My Way or the Highway

"Thanks to the Interstate Highway System, it is now possible to travel from coast to coast without seeing anything." - Charles Kuralt

I was a little disappointed to hear that the new Clark-Subic Expressway was closed during the weekend, and would only re-open today, April 28. My friend Neil had extolled the virtues of the new highway: it cuts down travel time from Bocaue to Subic Bay to a mere 30 to 45 minutes instead of the two hours it usually takes through several towns of Pampanga and Bataan. And so I was really looking forward to testing it out, only to have my intentions thwarted for the meantime.

But thinking about it this morning led me to the conclusion that I really wouldn't have it any other way. I'm a big fan of road trips, not so much those of the speedy highway variety, but those that take you through the sinuousities of whatever country you may be traveling in. One memorable motorist adventure was the 900+ kilometer weekend drive from Paris to Monaco: sure, we got to the South of France in record time, but really missed out on the French countryside. We compensated, much to our enjoyment, by taking the "scenic route" on the way back.

Just this year, a missed exit on the US I-88 had us fortuitously taking the state highways through Illinois instead - now this was a slice of Americana I wouldn't have witnessed if we'd gone on the road well-traveled. A trip up to upstate New York and all its scenic attractions was likewise off the beaten track - you won't find those quaint little local restaurants that serve fabulous food on the Interstate (unless Subway is your idea of quaint and fabulous).

Had we taken the Clark-Subic Expressway on this particular trip, I would have missed out on the mangoes of Zambales or the brownies of Floridablanca (I love making pasalubong stops). I also wouldn't have rekindled my relationship with Sting (favorite music to drive to on long trips) if the journey was short and quick. Or had the time to experience the calming yet unpredictable flow of the countryside, as opposed to the monotony of the freeway.

So, in the end, I actually wasn't disappointed that we had to take the long, familiar route. I wonder if I'll feel the same about the new Tarlac-Baguio City Expressway that they're just beginning to build - what, no more bagoong and Matutina stops in Pangasinan??!! (Echoes of the Tagaytay bulalo and coffee stops I've missed since they built the new Star Expressway to Batangas) The trade-off is that I'll no longer have to endure the tricyles, trucks, and Tarlac two-lane traffic...but I guess for now I'm happy enough to have the choice of taking the journey, or arriving swiftly at my destination.