OFF THE BEATEN PATH
Last Sept. 28, I took off for a birthday weekend drive to the Visayas. I needed to transport a vehicle to the Visayas, in preparation for a drive to Western Mindanao later in November.
I took the opportunity also to talk with some friends, so I would play some music while traveling. For people past their 50’s, this was what some could refer to as a sound trip.
It was a casual drive this time. Taking off from Manila to Batangas City early in the afternoon, so I’d arrive in Batangas port by 4:30 in the afternoon. Shipping companies usually require you to be at the port at least three hours before departure (usually for trips using large vessels). It helps if you call the shipping company beforehand to reserve a slot for the trip.
The vessel took off a little past 8 p.m. due to some delays in the loading of buses. As before, I booked on tourist class. But this time, I was better prepared. I brought a sweater, and asked the purser that I get a bed on the bottom portion. Unlike before, where I was on the top bunk, and right below the aircon vent. Needless to say, this was a more comfortable trip to Caticlan. If you are wondering about eating during the trip, most vessels have a canteen or resto on the ship. For this trip, a meal was included in the ticket, which you can use either during departure (dinner), or before docking (breakfast).
After a whole night’s sleep, I woke up at a little past 4 a.m., with many passengers enjoying the view while we passed the island of Boracay a little past 5 a.m., with total darkness, and the only lights were from the hotels on the island. Getting off the vessel before 6 a.m., I drove straight to the Dumangas port, to catch the 12 noon RORO trip to Bacolod City. I prepaid the trip on the website of Fastcat, which made the process much more convenient and stress-free. For shorter trips, it’s best to be at the port at least an hour before departure time.
Despite a delay in departure from Dumangas, I arrived in Bacolod City with some time to spare, setting up the audio system with the tech guys of L’ Fisher Hotel. I was assisted by Benji, a DJ who flew in from Manila earlier in the day to join me play music for the weekend. We were there to help celebrate the 33rd anniversary of the hotel.
The following day, after a hearty breakfast, we packed stuff into the vehicle and drove off to Dumaguete City, passing my nephews, Mark, GB and Michael, before leaving Bacolod. After a five-hour drive, we safely arrived in Dumaguete at mid-afternoon, and got to check out the delicious food at the Leon Gallery Food Fair in The Henry Resort. I think I gained a few pounds that afternoon! We started playing music at around 6 p.m. in the courtyard, and played through the night. It started to drizzle at around 7 p.m., and since we were supposed to play music till 8 p.m., we decided to just continue. Well, the rains didn’t stop, and so with the music. Despite the downpour, people kept dancing, some inside the tents, and some, in the rain. I guess that’s what good music does. It makes you forget about everything and just enjoy and live in the moment. We eventually ended close to midnight.
We flew back to Manila the following day. I left the vehicle in Dumaguete, ready for the trek to Mindanao in November. But in the meantime, my next adventure will be going up north to discover the beauty of the mountain ranges up north.
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Off The Beat:
Sharing the mix I did when performing a soundcheck in L’ Fisher Hotel in Bacolod City last Sept. 29:
Playlist:
1.Full Flava - If You Leave Me Now
2.Steve Perry – Foolish Heart
3.Cathy Dennis – Too Many Walls
4.Clair Marlo – Till They Take My Heart Away
5.Spandau Ballet – True
6.Sybil – Make It Easy On Me
You can listen to the mix here:
https://www.mixcloud.com/goyolarrazabal/goyos-mix-231010-l-fisher-anniversary/