Long Way Home II (Legazpi to Leyte)

…Continued from Long Way Home  (Legazpi to Leyte)

2nd day of my mini solo adventure. Sorry, less pictures this time since I was on a bus all day and kind of bored. Well enjoy the volcano pics!

Mount Mayon

Woke up early just to go to Cagsawa ruins which is several kilometers away from Legazpi city. The famous postcard was taken from there and probably one of the best view.

Took a jeepney towards another town and somehow did now know how to get there. Luckily, an old lady who sits next to me in the jeepney lives near the cagsawa ruins and guided me where to get off. I got to Cagsawa ruins on time. I didn’t even know how far to the site. I took a pedicab to get there just incase.

Then, stood before me... Mount Mayon... sleeping, beautiful mountain waiting to unleash her rage once again. Get to pay P10 for the entrance since I’m not from Bicol. Enjoyed the site Solo since nobody was there just me, my camera and Mount Mayon. The ruins were still there. I could imagine the day that Mayon was angered. There were some shops where you could buy some souvenirs. Bought a ref magnet for my mothers collection. Also took dozens of pictures until I’m good to go. The place really wasn’t that far. I walked my way back to the main road after. I have to prepare my trip towards the Visayas Islands.

Finally decided to head back to the lodge and left Mount Mayon at peace again. This time I have to go to the island of Samar which is far away from Bicol. From Legazpi City, I took a bus towards the town of Bulan which is quite far. I passed by Sorsogon and some major towns.

Legazpi, Albay to Bulan Sorsogon

Bulan

The trip was very far and tiring and my battery was depleting fast. I really needed the map feature so that I won’t get lost. I dont know where im heading but according to the map, my next destination was heading to the town of Matnog which would take me less than an hour according to Mr Driver. But i've got less time, I have to pay for another seat just to get the tricycle moving since he has to fill the transportation with people.

Matnog

I have reached Matnog on time. Well, not really because I thought the boat will leave on 3pm but instead it left around 4pm waiting for some passengers and the bus heading for Samar or Leyte. I found a man that speaks bisaya which is the dialect that I’m speaking and fortunately he is the driver of the bus heading for Leyte. They were stranded for 10 hours in Legazpi due to some broken bus stuff. The bus is quite full and he assured that I could get a seat.

For maybe an hour or so of watching WWE on the Ro-Ro, we finally reached Visayas. Allen, Samar was the destination of the ship. Well, at least my phone was charged again.

Allen Bus Ride

Ahh, Visayas at last! I hurried to get to the Bus (P&P bus lines) which i think will be heading towards my hometown. But I have to stop in Tacloban because I've got to go to this Surf Competition in Guiuan, Samar. Well, the Bus Driver was there and there were some people getting off the bus. I have to get myself a seat. It was almost 5pm and its getting dark.

I sat next to this talkative man who he said he's from Ormoc. He told me about his stay in Manila and he only has this 3days vacation to see his family. Well, he has a lot to tell, I dont know if they were lies or truth that he was on the military back then and now he was on this construction thing and gave snatched cell phones & jewelries to his family in the province. I didnt get enough sleep because of him. I wanted to but he keeps talking.

Tacloban City

My next stop would be TaclobanCity which I though was only 4hours bus ride. But NO! It was 7hours! I only ate noodles for dinner. I just don’t want to feel shitty in that damn 7-hour ride. And by the way, there were stuff all around the bus, mattresses bags, folded tables, buckets of biscuits and all those stuff. So, going in and out of the bus is quite difficult. I could not even take a picture of it since it was quite dark. But then, trouble strikes, the bus was slowing down due to this problem they were experiencing days before. At least it was still running.

Passed by some of the cities in Samar including Catbalogan, Calbayog and several Military checkpoints then I saw the longest bridge in the Philippines... The San Juanico Bridge, I am several kilometers towards home. But I have to find a place to sleep.

I arrived at around 12am in tacloban searching for some place to stay for the night. A tricycle driver took me to this scary-ass hotel/motel/lodge/haunted house thing. In the outside, there were scary-ass prostitutes hollering. I asked for another cheap lodge and took me to Manabo lodge which was kind of ok but now electric sockets in their room to charge my phone. I have to go to the front desk to charge my phone & camera. I went outside to eat at the nearest tapsilog station and continued my dinner. Got back and slept like a log. By the way, my room is very scary, everything was blue, no windows, just a bed and a mini table, an air conditioner, and the room is a perfect square. It’s like in some horror movie but who cares. I have to wake up early for the trip to Sulangan in Guiuan Samar.

The Long Way Down Trilogy:

Day 1: Legazpi Albay Day Tour
Day2: Legazpi to Leyte
Day 3-5: Samar to Leyte to Cebu