Friday December 5, 2008
It has taken us half a day to take the flight Tiger middle of the afternoon we arrived at Clark (Philippines) 20.15.
Thibaud and Greg go to learn the taxi counter for Alex and myself go out oxygenate our lungs. After 15 minutes of discussion, they returned to inform us. We would be 1 hour drive from Capas and should 1h more to arrive in Santa Juliana, registration point for trekking of Mount Pinatubo. The purpose of this trip, like so many before, of course, is climbing a volcano. Mount Pinatubo was also made famous in 1991 with a rash nine hours caused 800 deaths and the evacuation of thousands of Filipino and American soldiers who were stationed in the Philippines.
We do not really prepared for this trip, which is rather usual, but at this point it never happened. The only thing we know is that we want to climb the volcano as soon as possible because the routes in the Philippines take a long time, which would leave us little time to visit other things. Either we go by taxi to Santa Juliana and attempts to find a guide there for the next morning, we try to find a guide now. We choose the second solution and we call Edwin, recommended by Lonely Planet. The telephone conversation in English seems difficult, it is only 1 hour from the airport in Clark, we ask him to join us.
For those who know Clark airport, they should know just passing 1h makes
already depressed, then spend 1 hour when you're the last flight of the day and everyone leaves the airport ... Well nay. We head towards the one small dispensary Pizza Hut to beg for pizza. Is closed .. I asked him if it is possible to call a delivery service to be delivered to the airport. Faced with the plight of our eyes, we released two pizzas I know not where. The pizzas are hot, they are taken (412 pesos).
It has taken us half a day to take the flight Tiger middle of the afternoon we arrived at Clark (Philippines) 20.15.
Thibaud and Greg go to learn the taxi counter for Alex and myself go out oxygenate our lungs. After 15 minutes of discussion, they returned to inform us. We would be 1 hour drive from Capas and should 1h more to arrive in Santa Juliana, registration point for trekking of Mount Pinatubo. The purpose of this trip, like so many before, of course, is climbing a volcano. Mount Pinatubo was also made famous in 1991 with a rash nine hours caused 800 deaths and the evacuation of thousands of Filipino and American soldiers who were stationed in the Philippines. We do not really prepared for this trip, which is rather usual, but at this point it never happened. The only thing we know is that we want to climb the volcano as soon as possible because the routes in the Philippines take a long time, which would leave us little time to visit other things. Either we go by taxi to Santa Juliana and attempts to find a guide there for the next morning, we try to find a guide now. We choose the second solution and we call Edwin, recommended by Lonely Planet. The telephone conversation in English seems difficult, it is only 1 hour from the airport in Clark, we ask him to join us.
For those who know Clark airport, they should know just passing 1h makes
already depressed, then spend 1 hour when you're the last flight of the day and everyone leaves the airport ... Well nay. We head towards the one small dispensary Pizza Hut to beg for pizza. Is closed .. I asked him if it is possible to call a delivery service to be delivered to the airport. Faced with the plight of our eyes, we released two pizzas I know not where. The pizzas are hot, they are taken (412 pesos). A trip to the vending machine, and here we deal for a small dinner outside
the airport amid a handful of technicians surface of the airport s afferent. Then we go on with our first game of cards (a small c tr .. ... or the president also called, it depends where it is located). An hour after the telephone conversation, a kind of jeep happens is Edwin. He moved with us and we start talking price. Rp 3.000 per person for the ascent and 2,500 Rp to guide and porter. The guide is mandatory, it will happen against the carrier. We decide to leave immediately for Santa Juliana. We stop at a gas station to buy some food, water and beer. And here we are, hair
the wind through the countryside of northern Philippines. Just 1:20 drive, here we are already in Santa Juliana. Edwin invites us to sleep at his friend. It arrives in a small house located 30 meters from the registrar for the trek. People who live there, and despite our protest, release the two rooms of the house and go sleep on the floor or on a few couches. The walls are thin, the rooms have no ceiling, but it's quite nice to sleep with the locals. Saturday, December 6, 2008
We wake up so the smell of frying at 5am. An omelette, fried eggs,
coffee and very good rolls on the table waiting for us outside. It had indeed spotted a little bakery has a few meters left out of the house. Edwin found us a guide to climb. Registrars for the trek do not open until 6am. No problem, we will register our return .. We start therefore with Edwin jeep and guide the direction of Mount Pinatubo. It is already beginning to emerge.
