Trek to Batad
Trip Start
Dec 28, 2010
1
70
155
Trip End
Aug 21, 2011
Where I stayed
Las Vegas Lodge
Banaue, Luzon, Philippines
Saturday, March 12, 2011
The tricycle ride was a bumpy one with Emma and I squished up in a side cart of a motorbike. After an hour of bumping around we were dropped at 'The Junction', walked up the hillside for an hour, then down for an hour. There was no-one else around which was nice, and only one path to follow so very easy to find Batad. Luckily we declined several offers from guides, knowing that it was likely we could do it alone.
The views on the way were ok, but once in Batad the views of the rice paddies were pretty spectacular. We walked towards the village up and down tiny, steep steps in between the rice paddies, with my big feet I was trying very hard not to fall in!
The climb back up all the little steps was pretty exhausting, so we had a rest with a a pole of ice candy (which we think was frozen condensed milk and water). Then another hour climb back up the way we came. My favourite part (besides the view of the paddies and village), was the walk back to the junction. I have told Emma that's my last big trek, although I'm sure it won't be some how.
We've found a nice place to eat here called 'Hidden Valley', where we had lunch yesterday and dinner today. It's up on the hillside with great views, making sitting having a cup of hot chocolate even more enjoyable.
It's back to cold showers for us at the moment, which isn't great as it's not the warmest of places. Last night we both woke up and had to put more clothes on, brrr.
Px and Emma
