The fact that Mindoro Occidental and San Jose is well off the beaten tourist track was apparent. I don't think we saw a single westerner while we were there and despite all the signs Menus being in English very few people spoke good English.
It is a bit discerning at first to have children stare at you but everyone is so curious and friendly.
Finding somewhere to eat was a challenge. At 8.00pm most places were shut. During the afternoon we tracked down an AC bus that went to Sablayan and it departed at 6.30 in the morning. An early night and then back to the bus station.
That's when the fun started. Dimple Star Transport had a logo with Micky and Minnie Mouse. How apt was that!!
The guy who had told us about the bus pointed us in the direction of the ticket office. There was a long line waiting to buy tickets and little regard for the 'waiting in line' protocol. This was more than a little annoying and after a couple of times Sabi stood her ground. The prospective offenders took heed but by the time we reached the front the time was already 6.45 and the bus was gone. The general business efficiency in the Philippines appears to be rather resource heavy- why should one person do it when you could gainfully employ four?
At the bus ticket office there were two people at the ticket office. Both were ignoring us. I'm not sure why but one guy with an embarrasses smirk on his face was looking anything to do rather than serve us. It was very very annoying. The second chap there was saying it was very busy, as his colleague counted a pole if paper clips for the fourth time.
Tempers were frayed. We had arrived in good time to get the 6.30 bus, it had left because the officials would not serve us and now we couldn't get a ticket for the 11.00 am bus for sine reason.
Solution?
Go on the local bus rather than the aircon bus.
Just as Sabi was about to pull the smirking paperclip counter over the desk and head-but him Kipp popped his head around the corner. There was a local bus going to Sabalayan at 7.30.
At 7.30 we were in our way again the bus was old, the benches were hard but we were now g again after a near international incident.
The trip was around 2 and a half hours. The roads were good for the first part of the journey. It us rice harvest time and the concrete roads were doubling up as rice drying areas. Every few hundred yards were stretches of rice raked into uniform lines to dry in the morning sunshine.
The scenery as we moved north was stunning. Lush paddy fields, occasional glimpses of the ocean and high mountains to the east.
About 90 minutes into this very enjoyable and quite pedestrian journey the bus driver seemed to have a bit of a moment and with no warning whatsoever put his foot to the floor and started to race down the country roads at a rather disturbing and probably quite dangerous speed then suddenly jumping on the brakes.
It was quite hairy, especially as the roads were now only concrete in some areas. Apart from the suspension being very hard and actually bouncing us right out of our seats, we bus was looking perilously close to tipping over on more than one occasion. The driver had a rear mirror the width and could see us all in it. Maybe he was enjoying scaring us or maybe the roll up in his hand, as Kipp suggested was not tobacco.
We were all quite relived when we arrived at Conception town which was roughly halfway from our destination.
After a coke, some crisps and a chat with the locals we were back on the road. Thankfully the driver had taken a chill pill and slowed the pace quite considerably, that said it was still a very bumpy ride.
At around 20k from our destination Sabi needed the 'comfort room' the bus stopped at the entrance to the Sablayan Prison and Penal Colony. 'What about a visit?' was the question.
' Why Not!'
We unloaded our stuff from the bus and wandered to the guard post. It was possible so we loaded our backpacks onto a tuktuk for the 6k ride to the prison offices. The road was unmade and we had to push the tuktuk through mud, at one stage having to get out and push, but arrived at the prison reception after about 30 minutes passing a number of inmates on the way. The colour of their shirts indicated the level. Blue for low security and Orange for Blue for low security. Many gave waves but some menacing glares. What the fuck are we doing here. All our belongings, in the middle of nowhere and in the midst of criminals. We must be bloody mad.
At the reception we negotiated a visit to a lake in the prison grounds. They had to do some checking and get permission, we also had to sign a waiver in case we got taken hostage or something. While this was being sorted we all had our photos taken with a guard' holding a fully loaded AK45, very surreal!!
We had a picnic at a beautiful lake, after a few minutes a group of prisoners wandered up for lunch. Once again, how many people can say they have visited a prison, never mind had lunch with a group of prisoners
As we were riding back in the tuktuk a large van passed the tuktuk. In the back were half a dozen guards armed with huge guns.
Back at the main road we waited around 30 minutes and along came a bus which took us onto our destination, Sabalayan
The hotel we were staying at was called Emilys, from the lonely planet. Once again clean, basic but very cheap and right on the side of the river.
Dinner was fun. You couldn't call it a restaurant. It was a room with some tables in it. Packed out with locals. The owner, a lady told us it had only been open two days and she was absolutely pissed. Why wouldn't you. A full restaurant after only two days. We were having to eat on the cheap. Money was low and the small fishing village of had no ATM's
Our accommodation was right on the side of the river. Once again, budget
Description.
Tomorrow we will take a small boat to the Island of Panadan for a day on the beach.
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Location:San Jose , Occidental Mindores Philippines
