Ride on

Garry and Keahi are doing pretty good in getting used to the Filipino way of living (I think haha). That includes getting used to public transportation. Since we do not have a car, we really use the public transpo a lot. They have already tried most of it such as taxi, LRT, MRT, mini and big buses, FX, tricycles, padyak, and most specially jeepneys. Garry was amazed on how many different kinds of land public transportation we have here in the Philippines, because in Tahiti there's only buses and in Hawaii there's only buses and cabs. He was also amazed by the number of each of them. According to him, "The number of public transpo here is twice as much as Tahiti's population." haha. Anyway, I have noted a lot of their fun and unforgettable experiences in riding public transpo (jeepney specially) here in PH.

***When Keahi first rode the jeepney, he was so excited as he approached the window, but he got scared after a strong wind blew on his face. He smiled a lot afterwards.

***Garry learned the basic terms in riding the jeepney. I told him that in order to pay, you kind of pass along your payment to the row of passengers seating beside you until it gets to the driver and you say, "Bayad po". Same as when people hand you their payments to be passed on to the driver. One time, the driver passed along a change to be given back to a passenger, and Garry handed it over nicely to the passenger next to him and said, "Bayad po." haha. I cracked up, and said  sorry that I forgot to mention about, "Sukli po."

***I also taught him how to say, "Para po" (to stop the jeepney before alighting). Well, the poor guy got confused with all the terms, and one time when he passed his payment along he said, "Para po." Then the jeepney suddenly stopped. He didn't care for a second until everybody stared at him, waiting for him to leave the jeepney as he is supposed to. Then he said sorry, "Bayad po".

***Just today I picked him up from work, and he was so proud to tell me he found an easier way to get home than waiting for 30 minutes for the jeepney going to Anonas. We crossed commonwealth and entered UP by the front, and he said we would need to ride a jeepney to get to the back of UP so we can catch another jeepney to Katipunan.. He passed me our payment and for a second I held on to it because I don't know what am I supposed to tell the driver with regards to where we are going. The jeepney is UP-SM North, and it's lame for me to say we are going down at UP when we are already by the entrance of UP. He gave me a smirk and told me, "Say, dalawang campus po." I was impressed. I don't know where he learned that from, but it made me smile.

***Our most common form of transpo is the cab, for Keahi's safety. The first ride went like this:
Garry: So how much is this cab ride for?
Me: Depends on the distance. There (pointing at the front). It will be according to that meter.
Garry: What?!? (his Chinese eyes miraculously grew big). We just barely sat our butts in here, and the meter says I already have to pay 40 pesos??? No way! Does it hit the meter every centimeter???
Me: (laughing out loud)

***This one's according to Keahi's Nanny. Her and Garry had to ride the LRT once. She said that while they were waiting for the train, Garry spit on the tracks (gross! but since we got here he'd seen so much of it that I can't really complain about it anymore). She freaked out because the security guard was just behind them, and a sign right in front of them says, "Bawal dumura dito." I guess if he got caught, he could also get away with it, because he didn't understand the sign anyway. Haha.

***First FX experience.
Garry: Whooow! (fixin the AC) It's good in here, there's AC. Not too hot like the jeepneys. More comfortable too.
Me: Hmm yeah I guess.
---few minutes later---
Garry: You've gotta be kidding me! They fit 4 people in this seat??? Only 2 pieces of Garry is supposed to fit in here.
Me: Hmm yeah I guess. haha

***Garry's first word after riding the MRT-3, "Wow! (wiping his sweat and blank staring at hundreds of people alighting and riding the train). That train is making a lot of money."

***Padyak experience at Intramuros.
Garry: Either most Filipinos are malnourished, or I am just so used to seeing Polynesians. How much are we paying for this ride?
Me: 50 pesos.
Garry: Cool! But I feel terrible. His bike with attachment, 3 wheel car, or however you call it, is going to break and give up from my weight. Either that or all his bones would fall apart after he'd taken us to our destination.

***Bus experience from Tarlac to Manila
Garry: Wow! wifi zone bus, cool!
Me: I know right.
Garry: The seats are comfortable too. Strong AC, spacious and adjustable seat, TV. Kind of like an airplane almost. C'est jolie huh.
Me: Yup.
---then we got to Dau stopover, vendors entered the bus---
Garry: Whooow! (trying to move left and right to catch a good view of the TV in the midst of 10 vendors trying to fit all at once in the bus hallway) What happened? I thought I was in a bus, not a market.
Garry: They sell everything, everywhere. This is crazy. Ah mani mani mani jajo ja! (trying to copy the peanut vendor's noise of marketing his product)

Well, it's fun seeing them adapt to the country. It is almost cute to know that Garry goes to work alone riding the jeepney, as well as going home from work. Keahi too gets really comfortable riding the jeepney now. Whenever their loud music is on (which extremely irritates Garry and I by the way), Keahi would dance in the jeepney. He is also happy as a bird whenever he sees the train. Garry loves the fact that cab is so convenient, but hates the fact that they always pretend that they don't have any change for a bigger bill. And for myself, I am still dying to learn how to drive! Haha. It's more fun in the Philippines.