The Caramoan - CWC Adventure (June 6-9, 2008)

Day 1, Friday (June 6, 2008)


When my officemate Carissa invited me for a possible wakeboarding her classmate mentioned to her, I was ecstatic and instantly said "Yes, go ako dyan!" The thought of wakeboarding triggered the adventurer in me. Expectedly, I did some research on where to go in CamSur (short for Camarines Sur). It was my first time in Bicol and I was really thrilled. A day before we planned to leave Manila, I made reservations on one of the bus lines at Araneta Center Bus Terminal. But since we were not able to pay at 12:00 noon (which was the deadline), I left the office early to buy our tickets. As soon as I reached Cubao, all of the bus lines I went on were fully booked. I was beginning to be pessimistic about the trip when I heard there was an extra trip coming. So I hurriedly bought 3 tickets at Gold Lines on a 9:30PM trip. Carissa and Rochelle arrived at around 9pm and were glad to hear about the "nearly cancelled" trip. On board Gold Lines, we left Cubao at around 10PM.

Day 2, Saturday (June 7, 2008)

After bracing heavy traffic and an exhausting 11.5-hour trip, we reached Naga at around 9:30AM. We met Carissa's classmate Dennis and 2 of his friends -- Melvin & Chris. We then headed to CSSAC which was where the MFPI Luzon Summit participants camped out after climbing Mt. Isarog. We met Mam Joyce & some MFPI senior officers who were camping out inside CSSAC campus. Initially, we we were supposed to join the "Falls Tour" (part of MFPI Luzon Summit Itinerary) which already started earlier that morning. Joining halfway on the tour was impractical so we decided to just take on the other option which was to do wakeboarding instead. After having reached a decision to just make our own ITI, we asked Mam Joyce and some MFPI members on where to go around CamSur (I also showed the printed copy of places to go in CamSur). After leaving CSSAC at around 10AM , we headed to CamSur Watersports Complex which was a 30-minute trip via Bus and tricycle plying inside the Provincial Capitol Complex. After the initial glimpse of the famed CamSur Watersports Complex, I was literally drawn to the majestic Mt. Isarog towering over the amazing location. It was picture perfect ---- the wakeboarding structure over the man-made lake, the spa houses & the towering Mt. Isarog ---- all made a perfect vista for photographers. After munching on their Bicol Espesyal Pizza (which tastes more like Laing), ginataang pusit and local cuisine Bicol express, we registered and got a 3:30PM schedule. Carissa, Dennis, Melvin and I plunged in first for the 3:30PM schedule. All of us except for Dennis (who had his initial wakeboarding experience earlier this year) were first given instruction & mini-training on the proper way of wakeboarding. As first timers, we need to do the knee-boarding before the actual wakeboarding where you have to stand on the board. As I was kneeling and strapping the belt over my thighs, I felt a bit nervous on my first attempt. Holding the rope handle & waiting for the green light, I muttered a carefree "Bahala na..." The first pull was sudden and fast. I almost lost hold of the grip. Then as instructed earlier in the training, I leaned forward to maintain balance and as I saw the 2 orange buoys (floating round markers), I made a quick lean on the right side. After passing on the buoys, I didn't expect the sudden pull that eventually had me lost control of the rope handle. The guy manning the area where I fell shouted at me, "Ma'am, tingin po sa likod." Then a wakeboarder was coming towards me so I burried my head on the water to avoid him. As soon as he passed over me, the guy swam towards me and helped me get off the water. I then learned I had my helmet incorrectly positioned. Afterwards, I jumped on the shuttle (this would drive back the wakeboarders back to the starting point) and headed towards the starting point. On the succeeding turn, I completed one round but as I attempted for the second round, the rope was so loose I fell off the board on my own. I attempted 3 more rounds but could only finish one round then fall off again. Only after we have finished have I learned the right strategy. After our turn, it was Chris and Rochelle's turn to have a shot at wakeboarding. After all of us have our share of wakeboarding, the boys availed of the free pool rent. Just before dawn, we left CWC at 6:00PM. Dennis suggested we go to his friend Sir Jojo who owned the outdoor shop in the city to ask for suggestions on where to go the next day. At that time, we have no real and concrete itinerary yet. It was a classic case of "we go where our feet lead us." We all agreed and headed to Kaddlagan Outdoor Shop. We came at the right time as Sir Jojo was closing his shop & was surprised to see Dennis. As Sir Jojo narrated his own island adventures in the Caramoan Peninsula and gave suggestions to Dennis, we managed to buy some native & unique pieces on his store. We then headed to look for our accomodation for the night which according to 2 mountaineers whom I met while we registered at CWC and Sir Jojo himself, we went on to find Sampaguita Inn. After leaving our stuffs, we left the inn to have our dinner. We then discussed & finalized our activities for the next day.



