Transport

I am finally starting to feel better, I have my appetite back and I am enjoying food again! Now I can really start to enjoy being here and soak up the experiences that the Philippines have to offer. I’ve noticed a few differences in transport here than what I am used to so in today’s blog I will talk about what I have observed.

Cars back home have heating and cooling. This is no surprise to anyone, unless you are from the Philippines and probably many other hot place.  I didn’t notice it straight away but we were driving along and I realised that where there would usually be a red line moving to a white line moving to a blue line under the heating control, there was one continuous blue line moving from thin blue line to thick blue line, less cool to more cool.  Of course! Why would you need heating here?  I guess it just never occurred to me that cars would be made without heating.

Less cold... More cold.

If you own a car, you cannot just drive it whenever you want. There is this thing called “coding”. You are restricted from driving your car one day a week and the way they decide who cannot drive on which day is by the number plate. If your number plate ends in a 1 or 2, you cannot drive on Mondays, 3 and 4 cannot drive on Tuesday’s etc. However, there are exceptions.  You can drive around residential areas and minor roads.  On most of the major roads there is a window period from 10am-3pm where you can drive your car on the day it is coded.  If you are caught by police driving your car during the restricted times, you will be fined.

Driving here is manic. The traffic is not moving fast, we barely get above 30km most days but it’s just crazy. Cars are coming from every which way and where there are 3 lanes, there are often 4 cars across with cars merging in and out of lines and indicators seem to be optional. If we need to do a U-turn, we can’t just wait for a break in the traffic because there won’t be one. Jun just slowly edges around and when there is a small space, nudges in front of someone to force them to let us in. When I first got here I had to close my eyes most of the time as it scared the hell out of me!  A few days ago we were waiting in the far left lane at the traffic lights to turn left (equivalent to our right turn). When we get a green arrow, we take off and the car to the right of us cut in front of us and does a U-turn around us! I was so stunned. This just gives you an idea of what it is like to drive here. I am getting used to it and don’t close my eyes so much but I will never be getting behind the wheel…

Straddling 2 lanes, cos we can...

I’ve already mention Jeepneys (public transport, converted American Jeeps from WWII) which I have posted 2 photos of. There are also motorbikes with side cars (Tricycles). They are everywhere and I have been trying my best to get a photo of one that is full of people.  Not only do people sit in the side car but also side saddled on the back of the motorbike. Sometimes I have seen 2 people squished behind the driver.  I have seen 3 people on one bicycle and families on one motorcycle. It’s not rare to see 2 parents with helmets holding an infant or a small child between them with no helmet. I really cannot believe my eyes. 

Back of a Jeepney. Slogan at the bottom is not uncommon in this very Catholic country.

Tricycle

Side shot of a less decorated Jeepney

I'm sure they could squeeze a fourth person on the handle bars...

 In the main cities (we are just out from the main part of Manila), there is quite a lot of smog.  If you are driving there you definitely need the AC set to inside air.  I did see one sign that is in support of reducing smog.  I get what they are saying but I still think it’s a funny way to write it. “Cavitex is enforcing….  Anti –smoke belching”.   Seriously cars, stop burping smoke! 

Pardon you Toyota!

To finish off I’d like to leave you with a sign that I saw at a petrol station which I found interesting. 

Free rice when you spend the equivalent of $23