Even if the trip will take a long time and cover a large distance, the enjoyment you have from traveling cannot be replaced. Traveling is enjoyable and will not fatigue you, especially if you are seeing family members.
Greetings to all of you at the Hive.
Here at Hive, I've read a variety of shares honoring the holiday season and the start of the new year.
I want to share my fairly far-off adventure with you today. 😊
As you read, come along with me on my trip. I made the trip to visit my family to celebrate Christmas and welcome in the new year.
I booked a 2Go Travel ticket in advance to travel to my family's home. A few days after I was supposed to go, I received a text from 2Go Travel telling me that my trip was rescheduled because of Tropical Depression "KABAYAN". First, they rescheduled at 4:30 a.m.; however, a day later, they told me of the modification once again, and my new schedule was revised to 9:00 a.m. December 23, 2023, a Saturday. For everyone's safety, it is better to cancel due to the weather.
📍CERES BUS: TRAVEL TO CEBU CITY
I'm going to start my vacation today. I'm not near to the pier. It is estimated that my trip to Cebu City would take three hours. To be close to the pier, I'm going to my aunt's house. I contacted my aunt to inform her that I would be spending the night at her house before leaving at 9:00 a.m. the following day for my vacation. Precisely 12:30 p.m. I arrived at the station at 1:33 pm, one hour ahead of schedule for my bus travel to Cebu City. Buddy assisted me in carrying my luggage onto the bus and placed it close to the driver's seat. The bus to Ceres leaves at precisely 2:00 pm.
I traveled by bus for over two hours and thirty-six minutes starting at 4:19 p.m. up until 6:55 p.m. Heavy traffic (moving slowly) and a warm atmosphere inside the bus, even in the afternoon.
Prior to disembarking at Gate 1 of Park Mall, I lingered and waited. I realized how much traffic there was and assumed that taking a taxi would cause me hassles and increase the cost, so I asked my cousin if she could do me a favor and book me a grab vehicle to travel to their place. When I book via Grab, I feel like I'm traveling rapidly to my destination because they are aware of my stop and know where to go quickly to avoid having to drive through heavy traffic. I got at my aunt's place around 7:36 p.m.
📍TAXI: Going to Pier
I woke up at 5:10 a.m. Coco looked at me while I was getting ready. He'd also awakened earlier as well. He feels like I'm leaving, how sweet coco was.
It was around 6:52 a.m. when I left my aunt's place. While I was waiting on the road where I could find a taxi, A stranger asked me if I was waiting for a ride and where I was going, I know that he noticed that I was carrying luggage so he looked for a taxi so in return I gave him a tip so he could buy something to eat. Before I could answer I let him do what he wanted to do for me because at that time the cabs were full before they passed me, so I let him do what he wanted to do for me before I could respond. The stranger tried his best to make a hand wave to call the attention of a cab driver, and minutes after he got a cab for me, after I got in the cab, I gave him a tip. I arrived at the pier at 7:09 a.m. Thank you to that stranger😊
📍GATE 7: PORT WAITING AREA
I was dropped off close to the pier entrance by the taxi driver. I hurriedly walked through the gate, gave my ticket to the female guard, and proceeded directly to the security scanner. After getting my stamp from the 2go travel desk for having boarded, I went straight to the next counter and paid P25.00 for the terminal fee before moving on to the next section. Upon reaching the next gate, I presented my ticket together with the terminal fee to the female guard. She instructed me to proceed to gate seven and remain there till the announcement was made regarding the passengers' permission to board the 2go ship.
Upon arriving at gate number seven (7), I discovered that every seat was taken, leaving me with no option but to and wait until they declared gate number seven to be open. I bought breakfast items to eat when I arrived at my room, which I did while I waited.
It opened at the time 8:12, all the passengers lined up to get ready to go out and board the port shuttle to take us to where the 2go ships were waiting for us.
📍CEBU PORT SHUTTLE
Taking the Cebu Port Shuttle to the 2Go ship, it took us three minutes to reach our destination. We are all told to line up outside the bus before boarding the ship, and we are then instructed to separate our belongings for inspection before climbing at the ship. When the crew of the ship noticed me that I was having trouble carrying my luggage while walking in the stares, the crew member assisted me with getting it up to the ship, thanks to you. It was 9:15 a.m. when I got to my room. I was really hungry at the moment, then I take my breakfast.
📍Tourist Premium Room
My room was quiet and cold when I first walked in, but it was also lovely and clean, so I felt at ease. One person can stay in the Tourist Premium room.
📍Discovering
I decided to stroll outside my room. I discovered that the front desk, Quikmart, 2Go gear and cafe, salon, clinic, 2go KTV, multipurpose room, business class premium, and the mega value—all of which were on Deck 5—were all close to me when I left my room.
