Something

In the movie Finding Forrester, one of the characters says that the key to writing is to not think and just start writing. So tonight, I write, even though I don’t know what it is I really want to write about. While writing, I’m also watching American Idol. It’s always a riot watching that show. It’s also nice to be able to follow some of the contestants, see their potential and see them go on to the AI finals. I once worked with a team doing Sarbanes-Oxley work for an out-of-town client and we all stayed together in one hotel. Every Wednesday and Thursday, we would all be excited to go home and buy or make our dinner. By 8 pm, you will find us either in our own rooms watching AI, or together in one of the rooms also watching AI and having a coffee party or chocolate party or whatever party we all happen to think of. It didn’t really matter then, but one of us will just call someone and pretty soon we would all be together somewhere.

I guess that how things start to happen, someone starts calling, or someone stands or asks for something. During the Christmas break, our family went to an uncle’s place somewhere in southern Negros. It’s this place that’s located up in the hills, where it’s quiet and all you see are green hills, trees, sugarcane fields and the clouds in a blue sky. No noisy cars, tall buildings, or traffic. We weren’t the only ones who finally got somewhat tired of sitting around there, for pretty soon our other uncle stood up and asked if we can organize a trip to the town center. You know… civilization. :) Of course, all the kids stood up and started getting ready to go!

We had a good time with that little road trip to town. We went to the city plaza with the really old trees, to the busy market in all its chaos, to a mini-mall, and then had halo-halo at a small restaurant near the stalls selling firecrackers and fireworks. We were glad our uncle got to go around.

We all don’t know what will happen. But there sure are some things we want to do and places we want to go to. But in a lot of ways, the key is to start something and take the first step. Or it could be something much simpler such as to start writing, or start watching, or start a party… something.

Bacolod-Silay International Airport: A Survival Guide

Bacolod City has a new airport. It's in the middle of a sugarcane field and surrounded by majestic-looking mountains in the East. Sitting in the departure area becomes an otherworldly experience as the clear glass window frames mountains, sugarcane fields and coconut trees. But when I arrived there, I had no idea what to expect or what it looked like. As I was feeling a little shy, I told everyone not to bother picking me up. Besides, I wanted to see how the transport system was like. This new airport is a little tricky as it's in Silay City, around 30 minutes from downtown Bacolod City. Fortunately, there are several options available.

So here's a little guide for all of you who have not yet passed through the new Bacolod-Silay International Airport.

How to Get Out of the Airport

• Get someone to pick you up.
• Take a taxi. When you leave the baggage area, there will be guys right before the other door going outside holding placards with "Taxi" written on them. Approach them and tell them you need a taxi. They will give you a sort of receipt which you will give to the driver waiting outside. Standard rate going to Bacolod City is around PHP420.
• Take the Shuttle. Right next to the taxi guys will be little counters marked "Shuttle" and there will be ladies there who will take your payment and give you a receipt. The shuttle is only PHP100 (and don't pay anything more if someone insists otherwise). Shuttles are basically vans and don't be surprised to find 4-6 other passengers there with you. These shuttles have official stops like SM, Robinson's Place, and such, but don't be shy to ask the driver to drop you somewhere specific, like your hotel. It's perfectly okay and they're actually willing to do so. But the farthest that they can go is the downtown area.

Shuttle Me to the Airport

Options for going to the airport are basically the same:

• Get someone to bring you to the airport.
• Taxi.
• Take the Shuttle. There are shuttles/vans parked at SM City Bacolod and Robinsons Cybergate (in front of the old airport). They leave the terminals 2 hours prior to the departure time of flights but some say that there are also vans that leave every hour. Again, don't be shy to tell the driver if you're in a hurry. Fare is also PHP100.
• Colorum SUVs/Vans. There are colorum SUVs parked at the Silay City Plaza. Fare is PHP50, but you can have the van for yourself and not wait for other passengers for PHP200.
• Take the tricycle. Weird, huh. But yes, you can get a tricycle at the Silay City Public Market for PHP10. Another option is a multicab going to Guimbalaon, but it's not a recommended option. Jeepney fare from Bacolod (i.e., Mandalagan) to Silay is PHP10-12.

Additional photos of the new Bacolod-Silay International Airport are posted in Flickr.