Day 3 - Sunday (June 8, 2008)

At around 5:00AM, we left the inn and headed for Terminal 1 where vans going to Sabang were stationed. Terminal 1 was less than a hundred meter away from Terminal 2 where all buses are found. I suddenly remembered to take on the dizzy tablets I bought earlier on the trip. Quite funny that despite having travelled to a lot of places, I still have these annoying motion and sea sickness. Roughly 30 minutes of waiting, the van left the terminal at around 5:30AM. Passing through rice paddies and the majestic Mt. Isarog, we reached Sabang port at exactly 7:00AM. We then hopped on to the next available boat going to Guijalo port. As the boats engine started to roar, the group settled for the best positions trying to get better views of the islands. Owing to good weather & calm seas, we reached Guijalo port at 9:30AM, a brisk 2-hour scenic tour of the surrounding islands. Mang Islaw, who Dennis contacted the day before, was already waiting for us. On board the tricycle, we then headed to the market for some stuffs only to realize later that we left some of the goods we bought for the island hopping on the boat we took from Sabang to Guijalo. I rode on the backride (as usual -- my favorite place) and later transferred on the rear side. The place was rustic and simple which I really loved. At around 11:30AM, we reached the house of Mang Islaw at Barangay Paniman. His neighbor's house was our humble abode for the rest of our stay at the place. We were happy to know that the house was also rented by some crews of French Survivor when they were shooting around Caramoan Peninsula. The newly finished kubo was there to welcome us and quite interesting to know we were the first visitors to use it.

After taking lunch, we left Paniman Bay at 1:00PM. Heading towards the Caramoan Peninsula, we first reached Tayak Island which at first glance reminded me of the beach front on the Underground River at Puerto Princesa. The island had a hidden lagoon which was quite unique and unusual. One of our boatmen mentioned about their plans of setting up a mini-boat around the lagoon for a future tour of the area. After a quick stay, we then went on to Lahus (or Bitchara) Island. It was such a magnificent sight to behold!!!! Imagine a two-sided island where you can literally walk within minutes from one end to another end ("tagusan kumbaga"). The sands were powdery white -- this one is a fave of mine. Though fishes were not as abundant as compared to Palawan beaches, we were delighted to see a couple of colourful fishes swimming around small reefs. Utilizing my Olympus waterproof camera, we all took individual shots under water. Though wanting to stick around longer, we cut short our stay and headed towards the next one. Our ITI included passing by Gota Beach (which was the location of French Survivor) but we were dismayed when we were unable to because the boat cannot pass by the narrow passageway ---- it was low tide. [It is recommended to tour around the island in the morning where tides are high]. Next stop was Manukad Island where the sand was even finer as any beach I have been to. Dennis, who have been in the island before, convinced us to have a look at a small lagoon seen on top of rock cliffs. [I then realized what he meant when I saw one of the pictures in the internet where you have to climb the cliffs and see the island itself on top --- it was breathtakingly beautiful!!!] Donning on swimwear, it was sort of risky to climb on to those sharp and vertical rock cliffs. We just decided to swim around and stay for roughly 30 minutes. Leaving Manukad Island, we then headed to Sabitang Laya (or Bitang Laya). While going to the island, one of our boatmen spotted dolphins swimming around. We were surprised to see them and we tried to take a video but they were too quick to disapper. Reaching the island and spanning across the long stretch of the beach, unique sand formations & some human-like rock formations were some interesting sights to behold. It was as remote as that of Anawangin (a year ago, that is). We also found a group of campers on the rear end of the island. Having only few more hours before dawn, we then decided to go back but our boatmen Randy and Manuel suggested we go to Omang Cave. At 5:30PM, we reached a semi-hidden mangrove towards the cave. Since it was low tide, we have to walk around 50 meters on muddy trails before reaching the foot of the cave. After reaching the base, it would be a 10-15 minute trek to reach the cave. It was unique on its own way. The sight was akin to some scenic locations on a teleserye --- quite a good location for action-fantasy movies and tv shows. As we were told, the cave was a symbolic proof of our rich ancestors --- with some expensive porcelain and kitchen wares found before on the location. There were 2 openings on the left and right end where the latter was an entry point to a community near Gota Beach. Leaving the cave before sundown, we reached Paniman Bay at roughly 6:00PM. After the dinner and a little conversation with our boatmen, we ended Day 3 with a well - deserved rest.

