Good morning and welcome back! I’m feeling much better today, finally "back in action" after being quite sick. We’re starting the day at our hotel in Cebu City, where Liam is happily playing with a new teddy bear I bought him. But we aren’t just here to relax—today is a huge day for the Dahl family. We are heading back toward Ginatilan because I’m going to try to buy some land.
I’ve found a piece of property that’s about 1.5 hectares (15,000 square meters) on top of a mountain. It’s a great location, exactly what Jessa and I have been looking for. It’s close enough to her family to be convenient, but secluded enough that we’d have our own space.
On our way, we made a stop to pick up a large sack of corn rice for Jessa’s family and handled their electric bill. It’s just a small way we can help out while they’re still getting back on their feet. Unfortunately, the drive was interrupted by a sobering sight—a serious motorbike accident involving two tourists. They had crashed into a dog that ran into the road. The girl was unconscious, and the man was pretty shaken up. Luckily, they were both wearing helmets, which likely saved their lives. It was a stark reminder of why I always nag people about safety and insurance. If you’re a tourist here, make sure your travel insurance specifically covers motorbike riding, or an accident like this will cost you a fortune.
Once we reached the mountain, the weather wasn't on our side—it was incredibly windy and rainy—but we hiked up to see the land anyway. It’s solid ground, which is important because you don’t want to worry about landslides. We spent some time walking the property lines and discussing where we could build our house and where the family could farm. The location is beautiful, but I have a major concern: "Timberland."
We found out the land is classified as Timberland, which usually means it's government property and can't be officially sold to private individuals. It’s frustrating because the seller seems to believe he owns it, but the law might say otherwise. We’re heading back to the city to meet with a lawyer and check the papers. I’d rather be safe than sorry, but man, it feels like every time we find a spot we love, there’s a legal snag.
Thanks for watching, and I’ll see you in the next one!