Jeep crosses large areas of ash and sandy land , remnants of the eruption. The need to have a jeep is felt for the few crossings of the main stream flowing in the middle of this ancient path of lava.
After 40 minutes of driving, the Jeep stops and we start with the guide for 2 hours of walking. Edwin stayed with our bags and Jeep. The trail to the lake does not rise very little. It's almost walking on the flat part on the end or it goes a little disappointing for the more adventurous we are. The only difficulty of the trek lies in the attempt to keep your feet dry when he must cross the small river about 56 times. Two very different techniques in pictures: balancing on rocks or 
crossing the schuss . Note that only Alex distinguished himself in the latter technique. We were too late to lake. Turquoise water, hot sun, a small house 
(the "base camp"), vegetation surrounded by mountains ... just magical. At the time of the eruption, the Pinatubo has indeed sunk to 300 meters and gave way to the lake. 150 photos each, and later we repeat the path in the opposite direction. Along the way, we meet a few tourists, a dozen at most. Edwin and found the Jeep that took us to lunch 
restaurant (included in package). Rice, chicken, potatoes, .. the meal is quite rich. During the meal, we get information from Edwin on the activities we can do in the area. Baguio, among the beautiful rice terraces in Asia, is nearly 8 hours of road. Hundred Islands National Park is too far and the description of the Lonely Planet is bleak ... It was therefore decided to go to Subic Bay, southwest of Clark.
Edwin leads us to the station of Jeepney Angeles. The Jeepney, these are the transport of U.S. troops who have been converted into taxis. 40 minutes later (140 pesos for 4) and we arrive to the bus station in San Fernando. Right out of the jeepney, you get alpaguer by a minibus driver: 1,500 pesos for four. We know that the normal bus costs about 200 pesos per person, so it sends the driver politely graze and begin crossing the main street. It is up to us: 500 pesos for all, a reduction of 67% without saying a word .. So here we are the minibus at 11 and a dog. 2h card game later and we arrived at Olongapo. The city seems rather busy, it goes in search of a hotel. We put our suitcases in the Ridge Crest Hotel. The rooms are not given (2,000 pesos per room) for the standard Filipino but they are spacious, clean and well equipped.
We then dine at Sam's Pizza, Pizza Hut with sort of a platform which hosts the bands to an audience that is busier dining has
watch the show. However, this singer has managed to hold our attention for her vocal .. if so, I assure you she sang well and more. The family-size pizzas are very plentiful, so we decided to walk to Subic Bay to digest. It falls on a night market and a dance. They ask for a beer before finishing the evening in a dance Traditional (:)) of Olongapo and Angeles you can find too. We do not accept invitations to private dance lessons despite the insistence of the manager and his employees.
Sunday, December 7, 2008
We decide to leave the hotel and spend our last night in Baloy Beach. It therefore takes a yellow jeepney (8 pesos per person) to Rontonda (small square with a statue of a head) where you can take the blue jeepney. The blue jeepney (13 pesos / person) takes us to Baloy Beach.
arrived at Baloy Beach it is regularly surrounded by sellers of blowguns, bows, CDs, sunglasses, .. We visit several resorts before landing at the Resort's Sheaven (3,000 Rp for a room of 4). It is now time to take an American breakfast (eggs, bacon, toast = 230 pesos) with a banana shake (110 Rp). The hotel's terrace, with views over the bay is quite nice.
(the "base camp"), vegetation surrounded by mountains ... just magical. At the time of the eruption, the Pinatubo has indeed sunk to 300 meters and gave way to the lake. 150 photos each, and later we repeat the path in the opposite direction. Along the way, we meet a few tourists, a dozen at most. Edwin and found the Jeep that took us to lunch 
restaurant (included in package). Rice, chicken, potatoes, .. the meal is quite rich. During the meal, we get information from Edwin on the activities we can do in the area. Baguio, among the beautiful rice terraces in Asia, is nearly 8 hours of road. Hundred Islands National Park is too far and the description of the Lonely Planet is bleak ... It was therefore decided to go to Subic Bay, southwest of Clark. Edwin leads us to the station of Jeepney Angeles. The Jeepney, these are the transport of U.S. troops who have been converted into taxis. 40 minutes later (140 pesos for 4) and we arrive to the bus station in San Fernando. Right out of the jeepney, you get alpaguer by a minibus driver: 1,500 pesos for four. We know that the normal bus costs about 200 pesos per person, so it sends the driver politely graze and begin crossing the main street. It is up to us: 500 pesos for all, a reduction of 67% without saying a word .. So here we are the minibus at 11 and a dog. 2h card game later and we arrived at Olongapo. The city seems rather busy, it goes in search of a hotel. We put our suitcases in the Ridge Crest Hotel. The rooms are not given (2,000 pesos per room) for the standard Filipino but they are spacious, clean and well equipped.
