1 April 2016 | Part 1

Calaguas is gaining popularity as a travel destination in the Northern Philippines.

My youngest sister, Bethany, graduated from junior high last month but I couldn’t make it on time for her Moving-up Ceremony. I gifted her with a trip to the island instead.

I’ve learned that the best gifts to give the younger generation (wow, I feel old), are not material presents but meaningful experiences. Let them travel, immerse in communities and learn by seeing, tasting and smelling life outside their walls.

There are 2 major buses  that travel through Calaguas. We first went to DLTB to ask for their bus schedules and prices but the lady at the counter was so rude. We chose to ride Superlines instead.

Our bus was scheduled to leave from Cubao to Paracale at 7:45 PM. While waiting for boarding, we had dinner at the Chowking Restaurant beside the station.

Before the bus was to leave, a member of their staff came up and led us all in a prayer for protection. Impressive!

I wish the Philippines would phase out all our old buses and have more comfortable and high-end transport, especially for long rides like this.

The long night began. I couldn’t sleep a wink, my back was hurting all the time 😦 .

When you get to live and explore cities outside the country, you’d realize how sad the transportation system of the Philippines is. We could do so much better than this.

The beauty of your destination isn’t the only thing that matters, it’s also the ease and comfort of getting there.