The best part of visiting Manila was watching Tyler just light up. He was SO excited to show me the little places he went to and the streets he walked. He know the good foods to get and the prime places to stop. I especially loved it when he would knock on a door and it would open up to screams of joy and surprise. These people were thrilled to have their missionary back in their home. I was truly honored to be taken along for the ride. Tyler jokes easily with them and clearly they shared a special relationship. One family made us dinner in their incredibly humble circumstances. Even on the dirt floors he looked totally at home. He took me down narrow alleyways with tiny homes piled on top of each other on each side. I could tell he really loved the people.
Traveling around Manila is like visiting carnival rides. I especially loved hitching a ride on the metallic jeep busses called jeepneys. They looked like giant toy cars clattering down the road. The first one we caught we were so excited to get in, we both barked our shins on the step up through the back. I rubbed my aching shin as all the passengers passed up their cash and we passed back change. To get off, you flick the roof with your finger and you can hop off anywhere. Sometimes the jeepney doesn’t even stop moving all the way.
Another carnival ride are the little side cars you can hop on for a lift. They’re TINY—not much higher than my elbow. It looks more like a motorcycle tumor than a real side car. But somehow Tyler and I origami’d ourselves inside to get to where we needed to be. Once inside—it’s hard to see our very well, so it’s a lot like a haunted house ride with unexpected jumps and lurching turns. Your view options are to look to the left at the motorcycle driver’s butt right at eye level, or to look to the right, with exhaust pipes right in your face. I preferred the jeepneys, but they couldn’t get down all the tiny streets we needed to navigate. As long as you have an adventurous spirit beforehand, the sidecar rides are a good time. 😉
Walkabout 