How I wish we could all have been together to see the magnificent Mayon Volcano. It happened that on Christmas Day I felt the need to go. I was passionate about wanting to see the volcano and was not even sure where it was, but something urged me to go and visit this erupting wonder. So I called Shangri-La Hotel’s concierge and they told me that the volcano is in Legazpi City and that I could go by bus.
As I approached the terminal in Pasay, a water bomb from the overpass hit my windshield. Yikes. A bad omen? Yes, there is danger. The volcano could explode and kill you. Flights could get cancelled and the roads could be blocked from the eruption. You could be buried in the mudslide or covered with lava and burned to death, but if you are willing to go and see the volcano, then there is a way.
Many buses go to Legazpi City from Manila. Philtranco’s sister company, Amihan, has a terminal in Pasay City on EDSA. It also picks up passengers in Alabang. Reservations are necessary but don’t think that this guarantees you a seat. When I took their bus at 7 p.m. on Christmas Day, fighting over double booking of the same seats caused the delay of our departure time. Five passengers were angry because they had been assigned the same seat numbers and those who were seated chose to ignore the incoming passengers. Wisely, the driver did not involve himself in the insults that the frustrated passengers hurled at each other. Finally, after a half hour of arguing about who were the rightful owners of the reserved seats, I intervened. “You can have my seat,” I volunteered. The four others would have to content themselves with sitting on plastic chairs placed along the aisle.
So we were on our way and I had no seat. I looked at the men to see who would volunteer their chair and they all looked downward. Some explained that it was a 10-hour trip and they were tired from their work. As I sat on the steps at the back of the bus, I felt a curtain brushing my back. I opened the curtains when what to my wondering eyes should appear but a cushioned bed where I could snuggle in so perfectly. The conductor saw my eyes light up and he shook his head. Whatever, I knew this would be a good ride. We could share the bed. He had the first shift and I sneaked in after and had five hours of rest stretched out.
When traveling on these buses, be sure to bring a towel so you can wrap yourself against the freezing air conditioning. Headphones to shield you from the noise of their crackly sound system would also help keep your sanity. Fares are P800/person. There is a rumor that the Isarog buses based in Araneta Center, Cubao, have La-Z-Boy chairs. Other lines like the Raymond company also have decent, air-conditioned buses.
I woke up as we arrived in Legazpi City at 5:30 a.m. A clean and well-lit bus terminal welcomed me and fortunately, I met a tricycle driver who acted as tour guide. After using a few of these tricycle drivers in Legazpi, I can say that they are trustworthy. Perhaps a bit of haggling with the fares beforehand would help you both be more comfortable with each other. Roderick, my tricycle driver, said that he nets about P800 per day. He suggested we visit the area that was damaged by Typhoon Reming in 2006. He remembered how he saw bodies that had hands sticking out of the mud. These villagers in Daragay, Albay, had built their homes in an area where they believed they would be safe from the volcanic eruption but they did not prepare for the floods, which caused the mud and boulders from the volcano to bury their families.
The tour continued and we visited areas that had been affected by the eruption in 2001. Roderick explained that his uncle was already in the evacuation area when he felt the duty to go back to the volcano to rescue his cow. Unfortunately, the heat of the lava charred his uncle and they could not retrieve the body, but the cow found its own way down and lived.
Mayon Volcano is majestic. It stands so stately, quietly; it lets its presence be known and respected. If you are lucky, you will hear the grumbling and see the smoke spouting from the top. You can marvel at the sight of the smoke as it travels down the mountainside and watch it explode into a giant bonfire. At night, this is all much clearer with the red lava defining the path that the boulders follow. The locals explain that the thunder noises are made by the giant boulders being spat out of the crater. As they crash onto each other, they release gases that cause the lava to flow. These great big rocks roll down the channels until they land on a spot where they all collide and cause an area that looks like a crater with its molten rocks.
Although it has harmed so many people, the locals do not fear it. They understand that the volcano is acting out its nature and has done much good for the residents. They watch and talk about the odds of having a major eruption with the majority feeling that Mayon is just acting up. Many believe that the volcano releasing its energy in small bursts is less dangerous, but they know that anything can happen, and that is what makes the trip to visit this active volcano worth getting excited about.
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E-mail: aurorawilson@gmail.com.