If you don't like how I drive....

Have I talked about the roads yet? They are basically two-lane "highways". There is often a lane on the outside of these lanes. However, that lane could end suddenly, turn to grass, have a pole in the middle of it, have a dog sleeping on it, have rice [or coconut husks] drying on it, have cars parked on it, small kids playing, etc. Jack noted on the drive back from San Isidro last week, two water buffalo were napping on the road in the dark—that was a surprise!​ It is always a gamble if you use that lane. [The napping water buffalo were in a section where that extra lane was gone--they were just comfartably napping on the national highway in the dark as a surprise when we rounded one of the frequent curves.]

The road itself is crowded with trucks, cars, motorcycles, trikes (motorcycles with an elaborate side car) and pedi-cabs (bicycles with an elaborate side car attached). We have seen all kinds of things in the side cars—people, pigs, a water buffalo (with a blindfold on), food stuff, rebar, wood, etc. In the picture above, two elders are putting their broken bikes on top of the trike so it can drive them to a repair shop. You can see the two lanes with the side portion that the trike stopped at. 

I forgot to mention how windy the roads typically are. Most of the time we are on switchback road going through mountainous terrain.  There are always people stopping their vehicles on the edge of the road or pulling out in front of you [often without apparently looking for oncoming raffic!]. While there are 2-4 lanes, people will pass on the left or right, or both at the same time. You never know which way a motorcycle or car could come from. You never know what to expect. Once it gets dark, about 6:30 at night, it is even more fun to be on the roads. People walk across in dark clothing, motorcycles don't turn on their lights to save their battery, you can't see far into the distance to see if the extra lane ends soon. There's a reason I don't plan to drive on these roads. Jack's game for it, though.