to butuan with a backpack (part 2.5 of 5)

Before I continue to drone on about my CARAGA misadventure, I would like to show you a map of the region, to better appreciate the posts and also to hone your geography knowledge. I swear if I have had this adventures when I was taking HEKASI in gradeschool, I would've aced my exams.



photo lifted from here

Continuing from our tour of Bucas Grande Islands, we arrived back to Revlun Pension by 1600 and wasted no time to change into dry clothes and gather our belongings before walking to the Claver transport terminal. We were supposed to catch a bus bound for Tandag or Mangagoy (in Surigao del Sur) since both can bring us directly to our next destination, Barobo (violet route on the map). When we got to the terminal several locals asked us where we were going (not being stalkers, they were just the dispatchers in the terminal) so in 10minutes, almost everyone at the terminal knew where we were headed. We learned that the last bus to Tandag/Mangagoy usually leaves the terminal by 1500 but they kept our hope by saying saying that there may be vans going that direction. My friend and I agreed that come 1700 and there was still no bus or van, we could just return to Butuan and from there as the locals informed us that buses operate 24 hours a day.

Claver Integrated Terminal, a two-minute walk from Revlun Pension House

The time came and we were still at the terminal so I told one of the dispatchers of our plan to go back to Butuan via Badas. He asked me, "Sigurado kayo maam? Tanong niyo kaya muna sa asawa niyo..." and I laughed at the thought and replied, "Ay, kuya ok na yun. Sumusunod naman yan sa lahat ng sinasabi ko." So we rode the next van going to Badas (pink line) and it was already dark when we alighted at the junction. We were pondering if we should eat here or eat when we get to Ampayon (intersection of the highway going to Butuan and the one going to Davao) where we will ride the bus to Barobo. We decided to postpone dinner when a dispatcher called us to board a green L300 bound for Butuan.

Badas Junction

Dining choice at Badas Junction

When I opened the door, I was hit with a familiar smell. It was the same smell of a blue box type Toyota Corolla that I knew so well several years ago. I relished in the smell then we realized that it had already been 30minutes, but we were still waiting for passengers. Recognizing the impossibility of the van to ever get full, we decided to ride the bus passing through the highway, regardless if it was standing room or not. A few minutes passed and finally a bus came, and luckily it had empty seats. After two hours (blue line), we alighted at Ampayon and headed straight for the ihaw-ihaw stalls to grab a bite. I have been craving for some barbeque and isaw since the day before so we relished our dinner that night. By 2130 we were on the roadside, waiting for a bus bound for Mangagoy which will take us directly to Barobo. Thirty minutes into the wait, we asked some police officers manning a checkpoint nearby if there were Mangagoy buses at this hour, and they confirmed that it plys the highways 24 hours a day. So we waited... and waited... and let buses bound for Davao pass us by, one after the other. By 2330, it was clear that there will be no bus bound for Mangagoy (perhaps their trips are on for 24 hours, but only leaves the station twice! Haha) so we caught the next bus going to Davao. If we take this bus, we had to go down to the town of San Francisco (San Franz, as it is written on the road sign, lilac line) since Davao is further south, while Barobo is to the east.

We finally arrive at San Franz at 0130 the next day, took a bus bound for Tandag (black line) and arrived at Barobo by 0230. In the darkness, we saw The Point Inn which was inside the bus terminal. This wasn't where we planned to stay but we decided to check in there so we could already wash up and catch some Zs.

The Point Inn, inside the terminal compound (photo taken the next day)

What an adventure that was! I was so thankful for two things during this ordeal. First was the fact that all major municipalities in CARAGA, especially those that are junctions, have Central Terminals that all public transport go through. This gave route options,and gave us the oppotunity to sleep and not be scared that we might miss our stop. The second is my travel buddy. I very much appreciate that we can remain calm about missing buses, and that we are very patient on the road, that we can take things as they come, that he constantly asks me if I'm hungry (probably so that I won't turn useless on him due to hyperacidity). But more importantly because I feel very safe when I'm with him, even if it is during the middle of the night on the roadside of an unfamiliar town with backpacks, shoulder bags and fins (it was his) not knowing when the bus will come.

A typical transport terminal in CARAGA

A bit of work needed, but the system's good.

If you think that travel epiphany was beautiful, wait 'til you see the beauty we explored the following day! :)

Day 2.5 Expenses:

Van to Badas (Surigao)	Php60.00		Remember: Last direct bus to Tandag/Mangagoy leaves Claver at 3pm
Bus to Ampayon (Butuan)	Php120.00
Dinner at Ampayon	Php28.00
Bus to San Franz (Davao)	Php100.00
Bus to Barobo (Tandag)	Php32.00
Check in at The Point Inn	Php275.00		Room for 2 @ Php550, negotiated from Php600
Total for Day 2.5	Php615.00
Total for the trip	Php3,695.00

<3, dee

PS, if you haven't yet, check out part 1 and part 2 of my CARAGA series :)

PPS, photos taken by yours truly and my friend, unless otherwise specified