Overnight Train to Chiang Mai!

On Friday we took the Overnight Train from Bangkok to Chiang Mai!

I've never been on a sleeper train before, so had no idea what to expect!!! 
I had visions of loads of smelly travellers crammed onto thin plank-like beds with chickens and goats walking around the carriages. I had psyched myself up for 13hrs of hell, but was pleasantly surprised - luxury (well...for a sleeper train that is) awaited us!

When we arrived at the platform we noticed loads of TV crews and photographers...our train was making its maiden voyage! Our train was brand spanking new!
We were shown to our seats and I was super impressed with the set-out, the seat was super comfy, I had loads of room...everything was brand new and shinny and the air-con was fabulous...and not a smelly traveller in sight! (maybe they were in the next carriage?!) When the train departed the photographers clicked away and the crowds cheered us on (kid you not - this was major Friday night entertainment for some!) the train officer then came round each carriage welcoming us and presented us with a gift (branded water bottle) and an Inauguration Certificate for the Special Express 'Uttravidhi' (Way to the North)!


When we were out of Bangkok and the buzz of the press running up and down the train taking pics and interviewing people has settled, we went for a little wonder to the 'dining room'. Food is served throughout the night, a good selection of Thai food and sandwiches, soft drinks and coffees on offer and there is a cute little area to sit and watch Thailand go by. When we got back to our seats the 'bed make-up man' (not sure what to call him) was in action and making up the beds in our carriage... in a few flips and clicks our 2 seater area was transformed into a top and bunker bed! And I was even more chuffed knowing that the mattress, pillow and blankey were all new! 

I drew the 'top bunk straw' and it was super comfy...had a little night light and phone charger and curtains to block out the rest of the carriage. Only thing I could moan about was a little design error of having a florescent light right above you...kinda kept me awake on and off throughout the night even with my (borrowed from Turkish Airlines) 'Do not disturb' eye mask.  Kev had it lucky with the bottom bunker - slightly more room and once curtains are closed - it was dark-ish! He also had the window view and watched the sunrise in the morning!

Before we knew it the guards were waking us up ''Next stop - Chiang Mai'', we had some time to change, brush teeth and freshen up before pulling into the station - where yet more camera crews awaited us! The 13hrs flew by and I would definitely recommend the sleeper train experience as a fun and different way to travel! It cost 791 baht for the top bunk (£17.90) and 881 baht (£19.94) for the lower bunk - not a bad price for a moving hotel!

'Hotel Uttravidhi'

Unicorn Café Bangkok!

Yesterday we visited the Unicorn Café!

We have friends visiting and they were dying to take the kiddies there...so off we set for some Unicorn action! The UC is located near Silom...about a 20 min Sky Train ride away from our Condo. It's kinda in the middle of nowhere really...no shops or restaurants around, then you turn the corner and see the cotton candy pink paint and Unicorn in the window...voila! It's not as big as I was expecting it to be... the pics on Facebook and Instagram make it look massive...and also make it look much nicer than it actually is! The decor is a bit faded and tired.. the Unicorn toys all look like they are in need of an industrial wash and anti-bac spray! But I can see where they were going with it once-upon-a time-ago...just needs a bit of a re-fresh and some Unicorn sparkle!

The food menu was defo created by someone on a sugar high! And if you going - share - cause everything is super sweet! The menu boasts options from Unicorn Burgers, Rainbow Carbonara to Multicoloured waffles...all topped off with a chocolate Unicorn - oh and you can even order Unicorn Blood - a red coloured sugar ice drink! The presentation is amazing...but the food looks much better than it tastes...our mate had the burger and he said the Unicorn topping was the best part! I had the waffles and ice-cream - for me the banana garnish was the best part! We then shared a slice of their famous 'Unicorn Rainbow Cake'...definitely not famous for the taste...just the look!

Unicorn Delights!

Overall...it was Okay...the kids had fun so that was the most important part and I'll admit I had fun dressing up in a Unicorn Onesie... although a little too small (and also in serious need of a wash!),..it was fun for the photo-op. Most people visiting the UN popped in, ordered a drink, dressed up as a Unicorn, had a photo-shoot and left! (They obs had inside info not to order the food!)

