It was a good working break! I enjoy unexpected travels and the road less traveled. There was nothing fancy about this trip. It was a trek that taught me so many things. It also gave me the chance to reflect. I think when the noise of social media is unavailable the gift of stillness and quiet follows. Nature indeed has a funny way of keeping me grounded.
After about three hours of walking from the foot of the mountain, what greeted us when we arrived was the most basic hut. There were no mattresses to give us the comfort we needed when sleeping. We slept inside a tent on our first night. I dozed off early only to find myself awake at around ten. The symphony of the forest was enchanting. Although I have to say, when our tent started to shake my crazy mind started to wander. I blame it on the horror movies I like watching when I edit photos. I woke up with a wet sleeping bag.
Everything up there was cold. Cold misty weather! The sun shone numerous times but it didn’t stay long even. It felt like the clouds just wanted to cover us while the fog and the mist wanted to entertain us because we don’t have it in Cebu.
There was no Internet to connect us to the social world. Phone signal was intermittent. No noisy crazy Facebook to alert people where I was. No Instagram to share photos with. There was just I, the starless sky, the sound of the forest and the basic things I needed. I was surrounded with contagious happy people. It was a total opposite of the many glamorous instant socially connected places I’ve been to.
Food was a totally different story. Marie biscuit and my instant hot choco drink made me really happy. I was always hungry up there! The ripe guavas along the way were a treat. It was also my first time to eat rice and pair it with a papaya. Hahahahahah.. The wild boar and Civet was too much for me.
I told myself I’d never climb any mountain ever again. It was hard. It was nothing close to my comfort zone. It was something new. I’ve never walked that far in my life (except when I trekked Batad to photograph the rice terraces). I fell on the ground so many times. I’ve held on to trees to help me descend and ascent properly. It was a very different experience. The next time I climb, I’ll be more ready. And yes, I take back my words. I’ll do it over again.
Because I need to go back to Flickr days.
ka nindot there oi. wala to stars but naa to milky way for sure! flickr kaau mga pictures da.