The hearty meal while being cradled in the beauty of nature that we experienced in Gawagan just all the more pumped up the excitement that we were feeling for being in Quirino. It was only two days since it was decided and there we were, already being lost at will on roads surrounded by nothing but beauty.

So off we went. Along the roads of Nagtipunan, Quirino, we cannot help but to stop the car and appreciate the beauty that is right before our very eyes.

We definitely would not miss this beautiful scenery to take our photos.

From the spot where we took our photos, it still took roughly an hour before we had a quick stop in Siitan Nature Park. It was a quick one since Google Maps just told us that there was a nature park en route to our intended destination. It was more of a curiosity drop-by. When we were already there, we also realized that the activities that we intend to do in our ultimate place of interest before heading to the provincial capital were more or less the same with that of Siitan Nature Park. Lest there be duplication, we decided to just take a few snaps of the place and hit the road again.

Besides, I have been awake and driving since the previous night. I am conserving as much energy as I can save.

Before hitting the road again, we took a photo of this lush cornfield. It seems that corn is one of the major produce of the province, if not the major one. Along the road, there were even hills where corn are planted along the slopes.

It was a little past noon when we left Siitan Nature Park. The idea was to get to the next destination, then drive to the capital where we booked a hotel to stay for the night. It was a straightforward plan, right? Nope.

I was driving along the hillside road when the next thing that I knew, I was gripping Ran’s arm very tightly. I fell asleep while driving and the passenger’s side of the car fell to open drainage canal. Hindi na kinaya ng katawan ko. Having been awake and driving all night, it finally took toll on me.

Two of the nearside wheels fell. After a few seconds of being in a state of shock, I asked Ran to check if he can open his door and if so, check if it is safe for him to get off. I chose to stay inside in the meantime, in case my weight would make a difference on the tilt of the car. When Ran gave the greenlight that the car would not fall any further, I went down to assess the situation.

While a lot is happening inside my head trying to figure out how to get the car out of the canal, three local residents riding their tricycles stopped and checked on us. One of them told me to get back to the driver’s seat and wait for their signal. What they did was they filled the canal with rocks such that the tires would have something to gain traction on. After some pushing and shouting as to where I should steer, the car was out of the drainage.

It was a pity I was not able to get any of the names of the persons who helped us, as they literally went off as soon as they saw that the car was up and about and that we were okay. I probably won’t even be able to recognize them in case I chance on them. So much for good Samaritans. The world needs more of them.

From that moment on, nawala ang lahat ng antok sa katawan ko.