The jeepney careered down the stony, bumpy, potholed track that stretched almost all the way around Mindoro's coastal circumference. Clouds of dust flew in through the windows and forced the passengers to clasp cloths over their noses and mouths; the sound of gravel and pebbles flying up against the vehicle's side, gradually eroding the outlandishly multicoloured paintwork, was ever-present. Occasionally one would fly in through the glassless windows but if this ever hit any of the passengers we never heard about it. As we were flung up and down in our seats, and searched desperately for something to hold on to, regular crashes and bangs could be heard from the underside of the vehicle as larger rocks were thrown up against it, making me wonder whether the jeepney's original use as a US military jeep had
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