Cold Watermelons: A Whole Year of Updates (4/5)

By far, this is the part where I'm most excited to talk about (and my friends have been bugging me to tell the whole story).

May-June 2012. The Ilocandia Tour.

I have always wanted to go to Ilocos and experience "the old, the ancient, the history". In some days when I have less to do, I would browse the internet on must-visit places. One day, I felt everything was too much - I needed to get away from work, disconnect myself to social networking, run away from the boyfriend and try to be a different person, I decided to embark to Ilocos in the weekend.

Thursday. The boyfriend and I dined at Hawkers and we talked very casually. Then I told (not asked) him that I wanted to travel to Ilocos on Saturday. He was astonished at how absurd this idea was. He asked if I'm sure. I said yes immediately. I made up my mind and there was nothing he could do about it.

So come Saturday morning, I woke up at around eight o'clock - which is my usual first wake up call on weekends. I looked up the internet for a bus liner which can take me to the North, the schedule, rates and contact number. Turned out I had one freaking hour to prepare because the bus would leave at 9:45. I packed a few clothes, made sure all my essentials are in my backpack and hailed a cab to take me to Partas station in Pasay. I remembered it was raining like hell. But not Mother Nature stopped me. Then I got my ticket, waited with the rest of the passengers and called the boyfriend that I was there waiting already. Friends and my boss texted to remind me to take care of myself. I planned to go back to Manila Sunday night so I could still report to the office on Monday.

But no. The bus ride took away 12 hourssssss of my supposed get-away tour! I dreaded CDO-Davao bus rides and this was tooooo much. I didn't realize until my phone was on critical battery level, when my butt felt sore, my stomach was grumbling (I do not eat when on travel because I easily get sick) and there was nothing else I could do but remain seated. On my window seat, peeping from the curtains, I saw rainy Pampanga, La Union and and Pangasinan pass by. I was supposed to contemplate, meditate, ponder upon everything that's happened (and will happen) in my life but I could not. It was the worst part of the trip.

Saturday 10PM. I arrived in Vigan (but had to keep asking the bus driver and its assistant where we were already). I picked the most friendly looking driver from the line-up of trikes infront of the terminal. I was fortunate that he knew where Grandpa's Inn was and told me that it was nice and affordable. So there I checked in at the old mansion which was refurbished into a lodging house.

Wait, let me tell the story by just posting the photos instead. Then I'll just blog about THE QUARTER LIFE CRISIS.