MakTrav with MSOC

The last mountain that I climbed was Mt. Pundaquit when I went with the MSOC to Anawangin Cove. It was November last year.

My friend K also invited me to their Batulao climb last January 9 (Sunday) but he texted me January 8th while I was already in Calapan. I couldn't actually go home Saturday night from an out-of-town trip and leave again the following morning for a mountain climb. Yea, pwede, but my Nanay would fume mad and Princess would feel depressed two days in a row and that's bad.

Then some of the MSOC applicants invited me for a MakTrav the following Sunday, January 16th, and I immediately said yes. It would be my first major climb ever.

K didn't join the team so I went to the Jam Transit station in Buendia alone at 3 AM. It was even baha in Pasay Rotonda because Manila Water was working in the area. Most of the team members were already there when I arrived.

We left for Sto. Tomas at 4 AM via an air-conditioned Jam Transit. The trip cost P90.00 because we were all charged student fare. Majority of us were students, anyway.

It was a pleasant team. I already met Sir Maldz and three of the applicants during the Pundaquit-Anawangin trip so I didn't feel like an outcast anymore. Not that they made me feel like an outcast the first time, it's just that it's easier to travel with people you already know.

The kids (as I call the applicants) ate their packed breakfast even before the bus left the station. I didn't eat. It's hard for me to eat that early in the morning. I slept through the trip instead.

 the Maktrav team before leaving Sto. Tomas town (clockwise from left) me, Prince, Sir Maldz, Sir Jury, Sir Aim, Troy, Khollin, Rain, and Akil

We were at Sto. Tomas after an hour and hired a tricycle to take us to the jump-off in San Bartolome. The air was so cold that morning you could hear the wind howling and the trees were swaying like mad.

After praying (which was led by Troy), we left the registration area at exactly 6 AM. It was still dark but not much that we would need headlamps. But OC as I am, I wore the headlamp around my neck just in case.

With an elevation of 1,090+ MASL and a difficulty of 6 out of 9, MakTrav is classified as a major climb. And before this, the hardest mountain I climbed was only Pico de Loro with the the bird's beak going almost 90 degrees.

Good thing I expected the worst because the trail, though moderately steep at first, became difficult midway up. The wind became stronger and it made the passage across the cogon area very difficult. The sharp blades of the tall grass were slapping at our skin.

We arrived at the Melkas campsite at about 10:30 am and decided to have an early lunch. It started to become so cold with the wind bringing in the fog. It was there where I first set eyes on limatiks. These blood-sucking creatures are mean. You won't really feel they're sucking on your skin unless you see them. Too bad none of us were able to take pictures of the limatiks. But here's a vid of the Melkas campsite.

Passing through the Melkas Ridge was a little nerve-wracking. Prince, one of the applicants who says he's afraid of heights, almost crawled at the ridge.

 Troy, Khollin, Prince, me, and Sir Aim

We arrived at Peak 1 at exactly 11:54 AM. Sir Maldz, being the leader, arrived a few minutes ahead of us, while Rain, Prince, Khollin, and I were the next to arrive. Troy and Akil were at the tail with Sir Jury and Sir Aim (who called his girlfriend that's why they stopped).

 Sir Maldz, Rain, me, and Prince at Peak 1

Aside from limatiks, trapper plants can also be found in Mt. Makiling.

After Peak 1, the trail becomes more complicated. We found ourselves either clinging on vines and ropes or sliding on mud. The mud was very evident on my feet and on the Lagalag trekking pants that I have only used for the second time (the first being Calapan).

The temperature became lower as we headed for the summit. And since the kids didn't know it was that cold in Mt. Makiling, they didn't bring jackets aside from Khollin. I have to tell you, though, that my thick Bench fleece wasn't enough for the cold. I should've brought with me a windbreaker.

And since the kids had no jackets, one of them, Akil, frightened us all when he started getting chills.

 Akil in green shirt before the chills; all wet in the rain.

Troy volunteered to carry Akil's bag and Rain became his official alalay. We really feared hypothermia might have hit him but it was too late to go back. We were just a few minutes away from the summit and the trail going back was very complicated.

 Me at Mt. Makiling's summit

When we reached the summit, they made Akil sit in the bushes to hide him from the wind. Sir Aim also gave him his jacket and threw whatever they could throw on Akil just to keep him warm. Good thing Sir Aim had a stove that he was able to heat water for Akil.

