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yet another road trip… this time to Sta Mesa, Metro Manila

This morning, I joined my supervisor and two officemates in going to the Polytechnic University of the Philippines in Sta Mesa, Manila, to watch the thesis defense of two chemistry students who did their thesis in the Grain Quality and Nutrition Research Centre for the past semester.

The trip began at 7:40am at IRRI. With our supervisor behind the wheel, we sped through UPLB and the Jamboree road. We breezed through the normally congested national road (because the rush hour has just ended) up to the Halang, Calamba, where we turned left towards the bypass to Real and the South Luzon Expressway. The trip through the SLEX was also fast, with only a stopover at the Total Station for gas and coffee. On we went along the SLEX and the Skyway without a hitch.

The slow traffic began at the approach to the Quirino Avenue, where we had to turn right towards Nagtahan Bridge. At Nagtahan, we took the bridge going into Sta Mesa (the Padre Jacinto bridge, or whatever it’s called). That’s when the trouble began… we had to go around in circles and ask for directions at every other corner. The trip should have ended if the walkway going straight to PUP was open to vehicles. But since it wasn’t we had to find another way to the campus. We even went into a tunnel under some bridge and drove through a one-way street past a really crowded public market!

Anyway, after a few minutes of going searching, we finally reached the PUP campus.

That was one of the most stressful trips I’ve been on because we got lost… and in Manila too! Plus, we had to go through the narrowest of roads, and dodge away from pedestrians. I don’t think I’d dare drive to Sta Mesa yet. I’m too chicken to do so.
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