Mt Arayat Hike

The first time I hiked Mt Arayat was when i was in Elementary school through a camping we had as Boy Scouts.  From that camp, I remember we took the magalang trail and camped next to a dam/reservoir; water was freely flowing from a hose and along the hike on the second day of the camp, we came across a falls and a camp (not sure if it’s a private/residential or military). The worst memory about that camp: my designation in my team: The Cook (they don’t even call it iron chef or even just chef back then).

Ever since I got invited by a group of mountaineers from Tarlac, I seemed to have been lured by the idea of mountain climbing as leisure. After that climb in Mt. Tangisan, I knew it was the start forward. The group notifies us everytime they (or shall I say now WE? Yeheyyyy!!!) have a climb, and as long as schedule fits, we try to accommodate (parang kame pa daw ginawan ng favour ohhh!).

approaching brgy banyo mt. arayat

I have been asking my friend who introduced us to the group about any possible climb to Mt. Arayat. That I wanted to climb it again, after that Elementary days climb. Then, on my birthday, 26^th January, while hanging out with a my friend, Ivy, and another friend, Jen, both of whom are qualified members of the group already, I was told that there will be a climb on the 28^th in Mt. Arayat. And since both Ivy and I were unemployed at that time and were on super tight, nothing more to squeeze budget, we’ve called up Dra. Go (Ivy’s client and an active member of the group, whom we know acknowledge to be our second beloved mother), and told her about our limitations. Well, being nice and all, ahemmm..., she volunteered to shoulder our deficit, and in fact to lend us a bag and a tent (where on earth do you get those generous offers). Off we are on that weekend for Mt. Arayat.

let the treck begin

The itinerary was to take the southern Brgy. Banyo trail, and to meet at 8am. So, there we were right on time; Just as soon as Ivy set foot from jen’s car, everybody yelled “Iiiiivvvvvyyyyyyyyy.........” And, well, when it was my turn, everybody yelled “LLLLLlllllloooooollleng.....” Darn...everybody couldn’t get over the name loleng. It’s a long story and I’m sure gonna blog on how this loleng thing started. I have just been known as loleng everywhere and it’s both funny and irritating (of all names.....!).

Enough of the loleng, moving forward, I took the bag from Dra Go with her 5kg medical (and i feel some canned dietary) supplies, sroppws my stuff within, and on each hand, 6 liters of water (which, on a 7pH, shall weigh 12 kilos...whataload!).

with Ivy and Jen...

Let the adventure begin...

I was trying to stay at pace with the group but my friend Ivy was having a hard time through because the sun was directly on us. Just almost half an hour at the onset of the trail, we were already the sweepers (and i’d say, party because we don’t get porters, and there is almost a sack of rice weight on me alone). And, just an hour past, Ivy and I were already out of the group. .. The prodigal climbers don’t care whether we’ll reach there at the target time. We just said, “we have nothing to do up in the camp, so why hurry?” Definitely, it wasn’t anyway near the difficulty level of Mt. Tangisan. Totally unexpected.  My distorted intellect had undermined the familiar mountain; Since I don’t really recall having a hard time when i first did it decades ago, I just assumed it will be all easy (having neglected the fact that it’s a different trail, and the first time was more of a baby climb). The group was halfway through the trail, and we were basically just at the foot. We get tired after just a few steps; And, to add to the delay, to compensate our stress through...partly water, partly energy food, and majority...cigarettes.

Xzzzzhhhh....zhhhsxxxxhhhh! xxxxhhhzzzhhh! It’s a nursery of (brown) mosquitoes up there.

much part of the trail is like this

As you go up, the rocks along the trail go bigger and bigger...it’s literally climbing. At one point, just next to the part they refer to as the balcony (where there’s a huge boulder where you could sneak at the Central Luzon range), there is something like a wall climb of a 10 feet height. When we got to that point, , somehow there is still mobile reception, we got a call from Jen asking us for our location and to rush as they are about to take their lunch. When we’ve come across this seemingly wall climb, we thought we just don’t have enough kilojoules to get through. We yelled at them and told them we’re eating right there. I can’t believe i’ve had 3 servings of rice there. My normal consumption has long been half cup for a whole day.

and some more takes of the trail

We were actually planning to nap first and let them proceed to the trail. But, just right after we finished lunch, they yelled us back and reiterated that we move faster.

view from the balcony

Considering how much we’ve eaten, there was now space to fit in the water within my bag. I thought it would be better if I can use my hands to pull in the trail. We managed to get up and from there, the trail just gets harder. There will be broken thorny branches and logs along the way, where you’ll have to either go hop up, or crawl below. Likewise , since you’re going through rocks, there’s really no clear trail. You’ll just have to check every now and then for some signs posted on the trees, and take cues from some trash. At one point, since i had just dumped the 12kg equivalent water at the peak part of the backpack, crawling between rocks, my head went first; luckily not totally in upside down position but very close..Also, there’s a part, right behind the balcony where you’ll have to bend backward, like on a limborak, while stepping sideways and holding on a tree. Shall you slide, it’s an instant 20-30 feet drop down a rough base of rocks. More stress came on, pace gone far slower, and water and cigarettes almost empty.

The tree where a priest has hung himself in Y2000. Photo was taken on the way back

An hour past the balcony, 2 porters came back. We thought someone has forgotten something or asked to pick up something back; Little did I know that It was us. The group is already setting camp and we’re not even close. Dra Go has asked her porters to pick us up (and our stuff of course. We were kinda sorry about them having to go back for us, we just let them carry our bags, and us, the water. Had we known Dra Go will be paying them extra for that, we would have let them carry everything, and probably even us). Just before we let them part us, we told them to take rest. One of the porters said, the tree where I was sitting was where a priest, in the year 2000, committed suicide! Creepy. I knew ivy was internally freaking out right there and then.  Just like the rest, we told them to move ahead and just give us the direction, and that we won’t take long this time. They’ve given us the instructions and just a few minutes, we couldn’t even hear them anymore. They were back in the camp, and we have barely moved. Two cigarette packs done so far.

finally reaching the camp

We were probably 2 hours behind the group. When we got in the camp, everybody was setup and done eating; Some were already asleep; And everybody asked “what took you so long.” Our reply: “well this trail is totally cluttered with all the fallen trees, and the messed up rocks, so we decided to fix things up.”

the group

Jen has prepared an enormous serving of soup and dinner which was enough for her and her boyfriend as well as the 2 extra prodigals. We did not bother cooking ours anymore as Father was already preparing for a mass. We had the mass; my first time in years, done in English alongside the innocent porters.  After that, we had the fellowship; Our filthy rich fellows brought in kilos and kilos of lean beef, grilled complete with A1 sauce. I don’t even know how much bottles of Gin we finished (somewhere between 10-20); At around roughly past 10pm, it was lights out; And then it rained! It was freezing cold. When I was packing for the climb, I never really expected rain so i did not bring any blanket. All I had were my shirt, a sweater, trouser and socks...I could still feel the cold. Midway through my REM sleep, perhaps about 2am, I was awakened, and I pulled my meter long backpack and shoot myself in it! It was that cold. Then, at 4am, I noticed Ivy’s chilling. I was going to lend her whatever thermal I have in me when she said “Are you feeling cold, i got a blanket in the bag, you can get it!” Darn...she was actually the one chilling there! And she has been tolerating it through when she could have just pulled the blanket earlier. We didn’t sleep well really the whole night so we woke up late. As usual, everybody’s done with breakfast at the time, and some of the tents were already dismantled; Stood up, cooked our food, collected trash, took some pictures, and off downwards.

it's too slippery to check out the other peak

Just like earlier, the trail down was far harder. Since it rained the night before, the ground’s wet and slippery. As my hands were wounded on the trail up, I asked Jen to lend me her gloves. Somehow, it was easier to cling on to the branches as compared to ivy who would slip every so often, hold immediately to anything she could probably hold onto, and screammmm....Ouch! she’s been thorned!

the sweepers

Our pace wasn’t a surprise. It took us 6 hours up, and it has taken us 6 hours down. When we met the group down at the hiker’s center, same old question, “what took you so long?” Our reply “for some reasons, the rocks we’ve fixed on the way up were messed up again, so we had to fix things up again! DARN! Who did it?” That pinch of humor is all it takes anyway to lighten them up from all that waiting. Everybody’s done eating, washed up, and ready to go. We were served with sinigang, or shall i say, inasimang baboy! All vegetables finished already. Everybody’s in the rush for whatever business they have left in the day...Ivy and I didn’t even have time to wash face. We all left, and off we were, Ivy and I, to a friend’s place at a nearby town to clean up and recharge.

