Hive blog 67: Leaving Big City Life Behind

Hi hiver friends 😊.

It was time to pack and go wherever my fate is taking me. The closure of the shop where I worked has all been done. The paperworks at the BIR and City Hall has got me loaded for weeks. Thankfully it was all been paid. The shop was cleared with the demolition and keys surrendered at the Admin office. It was quite tiring if you think about it because paperworks was never easy when you commute going government offices to and fro that needs to be processed. At first, there I was worried how would we keep it all cleared up when we only had limited time to do it all. But with the help of my colleagues it was all done just in time.

My last boxes of stocks and things to be ship out was ready for pick up by the transporter that we had arranged for. I took advantage of shipping my bicycle 🚲 Manila to Cebu via the sea transport with my companies stocks. It was on one of the boxes here somewhere, who knows I might be needing the bike in my new workplace or if I will have the chance to use it when I get acquainted to the place.

It was February 8, 2023. My last day on the bustling city of Makati Metro Manila. Its been nine years. I was grateful for that long years.

Starting anew is daunting with uncertainties but change is inevitable. People move in so many ways. I couldn't just be stuck and be comfortable from where I was. I prayed for a change and God granted me. I may not clearly know what awaits me going back to Cebu but one thing is for sure, I am now near to my place where I could go visit home to my parents during holiday breaks. Things I couldn't do when in Manila because of expensive fares.

_{Had not forget the culture of bringing 🍪 biscuits home for Pasalubong.}

Here I was, getting everything settled before coming home. I was set to come home first at Leyte before going to Cebu. I decided to rode the bus that time because my cousin was also traveling home for the upcoming fiesta. 🎉 It was timely to get back to our place for the celebration. I was thankful I had companion for the travel by the bus. Haven't had the chance to travel via bus before. It was great for a comparison on whether to go for bus 🚌or plane ✈️ the next time.
She got ticket for bus sit already for she know someone on the bus but mine was not yet so I had to come there early secure a sit. It was a full of passenger that time. All baggages were paid accordingly.

The bus 🚌 took off at 11:30 am. I bid goodbye to the Big City while on it. Thinking some of the things I will going to miss. The people that I grow to love to be with will be far from me now. The hurts and failures that needed to unload. It all came crossing my mind. But I was in a bus, the rooster 🐓 in the box interrupted my flashbacks. I smiled and reminding myself again to not get carried away.

It was the longest ride I rode. I couldn't enjoy the views though, I was on the aisle sit. All I could see were the heads of the co passengers so I kept my eyes shut and tried to sleep. We had several stops in every bus stops where we could eat and has a stretch or if we needed to use the toilet. So far I could say, its not really convenient. Its a public bus so you better tell the driver if you are feeling like going to use some toilets, quite embarrassing you know having had to tell everyone to do just that but if you just keep your mouth shut then no ones got to care. It was nice to have an Ate who were not shy. She asked the driver in a funny way and well, the driver said it was what he liked, to speak up if needed be. We had several stops but most of the time, the CRs were not that good. I wouldn't say its dirty because there were cleaners too but the facilities, some were dark and old shacks. I think, they could build better toilets than those because you know they were never free. It was paid by the passengers every used. Hope they would build a tidy looking one like those of the gasoline stations. Over all though my but hurt kept sitting for over a day, the drivers were quite amazing on the rode. It was smooth ride as we arrived safely at our town on.

It was nice to have tried by bus 🚌, but comparing it to the plane. I prefer the later because you can arrived easily and fast. The fare has something to think about. On bus, it was 2,400 pesos already plus another 500 for baggage and another 160 pesos for the ferry ride terminal fees plus the foods you had to buy every bus stops, the CR 🚻 to be paid like all in all 5 stops if that was right. So that is how much already, right? Whilst on the plane, you only pay for the plane ticket 🎫
of course which you can get at 2,000 pesos and the fare for the van going my town is like 380, not so much hassle of going for stops because it takes only 5 hours to get home. If I can travel again, I would choose to go and back by plane. But who knows when will that time comes again.

That is all for tonight, see you on the next one. Bye😊👋