Attraversiamo 2012: 4th Leg - Destination U-TURN

May 18, 2012 Friday

Photo from Jem

If you have read my past travel entries, it is my hope that you enjoyed each journey and the vibrant photos you have seen there…because you will not find them on this entry. 

 

This is an account of a road trip. This isn’t our first time together on one and we wish to be good at this in time. Did we plan for this? Sort of. We knew we were heading to Tagaytay and that we needed to bring food. If you can call that planning then, yes we did! 

START

First Stop:  Pioneer Center Supermarket

Food, drinks and last-minute needs.

Second Stop: Paseo
A load of branded clothes and shoes. 

Third Stop: Picnic Grove, Tagaytay City PH

The last time I was here was ages ago. I was probably in Grade school then. I've been to Tagaytay once or twice the last 12 months but have not visited Picnic Grove. 

We wasted no time and ate our packed meals for the day. After that sumptuous lunch, we discussed where we will be headed next. We don't know where to go until Jem blurted (subconsciously, maybe) 'Cuenca'. In a jiffy, we were cleaning and packing. With no further discussion, we headed to Cuenca and relied our directions to whoever we will meet along the way.

Fourth Stop: Panaderia Pantoja

On our way to Cuenca, we have asked strangers and vendors for directions. There are times when we would get different answers and would rely on jack and poy (rock-paper-scissors game) for answers and our 90's music playing endlessly.

Since we have no idea how long the travel will be or what's ahead of us, we decided to load with food. We bought the most tender pandesal I have ever tasted. 

Check their website for other branches. Here's the link. 

Fifth Stop: Talisay
Who would know that Mara Sarah will get to pay a visit to a sister whom she hasn't seen for a long time? This trip gave us more than a road trip.

Sixth Stop: Cuenca 

We finally got to Cuenca. On our way, people would always ask us what we plan to do there. There's nothing happening in Cuenca. We still went and... Lo and behold! They were right. We're too late for Mt. Makulot.

Photo from Jem.

The place was silent, almost everyone asleep at 7:30PM and the only light was coming from a small perya. We drove slowly, checked what else to find while babysitting our "D",  (for disappointment; we were hoping to look for a good place to eat there). After a few minutes, we took the U-TURN and headed home.

Seventh Stop: Food Trip at Lomi King

Read about this food trip from this link. 

Eighth Stop: Pasalubong Center
We are unstoppable! A little shopping to take home.

Ninth Stop: HOME.

FINISH

I believe we all need a road trip once in a while. A road trip with no concrete plans, a little of jack and poy and a few hints from strangers. I like this trip even if we didn't get to visit scenic spots. Sometimes the road trip itself is more important than the destination - the getting there vs. the being there. 

I love road trips because it resembles life. You travel life without really knowing what's ahead. You rely on God, on hope and blind curves, take a leap of faith in taking that road instead of another, get advice from people, and be ready to be surprised every minute. 

As Jem puts it, it's like rolling the dice and taking chances. 

You have to be ready where the journey takes you. If in the end, it becomes a disappointment, am so glad we can always get ourselves together, take the U-turn and take another road.