#ULOG 09: Trip to Airport via "My Bus"

I love doing landtrips especially if it involves riding buses. With my headphones on, it feels like my world revolves around a little space on the seat I am sitting on, enjoying every bit of music that seeps into my ears. It seems like I am in a kind of 3D virtual movie where the places the bus passes by is the setting, so enormously therapeutic to me.

Last Thursday, August 23, I did not expect I would be able to travel farther than where I am in Punta Princesa, Cebu without anyone but myself for company. The farthest ride I have taken alone is only till SM Cebu (HAHA). But that day, my friend Tessie asked me if I could go with her to the airport. She is not used to travelling alone so she wanted to have a company with her. She wanted to see off her boyfriend to the airport and she assured me she would reimburse me the fare so I agreed to accompany her to the Mactan International Airport in Cebu.

She asked me to meet at Robinsons Galleria early in the morning around 4 or 5am but the plan later changed. I had to go to the airport alone, meet her there and then come back home with her. This allowed me to depart for the airport from my home a little late at 6am.

I woke up early and felt reluctant to go because in the morning the bed seemed appealing and I wanted to sleep more, but since I had promised I would go, so I prepared and started for the airport from my home all by myself. It felt so good to wake up early, prepare myself and feel the fresh air of the morning (though the air was filled with smoke and dirt. LOL)

During my trip to SM Cebu in the jeep, I noticed a lady who took a seat beside me and had a "Mactan Airport" embroidered shirt on her. It made sense she worked at the airport and maybe she could help me figure out the ride from SM Store to Cebu airport.

When I arrived at SM Cebu (SM Cebu is one of the biggest mall in Cebu city) I asked the guard the location of "My Bus” service. “My Bus” is a bus service that goes from SM Cebu to the international airport. (I have included a link that gives more information and more routes about the bus.) I don’t mind travelling alone since I have the freedom to do what I want to do and it helps me more independent and apply the "Don't be shy to ask" kind of policy. The fare from SM Cebu to Airport is P40.

Just as I had suspected the lady with the embroidered shirt boarded the same bus as the one I did. Although the bus was quite comfortable, the problem with my ride was that I had to stand all the way to the airport. I had to really hold the railings tight else I would have stumbled and fallen. It wasn't a really long ride since the route of "My Bus" isn’t usually a busy one. The scenery along with the music on the earphone made me feel nostalgic.

When I arrived at the airport, I met with Tessie and we went to Jollibee so that we could grab something to eat. Tessie had already sent her boyfriend off by the time I reached there so we got "my bus” back to SM Cebu again. This time I made sure I got a seat and got really sentimental with the music on my earphone. It really did happen and I was more than happy.

This time I was really able to appreciate the beauty of "my bus" because of how cool it looked. It was like one of those buses in Korea or Japan that I saw many times on youtube. They have only one centre aisle and the chairs were arranged differently from normal bus. In the front part of the bus the chairs are facing each other which includes the chair of PWD, Pregnant and the Senior Citizens. There were chairs that face upfront and some facing the back. It is a really cool idea and there was a section in the front where passengers can place their bags while they are standing. It also had a cctv for security.

It was indeed a beautiful experience to be in "My Bus". I felt good to know that Philippines is improving gradually with technology and transportation. Citizens like us can seldom imagine to experience such convenience and comfort.

For more information about the schedules and of "my bus", click here