfast I have met a Philippine couple from Manila, enjoying their retirement, traveling around Philippines, and what’s the funniest they were also planning to do a big waterfalls trek. So I’ve quickly introduced them with my plan of action, and asked if they want to join me, at lest to do the first part. Unfortunately due to age difference (they got worried they might walk to slow) and the fact I have finished my breakfast good 10 min quicker they decided to wait for next guide. But as we were well ahead of time and had to wait for the jeepney, they decided to join us. And as the jeepney came, we all jumped on the roof, to get the ‘local experience’. Quite cool thing to do actually, as in some part the road is bumpy and hilly, you have to hold yourself really tight (so no photos). I couldn’t even have one taken with us on the roof as there was no time for that either, buu mister jeepney driver. One good thing about it is that during the travel we had a chance to have a nice chat with Rhodel (unfortunately I can’t remember his wife’s name), who apparently was 6”1, only just inch smaller (not bad for Pilipino), see one of the photos by the big waterfall.

Aquid village, ont way to the falls.

First part of the trip came nice and easy, all the way going down enjoying the local landscape, rice terraces, villages, really nice. Then after good 30 minutes walk we got to the big fall. Hidden in a small valley gave us some protection from sun, with the fresh breeze of cold water, 40 mins of chit chatting, talking photos and enjoying it came past quickly. And then it started, what was a good fun to start with now turn up to be proper nightmare for some of us.

views, views, views, it's all about views out there.

You know, there are plenty of skyscrapers, but no one ask you to climb 60^th floor using steps, so we had to make few breaks and wait for Rhodel and his wife. Have to say that those countless steps were a real leg burner, and even I started feeling it thuds the end. So I started to feel sorry for Rodhel as he wanted to join us on the trek, but right at the end of the first stage he decided it’s enough for him. Any way, after few minutes of resting we were back on track again, climbing even more steps. You do it the get the view, you know, sit on top the hill and enjoy he landscape, always worth it. But it was different this time, even though it was very sunny and hot while we were walking to the falls, once we going up the hill the weather has changed significantly, so by the time we hit the peak, you could only see clouds! I did get few chances to see some of the rice terraces, but still it wasn’t even abl to take one pic. As we carry on walking the weather was getting worse and we even got some rain, which actually a good thing as I was hoping it might help unloading the clouds! Well, didn’t help, so no views for me today. Instead I was given a survival lesson, which was pretty good. I’ve learned which roots, plants and forest fruit you can eat or how to catch a bird.

On the way back we got a lift from my guide’s friend, another ride on the roof, and this time I’ve managed to take few pic, of yeah! Any way, as got this lift back which save us few minutes, generally didn’t have to stop to enjoy the views, and walk rather quickly, we managed to be back in Sagada almost 4 hours ahead of time. That gave us some extra time for another attraction, which I decided to be caving. Which apparently was the main attraction in Sagada. And I have to say I had some good fun out there, crawling through those very narrow gaps, or walking in a meter deep cold water to climb so small falls. It was quite tricky in few places, there was even I did struggle a lot. The problem there is that you don’t trust those rocks, as wet they tempt to be very slippery. Any way, good 40 minutes of climbing, crawling and nearly swimming, have to say I’m pleased we have managed to that in one day, well worth the 1800 pessos I’ve paid.