Sagada Trip Update (May 16, 2008)
Thirty minutes before even reaching Sagada, I thought the vacation my wife and I planned was ruined. It was in the brink of complete disaster. But the three total strangers we had the pleasure of sharing the ride with gave us hope in the face of what was a huge dilemma. Because of them, we knew we had just enough to make it thru the next day. In more ways than one, Sagada definitely is heaven up north. Because there we met angels.
Thanks to Jon and Western Union we were able to enjoy four days and three nights of non-stop walking and eating in one of my most favorite places on earth. And also, we were able to give back what we owed the French lady whom we regularly bumped into around town and the bus conductor, who was working on the 5am bus we took going to Baguio. We never had the opportunity to give the other lady her money back but we hope to meet her again some other time.
Minus the trouble of losing vacation money and the thought of getting a driver’s license, everything actually turned out well. And me and my wife had exactly what we wished for, an adventure!
” DISASTER “
Posted May 12, 2008 in Sagada using my phone and Smart Internet.
My wife and I decided to go on a no-car-roadtrip and picked Sagada. And so far …
The Victory Liner bus we rode going to Baguio took off at exactly 10pm. As scheduled. We reached the city of pines at around 3:45am, took a cab and went to the Dangwa Station near the market. So far, so good.
Our Lizardo Trans bus going to Sagada left at exactly 6am. Again, as scheduled. It wasn’t exactly a comfortable ride, but the VIEW made it all worth the bumping and grinding! So far, not a minute of sleep. I finally did get some sleep four hours into the six hour trip. So far, so good.
Then i woke up, and I wish didn’t because a few minutes after, I felt something was missing, my wallet. So after looking downs and highs around the bus, a bus stop for the sole purpose of looking for my wallet and a few exchanging of theories between the other passengers about what happened, it was gone. And all the money we had left - P580. Yep, P580. We’re in the middle of a very remote town fourteen hours from Manila and that’s all the money we have. And we’re starving! So far, not so good.
Then, what happened next caught us by surprise and melted Myra’s heart (okay okay, mine too) One of the passengers, a very kind French lady, approached us and gave us a piece of paper. Written was the number of an Inn which we can call if we need a place to stay. Then, she handed us a P500 bill. She’s an angel.
A few minutes after, the bus conductor who without a doubt is from the Mt. Province, handed us another P500 bill. The amount might come off his salary, but he was willing to help. Then, another passenger, a very sweet Pinay whom we also believe is from the region, did the same thing. Talk about kindness.
These guys gave us hope and lifted our totally wrecked spirits, mine at least. Now, thanks to Western Union, we’re waiting for another one of Jon’s rescue efforts.
My wife and I wanted an adventure, and we’re having the biggest one to date, and it’s not evegan over yet. And to the three total strangers who showed extraordinary kindness, thank you very much! May God bless you.
For pictures of our trip, click the button below.
Welcome to Heaven Up North!
Blogging about the disaster.
The church bell of Sagada.
Tuesday 8am. Rural Bank of Sagada, Western Union Money Transfer.
Lumiang Cave. Ethnic burial ground.
This is where you throw your cellphones after caving. 
Coffee and pie at the Lemon Pie House.
Websurfing at Bana’s Cafe.
Coffee Alamid at Bana’s. Delicious!
We’ll be back next year!
aaawwwww, those people are so sweet!!! life is still good if we still have those kind hearted people around. anyway, i know all will be well and in the end, despite of what happened, you’ll still have a blast!!! Enjoy you vacation!! Regards to My, i texted her also!
at least wallet lang nawala eh kay hopia last time, buong kotse tinangay! anyway, enjoy your vacation still.
eeeeeek!! that must really suck
hayyy… Bait naman ni Lord at hindi kayo pinabayaan. 
“Look at the birds of the air: they neither sow nor reap nor gather into barns, and yet your heavenly Father feeds them. Are you not of more value than they?”
Matthew 6:26
Thank God for such kindness of these people
Enjoy your vacay guys!!! Ingat po!
wow… ang galing… sobrang nakakatouch naman. it’s good to know na meron pa din kind hearted people. sana dumami pa ang mga taong katulad nila.
Oh Bong and My!
