Havent written anything in a while...

Just been busy with life, but now i feel really overwhelmed and just need this moment to stop...'cuz i just feel like i dont have time for anything anymore...its not healthy...

Makes me just wanna stop, drop, and run away just feeling like this...i should go do something fun and meaningful next week...this state of being is sad and disgusting...

The Benguet Traverse 4

i feel real accomplishment when a feat brings tears to my eyes...

OFF-ROAD TO ANOTHER DIMENSION

First time in my life to see a live mariposa nocturna

Because we've woken up at 3am for the past two consecutive days, our bodies were now accustomed to wake up at 3am although unnecessary.  So we killed about 3 hours just chatting about the recent days while attempting to get more shut-eye.  Today will be an easier day, we're thinking, but what lies ahead we still don't know.  At 6 we started packing then at 7 went out of the coop to look for breakfast.  We settled down for some coffee, rice, hotcakes, and boiled meat (gotta have my 'soup').  While we were waiting for the caretaker of the coop lodge, we sat on the common room when I noticed this moth on the couch.  I do not know if I sat on it earlier, but it didn't look squished.  At the time I did not know what kind of moth it is, all I know is it's the first of its kind I have seen in my life that's actually alive (most that I've seen have been pinned down on paper and kept in glass cases...dead, of course..)  I know I sound like an ignorant talking about a moth but let's face it, deforestation has caused moths to lose their natural habitat leading to their decline in existence.  There are some 20 species of moths/butterflies that are endangered in this world.

and off-roading we go!!!

Our guide loaded our bags into the 4x4 jeep, and we say goodbye to Kabayan Poblacion.  First on our agenda was a satellite branch of the National Museum.  This is a small museum focusing on relics from Ibaloi, Kankana-ey and other tribal groups.  Among the collections were a mummy in a coffin, a coffin carved to shape like a carabao, a water trough carved from stone (the museum staff said the person who carved it just died and he was the last of his kind), wooden bowls, burial cloths, ect.  We only stayed there briefly, and then we moved on.  The paved road faded into dust and rocks.  We hung on to the metal bars of the jeep.

at the National Museum in Kabayan

Bumpier than a wooden coaster's track...

TINONGSHOL BURIAL ROCK

When we got to Kabayan Barrio, we took a quick stop at the bridge to take pictures of the river, then a few meters from the bridge we got to the entrance of the Tinongshol Rock. But this rock is not just an ordinary rock--it's a burial rock.  Getting off the jeep, we walked to the side of the river and crossed a hanging bridge to a path that leads down a locked gate.  The guide has the keys to the gate. Then when we got through the gate a massive boulder awaits us.  This boulder has a hole on the upper side of its face and inside you can see the coffins that are lodged in. (Click here to see an aerial view of the rock and it's size!!!)

no you won't suspect it..

our guide, Mr. Camso

Tinongshol burial rock

I didn't really feel like posing in front of a burial rock.  I just kind of wanted to gape in awe. Because it is mind-blowing.  The ancient Igorots respected their dead, and believed that the human body is the sanctuary of the soul, thus they did everything to preserve it.  But on this rock face there was only one hole, until our guide signaled us to follow him.  So we followed him to the side of the rock, and there we saw two more windows with coffins stacked against them.

holes so high they're like windows on a house's 2nd storey...

Mr. Camso told us that the ancestors used ginger to soften the rock surface.  He said they crushed the ginger and apply it on the surface and something in it weakens the rock.  I dunno if that's true but if it is then they might have planted lots of ginger during that time.  We took a few more pictures then proceeded on to our 4x4 adventure.

the hanging bridge pose

Kabayan Barrio (the road seen on the picture I think is the same road that goes to Abatan from Bokod)

Our jeep had to climb this! Good thing it has good tires and just enough pull to get over those rocks.

The last section of our roller-jeep ride..aww we're so far from Kabayan and Bokod now!

Keken made it alive!! hahaha!!!

The Fire Mummies

Alas our awesome 4x4 has come to a dead end, as the road ahead of us has concrete curing thereby making it impassable.  At this point our guide is trying to negotiate with the driver if he wants to help us with our things by being a porter.  The driver lazily laid down at the side of the road, stating he is not up for a hike as he's got a hangover...uhhh say what?!  HANGOVER?! Keken and I looked at each other with our mouths gaping open in disbelief as we escaped another possible fate with death.  We must have some hardcore vigilant guardian angels guiding us throughout this trip to make sure we get home safely.