📍Those that have to be borrowed, and must return
I had my own linen, (linen is for free, it's for the blanket and bed linens) so I didn't need to take any. To get my room key, I proceeded to the front desk. You need to leave a legitimate ID before you can borrow the key to your room. I.D Card that you can obtain upon returning your room key.
I returned to my room when I had the key. And for the sake of my belongings, I can closed it. After that, I went out and explored some parts of the ship in search of a view from where I had been on board to see what was going on outside and these are the ones I saw.
📍DECK 5
I heard the sound of the chain as I walked around the ship, and it was my sign that the ship was about to leave, and then someone announced that the ship was leaving, and then prayer for our safe trave. The time of departure is 9:00, but it leaves the port at eleven o'clock.
I discovered that I was on Deck 5
📍CHARGING CORNER
Compared to other ships I've been on, there is an outlet for charging your cell phone in the room or at the side of a bed. In the 2Go ship, they have a charging station where you can charge and it is located in the lobby. It's not free, you need to deposit five pesos (₱5.00) coins for the charging to work. You may be sitting while waiting because there are chairs in the lobby. I'm very lucky because my charger is fast charging, and it takes twenty pesos (20.00) four coins to full charge my cell phone. The others, even if they've paid a couple of coins, they are still not fully charged.
The weather is beautiful, and that's what I am grateful for every time I travel.
Because I knew I had a long way to go, I went back to my room to rest. The crew ship again announced that they were open for meals, and anyone who wanted to eat could have lunch there. I didn't take long to get up on deck 6 where we were going to have lunch.
I went back to my room after I had eaten. I rested for a while, then went to sleep. I woke up, and it's 5:21 in the afternoon. I left the room because I knew it was sunrise, and that's what I could see through my window.
📍Arrived
We arrived in destination port late at night. It's an eight hours from Cebu to Cagayan de Oro, Philippines many passengers will disembark.
When I came out of my room, I saw that most people were lined up with their belongings and gifts. I can feel everyone's excitement that you will see smiles in their faces.
Before we disembarked the porters were let on board (they are the people who work on the ship to earn a living by carrying heavy loads for the passengers and they are paid money.) I can carry my bolongings so i did not ask porter for a hand to help me. I've been walking slowly up the stairs of the ship.
7:15 p.m. I got off the ship and left the port to ride a tricycle to the bus terminal. When you exit the port gate, there are many people, drivers waiting to call passengers. The only thing to do when you don't have a pick-up, and someone blocks you outside is to ask someone where you're going, just make a deal with where you'll ride to avoid misunderstanding of drivers who were the first deal with passengers. You should not be afraid because the drivers who are with you are kind, he will help you with what you carry to his tricycle. Sometimes you have to wait for another passenger to join you so that his trip is worth it. The tricycle is capable of carrying eight passengers, and the things will be placed on top of the tricycle, and they won't fall because they're tied.
From the port to the bus station takes nine minutes.
📍BUS TERMINAL: To my Hometown
After I reached the bus terminal, I just proceeded to the line for the bus and waited 38 minutes to take a bus. It's an aircon bus, a bachelor's tour bus.
The lady bus conductor (Yes! Some of the bachelor aircondition bus were lady conductors) issued all the passengers' tickets while the bus was moving. My fare ticket is two hundred twenty eight pesos (₱228.00).
I'M HOME🏠
I had a hard time seeing where I was because of the darkness outside the bus. 'Cause on the road, there's not a lot of clear lights. But you can feel that it's close to your place so in my fear I passed I begged the person next to me if she could help me with the signage that can be seen outside the window of my bus where we are. I knew it was close, thanks to her help. So I just got off at the place near our house.
I saw my mother waiting for me when I got off the bus, and I was hugging her tightly as I approached. It's a good feeling.
I did not expect that when I entered the house, my cousins and siblings were there and greeted me when they welcomed me at the same time. While waiting for me to arrive, they were having a good time at home. Because of that, I've been especially happy.
Because I was hungry, I ate first because I didn't have dinner, and I found out that one of my brothers bought me a dish, which I was touched by what he did.
I was invited to see or go to our basketball court, where there was a youth disco, after I had eaten. It's a party where the music is loud, and everybody dances as they please. I've just been watching my cousins dance. We weren't long before we were back at the house.
I noticed that the moon was very bright as we walked home, and I felt like it was greeting me to welcome home.
It took me two hours and fifty minutes to get on a bachelor's bus.
I'm grateful for my journey and the good ride. Thank you for your time to read my Journey🤗😘