Ulog Entry # 3 | Our Baguio Adventure Begins

Today was a long day. I woke up at 5am and immediately rose from the bed to turn off the alarm. I normally go back to sleep after hitting the snooze button and let the alarm wake me up again after 5, 10, 15, then 30 minutes – but not today.

Officially On Holiday

Since we got back from Davao, Red has been receiving calls for work. One had him on the phone for a good 30 minutes in what was to be an initial interview. Red hasn’t been sending out his resume because the plan is that he’ll take a break for at least six months. It’s not clear how they found him and his number but the calls are coming. In case he got something he really liked, I wanted to make sure we got the most out of his break. Our trip to Davao wasn’t exactly relaxing, and I wanted something nice to remember should I look back to the summer of 2018. I was all about the beach and getting some more sun when Red sheepishly remarked that he’d like somewhere cool this time. I immediately understood what he was trying to say.

_{Baguio Trip 2011}

Red has always loved Baguio. Since we became a couple in 2006, we’ve been to Baguio 3 times; in 2009, 2011, and in 2013. We never brought the kids with us - Lucy was still in Davao that time, and Sam was too young. I got excited with the thought that Sam would experience Baguio for the first time and set out to make sure we have a grand time in the Philippines’ Summer Capital.

Preparations

The Place

_{The Residence photos from Airbnb}

I have been using Airbnb since I found out about it in 2016. Although it’s not necessarily cheaper than hotels, I prefer the places that I can book through them. For one, I trust them more than any other website. There’s also the fact that with Airbnb, I can look for places where the option to cook our own meals is available. Our Tagaytay trips were booked through Airbnb, so was that Samal trip in 2017 where we stayed at a secluded private resort for 3 days and 2 nights. I am happy to share that all those experiences were pleasant, if not utterly delightful.

For this trip, I looked for a place that was near to the must-visits in Baguio such as Session Road – so we could have their famous street ice cream, Burnham Park – where we could have a picnic, Baguio City Market – to get my hands on those fresh fruits and vegetables, Our Lady of Atonement Cathedral – to hear mass, and the Good Shepherd – where we would buy our pasalubongs or gifts we give to our Nanay and Tatay for looking after our home in Bulacan while we were away.

As I mentioned, I want to be able to cook meals even when we’re on vacation so the kitchen is a must. Although we’ll be trying out Baguio delicacies, it’s important for me that we still eat healthy. We really can’t be sure how much artificial flavoring has been added to our food if we eat outside. I also can’t miss the opportunity to actually cook something as fresh as the vegetables in Baguio. La Trinidad, also in Benguet and is one of Baguio’s neighboring towns, is known as the Salad Bowl Of The Philippines. It is where we get our broccoli, cauliflower, lettuce, and other leafy vegetables from.

One of the things that I also like about Airbnb is the vast number of options you have. There are a lot of listings, plenty to choose from! I only have those two criteria I mentioned and so I didn’t have a hard time looking for a place that was perfect for me. I booked a place that’s near the market, the park, and the church. In pictures, it has a modern vibe but still had that homey look with its white walls and wooden furniture. The kitchen looked fuss-free, having a spacious counter where I could chop those crunchy vegetables I've been dreaming about. The place was definitely one of the things I looked forward to from our trip.

To Drive or Not To Drive

I learned how to drive in 2014. I took a driving class and completed a 15-hour course, wherein I was able to drive through the North Luzon Expressway. I pretty much know about the mechanics on how to drive a manual transmission vehicle but I NEVER had the courage to actually drive without an instructor. Red is always the one on the wheel and I don't think I could cover for him should he become too tired to drive. Baguio is 108 miles from Malolos, which means it's about a 4 hour drive. I didn't want to risk it. Who knows what could happen along the way. Our sedan is 13 years old, what if it breaks down? Call me paranoid but it's better to be safe than sorry.

Red and I decided (I pursuaded Red is more accurate) to take the bus instead. We thought it was best to go with the 1st class trip of Victory Liner, where there's more leg room. Instead of the usual 45 seats, this bus only accomodated 29 passengers. It's so spacious that you can recline your seats without bothering the one seated behind you, and a foot rest that will help in keeping you comfortable during the 4-hour trip. It doesn't have any stops so they also have what they call a portalet or a portable toilet. We've never tried it before but this time, we'll be with Sam. We went to their website and found out they only have one 1st class trip per day, which is at 12:20 in the afternoon. The seats are limited and so we booked the three of them right away.

With those done, all I needed to do was pack the things we'll needed. I remember how we only needed a backpack the last time we went to Baguio but now, we had to use the luggage to make sure we won't run out of clothes during our 4-day stay. I've become quite able in packing after all the trips, which has become more and more frequent as the kids are growing. I have made it a point to create a checklist of things to do before we leave the house, like closing all the windows, making sure everything was unplugged, and taking out the trash before we leave. These would be things I do on the day we leave so I need to wake up early. We went to bed early the night before our trip, and as soon as the alarm went off, I was out of bed.

After having coffee (milk for Sam), we had to get moving because we were to meet @immarojas for breakfast. For me, meeting other Steemians in person is a thrill. It hasn't become old even after all the meet-ups we were able to hold for the SteemPH Meet-Up Caravan. And Imma is not just another Steemian; she is a friend who has become more like family. When we saw each other at the coffee shop at around 10am, we quickly launched into our chikahan that we forgot to take even just one picture. I did receive souvenirs from her Lourdes trip which I will forever hold dear.

Our bus leaves at 12:20pm so we were at the bus terminal 15 minutes before 12. It was a typical summer day in the Philippines and at noon, it was sweltering hot. One of the best things about booking the 1st class bus was that we were allowed to stay at the air-conditioned waiting area. I'm not bothered much by the heat but I'm concerned about Sam, who usually gets asthma attacks when it's either too hot or too cold. The bus arrived early and we were able get to our seats before other passengers arrived. I took the video below so you can see how it looked like inside the bus.

When all 29 passengers were aboard, our bus started its journey to Baguio. We were provided snacks and a bottled water and there was wifi too. The additional payment to ride the 1st class bus is absolutely worth it. I was able to recline my seat at a comfortable angle so I could only appreciate the four hours that the trip afforded me. I was able to relax and enjoy the view with music streaming through from my headphones. The video below are clips of my view.

We arrived at the bus terminal in Baguio at around 4:30. It was raining but it didn't dampen our spirits one bit. We easily found the place I booked and I am not disappointed. It is exactly the way I imagined it from the pictures. The house smells good too. I'll share a video of a house tour in my next posts. For now, I'll leave you with this view from our balcony. Good night Steemit world!

~ Danda. May 07 2018. 10:45 PM

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All photos are mine, taken using a Samsung S7 Edge camera phone, unless stated otherwise.