Unicorn Hayley!

https://www.facebook.com/Unicornbrand/

1 Year in BKK!

Today marks 1 Year that we have been living in Bangkok!

Happy 1 Year Anniversary BKK!

I still can't believe how lucky we are to live in this AMAZING city! It's been such a fantastic year filled so many exciting adventures! We've embraced the food, the culture, the shopping malls and although we have done so much this year - there is still so much to see and do! I can't wait to carry on exploring...

We've got visitors arriving on Saturday for a few weeks and I'm so excited to show them around my 'hood' and introduce them to our new life here! We've got a few epic shopping trips planned, trip to Old Town and then travelling up North to Chiang Mai for the Lantern Festival! After that Kev and I will visit Kancherburi for Xmas and then hit the beach in Pattaya for New Year! 

I've fallen in love with Thailand! 
The food, the people, the lifestyle, the everything - I can't wait to see what year no.2 has in store for us! 


Stay tuned for more BKK adventures...

xoxo

Dining in the Dark!

Last week Kev and I celebrated our 5th Wedding Anniversary! 

We decided to have a little adventure so booked our celebration dinner at Dine in the Dark! 

Dine in the Dark is a culinary experience designed to awaken your senses, you are serviced by visually impaired guides and for a portion of the cheque goes towards the Bangkok Foundation for the Blind. It costs 1,450 baht per person (£33.94) a bit more pricey than our usual 40 baht dinners at our local, but hey...we were celebrating 5 years... so we thought we would treat ourselves a little. You can choose from the Western, Asian or Surprise Menu - we opted for the Surprise!

When we arrived we were seated in the bar area and given stylish DID aprons to wear and briefed on what we were about to experience. We were told that the room would be dark...very dark and we were asked to remove any lumo / reflective bits, switch off our phones and our bags were stored in a locker. We were then introduced to your guide for the evening 'Noy' and told she would always be close by should we need anything.

Noy lead us through a curtained area to the private DID dining area. Hands on her shoulders, we went down a few stairs and she miraculously manoeuvred us around the dark dining room to our table and guided our hands as to what was on the table and where. Kev was seated on my left and although right next to me, he felt so far away! They do not lie - it's dark, you can't see a thing, although your eyes do try to play tricks on you (I convinced myself I could see shadows...) and whilst your eyes continue to try adjust I found it more comfortable to close them.  Noy delivered our cocktails and  appetisers and asked up to feel around the table and find the bread....Dining in the Dark had begun!

For starters we had soup, we had to pour from a jar into a cup...well... that was very tricky! I also misjudged where my mouth was so had soup all down the from of me - super glad I had my DID apron on! After that the delicious smelling main course arrived...by this point I had lost my knife and fork, so went old school 'finger lickin good style' and tucked in! Glad no-one was looking  as I was hunched over the plate so I wouldn't spill, shoving food into my mouth with my hands! (I did wonder if anyone was sitting in the corner with night vision goggles having a chuckle watching us trying to eat!?) 

After that we had a little break enjoying our cocktails and chatting to Noy - who by the way is the most amazing, inspirational person I have ever met! Blind at birth she had travelled around the world and is just amazing! She travelled to London on her own and studied in Plymouth for 3 years getting a degree in Communication. She describes her experiences and her travels around the UK in the most astonishing way and was so interesting to hear how she 'saw' things. Next time I even think about complaining about anything I'm gonna remember Noy and her amazing attitude towards life - she definitely added a special touch to the evening and we were so honoured to have met her!

Dessert was a plate of delights, 4 different mouth-size treats! After that coffee and complimentary Anniversary macaroons! (Aww) Noy then guided us to the light and we were seated at the bar and shown pictures of what we ate on our dining experience (menu below) DID was definitely an amazing experience, especially for someone like me who is a bit 'fussy' with food and I like to see the look of  something before I eat it. 

Dinner!

