Re: Howgozit?Friday, February 27, 2009 8:23 AM
From: “Bill & Norma Clark” View contact details To: worldriders2@yahoo.comIf your ride back to Manila from Baguio will cover the coastal areas, you more than likely will pass by some of my stomping ground/beaches during my younger days. Poro Point, San Fernando, Damortis, Alacan, Mabilao, San Fabian, Dagupan are among the prestine playgrounds we enjoyed in the 40’s and 50’s. Starting on the 60’s these places became more developed mainly to lure tourists. Watch your downhill speed from Baguio. So long……..
Bill

Thanks for the advice Bro, wish you were here, we’d go surfin’ instead of this crazy bike ride.
Love You Guys, Pat & Cat

Hi! Pat, CatSaturday, February 28, 2009 12:33 AM
From: This sender is DomainKeys verified “carlito de la cruz” View contact details To: Worldriders2@yahoo.comMessage contains attachmentsCIMG0327.JPG (2326KB), CIMG0384.JPG (2180KB) Hi! how r u guys? im Carlito Dela Cruz from Glendale CA. 1230 E.Windsor Road /Glendale,CA 91205. Windsor Manor maintenance.. im happy to serve mr. & mrs. Earl Welch. sometimes this month february ’09 we discuss about you guys. while im talking to AT&T customer service by phone while im fixing the compufter Internet connection…. he said that his daughter Cat and husband Pat is in phil.. just incase you guys have a chance..u can visit my family in manila my dads name Rogelio dela cruz & Remedios dela cruz my mom…. Location: 11 Pulumbarit st. Taytay Rizal. philippines1920….Tel.658-7581 u can see our two wheels collection bicycle n motorcycle. Mr&Mrs Welch both fine and keep on shouting while talking…hahaha. but their both great n happy i saw them every day except sat. n sun. im off. everytime have a problem about computer they call me or any other things need to be fix…Pat!, Cat! don’t worry to mom and dad…. take care! n GOD BLESS!

From: “kent yamaguchi” Add sender to Contacts To: worldriders2@yahoo.comgood luck.we were just in cambodia/chiang mai/singapore over the holidays. great time for the whole family.the weekend flea market in bangkok is worth at least a 1/2 day. make sure to give alms in the morning. we simply bought some goods eg peanuts etc in packages and gave it to the monks and placed it in their bowl. they have assistants that carry bigger bags for all the food that they take back to the temples. at most temples they will bless you and you will get a string tied at the wrist but for a female, they drop it in your outstretched palm. they can not touch a female. also keep your head lower than the monk when in the temple. since they are sitting you are almost crawling to get to them .at angkor wat, the mosquitos can be bad and they still recommend malaria medicine since you are out in the brush area.the climb up the temple on the hill to see the sunset is a little tricky since the steps are about 2 feet high and there is no railling. from the top you can see the angkor wat complex south but the top is about 200×200 feet and there were about a hundre people on the top already waiting for the sunset. our guide told us to view everything at the top as soon as we got up there, see the sunset and get down quickly as the descent which is only about 40-50 feet total is still very steep. we were in singapore on new years eve and they have fireworks in the bay. we were able to get a room lookin on the bay and could see the crowd below and the fireworks above. great experience. apparently they have multiple fireworks nights. hope you get a chance to see one.our friends in singapore suggested the fireworks and where best to view them.take care, and have a safe trip,kent and joyce yamaguchi

Thanks for you wonderful advice, we added it to our comments.
Love Pat & Cat

From: “Wally Werner” View contact details To: worldriders2@yahoo.comHi Pat & Cat!

Thanks for the update – I’ll let her know. She has received a few comments already, so that’s good!

Are you headed to Manila? My uncle, whom I’m named after, was killed during the Bataan death march. He served in the Air Force. Walter James Kellett. One of these years I’m going to go over and see the memorial. There’s apparently a big memorial there to commemorate servicemen who were lost but no remains ever recovered … he is listed on the tablets there. http://www.abmc.gov/cemeteries/cemeteries/ml.php

Hope your transit to the Philippines goes without difficulty.

All the best,

Wally

From: “frank vandekerckhove” View contact details To: worldriders2@yahoo.comHey P&C, I understand your time is short. If you visit Baguio, then a bus trip to Banaue should be considered to see the famous rice terraces. The trip is quite long by bus (9 hours I think), but it is defenately worth it. I would also recommend Lake Taal, somwhat southeast from Manila. It’s a beuatiful lake with a volcano Island hopping would be great, but not sure about your time frame. If you don’t want to fly, just go south on the island of Luzon (where Manila is located) towards Anilao and take a little boat to the neighboring island of Mindoro. The beaches on the north shore near Puerta Galera are nice and affordable. If you are planning to visit Corregidor because of its past, may I recommend to ride to Bataan Death Walk. This 60-mile trip north became famous after the Japs forced 72,000 American and Filipino prisoners to walk that route. It was so hard only 54,000 made it. The weaker ones were left behind for dead or the Japs just killed them and even drove trucks over those prisoners. Sad story, but might be a nice route to take. Let me know more when you have narrowed down your plans for the Philippines! Frank Vandekerckhove

Hi Frank

We’re leaving for Baguio on the 11:00 PM bus tonight. Probably good that we won’t be able to see the road we will ride back down.

Will try to make the Banaue rice paddys. If we can stand another 6 houjrs there then 6 hours back on a bus. We will definitely cycle down Bataan then cross over to Corregidor.

Thanks for all your help. Must get together sometime.

Pat & Cat

Wow! You two are totally an inspiration! I hope you enjoy the Philippines–it is a beautiful country. Keep up the wonderful blog posts!

Thanks April. We are lovin’ PI, ain’t adventure wondrous??

P & C

Hey Pat and Cat!

We caught you two in the city of Rosario, La Union.

Karen and I would just like to echo our words of best of luck in your trip.. We like your blog and website, and will continue to monitor your progress. Great stories (I immediately jumped to the one where you got hit by a truck in Portugal, action junkie that I am). Looking back, I might have come off ]a bit skeptical, advising you to be careful along those roads at night, etc., not entirely realizing that you have cycled all over the world, literally. I am sure SEA will treat you very hospitably.

Perspective is so funny, we were saying to ourselves when you sat down, “What the heck are two Americans doing cycling around here?” , then we looked at ourselves, two Americans in full white double knit polyester nursing uniforms sitting there in a far flung district hospital!! Hahah..

Anyways, don’t forget to stir that halo-halo up before you start eating it. We will be watching and wondering about your trip and destinations as you go…

Best regards and a safe journey,

Joaquin and Karen

You know, you two are real adventurers, too. We think the dumbest thing we ever did was leave and not take you photo so all the world, well at least our little world of friends, would know what you look like in your DK Polys. We’ll think of you every time we order hoal-halo. You MUST come visit us when you get back to CA. Good luck with the Nursing School. You’re both headed in a great direction. Work had and long like I (Pat) did. (Cat worked hard too just no0t as long.) Invest a bit then when old, like me (Not Cat) take off and see the world.
We’re now in it for friends and we hope we’ve just made a couple more.
Pat & Cat

I want to say – thank you for this!

Thanks for the comment. What are you seling on your site?