In my commute to work, it seems anything goes in terms of transportation. I would be surprised if Filipinos walk at all, when they can hop on the back of jeeps, trucks, or hang off the side of motor tricycles. I’ve experienced riding the bus now from Carcar to Talisay which is perhaps “too comfy” since I fell asleep and luckily woke up one municipal before arriving in Talisay. This morning, I got tired of waiting for the bus and hopped on a multi-cab. In Manila, jeepneys are old converted military trucks that have painted loud and bright colors, some displaying Jesus Christ logos along the side. Th
ey are all somewhat labeled so you know the route and particularly landmarks where they are headed. But, you can flag them down just like a taxi, as you can do the same for buses. In Cebu, multi-cabs seems to be more prevalent. They are smaller versions of jeepneys with low roofs and bench type seating so you can wiggle and snuggle up close to your fellow passenger. It’s rubbing shoulders with the locals. The one I hopped on this morning, I regretted the moment I ducked my head in to grab a seat. Blasting Bon Jovi and Metallica for most of the way, at 7 in the morning, it was an unusual wake up call. I asked the woman sitting next to me what the fare was, and she answered 6 pesos. 6 pesos! For a 40 minute drive to Carcar? I was soon mistaken when dropped off in Carcar and asked for 25 pesos. When handing the driver 20 pesos, explaining that I had already given him 6 pesos, he handed me 6 pesos back. It was a befuddled exchange.
For most of the ride there, I second guessed my choice of multi-cab, since the music was unbearable loud, and I soon realized that no amount of peso was worth going deaf. I started to wonder, was the driver a complete moron? Could he not hear the static the fibers of the speakers breaking ever so slightly with every booming bass beat of drums? I resorted to saving my hearing by putting my head in my head, using my fingers to plug my ears. I contemplated putting on my iPod, but thought better of it, since Amy Winehouse and Chillout Lounge would not outplay the powerful vocals of Jovi. At that moment, I am confident the driver peering through the rear-view mirror saw my display of discontent and discomfort and proceeded to lower the volume just a hair. I gave up resisting the tunes of the morning ride and even had a moment when I quite enjoyed the music-themed joy ride, ducking my head, to look out the ever-so low windows to see where we were and where we were going. For the price, my hearing is far more valuable, and I think next time I’ll choose the comfier option, or another multi-cab with a better soundtrack.
One observation: I have not yet seen a single woman driving a motorbike here in Cebu. If she needs to get somewhere, the man will drive her. Hence, why the men often joke, "he is just a girl" when they are giving a ride to a male friend. I am not sure what about a put-put motorbike scooter makes you more of a man. Although, I am not one to comment too much, as I have not yet driven one myself. Given the dangers and anarchy of the roads here, I prefer to ride and quite enjoy the scenery as opposed to the passing and oncoming traffic.
ey are all somewhat labeled so you know the route and particularly landmarks where they are headed. But, you can flag them down just like a taxi, as you can do the same for buses. In Cebu, multi-cabs seems to be more prevalent. They are smaller versions of jeepneys with low roofs and bench type seating so you can wiggle and snuggle up close to your fellow passenger. It’s rubbing shoulders with the locals. The one I hopped on this morning, I regretted the moment I ducked my head in to grab a seat. Blasting Bon Jovi and Metallica for most of the way, at 7 in the morning, it was an unusual wake up call. I asked the woman sitting next to me what the fare was, and she answered 6 pesos. 6 pesos! For a 40 minute drive to Carcar? I was soon mistaken when dropped off in Carcar and asked for 25 pesos. When handing the driver 20 pesos, explaining that I had already given him 6 pesos, he handed me 6 pesos back. It was a befuddled exchange.For most of the ride there, I second guessed my choice of multi-cab, since the music was unbearable loud, and I soon realized that no amount of peso was worth going deaf. I started to wonder, was the driver a complete moron? Could he not hear the static the fibers of the speakers breaking ever so slightly with every booming bass beat of drums? I resorted to saving my hearing by putting my head in my head, using my fingers to plug my ears. I contemplated putting on my iPod, but thought better of it, since Amy Winehouse and Chillout Lounge would not outplay the powerful vocals of Jovi. At that moment, I am confident the driver peering through the rear-view mirror saw my display of discontent and discomfort and proceeded to lower the volume just a hair. I gave up resisting the tunes of the morning ride and even had a moment when I quite enjoyed the music-themed joy ride, ducking my head, to look out the ever-so low windows to see where we were and where we were going. For the price, my hearing is far more valuable, and I think next time I’ll choose the comfier option, or another multi-cab with a better soundtrack.
One observation: I have not yet seen a single woman driving a motorbike here in Cebu. If she needs to get somewhere, the man will drive her. Hence, why the men often joke, "he is just a girl" when they are giving a ride to a male friend. I am not sure what about a put-put motorbike scooter makes you more of a man. Although, I am not one to comment too much, as I have not yet driven one myself. Given the dangers and anarchy of the roads here, I prefer to ride and quite enjoy the scenery as opposed to the passing and oncoming traffic.
No comments:
Post a Comment