The concept of a road trip is nothing like what we're used to back in the States. You just can't hop into a car, go through a drive-thru, get onto the highway, and then stop for frappucinos when you're tired. It took us six hours to drive the equivalent of 160 miles.
Driving in the Philippines (as it is in many 3rd world countries), is a nerve wracking tangled maze of pockmarked roads & hazardous obstacles. Manila is in a perpetual state of grid lock. Mom says, “It’s so tropic.” (Translation: traffick). In the province villages, you're stuck on a two lane road choked with deisel trucks, and tricycles along an endless line of fruit stands & shanties. Navigating is an exercise in futility, since the streets lack proper signage. Traffic lights are mere suggestions, and drivers seem to follow one simple rule: Move your ass over!
If you need to use the bathroom in a rural area, you go Filipino style... on the side of the road. If you're lucky to chance upon a gas station expect to BYOT (bring your own toilet paper), or be ready to pay a few pesos to the attendant whose job is to protect the bathroom supplies from being stolen.
Aggressive driving is a pre-requisite, and you must have nerves of steel. I was given the honor of riding shotgun. I soon learned that it was more of a relegation. Our driver accelerated past the slower Jeepneys only to play chicken with a tricycle full of kids. All the while, I'm pressing my imaginary brake pedal as my knuckles turn white holding onto the "oh S@!t" handle. We barely miss the tricycle.When I wasn't fearing for my life, I enjoyed the luscious mountain landscapes that scrolled past my window like a video game backdrop. We'd roll through impoverished shanty towns peering at colorful posters featuring boxing hero Manny Pacquiao endorsing Tanduay rum, Coca-cola, and San Miguel beer. Unfortunately, it happens to be political season so signs litter the streets and trees with smiling Filipino faces urging your vote.
Every now & then, I'd spot a Tide sign painted on a small storefront (a sari sari store). It's kind of nice to see a little bit of P&G out here too. It’s a far cry from the pristine shelves of your local Target store.
When we got hungry, the road side vendors flagged us down urging us to stop for fresh mangoes, bananas, lonzanes, and watermelons. In one stretch, I thought I saw a line of hitch hikers with outstretched arms, but upon closer inspection I realized they were more vendors holding up giant shrimp strung up from their fingertips. My advice, stick with the fruit.
In the end it was 6 hours, but we seemed to have made good time for Filipino standards.
- Marvin
No comments:
Post a Comment