Preview of our Roadtrip to Visayas

Is travel to Boracay doable with a baby??? Yasssss!!!! Please give me time to write about this sooooon.

Back to Pagudpud, Day 3 and 4 long drive series to Casa Consuelo

(This is long overdue. Sorry again for slacking off)

Good Evening!

It was a really long drive from Cagayan and my patience are running thin from my disappointment that even our dinner didn't made me feel better.

Dinner time.

Sweet Spot

I hated everyone but that is just me being me. (yup)

We went to Casa Consuelo right away as this was the target resort of my brother. We fell in love the last time we checked this. But with limited budget and they were not happy with our haggling, we stayed on a small Home stay in Blue Lagoon after staying for 3 days in Kapuluan Vista.


Casa Consuelo's room is enough for all of us. It has 5 beds with TV, we need it for our baby and what I like about it is the bathroom has soap, towels, shampoo and toothpaste. It's like you are on a hotel plus home experience! After dinner sleep was difficult so I gave Slim a good massage because I know how tired he is and he will be driving again tomorrow. And that I was so disappointed I couldn't sleep so better make use of my insomnia.

I woke up at 6am and everyone is out walking along the beach. I feel better now. I just need some Vitamin SEA.

Dos Hermanos

The beach front in Casa Consuelo is rocky but the view is amazing! In front is Dos Hermanos, two identical mountains that were said to be brothers who are very close together. It was also low tide so we were able to walk along the shore to witness sunrise and all those rock formations on our feet. We had to retreat when we saw a sea snake we have kids with us so better be safe than sorry.

I'm walking on sunrise... woahhh... 

My favorite shot. I can't believe my phone did this.

Exploring Casa

CASA, View from the beach

Mountains, sea, corals. So lovely.

The sand is white on this part.

Breakfast is good. Casa Consuelo's chef is really a good cook or my Ilocano roots is probably kicking in.

American Breakfast (How Ilocano is this?)

Bagnet

We prepared and went to Blue Lagoon. The beach is unexpectedly uninviting at this time of the year. The beach is dirty maybe because its summer? Its nothing compared to the beautiful beach we experienced last November. The kids still enjoyed swimming and had to get out of the water because we saw jelly fishes again.

Favorite Nap spot in Casa Consuelo

Nap Spot

Blue lagoon

Our lunch is satisfying but took awhile when the service last year was not like this. We had lunch in small huts in front of Hannah's. After lunch we drove back and like what we did last November they rode at the side of the car. After preparing we headed home. Slim and I with my mother in law went ahead because we have work the next day.

Waiting for Lunch

HAngry!!! But happy.

Lunch

Stress RELIEVER!

Sun burnt!

Thank you for Lunch

#casaconsuelo #model #littleBIGsister

Wall of Appreciation

Allah, stapling our thank you notes it wasn't here last November 

Bye Ilocos

Ligaya Inception?!

Stopover for pasalubong

Packing up

I definitely recommend Casa Consuelo, the price is average but the place is really first class. Compare to our last visit they accommodate guests better. They take care of the beach front too. It was clean and very relaxing. I miss Kapuluan but this is such a great stay that I'm torn between the two resorts. It's like Kapuluan Vista is hotel-like plus a homey-surf type-zen experience feeling. Casa Consuelo is hotel-like plus homey-classy provincial-grandparents feel. Kapuluan would probably attract young travellers and Casa Consulo is more of a family vacation. I love the two resorts! I probably need to go back!



***I lost all my receipts for this day so I don't know the exact price. I will still look for it. Estimated budget is 2000 for Casa Consuelo,
2500 for food.
2000 for GAS
700 for toll (I lost all but I will update this post soon.) All for three people. ****

The long drive to Cagayan Valley (Dinadiawan-Isabela-Cagayan) Day 2 and 3

The impulsive character of my family strikes again. I guess its the excitement that goes with the idea of driving North without any plans that tickles our emotions. Cagayan was a part of our list when we were discussing where we are heading, its either Aurora, Cagayan or Caramoan with 2 provinces being a location of Survivor I knew it was going to be awesome but I was thinking about the travel time and the twisting road that lead us to Aurora.