Day 4 - Monday (June 9, 2008)

At 9:30AM, after saying goodbye to the hospitable families who adopted us (Mang Islaw and his wife & 2 caretakers of the house we rented), we left Barangay Paniman with a happy heart and vowed to come back again. It was truly a nice experience having stayed there for a day. After an hour of semi-rough road, we reached Guijalo port and waited for the boat going to Sabang. At 11:00AM, we started boarding the fully-loaded ferry boat going to Sabang port. After sailing through a bright, sunny day on a calmy sea, the boat docked on a new port --- different from where we took off the day before. There were swarms of big-muscled port men shouting to the passengers. At first, I thought they were there to act as "kargador" to our baggages. I then noticed there was no makeshift stair usually laid out after the boat has docked on the port. I never believed my eyes when I realized we have to be literally carried by these kargador on their shoulders. I thought it was really funny --- especially after I saw Dennis being carried by one of them. It was a really funny experience!!!!!! Such an amusing scene only seen in the Philippines! When it was my turn to be carried, it was a mixture of excitement, fun & slight fear of falling that have me giggle and shout all at the same time. One heck of an experience! Truly amazing! Truly Filipino!

After the enjoyable docking experience, we boarded the van going to Naga at 1:15PM & reached the city at 2:15PM. When we reached the Bus Terminal, we then hurriedly bought our pasalubong and took the 3:00pm trip of Raymond Lines. After an enjoyable 3-day first time trip to Bicol, I had an amazing & truly enjoyable trip I never had for months. The Bicol Experience was indeed memorable despite the 9-hour trip back to Manila. Thanks to my new found friends Chris, Melvin and Dennis --- and of course to the equally & surprisingly adventurous officemates Carissa and Rochelle.

