Truly, a FRIENDSHIP climb :)

                                          

MT BATULAO FRIENDSHIP CLIMB
A sequel to the successful Mt. Maculot climb last March 2012.

OBJECTIVE
To summit Mt. Batulao through the New Trail then descend through the Old Trail on a dayhike.

MT. BATULAO
Nasugbu, Batangas
Jump-off point: Evercrest Golf Course, Nasugbu
LLA: 14.0408 N 120.8011 E 811 MASL
Days required / Hours to summit: 1 day / 2-4 hours
Specs: minor climb, 4/9 difficulty, trail class 3 with 60-70 degrees assault
Features: open trails, rolling slopes, scenic views of Batangas

ITINERARY
DAY1/1 - August 17, 2013
0430 Meetup at EDSA-Taft Bus station
0500 ETD to Nasugbu via Crow Bus Lines (155 PHP)
0815 ETA Evercrest, tricycle to jumpoff (25 PHP)
0830 Start trek, kid guide (300 PHP/ guide ~ 50 PHP/ pax)
0845 ETA Fork road, take middle road
1030 ETA New trail campsite, rest and register (25 PHP)
1130 ETA Summit, lunch
1300 ETD to jump off via old trail
1400 ETA Old trail campsite, rest and register (25 PHP)
1630 ETA Evercrest, clean up
1700 ETD Tagaytay, jeepney (30 PHP)
1730 ETA Tagaytay, dinner, post climb
???? ETD Manila, bus (155 PHP)

Estimated total climb cost = 600 PHP.

NOTES
1) On a dry weather, the trail could be very dusty and hot. On a rainy weather, the trail could be very muddy. Please prepare accordingly.
2) Don't forget to waterproof your things. (e.g. Put all things inside your bag in a 'black trash' bag so they will not get wet when it will rain, place all individual non-water resistant gadgets in a Ziploc or any transparent plastic bag)

TO BRING
1. poncho
2. arm cover
3. cap/hat na di madaling liparin ng hangin
4. sunglasses (baka may "sandstorm" sa summit)
5. 1 set of extra clothes
6. trekking pole (if available)
7. trail food (peanuts, gelatin)
8. enough water (though before may mapagbilhn ng wate at softdrinksr sa Peak 8)
9. packed lunch
10. extra money
11. camera (sana madal ni CDF yung DSLR camera nya :D)
12. flashlight/head lamp (iba na ang handa)
13. whistle
14. sunblock (sa mga di gusto umitim masyado kase open yung trail)
15. sarong (pwedeng pang sun protection, pwede rin pang-cover pag umihi sa talahiban. hehehe)

             I felt excited upon reading the details of the climb. It was posted by one of the host, kuya Willes. As a beginner on mountaineering, I was one of the lucky people who got invited for the climb without spending much, no professional fee to pay :). I did some jogging (some may mean once or twice:) before the day comes and anxious about what to bring and wear. This brings me back to the memories of my first time hiking experience. I can't help to smile and even laugh of out of it. I did learned my lesson well. I will write one entry about that funny epic fail of mine next time.

               Friday came, I felt uneasy, no one will go with me on my way to Batangas. I was lucky God made use of other people to provide the answer. I was anxious about the easiest and shortest way to Batangas. I try to ask a kind driver about it but a concerned commuter overheard my "kakulitan" and told me in detail how to go there without getting so much hassle. Papa was overly worried about my adventure the following day and told me not to go because of the rain and then telling me I won't enjoy much when it rains. But yes, I am also extremely hard headed always taking risk so I prayed at church that night and went to sleep peacefully. I let my anxiousness rest on God's shoulders. Really had a good night sleep.

                Exactly 4 am when I am out of my way to the UPLB gate. I hired a tricycle for Php 20 pesos to Jollibee crosing and ride a jeepney to Calamba terminal (Php 20). I was able to follow the concerned commuter's direction and thankfully, everything he said was real. :) I ride a van to Pala pala Dasmarinas Cavite for Php 60 almost 1 hour long. From Pala pala, I ride a bus (Batman Express :) to Nasugbu Batangas (paid Php 61 for the fare). My friends were already waiting for me at Evercrest.


 After happy greetings, we move on...
     

                  The weather was meek that day. No strong gust of wind or hot ray of sun. Just a perfectly cloudy day with beautiful mountain scenery greeting us. We had an easy trek with sloppy and flat trails. Just needed to be extra careful not to fall on the double sided cliff and walk on the one way land -bridge like trail. I observed that the grasses that grows on the sides were a curtain to the "kaingin" field of the people living there. We passed by beautiful and breath taking sceneries, animals grazing and kind people. There were also many peaks.

                     After almost 3 hours, we reached the summit. We were up on the summit when the clouds joined us and greet us with its powerful wind and heavy rain. We were so shocked for a moment but eventually managed to stay calm. I pray under the wrecked poncho of mine, also trying to be calm and even opened a citrus fruit and pass around.