What a hike!

The first time I hiked Mt Arayat was when i was in Elementary school through a camping we had as Boy Scouts.  From that camp, I remember we took the magalang trail and camped next to a dam/reservoir; water was freely flowing from a hose and along the hike on the second day of the camp, we came across a falls and a camp (not sure if it’s a private/residential or military). The worst memory about that camp: my designation in my team: The Cook (they don’t even call it iron chef or even just chef back then).

Ever since I got invited by a group of mountaineers from Tarlac, I seemed to have been lured by the idea of mountain climbing as leisure. After that climb in Mt. Tangisan, I knew it was the start forward. The group notifies us everytime they (or shall I say now WE? Yeheyyyy!!!) have a climb, and as long as schedule fits, we try to accommodate (parang kame pa daw ginawan ng favour ohhh!).

approaching brgy banyo mt. arayat

I have been asking my friend who introduced us to the group about any possible climb to Mt. Arayat. That I wanted to climb it again, after that Elementary days climb. Then, on my birthday, 26^th January, while hanging out with a my friend, Ivy, and another friend, Jen, both of whom are qualified members of the group already, I was told that there will be a climb on the 28^th in Mt. Arayat. And since both Ivy and I were unemployed at that time and were on super tight, nothing more to squeeze budget, we’ve called up Dra. Go (Ivy’s client and an active member of the group, whom we know acknowledge to be our second beloved mother), and told her about our limitations. Well, being nice and all, ahemmm..., she volunteered to shoulder our deficit, and in fact to lend us a bag and a tent (where on earth do you get those generous offers). Off we are on that weekend for Mt. Arayat.

let the treck begin

The itinerary was to take the southern Brgy. Banyo trail, and to meet at 8am. So, there we were right on time; Just as soon as Ivy set foot from jen’s car, everybody yelled “Iiiiivvvvvyyyyyyyyy.........” And, well, when it was my turn, everybody yelled “LLLLLlllllloooooollleng.....” Darn...everybody couldn’t get over the name loleng. It’s a long story and I’m sure gonna blog on how this loleng thing started. I have just been known as loleng everywhere and it’s both funny and irritating (of all names.....!).

Enough of the loleng, moving forward, I took the bag from Dra Go with her 5kg medical (and i feel some canned dietary) supplies, sroppws my stuff within, and on each hand, 6 liters of water (which, on a 7pH, shall weigh 12 kilos...whataload!).

with Ivy and Jen...

Let the adventure begin...

I was trying to stay at pace with the group but my friend Ivy was having a hard time through because the sun was directly on us. Just almost half an hour at the onset of the trail, we were already the sweepers (and i’d say, party because we don’t get porters, and there is almost a sack of rice weight on me alone). And, just an hour past, Ivy and I were already out of the group. .. The prodigal climbers don’t care whether we’ll reach there at the target time. We just said, “we have nothing to do up in the camp, so why hurry?” Definitely, it wasn’t anyway near the difficulty level of Mt. Tangisan. Totally unexpected.  My distorted intellect had undermined the familiar mountain; Since I don’t really recall having a hard time when i first did it decades ago, I just assumed it will be all easy (having neglected the fact that it’s a different trail, and the first time was more of a baby climb). The group was halfway through the trail, and we were basically just at the foot. We get tired after just a few steps; And, to add to the delay, to compensate our stress through...partly water, partly energy food, and majority...cigarettes.

Xzzzzhhhh....zhhhsxxxxhhhh! xxxxhhhzzzhhh! It’s a nursery of (brown) mosquitoes up there.

much part of the trail is like this

As you go up, the rocks along the trail go bigger and bigger...it’s literally climbing. At one point, just next to the part they refer to as the balcony (where there’s a huge boulder where you could sneak at the Central Luzon range), there is something like a wall climb of a 10 feet height. When we got to that point, , somehow there is still mobile reception, we got a call from Jen asking us for our location and to rush as they are about to take their lunch. When we’ve come across this seemingly wall climb, we thought we just don’t have enough kilojoules to get through. We yelled at them and told them we’re eating right there. I can’t believe i’ve had 3 servings of rice there. My normal consumption has long been half cup for a whole day.

and some more takes of the trail

We were actually planning to nap first and let them proceed to the trail. But, just right after we finished lunch, they yelled us back and reiterated that we move faster.

view from the balcony

Considering how much we’ve eaten, there was now space to fit in the water within my bag. I thought it would be better if I can use my hands to pull in the trail. We managed to get up and from there, the trail just gets harder. There will be broken thorny branches and logs along the way, where you’ll have to either go hop up, or crawl below. Likewise , since you’re going through rocks, there’s really no clear trail. You’ll just have to check every now and then for some signs posted on the trees, and take cues from some trash. At one point, since i had just dumped the 12kg equivalent water at the peak part of the backpack, crawling between rocks, my head went first; luckily not totally in upside down position but very close..Also, there’s a part, right behind the balcony where you’ll have to bend backward, like on a limborak, while stepping sideways and holding on a tree. Shall you slide, it’s an instant 20-30 feet drop down a rough base of rocks. More stress came on, pace gone far slower, and water and cigarettes almost empty.

The tree where a priest has hung himself in Y2000. Photo was taken on the way back

An hour past the balcony, 2 porters came back. We thought someone has forgotten something or asked to pick up something back; Little did I know that It was us. The group is already setting camp and we’re not even close. Dra Go has asked her porters to pick us up (and our stuff of course. We were kinda sorry about them having to go back for us, we just let them carry our bags, and us, the water. Had we known Dra Go will be paying them extra for that, we would have let them carry everything, and probably even us). Just before we let them part us, we told them to take rest. One of the porters said, the tree where I was sitting was where a priest, in the year 2000, committed suicide! Creepy. I knew ivy was internally freaking out right there and then.  Just like the rest, we told them to move ahead and just give us the direction, and that we won’t take long this time. They’ve given us the instructions and just a few minutes, we couldn’t even hear them anymore. They were back in the camp, and we have barely moved. Two cigarette packs done so far.

finally reaching the camp

We were probably 2 hours behind the group. When we got in the camp, everybody was setup and done eating; Some were already asleep; And everybody asked “what took you so long.” Our reply: “well this trail is totally cluttered with all the fallen trees, and the messed up rocks, so we decided to fix things up.”

the group

Jen has prepared an enormous serving of soup and dinner which was enough for her and her boyfriend as well as the 2 extra prodigals. We did not bother cooking ours anymore as Father was already preparing for a mass. We had the mass; my first time in years, done in English alongside the innocent porters.  After that, we had the fellowship; Our filthy rich fellows brought in kilos and kilos of lean beef, grilled complete with A1 sauce. I don’t even know how much bottles of Gin we finished (somewhere between 10-20); At around roughly past 10pm, it was lights out; And then it rained! It was freezing cold. When I was packing for the climb, I never really expected rain so i did not bring any blanket. All I had were my shirt, a sweater, trouser and socks...I could still feel the cold. Midway through my REM sleep, perhaps about 2am, I was awakened, and I pulled my meter long backpack and shoot myself in it! It was that cold. Then, at 4am, I noticed Ivy’s chilling. I was going to lend her whatever thermal I have in me when she said “Are you feeling cold, i got a blanket in the bag, you can get it!” Darn...she was actually the one chilling there! And she has been tolerating it through when she could have just pulled the blanket earlier. We didn’t sleep well really the whole night so we woke up late. As usual, everybody’s done with breakfast at the time, and some of the tents were already dismantled; Stood up, cooked our food, collected trash, took some pictures, and off downwards.