What we thought we ate:

Appetizers - fried seafood salad

Starter - potato, broccoli or cauliflower soup

Main - roast pork belly with veggies

Dessert - fruit salad, sorbet, chocolate tart, shortbread with sweet jam

What we actually ate:

Appetizers - tempura calamari and scallops on a bed of lettuce

Starter - white asparagus soup

Main - roast duck with mash and veggies

Dessert - fruit salad, sorbet, chocolate tart, shortbread with pear

We dined in the dark!

www.dineinthedarkbangkok.com

Thailand vs Japan!

On Tuesday evening we went to watch Thailand vs Japan at Rajamangala National Stadium.

Thailand got through to the final stage of the World Cup Qualifying stage for the first time in about 20 years - so this was bound to be a popular match! Tickets sold out within 1hr - we were super lucky to get tickets (Go Kev!)! 

The stadium is about 30 min away in a taxi, but on Tuesday 70 000 footie fans were heading to the stadium and the traffic was mental, even more mental than it usually is in Bangers! Our taxi driver was amazing...after a few illegal manoeuvres on the motorway he got us there within 35 min! 

Footie Fan Alert!

When we arrived we headed to the ticket collection, then soaked in some pre-match festivities!  We wondered around the market, checking out the 'authentic' t-shirt and football merchandise, had some fried chicken and beers, then headed to the stadium to support our beloved Thailand! .

The stadium was packed!!! Almost every seat had a bum, and if it didn't have a bum, it's bum was sitting / standing in the aisle closer to the action! All supporters were asked to wear blue and it was so awesome to see all the fans sporting blue t-shirt in honour of their team! 

Shorty after the match started - it started to rain!!! And it rained...and rained...and rained... luckily I had my trusty blue bin-bag / raincoat think on hand so stayed a bit dry! 

(*Handy Tip*- During Monsoon season I carry zip-lock bags in my bag - so when it pours at least the phone and wallet will stay dry!)

Although Thailand put up a good fight, Japan scored in the 18th min and again in the 75th min! The rest of the match the Thai goalkeeper worked super hard at keeping more goals out of his goal! 

We snuck out with 10 min to go, not just cause we were soaked, but thought it best to get a head start on hunting a taxi home as 70 000 disappointed fans would shortly be doing the same. We hailed a taxi a few blocks away and headed home to dry off!

Bangkok Adventure with Take me Tours!

Last week I went on an adventure with 'Take Me Tours'!

www.takemetour.com

I’m not usually one to go on an organized tour (Kev usually organizes all that kind of stuff) but I wanna learn more about Bangkok and explore every inch of this amazing city – so I signed myself up for a day-trip! I was looking to do something a little different and something further out of the city centre so I opted for the ‘ Food tasting & Boat Riding through the Mangrove Forest’ tour – the tour was from 09.00-17.00 and cost 2,290bht (£50).  My tour guide ‘Pitipong’ collected me from Ekamai BTS station, a few stops from where I live, and off we set...first stop Wat Sothon!

Let the adventure begin!

Our first stop was Wat Sothorn  - for those who are wondering what a Wat is?!? – it’s a Buddhist Monastery or Temple. Wat Sothorn is located on the Bang Pakong River in the Chachoengsao province, about 1hr 30min outside of Bangkok.   This Temple is home to Phra Phutthasothon, or “Luang Pho Sothorn” who is considered to be one of the most respected Buddha images in Thailand. We first went to the Old Temple that housed the Buddha where locals were placing offerings of eggs, placing gold leaves on the statues and praying to the Buddha. We then visited the newer part of the Temple which which is massive and can be seen from miles around. 

Behind Wat Sorthon is a Chinese Temple that is also exquisite! The colours and statues are a feast for the eyes. A big golden Buddha with a big belly sits in the middle welcoming all that visit. It's very peaceful inside and you could spend hours admiring the gorgeous paintings.

Outside the Temple, was a small food market and Pitipong treated me 'BBQ coconut thing' - I forget the name of it, but it’s made from fresh coconut flesh, coconut cream and palm sugar. It’s then rolled in a leaf, that’s only found in that area (Mangrove Forest Leaf) and placed on the BBQ.  I’m a big fan of coconuts so was super excited to try it - it was chewy and very sweet - but yummy!

