I don’t know about you; but ever since the first announcement of a lockdown in Metro Manila, I decided to stay home. I know everybody has different circumstances in life and some people couldn’t avoid going out; but since I was lucky enough to be able to work from home and order everything from home, my mindset was pretty much… “Why leave home?” You know what I mean? Plus, I lived with two senior citizens and a child, and I didn’t want to risk bringing the coronavirus into our home. (I’m also quite a praning person by nature.)
So, even though I was known to be a social butterfly pre-pandemic, I found myself suddenly stuck at home. And it didn’t do my mental health much good. Despite the many problems and struggles at home, there was no way for me to get out of the house and escape from it all. I still sucked it up, though, and lived a life “trapped at home”. Safety first.
However, more than a year into the pandemic and several silent mental breakdowns later, somebody said I needed to get out. “You need some fresh air,” they said. “I get fresh air in the garden,” I quipped. Apparently, that didn’t count. That’s when my friend suggested a roadtrip. Not just a 30-minute roadtrip to get out of the house for a bit and not a super-long roadtrip that would take half a day; but a saktong South-to-North roadtrip lang from Las Piñas to Valenzuela.
The initial thought of it was a little scary, I’m not gonna lie. After all, I hadn’t left the house unless it was urgent and even then, it was only to go to a pharmacy or something. However, with a Ford Ecosport at our disposal and our COVID-19 essentials in place, I felt ready.
Photo by Angeline Rodriguez
Truth be told, roadtrips have always been my guilty pleasure. However, I had also forgotten how much I loved them after being cooped up at home for more than a year. The minute we set on our roadtrip and left “Southern soil”, I started to get a little emotional. Everything I loved about roadtrips came flooding back to me. How I could belt out songs at the top of my lungs while stuck in traffic. How I could lose myself in the views outside the car windows without thinking about work and responsibilities. And how incredibly peaceful and comforting doing something as simple as that could feel.
Photo by Angeline Rodriguez
Of course, it’s important to go on a roadtrip with someone you trust on the road, too, and I chose my company well. Good conversation, good music, and good vibes are a recipe for a successful roadtrip. If you’re extra praning like me, you don’t even need a destination. You can just drive for hours on end and enjoy each other’s company – grabbing takeout or going to a drive-through when hunger strikes and rolling the windows down (when you’re in less polluted territory) for the fresh air that you need. With the right person, even being stuck in traffic becomes bearable, even fun! The entire trip in the Ford Ecosport was smooth, too – nothing like the bumpy experience in our family’s smaller car. It felt invigorating and I came home refreshed.
Photo by Angeline Rodriguez
To be honest, now that it’s over, I can say it was one of the best roadtrips of my life. Sure, it might be because I hadn’t been out in forever, but it was also because, despite the pandemic, I felt safe and comfortable in the Ecosport. The legroom in the passenger seat was ultra-spacious. The seats were hella comfortable. I could connect my phone to listen to my favorite Spotify playlists the whole trip long. It pretty much just felt like I was in the comfort of my own home… but moving.
Photo by Angeline Rodriguez
People sometimes think that, in order to relax, you need to go somewhere far and spend a lot of time outdoors… but the Ford Ecosport has proven that that doesn’t need to be the case. You can drive for miles and miles without a destination in mind – just good company, good music, and good vibes – and it will have the exact same effect. Of course, if you’re not as praning as me, you can have an actual destination. Just make sure you follow protocols and have your COVID-19 essentials with you to stay safe. Plus points if you’re already vaccinated! :p