it's too slippery to check out the other peak

Just like earlier, the trail down was far harder. Since it rained the night before, the ground’s wet and slippery. As my hands were wounded on the trail up, I asked Jen to lend me her gloves. Somehow, it was easier to cling on to the branches as compared to ivy who would slip every so often, hold immediately to anything she could probably hold onto, and screammmm....Ouch! she’s been thorned!

the sweepers

Our pace wasn’t a surprise. It took us 6 hours up, and it has taken us 6 hours down. When we met the group down at the hiker’s center, same old question, “what took you so long?” Our reply “for some reasons, the rocks we’ve fixed on the way up were messed up again, so we had to fix things up again! DARN! Who did it?” That pinch of humor is all it takes anyway to lighten them up from all that waiting. Everybody’s done eating, washed up, and ready to go. We were served with sinigang, or shall i say, inasimang baboy! All vegetables finished already. Everybody’s in the rush for whatever business they have left in the day...Ivy and I didn’t even have time to wash face. We all left, and off we were, Ivy and I, to a friend’s place at a nearby town to clean up and recharge.

What a hike!

Read More »

Potipot Island, Candelaria, Zambales

favorite thing to do in potipot: sit on the tree

Pampanga, being central in luzon, does not border any shoreline, and swimming pools are all we can have; None of my folks too have interest in travelling, and so I grew up with Subic being the "beach."
Now that I've grown old enough and I got friends who'd like to get lost every so often, I'd say I am more keen to getting into places.

My beachcapades has started frantically when a friend brought me to anawangin, sometime early 2010. That time, anawangin was getting popular and still comparably pristine. I was amazed, I went back with another group the week after my initial trip.

Getting done with anawangin, the same friends who brough me to anawangin were bragging about Potipot island, which is however farther, and will take us another 1.5 to 2 hour driving from San Antonio, Zambales where anawangin is.

Given another lazy weekend ahead, we've planned a trip to potipot. The plan was to leave at about 8am, but the friend who's bringing the car woke up late, and left pampanga only at around 1pm. The fast and furious driver though, managed to get us to candelaria, zambales by 5pm (250+ kilometers roughly).
When we gott there, we immediately scouted for a boatman. The boatman has advised us though that that exact same day, the entrance charges were hiked from P50 to P100pesos for a daytrip, and from P100 pesos to P300 for an overnight stay. While we intented to do an overnight trip, we thought it was not practical as it was quite late to actually have some activity in the island; plus, there is no electricity in the vicinity. As for the extra P200 that we'll have to pay for an overnight stay, we might as well use that money to get a small room in Dawal Beach Resort.

So, there we go, Dawal Beach Resort Reception. Their most basic accomodation has a single bed with own t/b, enough for the four of us to just spend the night. Besides, we didn't go there just to sleep. Meantime, The same friend who's driving preferred we take a bigger room for comfort (he's kinda 7 years older so we should know where he's coming from :-) . We took a P1800 room with a terrace, has 2 king size beds which we moved next to each other to fit all four us. Once the room was booked, we unloaded our stuff and prepared the food.

After the dinner, some rests, swam, and then booze booze booze. Around 11pm, after the four of us finished the 750ml cuervo and the 2L Alfonso, we ran out of alcohol, and I asked my friend to go with me to find something; But it was quite late for a store to be open. What we found were a group of locals setting up their table and 4 bottles of GSM Blue. They've been inviting us to join but I felt I couldn't be so entertaining to these strangers.

30 minutes back and forth, we still couldn't find some liquor; And for the third time, the locals asked us to sit for sometime, which I thought was perhaps heaven's way of saying "there is no more store open, and your last option is to join them." My friend has left at around 2am, and it was past 5am when I and the locals finished all 4 Liters of GSM Blue...I've totally forgotten my being.

where's my soupppppppp!!!!!

The following morning, my colleagues couldn't wake me up and 12nn was the check out time...plenty of headaches, I had to stand up and wash. We've put all our stuff back to the car and had some soup in the resort restaurant. Thereafter, we took the boat and went to potipot island.
As soon as we got off the boat, as the SOP, we waited for someone to charge us for our day trip. We waited for less than half an hour but none came. we thought they will probably charge us by the time we leave. So...we'll see.

comfort zone A

comfort zone B

As soon as I got to the island, I set up my hammock so I could further my sleep. But as soon I had it setup, just 15 minutes after, my other friend was begging me to lend her my suitable throne. The sand was cool so that's where I slept for the next hour.

ready...set...goooo!

When I woke up,,,no wash, no nothing, i jumped right through the beach. Thirty minutes past, I toured the island and as much as I and my friend wanted to have a picture in the fallen tree backside of the island, it was a hightide and we couldn't reach through it. So, we went back to the group.

sun and sand

Then I wondered why it was called potipot. I realized there were plenty of these trees which bore something that smells like poop when matured. Back in college, I remember, we have the same tree sitting next to our Math 11 classroom, and all of us would cover our nose while having the class.

It was nearly 5pm and we had to pack up. We walked to the boat dock station and waited for the person in charge of the collection; Nobody's coming. In as much as we'd like to be honest, everybody seemed like guests. I mean, nobody wearing a vest, id, whatsoever.

camwhore while waiting for the boatman

The boat came and we just assumed, it was our lucky day.

We left the island about 4pm and were back in pampanga by 8pm prior (again, that included a dinner in Chowking Petron Station is Subic). Our trips to zambales were never complete without having a stop by at this fuel station.

*I went back the following week with another group, and we had the chance to talk to some other guests. There was a group of 20+ who paid P300 per head..a whopping P6000 just to bum in the island - a ripoff (To think the island is said to be owned by ex DPWH sec, Gov. Ebdane). From what i've seen, nobody really checks whether people who paid for a day trip actually spends a day trip. The collector should come as soon as you dock, and asks the guests whether they'll be staying overnight or for a day. That should be a hint.
*bring your drinking water. All they have in the island is a pump for washing dishes and comfort breaks.
*if staying overnight, might want to camp your tent instead. There are bamboo cottages where you could sleep, but, we rarely spend on our accomodation for our trips.

favorite thing to do in potipot: sit on the tree

Pampanga, being central in luzon, does not border any shoreline, and swimming pools are all we can have; None of my folks too have interest in travelling, and so I grew up with Subic being the "beach."
Now that I've grown old enough and I got friends who'd like to get lost every so often, I'd say I am more keen to getting into places.

My beachcapades has started frantically when a friend brought me to anawangin, sometime early 2010. That time, anawangin was getting popular and still comparably pristine. I was amazed, I went back with another group the week after my initial trip.

Getting done with anawangin, the same friends who brough me to anawangin were bragging about Potipot island, which is however farther, and will take us another 1.5 to 2 hour driving from San Antonio, Zambales where anawangin is.

Given another lazy weekend ahead, we've planned a trip to potipot. The plan was to leave at about 8am, but the friend who's bringing the car woke up late, and left pampanga only at around 1pm. The fast and furious driver though, managed to get us to candelaria, zambales by 5pm (250+ kilometers roughly).
When we gott there, we immediately scouted for a boatman. The boatman has advised us though that that exact same day, the entrance charges were hiked from P50 to P100pesos for a daytrip, and from P100 pesos to P300 for an overnight stay. While we intented to do an overnight trip, we thought it was not practical as it was quite late to actually have some activity in the island; plus, there is no electricity in the vicinity. As for the extra P200 that we'll have to pay for an overnight stay, we might as well use that money to get a small room in Dawal Beach Resort.

So, there we go, Dawal Beach Resort Reception. Their most basic accomodation has a single bed with own t/b, enough for the four of us to just spend the night. Besides, we didn't go there just to sleep. Meantime, The same friend who's driving preferred we take a bigger room for comfort (he's kinda 7 years older so we should know where he's coming from :-) . We took a P1800 room with a terrace, has 2 king size beds which we moved next to each other to fit all four us. Once the room was booked, we unloaded our stuff and prepared the food.

