Of Trip Travails and Douchebags

I nearly forgot -- I haven't told you about our Baguio trip yet. Literally, the trip going to Baguio!

TheHusband was flying in from Dumaguete, and we just waited for him in Makati. Fearing heavy traffic (because it was Miyerkules Santo), Sharkteeth and I went to Manila early and spent much of our time in the mall and in S's versions of paradise, Gingersnaps and Powerbooks. Oh, by the way, here's an exchange between S and I regarding Gingersnaps:

Sharkteeth: Do you know why I like Gingersnaps?
TPS: Because they have cute clothes?
Sharkteeth: Well, yes, but also because I don't like seeing other girls wearing the same shirt as I do.
[We don't have Gingersnaps here in Dumaguete, so it's not very common here.]
TPS: Ganun???!!!

I was surprised because I didn't think that at ten she'd be so particular about such things. Furthermore, I don't have any issue with other people wearing similar clothes. So I asked the other contributor of her genes if he has the same issue as S, and as it turned out, TheHusband doesn't like wearing the same clothes as other people either. Which is ironic, because Lacoste sports shirts and 501s are pretty much his uniform. And it got me thinking, are preferences in clothes and other superficial stuff genetically determined? Neither TheHusband nor I have discussed such quirks, yet S is very adamant about her fashion stand. Hmmmmm... Meanwhile, Gingersnaps, baka gusto nyong i-sponsor si S ng clothes. Hahahahaha!

Anyway, may Illy's pala sa Powerbooks, so hindi ako nainip. I didn't want to browse sa books kasi baka makabili pa ako. Tangent thought: Being a card-carrying member of hoi polloi, I don't understand why Illy's coffee is so expensive.

Thank you, Derdo.

Anyhoo, when TheHusband arrived, we ate dinner and bought a travel bag. We lost track of time, and when we left the mall, it was already 9 pm. Tapos super traffic sa EDSA because of road repairs and construction. Our schedule was 10:40 pm and we had to be at the station at around 10:15. I decided to check Uber, and around half past 9, there was an available car nearby. However, based on the GPS tracking of the car, kung saan-saang route dumadaan yung cab, and it was already 10:10 when it reached Dusit. Haaaayyy... Buti na lang the driver knows a couple of shortcuts na walang traffic. Still, it was already 10:30 and we were still stuck in traffic. Although we were just approximately a kilometer away from the bus station and can possibly walk the rest of the way, we had so much stuff to carry. TheHusband decided to get off the car and walk, thinking of riding the bus ahead of us so he could just ask the driver to pick us up from where we were. Actually, he didn't walk -- he ran. With a heavy backpack in tow. My dear deconditioned husband. Running. I was worried his blood pressure might rise. All the while, Sharkteeth and I were tittering -- the driver must have been so irritated. A few minutes later, TheHusband called and said that because of the heavy traffic, departures were delayed and it would be a few hours more before we can leave. And I sighed a breath of relief.

Apparently, "few hours" was an understatement. A couple of hours turned to three. And four. And five. And so on. And so forth

Punong-punong-puno ng tao ang bus station. Eventually, naglatag na ako ng scarf dun sa basketball court where other people were waiting so that S can sleep. I know how sleepiness changes her behavior and I was so thankful that she immediately fell asleep.

Roughing it out

 A friendly cat came over and sidled up to Sam. It was so malambing. Then a scary thing happened. A huge (for real!) rat from the periphery of the basketball court started going to our direction. The young cat didn't know whether to attack or stand down. The rat seemed unfazed. Mostly because they were about the same size and it must have thought in its tiny rat brain that there was a fighting chance. But it forgot the MOM OF THE SLEEPING KID. LOL! I chased it away. Napagod ako. Hahahaha! 

Feline bodyguard -- wala namang kwenta

Finally, around 5 am, passengers scheduled for 10:40 pm were called to bus 2344 (not entirely sure of the bus number). ETO ANG WINNER NA PANGYAYARI: Passengers scheduled for the 1 am trip were already occupying our seats. There were around 16 of them. They didn't want to get off the bus because, get this, they bought their tickets back in February. ANO NGAYON KUNG NAG-BOOK SILA NG MAAGA?!!! EH MAS MAAGA ANG SKED NAMIN. Biglang uminit ang ulo ng 10:40 pm passengers. I swear, I surprised myself for being able to grin and bear everything during the long wait, but I really snapped at the impertinence of those 1 am passengers. They weren't listening to reason anymore. And the stupid guard seemed so helpless about the situation. I went to the dispatchers' office and asked someone to intervene. A few moments later, another bus was dispatched for the 10:40 pm schedule. The 1 am douchebags didn't lift their asses from bus 2344!!! GRABE SILA. I always feel offended when people cut in line because it is NOT JUST ABOUT A FREAKING LINE, it is the concept of JUSTICE they are toying with and spitting upon. OA na ba? Still, to the 1 am passengers of Victory bus 2344, ANG KAKAPAL NG MUKHA NYO!!! And you, Victory Liner, kayo in the first place ang dapat nag-i-institute ng discipline, from the management to the guards, and yet your guard let that stupid farce to happen. Hah! There, more than a month later and I'm finally able to get it out of my system.

So, at 5:30 am of Holy Thursday, after waiting for around 7 hours, we were finally able to leave. I promptly fell asleep, and when I woke up around 9 am, I was so dismayed that after more than 3 hours, we were only in San Fernando, Pampanga. It was a looooooong trip, and we reached Baguio around 3:30 pm. What usually takes us 6 hours took us 10 hours. Never again will I go to Baguio during the Holy Week. Eto na yata yung sinasabi nung pari sa St. Peregrine na "yung mga pupunta ng beach at magbabakasyon, pag may nangyaring masama sa inyo, don't expect God to help you kasi PATAY ANG DIYOS." Hehehe. Joke.

The actual Baguio vacation post will have to wait. All that verbal and emotional diarrhea took a toll on me. Napagod ako. Hehehehe.

Baguio darkness

PS
I think Robert Frost's poem Acquainted with the Night goes so well with the above picture. So let me.

 

I have been one acquainted with the night.

I have walked out in rain—and back in rain.

I have outwalked the furthest city light.

I have looked down the saddest city lane.

I have passed by the watchman on his beat

And dropped my eyes, unwilling to explain.

I have stood still and stopped the sound of feet

When far away an interrupted cry

Came over houses from another street,

But not to call me back or say good-bye;

And further still at an unearthly height,

One luminary clock against the sky

Proclaimed the time was neither wrong nor right. 

I have been one acquainted with the night