Pines Await: An Afternoon Departure to Baguio

 

Pines Await: An Afternoon Departure to Baguio

It was a warm afternoon in Manila as I boarded the Victory Liner deluxe bus for the 3:00 PM trip to Baguio. The city's familiar chaos slowly faded as the bus rolled out of the terminal, navigating through the bustling streets of EDSA. The skies above were overcast, and soon after we entered the North Luzon Expressway (NLEX), raindrops began to splatter against the windows.

The light drizzle quickly turned into a steady downpour. The bus cruised along the wet expressway, the rain blurring the views of passing fields and towns, while the road ahead shimmered under the glow of brake lights and reflections on the rain-soaked asphalt. Despite the weather, the ride felt calm, the rhythmic tap of raindrops creating a sense of tranquility as we made our way further north.

By the time we reached the stretch of the Tarlac-Pangasinan-La Union Expressway (TPLEX), the rain had eased and eventually stopped just before Tarlac. The clouds began to thin out, revealing a faint glow from the setting sun. The wet road glistened under the soft light, and the countryside looked fresh and renewed after the rain. As the bus continued to glide smoothly along the highway, I knew we were slowly approaching the mountains.

Soon, we began the ascent into the Cordilleras via Marcos Highway. The bus tackled the winding roads with ease as the terrain shifted from flat plains to the rolling hills and steep curves of the mountains. The climb was less abrupt than Kennon Road’s sharp turns, but the path still twisted and turned through the dense pine forests. The cool mountain air seeped into the bus as we climbed higher, and the dark silhouette of the mountain range loomed outside, occasionally illuminated by streetlights and the glow of distant houses.

As we neared Baguio, the city lights gradually appeared, dotting the hills like scattered fireflies. The cool mist thickened, blanketing the mountainside and giving the distant lights a soft, ethereal glow. The contrast between the calm, steady pace of the bus and the distant hum of city life felt surreal. Finally, around 8:00 PM, we rolled into the Victory Liner terminal in Baguio. I stepped off the bus, greeted by the crisp mountain air and the sight of pine trees swaying in the cool breeze—a refreshing end to the journey that had begun in the busy streets of Manila.