Philippine Travel Notes

Let's go! But... What Where When How? After asking around, I learned that it is only D'Turbanada Transport that has regular scheduled direct Tacloban~Palapag trips. So I went to find their terminal in the city. Easy to find because they are on google maps , and they have an FB Business Page ! They even have a people profile also on FB that looks like the most regularly updated. Click click click and... I wasn't satisfied, so, I went to their Tacloban Terminal, 2 days before planned departure. Why? Because I needed to know the differences between a big-bus , a mini-bus and van . Why? Ay, for longer trips, my long legs need to know! At the terminal, I was told it takes the van 6~7 hours from Tacloban to Palapag, but due to the waiting at San Juanico bridge, it at times becomes 8 even 9 hours. Hiyay! I knew that was a bit exaggerated. I noted that anyway, to manage my expectations. Then I saw these... all taped at various parts of the tellers' glass-wall...

This was excitingly fun with lots of happy surprises! That means... this will be a long read for you. But as I always do, I'll chunk my stories into a series for ease-of-read ! Alright... where is this place? It's on the northeastern tip of Samar Island. Here... That portion of Northern Samar (Province) has four towns facing the Pacific Ocean. Why go there? Well, why not? 'Hwag maging dayuhan ... remember? This side of Samar Island, along with towns to the south (part of Eastern Samar) have less explored natural wonders. Keep reading this, and my next stories, I'll tell you about many of them - in a series! I'll start with Palapag, then Mapanas, down to Gamay, Lapinig, Arteche then Oras. In one day? No no hehe! In several days, but most will surely be: I wish I had more time ! How to go there. There are various ways, depending on your preferred level of comfort, convenience, etc., plus - the adventure or challenge level you want to experience, ...

If the previous topic ( Tacloban to Clark direct flight on Air Asia ) was a first for me, here is another first: My Point-to-Point (P2P) Bus Ride from Clark International Airport to Trinoma Mall at North EDSA in Quezon City. I did this just to try how it really is :) How did I prepare for this trip? Yes, nag-prepare talaga! Well, some bit of analysis had to be summoned of my lowly brain. First, did I have time? The answer was 'siguro naman'! With my flight from Tacloban expected to arrive Clark at 1010H and my event at UP Diliman scheduled to start at 1730H, that would have been a very unfortunate miracle if I still didn't make it on time, right? Plenty of time to spare, so I dared! Second, I have read and reread the many web stories and blogs that describe this kind of bus service. Plus, I had my driver on standby to pick me anywhere on the entire NLEX route - if ever something untoward happened. First time eh, hehe. Not that this was a first time for me to travel bet...

This air route has been on for a time now. It started as a regular route via a hype-up (or command?) of the president (Duterte) to decongest MNL by moving some flights to CRK. Was that 2016? I guess so. Hmm, before I proceed, let us do some 'tsismis'.., I heard, many stakeholders in/at/of Region VIII were vehemently opposed to the Department of Transportation picking TAC as one of the cities with flights to/from NAIA that would be transferred to Clark. How vehement? Ah, many of them (such as business chambers) trooped to their lawmakers or leaders that be, for the needed intercession to Malacañang! Lo and behold.., by the end of 2016August, the Regional Development Council VIII (RDC8) submitted a resolution to the DOTr declaring opposition to making MNL-TAC-MNL flights become CRK-TAC-CRK. I remember there was even an online (hashtag) campaign for this - the #NoToClarkForTaclobanFlights. So what happened? Interesting! At first, all 3 airlines (PAL, Cebu Pacific and Air Asi...

Dandering ? Aw, let me use that as a synonym of ' drifting ', ' gallivanting ', ' wandering '! Roaming without an itinerary - all left to 'chances', by breaking away from my group! For that is what happened here hehe! Yep, I didn't really come to this place to tour-around, as I usually do. I joined a group of friends for a benevolent Christmas Day Program - but, with an itch to look beyond ! Shhh, huwag na maingay. Silip-silip lang naman ang ginawa ko! Not a bad idea, right? Aw, I stuck with our scheduled activities 100%. But there were chances - like during lunch breaks, I'd sneak away to look around and/or shoot pics! That said, everything I will tell you, were most likely unplanned or unintended. As we say in Tagalog: kung ano lang ang nakita, natagpuan, naranasan. In short: whatever! This gave me a different kind of thrill. So let me tell you about some of them! First, a briefer on the not so obvious things (to many Pinoys) ...

That was one quick ride. We left the parking area of Danang's Domestic Terminal at 1855H, and I arrived at the lobby of Holiday Beach Hotel at 1914H. Just 19 minutes! For 7 kilometers? That was 22+ kilometers per hour hahaha! But I considered it fast because, in the Philippines, travel from an airport to anywhere usually takes "years"! Oh well, this is where "the psychology of waiting" comes in. I was pre-occupied with watching those places we passed-by. I was excited, so I did not at all feel impatient! Excited because, I was back after two decades, and our Chritmas Eve Party , among the craziest of my friends, was already brewing. Cocktails at 8, Dinner at 9PM. Woh! I had 45 minutes to wash-up and go down to the venue, on the sand, Holiday Beach Club of this hotel (across the road, actually). Kayang-kaya! More about that later na! But as I always say, let's have a blow-by-blow account of my way to their city center. I found it challengingly fu...