I thought I was not joining my husband to Baguio City. A few weeks before the start of the Fil-Am tournament, he never mentioned about me going up to Baguio with him. I did mention to him at the beginning of November that there’s a long weekend. He didn’t say anything. It skipped my mind that there’s going to be a Fil-Am tournament which my husband is a participant.
On the morning of November 28, my husband was extremely busy preparing things. While I was about to leave for the office, he told me “tart, sandali lang, may pupuntahan lang ako…… basta intayin mo lang ako, babalik ako agad… basta sandaling lang, intay ka lang”.
Although I wasn’t so sure why he was asking me to wait for him, I stayed but I was always looking at my watch. I have a 12 noon meeting and another one at 1:30 pm.
Husband came back at pst 11:45 am rushing. I asked him why he asked me to wait, eh kasi daw aalis nga sya pupunta sya sa Baguio. I said okay. I thought we were going to talk and thresh out some issues. Hindi pala kaya I left na for the office.
While I was at the office, at around 3 pm Edmund called. He was in SCTEX. He said “holiday pala bukas, long weekend pala, sana sumama ka na lang sa akin”.
I was just listening to him. He continued “Sana isinama na lang kita. Tart, sumunod ka na lang magpahatid ka sa driver”. He knew I had lots of things to do.
When I told my daughter that dad was asking me to follow him to Baguio, she thought of my schedules, ma-push back daw yung mga schedules ko most especially that I am leaving for the US next week. I am actually cramming. Dami kong dapat tapusin. Dami kong pending.
It was too late to follow him that afternoon. I left Manila the next day November 30. I planned on leaving at 9 am but I got home at 10 pm and Oyen got home at almost midnight. To give drivers enough rest, I told them we would leave at 10:15 am instead.
I had things to do still and I still had to pack my belongings so we were able to leave the house at 11:15 am and not at 10:15 am. Waze said we would arrive in Baguio City at 4:20 pm. I thought that was fine. Add one hour for gas and food stops and we would still be there before dark.
Nay ko po, ang traffic. From Ortigas Avenue to Balintawak exit was a good hour.
I was so sleepy but I couldn’t close my eyes even for a few minutes. My driver didn’t know the way to Baguio and he also couldn’t follow Waze even if it’s in Tagalog.
The crawling traffic began in Sison, Pangasinan.
We were there before 3 pm. My husband was messaging me that those who have just arrived in Baguio said it took them 10 hours so he asked me to be ready.
I didn’t get worried, I felt some positivity that when it was my turn to climb Marcos Hway, the heavy traffic would clear up and we would be able to reach him at 5:30 pm, that, based on what Waze told me.
Para sure, we stopped at Petron, fed my companions in Chowking.
I had wanton soup and I also took out pande coco and one bottle of water. Ready for battle.
There were some areas along Marcos Hway that were under construction.
Then the estimated time of arrival adjusted to 5:40 pm then to 6:30, then to 7:00 pm. At 7 pm, we were sitting in pitch-dark not certain if I would be able to lay my head on a bed that night or I would spend the night sitting in the van.
I hate people who can’t wait in line. I call them counterflowers. They add to the chaos. They block the opposite lane which aggravates the gridlock.
Walang mga hiya. Hindi nahihiya sa ibang tao. Mag-oovertake tapos sisiksik pagdating dun sa dulo, hayun lalong nagkabuhol-buhol ang traffic. Hoy, mahiya nga kayo sa amin.
I was prepared to sleep on the road. I had half a bottle of water and 4 pieces of pande coco. I can survive the night I told my husband. I also have a fluffy pillow and a blanket. 7:30 pm came and my driver was showing signs of fatigue and distress. He ran out of water. I poured half of my water into his water jug. Konti na lang natira sa water ko. Enough in case I needed to drink medicine. I was watching our gasoline level. Baka maubos gas namin.
After another hour of just sitting in the middle of Benguet mountains, I began to worry about my two companions. I have pande coco pero sila wala. I thought of giving them one pande coco each, pero my survival instinct told me naku mas malalaki ang katawan nila sa akin. Kaya nilang magdamag hindi kumain. Pero I would be very madamot naman if I would eat pande coco tapos sila wala.
Luckily the traffic eased up and we reached Country Club Road at 9:00 pm, a good ten hours since we left our house. I thought yey we’re here. Waze said 1.8 km and yet 30 minutes, yun pala there’s heavy traffic leading to the Baguio Country Club because of hundreds of people going to the Christmas Village across the street. My husband had been waiting since 4:20 pm. His message said “so near yet so far”.
When we reached the hotel’s driveway, my driver said “hay thank you Lord”.
Edmund wanted me to eat first at the Veranda before going up to the room. Mag-unwind daw muna kami, relax lang. I didn’t want to. Eating means sitting. Sampung oras na nga ako nakaupo, uupo na naman ako ng isang oras.
I went up to the room, nagdaster ako at nahiga. Ay ang sakit ng katawan ko, plastado, rayumaaaa! I asked my husband to stretch my legs. He was so careful baka daw kasi mabali nya.
E—–“Hindi sumama sa’yo si Oyen”.
A—–“Buti nga!”
