It’s not a surprising fact that I don’t drive in Metro Manila. My friends could attest to that. We all know how traumatic driving in Manila can be. I’m not really worried about traffic. I’m more concerned about swerving vehicles, traffic lights, policemen, and huge buses and trucks along the highway. I’m also not aware of the transactions that happen in tollgates. Why? Because all the time I’m a passenger I hardly pay attention to tollgates. I’m also asleep most of the time when traveling so I am totally ignorant of these things.
But lately, I’ve been educating myself by watching my friend and brother drive. I knew that I would find myself driving to the city soon. I never thought though that it would be that soon. How soon? It happened last Friday, May 22.
Just to be clear, nobody forced me. I just found one good reason to put me behind the steering wheel and drive to the city. But that reason is a different story. The destination (sorry, but I need to be cryptic) was worth the journey.
Anyway, going back to driving. It wasn’t really nerve-wracking as I thought it would be. I actually felt like a pro when I entered Alabang where the mayhem usually starts. I left Los Baños 2:30 P.M. I arrived in Quezon City almost 6 P.M. Mayhem it was, indeed.
Although traffic was terrible, I actually enjoyed being in the middle of the long snarl of vehicles. Don’t laugh but I did feel more adult-like (as if I’m not one… hehe), more empowered (huge word, huh?) side-by-side professional city drivers who actually hit the road like predators.
I only concluded that I made it through the whole experience when I came home to Los Baños in one piece the next day. I’m kind of proud of what I did. As what people have been saying, “If you can drive in Manila, you can drive anywhere in the world.”
I believe them.