So at this point we might have to carry our bags towards the Halsema Highway which is still 2-hrs hike away.  But that was the least of our worries for now as we are off to see the mummies.

As our guide went into a nearby house to show them our payment with the museum, Keken and I hung out on a cliff with the wonderful view of Mt Pulag across the valley below.  The breeze feels cool and the air was fresh with a hint of pine.  We ate some snacks and took pictures and just looked at the mountain in disbelief. 24hrs ago we were up there.  Weird.

Dragging our lenses, we followed our guide towards a steep series of stairs to descend down the burial caves.  The stairs were recently fixed for visitors' ease, and to avoid further erosion.  Our guide told us not to take photos of the remains as the National Museum forbids it, and that the people who hold the keys to the gate have telescopes to check visitors to see if they are taking photos.  We learned that the mummies where from the Ibaloi tribe, and how old these mummies were, even our guide did not know.  But somewhere on the internet I have read that they've existed way before the Spaniards came to the Philippines.  Some of the mummies have been in Timbac cave, while some where found in other caves but were transferred here for a more close watch, as some of these mummies have been stolen, smuggled out of the country, and have made it to other parts of the world.  I guess the coffins have been moved to this site as some expert deemed that the temperature inside the caves is the best in preserving the mummies.

The caves have makeshift gates on its entrance and are padlocked.  We waited outside as our guide unlock the gates and open the caskets one by one.  Then he let us in one at a time to look at the mummies.  We gave respect in our own ways before entering. The coffins are similar to the ones found in Sagada, wooden, split in half and hollowed out at the center.  The mummies are also bound in a fetal position.  Some of the mummies still have tattoos with great detail.  Too bad we could not take pictures, but there's plenty on the internet if you just google 'Fire Mummies'.

After we were done viewing, I thought that was it, then we descended down a few more steps to another cave, and more mummies.  When we were done, we walked back up the stairs while our guide interviewed us  about our relationship (Chika si manong LOL).  We went back to the jeep to get our bags then decided to have lunch at the house where the guide submitted our permits.  They did not let us pay for the rice, and we went ahead and bought cans of corned beef from them, and we ate at the table like family, with the matching wood stove nearby.  It felt like we were at home away from home.  Later we discovered that the owners of the house were delivering vegetables to La Trinidad so they let our bags hitch a ride (for a small fee) to Halsema Highway, that way we'll walk the 2hrs with no bags on our back, and no porters to trouble.

After lunch we said our goodbyes and started walking.  We met some motorcycle bikers along the way who asked for directions from our guide.  The view was awesome.  The walk is not such a drag but we've been walking for how many days now that we dread anything uphill.  Well it's mostly downhill, to what our guide calls 'moderate' is actually a 45 degree slope on the road.  So yes we are quite thankful that it is downhill, as uphill would have been more torturous, although downhill hiking takes toll on your knees  as you have to break and prevent gravity from pulling you face front.  By the way, our guide calls this 'moderate' as he is used to hiking the Akiki trail towards Mt Pulag.  We passed by a school and took pictures with the kids, they were very friendly.  Then the vegetable delivery truck started  coming so we had to walk fast to catch up so that they will not run away with our bags or delay their delivery.  And that's how we made it to KM 55 alive.  Our guide waited with us and we paid him our dues, then he flagged a van that will take us back to Baguio City.

Halsema Highway

I have one word for Halsema Highway:  NAUSEA.  This gut turning highway had me all nauseous on the way back to Baguio City.  Thank God for fast-acting Dipenhydramine in my bag or else I would have vomited all over the van.  And its not like this is the first time I've been on this highway.  It was two or three more hours till we got to Baguio City (that's with traffic).  I told Kenneth that instead of pushing for La Union, we're staying in Baguio for the night.  I was dying for a soft bed and hot shower and food.  We had extra money from our budget so he agreed.   When we got to Baguio City, of course there's more traffic, then we just flagged a taxi and got in only to find out that our taxi driver looked like he's got the tics from being high off of drugs.  But we just prayed that we'll get to Microtel safely and we did.  After we got washed up and rested for 30 mins, I called my sister and decided to meet up with her.  That night we went strolling down Panagbenga, where people were protesting for SM Baguio to stop chopping their city's remaining pine trees, food stalls and small shops on every corner, live bands also, and lots and lots of people.

WHAT A TRIP!

The Benguet Traverse part 3

Kabayan Poblacion, surrounded by mountains...

