June 18th. Today's plan was to head from Bindoy down to Bais, which is roughly a 25 to 26-kilometer stretch.
A Sluggish Start and a Mood Turnaround
To be completely honest, I woke up just not feeling it. My motivation was pretty much rock bottom when I first hit the road. But the universe had other plans. Shortly after setting off, some locals randomly called out to me. We ended up snapping some pictures and exchanging Facebook details. After such a sluggish start, that little interaction totally turned my mood around.
As I rolled into the next small town, someone even treated me to a Coke!
Narrow Roads and a Live Crash
Things got a bit sketchy after that, though. The roads kept getting narrower, forcing me to stay hyper-aware of what was in front of and behind me at all times.
And right as I was keeping my guard up—bam. A traffic accident happened right in front of my eyes! It was a straightforward collision. Since I was actively recording my ride, I caught the whole thing on camera. I tried asking the people involved if they wanted the footage, but it seemed like they didn't really understand me. Figuring it wasn't my place to push, I just kept pedaling.
Hitting the Wall — Starvation Mode
By the time I hit the 20 to 25-kilometer mark, my body just decided to shut down. Skipping breakfast was a massive mistake.
I had assumed I'd just pop into a local carinderia (eatery) whenever I got hungry, but they were literally nowhere to be found. Finally, about 3 kilometers before entering Bais, I stumbled upon a spot. I devoured my lunch, regained my power, and pushed forward until I officially reached the city of Bais.
Arriving in Bais — Fish Ponds and Busy Streets
Bais has this very distinct landscape with scattered wetlands and what look like fish ponds. It's essentially a mangrove area, giving it a really unique vibe.
It's also surprisingly bustling. The traffic volume is heavy, and it genuinely feels a lot more densely populated than other big cities I've passed through.
The Longest 1.7km of My Life
From there, I navigated to my hotel. The problem was, the hotel was still 1.7 kilometers away from the city limits. Usually, 1.7km is absolutely nothing, but when your brain already thinks "I've made it," that extra distance feels like absolute torture.
Somehow, I dragged myself here. And wow, the hotel is incredibly nice and super comfortable. The owner is extremely kind and easygoing, which is exactly what I needed after today's wild ride.