We then drove to Wat Klang Nam (also called Hong Thong Temple - which means Golden Swan) It was about a 40 min drive from Wat Sothorn and we drove past acres of salt farms along the way which I was pretty excited about as I love salt! You could smell it in the air and tell you were getting close to the sea! We arrived at the Temple - and well - I was blown away!!!Wat Klang Nam is by far the most beautiful Temple I have yet to visit! It’s a hidden gem and one of those places you will visit that will make you hold your breath for a few moments while you take it all in and realize just how lucky you are to be somewhere so magical!!! Wat Klang Nam is not as big or opulent as some of the Temples I have seen and I think that’s what makes it special – it’s unique, it’s quaint...it’s on the sea!

We set off on the walkway to the Temple, kind of resembled a pier, and the cool sea-breeze and bell sounds were calming and welcoming.  People write their name on bells and hang them in and around the Temple to bring them good luck – there are thousands of bells  -  the sound they make adds to this magical place! (sadly the pictures just don't do the Temple justice - but trust me - it's exquisite!)

There are two parts to the Temple that are full of beautiful Buddha statues. At the far end of the Temple, facing out to sea, is a memorial for Prince Chumphon who was considered a patron saint for anyone out at sea. The view from the Temple is spectacular, you can see all the way to Pattaya! Around the Temple are hundreds of 'golden mini temple looking things', these I am told are to hold your ashes when you pass, some of these have 'reserved' signs on them, and some are already occupied. 

Outside this magical Temple is scene from an old Thai story - Phra Aphai Mani. The characters pop out of the sea bed and it’s about a flute-playing man, a pretty mermaid and an ugly giant lady. The short version of the story is...the ugly giant lady falls madly in love with the flute-playing man and disguises herself as a beautiful lady. The flute-playing man falls for her and they have a child. One day the flute-playing man realizes that his missus is actually an ugly giant lady - he leaves her and falls in love in love with a pretty mermaid. Oh – so this flute he plays is magical, so when the ugly giant lady comes to take revenge on the shallow flute-playing man that has left her for a pretty mermaid... he plays his flute and kills her! (he must have been really out of tune!) Moral of the story -  stay away from men who play the flute! 

After a spot of lunch - since we were at the sea, what better place to get lunch than a seafood restaurant on the pier for some Crab fried rice! Yum!!! - we headed to the Naval History Park at Chulachomklao Fortress.  The fortress is located at the mouth of the Chao Phraya River and played a massive part in protecting Thailand against it's French enemies in 1893. The HTMS Pinklao is stationed at the fortress, and is open to the public, to have a wonder and play 'Navy Navy'. We climbed around the ship for about 20 min, I had loads of fun pretending I was the captain and of course I just had to have a 'Titanic' moment! Out of nowhere massive dark, gloomy clouds arrive and we just made it back to the car before the heavens opened! Sadly we couldn't go on the walkways through the Mangrove Forest as it was near on flooding! 

My 'I'm the Queen of the World' moment!

Last stop of the day we headed to Paknam Pier and got the boat across the Chaoprays River (in the rain). We were on a smallish boat and I must say I was super impressed with the boat driver - he was very skilled at dodging the massive cargo ships along the way!. Once on the other side we we had a wonder around the Fresh Market! What a Market! Food galore! Anything you could think of - they had it!  Fresh fruit and veggies, herbs, spices, meat and seafood galore! Massive prawns, bright green mussels, squids, crabs - if I was a massive seafood fan - this would definitely be the place I'd do my 'fish pie' shopping! There were also a few stalls cooking up some local delicacies and the smells were incredible!  

One of the best parts of the tour (apart from the magical Temple on the sea) was that it didn't feel like I was on an organized tour. It felt like I was being taken around by a buddy! My tour guide - aka - new buddy Pitipong was awesome and very informative. We chatted in the car about Thai culture, London life and he answered any questions I had. Its definitely a great way to explore Bangers and having someone with you who knows the secret magical places to visit is definitely a plus!

Pitipong & Me!

www.takemetour.com

Republic of the Philippines - Part 2 - Alona Beach!

