It has been a long afternoon. It was warm, but it rained too. But it didn’t matter. They just happened to be enjoying the long walk from Rizal park until they stumbled upon this wonderful view near the sea. And surprise, surprise! There is a restaurant nearby called Harbor View. It was relaxing. It filled Allie’s heart with joy and appreciation. The view was very simple yet it gave her a sense of peace. She had never been there and would never have been there if not for these two.
They decided to order beer and fresh mango juice. Oh, the mango juice was so sweet. You should order one too!
It’s almost six in the evening and they only had few hours left before the trip to Banaue. Seeing that it”s getting dark, they hailed a cab through Uber and went straight to Mall of Asia. They wandered around.
They found some interesting spots outside and eventually found their way to Don Henrico’s.
It was fun finding a place to eat since the three were totally lost and undecided. Each of them ordered a 10-inch pizza; one was Seafood Romano, second was Primavera Pizza and the last one was Ham and Cheese–at least that’s what she remembers.
The time has finally come. Allie, Rast’o and Michal left for Banaue. They had different buses. Allie rode the Ohayami while Rast’o and Michal rode the Florida bus. These two buses are the ones you will find online if you are looking for a trip to Banaue and other places in the north. (Check Pinoy Travel’s website for a smarter booking. )
It was indeed a long trip–9 hours to be exact. Ohayami left at 10 PM while Florida left at 10:45 PM. These buses have their own terminals but at the end of your trip, you will still go to the same town center in Banaue.
Allie arrived at about 6:40 AM while the other two arrived a few minutes after she did. The guides were serious about their jobs and was very helpful in providing their services. The bus was mostly filled with people from European countries. Allie wasn’t prepared for that, but discovering that Banaue is a popular destination for foreigners, it made her feel proud and happy. Ironically, she felt like she was on a trip abroad. The bus was filled with chatters in different languages. At some point, a group was laughing genuinely at their own jokes while the others are minding their business. But it wasn’t awkward at all. Allie’s excitement and anticipation of getting off the bus grew. She had to keep it to herself though as she did not want to look crazy smiling alone.
Next is the arrival.
There was a jeep ready to assist them in going to the Town Center. For those who have reservations already, someone will pick them up. Allie, Rast’o and Michal were assisted perfectly separately. Eventually, they were all in the town center eating their breakfast. The breakfast was a traditional Filipino meal. You can order something like longganisa, tapa, eggs (scrambled or sunny-side up), with rice, cucumber and tomatoes. The prices are reasonable and you would surely enjoy the food.
…to be continued.
One Step Adventures 