THE ROAD TO EL KABAYAN


As soon as the NA Liner bus took off from Bokod, the road to Kabayan changed from paved to under construction.  The Gurel-Bokod-Kabayan-Bugias-Abatan Road was dusty, bumpy and hot.  We were sitting on the right side so there was not much to see but the face of the mountains, a quick peek at the other side reveals that we are traveling on cliff roads with no guard rails.  On a rainy day i can just imagine the bus slipping down the ravine in a freak accident or on a landslide.  Just being on the road like this makes you wonder how the hell people live like this.  But here we are, sharing a bus with the locals, yep, this is the life! 


I told Keken, "What if you were courting a girl and when she then decides to marry you and let you meet her family, she will take you all the way to Kabayan, Benguet?"  He said he would be out of words.  Kabayan is not exactly near anywhere!


We passed by some waterfalls and rivers along the way, and countless of hairpin switchbacks for about 2 more hours.  Near the town there was construction going on so there was a giant excavator in the middle of the road, and we got held in traffic for some 15 mins.  At this point we were dying for a shower.  We have not had a shower since yesterday at 3AM.  But it is nice to know that road improvement is under way as it would really benefit the people, cut travel time shorter and make traveling safer.

We were getting near the Kabayan town proper and I was getting worried since we might miss the lodge where we intend to stay over for the night.  One of the passengers told us that it was not close yet.  After a few people disembarked, we moved closer to the front of the bus to tell the conductor where we want to get off.  After passing a school, and some buildings, we were told that we reached the place.  We couldn't see where the lodge was but it was right in front of our eyes.  There was a co-op grocery at the bottom of it, and it was under renovation.  We asked if we can get a room and some towels as we were quite dusty and we were dying to be refreshed.  The guy working at the coop was accommodating and made sure we  got a room asap. 


Mass Burial

The Kabayan Coop Lodge

Took a quick shower, a REALLY COLD shower.  I am starting to think that cold showers are the norm here in Benguet.  After we got refreshed we quickly hunted for a place to eat as it was already 3pm, and we didn't look any further than next door.  As usual we were served a hefty serving of rice and boiled meat and bones.  I'm not much of a picky eater, I can live with just rice and soup, but I wonder if this was Benguet staple diet.  The man at the store started conversing to us about the mummies and how many travelers come from far to see them.  I wonder if he had seen them himself.  We asked him if the Mass Burial site was far from where we are and he said it is very close, that we should just stick to the main road and walk towards Opdas, wherever that is.  He was going to sell us a book about the mummies but he had run out too. After the meal, we went looking for the municipal hall to ask for more information and to log ourselves into their guestbook so that if we go missing at least they can trace our presence back there.  While outside, we were greeted by a government official who was really nice (and we cannot believe how nice he is as most filipino government workers we meet are obnoxious and rude), he led us to another nice person who asked us what he can do for us and had us sign our names on the logbook.  I noticed most of the visitors in the log book who visited Kabayan are from Europe.  We again asked for directions to the mass burial site and all they told us is to take the main road down towards Opdas. So we started walking down the road where the (I can't tell if we were going south or east!)

We passed by the school, heading at the direction where the bus came from earlier, and saw a marker that said 'Opdas'.  We asked a man nearby if we were headed in the right direction, and he said yes.  We walked through a narrow alley between few houses then it splits.  First we walked towards the right, then asked directions on one of the houses and they pointed us to the mint green house on our left.  They told us to go in to the house premises and there should be someone there.  So we were wary of trespassing or dogs but we went ahead anyway and there was an old woman in the backyard who talked to me in Ilocano and I tried to reply back but it seemed she could not understand me.  And there was their dog too, who was loose and ready to bite strangers.  Luckily, there was a younger lady who talked to us in tagalog and pointed us to the site of the mass burial which is right in their backyard. Yep, it was right in their backyard!!!  So we gave them our entrance fee of ten pesos each and descended down the stairs to this macabre dwelling made of boulders.  I have seen pictures of the mass burial site online, but seeing it in person was just different.

Skulls at the Opdas Mass Burial Cave

No, we were not spooked!

