December 25, 2013.
An uncharted territory. An unpredictable destination. A time
limit, set. A challenging adventure. As the dreamer sets his sights on a city
in the north, what experiences await him? Will a given promise change his life
forever?
Hell yeah.
Upon knowing that my dear blog partner (Hello, Kakat!) will be having her vacation for 3 weeks, I immediately had to think of ways to still spend time with her. Of course, I just couldn't say "Hey, let's hang out here, or there." every single day - she is, after all, having a break from all the hustle and bustle of the city streets and the sometimes-getting-a-little-tedious work that she had to do everyday. Good thing it's Christmas season, and there's bound to have a Simbang Gabi on a nearby chapel. That's the kind of date that we decided to have.
It was then that I realized that I signed up for just a series of evening masses. I get to leave the office at around 5pm, and you know what that means. Rush hour - people running about, getting buses, taxis and trains. Heavy traffic on the way. Mass starts at around 8pm, and I wondered if I'll ever make it.
The thing is, I get to experience every single mode of transportation to Quezon City. For the fun (or heck) of it, let me share my "notes" regarding these means to get to my partner's place on time and be able to make it to the Mass.
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| MRT. Stands for Man Rage Train. |
Accessibility: ****
Comfort: **
Travel Speed: *****
Cost: *
This is no doubt the fastest and most convenient way to travel to the North. The only issues that one has to deal with are the long lines and the difficulty of getting into the train. At around 5pm, expect the train to be jam-packed with all the people rushing to get home. Good thing Kakat taught me the convenience of having a stored value ticket (saved me time to fall in line) and taking a south-bound train for a round trip.
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| Not for the faint of heart and legs. |
Accessibility: ***
Comfort: *
Travel Speed: *
Cost: ***
I'm not even kidding about the ratings. Freakin traffic along EDSA (especially from Guadalupe to Ortigas and then at Cubao), plus, you get to stand the whole time. Securing a seat is entirely luck-based, but I guess that's the same in every mode of transportation bar taxis. Also, it stops all the time to get passengers, even though it's already full. Lastly, tickets here are more expensive than MRT's. Only take this when you've got plenty of time, you've got no other choice, or if, for some reason, you want to stand for a long time.
 |
| "Boss, kontrata. 300, Tandang Sora." |
Accessibility: *
Comfort: *****
Travel Speed: ****
Cost: *****
Sometimes, you gotta make your money work for you. There are times when going to the MRT station would be a hassle, and there's no way in hell you're gonna take the bus because of the heavy traffic. In these times, consider getting a cab. It's a little tricky though, since most cabs won't take you as a customer if your destination is as far as, say, Tandang Sora. A little negotiation would be needed. Plus, hunting available taxis is already a challenge on its own. This, however, can take you as far as your actual destination, unlike MRT or bus where you have to stop at Trinoma first.
Sometimes, you gotta make your money work for you. There are times when going to the MRT station would be a hassle, and there's no way in hell you're gonna take the bus because of the heavy traffic. In these times, consider getting a cab. It's a little tricky though, since most cabs won't take you as a customer if your destination is as far as, say, Tandang Sora. A little negotiation would be needed. Plus, hunting available taxis is already a challenge on its own. This, however, can take you as far as your actual destination, unlike MRT or bus where you have to stop at Trinoma first.
 |
| Hari ng kalsada |
Accessibility: *****
Comfort: ****
Travel Speed: ***
Cost: *
The jeepney ride wraps up the travel to home base. To need to ride one to get to my partner's village, either from Trinoma or from Tandang Sora market. Depending on what jeepney you rode with, you're either going for just one ride (directly from Trinoma to the market) or three rides (Trinoma to Visayas Ave, then Visayas to Tandang Sora Market, and lastly, from the market to the village). It's just a matter of preference on which jeepneys to choose, but you definitely don't want to ride the direct one if you're in a rush, since it has an uber long waiting line during rush hour.
And yeah, not only did I get to learn the most efficient ways to travel, I also get to master the routes. Of course, I won't tell you much about it - I don't want you guys going to Kakat's place uninvited. :D
A friend of mine asked me, "Why do you have to go through all the trouble for this?"
I've got plenty of reasons.
One, I want to spend time with Kakat in a way that she won't ever have to leave her village. I want her to feel that she does not have to go through all the trouble of commuting just for us to meet. I value the time she chose as her vacation, and I don't want her to get weary.
Two, The idea of a "church date" is something that has interested me. I knew it wouldn't be just a date - it would be a time for us to reflect, pray, and keep our faith in check. I want the two of us to be guided by God, and one of the better ways to ask for it is to attend a Mass. A date where we can be with God? Sign me up for that.
Three. It's likely that I'll be visiting her home whenever we would go out. I can't afford to lose my way every time, and that's why I took the opportunity to master my way around.
Four. I also want to meet her family. I'd like them to know that my intentions for their daughter is good, and that I'll be worthy enough for their trust. It's not something I could work out in just 9 days though, but I sure hope I had a good start.
Six. I wanted to put myself into a test. A test of willpower. For some, distance and time are obstacles - many guys would be put off with the idea of travelling several miles for two or more hours just to see someone for less than an hour (not counting the time it'll take to go home, which, in my case, is double the time I had to spend going from Makati to Quezon City). The test gave me the opportunity to be mindful of my surroundings, be strategic in choosing the means to get to where I want to go, and the patience to endure all the difficulties of travel. I can confidently say that I passed this test - I grew to be a more conscientious traveler with a heckload of forethought and patience.
Seven. Kakat, herself. I believe she's worth all the effort, and I want her to feel special in that regard. I'm willing to go through even the most challenging of labyrinths just for a chance to make her smile and brighten up her day.
After nine nights of doing this adventure, I can say that Cavite isn't that too far from Quezon City anymore. This adventure not only gave me the opportunity to experience traveling the busy North, it also allowed me to grow as a better person in terms of determination and will.
I already told Kakat that we're going to do this again next year. I don't mind taking on this adventure again. :)
I hope you learned something from this post. I'd like to know what you think. :)
Stay Classy, Planet Earth!
- Billy
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