15

What kind of bike were you cruising on?
I think when im in dumaguete im going to do a cruise up to twin lakes and check things out, how are the bikes down there? Werent you worried about getting a flat?
How much per day was the rental? (4250p for the whole 17 days, i just read that, 250 a day! Wow, did you rent it day by day or for the 17 days solid?, how many kms roughly was this trip?!

16

I rented a Honda "Surf" 125cc motorcycle in Angeles City for 17 days (250p/day)

That's why I started in AC, cheapest price in the Phils and located far enuff from Manila. I still don't think I would ride there!

There are vulcanizing shops everywhere unless you're way out in the boonies in which case I would have had to depend on the kindness of strangers. That's usually not a problem in the Philippines! My one flat cost 60p to repair, about a buck 50. Did 1564k total.

Bikes are fine in Dumaguete, but if the guy says fill up right away, pay attention. I made it 2 or 3 blocks & ran out of gas, they siphon the tanks almost dry before they rent. Bring the bike back empty as well.

17

Haha that would be funny to rip around on a little 125 guy

Oh wow, 1500 kms is more than i put on my bike last season over 5 months!
What about general road rules, same as back home? Or is it open season?

18

Generally, might is right. Lines don't mean much. On a 4 lane road a bus will straddle 2 to cover his options, passing on the left or right. Speed on a 2 lane is dictated by the slowest trike, which will be passed on blind corners, the right, crest of hills, downtown, anywhere. I used to drive logging roads in the north and a rule of thumb was to assume someone will be in your lane on a corner, worked well in the Phils. A turn right signal usually indicates a left hand turn if anything, especially on a jeepney. The thing is, speeds are so much slower you have time to react to all the surprises...mostly. Once you get out of town tho, there's no traffic, very pleasant riding.

When I hit San Fernando, La Union it was just getting dark on a Friday nite (breaking my no riding in the dark rule) I wanted to get to San Juan, 5k the other side of town. Traffic was absolutely jammed, so I passed on the right, the left, behind bbq stalls, wherever I could, taking my cues from the other bikes. Downtown San Fernando in complete darkness an ambulance came up behind me, when he passed I rode his ass 1 metre behind all the way thru town, by the end there were 4 of us tailgating him, saved an hour! Never rode in the dark again, too many carabao, potholes, sleeping dogs, unlit vehicles and other things to crash into.

19

"Generally, might is right. Lines don't mean much. On a 4 lane road a bus will straddle 2 to cover his options, passing on the left or right. Speed on a 2 lane is dictated by the slowest trike, which will be passed on blind corners, the right, crest of hills, downtown, anywhere. I used to drive logging roads in the north and a rule of thumb was to assume someone will be in your lane on a corner, worked well in the Phils. A turn right signal usually indicates a left hand turn if anything, especially on a jeepney. The thing is, speeds are so much slower you have time to react to all the surprises...mostly. Once you get out of town tho, there's no traffic, very pleasant riding."

Good god man, it sounds terrifying riding in the phillipines! However, it cant be much worse than the rednecks I got here in good ol' alberta!

"I wanted to get to San Juan, 5k the other side of town. Traffic was absolutely jammed, so I passed on the right, the left, behind bbq stalls, wherever I could, taking my cues from the other bikes. Downtown San Fernando in complete darkness an ambulance came up behind me, when he passed I rode his ass 1 metre behind all the way thru town, by the end there were 4 of us tailgating him, saved an hour! Never rode in the dark again, too many carabao, potholes, sleeping dogs, unlit vehicles and other things to crash into."

Oh my god, that sounds insane!!

20

Yeah, it sound crazy but oncoming traffic expects someone to be in their lane so you or they either slow down or move over. Darwin's law I guess, the ones that can't figure it out are no longer with us. And as I said, speeds are lower, a bus is really humming if he's doing 80k. Of course once he does pass he'll pull over for a pickup or drop off. Sometimes I'd just pull over for 5 minutes to get out of sync with him.

21

I actually prefer driving in the mountains, the roads are narrow and winding and there are cliffs beside them, but traffic is very light and the drivers are generally a lot more courteous and less aggressive. The worst is lowland roads just after dark, tons of people, animals, and slow moving unlit vehicles on the road, lots of bright lights in your face from oncoming traffic. Just gotta go really slow, or better yet avoid driving at those times,

Overall driving here is a bit crazy but there is some method to the madness and it can be managed. If you've driven in other developing countries it will seem pretty normal; if you've driven in Africa or the Middle East it will seem mild by comparison. Of course I'm on 4 wheels, which changes things a bit.

22

Off my trip topic but here is a view of Saud beach in Pagudpud, early November. Sure beats what I'm looking out the window at now!

http://youtu.be/0OFV43kIUMs

23

Saud Beach is probably the nicest beach I have seen in the Philippines, nice video Jagman..

24

Yeah, I was just looking at the video of Saud beach again, it is the nicest beach I've seen so far in the Phils, but I haven't been everywhere yet, only 7000 islands to go!