After the dinner, some rests, swam, and then booze booze booze. Around 11pm, after the four of us finished the 750ml cuervo and the 2L Alfonso, we ran out of alcohol, and I asked my friend to go with me to find something; But it was quite late for a store to be open. What we found were a group of locals setting up their table and 4 bottles of GSM Blue. They've been inviting us to join but I felt I couldn't be so entertaining to these strangers.

30 minutes back and forth, we still couldn't find some liquor; And for the third time, the locals asked us to sit for sometime, which I thought was perhaps heaven's way of saying "there is no more store open, and your last option is to join them." My friend has left at around 2am, and it was past 5am when I and the locals finished all 4 Liters of GSM Blue...I've totally forgotten my being.

where's my soupppppppp!!!!!

The following morning, my colleagues couldn't wake me up and 12nn was the check out time...plenty of headaches, I had to stand up and wash. We've put all our stuff back to the car and had some soup in the resort restaurant. Thereafter, we took the boat and went to potipot island.
As soon as we got off the boat, as the SOP, we waited for someone to charge us for our day trip. We waited for less than half an hour but none came. we thought they will probably charge us by the time we leave. So...we'll see.

comfort zone A

comfort zone B

As soon as I got to the island, I set up my hammock so I could further my sleep. But as soon I had it setup, just 15 minutes after, my other friend was begging me to lend her my suitable throne. The sand was cool so that's where I slept for the next hour.

ready...set...goooo!

When I woke up,,,no wash, no nothing, i jumped right through the beach. Thirty minutes past, I toured the island and as much as I and my friend wanted to have a picture in the fallen tree backside of the island, it was a hightide and we couldn't reach through it. So, we went back to the group.

sun and sand

Then I wondered why it was called potipot. I realized there were plenty of these trees which bore something that smells like poop when matured. Back in college, I remember, we have the same tree sitting next to our Math 11 classroom, and all of us would cover our nose while having the class.

It was nearly 5pm and we had to pack up. We walked to the boat dock station and waited for the person in charge of the collection; Nobody's coming. In as much as we'd like to be honest, everybody seemed like guests. I mean, nobody wearing a vest, id, whatsoever.

camwhore while waiting for the boatman

The boat came and we just assumed, it was our lucky day.

We left the island about 4pm and were back in pampanga by 8pm prior (again, that included a dinner in Chowking Petron Station is Subic). Our trips to zambales were never complete without having a stop by at this fuel station.

*I went back the following week with another group, and we had the chance to talk to some other guests. There was a group of 20+ who paid P300 per head..a whopping P6000 just to bum in the island - a ripoff (To think the island is said to be owned by ex DPWH sec, Gov. Ebdane). From what i've seen, nobody really checks whether people who paid for a day trip actually spends a day trip. The collector should come as soon as you dock, and asks the guests whether they'll be staying overnight or for a day. That should be a hint.
*bring your drinking water. All they have in the island is a pump for washing dishes and comfort breaks.
*if staying overnight, might want to camp your tent instead. There are bamboo cottages where you could sleep, but, we rarely spend on our accomodation for our trips.

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Byahe kung Byahe, Circumnavigating North Luzon: Pampanga-Ilocos-Cagayan

It was a extended 4-day weekend, and for us, that meant nothing but going beyond our staple zambales/pangasinan route, not to mention we didn't have anything else in mind for those provinces. Turning down south to Batangas wasn't clever as we want that trip to extend  further southwards to camsur and even albay and with the places we want to check on that region, we'll need far more number of days...perhaps requiring our resignation from our respective companies.

For the coming 4 days, we thought about covering the north luzon. It's a good idea to finish it off before turning southwards. Perhaps next to Boracay being the most called upon beach is Pagudpod, so that's where we thought about driving. Midway, there is Vigan, Paoay church and the bangui wind mills! That's the call...more places, means sure agreements :-). Then again, google definetly gives you thousands of results, and sure enough, i've come accross this Jotay Beach Resort in Cagayan, and with our guiding philosophy, the farther the distance, the less likely we'll get back...so, if it's rather near, cover it up. I've called the resort,

Jotay beach, and they said it may take ONLY 3 hours from Ilocos. I spoke to my friends and  again...the guiding philosophy...everybody agreed. I've fixed up the itinerary...so off we went.

We have a friend landing in Clark, Pampanga from Nevada at 12MN and he's coming with us...straight from a so-so number of hours flight. The agreement was to pick him up at their house by 1:30am. We picked him up at 2am...generous enough to give him some rest/unpack time. 

He had a luggage full of whatever which we had a hard time trying to fit in the Hyundai Getz trunk (to think that, after showing him the itinerary, the agreement was for me to drip him in laoag airport the next day as he's flying to hong kong the following morning. In other words, he's not joining us for the cagayan trip, and will have to head back home to pampanga ahead). We left exactly 2am in Pampanga, and according to my uncanny research, we shall be within Ilocos Norte in about 8hours...meaning 10am. Gladly, we've stumbled upon roadwork in Urdaneta, Pangasinan and we were stucked for 2 hours or so...not a good sign.

By 6am, we were in San Fernando, La Union and we took a 20 minute time off for some stretching, coffee, boiled egg, and change-driver shifting.

There is a great consolation to this long drive; that is, probably the scene on the left pane of the route...it's all coastline, great shores, and mountains throughout. 

captcha.

walk around vigan

By 11, we were in Vigan. It's unbelievable how the whole village has that communal though of restoring their native houses. While there, we thought about having lunch as we need to hit the road quickly. There were a number of eateries but are serving rather fried chicken, spaghetti, etc. Walked around the village to find a

suitable carinderia, but we didn't find as many serving the local cuisine, until we got one on a corner.

We ordered the more unfamiliar dishes and upon asking the servidora what they have as a best seller, she said, better try their vigan longganisa, which we did. Meantime, unlike before where we'd scoop at everybody else's food because it is tasting so delicious, this time, everybody was so generous transferring one's food to another's

plate for them to finish it up. No one seemed to have liked what we ate. One friend ran to the washroom and threw up. When she went out, instead of being upset, she was kind of amazed to tell us that the energy drink even came out still very cold from her tummy... :-) just how bad that dine was.

worst meal ever

After that toxic meal, we're moving next on our list: Paoay Church. We got to the church at around 11 am. I've heard about this church back in college on my humanities classes, and I am the most thrilled in the group to get to it. It is amazing how the structure stood in time. Coming close to it's walls, I tried rubbing my palm to the surface and very easily, debris' loose. Plants have grown in all corners and surfaces. Inside the church, the scaffolding would tell you just how struggling the foundation is.

After a 30 minute shoot whatever you could shoot, we left for the bangui windmills: Major attraction rank 2. From the highway, I kinda doubted on the turn going to the windmills; It was very narrow. The only sign that made me assure I am on the right way is the mid size bus turning back and forth to get it fully itself through the turn.The road isn't concrete and at some points you'll have to come to a halt and struggle to fit in versus the fro traffic. There were plenty of houses selling wooden souveniers of the bangui along the way.

Looking from afar, I feel nothing but a rather just a view...just something to check out. I mean, they appear so calm like they are

bangui windmills

nothing but power generating figures. When I went at the foot of one of the windmill, I couldn't stand it. They were gigantic and it felt like the rotaries are going to drop on me for sure death. From the sound of the windblow, and the speed of these rotaries, You could feel the power they are are generating.

still in bangui

After some pictures, then we headed to Pagudpod, and immediately scoutted for a transient accomodation.
The cheapest we found was one that seemed to have been a sari sari store turned lodge after an influx of tourists. It was alright...it was comfortable and clean anyway.

Ate Maribel's sari sari lodge

Ate Maribel, proprietor of the lodge, offered to source and cook food for us. Her husband did the shopping after giving him our list, and let us take our time to tap the beach.