One cannot help but wonder at what happened to these people, at what caused their death.  We were thinking it must not be a tribal war as the skulls seem to be intact.  We didn't dare touch the bones for fear of unknown diseases, or haunting.  The empty stares of the remnants was enough to make us feel like invaders rudely disrupting their peace.  We both agreed that they might have all died from some sort of communicable disease such as malaria, dengue fever or cholera.  There hasn't been much study about them, all that's know is that they've been carbon-dated and age way back 500-1,000 years ago.  It is amazing how some still have nice intact teeth.  And to see femur bones piled neatly on one side was interesting.  I wish I could study them myself and learn more about these people, but i haven't got the background of archaeology and anthropology.  Glad to know that the cave is in someone's backyard where the remains can be guarded, visitors monitored, and the owners have respect towards the dead.  I hope this place gets preserved for the next generations to come.

of course they want a photo op with the celebrity!

After the cave, we were dead tired, but it was too early to take a rest.  So we stopped by at the elementary school to watch the kids play.  We were surprised that the public elementary students were carrying hard-bound Houghton Mifflin schoolbooks (you don't see those books in public schools in the big cities).  We asked the kids if they know who Justin Beiber is and they said 'No.'  Maybe there is hope amonst this generation then hahaha!  The little boys liked having their pictures taken while the little girls shyed away.  It was nice seeing kids playing after school again when nowadays all you see in the cities are kids playing on the computer or their ipads.

the shy kids running away from keken

bahay-bahayan = 'Playing House'

We walked a few more times around the area until we reached a bridge, and we just stared at Kabayan in awe as we were surrounded by beautiful mountains in all directions.  The place is so simple and so quiet, it feels like a place that is so laid back.  It is far from America where everything has to be done in a hurry and everything is moving full speed, zombie-fied.

Afterwards we went to a grocery to buy supplies for the next day, that's when we meet Mr. Tim Camso again, and we told him that we were targeting Mt. Timbac tomorrow and asked if it was possible for us to get a 4x4 at such a short notice.  But he has been expecting us and said there would be no problem as long as we meet up tomorrow at 830 am.  We went ahead and picked up a few supplies then went back to the lodge to rest.  I think we went to sleep around 630 or 7pm, skipped dinner.  We were dead tired, I mean we've been up since 3a.m.  Crazy!!!

bunk bed in our room at the lodge

brochure on Kabayan taped on the wall

Map of Kabayan, Benguet, Philippines

The Benguet Traverse part 2

Sunrise gives us a sneak peek on the beauty of the undulating cordillera...

Cloud Rat? Aswang?


Around 1130 pm or so, my partner woke me up and shushed me.  I could hear it too, it was shrill-pitched.  I couldn't discern if it was a horse or a baby crying, or a woman or a mouse.  All we know is there's something out there making this noise repeatedly.  Normally I would go out there and see what's up, but in these mountains I am but a visitor.  I don't know what's out there, and I refuse to play the role of those stupid people in the movies who die easily because they are just curious.  It sounded clear and loud and near our tent. Partner says, "well maybe it's a cloud rat."  As good as I am maintaining my calm, my wild imagination is playing.  Thank goodness we're not in North America.  It could have been a mountain lion or a bear (eeek!!)  We started making "shoo" noises to scare whatever it is that's outside of our tent.  When it wouldn't stop I just resolved to going back to sleep, 'cuz I mean if it was going to attack and intend to eat us then it would've done so by now.


0330


We woke up at 0330. Keken looked like he didn't get any sleep at all.  Because it was cold (10°C), we didn't want to get up yet.  Because Keken's sleeping bag was so thin (like an I'm gonna attend a sleepover sleeping bag), it ended up being our bedspread, and my mummy bag became our blanket (it was rated to 30F, and used only by myself it was really comfortable.)  Condensation built up inside the tent, because we closed it up all night and it only had a couple of tiny vents down the end.  We decided to get up at about 4 to prepare for the hike up.  We suited up on waterproof pants and jackets, placed our lamps on our heads and waited for our guide to get up.

what lies beneath the fog...

Off to the Peak!!!

0500 we started our ascent.  It was dark.  It was not raining, but the air is wet.  There is something so beautiful with the hike in the dark, you have to be trusting to your guide to lead you down paths that criss-cross the shadows.  Because it rained lightly the night before, the way to the peak was muddy.  But I think even if it did not rain I would still be drenched wet from the morning dew.  Thank goodness for waterproof pants.  Halfway through the hike, my partner's headlight started dying out, slowing us down.  He swears it was charged fully.  We trudged on towards the peak.  Sometimes our guide does not even wait for us, it was like, he too, was possessed by the mountain.  We had to yell out to him quite a few times to call him back to earth.  Shadows of peaks appear in front of us, but every time we skirt around them to get to the other side.  Finally the sky was starting to lighten up, and we find ourselves in front of a thin, steep path towards a peak.  "That's where we're headed!" the guide tells us, and we pull up our hiking pants to muster the remaining guts we have to conquer this mountain.  Looking at the steep path gives you the creeps because it looks like you have to be spiderman to beat the challenge, but on the way up it wasn't to bad.  


