Pre-summer Drive: Baler- Dipaculao- Maddela- Nueva Vizcaya

Taking a break to stretch

I have recently taken up driving to the country side. Every now and then, I would look at the map, and check which places I could explore, but this time, not through public transportation as I used to. Driving calms me more than sitting on the sofa and watch Justice League again. When I drive, I experience silence in that I focus on the road and the roadside scenery, away from the noise in my head. This also gives me a good opportunity for beautiful photographs- materials for my photo collage that I am planning to put up on my living room wall.

The Road Trip: Vigan, Pagudpud, Tuguegarao, Santiago

I drove for a hundred or so kilometres (6 hours) with my car’s hood unlatched. I noticed this only when we stopped at a gasoline station for a stretcher, halfway into our destination. I was lucky the hood did not fly open towards our windshield or someone else would be writing this story. Excitement can really get the better of anyone, but I am glad that even with that major safety blunder, I still went ahead and tick this to-do off my list. 

I had been curious about driving to Pagudpud and back. I never thought I would muster the courage to finally do it, being a fairly amateur driver. I got my first car seven years ago. It was a 15-year old automatic Accord, which I had to have fixed before driving. It would take three weeks including the repainting, so I had time to enroll in a driving school for a 10-hour session. This was enough for me not to be a threat to my life and others. For four years, I was a “good” driver, very defensive, not going beyond speed limit, letting pedestrians go first, and not violating traffic rules (except for the two times, when I did not see the signs). Driving was fun, but it was also a stressful endeavor, since one wrong move could spell the difference between life and death. This is not to mention the possible breakdown that I would experience on the road, which my old car gave me a lot of (overheating and starting problems).

Nuvali

I would recommend going to Nuvali on a weekend if the only other choice is to do the laundry. At least there, you could play with your pet, go running, read a book or just laze under a tree watching people on picnics.

From where I am staying it is just 30 minutes away, especially if you get yourself to listen to Waze and follow her directions. Depending on traffic, she would either tell you to take Sta. Rosa exit or Eton or Greenfield. I know that you can also take public transportation to get there, but it will not be as convenient.
Nuvali is a relief for sure. I have seen people feed the fish, cruise the lake on a speed boat, cycling and having pictures taken. You cannot use your DSLR without getting a permit, though. I guess it's now considered a weapon of mass destruction, but if the guard were to explain it, it's really just because the developer wants to earn more. What they're getting from the vendors, the restaurants and 7-11 is so meager they would probably charge park goers entrance fee soon.
I like that the fish there are orange, and the sculptures, but what captured my interest more is the natural touch of the park. Going further north, from where the restos are, is a lagoon that is surrounded by shrubs and trees. It's a good place to go strolling or running if you want to lose some of those calories. But if you're allergic to pollens, you might want to stay away.
So, forget about the laundry this weekend. Feed hundreds of koi, read a good book, take a stroll or have some pasta in Nuvali.

From Catanduanes To Caramoan And Back

Binurong Point, Catanduanes

First Day
Chance is risk positively interpreted. And when it comes to chance, I could be stubborn to the point of irrationally ignoring the risks. I would ignore reason in exchange for a chance to see another beautiful place. And, I should have to rethink this.
This was a struggle during the trip to Catanduanes. It always is when you go for places barely touched by destructive progress. Still.
Lucky would be the best word to describe how things worked for me and my friends. We left on a Sunday evening, as two separate groups. We were to meet in Legaspi City, where we'd have breakfast before leaving for Tabaco to take a ferry going to either San Andres or Virac in Catanduanes. But since it was vacation period, with the Holy Week starting in just a few days, it was almost impossible for anyone to get bus tickets to anywhere. The other group could not chance on any bus going south, so they took the van, which got them to Legazpi 2 hours later than our group. So breakfast became lunch.

La Trinidad

Before the summer starts raising blood pressures, I thought it would be good to go to the coldest
region of the country and have an excuse not to take baths. Baguio would be tacky. With the crowd, I couldn't feel the cool air. Sagada would be too far and I'm not in the mood for camping. So, I called a friend in La Trinidad, Benguet, and asked if I could crash his place for two nights.

