Hitchhiking in Philippines: way to Vigan
19th of March, 2025.
As I start walking, my shoes get untied, and it starts to rain (again) at the same time. A man tells me about my shoes, and I tell him – I know! That’s why I’m stopping here… It’s his house and homestay, and I take cover to tide my shoes and wait for this, hopefully, shower to pass. I chat with him and his wife for 5 minutes, and pet his adorable tiny dog.
As I start walking (again), I see one of those popular white trucks / vans, and I make a sign to him. I’m hoping he can take me all the way to the highway because I know that over there I can take cover, keep my backpacks safe from the rain, and all of that while still hitchhiking. When I tell him that and he doesn’t understand, I ask where he’s going; he says: “Manila”. What? If they are going to Manila, they can bring me very close to Vigan. I cannot believe! And I shouldn’t. It was too good to be true.
At least I escape from the rain. Who knows, perhaps I would be stuck there for a long time if it was raining. I ride in the back of the van, where there’s also a young man called Darvin. They are going to manila to collect something, stay overnight there, and come back here tomorrow. We drive for over one hour together when the driver, Gerard, stops at a gas station, we use the toilet and he fill up the truck. Then they explain to me that they will take an alternative road, which will pass far away from Vigan, starting very soon. They say it’s because of the tolls, which would make sense, if the road was actually a toll road, but as I see it on my map, it’s not. Perhaps it has changed and my map it’ not updated, who knows. Anyway, the driver tells me to take a tricycle somewhere. I tell him I don’t have money. After a lot of consideration, they start driving again. I don’t want for them to pay what ever is they will pay by taking this road just because of me, so with a lot of effort, I explain to the young man where they can drop me off, in the next town, that they can still take their original planned route. I don’t know if he’s just having a hard time understanding or what, but they almost pass the intersection, and I have to make them stop, so I can continue hitchhiking from here, Batac, to Vigan.
After a lot of time, George, a man going to Pinili, a short distance village from here, stops for me. He seems very surprised about my travels, and says that later he will go to Vigan, so he could give me a lift. I tell him I will take my chances now, and if I’m still there later, he can please take me.
I wait for another longer time until two really nice guys stop. Joel and Kirby would look suspicious to a lot of people, mostly female solo hitchhikers. And that’s all because of stereotypes, of course. But as soon as you look them in the eyes, and feel their genuine good intentions, you know you can trust them. They are bringing two goats to a small town right after Vigan, and they are passing the city, so yay! I can hear the baby goats on the trunk from time to time. They are so cute! But I do feel sorry for them travelling there. Apart from this, you could never tell that they are actually transporting goats. The cars is spotless clean and smells great! They are partners in this business, selling goats, and they tell me they have up to 200 goats. Wow! Joel try to help me with a place for camping in Vigan. He try to call his sister-in-law who lives there but unfortunately she doesn’t pick up the phone.
As they drop me off in Vigan, it’s nearly sunset time already, and I now it’s better if I camp outside the town, where families normally tend to be more welcoming. Right before crossing the “entering” bridge to Vigan City, I see some houses down to my right side. I decide to go and ask there. There are some women sitting in front of a house, and some kids playing. As I explain to them what I need, three women talk with a fourth one, and it seems they are telling her that she should help me. She seems like a very simple woman, the humblest of them all, and she doesn’t hesitate on standing up and telling me to follow her.
Maria Tereza leads me through a trail, across a small jungle area and into the river. Here, she and her two other sisters, Cindy and Marilou, live in three different sheds, made mostly out of metal parts and different materials. Maria Tereza has one young girl; Marilou has one teenager girl, a 10 years old boy and a baby girl of three years old; Cindy has no kids, and she got married when she was fourteen years old only. She’s now twenty-nine and they are still married. They are all married and their husbands live here too. Also their father, and another senior gentleman who I don’t know about it.
At first, Maria Tereza tells me I can have my tent right by the river, but for whatever reason I tell her I rather to be in a less visible place. She shows me another area nearer the trees, and even though there are some big stones on the floor, I say it’s fine.
As we talk a bit more and they understand me and my journey better, things become smoother and I feel more welcome, simply because at first I think they didn’t really know what to do. Some kids come over and we play a spelling game. At dinner time, I eat at Cindy’s house, and we have rice, a vegetable stew made by her, and a Chicken Adobo prepared by Marilou. It’s the best Chicken Adobo I would have in the Philippines. They are all so kind and nice to me.
I ended up having my tent in front of Cindy’s house, where there’s a small flat area, finished with concrete. The kids and Cindy help me with the making of the tent. Soon after I go to sleep.
Early morning I wake up to a lovely breakfast with rice, eggs, an interesting type of red, sweet and smooth chichiron, and coffee. I’m astonished by their kindness. Marilou’s baby daughter plays inside my tent, and when her mother tells her she must leave because now I will pack it up, she’s a bit disappointed.
I am overwhelmed by their kindness when they give me a big bottle of water and six small packages of three different cookies. That would be my lunch and save me while going around Vigan. They also, out of blue, give me something I really need: a hat. Remember how I lost the one which Polina gave to me in Thailand? Well, they give me one very similar to that, but royal blue and new. Together with a t-shirt, they belong to one of the community’s logo of Ilocos. Cindy also try to give me a pair of socks, when I tell them that I have only two. But I kindly refuse and explain to her the reasons for it.
We take a photo and then I leave their place soon after 8 o’clock.
I have stayed with so many families throughout out the many years of my travels. Sometimes they invited me to stay with them, and sometimes I asked to camp in their garden. The majority of them always behave marvelously, super kind and generous, doing all they can to help me and to make me fell welcome to their family. And they are all so different among themselves, right? And that’s in many ways, culture wise, personality wise, and also life style wise. I guess that by now I have stayed with families from all social classes, and they are all very nice to me. I guess that Africa was the longest period of time when I was staying among very simple families, and that’s because a lot of the times I was simply camping in their tiny villages, which more often than not have no electricity at all. Then a few times in Central Asia, and even less times in India. Still, it always surprises me how these families, even when they have so little for themselves, always welcome me with open arms, doing all they can to make me feel comfortable and happy. And that makes them happy too. Isn’t that beautiful?
10 Years Around the World 