Bittersweet Goodbyes in Polo
This morning, I finally left the village of Polo. A huge group of locals—kids and adults alike—came out to see me off. This journey has been an endless cycle of hellos and goodbyes, and honestly, leaving is always a little tough. But moments like these just remind me of how incredibly warm and welcoming people can be. With a full heart, I hit the road for the final stretch.
Sweet Tambis in San Jose
As I got closer to a town called San Jose, I met an older gentleman. It turns out his daughter actually lives in Japan working as an English teacher, so we instantly had something to bond over. He treated me to a bunch of Tambis (a local fruit similar to a water apple)—super sweet and delicious!
I was actually trying to figure out how to pay my phone bill but was having some trouble, and he kindly gave me his phone number, telling me to call if I ever needed anything. The kindness of strangers never ceases to amaze me.
Crashing Not One, But Two Father's Day Parties!
Today is Sunday, which also happens to be Father's Day. As I walked along the coast, I noticed local dads gathering everywhere to celebrate. Naturally, a group spotted me and called me over to join the fun!
We cheered with Red Horse beer and they fed me a delicious dish of bitter melon mixed with egg. I ended up staying for about an hour, downing around five glasses while watching the Japan National Team play soccer on my phone (we were up 2-0 in the first half!).
I hit the road again, only to be called over by another group of locals celebrating by the water.
This time, the drink of choice was Tanduay rum. They even shared their Father's Day cake with me—and I'm not even a dad! It was such a genuinely fun and incredibly open vibe.
Dumaguete City & The 200km Milestone
At exactly 4:00 PM, I finally arrived in Dumaguete City!
The 4 PM traffic rush was intense, but feeling the raw, chaotic energy of the city was the perfect welcome. I actually did it. I walked all the way from Cebu Island—over 200 kilometers—entirely on foot. I've never walked that far in my entire life.
When planning this trip, I intentionally chose walking over cycling because I wanted to test myself. I wanted to try something I wasn't entirely sure I could finish. Honestly, just taking the leap instead of assuming it's impossible is so important. It completely broadened my horizons. I'm so glad I took this challenge.