A few more minutes, we were at the top of Luzon, and surrounded by fog.  No lovely sunrise for us.  Only fog.  And the endemic dwarf bamboo sprawled.  I got the attacks of the retarded thermoregulation again and started shedding my outerwear.  Partner was too cold, he holed up near the dwarf bamboo.  Every now and then the mountain would tease us and give us a sneak peak of the Cordilleras.  No sea of clouds for us today.  Just fog, bitter, cold fog.  Our guide always keeps a distance from us.  He is so aloof.  Keken and I both wonder if it's because of us or if it's a culture thing, but we both agree to just let our guide be- just as long as he does not kill us or get us lost then we should be thankful.  Yes, it's one of those 'that awkward moment when...'.



Time we reached the peak, i think was 0630 or 0645.  We decided to go back to camp 2 around 0730.  It took us a bit longer to get back because of the SUPER AMAZING views along the way, we kept taking pictures.  Mt Pulag reminds me of the hills in Vacaville, except there's no cows.  What's more amazing is, the path that we've been taking during the dark, is just inches away from the ravines of the earth, so if you slip you can just imagine yourself slipping down maybe 100, 200, 300 ft...and it's no joke, I nearly tripped and slipped. Scary! hahaha!

We asked our guide about the noise we heard at night, and he said it might be a cloud rat.  Well, it didn't sound like a rat to me that's why I did not get out of the tent.  What that noise was, we will never know.


Back to camp and descent to Bokod.


We already know what's up ahead when we started our descent from the peak.  It means we're hours away from the CRAZY motorcycle ride AGAIN!  We got back to camp 2 around 0900,  ate a quick breakfast with some cup ramen, minute rice, vienna sausage, bread and drank some cocoa.  The guide and the porters looked at our sterno stove with amazement, and where more amazed when Keken put out the sterno fire just by closing the lid.  They were probably thinking that we're amateurs when it comes to hiking but we're not that stupid either.  Packed up fast and used the outhouse before we leave camp.  A side note on the outhouse:  it is what it is, an outhouse.  Some people refer to it as comfort room, but I assure you there is nothing comforting about a hole on the ground until you really have to go.  My partner could not go number two at the outhouse, i could.  I have used a number of public bathrooms in California and it's the same.  They don't use any chemicals in the outhouses as it harms the environment, and I agree.  The only thing that grossed me out was the blood-like colored substance on the floor (later on I discovered that it was not menses as I was thinking but actually chewed up betel nut).


Hike back down wasn't so exciting or dramatic.  The last segment (yes, after you get down from camp 1) was the hardest again, and this time it's all about the heat of the sun.  We got back to the ranger station just after 11 and our ever so coolest motorcycle guys were waiting for us.  We paid our tour guide and porters and also gave gratuity for all their help, for without them we would not make it back out.  And I just had to go and wash my face in the bathroom with the ice cold water before we head out some more.


Cordilleran Heroes


We hopped on to the dirt bikes and kissed Mt. Pulag goodbye.  Today I get to ride with the motorcycle dude who can converse in Ilocano.  He was quite a chatty fellow, and he explained to me why his dirt bike was so muddy.  He explained that after they took us to the ranger station, they had to go and get teachers from another side of the mountain.  But the problem is it started raining, the roads are unpaved, jagged and muddy, much like the road we are traveling on.  But it was worse he said as the paths were more steep, and when it got too slippery, he said they had to stop.  Then they had to hike up to the place where the teachers are and take them to where the motorcycle is so that they can all go back to Bokod.  The teachers were doing some sort of survey, he said, and I admire those teachers for their dedication in education.  It pulls my heart strings, you know.  He said they didn't get back until after midnight, and that they were just laughing at what kind of madness they just encountered.  Truly, when such feat needs to be overcome you either break down and cry or move along and laugh like a madman.


How them dirt bikes manage to stay balanced on the rocks is such a phenomena to me.  The motorcycle guys are motorcycle gods!


We got back just in time to wait for the 1st NA Liner bus from Baguio enroute to Kabayan, Benguet (time check 1230-ish).  Keken checked us out from DENR then we waited on the corner where we got off just 24 hours ago.  No lunch for us but just softdrinks and a couple of hopia for each.  The bus came and off we go to another dimension again.