 That's Akil covered up in layers of clothing to keep him warm. Sir Aim behind him desperately trying to heat water, protecting his fire from the strong wind.

When Akil felt a little better, we immediately took off for the trail going to Los Baños, disregarding Peak 3. But it was still a long trek going down. It was 2:45 when we left the summit. Sir Maldz and Sir Jury led the team while Sir Aim stayed at the tail. The two sirs walked so fast, followed by Rain, Akil, and me. Good thing the trail had no ligaw because I suddenly found myself alone in the middle of the trek. Rain and Akil walked so fast that I was left behind, while the others in the tail group were much slower than I was that they were so far behind me!

Then I remembered Sir Jury's kwento before we set off that morning. He related how one time, he and another MSOC member couldn't find their way out while descending Mt. Makiling. They would keep on walking but would find themselves in the same place over and over again. It was almost dark that time and they knew what was happening. Namamaligno sila. Then they saw a little boy in white sando ran across the trail in front of them, before disappearing in thin air. After that, they were able to find their way out.

So I feared the same thing would happen to me. It would be worse cuz I was alone. So I walked fast, took my whistle attached to the strap of my new Hawk daypack, and whistled like mad. No answer though, either from Rain and Akil ahead of me, or from the group of four behind me. I walked alone for almost an hour and it was getting dark. I had my headlamp with me, but still!

What's worse was when I felt the need to do number 1. What if I peed on a punso or something? But I couldn't help it anymore so I just said "Tabi-tabi po!" and did it. I haven't been so frightened peeing in my whole life.

I was also looking around if I was passing by the same area over and over again. If what happened to Sir Jury happened to me that day? I really wouldn't know what to do. Imagine being mamaligno alone!

Anyway, I suddenly saw Rain and Akil ahead. They slowed down because Rain's foot got injured. The kid was wearing a pair of Nike slippers. He thought MakTrav was an easy climb because it was just a dayhike so he didn't wear anything appropriate.

But I was really lucky his foot got injured. At least it made them slow down.

It seemed like an endless trail, really. We reached the Los Baños jump-off after walking non-stop for three-and-a-half hours and it was already dark that time. Sir Maldz and Sir Jury were taking a bath when we arrived at the jump-off. I just washed-up, though. I fear pasma.

After about 30 minutes, the tail group arrived, dirtier than us. They only had one headlamp making the trek in the dark forested, muddy trail a very messy feat. Good thing the water coming out of the pump was lukewarm so some of the kids took a bath.

After cleaning up, we walked to find a jeepney that would take us to where we could have dinner. We stopped at Sulyaw sa Grove and I have to tell you, the food there was cheap! It was just so bad that my camera ran out of battery that time that I wasn't able to take any pic of/at the resto. So here's Sulyaw taken from kainlb.blogspot.com:

I have to tell you, if you're going to UPLB, you have to drop by Sulyaw to experience good food without shelling out a lot of moolah. There's a catch, though. You have to bring your plates, etc to the counter at the far end of the restaurant after you eat. But they won't make you wash those naman. So okay lang.

After eating, the three sirs went off for a drink, while we head to Alabang. The rest of the team were from Quiapo so they still had to take another bus ride from Alabang, while I took a jeepney to go home.

I must say MakTrav is one tiring dayhike. My muscles ached again as if it was my first climb. But there's no regret whatsoever. MakTrav was one heck of an experience.

Here's a compilation of the pics and videos of my Mt. Makiling Traverse with the MLQU Stallions Outdoor Club:

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Is It Possible to Daytrip Calapan City? (Part 2)

Click here to read Is It Possible to Daytrip Calapan City? (Part 1).

Since Nazis told me I could go to Harka Piloto, Tamaraw Falls, Puerto Gallera, and even visit my relatives in Victoria all in one day, I got all the more excited. I could go to all the places in my list plus do the favor my Nanay asked of me - to go introduce myself to our relatives in Bongabon, Victoria.

I decided to first go to Victoria since all the rest of the places in my list was in Calapan. Nazis said it would only take us about half an hour to reach Bongabon so after having coffee, we immediately boarded a van and by 8 AM, we were on the road to my relatives I haven't seen in my life.

But the road was wet cuz it had been constantly drizzling, and there was an ongoing reconstruction in most parts of the national way, thus, the traffic. One-way on most parts, so the half an hour became an hour.

