Hello everyone!
Hope all are safe and well! ☺️❤️🙏
Traveling by land from Leyte to Manila has always been a long journey, but during the repair and rehabilitation of the San Juanico Bridge, it became even more challenging. Because of the current restrictions, vehicles weighing more than 3 tons are not allowed to cross the bridge. This includes the big buses going to and from Manila.
The last time I traveled to Manila, I experienced this situation myself. Since buses couldn’t cross, passengers were transferred using mini vans across the bridge. After passing San Juanico Bridge, I was able to ride the bus that was waiting on the Samar side.
But the bus was already overloaded. The seats were full, and many passengers, including myself, had no choice but to occupy the aisle. I sat there on the floor with the sack of rice, squeezed between other travelers. It was such an uncomfortable experience, but I had no other option. Either I rode along or risked waiting for another bus that might not come until midnight, or worse, go back home.
The travel time from Samar to Manila takes more than a day. We left at around 12 noon, and by the time we reached Manila, it was already past 9 p.m. the following day. Imagine that for more than 24 hours of sitting, moving only during stopovers. And for those of us in the aisle, every stopover meant standing up, giving way, or even going down to let passengers move freely, then going back to that same uncomfortable spot.
When we reached Matnog, we boarded a roro ship going to Bicol.
After sailing, I felt a huge relief when finally, a passenger went down in Naga, which gave me the chance to occupy his seat. It wasn’t the most comfortable bus ride still, but at least it was better than sitting on the aisle all the way to Manila.
Despite all the exhaustion, I was just thankful that I arrived in Manila safe. But honestly, I told myself I wouldn’t do it again, especially during peak season. That trip happened right after the election day, which explained the overwhelming number of passengers. Lesson learned: timing is everything when it comes to long travels.
After that experience, I realized that it’s still better to travel by air than take a land trip. The time, the comfort, and the energy you save are worth it compared to enduring more than a day on the road. For long travels like this, a plane ride is definitely the wiser choice. ☺️❤️
Have a Blessed Wednesday everyone! 😀😀😀💖💖💖
Thank You Lord for the blessings and love!
Be grateful in every little/simple things and you’ll find happiness you ever wanted! 😀😀😀
Everyday is worth to be grateful of!
Praying for the safety and wellness of all.
Heal Our Land Oh God!
Lovelots, @shikika