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As Chelsea is selfishly doing here PADI open water course, which I didn't do due to financial restraints and a lingering ear infection, I was left to wander Panglao on my tod.
In order to entertain myself I thought that it was high time that I learnt to ride a motorbike, and where better to learn than a foreign country where there are no rules and no NHS?
I scouted out a particularly exotic looking little ditty and beat Jorge, the salesman, down from 800PHP a day to 350PHP. Feeling slightly put upon I listened intently to Jorge's quick rendition of how to change gear and brake before swinging my leg over the saddle in a Wild West fashion and pulled surprisingly smoothly out of the rocky carpark.
It quickly transpired that riding a motorbike is actually absurdly easy and the big, open roads of Bohol were easy to navigate.
On my journey I stopped at a small town due to the delicious smells emanating from a local bakery. Sitting contentedly on a park bench with my croissant I watched a junior football match and listened to the cacophony of sound emanating from a church that was being restored nearby.
Saddling up on Copenhagen (incidentally, also the name of Napoleon's horse) I set out again, this time in search of Hinagdanan Cave. Before I could get there however, the heavens decide to selfishly open once more and pounded me with raindrops the size of garden peas. Have you ever driven into a garden pea at 60KPH? It bloody hurts.
Stopping at a small market I bought a huge waterproof poncho (second hand) that all the locals seemed to wear whenever the weather turns. It was a dark navy blue and set off my yellow helmet wonderfully. Catching my reflection in a shop window I realised how absurd I looked, I looked like a very poor effort at the Seattle Kite Fair with what appeared to be a honey dew melon for a head.
Eventually, and still pretty drenched, I arrived at the cave. It was fairly interesting at a push. A small stairway lead down into the cave where an underwater lake resided. Natural light poured in through holes in the roof, while the lake itself seemed green in colour due to the limestone at its base. Stalactites also hung down from the ceiling above the water like black capes. Apparently, the site is a popular swimming spot but as I was already wet through I didn't feel the need to bother, plus no one was down there and I didn't want to be gobbled up by some Filipino Loch Ness Monster.
Feeling I could brave the weather back again after a watermelon smoothie I set off back to the hostel to collect Chelsea and grab some much needed food.
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John Another wonder