187. Dagupan Day 1

Most of the team left Vancouver around midnight, arriving in Manila Saturday morning around 0730, then for Dagupan by chartered bus.  With a different starting point, I couldn't get there that early, so came the day before, planning to just take a taxi to the the airport to meet the team at the bus departure point.

Hospital Main Entrance

But I got my days mixed up (multiple time zones, international date line, what can I say); they had actually arrived on Friday, so when I showed up Saturday, no one was there.  A quick look at the departure screen confirmed my fears since there was no arrival from Vancouver.  Two choices: taxi to bus terminal, assuming I could find a public bus to Dagupan. With no phone or internet access, this carried some risk (the 100lb of medical supplies was another factor).  Or, take a taxi, which with some bargaining could be done for about $115.

I chose the latter; which turned out okay, even though busses would have been an option, because just as the taxi arrived at the hospital, some team members, having spent the day unpacking, were about to leave for our lodgings about 30 minutes away.  Had I missed them (likely if Ihad used the public bus option), it would have been difficult to catch up with them.

All's well that ends well; I did get to spend a worthwhile day in Manila, and I didn't miss anything by arriving in Dagupan a day late.