To Isabela by Multi-cab

Wednesday, 7th September 2011

Considering that there were six of us sleeping in one sealed off room, is was quite comfortable. We shared breakfast with Bro Fernando and  Bro Frederich. Noah ate his porridge as well as some rice – he can sometimes put on a very good display for the locals of his ability to eat plain rice. The two eldest children of Frecerich were busying themselves for school. School starts quite early in the Philippines – what a radical idea to start early and finish early...

I busied myself for a while with my camera trying to capture the atmosphere around the Basa's house and the hall. The children enjoyed feeding the guinea pigs and swinging each other on the hammock.

Green rust!

Noah the gatekeeper

Silas the spider

Sis Glory and Bro Fernando - lovely couple

Enjoying the hammock

Road to the Basa's house

Pretty flowers everywhere

Bro Francesco arrived with his multi-cab (all 650cc of throbbing Suzuki power) ready to take us north over the mountains to Isabela. Someone had to sit in the front, and so by process of free and fair voting I was the lucky candidate. While the others sat on the benches in the back with the bags. It really wasn't all that comfortable, in fact it was very uncomfortable – Mum and Sarah have bruises. All the children and Sarah were covered in a film of grime from the road and exhaust fumes. The first stop was at a servo about two hours into the trip, here we made use of the C.R. and stretched our legs. Another two and a half hours on and we stopped at Mc Donalds for some much needed lunch and a break. Before having lunch we had to journey up through the ranges past Dalton Pass. The road is in poor condition and is used by so many trucks. The road barriers had many scars of runaway vehicles. We saw only one truck having a sleep on it's side halfway down a hill. It is quite an experience trying to overtake a 22 wheeled semi in a Suzuki Carry van, lets just say that many of the attempts had to be abandoned. It is also interesting for the people sitting in the back looking at the front of a truck that is right on our tail and trying to overtake us.

On some of the longer hills there is water available from hoses along the sides for the trucks to use to help cool them down (inc. the brakes and tyres). Trucks carry animal feed and fertiliser up to the Isabela region and carry rice back down to Manila (“There are millions of Filipino bellies in Manila to fill with rice” - Francesco).

Ready to go

Cabin for first class

Isabela here we come

Almost there

Anyone for rice?

We arrived at the hall (and home Bro Luming) late in the afternoon, tired and dirty and we were greeted with warm smiles and welcomes. We came prepared to sleep in the accommodation at the hall, only to be told that we were sleeping in the house. This is a very kind and generous gesture that we have graciously accepted. Sarah and I even have a room to ourselves! Tea was served which included freshly dressed duck (I don't think Sarah or mum took any). Noah spotted the fresh tomatoes and cucumber and busily set about trying to eat all of it himself. He probably would have been successful if Silas and Eden hadn't noticed and then elbowed their way across the table to help themselves. It didn't go unnoticed that the children enjoyed the vegies, and so every meal there after included plenty of tomatoes and cucumber.

After dinner most of us had a wash that also served to cool us down. We were told by some that it is cooler in Isabela, not that we have experienced yet, every day has been hot and sunny (and also humid).

The Bible readings were held under the nice nipa hut that Bro Luming has made alongside the home. The gardens around the house and hall are very pretty, all this set amongst the rice fields serve to make a very peaceful and pretty setting. It rained lightly as we were finishing the readings and we all went to bed and slept very well.