Otokoto

I never was a car junky and I'd still prefer roaming around as a lowly commuter. Maraming nakikita, iba't-iba ang scenario kada araw, merong sense of randomness... may thrill kumbaga. Thing is, with how itinerant I was for the last three years, a more personal way of travelling is becoming more and more compelling, even advantageous.

I used to drive back in college. My dad's former military driver taught me how to, and I can fondly remember how our Honda City jerked on my "primeras". There was this time when my bestfriend, Razel, has stayed too late at night on our house that I have to sneak my dad's military service car (one with a red government plate number) out to drive her home. I was still learning to drive that time and I backed up on a rubbish bin after dropping her. It made a terribly loud bang that rather than continuing on reverse I just took the long road straight ahead before any of her neighbors could check it out. I sucked on reverses.

The longest driving I made was from Dagupan, Pangasinan down to the Pampanga exit of NLEX. It was around midnight and I was with my tropa, having came from the beach, rushing at least a hundred kilometer per hour (KMH) in a Toyota Revo. Natatawa sila kasi bumubusina ako bago tumawid ng mga tulay. Pamahiin siya na hindi naman masama kung susundin. It basically is to serve as a warning for any "lamang lupa" that might have been crossing the bridge. I have to admit though that my horn blaring was a bit exaggerated. I just wanted to keep them sleepyheads awake back then. Ang hirap mag drive ng tulog lahat ng pasahero mo noh. Booooring.

Last Saturday, after my inaanak's kiddy party in McDo, me and my college bros went straight to Bulacan. Julius just bought Jay's car... a Honda Civic VTEC 97 model, lowered to angas-height and furnished to konyo satisfaction: gynormous speakers, indiglo panels, extra-normal dials and tachometers, among others. We were literally racing on the freeway at 180 to near 190 KMH on the clear. Angas ng pakiramdam ng kalayaan sa ganoong tulin ng sasakyan.

I never imagined buying a car decked out as such. Sabi ko sa kanila, basta maangas ang itsura oks na ako dun. Pero sabi naman ni Jon, sinasabi ko lang daw yun dahil wala pa akong oto. Napa-isip ako dahil may punto siya. It's just like my airsoft gun, Laila, when I first bought her. I told myself I'll be contented with her just as she was... "stock" specification. But moving on with the game made me upgrade her with all stuffs new and purty: silencer barrel, red eye targetting, reinforced gears, etc. Now she's one purty purty bitch on the battlefield. I'm afraid I'll bring on the habit when I get myself a car.

Tatlong taon nang expired ang lisensya ko *sumilip pa sa wallet para masigurado*. Yes, tatlong taon na nga. May mga sasakyan sa bahay pero sa loob ng tatlong taon na iyon, hindi ko naisipang gawin itong permanenteng service ko. Ayoko kasi gumamit ng hindi akin. Gusto ko, kung may manggagasgas na "tambay na walang magawa sa buhay" sa kotse ko o kaya may mambasag na "konyong malakas ang trippings" sa headlights ko, ulo ko lang ang sasakit at hindi pati sa tatay ko (syempre pasasakitin ko din ulo ng mga gagawa nun sa oto ko).

With it all, tingin ko kelangan ko na nga makapag-maneho ulit. Iniisip ko kumuha ng sarili kong oto next year, tapusin ko lang lahat ng gastos at luho ko this year. Natatakot ako dahil baka lalo pa akong maging lakwatsador pero iniisip ko na lang na magdadalwang isip din ako mag-gala pag unti unti na akong ginugutom ng presyo ng gasolina.

I'm alloting at least 240K to the car pot. Any more than that would probably hurt my monthly dues. If ever, here are two of my choices (in relation to that budget bracket):

Honda Civic VTEC '97

Mitsubishi Lancer GLXI '97

*sa nanenokan ko ng pic ng oto... sorry, tao lang. pahiram po, koya.

Otokoto

I never was a car junky and I'd still prefer roaming around as a lowly commuter. Maraming nakikita, iba't-iba ang scenario kada araw, merong sense of randomness... may thrill kumbaga. Thing is, with how itinerant I was for the last three years, a more personal way of travelling is becoming more and more compelling, even advantageous.

I used to drive back in college. My dad's former military driver taught me how to, and I can fondly remember how our Honda City jerked on my "primeras". There was this time when my bestfriend, Razel, has stayed too late at night on our house that I have to sneak my dad's military service car (one with a red government plate number) out to drive her home. I was still learning to drive that time and I backed up on a rubbish bin after dropping her. It made a terribly loud bang that rather than continuing on reverse I just took the long road straight ahead before any of her neighbors could check it out. I sucked on reverses.

The longest driving I made was from Dagupan, Pangasinan down to the Pampanga exit of NLEX. It was around midnight and I was with my tropa, having came from the beach, rushing at least a hundred kilometer per hour (KMH) in a Toyota Revo. Natatawa sila kasi bumubusina ako bago tumawid ng mga tulay. Pamahiin siya na hindi naman masama kung susundin. It basically is to serve as a warning for any "lamang lupa" that might have been crossing the bridge. I have to admit though that my horn blaring was a bit exaggerated. I just wanted to keep them sleepyheads awake back then. Ang hirap mag drive ng tulog lahat ng pasahero mo noh. Booooring.

Last Saturday, after my inaanak's kiddy party in McDo, me and my college bros went straight to Bulacan. Julius just bought Jay's car... a Honda Civic VTEC 97 model, lowered to angas-height and furnished to konyo satisfaction: gynormous speakers, indiglo panels, extra-normal dials and tachometers, among others. We were literally racing on the freeway at 180 to near 190 KMH on the clear. Angas ng pakiramdam ng kalayaan sa ganoong tulin ng sasakyan.

I never imagined buying a car decked out as such. Sabi ko sa kanila, basta maangas ang itsura oks na ako dun. Pero sabi naman ni Jon, sinasabi ko lang daw yun dahil wala pa akong oto. Napa-isip ako dahil may punto siya. It's just like my airsoft gun, Laila, when I first bought her. I told myself I'll be contented with her just as she was... "stock" specification. But moving on with the game made me upgrade her with all stuffs new and purty: silencer barrel, red eye targetting, reinforced gears, etc. Now she's one purty purty bitch on the battlefield. I'm afraid I'll bring on the habit when I get myself a car.

Tatlong taon nang expired ang lisensya ko *sumilip pa sa wallet para masigurado*. Yes, tatlong taon na nga. May mga sasakyan sa bahay pero sa loob ng tatlong taon na iyon, hindi ko naisipang gawin itong permanenteng service ko. Ayoko kasi gumamit ng hindi akin. Gusto ko, kung may manggagasgas na "tambay na walang magawa sa buhay" sa kotse ko o kaya may mambasag na "konyong malakas ang trippings" sa headlights ko, ulo ko lang ang sasakit at hindi pati sa tatay ko (syempre pasasakitin ko din ulo ng mga gagawa nun sa oto ko).

With it all, tingin ko kelangan ko na nga makapag-maneho ulit. Iniisip ko kumuha ng sarili kong oto next year, tapusin ko lang lahat ng gastos at luho ko this year. Natatakot ako dahil baka lalo pa akong maging lakwatsador pero iniisip ko na lang na magdadalwang isip din ako mag-gala pag unti unti na akong ginugutom ng presyo ng gasolina.

I'm alloting at least 240K to the car pot. Any more than that would probably hurt my monthly dues. If ever, here are two of my choices (in relation to that budget bracket):

Honda Civic VTEC '97

Mitsubishi Lancer GLXI '97

*sa nanenokan ko ng pic ng oto... sorry, tao lang. pahiram po, koya.