Ill-fated journey to Ilocos Sur

I have this feeling of deja vu as we travel from Manila to Ilocos Region.

October 30
@7:00pm- At the Florida bus terminal. I was the first who arrived in our meeting place.

@9:00pm- My friend with her Fiance, and Fiance's parents finally arrived. I told them the bus will leave soon.
I ask my friend if we can take the 9:30 trip. She asked me, if there are still available seats. I replied with a "Yes".

Obviously, there are still seats available. I asked the driver and conductor if we can take the available slots. They keep on saying "Aguray bassit" (wait for awhile).

I was so irritated, we were there, waiting but they never entertained us properly.

Nearly 9:30pm- A passenger newly arrived and asked for available slot. The driver suddenly said, "Wen, adda pay" (Yes, there are). Then the driver assisted the passenger where she would be seated.

I looked back to my friend. I immediately go up and check if there are still slots for us. I was so hot-tempered with the actuation of the driver and the conductor. Right there and then, I burst out my anger. 

I told them "Kuya kanina pa kami dito nghihintay. Di mo kami pinapancin? Sabi mo "Aguray". Tagal namin naghintay." 

"Tapos dumating lang 'yung bagong pasahero, in-entertain mo, at sinabing my available pa?" 

(Kuya, we've been waiting here for so long, you never pay attention? You said wait. You keep us wait too long. Then a newly arrived passenger without reservation you entertained and gave her one available seat?)

The driver suddenly replied,  "Mano kayo, Pagbabaan yo?" (How many are you? Where you're going to)

I and my friend in unison answered, "Five"

My friend said,  "Sta Maria"

I looked at the facial expression of the driver. He grimaced.

I stared at my friend with a raised eye-brow. She just winced.

Right there and then, the conductor assisted us with the slots remaining.

I asked my friend if she saw the expression of the driver. We shared opinions about his actuation.

What we concluded was, the bus is bound to Laoag City, Ilocos Norte whereas, Sta. Maria, Ilocos Sur.

All of their passengers bound to Ilocos Norte. So the fare is higher than ours. Why would he react that way?  

If he will not permit us, he will miss five times Php485. Compare to the one passenger bound to Ilocos Norte.  Much higher than the one passenger only.

It was settled already. So we comfortably sit and lay our back at the backrest.

Problems encountered this time

@10:00pm- the bus stopped waiting for something and someone. (One of the passenger with a child with her reacted. She said, "We took so long in the terminal, why this matter suddenly came out?")

@11:00pm- while at the expressway, distance after the toll-gate, the bus stopped again. I and my friend came down from a passenger bus. What we heard was, engine problem. 

MMDA and tollgate officers assisted the bus to park properly on the road. It took us more than thirty-minutes waiting as they check the engine behind.

@12midnight- we're passing along the town of Pampang when a problem rose again. Condensed water leaking from the aircon outlet.

It didn't stop the dripping there . Suddenly, cold water poured over the center aisle. The passengers near the  center outlet were affected.  Shoes and socks were wet. Their clothes were slightly wet.

Around 1am- we finally arrived at the bus stop over. The other bus driver climb at the top of the bus to fix the aircon and the hose connecting into it.
The conductor and the other driver check the hose below the compartment. They noticed it was twisted, that's why the condensed water didn't flow freely onto the ground.

The passengers wondering why problems rose this time. The conductor answered, it was newly bought and arrived that day. The passenger bus didn't undergo road test. We were the first passengers of this new bus!

I, my friend and the other passenger were in the mid of our conversation when the other driver tried to descend after fixing the aircon leak. The three of us, looked upon him as he tried to position himself going down.

Unfortunately, he fell down. First, his back was hurt, followed by his buttocks and arms. The three of us were immobilized. The other driver and conductor fixing the hose in the compartment.

Come to think of it, we were just few distance away from him. If the guy between I and my friend, whom we were talking with, helped the driver, no accident occurred. Maybe, it was bound to happened. 

Immediately the guy  assisted the injured driver to stand-up. After the incident all of us panic already. 

The other driver without enough sleep will take over. The injured driver's arms starting to swell. He could hardly move his upper body. 

We stop over near the hospital in Villasis, Pangasinan to give immediate medication and treatment to the injured driver.

Ocober 31 at seven in the morning, we finally arrived in Sta. Maria, Ilocos Sur safe and intact.

We do believe in this belief. Everything which is new like cars, trucks and other vehicles without road tests and blessings, a mishap or misfortunes occurred.