Langyaw: Minalungao National Park

I could think of at least 5 ways to ruin a trip:
* Go on a trip with an idiot
* Go on a trip without checking the weather
* Go on a trip without knowing some things about the destination
* Get robbed or lose my baggage
* Miss the flight

And it is purely to satisfy my curiosity that I have experienced almost all, ok all, of the above. Really just because I was curious. But I never thought I would be adding to that list until last weekend when I went to see Minalungao National Park.

Add: Travel drunk or nurse a hangover the whole day.

So, over the weekend, I left a party at 4:30am after I got a call from friends I was taking the trip with. We were supposed to take the first bus at 5am, but they were running late, so we ended up taking the third one.

The trip took a little over 3 hours (see travel notes below), but I was asleep the whole time and woke up with a terrible headache when we reached Bucana, Gapan, our jump off to Minalungao. We found a line of motorcycles near the bus stop and negotiated with one of them to take us to the national park. Since we'd be staying there the whole day, and there are no eateries at Minalungao, we passed by Gapan's public market to buy meat and other food for lunch. We also had a quick breakfast at the food court across from the market. I ate what I could after throwing up everything I had had for dinner in the restroom at the bus terminal before we'd left. I would soon find out that breakfast would be a waste, too. I was just lucky the driver decided to stop by a gas station before heading for the river or I would have gone inside the tricycle.

The tricycle ride to Minalungao was bad. I had thought I could sleep off the 1-hour-and-30-minute ride, but it was impossible with my head on the verge of explosion. The rough road did not help either. And because the tricycle was not designed to go through steep roads, we had to get off it several times and go on foot. I know we must have passed interesting scenery on the way, but I could not care less, especially when all I could think of is a soft bed in a really cool bedroom, and well, Advil.

We got to Minalungao in time for lunch. We started the fire to grill the meat. No, they did that. I, on the other hand, found a rock that's flat enough to get some sleep on. But that was after being disappointed with the color of the water, seeing how brown it was. It had rained two days before, and it would take three to four days before the river clears up and turns back to green. Well, I was too drunk to be depressed, so I drifted off.

After lunch, which consisted of grilled pork, salted eggs, eggplant, and banana, we set out for the cave. We trekked through the limestone, which could not be done when it is raining. In fact, they do not allow people to be near the river when it is raining. If you are planning to go there, pay attention to the weather forecast. The trek to the cave does not take a long time, but it could be dangerous if you are not careful. We decided not to enter the cave anymore. It did not look so inviting, with litter all over the entrance plus we did not have headlamps with us.

On the way back, we decided to take the raft. With my head still throbbing, this was the best decision for the day. Besides, it would be a nice experience.

We had some time before our scheduled departure, so we had coffee and ice candy at the store. The store sells water and sodas and some snacks. We rested a bit and the headed for Bill's Inn in Gapan.

Gapan

Gapan City Plaza

It started to rain on the way to Gapan. We thought that we were still lucky it was sunny all day at Minalungao or this trip would have been screwed over twice. At this time, my headache's subsided to a level that allows me to sleep. After an hour and a half, we reached Bill's Inn, where the staff had already been waiting for us.

The hotel's fine. It was better than we expected. It was clean and the staff are very nice. The room's not bad, with cable TV and a hot and cold shower- two things I wish for in a hotel. I hit the shower, hoping to wash the rest of the hangover. After settling in and showering, we went to Rustica for dinner.

The next day, hangover's gone. I was in the best mood for some hiking and exploring. After having our free breakfast, we decided to see some of Gapan- the plaza, the church and a local cafe (whose name sounds funny: Caffe La Tea). We were being tourists in the city and having fun while at it.

view at the hotel

We started waiting for the bus to Manila at 6pm at Bucana, and was finally able to get on one at 7:30. We forgot it was Sunday, and the whole city seemed to be waiting for buses back to Manila with us, as well. But we got seats, all three of us after a long wait.

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We should have gone to Minalungao in the dry months to see its calm green water that's stunning against the white limestone that surround it. Not when its brown and the current's too strong to go swimming.

It would be easy to say that this trip was a flop considering. However, I have always held that trips are not just about the destination. Getting there and everything else after that are as important. Even for me, who wobbled my way to the terminal, puked on the toilet seats and probably snored louder than the sound of bus engine, this was a trip to remember. Although, I am adding another entry to the list of ways to ruin a trip, this was saved by a fun company this time.