IF there is one place in the CNMI that
provides the perfect location for driving around at your leisure and
following all roads free from the thought that someone from behind will
blow their horn, it is the island of Rota.
This
untouched gem in the Pacific, which carries loads of character and
charm, is about a 30 minute plane ride from Saipan and boasts pristine
beaches, beautiful underwater wonders, rich green jungles, cool
mountains, cultural and historical memorabilia scattered all over the
place.
A trip some months back to Rota gave me
the chance to experience what it was to drive at my leisure, stopping
every now and then to take photos of whatever caught my attention and
just “follow the road wherever it leads,” things you cannot do anywhere
on Saipan or you face the risk of slamming your car into a tree or into
another car.
Driving from the airport and heading
toward the famed latte stones all the way to the Bird Sanctuary is an
exciting experience for any first time visitor in the island.
When you drive from Sinapalo to Songsong
village, roll down your windows and grab the opportunity to breathe all
the fresh sea air you would want and feast on the beautiful coastal
views along the way.
Having a whole day to myself gave me the
freedom to drive at my own pace and drive through used and seemingly
abandoned roads to satisfy my curiosity to where the roads lead and what
was at the other end.
Driving on an unfamiliar road adds to the
thrill and often times I reached a dead ends but it was always easy to
turn back, retrace your way and venture into another road.
My aimless driving brought me to abandoned hotels and resorts that once thrived with life and laughter.
I roamed around and took images of
dilapidated buildings almost obscured by thick vines and shrubbery and
left at the mercy of the harsh elements of nature while fighting the
goose bumps that one gets while exploring abandoned places all alone,
even in broad daylight.
Driving toward the jungles at the foot of
Sabana Mountain on the afternoon of my second day put an end to all my
illusions that I was brave enough.
As I drove through the road that became
narrower as I went deeper into the jungles, I was losing the nerve to go
down and just snapped images from my driver’s seat.
The road suddenly took a curve when I reached a portion where thick vines hanging from the trees obscured the way.
I stopped and stared at the road ahead, my imagination playing havoc on me.
With the late afternoon sun casting eerie shadows, it looked surreal, like a scene from a horror movie and I panicked.
The road was too narrow to turn back, and I was too scared to drive on.
Taking a deep breath, I was left with no
choice but drive on and as soon as I reached the other side, it was all
over and I was able to find a spot to turn back the car.
The experience did not mar my enthusiasm
to drive around some more the following day. There are still more roads
on Rota that I haven’t explored yet, but I will be back. One day.
