Day 3: Mamburao – Pandan Island (Sablayan)

We were still getting used to the heat, so we were lucky that day two (despite being 95km of riding) was flat all the way. The road was unsealed most of the time, but in good condition and pretty quick to ride. (photo: Hana).

Typical scene across the coastal plain. To our left the hills rose abruptly into steep ranges - with the highest point at about 2500m.

Village somewhere in between Mamburao and Sablayan - memorable for the fact that I ate cold chunks of pork fat and rice for lunch. Turo turo 'point point' food stops are the norm in small villages - usually cooked, cold meat and fish sitting in containers on a counter. We were amazed that we never got sick on the whole trip - despite eating some really marginal looking food.

This couple cooked us some hamburgers during one of our multiple food stops. On first impressions they seemed like the happiest and most content couple I have ever met. A baby and a roadside burger bar is all you need.

Typical scene on the road ...

Feeling pretty wrecked at this point. Fortunately we had a tailwind though. We rolled into this shop, bought a 1.5l Coke and drank the whole thing before you could say 'sugar rush!'

At the end of a long day we arrived in Sablayan. We wanted to go out to a nearby resort island, Pandan (pictured below), for a couple of nights. From across the river the boatman had spotted us as we arrived and soon we had our bikes loaded on to one of the sketchiest sea-going vesseIs I have ever seen. Fortunately it's a short trip to the island and not long before sundown we offloaded on the island and found ourselves a room.

On the way out to Pandan Island.

River mouth at Sablayan.