Originally Posted by
the_watcher
this is all about perspective! Kung easy ride lang and wala gi apas na schedule, this is so much fun! Ganahan unta ko mo convoy ani na trip kung okay kay ts kaso ang ako budget is for next year pa na long trip. Im planning to go all the way to northern luzon from cebu, on my car with my mtb on the roof, hehehe.
Sakit sa lubot siguro kung maghuot or overloaded ang sakyanan otherwise okay ra kaayo. Also, avoid bringing kids below 7 years old on such long trips unless daghan mo ug stops na planned. Mas easier ang travel kung adults and 7 and up ang mga bata na kauban ninyo kung naa man.
Regarding safety, para nako, being safe is a state of mind and not a place. Bisan naa ka sulod sa banko, do you really think you are safe? Naa ka sulod sa armored car, are you safe? Naa ka sa inyo house, are you safe? Where ever you go, if you are always aware of your surroundings and have preset reactions to any emergency, you can be safe. I have been to bongao, tawi-tawi and to the npa ridden claveria, cagayan valley in northern luzon and have not found it dangerous as what the media makes you think. I go on solo photowalks in colon and pasil with my camera and have not had any bad experience. In my entire life, i have never been a victim of pickpockets, why? Because i make sure that i am always aware of my surroundings. When you travel, it is always best to be aware of what is going on around you. Bottom line is, if you make yourself a target for such lawless elements, you will never be safe where ever you are.
The very first long trip i had on my motorcycle was from cagayan de oro to pagadian, about 5 hours straight. The longest one that i drove was from cavite to claveria, cagayan valley, it was about 16 hours since we had ample rest stops. The longest one i have been a part of, was iligan - manila for 72 hours, thankfully i did not drive in that one. The rest of my long travels were usually on public transpos like buses and jeepneys.
If you don't mind, let me share a few tips that i practice on long travels which have kept me on the road without any incidents.
1. Make sure your vehicle is in excellent condition. A few checklists for your vehicle:
- brakes. Should have new pads if you haven't changed yours in the last year. Check your brake fluid levels too.
- lights. Bring spare bulbs, it wont hurt to have them bisan 1 extra pair of headlight and taillight bulbs lang.
Also buy various fuses for your fusebox, its dirt cheap and yet could save you headaches.
- oil. Change oil at least a week before you leave. Check your atf as well.
- water. Or coolant for that matter. Check your windshield wipers too.
- air. Make sure your tires are at correct pressure not over or under inflated. Check your spare tire too.
If you need to, go on and replace your tires with new ones.
Buy and use that tire sealant for your tires, it worked like a charm for me on that cavite-claveria trip.
Buy a small portable compressor. Costs like 1.5k and i tell you, its going to be a lifesaver. Check your tools as
well like tire wrenches, jacks, basic screwdrivers in case you need to tighten a few screws along the way.
- gas. One thing that worked really well for me was to never travel on full tank when within city limits.
I travel on 2/3 full. Why? It is easier and lesser weight for the vehicle. You have to make sure to fill up full tank
when you start to go out into the open country side where there are lesser number of gasoline stations.
Also buy that small gas container for contingencies. Its up to you if you have it empty, half filled or full since
some people are afraid of such containers inside their car filled or half filled.
- batteries. The usually most looked over component in a car. If it had failed you at anytime within the last year, have it checked
- first aid kit. This is a must. You never know when you might need it. Bring special meds that you or your travel
companions might need.
- phone car chargers. Better yet, buy a power inverter where you can plug regular 220v appliances into your car's cigar outlet, just make sure you have the good quality ones and its the correct wattage for your appliances. My brother and his wife are coffee addicts, so they have a small electric thermos, while i on the other hand bring a small electric mosquito repellent for those times we have to sleep in the car with the windows open. Don't try to plug a microwave or a big electric stove though, that would ruin not just your inverter but your car
batteries as well and blow your fuses.
