I stare at the horizon that divides the orange setting sun and the hills scattered across the island that is Bohol and wonder what stories need telling out there.
For now, I look close to the people that I traveled with from Iloilo City to Tagbilaran City, Bohol via Roll On Roll Off ships and land trip and realize the story is closer to my heart than I think.
Days before the trip, I was anxious. I’ve always been anxious when I travel with family. But with prayers and meditation, I was able to calm myself.
We haven’t decided what time we’ll be leaving until the night of our departure on April 18. There were a lot of backs and forth, and there were things that needed to be considered—logistics, RORO departures and arrival, hours needed to travel from one location to the next.
I created an itinerary as a guide, but for the most part of the trip, we relied on grace. Not my Tita Nene Grace, but yes, her prayers helped; but by the grace of God.
First Day
On the first day of our trip, I decided last-minute that I was going to stay because I was thinking of the tasks that I had to complete especially since Mondays and Tuesdays are very busy days for me. But when Tito Ed and Tita Eying called that the trip is going to be a once-in-a-lifetime chance, I finished my templates on Canva in 30 minutes and took the cab to the meeting area, at Robinsons Pavia.
Tita Nene and Ptr Gideon, traveled six hours from Caticlan to Leganes, Iloilo City. When they arrived, as we have been updating each other via our Messenger Group Chat, we were off to Dumangas Port, just in time for the 5:30 PM FastCat trip to Bacolod City. It only took us less than an hour and 15 minutes to get to Bacolod City port.
After we disembarked, we headed to Gina’s smokey restaurant, and had seafood as our dinner. The place was hot, and if not for the electric fan, everybody would have been sweating. I had to change shirts after dinner as we had to travel for two hours and a half from Bacolod City to San Carlos, via Don Salvador and stay the night at Lola Nitang’s Inn, less than 10-minute travel to San Carlos Port.
When we arrived at Lola Nitang’s Inn, Lola Narda was not feeling well because probably of the zigzag road at Don Salvador. Then, everyone went to sleep, except me.
I had to stay until 3 AM to finish formatting the remaining sections for our newsletter with our department’s Chief Editor.
A few hours later, we boarded the Lite Ferries from San Carlos to Toledo City, Cebu. I badly wanted to sleep but it only took less than an hour and 30 minutes to reach Toledo City. So sleep did I not.
Cebu City
We arrived at Toledo City and EJ and Harold, the designated but also volunteer drivers for the trip, sped off the mountains of Cebu to arrive at Cebu City. We dropped by at Manipis View Park, and took countless pictures—proof that we were there. But most especially, when our memories would fail us, the photos would remind us how we traveled far and wide just to reach Bohol.
Everyone was game for a photo op even in the sweltering heat of the sun. Mae Lann Joy perfected the Gen Z selfie.
We continued our journey and when we arrived at Cebu City, we wanted to have breakfast at SM Seaside Cebu but since we got there 9:30 AM and the mall opens at 10 AM, EJ, the expert navigator, looked for a Jollibee Drive Thru. The Chicken Sandwich took long so we waited in front of Jollibee. After all the orders were completed, we went to Cebu City Pier 1. There we met, Kuya Rodel Cabrillos, who took the OR-CR of the vehicles, plus the senior citizen ID of Lola Narda. Then we gave him a specific amount that would cover the fare of the vehicles, the passenger fare from Cebu City to Tubigon, Bohol, and the terminal fees. He gave his driver’s license as proof that he would not scam us. I kept it.
We trusted a stranger. And my gut told me he could be trusted. He told us to wait at the Cebu City Pier 3, and we parked in front of the gate. I waited for a few minutes, and Mae Lann wanted to go inside the passenger’s terminal so she could charge the laptop that she brought, and work.
I, however, have been waiting for Kuya Rodel because he was the key for Mae Lann to enter the passenger’s terminal as the lady guards were strict in letting someone go in without passenger terminal and fare stubs.
When Kuya Rodel Cabrillos arrived, he gave me the necessary documents so we could board the ship. I gave the papers to EJ and Harold, and Kuya Rodel followed me with his motorcycle because I forgot to give back his driver’s license. When Lola Narda asked for her senior citizen ID, that’s when I panicked. Some IDs are hard to come by, and without a senior citizen ID, there would be no 20% discount. I added Rodel Cabrillos on Facebook, and messaged him on Messenger but he was not responding.
Since there was still time as our boarding for Tubigon was at 1PM, or earlier, we looked for Kuya Rodel Cabrillos. I asked for his location from his porter friends, and good thing, someone gave me his number. Then out of the blue, he found me at the entrance of Cebu City Pier 1. I asked for Lola Narda’s senior citizen ID, plus he gave me the OR-CR of the vehicles—very important documents for our trip as I had been safekeeping them since our Dumangas-Bacolod City, and San Carlos-Toledo City RORO trips.
Tubigon, Bohol
We arrived at Tubigon, Bohol hungry so we looked for the nearest McDonald’s from the port. Mae Lann, Harold, Ptr Gideon, and Tita Nene, who were on a different vehicle, had lunch with shake at a local place. Ours—Tito Ed, Tita Eying, Lola Narda, Yan2, Bhe-Bhe, Inday, and I, had cheeseburgers, fries, and water. Then we were off to Carmen, Bohol.
On our way there, we marveled at the hills beside the road that we saw and the greeneries of the island. At close to 5 PM, we arrived at the Chocolate Hills Complex, was instructed by the people from the LGU to park the vehicles in the parking area, and take a shuttle going up the hill, where we would climb another hill, with 220 steps, to get a better look, and view of at most, all the hills in the island.