Naku, na-imagine ko yung panic. Nakakatuwa naman yung mga tao na yun. Nakaka-inspire! Hope the rest of your vacation goes great!
i so love your post about this…wala lang..kasi nakakainspire…sarap isipin uli na marami pang nice people out there…angels in disguise tlga!
Mabait talaga si Lord.
Gadzooks!
you lost your wallet?
then you need a new driver’s licence?
after Sagada?
tsk tsk. Good luck!
(ingat!)
Its nice to know that there are still a lot of people out there with a kind heart
Indeed,your trip was quite an adventure even from the very start. Ingats and enjoy!!!
Binigyan kayo ng P500 nung kundoktor?
Pa-cheeseburger naman kayo!
Biro lang, mga utol!
and we’re back!
thanks guys and yes, marami pa talagang mababait na tao sa mundo (at meron ding masama - yung kumuha ng wallet ko! hehe). i panicked thinking na wala kaming makukunan ng money in sagada, but the big yellow western union sign made everything okay. and as always, jon pulled thru. thanks chugiboy!!!
glads, tere, clarice and jenn, we had a heavenly 4D/3N stay in that small trippy, adventure-filled and chilling Sagada.
kendz and sheena, yup, marami pang kagaya ko sa mundo. hehe but seriously, those guys rocked our senses! they’re unbelievably kind.
thanks allan! HD na! hehe
jason, do you really have to bring that license thingy up? btw, me naghahanap sa yo sa sagada … si Jengki! hahaha
myrns, i know. our adventure started 30 minutes before we even reached sagada. san ka pa? hehe
mon, the same conductor worked on the bus we rode home, so we gave his money back. ikaw na ang magpa-burger. burger! burger!
bong… actually yung kunduktor ang kumuha ng wallet mo, naguilty ng konti, kaya nagdonate ng 500. JOKE!!!!!!!!!! hehehehehe Nice to know your back without the license este you’re back and good
see you soon, magsusubmit na po ako ng pictures next week 
ayan bong, baka sign na yan…sign na dapat eh mas maging mabait ka.
kidding aside, it’s nice to know na marami pa pala kaming mababait dito sa mundo…joke, hehe.
Very inspiring post nga. At the end of it all, there is one very important lesson:
Bawal ang aanga-anaga sa bus! bwahahaha!
All’s well that ends well. Marami pa ring mabait na tao sa mundo. Napatunayan ko rin yan this weekend. Kasi nagpunta kaming zambales (habang signal#3 ang bagyo, hehe) tapos nahulog yung cellphone ko nung bumili kami ng mangga. Buti na lang yung manang na nagtitinda ang nakapulot. Tinago nya muna kasi hinihintay nya kami na bumalik. Super excited sya nung nakita nya ako. Muntik na ko maiyak, gusto ko na sya i-hug!
Well, God is really watching over us.
Sagada will forever be memorable to me - it’s where my now fiance proposed!
Loved it!!
aaaaw, bong…this piece made me believe in the goodness of people again
myrns, loko ka. hehe ’twas nice seeing you guys!
david, mabait naman ako a. parang ikaw.
john, mali ka. it should be “bawal ang sobrang magtiwala”.
hana, kung si manang ang nakakuha ng wallet ko, wala sana akong problema. hehe
didi, me too. but for an entirely different reason.
yes grace, marami pa kami.
hey guys, that’s what i call an experience. we can find good people everywhere! ever heard of “pay it forward”? maybe you’ll have the time yourself to do good to somebody else. maybe you’re part of a chain reaction that those angels are continuing.
sagada is one place me and my wife would like to visit.
regards.
popoy
exactly what i’m thinking popoy.
hope to bump in to you in sagada, me and my wife are thinking of doing this a yearly thingy.
Palagay ko, tama si John! Hahaha!
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may pagka-writer ka din pala pre
surprised to see na may blog portion pala tong 3logy. I’m hoping to see some info re: Jon’s wedding day hehehe.. papadala ko na lang sana yung “gifts”
sarap nga sa Sagada.. paguwi ko Pinas, I’ll make sure na madaan ako dyan
nice pics, btw..
pre, don’t worry, siguradon ibo-blog ko si jon. hehe pag-uwi mo samahan kita sa sagada.
i wanna go to sagada too.