Benoni To Balingoan

This was planned, at least as of yesterday! I had to take a RORO ride from Benoni port to the port of Balingoan, which takes about an hour. From there, a bus ride to CDO, then cab to the airport would have made me catch with ease my early evening flight.

So, since it was obvious I was in danger of being left behind by the RORO, I agreed with my habal-habal driver that he be the one to rush me to Benoni instead of taking yet more time looking for one or waiting it out with the trikes or jeeps at the market. Take this: I checked out of Rooftop Hotel at 1220H, I was already sitting on the RORO as 12:55NN! Not to mention that at 1226H, I was still at the PNB ATM in Mambajao!

How was the ride? Also wonderful. It was not even a RORO but a smaller boat. All-steel body (at least) and not a wooden boat. Hello Noah, am not keen riding your kind of boat hehe! Mind you, this boat that I took to Balingoan may have been the very same (or the same kind) as that boat we took on our tour of decades ago.

I mean this one is too old it shows everywhere haha!

So, don't touch anything! You could get tetanus or other yucky things!

You really wanna see more? So here are more hehehe

That was my ticket yes, but I swear, this was not M/V Yuhum! Royal Princess nga eh!

This is the lower deck of the boat...

And yes, those are the only 2 people who opted to stay there!

That in there... going down below, is the engine area...

Noisy of course... and smells like... well, engine!

Nice reminder to tourists... but the wall...

old and rusty, just covered with layers and layers of paint!

Pasintabi po sa mga kumakain hehehe...

Yeah, just like the public toilets of our 2 neighboring countries!

Safety, security and other reminders are all over the place though...

And at least the thing still floats, and it got me across to Balingoan!

Let's talk happier things, shall we?!

Oh, just to refresh my memory and to titillate you my readers, it was in these waters that I first saw a real live non-captive Dolphin in this country? Yeah, on that tour of decades ago. I remember me and the friends thought those we saw were shorter and browner than most we see on TV or the movies. But definitely Dolphins just the same. Memories!

I think this boat just followed a straight line from port to port. Simple hour-long ride!

You see that manang?

She’s selling biscuits, crackers, chichirya, candies, yosi, etc., as is common everywhere. But I was surprised she did not get off the boat when we departed. Yeah, she went on this ride too. And OMG what a merry surprise, I did not see just one vendor, not even two but three of them! Another manang was selling lanzones (the pride of Camiguin) and guavas, while a manong was selling fried peanuts and juice drinks! I wonder if I could also do this on the QM2 or the 'real' Royal Princess! I’d be glad to hahaha!

There is Mantigue island again...

Hmm, inviting! Okay, listed on my “to see” list!

How about the views? Well, lovely, really...

And...

As elsewhere, after getting off our boat, everyone scampered out to the highway.

I know, I know… I already knew… they wanted to grab their choice seats on the bus or jeep! But I did not mind. All that my brain had was 5J210 ETD 1930H. Kayang-kaya!

Well okay, let's talk about my bus ride from Balingoan to CDO next!

To read the chronology of stories on this trip, click the following article numbers:
01 02 03 04 05 06 07 08 09 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 25 26
27 28 29 30 31 32 33 34 35 36 37 38 39 40 41 42 43 44 45 46 47 48 49 50 51 52