220 Steps
We obliged. Lola Narda changed outfits; the rest had no baths; I for one, were sweating profusely because of the heat. Then the driver sped off to the hill and we disembarked.
Tita Nene Grace, at first, wanted Lola Narda to stay at the foot of the hill, but Lola decided that she would climb the 220 steps to reach the summit, and to get a better view. And so she did. It took several rests, but when she was able to finally reach the summit of the hill, all of us were proud—Lola Narda at 88 years old, climbing the 220 steps. She also shared that it was only by God’s grace that she was able to climb the hill. And so the glory belongs to God, alone.
I wanted to sing The Majesty and Glory of Your Name right then and there; and I wanted to sob. Because in this trip, I carried Mama’s dreams of travel. But I was with strangers who were also relishing the view and I did not want to be a downer. Plus, I was with family who’s not used to me crying in public. Haha! So, me being teary-eyed was enough.
We took lots of pictures. We waited for the orange sun to set. And together, we were there in tangential purpose, all with the same resolve to experience the majestic creation that is the Chocolate Hills.
Tagbilaran City—Urbano Transient House
After the Chocolate Hills moment, we drove off to Tagbilaran City where our Airbnb accommodation was located, an hour and a half drive from Carmen, Bohol. EJ, the ever expert on Google Maps and navigation, led us straight to Urbano Transient House, where we were greeted with Bermuda grass, lots of plants, trees, and a big 3-bedroom, 2-bath home, and Kuya Rey. It was home away from home.
We then unloaded Tita Eying’s packed food. Ptr Gideon cooked rice using the house’s provided rice cooker. There were complete utensils, and stove, refrigerator, plus water dispenser with hot and cold water in the Urbano Transient House. I personally loved the place. It was God’s leading that gave us that homey place, but it was also with the help of Airbnb reviews, and with direct communication with the host on the Airbnb app.
There were a lot that happened in this trip, but everything was according to God’s leading.
I could not sleep in the land trips from one port to another because I was praying—I was praying for EJ and Harold, and I was praying for Lola Narda. It’s true what they say: why worry when you can pray? So, that’s what I did even though I had bouts of anxiety all throughout the trip and I was hyper aware.
Inday Neah
One of the memorable moments of our Bohol Trip, aside from Lola climbing the 220 steps of the Chocolate Hills Complex, was Inday Neah Franz’s Tinikling Dance with the welcoming locals. During our Loboc River Cruise, when we finally arrived at the other end of the cruise, there were locals who danced and sang to welcome us. During the Tinikling Jam (where they invite tourists to dance with them), Inday Neah told Tita Eying she would dance. Then she went to the “stage” and danced with a local male Boholanon.
It was a milestone in itself because Inday Neah is an introvert. She used to have problems interacting with people. As an introvert myself, I could understand.
When Inday gave in to her desire to dance Tinikling, and in a way, come out of her shell in Bohol, we all felt a tinge of pride.
We were proud because self-confidence and self-awareness get you far in life. And Inday’s fears did not let her cripple her desire to dance for the sake of dancing, and in that definite time and place, she seized the moment. Carpe diem, so they say.
That was the perfect example of Carpe Diem, from Dead Poets Society.
Coming Home
There were a lot of places and memories that we created in our trip to Bohol. It was tiring, and there were times when I spaced out, most probably why Inday Neah, Lola Narda, or Tita Eying would ask me if I’m okay.
I for one, felt conflicted going to the Tarsier Conservation Area. But I also felt proud that the endangered species are being protected by the local government of Bohol. It was from Tita Nene Grace that I’ve learned how the tarsiers react when they’re stressed with human noise, or with camera flashes—they kill themselves.
I’m also grateful that we’ve visited a church in Panglao, Bohol—Community LifeWay Church headed by Ptr Mabanag. As someone whose parents started a mission work in Tobias Fornier, Antique, it’s heartwarming to see churches being built from scratch, especially in a place like Panglao, Bohol.
Throughout our trip the only theme that reverberated through every RORO ship, and land trip that we had was grace. It was all by God’s grace that we experienced the beauty and the hospitality of Boholanons and Cebuanos. It was all by God’s grace that Lola Narda was able to celebrate her 88th birthday at Bob’s, Bacolod City and Campuestuhan together with To Raffy and Ta Nonah Seballos, and kids—Joy-joy, Jaja, and Jai-jai. And it was all by God’s grace that we were able to come home safe and sound.
This trip was a melting pot of personalities and strengths—the navigators and drivers; EJ and Harold; the nurturer and provider: Tita Eying; the problem solvers and prayer warriors: Tita Nene & Ptr Gideon; the workaholic: Mae Lann Joy; the Gen Z giver of fun and laughter: Edrian, Lunah, and Neah; the encourager and storyteller: Tito Ed; and our center and heart: Lola Narda.
In this trip, I listened and wrote in my head. Because, traveling with Ohana is once in a lifetime. And I am thankful that while I looked for stories on my way to Bohol, and with a side trip to Cebu and Negros, the stories that need telling are right before my eyes, and my heart.
Most of all, I am beyond grateful that I get to see with my eyes and heart how, with grit and determination, Lola Narda was able to climb The Chocolate Hills and travel for 120 hours with rests and pit stops.
All in all, the strength that only comes from the Lord made this trip worth the sleepless nights, and the tired bodies.
For me personally, while going through every destination and tourist and scenic spots, I was reminded again that life is very short.
We always have to make each moment count and to “gather ye rosebuds while ye may.” Because tomorrow is never promised. We only have today. #
[Lola Leonarda, and Ohana—sunset, seas, rivers, mountains, and hills, 2023]
The Prodigal Kid 