The Benguet Traverse pt 1

A.K.A as the "how to Backpack Benguet the crazy way" pt1...


OFF WE GO...


We went to sleep at 11pm, woke up strictly at 3am. One of the coldest showers in my life. (And to my surprise,  many more to come...)


At 4am we were at the Partas bus station in San Fernando La Union waiting for a Baguio-bound.  Bus arrived at around 4:30am, the bus employees stepped out of the bus for a short break, as did so many passengers.  We couldn't tell if there were spots for us.  My partner in crime was excited much, decided to speak loud at one of the employees, but the man only looked at him like he's asking a weird question.  We were puzzled.  I observed the man and he was walking cockily along the side of the station fluffing his collar.  What a weirdo!


Finally, the conductor noticed us and told us to wait so he can see if we still have a spot...and we did.  Our bags loaded, I sat down at the center seat on the back of the bus, and in front of me, my partner sat on a broken bus seat.  I couldn't help it, I fell asleep, but poor Keken didn't.  He was up all the way to Baguio.  He said our bus nearly crashed with another bus along Naguilian road. Yikes!  6:30am we arrive at Baguio City at the bus station near Session road and grabbed bfast at the Jollibee nearby to decide what's next.


THE SLAUGHTERHOUSE


7:45am we were off to the "slaughterhouse", which sounds weird but it's the nickname of the bus stop at Slaughterhouse road in Baguio.  We opted to take our chances with the bus because no way in hell are we paying 8k pesos for a jeepney to Mount Pulag, and we had our doubts on hitching a ride with other hikers enroute.  While waiting for the bus, an older man took notice of us and our packs and asked if we were headed to Mount Pulag.  It turns out he is a guide from Kabayan Benguet, one of the few who guide hikers through the steep Akiki Trail or through the mystical Fire Mummies.  His name is Mr. Timmy Camso, and we talked about Mount Pulag and the hike and the trails. We told him about our plans to visit Kabayan also and the mummies, and asked him if he can be our guide.  He told us to just ask for him at the municipal office in Kabayan.


The NA Liner bus to Kabayan arrives just before 9am.  A lot of people are boarding the bus with all their goods.  Some people in this world would not ride buses that look like the buses that go to the mountain provinces, but personally I think other buses would not stand a chance.  Buses that look rusty, rickety, run-down crawl through those mountains, they will get you to where you want to go...and the drivers are just...I applaud their driving skills.   9:30am the bus leaves because it is already full.  The further the bus travels away from Baguio, the scenery changes to the better.  The mountains are enough to take your breath away.


BOKOD, BENGUET


Honestly, the ride is not that bad.  I tolerated it, no motion sickness at all.  There was only one part that was damaged by a recent landslide.  The highway has hairpin turns, paved all the way to Bokod, Benguet.  Along the way I was shooting my camera away because of the scenery...mountains, rivers, lakes..1130am the bus stops at a roadside eatery for lunch.  I noticed that everyone was eating crazy fast, and we noticed that the food servers could not understand Keken talking in Tagalog, so i had to do all the talking in Ilocano.  Off the bus went again.  We were thinking our destination is yet far, and was surprised that we got to Bokod, Benguet at 1215pm.  So we got there just over 2 hrs.  We started walking up to the DENR station, and my partner noticed some bikers in front of a sari-sari store along the ways so he asked if they take hikers up to the Ranger's Station.  They said YES so in my mind I said "YES!", because that saves us 3hrs worth of hike up to the Ranger's Station.  At the DENR office we registered, watched the video, and found out that we're the only ones to hike up that day (geez! we're really having the peak by ourselves.) 2922 MASL up, up, and away, the playground of the gods awaits us.  Highest peak in the island of Luzon, 3rd highest peak in the Philippines, 106th prominence in the world.  And I am going up there.  I'm not a mountaineer, just a dreamer. Crazy indeed.


THE MOST INSANE MOTORCYCLE RIDE OF MY LIFETIME


'Insane' is an understatement. As we hopped onto the motorcycles, we had no idea of the horrid road conditions that await us.  I don't have a picture of the road.  It was that bad.  For fear of being immodest I didn't wanna hold on tight to the motorcycle driver, but on the other hand, my fear of being flung from the bike was stronger.  How the bikes managed to stay balanced on the rocky earth is beyond me.  Then there was that shortcut that literally had me closing my eyes because it was just maybe 5inches away from sheer cliff.  Many times my butt experienced airtime. It was a miracle that I did not pee myself, and we got to the ranger station in one piece.  Sheesh!  