                   
                  At first it seems we were so unlucky to meet the rain up there but ironically, I felt at bliss. This were one of the few times when I can say that no amount of any wordly treasure can bought that splendid thing walking on the top of the mountain, inside the heavy fog (clouds) sticking my tongue out to taste the cloud and feeling the coolness of the breeze as it pass by me. The moment I step on the mountain grounds, I already trusted my life to Him. There is nothing to worry about.

                      All turns well. Everyone was shivering in cold but just like me, we felt the warmth of friendship in our hearts. Happy thins was, we had the highlights of the event as we wait for the heavy rain to subside. We had the liveliest lunch under the kubo where this picture was taken, the hardest laughed shared, the best coffee drunk (imagine how a hot cup of Kopiko or GT white coffee can sooth the bleak coldness that creeps on your body), and most especially, friendship build stronger.

                        I am thankful God blessed us with people we called friends and a dear sole life to spent worthwhile moments with people we love. That is why whatever it takes, we need to be back home happy and sound and most importantly, safe.

(More pictures to be uploaded soon)

Mambukal Enchantment

Welcome to the forest spring Mambukal enchantment!

                       It was all gloomy and windy afternoon at around 4 pm when I set foot to the gate of Mambukal Resort. The trip was longer than the usual time, compared to the reviews I'd read on the internet. Before going there, I have done my assignment, reading articles  and travel itineraries, one of those was written by Journeying James. Reviews were all lovely compliments and the yearnings of coming back to this place. At first, I tend to cancel this itinerary due to the added costs on my Bacolod budget trip. But then, as I've read about the seven falls in the place, my heart started to long of seeing a real falls. I think, I had not seen a waterfalls in my life yet, and to say seven in one place would be great! And so,that is the reason why I push through. Right after the convention, I decided to part ways with the group and told them about my plan of going to Murcia, about 16.557 kilometer away from Bacolod City according to the map. Ma'am personally advised me not to go there alone considering the typhoon was about to land at Bacolod the following day but I told her (the typical hard-headed basang), I wanna go, and so she just let me go and said very firmly that I should take care. With a determined heart, I headed to the Libertad Terminal to board a mini bus going to Mambukal- one of the unforgettable solo trip ever.

After registering in the Admin office, colorful plants came into view and as the wind pass by, they begun to wave their leaves at me. It was a very common view to me since I came from Los Banos Laguna, where trees and plants are abundant, but then, there is a mysterious enchantment that pulls me to go further inside the place.

There is also this smell that I can't understand. And as I walk further inside, the smell gets stronger.

I was not good in directions that even though I had a huge map given to me at the Admin office, I was lost looking for the Tourist Lodge I rented at 600 pesos for one night. Along the way I saw interested spots wherein I was so excited to explore. There were also bats (huge bats of sort) flying up high the trees that give me some push and so I hurriedly look for the place where I'll stay so that I could put down my bag and explore the area, and have a little dip of water, which I've been passing by. At last, I had found the lodge, and after a little rest I went down armed with my umbrella, because it seems that the rain may fall in any minute at that time. I discovered that it was a sulfur spring near the lodge that was farting off all that strong odor around. There were also caution signs for boiling mud around.

It was windy all right but that does not hinder me from wandering off the place as if I was very enchanted by the place, and I was like a little child being put down to run and explore around. Upon seeing the beautiful family cottages, i went near it and discovered a scenic view of the boating lagoon, which has no full water by that time and so I  can see well the natural falls that supplies its water. It was a lovely moment with the fresh air, the beauty of the nature thus calm mind and spirit too.

Contemplating the beauty of life out in the nature with God.

With the strong wind, I move to explore more and so, I have behold the lovely views of the Mambukal Resort.

A short bridge as docking site for the boats and the sulfuric mud floor of the  lagoon

Ishiwata Bath House

Flying foxes around the area with the narra tree as their home

After the leisurely walk, my mind and my eyes were full of picturesque memory of natures beauty. My stomach started to get noisy. To satisfy its concern, I went to the food court and ordered for a simple meal for dinner at 100 pesos and finished up with a ginger tea, after of course, of a calming massage from the spa near the food court. What a treat!

It was starting to rain when I was about to go out from the spa and that it was already dark at around 7 pm. Luckily, I'd remember the small but "very useful-on-time" flashlight I've been keeping in my bag. I safely arrived at the lodge with the background of bat's cries above the trees in the dark path to the lodge. At the lodge's door, I luckily meets some new friends and they were all very kind and funny people. We exchanged some personal stories and philosophical riddles. Then we call it a night and prepared to sleep.

But wait, it was not an easy night! For the winds has become stronger and the sounds are like hollows in the space. I was frightened and what makes it more scary is that the lights went out and I keep on praying and preparing my things if ever, I thought, something happens then I am ready to go.. I call my father at home and somehow, it soothes my scared thoughts and feeling. I keep on praying and I can feel God's at my side for the lights tuned on after I prayed then I was fast asleep, with ease. It was an unforgettable typhoon night away from home though.