We arrived at the gorgeous Alona Beach and headed straight to the Hotel to costume up-and catch some rays. We were a bit too early to check-in so had a little wonder around the beach strip then cooled off in the hotel pool (that had a great view of the beach) and enjoyed the locals prefered drink of Rum and Coke (I will just refer to it as R&C from now on as it will feature a lot!)

The picture postcard Alona Beach

Our Hotel was just off the main strip and right in the middle of all the action. The room was lovely, a bit small, but hey you just need a bed and shower when on hols! We were upstairs across from the bar area (more about this later!) and with easy access to the beach and pool.  After quite a few R&C time, we headed to the beach for dinner. There was an array of colorful sea-food on display, massive fresh lobsters and gigantic crabs! Aargh - crabs! After my last crabby experience I decided to stay away from sea-food all-together! We opted for the BBQ Pork, a popular dish in the area and let's face it... nothing beats a BBQ on the beach! Out table was literally on the shore line with tiny waves lapping our toes as we ate. The beach entertainment was awesome - fireworks galore (in our honor no doubt) local kids singing the latest pop hits and shirtless men throwing fire-balls around and banging drums!  After dinner a few R&C's at the Beach Bar before bedtime!

So back to the Hotel room location - we were told the bar closes at midnight. At 1.30am I let it go that I couldn't sleep cause a few drunken folk were attempting to do karaoke - it was Saturday night after all and i'm not that old and grumpy yet! (I'll leave that for Kev) At 2.30 am when the drunken folk could no longer hold a tune I started to get the hump! So at 3am ...with my fabulous beach frizz bedhead hair flowing and in my 'Night Owl' pajamas I headed downstairs! The manager and his private party of 3 were hugely apologetic and promised the party was over.  We'd not long closed our eyes when they set off again...louder and more out of tune than ever! This time Kev set off and that was that...until they started up again!

The next day, sleep deprived and both slightly moody we hit the beach and hit the beach hard! We found a cosy posi under a palm tree and spent the day playing with sea urchins, working on the tan, napping and sampling yet more R&C! When we got back to the Hotel we were moved to a fantastic deluxe suite, with outdoor balcony and best part of all - far away from party central! From then on we were 'that' couple the staff stayed away from from fear of complaints - oh well -at least we slept well for the remainder of our stay!

For our second last day in Philippines we booked an Island Tour and set out bright and early with 2 other couples on a boat names Jesus...I kid you not...

 ..

The boat named 'Jesus'

First on the tour was Dolphin watching, and Jesus did not disappoint! He found loads of them...and they put on a spectacular show for us! There were about 20 other boats (all biblical named) also out Dolphin watching and at some points it kinda felt like we were herding them. The boats would all stop to admire them jumping out the water and when they got too far out, engines on and the dolphin chase was on. There is something truly special about seeing Dolphins (not that i wanna be getting a dolphin tattoo or anything) but they really are amazing creatures. These were the smallest I have seen yet and their flick-flack tricks were top notch!

The Dolphin Show

Jesus then headed to Balicasage Island - a tiny Island near Panglao renowned for its exquisite diving and snorkeling extravaganza. I was never one for snorkeling, or swimming for that matter - don't like getting my hair wet! But a few years back when we were in Cuba I tried snorkeling for the first time and loved it... couldn't believe the underwater feast that awaited the eyes - I've been hooked ever since! We equipped ourselves with snorkeling gear and off we went. OMG...and I will say it again...OMG!!! One of the best snorkeling experiences ever! Not only did we find Nemo but we saw so many underwater creatures it was unbelievable! I swam with a turtle...well there were quite a few but one took a shining to me...'Hayley the Turtle Whisperer'!! They were massive and much faster than you would think..and there were starfish galore...bright blue ones, pink ones and yellow ones! Then there was...bzz...bzzz...jellyfish...the kind that go bzzz and sting! Not a bad sting but still enough to turn you red and make wanna get out! But to take in more of the amazing underwater spectacular and hang out with the turtle dude we braved more stings and soaked in as much as we could of this one in a lifetime experience. Sadly we couldn't take phones (aka the camera) with us so I couldn't capture just how beautiful and amazing it really was - we will be investing in one of these for our next beach getaway for sure! After about 1 hr in the water, we chilled on the beach taking in the views and sunshine, then set off in Jesus for the last tour stop.