Bongabon, Victoria, Oriental Mindoro

From 9-10:30 AM, all I did was introduce myself to my relatives. I had a list of names from my Nanay and it was a good thing people were so kind over there. All I did was ask and I was given more info than I asked for. Well, actually, I have really never met a snob local in the number of places I had been to. People in the provinces, in my opinion, are really naturally friendly and kind to the dayos.

After saying goodbye to the last relative I visited, and while waiting for a van to take us back to Calapan City, we spotted a karinderia and decided to have a quick and early lunch. I actually declined my relatives' invites to dine cuz I knew it would take more time and I wouldn't be able to make the most out of the trip.

After the P105 meal, a van going to Calapan finally passed by. It was so packed with people and bags and the normally 3-person passenger seat accommodated 5. Nazis sat at the back on a wooden plank of wood that was put there to accommodate more. Good thing it was gloomy and drizzling. I was sure it would be freaking hot inside that van had it been a typical sunny day.

The traffic became heavier this time of the day so the trip back to Calapan was longer. We arrived at the town proper around 12:30 PM and immediately hired a tricycle to take us to Barangay Ibaba. Nazis knew someone there who had a boat we could use. But as fate had it, the friend who had a boat wasn't in his house when we got there so we hired another tricycle to take us to Barangay Lazareto where Nazis had another friend who had a boat. I was already feeling down during the tricycle ride cuz it was almost 1 PM and all I had done was visit relatives.

Luckily, the other friend who had a boat was in his house when we got there, and he was willing to lend us the boat plus a boatman. We only had to pay for the gas. And for that, I was able to smile :D

But there was one thing the boatman was wary about. This:

He said the waves are big and strong. To someone who's not always on boat rides, the waves looked fine to me. And for someone who didn't know how to swim but knew he'd be riding a boat, I wore the float vest I brought along with me. :D But really, the sea was peaceful when I was aboard the RoRo that morning.

Nazis took this. Do I look scared at all? LoL!

And then I realized the waves were really strong. A few seconds after leaving the shore, a big wave almost ate us alive. Good thing the boatman was skilled in what he does, he rode on top of the waves, at times even turning off the motor so we wouldn't drown, but it still didn't stop the waves from hovering above us and getting us wet all throughout.

The boat was really small, Nazis and I couldn't even sit together. I was hunched on the front, on the floor of the boat while Nazis was on the seat behind me. I was screamed through the ride. The waves were like monsters ready to eat us, just waiting for our boatman to make a mistake.

We arrived at the island safe, luckily, and I started looking for the "marine sanctuary" sign I saw in the Harka Piloto pics on the internet. There was none. And then I learned that we were not in Harka Piloto but in one of the Baco Chico islets. Good grief! But what could I do? We were already there. I changed my plan to just island hop the three Baco Chico islets and then head to Harka Piloto afterwards. But guess what? The boatman refused.

He apologized and said the waves were really strong he was afraid for us. And then he told the story of how his boat capsized one time and he got stranded in the open seas for five hours until his neighbors searched for him.

So okay, I didn't push it. If he told us that story to just scare us away, it's fine. He's the boatman and he knew the sea better.

I thanked him, anyway, cuz the boat ride back was really really scary. Roller coaster, indeed. I couldn't even take my cameras out cuz the waves kept hitting us.

So it was a failed attempt to go island hopping. Even a failed attempt to go snorkeling at Harka Piloto.

It was already 3 PM. And Nazis brought me to Camp Navarro (where he resides) so he could change.

I just changed my shirt at the beach and let the Lagalag convertible pants to quick dry. I knew I would still get wet at Tamaraw Falls and I had limited clothes so I didn't change much. Mountain clothes, after all dry easily. Ew to me.

Camp Efigenio C. Navarro:

And then it was past three. I still wanted to go to Tamaraw Falls but we were told that the last jeepney bound for Puerto Gallera leaves at 3 PM. Good grief, indeed! Nazis wanted me to stay overnight so we could go to Tamaraw Falls and Puerto Gallera the next day but I couldn't because (1) I didn't bring enough clothes; (2) I promised Nanay it was a day trip and I really don't wanna break promises; (3) I really don't like military camps, or guns more specifically; (4) I didn't wanna drink, which I was sure would have happened if I stayed overnight; and (5) I didn't wanna cause more troubles for Nazis.

