Mt. Manabu 2018

It’s been a year since my last hike, that was February 2017 in Mt. Maculot.

Since I was so fed up and stressed in my current job, I filed a 3-day vacation leave. I said to myself that I have to go somewhere to spend my 3 days’ vacation. And since my friend is also mending her broken heart, she decided to go on hiking so why not join her.

We agreed to climb Mt. Manabu in Sta. Cruz, Sto. Tomas, Batangas. One of our friends already climbed Mt. Manabu so we decided not to have a guide.

At 5:30AM, we’re at the registration point already. At 6AM, we arrived at the starting point. (Exciting!!) So nagsimula na kaming umakyat, sabi nila visible naman daw ang trail and kailangan lang namin sundan yun. Meron ding mga guide map so push! Narating namin ang Station 2 around 7AM. Nakakapagtaka lang na parang hindi naman paakyat yung dinadaanan namin. Good thing, may napagtanungan kami, yun pala naliligaw na kami. (yikes! lol) Sabi ni kuya, papunta na raw CALABARZON ang labas namin. Nakakaloka, sa halip na bundok ang mapuntahan, toll way ang mararating. (LOL)

Medyo mahabang lakarin ulit pabalik ng station 2 pero keri, pawis pa mooore! Nung nakabalik na kami sa station 2, tinandaan na namin ang sinabi nila na derecho lang ang daan.

Patarik na ng patarik ang dinadaanan namin kaya feeling namin tama na yung tinatahak namin. Thanks God, narating namin ang Station 5 o kung tawagin nila ay Kapihan ni Tatay Tino. Dito sa station na ‘to libre ang kape at take note, hindi basta kape ha, civet coffee lang naman ang iinumin mo- kape na galing sa poop ng alamid.

Nang makarating kami sa summit kung san nandun ang malaking krus medyo foggy pa kaya hindi pa masyadong kita ang view.

Honestly, I need more of this. Less worry, less stress. Yung happy lang, yung payapa lang ang nararamdaman mo. Panatag ang pagkatao mo.

At pag bumalik na tayo sa realidad ng buhay, mas handa na tayo. Meron na ulit tayong sapat ng lakas at determinasyon para harapin ang lahat.

Masasa Beach 2018

Okay, eto na nga, pagkatapos kong magresign sa UHG last July 2017, wala pa ulit akong matinong gala na as in masasabi ko na nakapag-relax ako. Kasi naman, ang dami kong issue. LOL Nag-apply ako sa Results na tumagal lang ako ng 3 months at nagresigned din, bukod kasi sa medyo hassle yung account, nakaka-stress din ang working environment. Sagaaaaad!! And then, nagbalik- loob ako sa Teletech, pero ibang account na. Dayshift. Mahirap yung account ko ngayon kaya naman talagang sabi ko kailangan ko naman ng break.

Kaya naman nung inaya ako ni Bea na pumunta sa Masasa Beach sa Tingloy, walang pag-aalinlangan, sama agad.

Super na-enjoy ko ang weekend getaway na ‘to. First time ko kasi dito sa Masasa. First time ko din na makasakay sa malakihang bangka na talagang pambyahe. Ang sarap sa feeling.

So pagdating namin, after kumain and all, punta na kagad sa dagat.

Sobrang ganda naman nga pala talaga ng Masasa Beach. Malinaw yung tubig, maputi at sobrang pino ng buhangin.

Kinabukasan, island hopping and snorkeling naman ang pinagkaabalahan namin. Pumunta kami sa Sepoc Island, Sombrero Island (yan lang ang natandaan ko) Hahahaha

Hindi na kami bumaba sa mismong Isla ng Sombrero kasi may bayad na Php 200. Eh ang pag-snorkeling, dun lang din naman sa paligid ng Sombrero Island.

First time ko ding magsnorkeling, ang saya lang. Naisip ko, siguro kung marunong akong lumangoy, mas maeenjoy ko pa lalo yung snorkeling. Ang linaw ng tubig, ang dami ng isda. Tapos may pawikan pa.

