A Sunburn, Crackers for Lunch and a View from the Top

Bucket List Item #4: Ride in on a jeepney-CHECK

Sagada, Philippines

Since I had already experienced being on top of the tricycle during my adventures in the north, I thought why not ride on top of the jeepney too! Another exciting way to catch some views and get my adrenaline fill for the day.

Jeepneys are old U.S. army tanks left behind that have been converted into popular, cheap modes of transportation. Each one is unique and brightly colored; not easy to miss! Many times they are crammed full of passengers; inside and on top.

After finishing my two-day trek in the rice terraces, it was time to move on to Sagada, another small town about three hours from Batad.

I wasn’t alone on the ride; there were some locals and a Filipino couple I had met at my guesthouse. After an uncomfortable (The luggage rails had nowhere to go expect my butt crack), but beautiful ride, we arrived back to Banaue and I ran into Vic, my tricycle driver for the last two days. He got me a cheaper, less touristy price for the next ride to Bontac, this time a van, and he also hopped on since he said he had a produce delivery to make in a village along the way.

He told me about his life story and asked me about mine. He was married at the age of 16 to a woman four years older than him because she had gotten pregnant and therefore marriage was necessary. They were married for nearly six years when he had to leave for work, to support his family, in the rice fields in another village far from his wife and child. He was gone for a few years and when he returned his wife had fallen in love with another man and that was the end of that. There was a quiet sadness in his eyes even though I could tell he was trying to act like it was no big deal.

I asked him if he loved her (A question I thought was appropriate because it seemed like it was more of a forced marriage than a choice). He said that he did and it was hurtful to lose the unity of a family, but he had no choice but to leave.

After guessing his age he guessed mine. “I think you are 40 years old.” He replied seriously.

“What?! No no Vic, not even close.”

He guessed again. “35?”

“No, I’m 28. Why do you think I look 40?”

“What?! He surprisingly said. “Well, I thought you were 40 because your blonde, sunburnt and your voice is low.” “I actually respected you because I thought you were my mother’s age.”

“So, now you don’t respect me as much?”

“Well, I’m older than you so it’s not the same.” He laughed.

Well, that really boosted my confident. If I thought I would lose some respect I would have just went along with his assumption. I guess being young isn’t always good thing?

We arrived to the village where he would be staying to drop off his produce. During the short stop he showed me a Virgin Mary statue and then he disappeared for a while. He ended up back on the van as we proceeded on. I asked him why he didn’t stay in the village and eventually, after some probing, he said that it wasn’t really a fruits and veggies drop off. It was something illegal, heroin. I tried not to act surprised because I wanted to keep asking him questions. Apparently, that was his side job (after his tricycle service) and he just did whatever he could to make money. He said the mission in that village had failed because the police were around and seemed suspicious. He had brought me to see that Virgin Mary statue as a cover-up. He wanted to use the excuse that he was my tour guide, but I guess it didn’t work as planned.

I had never really been around a drug dealer or drugs for that matter (not that I knew of). I was more shocked than uncomfortable and actually really intrigued. The jeepney was full of other travelers and locals so I wasn’t stuck alone with him anyway. He insisted that he didn’t do the drugs because he didn’t want to and he needed the money. Maybe his eyes were heavy and bloodshot from heat and exhaustion then? I’m not the best one to judge what ‘high’ looks like.

We were getting close to our destination when the van suddenly pulled over and the driver got out. Vic pointed to a huge snake slithering across the road. “EW!” I said. “I really don’t like those things. Why did we stop?”

Vic said something to the driver in his native tongue and he hopped back in. Vic explained that the driver wanted to stop and catch it for lunch, but that he told him to just move on since the other travelers and myself probably wouldn’t appreciate that thing enjoying its last few hours on someone’s lap. That creature would have been enough food for all of us!

The third mode of transportation, another jeepney, brought me to my final destination. My face was already fried and melting off from the previous trek and two hours on top of a vehicle, but I still didn’t want to go inside and since it was full anyway I didn’t really have a choice. It was still a stunning view and my crackers for lunch were better than nothing!