Going Against the Wind II...

Arriving at Batangas Peir was no walk in the park, our fate was continuously tested before we finally got there (read here...). But we never thought our persistence would be stopped by big waves and shaky ships. And so the desire to reach puerto had finally been stopped. But we can't put the effort to a waste, so we embarked on a more adventurous journey, travel across Batangas and find the perfect resort. We didn't know what's ahead, but this what made this journey worthy of writing.:)

And so with the sun setting, we had to retreat and put puerto on another day. But we are forgetting something, it was a long journey before we arrive here, shall we go home without savoring the victory we just had? The answer was simple, we can't go home empty handed. We held ourselves against a raging storm until it finally went away, we couldn't just go home just yet, we need a place to celebrate!

The problem is, Batangas isn't our neighborhood. Not to mention most of us had never been, we were complete alien in a part of our own country. So we did ask and solicit ideas from strangers. Motorcycle drivers, stranded passengers, guards, even by-standers, we asked them all. They always have same answer, it's best to stay for the night at closed room then have fun tomorrow. But no way, that's not part of the plan. Waste the night on a unknown bed? We were adventurers, we didn't travel all the way here to have a thorough examination on somebody's bed. We need to find a place to celebrate.

So we put our hope to the wonders of the modern world. A few text and a google would get us somewhere. A friend told us about Nasugbu, were resorts were common, not quite like puerto but better than nothing.

So at about almost 4pm, the sun already waving goodbye, we took two tricycles and instructed them to bring us to where we could ride a bus going to nasugbu, wherever that is. Clueless, we put our safety to the two tricycle drivers who are unrelentlessly convincing us to go to a better place near the vicinity. We would have given in, until they told us it would cost at least 1200 pesos per tricycle and with more than one hour travel on the tricycle depending on the traffic. Oh My! quite suspicious we thought. So we give them a loud NO and finally arrived at a Bus Stop near a National Road.

At the bus stop, we asked the driver, and we were very specific with our question, "Can this bus take us to Nasugbu?", not to mention the signboard says so. And the driver gave a convincing nod and a smile. So our hearts were at peace when we took the bus.

The ride was long, most of us fell asleep but not me. I had to savor every moment of this accidental adventure. Then it dawned to me that where we are going is same place as where Santi actual passed through. We passed landslides along the way, there were flood on some part of the road, we had to stop on some roads where only one lane is open, and we also passed roads covered with soil, its a good thing the local government started clearing the road so we were able to pass. I realized that Santi was no joke, we where just lucky we didn't got directly hit.

After almost two hours of travel, our bus suddenly announced that we won't be going up to Nasugbu since one of the bridges leading to Nasugbu is heavily damaged. The bus stops at Sinsian Lemery, wherever that is. My mind instantly boiled, I can still picture that drivers smile and nod when we asked him, and yet he never told us about the tragedy. We tried to talk to the driver after we had the stop but he quickly stepped out of the bus after we arrive at Sinsian. We asked the conductor instead and instructed us to walk over the damaged bridge and ride a bus on the opposite side of the bridge. At least another bus is waiting, "Not to worry". And what's more irritating is that he told us they knew about the unpassable bridge and they never bothered to tell us when we asked them before. I guess that's what business is all about, find ways to get money and explain later when complaints are raised.

So we walked across the bridge, with lots of foods on our hands. We hadn't eaten anything yet but hunger started to put music in our stomach. At the end of the bridge, we expected bus, comforting bus where we could lie on our backs and relax. But no bus were in sight, only tricycles and jeepney. Another shocking lie I guess. We asked around and found out another bridge ahead is also damaged so the bus we were suppose to take is on that side of that bridge.

So we had to take a jeepney and walk again to that damaged bridge. As we took the ride on that jeepney, we realized night had started to fall. It's getting dark and we are still on the road in a very unknown place. This must be what adventure is like, never know where you're gonna end but you know it'll be fun. Somehow, we felt nervous and eager to end that feeling of being lost.

After about 15 min, we arrived at the 2nd bridge, we had to cross that dark unpassable bridge just to get to the other side. This had been a first timer for a lot of things for me, so I felt rather excited to see how the day ends. At the other side, we finally saw a bus, and this time, they assure us, we are stopping at Nasugbu. So we took our sit, and gave ourselves a deserved reward, food. We took out what we were carrying all along and ate our food we were suppose to offer to puerto. It never crossed our minds that we would be eating all of this at the bus, talk about luck.:)

With the night starting to get darker, we were eager to finally end our journey. And about 8pm, we finally arrive at Nasugbu terminal. People there knew exactly where we want to go so we didn't have any difficulty finding a nice resort. Two tricycle took us to a Beach Resort called Johndel...