Unang getaway ngayon 2018 at sobrang ang saya sa pakiramdam. Parang feeling ko ang dami kong nagawa pero hindi ko ramdam yung pagod. Enjoy talaga.

Rookie of The Rockies 2017

Every mountain top is within reach if you just keep climbing.” – Barry Finlay

It”s been a week since my friends and I went hiking. We climbed the peak of Mt. Maculot, one cold Saturday morning.

Mt. Maculot is situated in Cuenca, Batangas, which is about 947m tall. It has three parts- The Rockies, Summit and Grotto. You can reach these three destinations through traverse day-hike. While some just took the route to the Rockies only, we decided to choose the Rockies-Summit-Grotto traverse and it cost us Php 800.00 for the tour guide.

We arrived at the town of Cuenca around five in the morning. We had our registration and we also met our tour guide, Kuya Elmer. It is our first time hiking as high as Mt. Maculot. What we have in this hiking are just one loaf of bread, bottles of water, chips, body strength and courage.

We had our prayers first, for our safety and guidance. We started our trek about 6AM, and our first destination was The Rockies. The trails is really challenging, it will test your stamina real hard. I lost count how many times we took a rest, and while we are resting, sabi samin ni ate na nagtitinda ng suman, “naku pag narating nyo na ang tuktok ng Rockies, sabihin nyo naman worth it.” At yun naman ang gusto namin, kaya tuloyy ang trekking.

Hindi birong pawis ang nailabas ko dito, agang work-out. When we hiked, the weather was not so fine, medyo umaambon, so sabi namin walang sunrise kasi maulap. But we keep on praying na sana pagdating namin sa taas may clearing and ta-daa! Yaaay! Worth it nga!

You’ll have a perfect view of Taal Lake. Ang sarap sa feeling! Ito yung pakiramdam na pagkatapos ng paghihirap, walang kapantay na saya ang malalasap mo. (Literal, ito yun mga bes!)

At sobrang naappreciate ko at natutuwa ako sa mga tao na nakakasalubong namin na naghahike din. They’re saying “Good morning, Ingat kayo and God Bless!” They are so friendly and approachable. All you have to do is wear your genuine smile and you’ll have a circle of friends in just a snap.

After Rockies, Summit naman. But before going to Summit, we had our lunch first to have our energy back. Going to summit, the stuggle is real. Parang four times yung hirap kesa papuntang Rockies. Dahil nga sa medyo hindi kagandahan ang panahon, medyo umulan ang foggy pa, kaya talagang maputik at madulas yung daraanan. Grabe talagaaaaa!! I slide and stumble twice because of the thick mud and slippery trail. I felt like my knees are shaking because of tiredness and maybe muscle pain. Thank you to our tour guide, if not for him, I think I could not make it.

Lesson learned: Before you hike, prepare your body well. Do some stretching to avoid body pain.

After an hour or two, here we come Summit. Lamig!

Final destination: Grotto. Pagbaba ng Summit, super rapelling talaga ang kailang gawin. Dahil sobrang tarik ng dadaanan, kailangang humawak sa mga lubid para makababa. Konting lakad pa ang ginawa namin at Grotto na. You’ve got the perfect view of the whole town. Sobrang relaxing!

Pababa sa grotto, sementado na ang daan siguro para mas madali sa mga bumibisita lalo na kapag Holy Week para sa Station of the Cross.

At 2:30 PM, matagumpay kaming nakababa ng Bundok Maculot. Sobrang nakakapagod, talagang mauubos ang lahat ng lakas mo pero sobra din nyang worth it. Sobrang fulfilled ka pagbaba mo ng bundok. Talagang napakaganda naman nga ng kalikasan.

Lahat ng pawis, putik, tawa at saya ay babaunin ko sa aking alaala. Napakagandang experience ang pinalasap sakin ng Maculot.

Nakaya ko, kaya mo din. Conquer Maculot and fall in love in it’s beauty.