Mt. Apo Expedition (Tamayong-Kidapawan trail) Part III

Day 5 - Thursday (March 20, 2008) - Too Much Expectations

At around 7:30am, we started to summit Apo. Crossing past through the lake, we ascended through a wet & muddy path. The view on the way up were akin to typical views of mountains. As we were nearing the saddle, we met people coming from different peaks. There were around 4 peaks around the saddle. With little time, we asked the DENR person manning the area which one offered the good view of the crater lake. He recommended the one on the far right offering views of Kidapawan, Davao, the Kapatagan trail via Digos, the full view of the crater lake & the sea of clouds. Zigzaging through narrow paths, Ronnie, Nehl, Nera, Ricky and I reached the rocky part where the full view of the crater lake laid out on us. It was so cold & the breeze was so strong I had to literally crawl towards the peak. We thought Cecille & the other trail leads were there but we didn't found them there. We figured out they took the other peaks. We reached the peak and saw the "bouldery" Kapatagan trail. I suddenly remembered Mt. Guiting Guiting, another "chilly" trail. Standing on top of the country's highest peak were mixed emotions to me. Mt. Apo, being the highest, was worthy of adulation & reverence of any mountaineer. But there was something lacking in her --- she was short of that unique distinction , that spectacularity that would behold anyone of a mountain. Yes, she was beautiful. But I was not too pleased. The clouds were there --- naturally -- but it was nothing spectacular, unlike the sea of clouds of Mt. Pulag and Mt. Ugo. The crater was big enough yet so simple. Not enough to even compare with the beauty & awe I got from the craters of Mt. Pinatubo & Mt. Kanlaon. I was on top of the country's peak, adored her beauty but quite disappointed of what she could just offer. Not enough to even compensate for the 4 day struggle just to get a glimpse of her. Though quite short of my expectation, she was still something to be revered. After spending some quiet moments, few pictures & videos, the cold breeze hampered our stay. It was time to go. When we reached the saddle on our descent, we caught up with the rest of the group then quickly borrowed the group's banner & managed to snap some photos with it. At around 11am, we started our descent from the saddle. Female soldiers and young porters were common sights on our way down. Such toughness often seen on the mountains. We reached the campsite at nearly 1pm and took our lunch. After taking final photos, the group was dreading to go down. We first logged on the DENR's logbook and weighed our garbages before heading towards the Kidapawan trail. Leaving the foggy camp at around 3:30pm, we expected an easier and faster trail down as we would have on other mountains. I, for one, thought it would not be as difficult and dangerous as that of the Tamayong trail. I was wrong. The way down was steep, muddy (because it rained the day before) and narrow. There were continuous flow of trekkers going up & with the steep and narrow walkpaths, we had to give way, wait & precious time was wasted. From the initial assessment, the trail seemed manageable and less "punishing" than that of Day 1. Yet as we continued to descend, the trails were beginning to be a curse. With an estimated hundreds of mountaineers who have passed through the Kidapawan trail that day alone, the trail was obviously & badly destroyed. The once established walkpaths turned into deadly ravines. I thought we were done with those scary "nothing-to-hold-on-to" ordeal after that initial day we had on Sicao falls. But these were sort of mocking reminders that we're not done yet ----- that the "punishment" was not yet finished. "Good heaven, how long will this punishment last?" All I can do was close my eyes and mutter, "Ayoko nang umakyat." I was crying inside, no longer happy with the kind of adventure I took in. This was not the kind of adventure that spurs excitement & enthusiasm in me. This was the kind that breathes danger and great fear. Unforgiving & punishing the trail may have been, we were still occasionally "entertained" & slightly interrupted with unusual sights of young porters (average of 10-years old) carrying bags & loads heavier than themselves. As if it was not enough to caught our attention, the sight of a toddler carried by her father on his shoulder and less than a year old baby being carried by her mother on the way up to Lake Venado rendered us all dumbfounded and shocked. How could parents expose their children to such risk and danger. Whew!!!! Only in the Philippines... Rappeling via slippery roots and passing through a couple more "nothing-to-hold-on-to" ordeal, we kept on our descent with less or no rest at all (except on cases where we gave way to mountaineers going up). People we've asked on our way down would display some slight disbelief when we told them we'll proceed to Agco, where they thought we would camp out on one of the e-camps before the river. "Malayo pa ang Agco. Gagabihin kayo sa daan." One of the mothers going up told us. So there it was ---- we will surely have another Delta 5 ordeal..... Whewwww.... We passed through 2 camps where several campers were cooking and preparing for the rest of their trek up. With the muddy trail, I again have to literally use my butts on the trail. With the occasional root traps, slips and cuts, the trek went slower as some of us have dimmer headlamps which included me. (Damn, I should have bought a new one) It would have been a great help. Another lesson learned. As we heard the river flows, we sort of heaved a sigh of relief, only to realize we still did not see any flowing body of water an hour after we first heard that tricky sound of water. "Bwisit naman tong river na 'to, ang tagal magpakita." I was beginning to hate this river. At around 9pm, we saw some lights just meters away from us & first heard and felt the real rush of water. The trail leaders Ces, Gladys, Melai, Dan and Jomar (one of the porter) were there waiting for us. Wasted and tired, we took our first real break after leaving Lake Venado. Everyone thought we only have one assault and were out of the Apo's trail. When Ces announced that based on the guide & porter's assessment, we still have more than an hour of river trekking, I was literally crushed. "Oh my. Akala ko after ng river, isang ahon na lang", I quipped. "Sabi kase ng mga porter meron pang mahabang river trekking." After roughly 30 minutes of reconditioning ourselves, we headed for what we thought was a light river trekking. After initially passing through waterless rocks and boulders, we were then led to a series of mini-log crossing ordeal --- where you have to literally be walking across 2 or 3 miniature log bridges, trusting that these logs would hold on to our weight and dear life..... Some crossings were really terrifiying because the river current was strong and some logs were a bit slippery. One wrong move and we either break our heads or drown into the current. After the crossings, there were some gradual walks which seemed to be longer than what we thought of. I knew we were all wasted and hungry but all we could think of at that time were to finish this off early, and as soon as we could. Walking like zombies, we relieved one of the most exhausting treks we ever had ---- Mt. Pinatubo Delta 5 trail, where we trekked in the middle of the night under the bright moon passing along rivers and rocks. This was in fact Pinatubo Extreme. James, who was walking on barefoot now after his shoes and slippers were damaged, assured us it would just be less than 30 minutes before we reached the end of the river trekking (It was his second time on Apo; his first was via Kidapawan trail so he was familiar with the trail). It was not long until another technical trail challenged us all again. For the nth time, this ravine ordeal would still not leave us until the very end of this trail. Mang Jun made a small hole for us to step on as we make another terrifying and fear-stricken maneuver. I felt that even for the last remaining paths we've had, we still had to struggle --- a complete opposite of what others claimed of Kidapawan to be a "walk in the park" trail. Total and complete hearsay. Passing through the last stretch of the river trek, I was relieved the bridge logs were more stable, sturdy & safer than the ones we've had earlier. After the last crossing, we rested again and Kuya cooked some soups & hot beverages specifically for the guide and porters who were equally as exhausted as we were. Gaining some energy after that "dinner", we have one final assault before reaching Agco. After passing through sulfur vents, in an amazing 10 minutes, we reached Agco as quick as we never even realized. When we had the glimpse of the highway, it was one of the most satisfying & greatest relief I had ever felt in my whole 4 years of mountain climbing. From the initial trek starting at 7:30am to 1pm for the summit trek (5.5 hours) and resuming at 3:30pm until we reached Agco at exactly 12 midnight (8.5 hours), we ended Day 5 with a punishing and unforgiving 14 hours of trekking.

