Kalibo Transit


Hello all! Some of you probably think, being 'in transit' usually applies only to our travels abroad, right?

Add me in, as I also thought that way! You know, the likes of "on our way to Moscow we had to 'transit' in Bangkok, since there are no direct flights from Manila", or the likes of "we had to 'transit' in Seoul on our way to New York, as the fares are lower than the direct flights from Manila". "Transit" or "Transfer"!

And we all know the drill, right? The next thing that happens is we ask "ha transit, ilang oras? ano kaya pwede gawin dun, ano pwedeng makita? pwede bang mamasyal?" - and so on, right? We all plan for it!

However, for local trips, we don't even bother to ask those questions, right? Examples: not many of us even bother to see Batangas City on our way to Puerto Galera, di ba? Not many too (if any) would also consider roaming around Matnog while waiting for a RORO. Same with Cabanatuan before goin Baler!

But today, while in the town of Kalibo, I was doing exactly that - I was literally "in transit", "just passing by", "on a layover", and the likes before going to Boracay. Yun ang naisip ko, mamasyal while in transit.

And I loved it!

Okay, let's start with why I had to transit in Kalibo. It was because there were/are no direct flights (yet) from Cebu or even Manila on the smaller planes, because of ongoing repairs (daw) at Caticlan Airport, reason why only the smallest planes can use that runway. I hear, it will only be re-opened to 5J and PR turboprop planes by March (next month na yan). Sus, I even tried on those tiny planes but all were full.
So, no choice but fly to Kalibo via Cebu Pacific's ATR72 plane. Therefore transit, and my story began..!

Eto technique: My flight from Cebu was arriving noontime in Kalibo. Therefore I could actually still ride the vans (or buses) to Caticlan, then cross to Boracay, right? But why do that when most of my friends and colleagues were to arrive tomorrow morning pa (for an event)! Tatanga na ako all night, mahal pa!
Ako lang kasi ang coming from Cebu, lahat from Manila. If I flew in tomorrow, tanghali na, late na ako for the morning event - which cannot be delayed just for one person - me! So, stay in Kalibo overnight, wait for all of them to fly-in tomorrow morning, then lahat kami altogether go to Caticlan and Boracay!

Since I was sleeping overnight, I asked myself "what can I do in Kalibo once my flight arrives at noon"?

Ha! It is not as if it was my first time here. I've attended Ati-atihan in the past, and so on. I told my self 'there must be something worth doing/seeing here that I haven't done/seen yet'. That's the palaisipan!

Actually, I could not think of any. AS IN, wala akong maisip! I just remembered Sampaguita Gardens.

And that's where it all started...

Okay, let's start with the first sighting (aw destination pala) while in transit...

In my next blog entry! Okay?

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