The Turtle Dude!
(found this pic online - i'm pretty sure its him!)

Jesus then sailed the waters for about 40 min until we reached the Virgin Island of Panglao, known as the 'hidden oasis' - when the tide is low a stretch of white sand is viable. Locals come along and 'set-up shop' for the tourists, they sell an array of sea-creatures that they will fry up for you, you can buy coconuts, boiled eggs, noodles and fried bananas in brown sugar - that's what I opted for! And it was yum! (so random to be eating fried bananas in the middle of the sea!)  The Virgin Island was small and full of tourists, but pretty amazing to be in the middle of the sea on a little patch of sand! We stayed there for about 30 min, star-fish hunting and cooling off in the water before we headed back to Panglao where we spent the remainder of the afternoon around the pool bonding with our new buddy - R&C!

Heading back to Panglao Island

On our last day in Philippines we set off to the Capital, Manila. Our flight wasn't until late in the evening so we spent the day at SM Mall - the biggest mall in Asia! They have a free bag drop facility, so we ditched the luggage, had some breakfast and had a short wander around Manila before walking the mall flat! The airport was probably the most exciting part of the day as we had the most amazing food there! Throughout our time in Philippines it seemed like we were searching for a distinctly Filipino flavor and...wham...we found it at the Departures Gate! It was a rice based dish with pork in the most unusual, yet amazing sauce - it was delish and a perfect way to end the trip! 

Philippines - you were awesome! 

Republic of the Philippines - Part 1 - Loboc!

Last month we visited the Republic of the Philippines!

Philippines is made up of 7,641 Islands - sadly we didn't have time to visit all of them, so chose to visit the popular and beautiful Bohol Island in the South. First visiting the 'jungle vibes' Loboc then the gorgeous white sands of Alona Beach on Panglao Island. We then spent our last day in the Capital Manila wondering around Asia's largest shopping centre - SM Mall (woohoo -happy Hayley!) before heading home to Bangers!

We flew with Cebu Pacific Airlines which was a first for me, some advice if you ever fly with them - wear your shades! These guys rock psychedelic lumo yellow tops! That and their 'top of the morning' vibe is slightly too much for an early morning flight! But a good airlines nonetheless! When we arrived at Tagbilaran Airport in Bohol, we looked out for sign with our name on as the Hotel had sent a driver for us...or so we were told. After waiting a few hrs, and while trying to find wifi to contact the Hotel - we were told they had forgotten we were arriving! We then tried to organize a cab to Loboc - with about 15 taxi drivers all fighting amongst themselves over who was gonna take the job - we hopped in the nearest cab and hoped for the best! The drive from the airport to the hotel was about 30 min (super happy that Kev didn't make us walk that one!) Loboc suffered an earthquake a few years back and there were still signs of the devastation and of repairs all along the journey. 

Our Hotel, was situated on the along the river front and although painted a sickly green colour and undergoing renovations - it was not a bad hotel! It served a pretty good breakfast, had a fantastic bar selection and comfy beds. The manager was super friendly and insisted on driving us 2 min down the road to our first activity - The Floating Restaurant Cruise! I'm always hungry and up to trying the local cuisine and since this is the only place you can get lunch is Loboc - we kinda had no choice! The cruise/ lunch ticket cost 100 PHP (£1.63) and we were whisked onto the next available boat and set out for a 1hr cruise along the river, with a buffet table and live one-man band. There are 20 boats that go up and down the river from 11.00-16.00 every day, there used to be evening ones too, but they have stopped since the earthquake.