So what we did was roam around town. We went to the Capitol and I couldn't help but be amazed. Everything The Capitol was surrounded by all these government agencies that the compound was like a one-stop shop when you need something government-related.

There's also a Jollibee in town.

As well as Max's.

But, of course, I preferred Jollibee :D

And since I couldn't go anywhere else cuz it's already late in the afternoon, I decided to just go back to the port to buy tickets for the next available RoRo back to Batangas.

The SuperCat was still there. But since the waves were so big and after the boat experience earlier, no more small boats for me at the moment. So I bought a ticket for the Montenegro Lines departing at 6 PM.

Actually, the Montenegro RoRo was still not there at the time so I took the chance to roam around the pier with Nazis. I actually realized we haven't talked much cuz since we met that morning, it was all about beating time. Roaming around the pier, we were able to talk about what's going on in our lives, and reminisce about the old times when we used to sleep over each other's houses so frequently and we drank so much and went out a lot. We were that close he even borrowed my tie for his graduation day. LoL!

The RoRo ride back to Batangas was scary. You could really feel the ship rock up and down, side to side, the curtains in the aircon area slide left and right. The two speakers beside the videoke machine were constantly moving and shaking, and the doors of the cabinets in the tv area kept on opening and closing.

It was hard to walk without holding on to something, but I managed to go out to the side of the ship. Watch how the light in the distance go up and down. It was actually the ship swaying.

I must say my itinerary failed big time. But I can honestly say the experience was okay. I was able to roam Calapan and was actually able to meet relatives I wouldn't have met if I didn't go to Mindoro.

The only highlight of the trip, though, was the boat ride and, of course, reconnecting with my old friend who's now a policeman.

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Is It Possible to Daytrip Calapan City? (Part 1)

I was supposed to go up Mt. Pulag January 6th but begged off upon learning that it’s a four-day hike. I can’t afford to be out of the house (and out of the business) for that long this early in the year. It made me sad, though, because I really wanted to climb the third highest mountain in the country (and the highest in Luzon). So I planned a trip to cheer myself up while the team I was supposed to go with were having fun at the summit.

While contemplating on where to go, it so happened that I saw an old friend on Facebook and added him up. He’s now a policeman stationed in Calapan City, Oriental Mindoro. That fact made it easier for me to plan on where to spend my Saturday.

Leaving the house at 12:30 AM Saturday, my target was to catch the 4 AM RoRo leaving for Calapan from the Batangas Port. There was an air conditioned bus in front of Star Mall Alabang but since I travel on a budget, I always opt for non-aircon ones, so I headed to Alabang Bus Terminal to have my option. But unluckily for me, there was no bus bound for Batangas Pier (aircon or non-aircon) at that time at the terminal. I was told by the person manning the terminal that a bus would soon come and leave by 2:30 AM. I was sure, though, that I wouldn’t be able to make it for the 4 AM RoRo if I would leave Alabang at 2:30.

A young woman sitting at the bus terminal was obviously waiting for something and asked her if she’s headed for the pier. She said yes and she’s also bound for Calapan City. Since a person used to going there is better to ask than the internet, I asked her about the travel time and stuff, and if we would make it to the pier by 4 AM if we leave Alabang by 2:30. She said probably not, so I told her about the aircon bus I saw in front of Star Mall. To make the story short, we boarded the aircon bus and left Alabang at 1:30 AM.

We were already buying tickets at 3:30 AM for the RoRo that would leave at 4 AM.  We were first made to sit at the waiting area where you can also buy snacks and stuff.

There weren’t much passengers waiting and I was kinda happy that there would be no case of overcrowding. LoL! After a while, a voice coming out of horrendous-sounding speakers told us that Maria Ursula (that’s the name of the vessel we’re boarding) passengers could now go inside the ship. Okay so we walked down a set of stairs towards the ship where a bunch of trucks and delivery vans were waiting to board.

Jonah, the young woman I travelled from Alabang with, said it would be better to sit inside the air conditioned part of the RoRo. I wanted to sit in the plastic benches outside but I made it up to her since she’s the one used to going to and fro Calapan.

There were about like 6 persons inside  the air conditioned area when we got in. It actually doubled before the ship left Batangas but it was still just a small portion of what that aircon area could accommodate.