La Trinidad is about 30 minutes from Baguio, and besides the cool climate, it's got its own share of beautiful sites to visit. Unlike Baguio, La Trinidad is not crowded, though the smell of diesel coming from the vehicles is still hard to ignore. 

Mt. Binutasan and How Grannies Made Us Eat Dust

When things get too difficult, cry and you’ll get a horse.

I had never thought this to be possible until I went on a hike to Mt. Binutasan in Rizal. I tagged along with fifteen others to see the famous sea of clouds that form below the peak of the mountain from dawn to 8:00 a.m. It was an easy hike, which we started at five in the morning. We had planned to start two hours earlier, so we could climb Mt. Sapari (These two mountains form the Maysawa circuit, so hikers go to Sapari summit, then Binutasan), as well. But we left Cubao too late, so we ditched that or we would have missed the sea of clouds at Mt. Binutasan.

Sambawan Island

It was not easy finding a boat that would take us to Sambawan on Holy Thursday. For a moment, I feared I would postpone going there again. The last time I had planned on being in Sambawan, I had run out of time and decided to go for Kalanggaman instead, which is one of the best change of plans I have ever made. Kalanggaman island is beautiful. But, that did not diminish my curiosity about this island in Maripipi, Biliran. I just had to see it for myself.

Party Pooper

It is not often that I go home.
In a year, going home twice would already be too frequent. With my schedule and the expense that comes with it, going home is difficult. Add to that the shameful fact that flying still scares me. Though it only takes about an hour and fifteen minutes, it feels like forever with thoughts of crashing the entire flight. So, you see, I try to find excuses not to go home.

Biri Island

Biri is a statement. I can't be adding anything to its name if I use beautiful as a predicate because after seeing the island, Biri cannot be anything else but that. 

It is a respite after traveling for over 20 hours. From its people, to the view, and the simplicity of life, everything is a relief from the tiring trip and the numbing stress at the office. The island provides a sense of calm and an avenue for thinking about things that we try hard to ignore every day. 

Not Just Passing By Baguio

Baguio City

Even with a little hangover, I forced myself to get up earlier than usual on Christmas day to turn off the fan. It was cold.

I had to get my first cup of Benguet’s finest. And in the middle of my musings over coffee, I must have decided I wanted more of the cool air for twelve hours later, I found myself adjusting my seat on a bus bound for Baguio.

The Crater, the Sea and Taking Chances

(This is an account, a very long one, of my trip from Bulusan's crater to Southern Leyte's Limasawa, then to Kalanggaman Island in Palompon.)

We weren't late for the bus ride.

We had three minutes before departure, but somebody had already taken my spot. He asked if we could switch seats so he could be seated next to his wife. I didn't mind, for I was just happy I made it on time. Besides, he looked like he had drooled over the place. So, I took his seat, took off my shoes, pulled up the leg rest and reclined. The bus slowly started off seconds after. Eight hours was a real long time to travel on a bus, but I was glad for the lazyboy seat.

I ran through my itinerary again. I had to be sure I had enough time and budget for the 9-day trip. From Bulusan Volcano, we would head for Carigara through Samar and Tacloban, then to Limasawa, and finally back up north to Sambawan island before heading for Cebu for some barbecue. This was going to be difficult. I would have to be on the run, skip some meals and probably sleep at terminals to realize the plan. I palpitated, but not sure if it was because of anxiety or excitement.

Kalanggaman Island and Her Stories

I didn't mean to see Kalanggaman. At least, this was not what I had in mind when I planned my trip.

I was going for Sambawan island in Biliran, Leyte. But while in Limasawa, I figured I would not make it in time for the last ferry that would leave for Maripipi (the jump-off to the island).

But with only two nights left before vacation is over, I crammed searching for other places and considered going for Kalanggaman again. I excluded it from my itinerary, since there are no passenger boats going to the island. Hiring a boat would would cost me at least Php 3000 (see travel notes below). If I were with a group, this would be fine.

Limasawa: Beyond Beaches and History

History class must have been ages ago for I could only remember that Magellan had landed in Limasawa in the 16th century. I didn't know that he'd landed on a Holy Thursday and celebrated the first mass on an Easter Sunday. And I had no idea that this claim is being contested by two other provinces.