We then dine at Sam's Pizza, Pizza Hut with sort of a platform which hosts the bands to an audience that is busier dining has
watch the show. However, this singer has managed to hold our attention for her vocal .. if so, I assure you she sang well and more. The family-size pizzas are very plentiful, so we decided to walk to Subic Bay to digest. It falls on a night market and a dance. They ask for a beer before finishing the evening in a dance Traditional (:)) of Olongapo and Angeles you can find too. We do not accept invitations to private dance lessons despite the insistence of the manager and his employees. Sunday, December 7, 2008
We decide to leave the hotel and spend our last night in Baloy Beach. It therefore takes a yellow jeepney (8 pesos per person) to Rontonda (small square with a statue of a head) where you can take the blue jeepney. The blue jeepney (13 pesos / person) takes us to Baloy Beach.
arrived at Baloy Beach it is regularly surrounded by sellers of blowguns, bows, CDs, sunglasses, .. We visit several resorts before landing at the Resort's Sheaven (3,000 Rp for a room of 4). It is now time to take an American breakfast (eggs, bacon, toast = 230 pesos) with a banana shake (110 Rp). The hotel's terrace, with views over the bay is quite nice.
You can walk then Baloy beach, but the sun soon lead us to look a little dark corner. The beach is beautiful. The only problem remains tankers that sail off, but the water is clean.
It was therefore decided to rent for three one small cottage (200 pesos) which are alternated card games and swimming.
We returned to the hotel eat a burger before heading to the Bat Kingdom where it seems one can see the bats of two meters wide. This requires resume jeepney jeepney yellow and blue. The animation, as the Lonely Planet, starting around 17h, we decided to go by car chartered by the hotel (450 pesos one way). After half an hour, we arrive at the famous Bat Kingdom. The driver stopped us on an embankment overlooking a forest rather dense. No signs, no bat, we're pretty skeptical. So we head to a few people to confirm that the driver took us to the right place. They assure us that this is the Bat Kingdom but most bats are now visible on the side of the airport. It therefore incorporates the car and arrive at the airport 
5 minutes later. Indeed, hundreds of bats hang from the top trees surrounding the airport. We got out of the car armed with our cameras. Vigils warn us that it is forbidden to take pictures of the airport ... noted. The wind picks up a few bats, but almost all remain in a vegetative state. According to the vigil, they only wake up to 21h. They are rather large, but very far from the two meters announced by the guides. He is 18h, it would take too long to wait. Moreover, the dark and speed of these cattle makes it difficult to take pictures. It therefore takes the car to Olongapo where we were the day before (another 450 pesos in the teeth). Some jeepneys pass occasionally, so it may be possible to travel by public transport. A
Olongapo, we go to Cor Pang, the casino main street. A sign at the entrance to the Casino invites guests to leave firearms in a kind of urn ... nice. Inside, a table ball, 5-6 blackjack and hundreds of slot machines. Their rules of blackjack seem very odd (only two packages at the center of the table, players play cards from the bank while the croupier plays the player's cards, a maximum of 3 cards, ..). The ball does not open until 20:30, so it falls back on the machines slot. Apart from 4 slots to poker, slot machines are other lines of symbols where one chooses the number of lines to make combinations .. incomprehensible too. We leave so quickly the casino for dinner. We will dine at McDonald's (Big Mac Menu Large = 150 pesos). It then returns the ball to play at the casino. I earn almost twice my bet before he changes me the dealer and I lost my fortune. Only Greg can recover his initial investment. It takes the jeepney back to blue and Baloy beach where we settle down to play cards.
