Riding a jeepney is truly a wild experience. Usually, they are common only in cities, and I figure out which one to take based on the route that is written on the side of the jeepney. To hail a jeepney, I stand on the side of the road and then wave to the jeepney driver as they pass. If they have space, they will pull over on the side of the street, and I hop on through the door in the back and duck my head, so I don't hit the shallow roof.
The space inside a jeepney is very cramped, so I squeeze into a seat. To pay the driver, I pass my coins up the bench to fellow passengers until they pass them along to the driver. The drive is usually fast and squished, and sometimes I get a bit nauseous from the journey. There's no air conditioning, so I hope that the windows to the jeepney are down so the wind can cool me.
When I finally get to my destination, I bang a coin or ring on the metal handlebars above my head to make a ringing sound. Then I shout "Para!", which is short for the Spanish word "parar", meaning to stop. The jeepney will then slow down, and I crouch-walk to the back door and hop on out.
When I get out of the jeepney, I usually take a second to breathe the fresh air and hope that I picked the right jeepney for where I was trying to go! It's always an adventure, and a jeepney ride is best with a friend to share the experience!