But I did not go there to dabble in history (see travel notes below). I went there to be away from the city into a place that’s not frequented by people on vacation. And, that is not to say this was a trip for the birds, either. Limasawa is a place that does not need to have white beaches or interesting tourist spots for anyone to love it. Being there is the reward.

Mt. Bulusan: Through a Lake, Mossy Forest, and Leeches

I had never been stressed hiking until I climbed Bulusan volcano (see travel notes below). Hiking is something that I do whenever I feel like taking some time off, so the stress I felt on the way to Bulusan's crater was something unusual. But it was also expected.

Years ago, I read up on Bulusan and found out it is the 4th most active volcano (after Mayon, Taal, and Kanlaon) in the country. It last erupted in 2011 and is closely monitored by volcanologists. Climbers are not allowed to stay longer than 15 mins at the crater for safety reasons. Even with the latest technology, it is impossible to predict when the volcano will erupt again. It has an elevation of 1565 masl, and, therefore, no easy climb. Based on the pictures I had seen of it, hiking it would be a treat. With Bulusan lake at its foot and the smaller Aguinay lake at the camp site, nature lovers would have a great time.

My Top Ten Summer Destinations

If the weather is not enough to whisper summer into your ears, I suggest going to any gym and see how packed it is. Around this time, people start trying to lose the pounds they have gained since Christmas. And in a few weeks, it will not just be the gym that's crowded but beaches and other summer destinations, as well.

There really is no better time that's best for traveling than during the summer months. From March to May, the likelihood of a typhoon ruining a much-awaited vacation is almost 0%. But it's not just storms we should avoid during vacations but the hassle of having to be in a very crowded place, as well. And, if you are allergic to a big crowd, never plan your vacation during the Holy Week.

Mt. Daraitan and the Stunning Tinipak River

View from the summit

If you are looking for a destination that is good for a weekend, Mt. Daraitan is a great choice. From Starmall in Crossing, it only takes around 3 hours to get to. This place in Tanay, Rizal has a lot to offer: caving, swimming and of course, hiking (for more information on how to get there, see travel notes below the story).

I did not expect much when I signed up for this hike with a group organized by a friend of a friend. Rizal is too near Metro Manila to still have interesting things to see. I had thought that this was another overrated place.

Moving

I had become very comfortable with my last apartment, so I looked for a reason to loathe the landlady
and my 50-year old, next-door neighbor to justify moving to a new place. It was not difficult. I only had to think about them and realized I should congratulate myself for having lived there for years without developing some sort of heart disease.

That old home is actually nice, strategically located (walking distance from the highway, where I could get buses, jeeps, and cabs), and peaceful. Neighbors would go about their own businesses, and in fact, I rarely saw any of them. The problem was I had no problems, so I left.  Staying in a place for some time and actually loving it makes me uneasy. It is worse than the unease I feel with my next-door neighbor's moans while having sex with whomever she picked up on the street. Or my landlady's gossips about how the couple in unit A have each of their own families making the place their secret love nest.

Capturing Pasig Palengke

Who knows where else my feet could take me?

It was a ridiculous idea to go to Pasig Palengke (Pasig Public Market) at one in the morning, and that's why I went. When my housemate asked if I wanted to go, I did not hesitate. Besides the experience of going there that early, it's a place I had always wanted to take street photos in.

I had never thought I could get vegetables and fruits at a much lower price at 1:00 a.m. Apparently, this is the best time to go if you want the freshest of goods at discounted prices. But it might not have been the safest hour.

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.

Finding Home in the Mist of Sagada

Pathway beside the church leading to the cemetery and
to Echo Valley

I wouldn't say I was soul-searching when I went on this trip to the north. I was really just sick of my couch at home. No, really. It was light brown when I first got it, but now, no matter how hard I try to clean it up, it's gotten so dark. I needed to be thinking about something else or my obsessive-compulsive behavior would finally get the better of me. So, I took off and got inked.

After getting my traditional tattoo from Bang-od in Buscalan (read Buscalan story here), I headed for Sagada (see travel notes below). The thought of hiking again in this misty town had seemed inviting. The cool fresh air was what I needed. This was going to be my third time here, but would be my first hiking around alone.