Personal Assessments

On board the rented jeepney, wasted and exhausted, we cannot hide the fulfillment and gratitude to the Almighty that despite the gruelling & unforgiving Tamayong-Kidapawan trail, none of us were badly injured and were all safe and sound. Eventhough Mt. Apo did not impress me much, I would say she is still the King (or Queen) of Philippine mountains. She is dangerous, powerful and fearful. And definitely, she is not to be underestimated --- not because she is the highest but because she is capable of giving the most punishing and unforgiving trail that would challenge the human spirit at its end. After "conquering" (I don't feel comfortable using this word) Mt Apo, I have been humbled by the experiences I've had with her. It was a turning point and sort of a reality check for me. I have been climbing for more than 4 years now --- and honestly, I missed out on the very reason I was fascinated with the outdoors and nature --- away from the bustling sight and sounds of the city ---- away from the RAT race. And yet without realizing it, I was still succumbing to the same RAT race principle I have been avoiding. And it's true, I'm one of those egoistic mountaineer who, after climbing the toughest mountain, would feel proud and brag about it ---- without even looking inside me for the things I learned after a tough climb. Yes, mountaineering is full of egoistic self-centered craps who glorified themselves after conquering mountains, competing with other mountaineers, trying to outdo others just to show they were tougher, stronger and faster. Without realizing it, I was swallowed by the same system I have been avoiding for years. And it took me a Tamayong-Kidapawan Mt Apo expedition to be totally knocked off. This expedition was significant because she made me realize so many mountaineers missed. I was grateful for the challenges that she gave me. On a last note, I may not be the fastest "RAT" racer, nor the strongest climber, but I am sure I am a lot tougher now, not because I have conquered the highly technical & toughest mountains but because I have learned the toughest lessons these mountains gave me. For now, I will leave the RAT-racing to those who were not contented with the city version and extend it to the mountains. For now, I will leave the ego-tripping mountaineering principle to those who lacked attention and thought they'll succeed by competing with others. For now, I will leave my own baggages of egos and moved on & hopefully embrace a more meaningful mountaineering expeditions and treks. And this would mean breaking from the old and existing system. It would also mean choosing the right trek that would not require me to speed up like horses being paddled on competitions. So much for the RAT-race, it brings nothing but STRESS. This time, I will make sure I will not be missing out the tiniest details on every trek. From now on, I will start out on a new perspective on mountaineering --- no pressures, no RAT-race, no deadlines, no baggages --- just pure, light, and fun adventure and commune with nature.

Mt. Apo Expedition (Tamayong-Kidapawan trail) Part II

Day 2 - Monday (March 17, 2008) - Trapped By The Raging River

On our second day, we woke up early, prepared the breakfast, took some photos and packed our things for the next adventure of the day. Water source was not a problem for our Day 2 as we were 3 meters away from the Mabo river. We continued the trek at around 8am with another exciting river trekking. This time the trail was a refreshing one -- flat, mossy and shady. Such perfect scenery!!! After 4 hours of gradual walk, we took our lunch at one of the mossy old trees along the trail. As we sped up, I accidentally tripped off an unnoticed root protruding on the right side. It was so excruciating I cried in so much pain. Kuya had to put some bandage on it. As we moved ahead, we were refreshed by a slight drizzle which for an hour turned into heavy rain. The walkpaths were slowly turned into miniponds. Everywhere water was coming from the upper end and finding its way to the trails. It was more than 2 hours of continuous pouring. Slowly, the water along the trails grew bigger and deeper. There was one part which was higher than us so Bong (our guide) who was on the lead now, had to find logs to step on. He himself was even carried away by the current. It was a bit scary crossing the logs as any wrong move we will be swimming on deep muddy waters. One by one we got through that floody trail. As we continued descending, we passed through small flood waters flowing and slowly finding its way towards the Mabo river. At that time, we can hear the raging current coming from the river. It was ferocious, and its powerful & raging current sent another chill to us. We knew we were trapped. All six of us --- Nehl, Ronnie, Melai, Jeff, Kuya and me (with Bong and 3 of his mountaineering buddies) were separated from the rest of the group. Mang Pao who was on the middle group came back and told us its impossible for us to cross as the current was so strong. No need to question him as we saw in our very own eyes how alarming the river was. There was a sudden recollection for York. We made an e-camp near the river which can only accomodate 2-3 tents. Though raining, Kuya, Jeff and I have to immediately pitch the tent as we were all freezing in cold. My tent can only accomodate 3 people but all 6 of us have somehow managed to fit in my tent. Jeff wore his poncho and slept on one of the 2 vestibules. The couple Nehl and Ronnie were on the upper portion of the tent, while Melai and I were on the bottom part (hirap pala, para kaming fetus). Kuya managed to squeezed himself inside. Thank God that the rain stopped in the middle of the night. As we prepared and finished off with our dinner, we heard other mountaineers descending towards the campsite. But when they learned that there was no space available they headed back and camped out on the upper bank. We had an early lights out. None of us slept much as we were all assessing the river & we knew that any sudden change in the weather or a sudden pour of the rain, we were all be in great danger. An hour of continuous rain would immediately overflow the river & engulfed us all --- not to mention the small river on the right side finding its way towards the river. So we were in the center of two "scary" flowing waters ---- a raging and fierce Mabo river on the left & a mini-river slowly building its trail towards our camps. We have to content ourselves with short and shallow naps, silently praying for rain not to pour again.

