The Philippine Online Chronicles

There is something about traveling for an extended period of time. However, there is more to traveling if you are doing it with four gays and one woman, in a car which should only accommodate five persons, for more than two hours.

This was the story of our Holy Week road trip. A trip done with five of my closest friends.

The trip was a result of our quest to prove to ourselves that in our lives defined by schedules and deadlines, we are still capable of being spontaneous. However, I believe that after playing card games the entire night, the lack of sleep may have also clouded our collective judgments.

So it was Black Saturday when Asunta, Wylma, Daria, Tetay, Aina in the driver’s seat, and I drove north with no specific place to go to. Except that it would involve the South Luzon Expressway (SLEX).

The agreement was that no one would sleep to keep Aina from falling asleep while driving and imperiling our lives. Many of us tried to stick to this agreement except for Tetay, who was sitting in front and had the primary role of keeping Aina awake. Tetay slept after an hour during the trip.

Boys and breakfast

We left at 7:00 a.m., had our breakfast in a gasoline station along SLEX, and exited at Santa Rosa. So our spontaneity was at least getting some direction. As it was a Holy Week break, the density of people in the gasoline station was perhaps five persons per square inch. And there were some nice looking guys, eye candies which kept our eyelids from falling due to lack of sleep.

Most of those going out of town were families. But there were also groups of apparently gay persons, whom we profiled to be going to one of the gay Meccas during Holy Week, Puerto Galera.

The SLEX management detailed mobile ticket vendors at the toll booth to address the expected heavy traffic. When we were paying at the booth, we saw a mobile tool ticket vendor who was so cute that he looked out of place. We all agreed that he should be a member of a reality talent show. Or maybe he was and we just didn’t know it. Asunta, one of the more vocal in the group rolled down the window and said, “Kuya, ang gwapo mo naman. Pwedeng makuha ang number mo?” But all he got was a winsome smile which looked straight out of a toothpaste commercial. And he was the subject of our conversation for the next thirty minutes.

Bodies of water

What was clear with this trip was that we wanted to end up in a body of water. Any body of water as the summer heat was just too much. We could have ended up in plastic inflatable swimming pools and we won’t mind.

Exiting at Santa Rosa after an almost-miss, we headed into Laguna. But specifically where in Laguna we were going was yet to shape up. Suggestions included Pagsanjan, Liliw, and Nagcarlan.

We went to Pagsanjan thinking that we could dip our sleepy bodies in the cool waters of the falls. However, arriving at the historic town, we found out that the boat ride costs more than a thousand pesos per person. A price we were not that willing to pay for a boat ride. Of course we realize that the boatman would have had a hard time shooting the rapids but we were just not prepared to part with our money. Stingy girls.

So we drove some more and traversed a road which took us to the town of Majayjay, Laguna. Apparently, all the others have been here years back except me and Tetay. The reason of course, was not necessarily connected with a body of water. A body maybe, but not that which involves water.

We were on search for the Taytay Falls. Not as grand as the Pagsanjan Falls but still a body of water.

But in our search for the Taytay Falls, we were waylaid by the old Majayjay Church. It has been shared that the belfry of the church was the location of Anne Curtis’ soap “Kampanerang Kuba”. But when we entered the church, the belfry was closed to the public and we were told to talk with the caretaker to have it opened. Thinking that this would take much hassle, impatient group that we were, we contented ourselves with taking pictures of ourselves, channeling America’s Next Top Model contestants.

We missed that right turn to Taytay Falls so Aina had to maneuver the car. The roadside view was green and expansive, and the air was cool. Much like Baguio, especially because of the vegetable plantations abound.

When we reached the parking area for the Taytay Falls, all I could see were cars, some stalls (which those who have been here before swore were not there the last time they came here), and plenty of trees. And I was thinking that this could not be the falls but a camping ground.

Major, major erroneous judgement on my part. The Taytay Falls could not be seen as we still had to walk a trail leading to it. And there were a lot of passers-by, both those who were wet as they were already on their way home from the falls, and us, dry, sleepy and in search of the falls.

And oh, again, lots of eye candies in both ways.

After almost 15 minutes of trail walk, we could already hear laughter, smell smoke from barbeques, and most importantly, hear the sounds of cascading waters.

Even before the falls, there were already a lot of bathers who looked like they were relishing the water. And we couldn’t wait to reach the falls and dip into it.

True enough, as we reached the main falls, it was quite a sight. Not as grand as Pagsanjan, as its height is estimated to be only at 12 meters, but the water was inviting. However, the problem was how to change into swimwear in full view of hundreds of people. Good thing Aina had a malong with him which served as the dressing room cover.

When I first hit the water, it was so cold that I shivered. The kind of cold which penetrates every single pore in my body. But when you get used to it, it transforms into a soothing pool which revitalizes the body.

We became adventurous and swam in the main falls. It was like getting a massage but harder than the hard massage. In the center, the water from the falls was like a belt gently lashing at your back. But on the outer side of the falls, it was like taking a bath in a heavy kind of rain.

Inspite, despite, and because

We stayed the day at the Taytay Falls, and we all had what we wished for and more. We went out to search for a body of water and were treated to a natural rejuvenation. That body of water did not only satisfy our want to get wet but soothed our tired bodies as well.

The road trip to prove our capability to be spontaneous also strengthened and reinforced our friendship and bonds.

Travelling in a cramped space without plans tests one’s patience. It made me appreciate my friends more.

Lastly, I realized that we should love our friends inspite of, despite of, and because.

Photos by the author. Some rights reserved.