- maps. No kidding. I know you have your gps and navs but maps are cheaper, don't run on batteries, does not need signals and some can even be soaked in water and still be usable.
- hazard markers and folding hazard cones. There are some places that are very strict in implementing the use of these devices when on the side of the road.
A few optional items:
- a small 12v powered cooler. Even the regular ice-powered coolers work fine. Fill it with juices and water. No sodas and certainly no alcoholic drinks! Never drink and drive. Not even schumacher drinks and drives.
The sodas dehydrate you. Put a cheap solid slab of ice on top of the beverages before closing the cooler shut. The ice only costs like 10pesos at your local ice plant.
- battery backup jump starter kit
- a licensed gun with a ptc for the holder, if you are anti-gun then a baseball bat would do. Always be prepared to defend yourself and your family but do not be a hothead either.
- toys (if you have kids with you), you can bring portable gaming consoles but do not, i repeat do not let them play with it while moving or else they would have headaches and would be vomiting soon enough. Let them play with it only during stops. Especially the driver, hehehe.
- sleeping bags or mat. Really useful when you happen to stop over at parks so you can lie down and take a nap.
- utensils. Really important if you have no choice but to eat at carenderias along the way. Even if it looks clean, it still pays off to use your own spoon and fork.
- camping cooking stove. This one saves you a lot of money on long trips since you can buy stuff at markets along the way and cook as needed.
Additional few tips for the long travel:
- have at least 2 drivers with proper licenses and training. Both should at least know basic car know how.
- obey traffic rules and regulation. Observe road courtesy. The simplest yet commonly overlooked item.
- drivers should stop, rest and stretch regularly like every 45 minutes. A 3-minute stop at regular intervals works better than a 30 minute stop over a long distane. This works for passengers too.
- avoid eating out especially at fastfood chains, it could break your bank easily. It may be somewhat convenient but it still could make you go over your budget.
- plan your stops wisely.
- if you can stop over at relatives along the way, do it. It builds better family ties and helps you in your budget too because most filipinos welcome visiting relatives especially if only for a few hours or just overnight, hehehe. Just give them a little heads up and you would be welcomed for sure.
- go clean and green. Leave nothing but footprints or tiremarks for that matter and take nothing but pictures. I really get pissed off at travelers who litter anywhere. Also, you might get into trouble with local laws for littering.
- do not overload or overcrowd your vehicle with either people or luggage. Get a roof rack if necessary so people can wiggle freely.
- drivers should never be under drowse inducing meds.
- listen to the radio to be updated on the events around you. Helps you evade traffic jams too.
- a day before heading out, try to pack all the necessary luggage you will be bringing and the people too and see how it goes. At least you can figure out what needs to be done while you still have the time.
Get a second car if needed, overcrowding will take the fun out of traveling.
- if you are not familiar with the place, do not travel at night.
- you may have noticed that i did not say switch drivers like this and tat. This is because each driver has his/her own driving endurance, the key here is do not push yourself. If you feel even slightly tired while driving, rest awhile or switch drivers. My brother can drive 16 hours and i can do 12 before cramps start to creep in. With regular stops, i can do regular 12 hour drives so it really boils down to the individual driver.
- remember to have fun! If you are not doing it for fun, then you should work as a bus driver, at least you get paid.
- lastly, these all are based on my personal experience and is not the perfect list. I may have forgotten a few more things really, hehehe. Feel free to add to your own needs. You can never be overprepared to travel.
Ts, this is going to be so much fun! Pictures unya ha, hehehe. One week will be very very short for this adventure.
Happy trip ts! Cheers!
Re: CEBU TO MANILA landtrip
gamit ayo 
amo sakayanan kay nissan urvan GNZ ang plate number ...
Re: CEBU TO MANILA landtrip
as far as I know, wala man color coding ang Manila bro, only number coding. I think number coding siguro imu pasabot since it is usually mistakenly called as color coding even by some Manileños themselves.
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