Day 3 - Tuesday (March 18, 2008) - The Refreshing Trail

We woke up early and prepared our breakfast & packed lunch. We kind of regained our spirits as we saw the rocks on the river, an indication that the water level went down tremendously. We then left the Mabo river at around 6am and headed for Camp Dalag. The Camp was huge with few houses which at that time have no inhabitants. As we reached the Camp at around 10am, we dried our wet stuffs as the first group were still there and were not ready to go. We had breakfast and decided to shift the sweepers and trail leads. We left the camp at around 11:30am and took our lunch along the open and cogonal trail. Surprisingly, there were sugarcanes along the flat and open area. After taking our lunch, it was "rat-rat" time again. I was beginning to hate this "rat-rat" principle & with people pushing you to go faster was one of the most unpleasant things I don't want to pursue after this expedition. Despite feeling pissed off, I tried my best to push and level with the group's pacing. After 2 more hours, we were greeted with an amazing array of red shrubs that we can't help but take pictures with. After the initial awe with the red shrubs, we were then greeted with a refreshing splash of mountain water. A few meters from the water source, we reached Camp Cabacan at around 3pm and stayed for the rest of the night.

Day 4 - Wednesday (March 19, 2008) - The Long and Winding Trail

As early as 7:30am we left the camp and headed for the steep assault. There were some of us who were injured and the pacing kept at a slow pace. We reached the upper portion of the trail & took our lunch. We needed to reach Lake Venado before the sun sets so we tried to improve our pacing. Good thing, we were rewarded with a gradual and easy trail after that gruelling steep assault. Passing through diverse & densely forested paths made me utter "Thank you I finally got the trail that I liked" for the first time since the start of the expedition. The trails were good, very similar to Mt. Kanlaon, with towering, century-old trees, unique grasses, exquisite moss formation and mushroom hanging on trees. For the first time since Day 1, I appreciated this part of Tamayong trail. It was the kind of trail that brings about hope and a sense of serenity to any nature lover like me. I occasionally stop and look above me & let myself be amazed by tall powerful trees towering over me. Amidst these beautiful scenery, I can't help but be worried because I have run out of water. My other groupmate Glen had run out of water too. My survival instinct taught me to use the droplets on the leaves for temporary hydration. And it did work, though I have to be cautious because some leaves are poisonous. Moving on with the trek, there were many stray signs ahead of us and before we knew it, we were lost. Glen and I backtracked after we met Mam Nera and the rest of the sweepers. We then requested our guide Bong to lead us on the right way. After going through obstacle trails, we finally got a glimpse of the famed Lake Venado. I rushed to take my supply of water and it was the first time I savoured every ounce of the liquid passing through my throat. It was sweet and divine. Water is really life!!!! When we finally reached Lake Venado, we decided to camp out here instead of the summit. The sight of Lake Venado did not impress me much. It was more than I expected. It was a huge (can even accomodate a thousand tents) piece of land, with a long stretch of lake in the middle. Though campers, DENR people & soldiers compose the vast campsite, I cannot help but be glad though that there were many sari-sari stores around. We learned that they were only present during Holy Week where they expect many climbers camping on Venado. Though available, these stores sell their goods at sky-rocketing prices (kasing taas ng Apo :) ). Just imagine a 1.5L of Coke would cost around P150 (grabe...) Never mind the prices as there were also vendors selling sweetened banana and camote. Whoahhh.. Only in Mt Apo... Standing in the vast Lake Venado, Mt. Apo stood before our eyes like a small hill erected on top of the lake. "Ok, so that was Mt. Apo", I mumbled. After 4 gruelling days, we came to get a look of the King(or Queen) of Philippine mountains. Covered by a heap of thick clouds, her view did not impress me. Or maybe I just had too much expectations.

