Kuwento Ko 'To: Happy Feet! [DMV day]

I have been driving in Manila for over for 21 years so I can definitely be called a "Manila driver." It's crazy driving in Manila - I miss honking the car horn, getting across the intersection praying to God that I'd get safely to the other side, inching my way through traffic and along small alleys with tricycles and market vendors on the street, playing cat and mouse with smoke belching buses and jay walking pedestrians, driving so fast just to reach the hospital in time for my newborn baby's delivery, etc. Oh, it was fun and at times, stressful. But they say that "If you can drive in Manila, you can drive everywhere."

I have been procastinating on getting my DL for 2 months because of being too anxious about it. Yes, I was very anxious. I tried to drive here but I observed that their driving habits are different from us, Manila drivers. Here, people observe road courtesy and right-of-way towards pedestrians and other vehicles. Todays weather was nice, sunny with a little cool breeze and since hubby was off from work and it was the first work day of the year 2011, I told him I was ready to get my DL. It was funny because I felt like a student driver: fixing the mirrors, wearing my seatbelt, completely stopping at the STOP sign, looking behind and on the side for oncoming traffic, reviewing road signs and their meaning and reading the driving rules of the road.

My anxiety was quickly replaced with excitement as I handed my application form and finish the written exam. Then I had to wait for the examiner for the practical driving part. Hmmm... I couldn't remember what I did when I got my Phil. DL but this time, he instructed me to drive, turn, stop, back-up, merge, and park. In the end, he told me that I passed. Yay! After a few minutes, I already had my DL - total cost USD30.

Time to celebrate! Hubby let me drive in the freeway - oh, to drive at 65mph/105kph again... such heaven! Then, lunch at Olive Garden - yummy!