It was already almost 5pm and we were sticky and stinking. Everyone was dying to get wet and washed; Besides, the Nevada friend has to go very early the next day.

me...fooling around with the weed

my favorite place in the beachfront

with waves this strong...

After an hour's swim, we felt tired and thought getting our dinner. We had 2 pieces bangus, which we requested Ate Maribel to grill. Not sure how she's done it, and not sure if it is with the bangus itself, but I never had a grilled milkfish this good. Everybody is done just after the first piece, and I thought about reserving the 2nd one for the other day (though I wanted more and was rather just resisting). Only 2 of us in the group stood for the d'bar vodka bottles awaiting us. I, and my friend, could hardly finish them up.

After emptying the first bottle, none of our throat could take any more liquor. We, my friend and I, drained up a bit, and walked along the shore.

When we got back, Ate Maribell's well behaved but hungry dog was munching up on the 2nd bangus...poor me! And since I can basically do nothing, not to mention I was tired and tipsy, ..and so I threw myself to bed (or mat, for that matter); Woke up at 8am, woke up the flight-compulsive guy, bathed, and then dropped him to laoag (which, by the way, again, my uncanny research said was a 30-minute drive). When I got back, it was already late 12 noon. I bought some grilled squids along the way served for that day's lunch. After the

luncheon, it was beachtime part 2 til about 3 o'clock. After the wash, we had another discussion of whether we are pushing through with the cagayan trip, or rather staying for another night in pagudpod. In my absense, while I was driving to and from laoag, my friends asked people around how far it is to cagayan, and no one

could give them a sure proximate...but "very very far" But then again, like I said, Ilocos to Cagayan is much closer in comparison that Pampanga to Cagayan. So...objection Overruled...we're pushing through.

It was past 5am and we're ready to leave; We Paid a thousand pesos for the lodge and extra hospitality of ate Maribel and her husband.

We're taking the backdoor route, going through the patapat viaduct and through the upper horizontal coastline of luzon.

Just before getting to the patapat viaduct, from the highway atop the mountain, you could see a nice view of Stone formations and shores of Hannah Beach Resort.

must see in pagudpod

We took a detour for a photoshoot delaying the trip for another 2 hours.

i love the peeping thing

nursery for fishlets...:-)

Just before leaving the boundaries of Hannah Beach Resort, we spoke to another group to ask them about the odds of the route. As out of us 4, 3 of my companions were ladies, the driver whom we asked said,
we might not be able to get through as it's late, and the weather is wet. From Hannah beach itself, you could see the dark clouds covering the range and it translates to some fear. But then, what's fear????

along hannah beach resort

We were at the patapat viaduct and we couldn't see any more vehicles except ours; Rain was getting stronger, winds blowing harder; Rocks falling from our right, and from our left are huge sounds of the pacific waves. At some point, you'lll have to turn the car a bit as huge rocks will be lying at the middle of the

road. Nobody was talking on the car, everyone trying to sense around, and I spoke up to cut the wrack. 

That was a saturday night, and I yelled "where the hell is the party? It's a freaking saturday night and all I hear is the rain dropping and the frogs croaking" I'm glad I've refreshed everybody...but, it's just not enough to get rid of the worry. No matter how I try to revive everybody's spirit, the view from the windshield couldn't help...the zigzag, narrow, and wet road, the thick forrestry, the stones falling, etc.

We've come accross some villages but all the villages were deep asleep. It was around half past 9 when we came across a flying V station in the middle of a rice field. The rain was also off.

Stretching stretching and more cardio perhaps. Took some of our boiled eggs, and made some coffee. We thought we were somewhat safe. My goddd...I've seen one of the staff take out a suspicious 45

caliber gun from his waist and put it in the drawer. Whoofff! what a scene. I asked that we leave as early as possible and excused that we have a lot more to drive. We thanked the people there in the gasoline station and left. Along the way, I opened up what I've seen and the 3 girls saw it too. We were brainstorming, and for our relief, we though they might be using it for security; they're in the middle of the field and villains could just rob them anytime.

More driving, continued darkness, and in and out rain. Around almost 12 mn, my google maps says we are in Aparri - getting close to Jotay beach resort. Heavier rains pour and past the cagayan river, next to the national highway, the map shows 2 ways leading to our destination. We took the closest one...another unpaved road. Well, who'd think it'll be unpaved all throughout...it's about 20kms of wetness and roughness; that translates to 2 hours of mixed fear and boredom; Again...the frogs...2 cemeteries along the way...no

houses...what an experience. It was past 2am when we got to Sta Ana Cagayan, and there is nobody awake. We are less than 250 meters to Jotay beach but it is a secluded and narrow muddy traverse..and it

seems like our getz will have a 10 inch margin of error from the left wheels before dropping about 3 meters high to the shore. We said, we'll take it in the morning, and find somewhere else to park and nap for the meantime. We took a u-turn and parked at a nearby closed gasoline station. At around half past 5, I woke up and I saw a man coming out from a stay-in room in the gasoline station. I woke up the rest of the

company and told them someone's coming. When he got to us, he asked where we are heading. I then told him the story of our adventure..he looked at the ladies I was with and he seemed stunned at how braved

we were to drive all the way from pampanga, to ilocos, then to cagayan, on a nightime, and that wet. I told him about our destination and he was suggesting something else...Anguib Beach Resort, claiming it is incomparable to Jotay beach Resort which was our intended destination. A few minutes past, we asked to leave and drove to a carinderia for our meal. That carinderia was in San Vicente Cagayan Market and the food was a total delight..a delightful reprieve from our vigan serving. In the carinderia, we asked people again, and everybody was pushing us towards Anguib Beach. Then again, locals know best. So, there...off to Anguib

Marker in San Vicente Cagayan..Tip of the National Highway.

Beach. The locals however say that we might not be able to drive to the beach as the car might not be able to handle the road. On dry season, bigger 4x4s can do it, but a petite car like our can't handle it when it's this wet. Our option was to take a boat for P1200 or take a 2 tricyles for P600 each. Either way, we have only a thousand pesos left and we are several hundred more kilometers away from home. The max we could spend is only P500, and withdrawing the trip is neither an option after all that we've gone through.

Thinking thinking and more thinking. Yes! I made it to P500. The agreement was to bring the car up to the part that it could handle, and then the 4 of us transferring to the tricycle from a certain

heading to anguib

point forward. The manong driver agreed. Along the way, in the zigzag road, we spotted some monkeys standing freely on the roadside (though they ranaway when they saw us freaking out at our excitement). The road leading to the beach is under construction and in preparation for perhaps a high end tourist destination.

mud slide in a bit...

At that point we've seen a hugh catch basin of thick mud, we

backride

transferred to the tricyle to get us going. The tricycle couldn't handle it either, so for those basins, we had to carry our slippers and walk barefooted past. We realized, the point where we left the car was almost only 500m away from the beach. By the time we reached the beach, it was around 10 am. I took out the camera to start the rolling the pictures, and it's battery dead! Shame on me... Nevertheless, as bad as it goes, I got my phone. That's better than nothing.

finally getting there

The water was cool and clean and we couldn't waste anymore time on bluffing. Dipped Dipped Dipped. The fact that we've been led to anguib beach, and feel its waters even only for an hour was more than enough to cover it all up.

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the ladies preparing for their cool dip

By 11am, we had to head home. We paid P15/head for the entrance charges. We didn't pay any cottage rentals as we informed the caretaker rightaway that we'll take only an hour and we don't need any table nor shade. Along the way back, I was regretting about the P500 we paid for the tricycle...we could've walked. But then, that's  fine...charge to experience.

Not that we didn't have time to wash, but we actually had no where to wash. We got in the car feeling all that salt in the skin...quite sticky; We aren't bothered. We are more bothered by the distance we'll have to drive home. Now, before hitting the road, I looked at my google maps and told my friend to take the alternative route, instead of the 20km rough; After some 15 minutes, we just realized we were already on the national highway. We could've spared ourselves all that trouble had we taken the proper route. We might have not had to sleep in the car and in the gasoline station; we might have had more time for swimming...all but funny regrets...haist.

