It started with a 3-hour bus ride to Gapan from Manila, followed by a 15-minute tricycle ride to Peñaranda and almost an hour (I think) motorbike ride to Papaya (that was in the next morning), now known as General Tinio where Minalungao National Park resides.

We passed by a lot of papayas.  I haven't seen a papaya farm before.. and those papaya trees were still young, still young to bear fruits.  They look so cute though.

During our road trip to Minalungao National Park, our new friend who's driving the bike asked me and another friend who's behind me, yes, we were three in the bike which I could not believe I would agree of.  Well I had no other option and because there's no other way of transportation that is free.. and also because that seems fun, except that we're three in the bike.  Well, he told us a joke but it was too corny that I just replied with "ah, ok".  I know that was mean, and I tried to make it up to him I think, but it was too late.. which followed by an awkward silence.  After that he no longer talked to us, just during that ride though.. or maybe there's just nothing to talk about.

There were funny moments during our Papaya trip, not only to us in that motorbike, but in the entire group.  There were three bikes and a tricycle for us 12 people by the way, and the entrance fee, (yes, there's an entrance fee to Minalungao) was Php250 for all of us.  I don't know how they computed it, but that's how much they asked.

Shan, the one sitting behind me fell asleep! --this girl can fall asleep anywhere and I had no idea she could level that up.  Shang, the biker, threw his flip flops because he said it's not his!  Another thing that pissed him is that he lost his sunglasses when he dived, and who swims with sunglasses on?!  As for me, there's nothing interesting I could share during this road trip, except for, it hurts being in the middle. (ang sakit sa!)

The road trip was fine until we reached this road which they called "kalbaryo" for them bikers.  And this unpaved rocky road was long enough to ruin the brakes on our tricycle.  It hit a rock apparently, but was still functioning well.. it must be.  We then stopped before a very steep road and waited for the others.. to walk.  I thought we're almost there because they made us walk, and they joked about taking the short cut, but after crossing that steep road, they asked us back to our rides (thank God).  The long ride under the heat of the sun left me sun burn on the shoulder.  I think it was more than an hour, the trip, because I remember we left Minalungao at around 5pm and arrived at Peñaranda at our friend's house at around 7pm.

I wasn't able to take photos of our road trip though.  I gave my camera in the good hands of my friend, in her bag.  I thought I couldn't take pictures while riding, but it could have been really awesome if I did.  I never thought it could be possible.. the sunset, the streets, the people.. they were all smiling at us, even those who passed by us going to the same direction.  I could have came up with an amazing set of pictures of them.  "Never underestimate yourself next time."

But there were still a few photo shoots from our stopovers.  These bikers were geared but they're not geared.  You know what I mean?

road trip to Minalungao
photo credit to Ace; our host