Adventures with M

Catbalogan > Tacloban > Biliran Island 15 – 17 January 2017
After our caving adventure, the Jeepney took us back to Catbalogan where we packed up all our stuff and Joni organised a van to take all of us (plus his wife, 4yr old son and a friend) up to Biliran with the intention of doing a canyon and a tour around the island of Biliran.  Didn’t quite turn out as planned but then we weren’t sure what was planned! Continue reading →

Catbalogan > Calbiga > Catbalogan, Samar Island – 13 & 15 January 2017.
This trip is our “extreme adventure” as Joni’s website calls it.  Three days of caving, one night underground and the second night at the exit of the cave.  Gobingob is the largest part of the cave system, easily accessible taking 3 hours to get there from Catbalogan, with only 1 hour of walking. Its main chamber is huge, 340 by 140 metres at its widest points, and there is an upper level which takes 3-4 hours to explore.  Continue reading →

Joni has put up a number of FB posts highlighting the trips we did and titled them “Veteran Caver from Australia”, I thought he was talking about Jim, being that Jim’s had quite a bit of experience.  But no, wasn’t Jim he was talking about, turns out it was me, because I’m the oldest woman that he’s had on one of his trips.  Not sure whether I’m flattered or insulted about being called a “veteran”.  Makes me feel I should have fought in some sort of war somewhere!  Continue reading →

Sydney > Manila > Tacloban (Leyte Island) > Catbalogan (Samar Island) – 10 & 11 January 2017
When MSS President, Jim C, asked if anyone wanted to go caving with him in the Philippines, it was too good an opportunity to pass up.  So, I booked my flight to Tacloban and Jim, who knows his way around the Philippines (after a few trips over there), did the organising … two caving trips on Samar.  Jim’s sister-in-law, Monique, was to join us on the 12th January for the 2nd caving trip. Continue reading →