Northern Tour - the journey

Apart from visiting amazing places, an important part of the journey was also the journey itself. Traveling by car gives totally different feeling of distance than in an airplane and we also enjoyed to stop every here and there, for a coffee, some bananas, to enjoy the view, desperately looking for bathrooms or just to stretch our legs. The back seat DVD screens we borrowed from our friends were also quite useful. It was a long journey.

 Northbound on EDSA, one of the main Manila thoroughfares, heading for the highway. The journey can start!

And somewhere just after the highway finished, less than half way to Baguio, we made the beginners mistake and followed a (very) small sign saying "Baguio - alternate route". This did spare us passing through a busy town centre, and took us out on small quite country roads. But it certainly wasn't closer. And I doubt it was faster. And then we learnt that anyone will, and does it seems, put up an "alternate route"-sign, wherever it seems convenient. For whom we are not sure.

Lunch time. Nice colors.

 Great views. All the time.

 Little market stalls here and there. Brooms in Baguio and fruits in Banaue.

Hm... agree in principle, but wonder if the target group is as easily convinced...

Almost home, about seven hours south of Banaue, only five more to go. As soon as you get just a little outside the small towns on the way, roads were as good as empty.
All in all, the tour took us one week and although distances are not that long, roads are narrow and winding. Even so, no-one got carsick even once. We made it Manila - Baguio in six hours, Baguio - Sagada in another six, Sagada - Banaue only three or four, and, finally Banaue - Manila a straight eleven.

And yes, road trips are definitely our thing, will have to start thinking about where to go next, maybe some more coastal areas...