After a 5 hour ferry journey from Cebu City me and my friend Simon arrived on Siquijor island. The sun was setting and the sky was looking crazy. We were in no rush as we haggled with motorbike rental guys for a scooter. Eventually working out a price and sharing one to get to our accomadation at Stella’z guesthouse where we would then rent a second scooter. We arrived at our accomadation got some food then chilled out that night. Whilst in the room my friend was in the bathroom and said “bro you have to come see this”, I had a look and on the bathroom wall there was a giant geko probably the size of a new born baby. I stayed out of the bathroom that night hoping it would exit the same way it entered through the open window. The next day we took took the motorbike’0s out and decided to look for somewhere to go fishing. We spoke with a group of filipino guys down at the beach who said they could take us out on there boat. So we arranged to go back at 4pm to join them. Me, Simon and the fishermen, Cristian and i forget the other guys name. We went out on a small bangka boat just big enough for the 4 of us. We were thinking of fishing with rods but, turns out we would be net fishing and had to throw out a 600 metre net. The whole time out on the ocean Cristian repeated “this is our life” , “we are fishermen”. After the sun had set 4 hours later we decided to pull the net in and see what we had caught. We caught sweet fuck all. Unless you can count some sea cucumbers and a few bottles. We headed back to shore and planned with the guys to go to the islands party venue, that was up near a airport I think. Cristian didnt come out but the other guy did and with his friend. I gave him a lift on my bike and my friend took his pal. The party was busy but the fishing had really drained me, Simon though had been speaking with a girl on bumble and we arranged to meet her and her friend at the party. We met them shared some drinks before calling it a night and arranging to go to the beach tomorrow. The next day we went down to Paliton beach, the most popular beach on the island. It was really nice and the weather was good. We hung out with the girls a while before they went and me and my friend relaxed some time more. Whilst sitting therre we had a young filipino girl screaming that we “give her money”. She must have only been 5 or 6 years old bless her but, it was pretty awkward with all the tourists staring at us whilst she demanded. The next day we moved to Enrico’s guesthouse on the seafront. We booked a two person two bed room and arrived to one bed and a matress on the floor, no problem I will take the mattress. We hung out on the island about 5 day’s, the whole time i was recovering from the food poisoning in Cebu. I barely ate much but we still managed to do alot. We went to a couple of the waterfalls, visited the beach a few times, I trained some muay thai/boxing with a german guy I met on the beach and a local filipino instructor. On the final day we spoke with some more locals were we had met Cristian the fisherman. We told them how we had gone fishing and caught nothing to which they replied “why did you go with him? he has only just started fishing” so much for “this is our life”. We then decided to head back to Cebu via Bohol which was on the way back.

We arrived in Panglao, Bohol the next day, to the usual guys trying to scam us for motorbike rental. They quoted us 800 peso per day so we asked, “why so much?” which they responded “because the island is bigger then siquijor”, made sense. To be honest if theres one place i wouldn’t visit again it would be Bohol. I thought the beach was underwhelming considering the reviews I had heard. I didnt visit the chocolate mountains or see the tarsier’s, which both seem to be the main attractions. So I cant be the best review of the island. We stayed just a couple of nights before heading back to Cebu for a night. That night we went to the nightclub Icon with the girls from Siquijor. It was a pretty good club and we made plans to go to Moalboal the next day. The 2 and a half hour bus ride to Moalboal was crazy. The driver must have been hitting corners at 40 mph. Once arriving we went down to the beach and hired some snorkling gear so we could see the famous sardine run. I definitely recommend going to watch this whilst your in the Philippines it was fun. After a couple of nights in Moalboal we headed back to the city and it was time for me to go solo again. I booked a hostel called Peach Haven , I think it was only about 500 peso a night. If your in Cebu and your looking for a hostel I highly recommend it here, the owners were really friendly and I met alot of filipino’s who were there for work. One girl came in to the hostel that night and offered me some of her meal she had, I asked what it was and she told me pig’s brain. It didn’t look the most appealing but im always one to try stuff. So I grabbed some rice and dipped it in, not so bad. The following day I went out in search of Lechon, I had seen it everywhere and I suppose its like the national dish? sorry if thats incorrect. After eating I came back to the hostel to some big commotion. A turkish guy, maybe in his 60s was laying on a chair with evertyone surronding him. He didnt speak and english but he had enormous swelling on one of his legs, imagine hellboys arm but on his leg. I got the translate app out and from what we could gather his friend who was saying in the hostel has ditched him once he had gotten sick. We told me that he needed his medicine that I think was blood thinners. The hostel hosts put him to bed for the night and said they would contact the hospital in the morning. All night in the hostel dorm he was groaning and sturggling to the bathroom. To be honest I thought when I woke up he may be dead, he looked terrible. The next way I woke up and he was still with us, I went for breakfast and returned to him being stretchered out by paramedics. Last i know he was in the hospital and had made some sort of progress, lets hope he was ok. The next day I had made plans to visit Bacolod city, somewhere I thought there may be less tourists. Little did I know some of the people staying at Peach Haven were from there, so I arranged to meet them when I arrived.

I arrived in Bacolod on a 6 hour bus ride from Cebu. Once there I grabbed a trike to my accomodation, which was in the middle of nowhere. It was more of a air bnb system they had set up so, arriving late a night nobody was around. Eventually I managed to communicate with a local about getting hold of the owner, who arrived around 12am. Whilst waiting I walked down the street and spoke with a couple of local women who were packing away there street food stall. They infromed me alot of people get robbed in this area and someone did just last night, better watch my back. The following day I explored the city after managing to hire a scooter from a back street rental company. I visited The Ruins which was recomeneded by the people I met at the hostel in Cebu. This was pretty cool and killed about a hour. That evening I arranged to meet with my friends from the hostel for dinner. We went to Palawud seafood restaurant on the beach. I tell you this was some of the best seafood I have ever eaten. If you are in the city make sure you go and try it! I spent a couple of days in the city and I can’t remember seeing another white person to be honest. This I found refreshing, I got a real feel for the country. I arranged to meet up with Simon again on Bantayan island. Just a 3 hour journey away from Bacolod City although, a 16 hour journey awaited for me.

End of part 3.

Recommendation’s

• Stella’z guesthouse (Siquijor)
• Peach Haven Hostel (Cebu City)
• Palawud resto grill (Bacolod City)