Exploring Baguio, Philippines: My Crazy Trip In and Out

I am currently at the airport, about to board for NAIA. The travel time is expected to be approximately 10 hours. It's a 2-hour drive from home to the city, another 30 minutes to the airport, then an hour flight from Iloilo to Manila, followed by a 5-hour bus trip from Manila to Baguio.

At 10:30 PM, We took a bus ride to Baguio, costing 640 pesos each with a 10-peso chance passenger fee. The benefit was catching an earlier ride supposedly 12:30 AM trip . In Baguio, I spent 550 pesos on 2 bottles of wine and 2 jars of jam while roaming around. Entrance to Bell Church was 20 pesos.

Later that night, I spent 2500 pesos at a restaurant and for shopping. I bought 2 oversized t-shirts for 350 pesos and enjoyed a delicious meal at a Japanese restaurant called Ramen Nagi.

Now, being inside the airport for the first time feels surreal. Despite having seen similar places before, physically being here satisfies all my senses except my sight. I hope I will feel more of this way when I meet my friends, Team Matatag, next week.

Looking around the waiting area in the airport, everything feels new, though it doesn't look new. I'm glad there are free charging stations with different adapters available. I'm currently sitting in front of a coffee shop, surrounded by many stores.

Seeing an airplane parked outside catches my attention. It's not as big as I had imagined. There are many people working below it, and although I don't know what they're doing, it seems fascinating. No wonder plane tickets are expensive.

Now, I'm on the airplane. I ensured to be present in the moment as it took off. Sitting at seat 31F, I watched as the landscape turned from night to dawn. Witnessing the airplane glide over residential areas, feeling turbulence, and seeing the world below the clouds made me eager to experience this again. The moments of engine bursts felt exhilarating, like a Ferrari taking flight.

Experiencing all this firsthand is truly remarkable. I've only seen such things in stock videos before; now, it's real. I hope to achieve enough success to afford this regularly.

Currently, I'm on a bus heading to Baguio with an estimated arrival time of 5 hours. It's 2:03 AM now, and it's been 3 hours since takeoff. Looking out the window, the sight of Manila's wide flyovers impresses me. These infrastructures make travel to provinces faster. However, the dense and somewhat neglected residential buildings make me contemplate the trade-offs of living in this highly industrialized city.

I tried to sleep during the trip and woke up to a view slightly similar to Iloilo's. Looking at the map, we still have <4 hours until Baguio. It feels like traveling from home to Boracay, passing the tail of Panay but longer.

Currently, I'm abstaining from drinking water to avoid needing to use the restroom. Haha.

We made a brief stop at Sison at 2:19 AM. Despite sitting for hours and enduring mechanical stress, my hunger persists.

The road is still bustling with large trucks, and the gasoline stations here are three times larger. The modern jeepneys are also notably longer than those back home. Considering the uphill roads, the fare of 600+ pesos seems surprisingly cheap.

Upon arriving in Baguio at 5 AM, I was greeted by the beautiful city lights and buildings on the slopes. From 5 AM to 12 PM, I roamed around, feeling slightly irritated due to lack of sleep on the bus and my brother's presence being somewhat annoying. Nonetheless, I'm learning to control my emotions better, which is challenging.

Spending just one day here has given me a new perspective on life and future possibilities. I'm excited about what I could achieve if I navigate life well.

Day 2, June 22, 2024, 5:30 AM: I woke up before 5:30 AM and looked outside my room to a remarkably cold morning. The strong wind adds to the chill, but the view of Baguio is breathtaking. Houses built on the mountains at a 90-degree slope showcase impressive architecture. It's refreshing that most places here don't use air conditioning, embracing the natural coolness.

At 6:02 AM, I felt a sense of déjà vu in Baguio while reading on my Kindle. It's not a mainstream tablet but a simple one.

Lunch cost 1200 pesos, and I spent 300 pesos on taxi trips.

Returning to Manila from 3 PM to around 9 PM was rainy, but reaching Tito's house in Cavite by 11 PM concluded our very long journey. Despite the challenges, learning and observing the environment was invaluable. Now, we have 7 days to spend in Manila.

Currently, I'm in Cavite, looking forward to meeting my online friends later.