And so we took a room, we didn't care if it was that expensive, lay our bags, put in our swimming clothes and enjoyed the culmination of the hardships that we had to go through. We had fun, but what makes it more memorable is the things we had to go through just to enjoy this moment. And how we enjoyed the weekend? Our picture tells it all. :)

Going Against the Wind...

The past month had been the most devastating time I had personally witness in our country. I've come from the south and storms and typhoon doesn't usually affect us much, so it was a shocker to have witness the chaotic effects of two nearly simoultaneous storms. It didn't just destroyed homes and roads, but worst, it took the lives of almost a thousand of my countrymen. Most were affected, if not structurally, also emotionally, and brought the whole nation into darkness. It had engraved a new meaning of fear for most who have seen its capacity. And so paranoia for storm had been common this days.

After more than a month, another storm was bound to hit the country once again. It was no Ramil who just grazed northern Luzon and spared our wounded country, nor was it like Quedan who never bothered to look at an injured prey. It was Santi, who unmercifully tested the nation once again as it cross right into the heart of luzon. A stormy night in an All Saint's Day was feared to happen. A To Dos los Santi as many would joke around.

But if others felt fear, I saw a completely different perspective for the upcoming weekend. It was a time to redeem ourselves, prove that no matter what comes our way, we will always rise up to the challenge and overcome any mountains that block our way. Grief was a thing in the past, now is the time to tell those who listen that we can't remain scared forever, we have to face our fears someday, and now is the perfect day.

Friday night, same night when Santi finally landed on South Luzon, we meet at our place, cooked some foods, equipped ourselves with short shorts, summer shirts, beach slippers, and lots of candles and flashlights in case Santi did get wild. But Santi was in for a fight, it was already midnight and the rain just keeps getting heavier. Reminded us of the night Ondoy hit Luzon, unstopped raining all night then followed by flashflood the following morning. Yet we waited and let our spirit stay burning and wait for it to stop. About 3am, the whole vicinity turned black, power interruption almost disrupted our spirits. But still, we were still wide awake when the next hour approach. It was a relief when the rain begun to stop. But it is then that we saw what was the real danger hiding in the heavy rains, gust of winds were strong enough to let the roof from small houses to fly, branches of trees cracked at the angry wind. With no electricity and the wind continuously testing our spirit, we were at our darkest moment. We slept about 5am with little thought continuing on our meaningful journey.

About 10am, a familiar sunlight woke me up. It was still dark and hot with no fan to cool us off, but a relief was there when a ray of sunlight was forcing me to open my eyes. And as if I was completely repossessed by my own spirit, I jumped up and with burst of excitement, declared that no storm could stop us,it was the sign that our journey continues.

Despite the wind still staying strong, we went to cubao at about 11am to begin our journey. We embarked from the terminal about noon. 3-4 hrs more and we'll be at Batanga Pier.

On our way, after almost halfway, we experienced heavy rain along the way. This got us thinking if we were stupid or just plainly not thinking at all. But to our relief, we look at east and we could see a glare of sunlight. At least part of Batangas has sunlight. And we were lucky we were going to where that sun is. And after about 3 hrs, we arrive at Batangas Pier, and this is where reality struck us.

We arrive at the pier, with shorts, foods on our hands, and large backpacks you only see when people are mountain climbing. It's like we were screaming, "Puerto here we come". But what greeted us wasn't happy boatman, but countless passengers waiting for a ship to bring them home. I can almost subconsciously hear them saying, "what the hell with these people, don't they know we are in the middle of the storm?". I can almost feel their eyes at our backs staring with mixed feeling, partly angry and partly laughing at us.

But we were persistent, we asked around, look for possible way cross the sea despite the big waves. And we weren't lucky enough to find one. But it was nice to know we weren't the only one stranded there and bound to puerto, only that they weren't as vulgar with their intention as we were. With the sun starting to set, hope seems to fade along with it. We realize there was no way to cross the sea.

And so Puerto did became an unreachable goal that day.... But it didn't end there, our spirits can never be broken, and we did execute a Plan B...

(...to be continued)