On the way home, in tuguegarao city, craving for lunchtime, we've come accross a cozy restaurant. So..there we were chatting with the people..it's a whole family working in the restaurant. We told them the same things, that we're from pampanga, we drove to ilocos, yada yada,,,and again, that amazement. Another great dish on their menu...try their pancit with tokwat baboy topping. It seems the people in cagayan really cook just as well. It's totally different from the kapampangan dishes but equally delightful. We asked if we can have our thermos filled and they agreed at a charge. They also have a big shower at the which, which the ladies asked if they could take a bath. Ate was so accomodating that she agreed. Her sons even collected water for their bath (and as a Man, had to take care of mine myself). After the bath, we were ready for home. We thought the adventure is far over...and nothing but plain driving. But here goes manong... he told us to be very careful when we get to Sta Fe - the slopes, and the turns. All freshen up...no more pit stops. At a minimum speed of 80kms, and eyes steady on google maps...Along the way, we saw markers of Jollibee: 25kms ahead. I was surprised getting to a burgersteak here can cause this much travel.

At 9pm, we were in Sta Barbara. Much of the vehicles travelling were trucks of vegetables distributed to the southern regions. The slopes and turns are outrageous and I am going freak at what's ahead within a few kilometers in Sta Fe. On a gasoline station before we reach Sta Fe, the girls excused for a comfort break, and that's where we shifted drivers. I took the steer, and here goes sta fe... 

The feeling is like, if only I could take an alternative way even having to bear +100kilometers more, I would. You go up the mountain revolving like in a spring, and from the heel, you could see the vehicles going round up, one after and next to another, on hardly beyond 3kms/hour. The slope goes straight upwards...no downward slopes, no plains...I just held my breath the whole time til we got past it. Then came Nueva Ecija...and then pampanga. We got home only by 4am...The day after and the following day after, everyone was on sick leave...muscle aches and extra dozages of ibuprofen.

Pagupod

*Ate Maribel's number is 09283150095

*To get to the closes market from pagudpod is P80 oneway on trike.

Better get everything you'll need before landing.

It was a extended 4-day weekend, and for us, that meant nothing but going beyond our staple zambales/pangasinan route, not to mention we didn't have anything else in mind for those provinces. Turning down south to Batangas wasn't clever as we want that trip to extend  further southwards to camsur and even albay and with the places we want to check on that region, we'll need far more number of days...perhaps requiring our resignation from our respective companies.

For the coming 4 days, we thought about covering the north luzon. It's a good idea to finish it off before turning southwards. Perhaps next to Boracay being the most called upon beach is Pagudpod, so that's where we thought about driving. Midway, there is Vigan, Paoay church and the bangui wind mills! That's the call...more places, means sure agreements :-). Then again, google definetly gives you thousands of results, and sure enough, i've come accross this Jotay Beach Resort in Cagayan, and with our guiding philosophy, the farther the distance, the less likely we'll get back...so, if it's rather near, cover it up. I've called the resort,

Jotay beach, and they said it may take ONLY 3 hours from Ilocos. I spoke to my friends and  again...the guiding philosophy...everybody agreed. I've fixed up the itinerary...so off we went.

We have a friend landing in Clark, Pampanga from Nevada at 12MN and he's coming with us...straight from a so-so number of hours flight. The agreement was to pick him up at their house by 1:30am. We picked him up at 2am...generous enough to give him some rest/unpack time. 

He had a luggage full of whatever which we had a hard time trying to fit in the Hyundai Getz trunk (to think that, after showing him the itinerary, the agreement was for me to drip him in laoag airport the next day as he's flying to hong kong the following morning. In other words, he's not joining us for the cagayan trip, and will have to head back home to pampanga ahead). We left exactly 2am in Pampanga, and according to my uncanny research, we shall be within Ilocos Norte in about 8hours...meaning 10am. Gladly, we've stumbled upon roadwork in Urdaneta, Pangasinan and we were stucked for 2 hours or so...not a good sign.

By 6am, we were in San Fernando, La Union and we took a 20 minute time off for some stretching, coffee, boiled egg, and change-driver shifting.

There is a great consolation to this long drive; that is, probably the scene on the left pane of the route...it's all coastline, great shores, and mountains throughout. 

captcha.

walk around vigan

By 11, we were in Vigan. It's unbelievable how the whole village has that communal though of restoring their native houses. While there, we thought about having lunch as we need to hit the road quickly. There were a number of eateries but are serving rather fried chicken, spaghetti, etc. Walked around the village to find a

suitable carinderia, but we didn't find as many serving the local cuisine, until we got one on a corner.

We ordered the more unfamiliar dishes and upon asking the servidora what they have as a best seller, she said, better try their vigan longganisa, which we did. Meantime, unlike before where we'd scoop at everybody else's food because it is tasting so delicious, this time, everybody was so generous transferring one's food to another's

plate for them to finish it up. No one seemed to have liked what we ate. One friend ran to the washroom and threw up. When she went out, instead of being upset, she was kind of amazed to tell us that the energy drink even came out still very cold from her tummy... :-) just how bad that dine was.

worst meal ever

After that toxic meal, we're moving next on our list: Paoay Church. We got to the church at around 11 am. I've heard about this church back in college on my humanities classes, and I am the most thrilled in the group to get to it. It is amazing how the structure stood in time. Coming close to it's walls, I tried rubbing my palm to the surface and very easily, debris' loose. Plants have grown in all corners and surfaces. Inside the church, the scaffolding would tell you just how struggling the foundation is.

After a 30 minute shoot whatever you could shoot, we left for the bangui windmills: Major attraction rank 2. From the highway, I kinda doubted on the turn going to the windmills; It was very narrow. The only sign that made me assure I am on the right way is the mid size bus turning back and forth to get it fully itself through the turn.The road isn't concrete and at some points you'll have to come to a halt and struggle to fit in versus the fro traffic. There were plenty of houses selling wooden souveniers of the bangui along the way.

Looking from afar, I feel nothing but a rather just a view...just something to check out. I mean, they appear so calm like they are

bangui windmills

nothing but power generating figures. When I went at the foot of one of the windmill, I couldn't stand it. They were gigantic and it felt like the rotaries are going to drop on me for sure death. From the sound of the windblow, and the speed of these rotaries, You could feel the power they are are generating.

still in bangui

After some pictures, then we headed to Pagudpod, and immediately scoutted for a transient accomodation.
The cheapest we found was one that seemed to have been a sari sari store turned lodge after an influx of tourists. It was alright...it was comfortable and clean anyway.

Ate Maribel's sari sari lodge

Ate Maribel, proprietor of the lodge, offered to source and cook food for us. Her husband did the shopping after giving him our list, and let us take our time to tap the beach.

It was already almost 5pm and we were sticky and stinking. Everyone was dying to get wet and washed; Besides, the Nevada friend has to go very early the next day.

me...fooling around with the weed

my favorite place in the beachfront

with waves this strong...

After an hour's swim, we felt tired and thought getting our dinner. We had 2 pieces bangus, which we requested Ate Maribel to grill. Not sure how she's done it, and not sure if it is with the bangus itself, but I never had a grilled milkfish this good. Everybody is done just after the first piece, and I thought about reserving the 2nd one for the other day (though I wanted more and was rather just resisting). Only 2 of us in the group stood for the d'bar vodka bottles awaiting us. I, and my friend, could hardly finish them up.

After emptying the first bottle, none of our throat could take any more liquor. We, my friend and I, drained up a bit, and walked along the shore.

