I went out to buy charcoal, took the wrong turn and ended up in Subic. That's 120 kilometers from the city! (75 miles)

As I was about to exit the last toll gate I saw a couple of guys in what looked like police uniform walk to the middle of the road and block my path. I thought it was a checkpoint (silly me) so I stopped, rolled down my window and said hello. I got the shock of my life when the officer said I was way over the speed limit and whipped out a notebook with a list of over-speeding vehicles.

I have been driving for more than 15 years and I have never ever been pulled over for speeding. Not here. Not abroad. I didn't even know that there was such a thing in the Philippines. I told the officer that I would contest the ticket. He said okay then handed me the ticket with an attached card where I could request for a photo of myself over-speeding.

So folks traveling north be warned. NLEX is a trap for those looking to travel above 100 km/h to either end of the freeway. I know this because I asked around and only the Dau and Manila exits have officers waiting for you. You should be safe if you exit elsewhere. Watch out for parked cars in the middle of nowhere as they most like are undercover vehicles looking for their next victim.

Now I gotta go to the main LTO tomorrow, pay 1,500 pesos and attend a stupid seminar. I heard if you pay 2,000 pesos you get to skip the seminar. Hmmm...

As for my charcoal? I got home 5 hours later with not even a single briquette in hand.

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