Dumageute, Philippines

Our final stop was in Dumaguete, Negros Oriental. It's a small college town packed with a lively night life, cafes, cupcake shops, hiking trails and outdoor adventure trips.We were also able to meet up with some volunteers who were currently serving in the Philippines. It was interesting meeting them and hearing about their experiences. I always wonder what the differences are like between volunteers who are serving in different countries.

One thing we got to do that I've never tried in my life was snorkeling. We took a boat out to a nearby island called the Apo islands and went snorkeling in the clearest blue water I have ever seen. It was amazing! At one point I was able to swim with a sea turtle when no one else was around. When I looked in the water I saw a sea turtle a few feet in front of me and if I would have pedaled faster I probably could have touched it. But I didn't want to do that I just wanted to swim with it. That was a special moment for me where I really felt free and lost in a bliss.

Pig pastry!

Our trip wouldn't have been complete without doing a little hiking. We went hiking high up in the mountains that took us a to a place called Twin Lakes. It's a preserved Natural Forest that is surrounded by a jungle forest.

My traveling buddies extraordinaire.

During our last night in the Philippines we stayed in the capital, Manila and met up with a few peeps. One of the of the volunteers I traveled with was able to get in contact with a relative who is related to his brother in law. He was one of the most gracious hosts I have ever met and he treated us to an evening of drinks and to a feast that included pig's ears, fried squid, snails, fried garlic rice and many other parts of pork that I'm not sure which body part it came from. This was a great treat to end our final night in the Philippines. 

He also put us up in a hotel that has by far been the swankiest place I have every stayed. On a volunteer budget, I'm used to paying for a room that only comes with the basics, such as a fan, a bathroom, a bed, maybe a t.v and your lucky if the bathroom, bed sheets and towels are clean enough to use. But this place!

Let's just say we were so excited that we started jumping on the beds out of pure joy and glee.

Siquijor Isand

Our third stop was at Siquijor island. This island was gorgeous and filled with so much lively culture. We were able to spend a day beach hoping and traveling all around the island, which usually takes about four hours.

On the weekend we arrived it so happened to be Siquijor's birthday. We found out about a food festival that allowed us to try a whole range of philippine food. We were tempted to sample as much food as we could. I tried out some spaghetti that was completely sweet, my two other friends went for the octopus and battered fried potatoes. 

A lot of Philippine dishes are rich with flavors and sauce. I tried everything and anything. I did not hold back from trying all the pork, beef, chicken and even goat.

One day we ventured into a small town when we were looking for lunch. The only restaurant we found was in the back of some ladies house. The food was delicious but the entertainment was timeless. The only other customer at the restaurant/house was a guy who was singing karaoke songs to American pop music.

Not only were we able to take advantage of our own private beach at times we were able to indulge ourselves in a secluded waterfall.