Hello there, wholesome reader!
For today's post, I am writing my entry for @hiveph's contest, Biyaheng Pinoy. In this contest, we are expected to share our favorite mode of transportation, may it be a public vehicle or our own private car. So, without further ado, here is mine.
Growing up two towns away from the major city, I have seen how Cebu has progressed over the decades. I have witnessed how different infrastructures and establishments rose here and there. And with the high urbanization in the city, I also saw how the different modes of transportation have evolved over time. Although I admit that there's still a long way to go, I must also acknowledge the improvements made in the public transportation sector.
When I was a kid, I never experienced having the convenience to go anywhere with a private car because we didn't have one. I would not say that it was sad, but rather challenging, and it actually made me hate traveling. I had to suffer from seasickness everytime and having to ride in public even made it worse. Imagine vomiting inside a closed vehicle in front of strangers? It could be embarrassing, especially for a kid.
Anyway, surprisingly, the very thing that made me hate traveling was also the only thing that made me love it again!
Okay, let me tell you a short story. During my younger years, I was frequently sent to competitions outside my school. This meant I had to travel to other schools where the contests were held. And mind you, most of the time, I had to travel far north or far south. Our school didn't offer transportation services back then, so we had to travel on our own. Usually, one of my parents would go with me and we'd ride on a bus going to the venue. It's very vivid in my memories that one time when a contest was held at a school in Alcoy in Southern Cebu (approximately 2-3 hours away from the city), and I had to vomit the moment I stepped out of the bus. It was quite embarrassing but also memorable since it was the last time that I experienced seasickness, as far as I could remember. I started joining different competitions since I was seven until I graduated highschool at 16 and I think the frequent travels helped me adjust and get used to long rides and, thankfully, took away the horrible seasickness along the way.
My Go-To Mode of Transportation
In Cebu, the most common public utility vehicles include buses, jeepneys, V-hires, tricycles and motorcycles. And recently, a year before the pandemic, modern jeepneys or beeps, as they call them, have been added among the commuters' options.
For short-distance travels, I prefer to ride a jeepney; or a tricycle, if I am just traveling within our town. On the other hand, for long rides, I would ride on a bus and find myself a comfortable seat. I love riding on a bus as I have associated it with adventures and spontaneity.
You probably did not know but before I got used to riding buses, these big vehicles actually scared me. I used to be so intimidated with riding a bus that I would rather go through the struggle of riding multiple jeepneys to reach my destination. Now that I've thought about it, I think it has always been the idea of strangers laying their eyes on me as I get on the bus that terrified me so greatly. As an introvert, I despise being the center of attention.
Anyway, since I live at least an hour away from the city, where my university and my first job was, I got accustomed and became comfortable with the idea of riding a bus. I even have a favorite spot! It's the right back-most seat, an elevated seat beside the window, where I can see the number of strangers seated before me and the view outside. Also, the perfect spot to take pictures! I just love the familiar unfamiliarity of strangers, if it even makes sense.
Unforgettable Trip
Another story time! February 2020 — it was exactly a month before the lockdown took place in Cebu. I and three of my friends from my previous job planned to enjoy a little vacation at the southern tip of Cebu. Since none of us knew how to drive at that time, we agreed to catch the early morning bus at the city terminal.
I was the one who eagerly planned out the trip – from the time that we should meet to the time that we should leave the terminal. Ironically, I was the one who was not able to wake up on time! And guess what? What? I woke up two hours later than our agreed meeting time. What a shame 🤦🏻♀️
When I woke up, I was bombarded with messages from my friends and learned that they still pushed through. And because I really needed that little escape from the corporate stresses, I gathered all my courage to travel alone and managed to follow them.
The whole trip was worth remembering as it was my first time to travel solo on a bus to a faraway place which I am totally unfamiliar with. It was an anxiety-inducing moment at first but then, after I have adjusted to the situation, I learned how to appreciate the solitude of traveling alone.
With the help of my friends, I was able to find my way to the place where we stayed for our getaway. Thankfully, it was just along the road so it was not that difficult to locate them.
To sum it all up, it really doesn't matter what kind of transportation you choose. What matters is that you reach your destination safely while also having little adventures along the way.
Thank you so much for reading my entry to @hiveph's contest. I hope you gained some insights from this post.
I'll take delight in writing for you again soon. See you around!
Love,
Sam ♡
Hello, in case you have not read my intro post, my name is Samantha. You may call me Sam for short. I am from Cebu, a beautiful island in the Philippines. I created this space in an attempt to put all the good things in one place, thus, my blog name @wholesamdiaries.
If you wish to show appreciation; an upvote, comment, reblog and/or follow is the way! Thank you once again and see you around! ♡