Tuesday 7th

We leave El Nido at 1pm, crammed into a mini van with 10 or 12 others, it’s hard to tell as someone is even on the roof. We’re right up front, me sitting next to the driver, I tell him off for driving using his mobile, he seems to understand. We pass through a few villages and towns and everywhere you look there’s so much going on, people or animals, there’s always a picture somewhere. After a few stops we arrive into Port Barton at around 4pm, I found the journey difficult facing forward. Dropped off at the bus terminal and we walked to our hotel from there. The Parrot Boutique Hotel is lovely, I think I might have finally found my place! We dump our bags and go for a walk, we’re fairly close to the beach and we walk the length of it, it’s lovely and probably the best beach so far. Lively as people jostle for a sunset spot but not so busy as to be annoying (think Alona Beach in Panglao busy). We find a small restaurant / bar on the beach and watch the sunset and then have a bite to eat.

Wednesday 8th March

Sadly I think travels and my ‘love’ of Filipino food have caught up with me and I’m struck down with a stomach bug (or food poisoning). I alternate between the room and poolside, the staff at the Parrot are a lovely, lively bunch. So there’s plenty going on to keep me entertained. Although I can’t sit through their lunch of chicken feet and rice so I head up to our room which has a huge, airy balcony, great for reading. I then sleep on and off whilst J goes out for dinner alone (I can’t face any kind of food).

Thursday 9th March

More of the same sadly, I’m confined again. J goes out in search of a pharmacy and I finally give in to tablets, we’re moving off tomorrow so I need to be match fit to travel. The tablets help and we manage to head out in the evening to a place that J has found on his meanderings called Mojitos. Tomorrow we leave Port Barton for Sabang. It’s been a lovely place to stay for a few days of ‘forced’ R&R.