When we got back, Ate Maribell's well behaved but hungry dog was munching up on the 2nd bangus...poor me! And since I can basically do nothing, not to mention I was tired and tipsy, ..and so I threw myself to bed (or mat, for that matter); Woke up at 8am, woke up the flight-compulsive guy, bathed, and then dropped him to laoag (which, by the way, again, my uncanny research said was a 30-minute drive). When I got back, it was already late 12 noon. I bought some grilled squids along the way served for that day's lunch. After the

luncheon, it was beachtime part 2 til about 3 o'clock. After the wash, we had another discussion of whether we are pushing through with the cagayan trip, or rather staying for another night in pagudpod. In my absense, while I was driving to and from laoag, my friends asked people around how far it is to cagayan, and no one

could give them a sure proximate...but "very very far" But then again, like I said, Ilocos to Cagayan is much closer in comparison that Pampanga to Cagayan. So...objection Overruled...we're pushing through.

It was past 5am and we're ready to leave; We Paid a thousand pesos for the lodge and extra hospitality of ate Maribel and her husband.

We're taking the backdoor route, going through the patapat viaduct and through the upper horizontal coastline of luzon.

Just before getting to the patapat viaduct, from the highway atop the mountain, you could see a nice view of Stone formations and shores of Hannah Beach Resort.

must see in pagudpod

We took a detour for a photoshoot delaying the trip for another 2 hours.

i love the peeping thing

nursery for fishlets...:-)

Just before leaving the boundaries of Hannah Beach Resort, we spoke to another group to ask them about the odds of the route. As out of us 4, 3 of my companions were ladies, the driver whom we asked said,
we might not be able to get through as it's late, and the weather is wet. From Hannah beach itself, you could see the dark clouds covering the range and it translates to some fear. But then, what's fear????

along hannah beach resort

We were at the patapat viaduct and we couldn't see any more vehicles except ours; Rain was getting stronger, winds blowing harder; Rocks falling from our right, and from our left are huge sounds of the pacific waves. At some point, you'lll have to turn the car a bit as huge rocks will be lying at the middle of the

road. Nobody was talking on the car, everyone trying to sense around, and I spoke up to cut the wrack. 

That was a saturday night, and I yelled "where the hell is the party? It's a freaking saturday night and all I hear is the rain dropping and the frogs croaking" I'm glad I've refreshed everybody...but, it's just not enough to get rid of the worry. No matter how I try to revive everybody's spirit, the view from the windshield couldn't help...the zigzag, narrow, and wet road, the thick forrestry, the stones falling, etc.

We've come accross some villages but all the villages were deep asleep. It was around half past 9 when we came across a flying V station in the middle of a rice field. The rain was also off.

Stretching stretching and more cardio perhaps. Took some of our boiled eggs, and made some coffee. We thought we were somewhat safe. My goddd...I've seen one of the staff take out a suspicious 45

caliber gun from his waist and put it in the drawer. Whoofff! what a scene. I asked that we leave as early as possible and excused that we have a lot more to drive. We thanked the people there in the gasoline station and left. Along the way, I opened up what I've seen and the 3 girls saw it too. We were brainstorming, and for our relief, we though they might be using it for security; they're in the middle of the field and villains could just rob them anytime.

More driving, continued darkness, and in and out rain. Around almost 12 mn, my google maps says we are in Aparri - getting close to Jotay beach resort. Heavier rains pour and past the cagayan river, next to the national highway, the map shows 2 ways leading to our destination. We took the closest one...another unpaved road. Well, who'd think it'll be unpaved all throughout...it's about 20kms of wetness and roughness; that translates to 2 hours of mixed fear and boredom; Again...the frogs...2 cemeteries along the way...no

houses...what an experience. It was past 2am when we got to Sta Ana Cagayan, and there is nobody awake. We are less than 250 meters to Jotay beach but it is a secluded and narrow muddy traverse..and it

seems like our getz will have a 10 inch margin of error from the left wheels before dropping about 3 meters high to the shore. We said, we'll take it in the morning, and find somewhere else to park and nap for the meantime. We took a u-turn and parked at a nearby closed gasoline station. At around half past 5, I woke up and I saw a man coming out from a stay-in room in the gasoline station. I woke up the rest of the

company and told them someone's coming. When he got to us, he asked where we are heading. I then told him the story of our adventure..he looked at the ladies I was with and he seemed stunned at how braved

we were to drive all the way from pampanga, to ilocos, then to cagayan, on a nightime, and that wet. I told him about our destination and he was suggesting something else...Anguib Beach Resort, claiming it is incomparable to Jotay beach Resort which was our intended destination. A few minutes past, we asked to leave and drove to a carinderia for our meal. That carinderia was in San Vicente Cagayan Market and the food was a total delight..a delightful reprieve from our vigan serving. In the carinderia, we asked people again, and everybody was pushing us towards Anguib Beach. Then again, locals know best. So, there...off to Anguib

Marker in San Vicente Cagayan..Tip of the National Highway.

Beach. The locals however say that we might not be able to drive to the beach as the car might not be able to handle the road. On dry season, bigger 4x4s can do it, but a petite car like our can't handle it when it's this wet. Our option was to take a boat for P1200 or take a 2 tricyles for P600 each. Either way, we have only a thousand pesos left and we are several hundred more kilometers away from home. The max we could spend is only P500, and withdrawing the trip is neither an option after all that we've gone through.

Thinking thinking and more thinking. Yes! I made it to P500. The agreement was to bring the car up to the part that it could handle, and then the 4 of us transferring to the tricycle from a certain

heading to anguib

point forward. The manong driver agreed. Along the way, in the zigzag road, we spotted some monkeys standing freely on the roadside (though they ranaway when they saw us freaking out at our excitement). The road leading to the beach is under construction and in preparation for perhaps a high end tourist destination.

mud slide in a bit...

At that point we've seen a hugh catch basin of thick mud, we

backride

transferred to the tricyle to get us going. The tricycle couldn't handle it either, so for those basins, we had to carry our slippers and walk barefooted past. We realized, the point where we left the car was almost only 500m away from the beach. By the time we reached the beach, it was around 10 am. I took out the camera to start the rolling the pictures, and it's battery dead! Shame on me... Nevertheless, as bad as it goes, I got my phone. That's better than nothing.

finally getting there

The water was cool and clean and we couldn't waste anymore time on bluffing. Dipped Dipped Dipped. The fact that we've been led to anguib beach, and feel its waters even only for an hour was more than enough to cover it all up.

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the ladies preparing for their cool dip

By 11am, we had to head home. We paid P15/head for the entrance charges. We didn't pay any cottage rentals as we informed the caretaker rightaway that we'll take only an hour and we don't need any table nor shade. Along the way back, I was regretting about the P500 we paid for the tricycle...we could've walked. But then, that's  fine...charge to experience.

Not that we didn't have time to wash, but we actually had no where to wash. We got in the car feeling all that salt in the skin...quite sticky; We aren't bothered. We are more bothered by the distance we'll have to drive home. Now, before hitting the road, I looked at my google maps and told my friend to take the alternative route, instead of the 20km rough; After some 15 minutes, we just realized we were already on the national highway. We could've spared ourselves all that trouble had we taken the proper route. We might have not had to sleep in the car and in the gasoline station; we might have had more time for swimming...all but funny regrets...haist.

On the way home, in tuguegarao city, craving for lunchtime, we've come accross a cozy restaurant. So..there we were chatting with the people..it's a whole family working in the restaurant. We told them the same things, that we're from pampanga, we drove to ilocos, yada yada,,,and again, that amazement. Another great dish on their menu...try their pancit with tokwat baboy topping. It seems the people in cagayan really cook just as well. It's totally different from the kapampangan dishes but equally delightful. We asked if we can have our thermos filled and they agreed at a charge. They also have a big shower at the which, which the ladies asked if they could take a bath. Ate was so accomodating that she agreed. Her sons even collected water for their bath (and as a Man, had to take care of mine myself). After the bath, we were ready for home. We thought the adventure is far over...and nothing but plain driving. But here goes manong... he told us to be very careful when we get to Sta Fe - the slopes, and the turns. All freshen up...no more pit stops. At a minimum speed of 80kms, and eyes steady on google maps...Along the way, we saw markers of Jollibee: 25kms ahead. I was surprised getting to a burgersteak here can cause this much travel.