Mt. Apo Expedition (Tamayong-Kidapawan trail) Part I

Arrival Day - Friday (March 14, 2008) - Unfazed By Sheer Discouragement

I decided to take a half day leave in preparation for our 7pm CBU Pacific flight to Davao. I wrapped up the remaining task, left the office at past 2 and made a quick deposit at the bank. Turned out it was not quick. The bank teller was so slow I wanted to replace her (of course I can't, :)) Rushing to Glorietta to buy the remaining stuffs, I was like a flashing yoyo moving from one place to another. We were supposed to be at the airport at 5pm and I looked at my watch ---- it was 4pm. I should be leaving the house, but I haven't even reached it yet. It was around 5pm when I reached Kapitolyo and hurriedly pack the remaining stuffs I bought. In less than 15 minutes, I was out of the house waiting for a cab. I guess time's playing with me --- I could not find a single one. It took me a painstaking 30 minutes before finding one. Ronnie was then calling me and I could hear the big, "Ano? Nasa Pasig ka pa lang?" I was in panic and I know I have to reach the airport by 6pm. As soon as I got in the cab, all I could mutter was, "Kuya, Domestic po tayo. Dagdagan ko na lang po. Nagmamadali po ako. Alas 7 po yung flight ko." And my driver understood what I meant. Taking the C5, he drove fast and good thing traffic was manageable. As I looked at the watch, it was 6:05pm. Ronnie called again and ask for my location. Ronnie's voice was like a gavel pounded in front of me, "Tins, ikaw na lang ang kulang. Andito na sila Ricky at Erwin. Kelangan andito ka na ng 6:25 kase magcoclose na ang check in counter." All I could say was "Ha ako na lang ang kulang? Oh my....Cge andyan na ako in 15 minutes." There was no need to tell the driver to hurry as he heard me loud and clear. He reassured me that we can reach the airport at the exact time. I then called Ronnie and reassured him I will be there in 5 minutes. When I was on queue, I felt relieved to see many people still lining up before me. The whole gang waited for me near the boarding check in counter. At least we made it . After an hour & a half, we reached Davao City where we met out guide Bong and another groupmate Glen who had an earlier flight. We dropped our backpacks at the house of one of LUMAD (haven't seen her so close as we waited outside). After finding a P99 buffet dinner (which was by the way refilling food every 10 minutes as we were like hungry monsters), we decided to look for a cheap inn to stay for the night as we all knew we would not fit in the house. As we were fixing our things in the inn, there was a woman who suddenly opened our room and spraying us with questions that rendered us all shocked (Ces, Dan, Erwin, Arnold). "Hindi ba kayo komportable sa bahay ko?" I was a meter away from her as I was the one near the door. I suddenly felt scared as I smelled alcohol & thought of her as a mad woman. When she continued, we then understood she was the owner of the house where our backpacks were initially placed. "Sabi kase ni Bong ayaw nyo daw sa bahay ko. Kasya naman kayo dun ah. Yung mga babae kase puede sa kuwarto, tapos ang lalaki magtetent na lang sa labas." Then her succeeding statements were even more shocking, shifting from feigned concern to obvious disgust, doubt and discouragement. "Actually di ko nga alam nung una yung tungkol dito. Kase pag meron umaakyat na Tamayong yung trail, ako talaga ang kinocontact. Kaya nagulat ako nung una na nalaman kong si Bong ang guide nyo. Sigurado ba kayo na kaya nyo ang Tamayong trail? Kase yung mga ginuguide kong taga Luzon umiiyak eh. Kung gusto nyo Kapatagan trail na lang kayo. Ako na lang mag guide sa inyo. Dun marami talagang views. Sa Tamayong, falls lang marami. Unang araw pa lang iiyak na kayo. Sigurado ba kayo na kaya nyo ang Tamayong? Bakit nakakailang kilometro kayo pagtakbo? Ha?" I turned to Erwin and asked him, "Nakakailang kilometro ba tayo kuya? No answer from Kuya. I knew he was pissed off. "Kaya naman po namin ang Tamayong, Nakakailang major naman po kami at nagtraining naman kami." She seemed unconvinced. "Siguraduhin nyo lang na kaya nyo. Kase kahit yung boyfriend ko taga Luzon yun, at kahit tanungin nyo pa sya kung gaano kahirap ang Tamayong." She quipped. I retorted "Kakayanin po namin." Sensing that we were unfazed by her obvious discouragement, she ended with "Ok bahala kayo. Sila James at yung 2 pa doon sa bahay matutulog." Then she left. Just like that. We then heaved a long and heavy sigh. It was time for real rest which we badly needed after a long travel. 

