Alterra-ed state

The Isuzu Alterra could not have driven into my life at a more opportune time. Burned out and stressed out from the demands of my corporate and single-parent life, I pounced on the invitation to spend a weekend in Batangas with a group of total strangers.

The itinerary was promising. A Taal Heritage Tour in the morning, lunch at The Farm in San Benito with an afternoon of indulgences for the body and feet, and a trip to Quezon province for a visit to Kinabuhayan Café the day after. I couldn’t wait!

The perfection began at 6:30 a.m. when a blue Alterra picked me up from the Bicutan Interchange. Blue being my favorite color, I deemed it gorgeous.

IPC president Yoshifumi Komura welcomed us while Joseph Bautista, IPC product development manager, walked us through the Alterra’s specs.

I was designated driver of vehicle number 2. There were two writers seated in the back. Navigator up front. Large grocery bag filled with chips and cookies. A 76-liter fuel tank filled to the brim with diesel.

We were good to go.

I looked down at my watch to find that we were an hour behind schedule. I relished the thought of being on the open road playing catch-up with our schedule. We were going to make a visit to a museum and few ancestral houses before merienda at Escuela Pia. But we got stuck in traffic behind a long line of various-sized vehicles on the narrow highway leading to Tagaytay from Laguna. We drove through long stretches of bumpy terrain at speeds of 80 to 90 kph, kicking up dirt and rocks along the way.

Finally at 2 p.m., after what felt like an eternity filled with chocolate cookies, sour cream potato chips and Mariah Carey on the CD player, we reached The Farm.

It was great to be in the Alterra, a powerful and safe vehicle.

I dashed off to my iridology appointment. Iridology is also called iris diagnosis. "I see you have been fatigued recently. And that you had some kind of surgery done," the doctor said. The doctor then went on to share with me what I already knew — must get more exercise, must get more sleep, must lose weight.

My one-hour body massage was next. Massages are pretty high on my list of favorite things so I eagerly found my way to the opposite end of The Farm to Salus Per Aqua.

As I was starting to get used to this newfound healthy lifestyle, we packed our bags and headed for Quezon’s Kinabuhayan Café. I let my navigator, IPC’s Mario Ojales, take the wheel. I wanted to soak in the scenery. We finally arrived at the foot of Mt. Banahaw at Kinabuhayan Café Bed and Breakfast.

Co-owners Winston Baltasar and Jay Herrera co-manage Kinabuhayan. Winston handles Marketing while Jay oversees daily affairs and the kitchen.

The Alterra is the vehicle that can do the job of taking one to work and out of town on a whim. Refined like a passenger car combined with the force of an SUV, it truly is the perfect combination.