Long River Cruise Floating Resto

Lunch was interesting! Lots of random things were squashed onto the buffet table - something for everyone on there. I opted for some BBQ chicken, some kind of fish, noodles, rice and other random bits... and to top it off I added a Crab! I've seen plenty a travelling show on TLC on how river crabs are super yummy...I was on the river so why not!?! NEVER AGAIN!!!! Firstly his eyeballs were eyeballing me...and not in a good way! Then I couldn't figure out how to open him up and when I did a furry, feathered brainy mess awaited me! It freaked me out and I couldn't eat him! (I have a new appreciation for supermarket crab sticks!) The dude next to me seemed pretty interested in him so I donated my crab to his plate taking note as to how he dismantled him. The views along the river were just stunning, we stopped a few times along the way to listen to songs the locals had prepared for the tourists. A freaky highlight was watching a Python cross the river in front of us...eek...but that didn't stop the locals from jumping in to cool down.


After the cruise we took a tuk-tuk (painted in our Thai football team's colours I may add...Go Port FC!!!) to the Loboc Adventure Park to zip line across the river! The zip line costs 350PHP (£5.72), it's 120m high and 520m long. It took under a minute to fly across but the views were spectacular and I thought it was super fun! Kev on the other had was no so excited...he started looking a bit pale when we arrived and by the time we had climbed up to the launching point he was slightly green! There are 2 lines, so we could zip across the river together, once strapped in, helmet on we flew across the river - me admiring the views and Kev screaming in terror! Kev opted for the Cable cart return as he couldn't stomach another flying stint! Hmm...perhaps zipping again would have been the best option as the rusty old cable cart (not so much cable cart - more like a bench on wires!) felt like it was gonna drop out the sky any min! I suddenly remembered my fear of heights and as we rocked from side to side my lunch threatened to re-appear... and it didn't help much that the Korean couple next to us kept joking we might fall and  'go splat'! Anyhoo - we made it across, both a little pale but happy to be back on land again! We then opted for the 30 min walk back to the Hotel to get some colour in our cheeks and check out the area. For dinner we hit the one and only restaurant open for dinner in Loboc - The Pizza House! I was hoping for an authentic Philippines cuisine experience as lunch didn't quite fulfil my culinary expectations, but hey you take what you can get! The pizza was pretty good... the beer was great!

The 'go spat' ride of doom...

On day 2 we caught a local bus called a Jeepney to the Chocolate Hills! The Jeepney was cheap and cheerful, pumped local music all the way there and randomly stopped on the side of the road for pick-ups and drop-offs. So much more fun that taking a tourist bus!
So - the Chocolate Hills...I had visions of chocolate coated hills, with Mars bars and Snickers growing on trees, but nah...the boob shaped 1,260 plus hills are called such as they turn brown during the rainy season - giving them the name 'Chocolate Hills'. What makes these hills so popular is not only the incredible views but the mystery surrounding them as to how they got to be there - my favourite theory is that they were formed from tears of a giant! (obviously having a major crying wobble because someone ate all his chocolate!) When we arrived, the rain decided to make an appearance and showed us the Chocolate Hills in true form...the rain poured and the mud flowed - just like a chocolate fountain!


We headed back to Loboc via the Tarsier viewing point. I'd never even heard of these little big eyed things before... I wanna call them monkeys, but apparently they not! They are very tiny - the size of my fist - and they are ugly too! They have big googly eyes, massive hands and kinda remind me of the Bush Baby's weirdo miniature cousin! They are the smallest known primate in the world and their eyes are bigger than their brains!  It was an amazing experience to see in their natural habitat...even though they were fast asleep! (there are signs everywhere asking you not to wake them up and not to poke them with selfie stick!) These cheeky little chaps are so popular in Philippines they even appear on the PHP200 note!

The 'not-so cute' Tarsier

On day 3 we left the lovely luscious Loboc for Panglao Island for some tannage and chilled-out beach time. We were the first on the Jeepney and within 6 pickup spots it was jam-packed! The journey took about 40min to get to the bridge that takes you to the island. Mr Jeepney driver came to an abrupt stop in the middle of the highway and gestured for us to get off - I guess that was out stop! Once we squeezed past all the passengers and manoeuvred our luggage out the window we then had to run across the highway...all safe and sound we then hailed a tuk-tuk to Alona Beach.

The Jeepney

...stay tuned for Republic of the Philippines - Part 2 - Alona Beach!