by Jonalyn Fulo Fortuno
There is something about the open road that greatly fascinates me. The endless drives along the seemingly infinite stretches, the sudden surge of anxiety at the possibility of getting lost along the way, the sense of peace that inevitably settles over once the familiar route pops into view, and the absolute thrill that comes with the thought of being whisked away to a completely different world—all these form part of a magic moment, which the open road could provide.
Magic moments are a collection of either extraordinary experiences or memories. They are oftentimes born out of road trips, and thus, tend to grow continuously as one drives farther. In retrospect, this could be among the reasons road trips are considered a classic escape, because every time the engine rumbles into life, a wonderful memory will surely be created.
But what I love most about this driving adventure is that the time spent on the road seems to pass by languidly—not the kind that puts you in the doldrums. But the kind that allows you to be more mindful of little things, and observe how they all come together to form a bigger, more complete picture of why the roads are good for the wandering souls, especially those who have an eye for nature.
Once, on a road trip to Benguet, we had one of those amazing experiences, which nature so graciously brought. We were supposed to visit a coffee farm in Santa Fe, but as fate would have it, we mistakenly took a different route. Hours went by and we were still grappling with a series of twists and turns, trying to find our way back, despite the uneasiness that started to build up inside our spacious Nissan Urvan vehicle. We were all first-timers to this part of the province, yet adventurous enough to rely on good old Waze app. As we continued to navigate through the winding road, something so riveting suddenly caught our attention. Eyes glued to that particular spot, we pulled the car over and deliberated whether we should make a pit stop. In the end, curiosity got the better of us, so we did what any nature junkie would do: paid a tribute to this natural masterpiece.
Who would have thought that taking a wrong route would lead us to spectacular scenery smeared across the province’s mountainous landscape. I remember how we all scrambled out of our car, wanting to be the first one to capture the way the dense fog slowly rolled off the valleys, offering flashes of greens, rugged cliffs and lush mountains.
The flares of the sun only added to the trance like quality of it, bathing the landscape with its bright, ambient light. And when the thick blanket of fog finally lifted, there came a view of small communities perched on sloping hills.
It was a sight like no other, and for a moment, I felt a sudden stillness. It’s as if time has stood still, buying me a handful of minutes to stare and marvel at what lies before me. Standing there at the edge of the road, I realized that, perhaps, we were meant to witness this wondrous scene, to remind us that sometimes, it’s alright to be lost. And that the road is full of surprises, and there is always that magic moment waiting to happen. We only need to seize it once it’s there, and hold it firmly until it is etched on our memory.
Image credits: Martin San Diego