It’s not always every day when we happen to travel and explore many things all by ourselves. It’s not always every day when we happen to meet people along our way and it’s not always every day when we happen to learn lessons from our own experiences. So when this kind of things happens to cross on your ways, don’t waste any ample time, grab your chance and simply own the moment given to you.
I remember the time I first travel alone by myself. It was hard, and very challenging. I was then on my last year on high school. I remembered well how I arrived into a decision like escaping the real world and travelling alone by myself. That time, I was in a state of depression, when no things become right in front of my eyes. It was like everything was as dull and gray as an antique that was not clean for so long. I was the editor –in –chief for our news organ way back on high school; I was then assigned to do many things. For also, since I was also on my senior year, I was having a lot of trouble accomplishing academic things, and lastly, I was having this dilemma that I cannot even make it to befriend with all the people lingering around on our campus.
It was only the first month of the school year, feeling all the dismaying pressure inside, my strength fell down to zero level, realizing that no amount of polluted air here in Metro Manila can cure my blue disorder, I decided to left the city and bring myself into a place where I could regain back all my strength and confidence, plus my eagerness to study again.
At first, I was planning to visit my father’s relatives in Laguna, but I cannot imagine myself getting scolded by them just because of my blue feelings towards school. Then I suddenly remembered, why not Tagaytay? We have a relative there in Tagaytay and they own a traveller’s house in that place. I told myself, maybe I could get myself a place that would suit me for a week and get a discount, because honestly, I think I’m going to use my lifetime savings for this insanity. Lastly, I’ve never been in that place before. As soon as my relatives agreed to let me stay on their place for a week, I wasted no time in packing my things. With the consent of my parents, and with all their frantic worries about me travelling alone in the age of 15, I carried my bags and things on my back and made my way to the bus terminal. Honestly, I’m good when it comes to direction, so even though it would be my first time to go to Tagaytay, I still feel assured that I would not lost my way there.
First, I rode a jeepney going to TriNoma mall where I could get to an MRT train. On my way to the MRT station, I was feeling very excited but not nervous at all. I know it wouldn’t be my first time to go to places all by myself, because when I was 9 years old, I went to my uncle’s house in Pasay all alone, and also, since I was in my first grade, I’ve been travelling from house to school all by myself too. As soon as I reached the department store, I saw many things, a lot of these and a lot of those. But those things didn’t invite me to cancel my plans, but instead, it pursued me more on my travel. Why? It is because I’m too much fed with the ways here in the city. So, I hurried my way to the MRT station, and bought myself a train card/ ticket that will bring me to the last station or the Baclaran station.
That was my first time to ride on an MRT train, actually. Even how to insert the train card on the slot machine, I don’t even know that, but since I have to learn this kind of things in order for me to travel, then I have no choice but to take it as one of the challenges that I’ve met during my travel. Luckily, it wasn’t hard to learn how to use the MRT train ticket. As I rode the train, I felt like I’m already a grown –up person. The people inside the train were all grown –ups and I can’t see anyone travelling on my age. I do not know if everyone was looking at me with awe because of my courage to ride on an MRT train all alone, but I know for sure they’ll feel more curious about me if they would see me riding on a provincial bus, heading to Tagaytay City.
Soon as I reached the last station, I felt like I’m starting to get nervous. The last station was Baclaran station, and I do not know the lefts and rights in the place. I do not know if I will have the right turn on every corner I will pass on, or maybe a wrong turn and get lost on nowhere. Luckily, since I could read directions very well, I just followed the directions instructing how to get outside the mall (since there is a mall connected to the MRT station) and be able to reach the terminal station for buses going to Tagaytay.
Within a few minutes of wondering inside the mall (not really wondering on many things, but making my way out of the mall), finally, I was able to get out of the mall, for also, I was able to reach the bus station. Finally, my chance to get inside a provincial bus came to realize already. When I got inside the bus, the ticket man asked me if I’m travelling alone, I said yes, and then he asked me, do you have money to buy a ticket? My ears got hot with what he said, and then I answered him, “Oh yes, I have, what do you think of me, a stray cat?” So I brought out my money and purchase a ticket going to Tagaytay.
At last, I told myself, I am ‘really’ and finally up for another phase and adventure in my life. On my way to Tagaytay, I got to see different places. We passed by Cavite and saw the different sceneries of Cavite City, although it’s just a common sight to consider. It’s almost the same in the city where I came from, I thought to myself. The trip was almost one and a half hour, and while inside the bus, I’m really feeling cold and chilling. Honestly, I wasn’t aware that Tagaytay City is somehow a cold city. So when our bus was almost in Tagaytay, I can already see the mist from the bus windows. Oh well, my weakness is cold temperature, and to tell you, I can’t stand the cooling coming from an air conditioning unit.
Then the bus conductor called out, “Olivares, Olivares, oi”, finally, I’m already in Tagaytay City. So, I went down out of the bus and plunge myself with the air of the city. Yes, it was refreshing, and the cold wind soothed my unwary feelings. After that, I hurriedly rode a city tricycle and ask the driver to take me to El Paso Inn, my relatives’ property. The trip was somehow thrilling, because instead of riding inside the tricycle, I insisted to ride behind the driver’s seat, telling him that it would enable me to see the sights in Tagaytay City. But I think I’ve lost my mind riding behind the driver because the wind was really like a knife, slicing my face and slashing my skin with extreme coldness. Well, I remember that I’m not wearing a jacket by that time, oh, and that’s really something awesome and crazy for me.
Minutes later, we reached my aunt’s place, and it was really great. They have a 16 –room traveller’s inn and inside their place, was their residential American –inspired three –storey house. Of course, since I’m looking for a place where I can refresh myself, they allowed me to use one of the rooms in their traveller’s inn. The room that they let me used has an overlooking site to the nearby pineapple farm. All my life I’ve never seen beautiful scenery such like that. From my room I think I can smell the sweet scent of pineapple. And honestly, I think I’m starting to rejuvenate myself by that time.
I know from that time being, it would be the start of my vacation, and also, it would be the start of my supposed to be self renewal. But what happened next after sifting that wonderful pineapple scent coming from my window will not be a part of this paper. I am saving that part on the compartment of my wonderful memories, and I’m not going to let anyone see that compartment of mine. This paper was supposed to feature a travelogue, citing this and that, all of the wonders of a certain place. But I went against the rule, and instead I wrote a personal experience about my first travel alone and away from the bustling sounds of the city.
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