At 9pm, we were in Sta Barbara. Much of the vehicles travelling were trucks of vegetables distributed to the southern regions. The slopes and turns are outrageous and I am going freak at what's ahead within a few kilometers in Sta Fe. On a gasoline station before we reach Sta Fe, the girls excused for a comfort break, and that's where we shifted drivers. I took the steer, and here goes sta fe... 

The feeling is like, if only I could take an alternative way even having to bear +100kilometers more, I would. You go up the mountain revolving like in a spring, and from the heel, you could see the vehicles going round up, one after and next to another, on hardly beyond 3kms/hour. The slope goes straight upwards...no downward slopes, no plains...I just held my breath the whole time til we got past it. Then came Nueva Ecija...and then pampanga. We got home only by 4am...The day after and the following day after, everyone was on sick leave...muscle aches and extra dozages of ibuprofen.

Pagupod

*Ate Maribel's number is 09283150095

*To get to the closes market from pagudpod is P80 oneway on trike.

Better get everything you'll need before landing.

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Mt Tangisan, San Jose, Tarlac

crime buddies

My friend Ivy, has a client who’s a member of a mountaineering group in Tarlac. For that weekend, we did not have any plan in place, and since anywhere is a better option to staying at home, we thought about taking the invite.

This will be the first time we, along with my drinking buddies, will be taking a hike as a weekend activity. The hike is expected to be completed in less than 2 hours. We, along with my buddies, agreed to meet by 8am at Ivy’s house in Mabalacat, Pampanga, and from there, we shall meet the mountaineers by 10am in Mcdonalds in Tarlac City.

It does not come as a surprise though that my buddies come delayed. We got completed at Ivy’s house by only 9:30 and had to leave late from Mcdonalds Tarlac at past 11am.

From Mcdonalds, there was a chartered jeep to get us to San Jose Tarlac. By 2pm, we were at the hill and wasted to no more time. The seniors were asking us if we’ll get porters, but that’s never on our limited budget. Besides, being the younger ones, we prefer to take the challenges as is.

kicking it off

Within only 20mins of treck, and perhaps less than a hundred steps from the hill, one friend Julie was having her asthma already; Another invitee, Gelo, was feeling his cardiac; Another, Joanne, was complaining how tired she is and that she wouldn’t want to proceed.

starting with the slopes

The senior mountaineers were surprised and said this will be the first time there will be someone to quit. Meantime, Dra. Go was saying since it is our first time, we’ll just have to rest every so often, and take more water.  It was compelling how she tries to motivate us to complete and see what it feels like up there...further, perhaps, to get us into mountaineering as a habit. Since Julie’s asthma is the more serious of all complaints, I took her luggage to loosen her up.

rest after 10 mins... :-)

Indeed, we stopped at every place possible. We took all pictures we could at the view. Midway through, we had only 3Liters water for 7 people.  Everyone was saying that the next time we’ll have to hike, apart from our luggages, we’ll get 2 extra porters to carry each of us in a hammock, like we were madame Cleopatra, or Queen Tamad.

tonton's shoes giving it up

We reached the summit at almost 5pm. We’ve set up 2 tents for the 7 persons, both loaned by Dra. Go. We reheated the prepared asado, and had our dinner. At 7 pm, we started the socials. The seniors were having the san Miguel light in cans, and we the juniors had 4 D’bar vodkas.

and some more rests

....after all that much alcohol, I am excused for not remembering anything

and finally getting there

It was roughly 7 am when we woke up, brushed, and had breakfast. Right after, we set to pack up and explore the nearby Bungkol Baka etc.

and my neglegted feet

Compared to what we’ve gone through going up, moving from mountain to mountain and eventually downwards was probably 5 times more difficult. Some slopes would be too lean, and either they’re slippery dry sand or hard rock where you can’t hold to anything. I bet if I’d fall there, there’s not even time to yell for help as i’d drop directly to some sharp stones which I could see from where I stand.

socials

By 11 am, the senior were already at the host in the village getting ready for our assumptous luncheon; Where, we, well...we were still working our way through the bushes and trying to figure out how we can get to the host house before the seniors finally give up waiting and think about leaving us. 

the crime buddies again

We were 2 hours behind the seniors and as I had been dehydrated, and all my mates were with the guides anyway, I thought about going ahead. I took the rest of the trail myself through the cemetery and then through the villages. When I got there, the seniors were almost done with their lunch and i was too shy to join them. By the time they arrived, we were all asked to finish lunch asap as the seniors will have some other affairs later in the afternoon.

now with everybody else

crime buddies

My friend Ivy, has a client who’s a member of a mountaineering group in Tarlac. For that weekend, we did not have any plan in place, and since anywhere is a better option to staying at home, we thought about taking the invite.

This will be the first time we, along with my drinking buddies, will be taking a hike as a weekend activity. The hike is expected to be completed in less than 2 hours. We, along with my buddies, agreed to meet by 8am at Ivy’s house in Mabalacat, Pampanga, and from there, we shall meet the mountaineers by 10am in Mcdonalds in Tarlac City.

It does not come as a surprise though that my buddies come delayed. We got completed at Ivy’s house by only 9:30 and had to leave late from Mcdonalds Tarlac at past 11am.

From Mcdonalds, there was a chartered jeep to get us to San Jose Tarlac. By 2pm, we were at the hill and wasted to no more time. The seniors were asking us if we’ll get porters, but that’s never on our limited budget. Besides, being the younger ones, we prefer to take the challenges as is.

kicking it off

Within only 20mins of treck, and perhaps less than a hundred steps from the hill, one friend Julie was having her asthma already; Another invitee, Gelo, was feeling his cardiac; Another, Joanne, was complaining how tired she is and that she wouldn’t want to proceed.

starting with the slopes

The senior mountaineers were surprised and said this will be the first time there will be someone to quit. Meantime, Dra. Go was saying since it is our first time, we’ll just have to rest every so often, and take more water.  It was compelling how she tries to motivate us to complete and see what it feels like up there...further, perhaps, to get us into mountaineering as a habit. Since Julie’s asthma is the more serious of all complaints, I took her luggage to loosen her up.

rest after 10 mins... :-)

Indeed, we stopped at every place possible. We took all pictures we could at the view. Midway through, we had only 3Liters water for 7 people.  Everyone was saying that the next time we’ll have to hike, apart from our luggages, we’ll get 2 extra porters to carry each of us in a hammock, like we were madame Cleopatra, or Queen Tamad.

tonton's shoes giving it up

We reached the summit at almost 5pm. We’ve set up 2 tents for the 7 persons, both loaned by Dra. Go. We reheated the prepared asado, and had our dinner. At 7 pm, we started the socials. The seniors were having the san Miguel light in cans, and we the juniors had 4 D’bar vodkas.

and some more rests

....after all that much alcohol, I am excused for not remembering anything

and finally getting there

It was roughly 7 am when we woke up, brushed, and had breakfast. Right after, we set to pack up and explore the nearby Bungkol Baka etc.

and my neglegted feet

Compared to what we’ve gone through going up, moving from mountain to mountain and eventually downwards was probably 5 times more difficult. Some slopes would be too lean, and either they’re slippery dry sand or hard rock where you can’t hold to anything. I bet if I’d fall there, there’s not even time to yell for help as i’d drop directly to some sharp stones which I could see from where I stand.

socials

By 11 am, the senior were already at the host in the village getting ready for our assumptous luncheon; Where, we, well...we were still working our way through the bushes and trying to figure out how we can get to the host house before the seniors finally give up waiting and think about leaving us. 

the crime buddies again

We were 2 hours behind the seniors and as I had been dehydrated, and all my mates were with the guides anyway, I thought about going ahead. I took the rest of the trail myself through the cemetery and then through the villages. When I got there, the seniors were almost done with their lunch and i was too shy to join them. By the time they arrived, we were all asked to finish lunch asap as the seniors will have some other affairs later in the afternoon.

now with everybody else

Read More »