We got to the ranger station maybe it was 1:45pm..maybe 2pm...I don't know anymore...my knees were trembling, and I was laughing out loud in my head.  We met with a guy who gave us a guide and two porters.  I was going to carry my stuff, but then decided that I wanna do this executively.  If I were a mountaineer then maybe I would carry my stuff.  But I am not a mountaineer, I am stupid. Hahaha.  No formalities, no pre-hike speech.  Off we went.


WALKING, TALKING WEIRD


As soon as we started walking, I started having altitude sickness.  The air was thin and I could not get enough of it.  In my mind I was like 'shit!' because it just didn't occur to me that it's a possibility.  But everyone else is walking coolly so I walked...I huffed and puffed but I walked.  Then it started sprinkling.  Thinking it would rain heavy Keken handed me a raincoat.  So i had a jacket on and the raincoat and it was like HOT.  I seriously thought it was going to be cool up in the mountains, but I was just hot.  I was thinking of my light gore-tex jacket that I left at home, I was thinking of just bathing under the rain.  Then I looked at the guys and they were all wearing jackets and I am thinking, "are they seriously cold? or am I the only person here with a weird thermoregulation?!"


1st quarter of the hike was uphill.  I felt like dying. I wanted to quit, but I looked at Keken and he had that face.  The 'I wanna get there bitch!' face.  So I stopped the foolishness, took frequent breaks, and pulled up my hiker panties.  I was wearing layers and I shed like 3 layers of clothing.   And I wasn't even carrying anything but my camera bag (that has a few lbs of lenses).  I barely took any pictures because everyone was walking and I didn't wanna hold up the porters.  I was relieved when we got to camp 1.  And all that drama was just before camp 1.  Sheesh! It wasn't helping that our guide was not the chatty type.  Thank goodness one of the porters had an mp3/fone and was playing music.  The trail was alright, not too muddy, well-maintained.  Every now and then we take rests and have snacks.  I loved the humid mossy forest.  I wish we were doing a royal walk in the forest so i can take my time and take pictures.  Instead we were doing the executive walk. Esp. me since I am not carrying my own pack.  Porters are hulog ng langit!!!


3/4 of the way towards camp 2, my body has acclimated.  But I noticed Keken started talking weird to me about hypoxia, hypoxemia, and he was walking weird, kinda swaying.  And I looked at him and I knew he just needed to stop and rest.  Dude, I have never been so scared for him.  He looked blue to me; altitude sickness must have crept up on him too.  After that we continued on, until we got to a water source...cool mountain spring water spilling on the side of the trail.  I thought we were still far, but to my surprise we made it to camp 2 after a few steps! YES!!  I think it was around 4pm or 5pm...I didn't have a watch, but keken said we only walked a little over 2 hrs.


Camp 2 was empty.  We were the only hikers up there that day.  Because we were the only ones there, our guide wanted us to be close by so he told us to just set up our tent under their kubo.  We didn't hesitate, after all it was freaky that come darkness we will be the only people on Mount Pulag.  The porters decided they were going back to the village.

After a few snapshots we pitched our tent and started "cooking" dinner.  Our guide was curious about our sterno stove, but he didn't hang out long enough to eat with us.   I'm glad we were under the kubo as it started raining. We didn't have to scurry to put a rain-fly on the tent.  We used sterno (alcohol gel) cans to boil some water. And I'm glad it worked as we're not real mountaineers so we did not invest in a mini butane camp stove.  We added some water to the minute rice, opened up our vienna sausage can, and an MRE pack, and our hunger was solved.  By 8pm we were in our tent, too early to sleep, chatting the night away.  Outside it was raining, and the temperature was dropping.  We dozed off maybe around 9.  Keken's sleeping bag was thin.  I was comfortable with my mummy bag. 