Preparation Day - Saturday (March 15, 2008) - Getting Ready for the Big Days 

After the buzz about last night's events, we had a breakfast on a nearby eatery then proceeded to SM Davao. After buying our foods for the climb, meeting the Habagat people, playing and taking pictures with the mascots, we left the inn and proceeded to Sir Ricky's aunt. It was there where we had our good day's rest and prepared our packed lunch for our Day 1 on Mt. Apo expedition. 

Day 1 - Sunday (March 16, 2008) - the Unforgiving Trail 

We left the house at roughly 4:00 am and headed to Barangay Calinan, the jumpoff for the Tamayong trail. We first went to the porter's house which was at first confusing because the lead group was nowhere in sight, no trail sign and even the 3 local mountaineers who were with us were not familiar with the trail. Frustrated as early as that, we diverted out attention to the eye-catching Mt. Talomo towering over the vast banana plantation. At around 7:30 am, we finally reached the porter's house. After rearranging our backpacks, we continued trekking. The initial trail was typical of the other mountains ---- open and passing through cogonal grasses. We passed through bracing miniforest and muddy trails. There were also confusing ones and trail signs were not obvious which put precious time to waste. We backtracked a couple of times and I can't hide my dismay. We were then led to a muddy but shorter and shady trails which was a breather after being exposed to the scorching sun for more than 3 hours. At that time, we were divided into 2 groups with the lead group taking the longer trail. At around 11:30 am, we we're welcomed by an exciting river trekking. Though the current was manageable and calmer, we still held hands as the water can even reached past our hips. I was so reminded of that "super-long" Mt Pinatubo river trek. At least this time, there was no gigantic rocks and the current was quite calmer. We were then enjoying the trail --- No one has the slightest idea what we will be facing in the next hour of the trek. After almost an hour of river trekking, we were told there is one assault before the Sicao falls, where we will be taking our lunch. It was past 12 noon so we were all hungry. I was following Sir Ricky and Mam Nehra and I was determined to double my pacing as I too felt and heard the growling of my stomach. After the slight assault, I had to calm myself as I saw the seemingly "easy" trail except that there was nothing to hold on. And this was something I dread about. We had to carefully manage our way to an unstable & soft foot trail with steep ravines on the left side leading to huge rocks and raging waters coming from Sicao falls and NOTHING -- (yes nothing strong or stable) to hold on to on the right side. I had to crawl and literally hug the soil so as not to lean on the left side. After the initial ravine ordeal, we were not "emotionally prepared" for the succeeding trailpaths. It was unbelievably dangerous and risky. It was the same trail ---- NOTHING to hold on to the right & ravine on the left side. The soil we are stepping in was close to a quick sand which sends chill to all of us. Different maneuvered positions and careful strategies have to be taken. If Mt. Guiting Guiting had a "Kiss-The-Wall" version, this one had a "Kiss-The-Soil" version. After "surviving" one ravine ordeal after another, I had to stop and compose myself as I was shaking in fear. "Dear Lord, please help us on this ordeal" was my silent prayer. I felt my fear increasing as the same dreaded trail went on like forever. I was battling from my own dampen spirit when I heard a loud shout and saw someone falling from behind me. As I looked back, I saw one body being pulled out from a thin shrub. Adz managed to pull Ronnie out. Oh my goodness!!!!!! (Buti na lang... ) We were all shocked and terrified. I wanted to quit at that moment. But then I had to convince myself to continue. After more than 30 minutes of somewhat like an endless ordeal, I heard the sounds of the rest of our groupmates (the lead group) and my dampening spirit somehow light up. I then saw the huge boulders and finally had the glimpse of the others. Mang Pao came towards us and it was the first time in an hour-long frightening ravine ordeal that I felt trully relieved. I handed him my backpack before crossing the last ravine crossover and I felt weak walking past the huge boulders and the moment my butt felt the warmth of the rocks, I had the biggest SIGH of my life. It was at that moment that I thought of having Mt Apo as my last major expedition climb. The ordeal we've faced earlier was no joke --- it was a life-and-death travail. After taking our lunch, we continued to trek. The succeeding trail was sort of "pampalubag-loob" --- mossy and gradual. We were then led to various fallen trees (we called these "jeng-jeng obstacle) where our balancing skills were highly required. From various positions like walking on top of two 3-meter logs, sitting on top of those trees and carefully maneuvering the crossover, the trails were more exciting and kind of lifted our spirits. I must say though that despite of these exciting trails, the palpitations due to the earlier fear did not leave my system yet. I had to request a couple of take 5s to regain composure. It was traumatic for me. After more than 2 hours of semi-gradual trails, we reached Camp Kablawan at around 4:30pm.