It took nearly the entire day to reach Roxas, where I collapsed, exhausted. I had no
appetite and was in no mood to stuff food down my throat.
Roxas – Taytay - 80 km
I assumed the day would be difficult, and I wasn’t wrong. In hindsight, I should’ve
stayed the day. My lack of food intake didn’t help either. Still nauseous, I stopped at
the chemist to get medication preventing cramps and nausea and stocked up with
vitamins.
Depleted of all energy, I struggled onwards and upwards and, once again, had to
walk the bike, stopping every few metres to rest. Finally, and to my great relief (a
tad of an understatement), I reached Taytay. This old colonial town featured a fort
and a historic church.
I flopped down in utter exhaustion for the second day in a row. Mercifully, soup from
the on-site restaurant was just the thing needed. Armed with rehydration salts and
plenty of water, I hoped for a quick recovery.
The next day I barely had enough energy to explore the historic Taytay Fort, or
Fuerza de Santa Isabel, built in 1667 and completed in 1738. But, at least, I came to
my senses and didn’t set off again, as was my habit. Thank goodness, by evening I
felt heaps better.
Taytay – El Nido – 70 km
People warned about the road to El Nido. The road was gravel and hilly and I wasn’t
particularly looking forward to the ride. The day, however, turned out a pleasant
surprise as the climb wasn’t as severe as predicted, and only a dirt road in places,
while the greatest part of the way to El Nido was paved. Moreover, El Nido had no
shortage of accommodation as the place was popular, and rightly so. My pick of the
bunch was a lovely guesthouse, a street or two from the beach at a reasonable price
and with welcoming owners.