Pulag pack

My Mt Pulag/Benguet pack list


tent
tripod
sleeping bag (my featherlite 0deg baggie)
my pack (LoweAlpine 55+15L sundancer)
pillow
camera
headlamp
banig
raincoat


clothing:
1 down alternative jacket
1 fleece jacket
1 long-sleeved shirt
1 thermal shirt
2 tshirts
2 undershirts
2 thights
1 shorts
1 yoga pants
1 sweatpants
1 waterproof pants
undies
1 pair sandals
1 pair shoes
hat
thinsulate gloves


First Aid and emergency Kit
MoleSkin - for blisters
band aids
alcohol preps
bandage tape
gauze pads
cpr face shield
drinking water germ tabs
hypothermia mylar blankets
foot warmers air-activated heat source
meds:
antidiarrhea
dramamine for motion sickness
ibuprofen
maalox tabs
acetaminophen
benadryl


sterno alcohol gel for heating food
sterno stove
2 DIY sterno stoves that my bf made
coleman anodized cookset
a box of Minute rice
2 MRE packs
a can of vienna sausage
a can for corned beef
4 cup noodles
coffee packets
a pack of lemon square cheese cakes
a bunch of chips and chichiria
2 1.5L water

Pulag Prep 2

My partner was at Victory Liner in Cubao last night trying to get a bus ride to Baguio but they ran out of tickets because there were A LOT of hikers from manila going up to Baguio.  Which confirmed my assumptions that there will be lots of hikers going up to Pulag on the weekends.  First off my bf wanted to sign us up with a group in fb called Backpackers United as they have slots for Mar 3-4, but I saw that there's going to be A LOT of people going (like 30), and that's just for their group.  Unappealing to me, not that I'm being asocial, but with a group of 30 means I am going to be sharing the peak with 30 other people and the campsite, and the bathroom, and the trail...and then I wonder how many of the 30 people would be whining about how hard it is to walk or how cold or how bumpy the road is...I've seen all that drama before,... plus more people means more incidence of losing your stuff... I'm going to the mountains to enjoy the mountains and not be annoyed by people.  If I wanted to do that I can just stay at home hahaha...

But anyway, the weekends are reserved for trips with family already...so Mt Pulag is a no-can-do on Mar3-4...  My partner contacted Maam Gina (sp?) at the DENR office to inquire for transportation. why? Because there's only two of us and not a jeep-load.  To truly backpack Mt Pulag, we had two options: (1.) Commute by Bus or (2.) Hire a freakin expensive jeepney for approx. 8000php.  Ma'am Gina opened a third option for us by presenting an option to add us to an existing group that will hike on Feb 28, if there is such a group.  So how we're going to get to Mt. Pulag is still a big question mark, which is great because I love surprises hahaha!  At least now we have a Plan A, B, C.  

Parang sa perya lang, pull the string and we'll get there anyway hahaha.

So Plan A is to join other hikers in Baguio on a jeep arranged by Maam Gina, and get our butt up to Mt. Pulag.

Plan B is to ride the Bus (not sure if it's still Norton buses or A-line, but there are buses..confirmed at Dangwa Station) to the DENR office then figure out a way to get our butt up to the Ranger's Station.  1st trip is at 10am and it is advised that we be in the station 2hrs before the bus leaves because tickets run out fast.  If we run out of the 10am trip, we'll have to ride the last trip which is at 1pm.  Either trip will land us on the Ranger's Station at late afternoon, so plan B will require us to either hike up to camp 2 in the dark OR stay at the ranger's station and opt to hike up the next day (making the whole pulag trip 3 days not 2).

Plan C is to hire a jeepney for 8kphp.  Which is feasable if there are people who would like to join us... Target date is Feb 28 2012.

Pagudpud 2009 carabaos

Pulag Preparation

goin' on a picnik...

It's FEBRUARY!  and it is time for the annual traverse, although this year I am less blessed with time off (thanks to my kabuhayan), it will be a challenge to cram every single adventure in three precious weeks!!!  Which means very minimum downtime for me...although I also promise myself that I will take time to slow down and hang out at the beach at least once.  I'm not posting yet where the traverse will take, although I can hint that it's not as extensive and butt-breaking as 2011's.

 Right now I am most focused on one expedition, as I feel I am most ready to take on Mount Pulag's challenge.  It will be my first time camping out with all the elements so I am prepping with the worst-case scenarios in mind -- rain, howling winds, wet tents, cold weather, mud, ect, but also prepping wisely by thinking of how to pack lightweight. Although the weather boards say Mt Pulag is only 48F at nighttime, I have yet to test my sleeping bag outside.   Right now it's all about research, research, research, reading up on blogs and examining pictures so I can minimize the chance of having other hiker's misfortunes fall upon me.  Few of the things my partner and I discussed were food, water, our tent flying off to the next mountain range, or freezing our ass to death and be mummified in Kabayan.

3 weeks left to prep. I'm excited!

my 'The Secret Life of Reptiles' series