As I woke up in the morning, the sound of the winds are gone and there were morning "tiktilaok" call that serves as an alarm clock. It was another fine day as if nothing happened last night. As I go downstairs and look outside, hints of typhoon are visible, branches fallen off, the leaves are scattered along the cemented road and in the pool. That day, I planned to start the trek. I want to invite my new friends but this morning as I knocked on the door, they were still deeply asleep and so I need to go through solo. I watched first the bats flying around the area, which were literally huge. Then I saw the signboard that leads to the waterfalls. It was so inviting that I really wanted to go. But since there is no one with me, I went back to the lodge and knocked on my new friends' room again but to no avail. I told myself, I need to do it now or else there may be no next time. And there I'm back to the stairs that will lead me to more enchantment.

What would one expect after a night of typhoon? As I said, branches and twigs were fallen everywhere. As I walk through the not so difficult trek, I say a prayer and kept asking myself if I needed to do this and go forward, seems that every step is one thing near to the unknown, to a bliss or to a danger. The typical hard headed me, I kept on thinking this would not happened again, but I am sure that was not true. Then I became so much absurd with my adventure this morning that I stop worrying. I am really TUCKED INSIDE a forest! I seem to see tree spirits just like in the Princess Monokoke Studio Ghibli movie. 

Different interesting life forms appears everywhere-interesting plants, insects and the sounds of the falls as I approaches makes me so excited. Times like these were very rare and I was really happy. I am so full of energy and my heart beats really fast especially when the beauty of the first falls reveals its beauty.

I paused for a while and inhale the fresh air around me. It was a total bliss and drives me to seek for the other falls. and so I went on and on...

Third Falls

I am glad I made the trip and so far, I had four more to see. It became more exciting as the trek begun to became harder due to the steepness and the rocks that comes the way. I love walking with rock eversince I experienced it on the  Mt. Maculot, The Rockies climb and the Mt. Balungao trek. I felt like little Mae on the movie, "My neighbor, TOTORO" who was so curious and a real wanderer of sort!. I even saw a part of the way which resembles the way to Totoro's tree. I never thought that as started to climb those rocks, it will lead me to something better that the falls I've been dreaming to see, the falls which was really the main reason I came here at Mambukal. 

Mae as she run after the little friends and discovered about the secret way to Totoro's tree.
I felt like little Mae.!

With so much awe on what I am seeing, I am very grateful that I had gone this far. As I often say appreciatively, I could stay here forever!

But I realized something, I'd lost the trail! There were no directions to follow, no people to ask, no signs of places to go! I even saw a dead baby snake in one of the rocks! I am not worried because I can still go back, but there is no turning back but trying different possible ways that seem to have marks of foot trails. There were lot of bushes but the trail only lead to another part of the river. And so I tried the other trail that seems to go upward the mountain. I suspected at first, this was a trail to Mt. Kanlaon. But better try than never. Much to my astonishment, I arrived at a community at the top of the hill! 

Reading, writing and now, blogging!

It was easier sharing to others of the things  you have, or really know and love. 

Before starting this blog, there are two things that naturally thrives on my system.

These two things are:

1. Reading. I am in love with books. First in the list are the children's story book, especially with illustrations. In reading these books, I remembered many fascinating stories which are worth telling when I am around with little kids. Having little kids surround you and  cheering in appreciation for the stories they've just listened to is very heart-whelming.  

 

     (Chenelyn! by Adarna books the very first story book i read, borrowed from my  cousins. When I was young , I also made my own version Chenelyn book- all illustrations included using a milk cartoon as hard cover.)

Second to the lists are the young adult novel classics. Short anecdotes and stories are surely in for the learning basket! Dr. Juan Flavier's books and The Next 500 stories by Fr. Mihalic are my favorites! 

(One of the books by Dr. Juan Flavier)

(One of my most cherished books, full of short but powerful life lessons)

              I am very attached to stories. It always brought me back to the very good feeling of childhood years when father animately tells us stories before going to sleep. Those days when I was still a little kid and problems were not existing yet. An Indian guru once said, "The shortest distance between human being and a truth is a story."  

              In these days, I am so much awed by the power of the technology that I can read more of my favorite novels (with the power of  www.4shared.com for e books), and most especially, the internet world brought us the blogosphere where i can read ANYTHING from the very common to the famous blog writers. My favorite of course are the travel blogs, and that is why I was inspired to make my own. This also leads me to the second thing of course that i love to do. And that is writing.

2. Writing. Well, it was a typical thing when someone loves to read and then encouraged to write. As a child, I do komiks and illustrated storybooks. I have them still in our wooden cabinet at home. During my high school years, I composed lots of poems mostly depicting a teen-age love. During college years, I am making dramatic life short stories. It was all natural but then, as I grew old and became busy, these fun hobbies were being forgotten. I grew engrossed with watching movies. Haha! 

As this blog unravels, I hope to box not everything but  only the essentials of my travels and wanderings, not just through Earth but also through wonderlands and inspirations. I may ponder back on the past about my lovely expeditions which are worth remembering but also I am most grateful about the present that I am able to live and surpass. Great journeys will come in the future and that will be surely covered. Aja! :) We have more action to do than this. And you are always all welcome to join me! 

BASANG