Monday, December 8
Lever 8:30, we have two options: take the only direct bus to hotel to
Angeles at 11 am or stay a little longer and go to the bus station in the Rotunda. We choose the second option, knowing that there is not much to do in Angeles. After breakfast, we return to the beach where I make my maiden jetski (2,500 pesos / hour). We then returned to the hotel to retrieve our belongings. The blue jeepney
brings us to the bus station where we take the bus from Dau to 13h (150 pesos / person). The bus is almost empty, everyone gets a seat and prick a small amount. After 1:30 drive, the bus fills up but luckily we arrived
half-hour later Dau. It takes up a yellow jeepney Angeles. Victim of a traffic accident, we change jeepney. Then we get into the main street of Angeles : that is to say prostitutes in a bar every 5 meters. We choose a bar that seems a priori well in all respects. Within a pool table, perfect to fill some two hours that we have to wait. The bar still has a nightclub a little special Voodoo, as well as bedrooms each floor. It then arranges
a car from the bar (300 pesos), which brings us back to the beautiful Clark airport. Included are a few groups of French crusaders to go. Once the airport tax paid (700 pesos / person), we wait in the departure lounge with a final game of cards. The flight to Singapore will be unhindered.
Estimated budget for one person (excluding airfare):
Transportation: 550 pesos
Power: 800 pesos
Housing: 1750 pesos
Other (guide, jetski, taxes, bungalow) : 6,200 pesos
Total = 9.300 pesos (about 140 euros)
5 minutes later. Indeed, hundreds of bats hang from the top trees surrounding the airport. We got out of the car armed with our cameras. Vigils warn us that it is forbidden to take pictures of the airport ... noted. The wind picks up a few bats, but almost all remain in a vegetative state. According to the vigil, they only wake up to 21h. They are rather large, but very far from the two meters announced by the guides. He is 18h, it would take too long to wait. Moreover, the dark and speed of these cattle makes it difficult to take pictures. It therefore takes the car to Olongapo where we were the day before (another 450 pesos in the teeth). Some jeepneys pass occasionally, so it may be possible to travel by public transport. A Olongapo, we go to Cor Pang, the casino main street. A sign at the entrance to the Casino invites guests to leave firearms in a kind of urn ... nice. Inside, a table ball, 5-6 blackjack and hundreds of slot machines. Their rules of blackjack seem very odd (only two packages at the center of the table, players play cards from the bank while the croupier plays the player's cards, a maximum of 3 cards, ..). The ball does not open until 20:30, so it falls back on the machines slot. Apart from 4 slots to poker, slot machines are other lines of symbols where one chooses the number of lines to make combinations .. incomprehensible too. We leave so quickly the casino for dinner. We will dine at McDonald's (Big Mac Menu Large = 150 pesos). It then returns the ball to play at the casino. I earn almost twice my bet before he changes me the dealer and I lost my fortune. Only Greg can recover his initial investment. It takes the jeepney back to blue and Baloy beach where we settle down to play cards.
Monday, December 8
Lever 8:30, we have two options: take the only direct bus to hotel to
Angeles at 11 am or stay a little longer and go to the bus station in the Rotunda. We choose the second option, knowing that there is not much to do in Angeles. After breakfast, we return to the beach where I make my maiden jetski (2,500 pesos / hour). We then returned to the hotel to retrieve our belongings. The blue jeepney brings us to the bus station where we take the bus from Dau to 13h (150 pesos / person). The bus is almost empty, everyone gets a seat and prick a small amount. After 1:30 drive, the bus fills up but luckily we arrived
half-hour later Dau. It takes up a yellow jeepney Angeles. Victim of a traffic accident, we change jeepney. Then we get into the main street of Angeles : that is to say prostitutes in a bar every 5 meters. We choose a bar that seems a priori well in all respects. Within a pool table, perfect to fill some two hours that we have to wait. The bar still has a nightclub a little special Voodoo, as well as bedrooms each floor. It then arranges a car from the bar (300 pesos), which brings us back to the beautiful Clark airport. Included are a few groups of French crusaders to go. Once the airport tax paid (700 pesos / person), we wait in the departure lounge with a final game of cards. The flight to Singapore will be unhindered.
Estimated budget for one person (excluding airfare):
Transportation: 550 pesos
Power: 800 pesos
Housing: 1750 pesos
Other (guide, jetski, taxes, bungalow) : 6,200 pesos
Total = 9.300 pesos (about 140 euros)
===> LINK TO THE PHOTO ALBUM -> here <========
0 comments:
Post a Comment