8-Dec-2005: On the Move to Dumaguete

Big, big, big day today. After breakfast we took a tricycle into Moalboal. Did not know when the bus to Bato would come, but it appears they come on a regular basis. Ended up being a wait of about one and a half hours.


This is our first ride on a local bus in the Phillipines. and what a ride.. This driver must be the bus driver from hell. The ride was so fast and erractic at times it reminded me of a cartoon I saw quite recentlywith the devil as the bus driver, taking the passengers to hell.

At Bato we raced accrossed the dock, to catch the ferry to from the island of Cebu to Negros. On the other side we discovered that we were a fair way out from town and took a cab into Dermaguete. We discovered there was a bus at about a tenth of the cost of the taxi.

On arrival we tried Harold's which was recommended by Lonely Planet. Very tacky, rundown and overpriced at 770 pesos a night. Walked up the road where we found a newsih looking hotel called the Coco Grande, (referred to as the Habitat in Lonely Planet). Lovely looking hotel and very reasonably priced. On booking in we received an invitation to an anniversary party at a waterfront hotel. We were advised that the hotel was owned by and Australian and his wife.

After checking in we went for a walk down the waterfront of Dermaguette. The restaurant we received the invitation too appeared to be full of germans and swedes. we decided we did not wish to hang out there. Kept on walkeing and instead had dinner at Sharkey's... a pizza restaurant. Must be one of the best Pizza's I have ever tasted and was blown away. Matthew really enjoyed it as well. After dinner took a leisurely walk back to the hotel, and breathing in the atmosphere.

I have booked a tour for tomorrow with a cost of 1,700 pesos each for 2 hours. Spent a lot of time, worrying that I may have made a mistake. All part of the adventure. Tomoorw i will need to recover the position if I can.