Blazing Asphalt and a Carinderia Breakfast
My day kicked off right in Balamban, fueling up with a solid breakfast at a nearby carinderia before officially hitting the road.
The goal for the day was Toledo City, about 18 to 19 kilometers away. While the road was beautifully flat, the brutal, unrelenting heat was a massive challenge. With the sun beating down, I couldn't help but wonder if I could actually make the entire trek on foot. I had zero guarantees, but I pushed forward anyway.
Surprisingly, after just one hour of walking, I had already knocked out 5 kilometers. My ferry was booked for 7:00 PM, and I needed to be at the port by 5:00 PM, giving me roughly 10 hours to cover the remaining distance. Even at a leisurely pace of 2 to 3 kilometers an hour, I was going to make it, but hitting that 5-kilometer mark so early gave me a serious confidence boost.
Ditching the "Walking-Only" Rule
As I kept moving down that long, straight stretch of road, right before entering the main area of Toledo, I stumbled upon a small sari-sari store. I stopped to grab an ice-cold Pocari Sweat to quench my thirst and ended up chatting with the owner, a friendly local who had previously worked in places like Dubai. He sent me off with warm words of encouragement.
About 15 minutes after I resumed my walk, I heard a car horn honk directly behind me. I turned around, and there was the store owner leaning out of his window. "I'm heading to Toledo, want to hop in?" he offered with a smile.
Now, the stubborn backpacker in me could have stuck strictly to the "walking-only" rule. But getting too obsessed with arbitrary goals kind of defeats the purpose of traveling, doesn't it? To me, the absolute best part of being on the road is the human connection and the spontaneous moments that unfold. Knowing your limits is important, but embracing a stranger's kindness is even better. I happily jumped into the passenger seat.
Killing Time in Toledo and Discovering "Lomi"
Thanks to the ride, I ended up arriving at the Toledo ferry terminal at exactly 11:00 AM—a solid 8 hours ahead of schedule.
Ferries depart at 7:00 AM, 11:00 AM, and 7:00 PM. I asked if I could switch to the earlier boat, but since I had already purchased my ticket online, changing it would mean paying for a brand-new ticket all over again. That felt like a waste, so I decided to stick to my original 7:00 PM departure.
With endless time to kill, I wandered around the streets of Toledo. It's not a typical tourist hub, which probably explains why the locals were so incredibly welcoming and quick to strike up a conversation.
I eventually ended up at a place called "Boba Cafe," where the staff were amazingly sweet and attentive. It was exactly the kind of relaxing break I needed. This is also where I was introduced to a local dish called Lomi. It's a noodle soup with a thick, rich broth, incredibly similar to Japanese ankake ramen. The slightly sweet and savory flavor of the broth soaked right into my tired bones—it was, without a doubt, top-tier comfort food.
Across the Night Sea to San Carlos
After spending about 4 hours just chilling at the port terminal, it was finally time to board the ferry.
As the boat pulled away and the lights of Toledo began to fade into the distance, a sudden wave of melancholy washed over me. The more kindness you receive from people, the harder it is to leave a place behind.
A few hours of swaying on the dark water later, we finally docked at San Carlos on Negros Island.
Stepping off the boat, my very first thought was, Wow, this city is gorgeous. It wasn't chaotic or noisy; instead, the streets felt serene and impeccably well-maintained.
Since I arrived late at night, the only thing left on the agenda was checking into a hotel to crash. As my head hit the pillow, I couldn't help but feel a quiet buzz of excitement for the new adventures waiting for me on this island tomorrow.