Travel Journal

Live the adventures of Dan Walker's travels through reading his travel journal. The travel journals are listed below in descending order of date. To search the travel journals, use the keyword search at the bottom of the page.

Journal Entry:

Trips | Philippines 2013

Friday, June 07, 2013 13:37:09
Philippines 2013: 13 - Manila, Philippines and home Friday, May 31, 2013 We were picked up by our former driver Arnold at 7 AM for a trip to Taal Island, and to climb Taal Volcano. Taal is a couple of hours south of Manila. The island has a population of about 2,000, but with little infrastructure other than an elementary school. High school students take the school boat to the main island of Luzon. There are neither roads nor cars on the island. We parked in at a lakeside resort where we were picked up by a motorized outrigger boat. The boat design on the lake is unique, with bow and stern sweeping upwards about 6 feet. At the island we were met by a couple of young fellows with small but strong horses. The stirrups at full extension came to about my knees, so I just let my legs hang on either side, retracting them under the horse's belly where the trail was narrow. There are two volcanic craters on the small island, one with the cone tipping towards shore, the other with a good sized lake with an island in it. This is an island in a lake on an island in a lake on an island in the sea! We were told one end of the lake is cool, but the other end hot due to volcanic venting. We just got back to the open building at the landing when the skies poured rain. Lucky we weren't on the steep muddy trail! A quite good lunch had been prepared for us by the locals, and though we tried we were unable to wait out the rain. The boat had a basic roof over it, but was open on the sides, so it was a bit wet. Back at the hotel it was another massage followed by our favorite prawn dinner accompanied by a bottle of white wine in the lobby bar. The service was beyond superb! Saturday, June 1, 2013 The taxi to the airport was the cheapest yet, so the driver got a big tip. 1,100 pesos exit tax was paid, immigration cleared, and I spent the remaining pesos on books at prices far cheaper than in the US or Canada. The ANA flights were on time, and although their lounges were not the best the in flight food and service were great.

Friday, June 07, 2013 13:37:09

Philippines 2013: 13 - Manila, Philippines and home

Friday, May 31, 2013

We were picked up by our former driver Arnold at 7 AM for a trip to Taal Island, and to climb Taal Volcano. Taal is a couple of hours south of Manila. The island has a population of about 2,000, but with little infrastructure other than an elementary school. High school students take the school boat to the main island of Luzon. There are neither roads nor cars on the island.

We parked in at a lakeside resort where we were picked up by a motorized outrigger boat. The boat design on the lake is unique, with bow and stern sweeping upwards about 6 feet. At the island we were met by a couple of young fellows with small but strong horses. The stirrups at full extension came to about my knees, so I just let my legs hang on either side, retracting them under the horse's belly where the trail was narrow.

There are two volcanic craters on the small island, one with the cone tipping towards shore, the other with a good sized lake with an island in it. This is an island in a lake on an island in a lake on an island in the sea! We were told one end of the lake is cool, but the other end hot due to volcanic venting.

We just got back to the open building at the landing when the skies poured rain. Lucky we weren't on the steep muddy trail! A quite good lunch had been prepared for us by the locals, and though we tried we were unable to wait out the rain. The boat had a basic roof over it, but was open on the sides, so it was a bit wet.

Back at the hotel it was another massage followed by our favorite prawn dinner accompanied by a bottle of white wine in the lobby bar. The service was beyond superb!

Saturday, June 1, 2013

The taxi to the airport was the cheapest yet, so the driver got a big tip. 1,100 pesos exit tax was paid, immigration cleared, and I spent the remaining pesos on books at prices far cheaper than in the US or Canada. The ANA flights were on time, and although their lounges were not the best the in flight food and service were great.