Goodbye Philippines

I'll be leaving the Philippines tonight on a plane heading for Bangkok. My last few weeks here has been a rollercoaster of emotions.... Saying goodbye to my friends and people who felt more like family was not an easy task. In many ways I'm not sure I fully realize yet that I won't be returning to my simple nipa hut life. It was also very tough hearing the news that my Grandfather had recently passed back home. We were very close and it was a difficult for me being so far from family.

To help me process and clear my head a little I elected to continue my planned bike ride around my island of Panay despite a recent typhoon that passed to the north a day before I was set to leave my home of Balabago, San Joaquin. I didn't really know just how bad Typhoon Frank was (that might sound strange to someone back home but we have several that pass here all the time) until I actually started biking. Had I known of the damage I would have stayed in my house for the week but as it was I'm happy I pushed through. The trip helped prepare me more mentally than even physically with the various challenges that I may encounter biking around SE Asia.

Here's some pics of the tour de Panay:

Section of asphalt completely sheared off road from the flooding of a river

Crossing over a destroyed bridge in Antique

Washed up shipping crate on beach of Pandan

I saw hundreds of downed electical poles. Some places on Panay may not get electricity back for months.

It wasn't all destruction...this is a nice shot of scattered islands off the Northeast coast of Panay in a town called Estancia. Seeing the NE and Eastern Coast of Panay was a big reason for the trip since I'd never visited.

Kid riding a carabao

Shot of the bike crossing a river in Antique...my favorite Province of the ride

When I was all done I had rode 450km (~280 miles) in 5 days and had no electricity or cell signal. I had rode through, around and over ankle deep mud, fallen trees and downed power lines. In my opinion the worst hit areas of Typhoon Frank were the western and Northwestern areas of Panay. Kalibo was the by far the worst hit city that I saw.

Well this is it...these last 3 pictures are some of the people I will miss the most:

My Nanay Erlyn and co-worker Rodel

My migs...we killed 2 goats and 4 cases of beer at my despidida (going away party)

My closest Friend Bong

Although I'm excited to leave for Thailand tonight I'm most excited about seeing my girlfriend Kelly in Chiang Mai tomorrow morning...the past month has been harder than most since we haven't been able to communicate as easily or frequently. We are spending 12 days together in Northern Thailand and I can't wait. Afterwards I'll be starting my bike trip through SE Asia. I'll be sending out brief emails rather than update the blog to keep you all updated.

Halong gid Pilipinas! Mabalik ko sa pira ka adlaw

-Yan