Kabayan -Home of centuries old mummies!

20th December 2008 - sitting in a bus can be so boring!So can u imagine,...8 hours of it! So we went and sat ON it! The roads were horrendous, bumpy,dusty, small - one lane road by the side of the mountain!Luckily for us though, it pays to hang on for dear life on the rooftop of the bus as the views on the way to Kabayan were amazing. Have a peek!There was only one place to stay in Kabayan (you will find it in LonelyPlanet-Phillipines or you will find it when you get there, it is by the mainroad-the only road in town), which we nearly missed and nearly got driven to the next town as we were too awestruck by the beauty of countryside Kabayan.

Kabayan has a curfew - 6pm. Enough said...it was dark by the time we got there anyway.

21st December 2008 - Started walking at 8am to go hunt for the Mummies. Here, burial sites were in the form of cave tombs. Each family would have their own tombs were they were burried in wooden caskets. The tombs would be locked but to those curious, you could easily get the key from the head of the village. All you need to do is sign a visitor book. No charge.

That's Me!

That's me, first day in Baguio, Phillipines...very inexperienced in terms of packing (do attempt to count how many bag I wrapped around me!)

Landed in Angeles City on 19th Dec 2008, stayed there for about 2 seconds and boarded the bus to Baguio upon hearing that the city is a very "dark, dodgy" area.

Bus ride took 6 hours!(Arrived at midnight in an unknown location feeling groggy and lost) Don't know which decision was better...

Walked around the city the next morning. Loved the cooler weather there as its on highland area, but it's a typical town, busy-busy-busy!

Caught another bus to Kabayan (+ 8 hours!!!)

Phillipines a Virgin Experience!

Travel period : 19 December 2008 - 3rd January 2009
Travellers : Me, Jeff and met Frank of Germany in between the trip
Rough Itinery :
1. Landed in Angeles (Kota Kinabalu - Angeles)
2. Baguio city (6 hours by bus) - 1st night
3. Kabayan (7 hours by bus) - 2nd night
4. Capoyuan (walked from 11am till 5pm) - 3rd night
5. Abatan (3 1/2 hour very slow bus ride) - transit town
6. Sagada (2 1/2 hour bus ride) - 4th night
7. Bontoc (1 1/2 hour van ride) - 5th night
8. Tinglayan (4 hours ride) - 6th and 7th night (christmas!)
9. Bontoc to Banaue (3 hours) - Batad (45 mins on bike + 2 hours walk)8th night
10. Batad to Banaue (31/2 hours walk out + 45 mins car ride)
11. Banaue to Baguio (7 hours bus ride) 9th night on bus
12. Baguio to Vigan (4 hours by bus)
13. Vigan to Manila (8 hours) 10th night
14. Manila 11th night
15. Tagatay to Nasugbu (accidental 12th night)
16. Taal to Batangas to Mindoro Island - Puerto Galera (13 & 14th night)
17. Batangas to Manila (15th night)
18. Angeles Airport - Kota Kinabalu, Sabah, Malaysia. (Day 16)
Budget : Flight - RM 400 ++ (Kota Kinabalu - Angeles - Kota Kinabalu) Air Asia
Others - RM 1400 (seriously! food+accomodation+drinks+souveniers+transport)