Laters Aurora!

We left Dinadiawan beach by 10:45 a.m. and reach Baler by 12 just in time for lunch. We had lunch at the Rolling Stores and because it is Saturday it was crowded. It is nothing compared to our previous trips. I suggested checking the new resort we passed by because the idea of a long drive is coming to my senses now. I knew Slim will be tired but they are determined to go there.

Bye Aurora

We had gas somewhere in Cabanatuan and went on a detour. We were on a blank track in Waze and after 20 minutes we are back on the road.

Wrong turn?

We were driving the whole day and by 5pm we were going to the mountains again this time we are passing the road to Banawe.

Baguio Vibe a few more turns would direct us to Bontoc.

 I felt like going back, even going home. It started to rain when we passed by Santa Fe Nueva Viscaya and another zigzag road but it is nothing to the Zigzag of Aurora what annoys us the most is how traffic it is. I was dozing on and off because of exhaustion but fighting it since I'm navigating and making sure Slim has someone to talk to. By 8pm we had dinner at Jollibee, my tummy wasn't feeling good. A lot of road construction is ongoing  (hello? government)  and it rained so hard that the traffic is so bad. By 10pm we passed by a hotel. My brother stopped for a short meeting and we talked about sleeping there for a night .We were also having engine problems and we were so exhausted.

The hotel looked expensive but I was surprised that the rate is 4700 for 12 and the room is good for maybe 30 people. The hotel is Villa Diana in Cordon Isabela

The room has 2 restrooms.

Room Deck

12 Double Decks

Longest bed I've seen

Reception

We had beer to help us sleep sometimes being too tired won't let you sleep. There are local celebrities checked in here too. We woke up at about 8am. They were planning to check out and have breakfast on the road. I wasn't entertaining the idea since we are not familiar with the place.We had breakfast and left by 10. Our whole stay is just 12 hours!

What I like the most is the unlimited refill of Iced Tea less than 100. I ordered it the night before and still got a refill at breakfast.

Restaurant Entrance

The place is nice, the price is affordable and the hotel itself is classy. I felt like we got the place so cheap. Never judge the book by its cover.

The restaurant

Claim to fame with Teddy

Tree house for accommodation

Our room

Bye Isabela!

An hour of driving got us at Tuguegarao, and then passed by Kalinga apayao. Kalinga Apayao is amazing.

 I haven't seen the Chocolate Hills in Bohol but it felt like that here. We had lunch somewhere in Kalinga and the food is okay but I didn't like it.

I don't know why but this part of the North has weird cooking. I felt like my I'll have stomach issues here. I was bloated, nauseated and so EXHAUSTED.

Almost there!

The drive to Cagayan is so long I want to go home again. We got to Jotay Resort by 4pm.

The sand in Sta.Ana is black and uninviting. My mother was hesitant to stay there. She didn't know that Anguib beach is just a boat away and that it is the real Boracay of the North. I was dismayed; annoyed that I didn't object when she said we will go to Pagudpud. I was so disappointed that we wasted 4 hours. I will go back I promise. I'll see you again Cagayan.

My brother drove back Slim was able to nap and I gave him Anti Histamine tablets as he is getting rashes.

By 7pm we had a quick stopover and refilled our tanks. Slim woke up and continued the drive. I was dozing off from exhaustion when we passed Patapat Viaduct, by 9pm we are in Casa Consuelo Pagudpud.

We are staying here for the night.
Hello again CASA CONSUELO.

Is Cagayan doable by car? YES!!!!

ESTIMATED EXPENSES:

GAS = 2800
FOOD DAY 2 AND 3 = 2350
VILLA DIANA = 1567

TOTAL = 6700 (3 PEOPLE)