Unahin ko na – hanep sa wow etong biyaheng eto with Mar. I got more what I bargained for. Suko na talaga ako but Mar was still on high adrenaline rush so I have to keep up. Naalala ko tuloy, when I was craving for roasted pork ribs and my wife’s aunt brought us to chili restaurant in Louisiana. And there, I excitedly ordered roasted pork ribs with mashed potato and another side dish of mixed vegetable. What came was this platter of pork ribs – hot, red, shiny, crusted and so delicious looking and I gawked on the immensity of it and started wondering how I could finish it, which I wasn’t able to, of course, resulting to having to bring the rest home – good enough to be a merienda. I tried to actually finish it but my body starts rejecting it. But that is not what this blog is all about. This is still about the trip that I had with Mar. I just felt the same way – which further made me think – careful of what you wish for for it may be granted and drown in it. This is one thing that I truly could say, Mar really is a trooper. I am getting ahead of the story here. I just couldn’t help it but admire his stamina. But you be the judge of what I am talking about as I go along with this road trip chronicle.
A week or so before July 19, I called Mar to inform him that we have already arrived in Louisiana at my parents-in-laws place. Months before this u.s. trip, I announced to the small circle of friends that I have in the states of this visit. they are composed mostly of friends from way back then… when was that??? -- ages ago but it always feels like good old times whenever communications are reconnected.
One of the itineraries for this trip was a visit to Treasure Island, Florida (not to be mistaken with the Pleasure island in Downtown Disney). Things had been set that Mar and I will meet up, him being in the same state. Fast forward… Treasure island: I sent an email to Mar the address of the place where we were staying at and confirmation of the time and date of the road trip with a warning: I can’t give you directions – I don’t know this place – which he replied “no problem about that I can ‘google’ it”. High techie – hmmmm.
More phone calls and the sched was finally set. time and date: 10:00 p.m. pick-up time, July 19. This started to turn into something like – road trip starting at ten at night? Back in the philippines, my parents wouldn't allow me to travel at this time of the day. i was all too revved up to think more of it. Ten in the evening would be the time that he will be arriving in Treasure Island after a four hour drive from his workplace in Jacksonville. Whew, I didn't realize that it would take that much drive time for him to see me.
6 p.m. - the call came – he was already on his way and I reminded him again that it is not blind pass road – it is blind pass drive, meanwhile, Michelle and I decided to go out for a walk at the beach located a few meters from our house. After which we went fishing at the back of the house while we waited for Mar to come. This has already became a routine thing to do everyday – fishing – not my forte but managed to have a fish caught every time I cast. And this always triggers hollering and jeering among the group (in-laws) - look at this person who – “I don’t know how to fish” – which is exactly what I said when they first invited me to go fishing.
A call from Mar – ten p.m. – where is the house? – I have gone past this big chateau (landmark) – "okay I will go out and meet you, just drive back".– finally, mar was at our doorstep. more than four hours later of driving.
Introductions and all that and some photos taken and the road trip began at almost midnight. I packed with me my cameras and laptop to download photos if the memory chip (4 GB at that – each camera) is not enough. we will never know.
First on the list: Downtown Disney (Orlando Florida). There is actually no list, play it by ear so to speak but firmly focused on seeing downtown disney first - highly recommended by Mar.
Off we went… this is the tricky part – going out of Treasure Island. Mar used the google map and printed the directions in coming. Now all we have to do is do the reverse to go out. We sometimes would turn the print out upside down. Simple as it may sound, it proved to be so tricky. Have to stop and do detours a couple of times not to mention that we have to backtrack after some kilometers of treading the road constantly looking at this printed directions which at the end looked like as if hundred of elephants trodded on it.
Above all the conundrum of finding the road out is this tiny little voice that keeps on saying “just hit the interstate highway and the road will unravel by itself”. Finally, we did. After 45 minutes of the crisscrosses that we did along the grid line of road network. I could only muster a sigh of relief while Mar threw the printout at the back of the car – yahoo. Time was moving on fast and I kept wondering the whole time if we could still make it to downtown Disney while it is open.
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