People had enough room to lie down and catch some sleep. Just like Jonah who immediately fell asleep after having a cup of instant noodles she bought at the ship’s canteen.

But I didn’t sleep. I couldn’t. It was my time to roam around.

The sea was calm and the ship was steady. The first level of the ship was full of cargo vehicles and I didn’t go there anymore. After all, there were no windows or anything down there so I just walked around the second level where the air conditioned area was as well as the plastic benches in the open area.

There wasn’t much to see, really. I wished it was daytime but then traveling at night (or early morning for that matter) gives me more day time to roam around my destination. More day time means having enough time to go to the places you intend to visit, therefore eliminating the need to stay overnight. And that has always been my game plan (or in this case, travel plan).

The third level of the ship, the deck, was actually what I wanted to see. But since it was dark, all I could see of the sea was the white foamy water at the side of ship. It was so dark I felt like we were in the middle of nowhere. Even the deck itself was dimly lighted, and to top it off, there was no one there aside from me. It felt a little creepy, actually. Good thing two men also went up the deck after a few minutes to take pictures. It wasn’t too creepy when I wasn’t alone.

Travel time was two hours, and by that time, we were already an hour into the trip. The sea became rough by then and I couldn’t walk without an effort to balance. The two men decided to go back to the lower level leaving me all alone again at the deck. After a few more pics, I also went back to the second level myself. The ship was so swaying I couldn’t walk without holding on to something.

Jonah was still asleep that time, and looking at her made me want to take a nap. I was awakened after a few minutes when the ship blew its horn. We were near the Calapan Port! I scrambled up with my camera to the open area where the sea was already visible. It was almost daylight! I hoped to get a glimpse of sunrise but the sun rises on the other side, I guess.

The ship was still swaying, though less this time. The islets of Calapan City were already visible you could almost see the trees in the not-yet-so-bright morning light.

A few minutes later, we were  already at the Calapan Port. People started going down to the first level of the ship, preparing to get out. I texted Nazis, my policeman friend stationed at Calapan City, that I was almost at the pier. Then Jonah and I decided to go down to the first level as well, where the cargo vehicles were. And boy, did we regret it!

The trucks and vans started their engines as soon as they saw the plank went down, emitting fumes that was so harsh to the nose and throat. And of course it would still take some time to fit the plank onto the pier, and we were trapped inside the first level with all that vehicle fumes which made most of us start coughing. It was quite impossible to get back up the second level because the small way back (which was actually just a space between the vehicles) was already filled with passengers wanting to go out. Honestly, these RoRo ships should have a separate entrance/exit for passengers rather than using the same one used by the cargo vehicles.

Anyway, we were able to get out of the ship alive and I thanked Jonah for being my guide up to that point. Honestly, Batangas Pier was a little confusing and I really thanked God for giving me a company who knows the way around.

I texted Nazis again that I was already in Calapan. But after waiting for like 10 minutes of no reply, I decided to move alone from there. I’ve gathered enough info from Jonah that I knew I only had to take a tricycle from the pier if I wanted to go to the town proper of Calapan. And what’s the best way to start going around than to visit the town’s church?

What I like most about the provinces (at least those that I’ve been to) is that everything can be found at the town proper or what they call bayan. The church, municipal hall, market, hotels, and even the jail.

So I rode a tricycle for 20 pesos and got off in front of Citimart which was a little past the church. I did that because I wanted to walk and have a feel of the place.

The Sto. Niño Cathedral didn’t have the look of an old church, what with its freshly-painted look and the lack of old architectural flare one who has seen enough old churches is accustomed to.

It was constructed in 1959 and it has a long aisle, which was being decorated when I got there. Asking the people inside, I learned that someone’s getting married at 9 o’clock that morning. It would have been great to watch the bride walk down the long aisle but it was only 7 AM that time. I couldn’t possibly wait and waste 2 hours of my time to watch a wedding.

The church houses a magnificent pipe organ (behind me on the above pic) which is its equivalent of the bamboo organ of Las Piñas.

I was almost about to leave the church when my phone (yes, the pink Torque you see in the pic) rang. It was Nazis, and he’s at the pier! Anyway, he met me at the church and we had coffee in a nearby karinderia.

My itinerary included Harka Piloto and Tamaraw Falls and a peek of Puerto Gallera if possible. There’s also an optional visit to relatives in Victoria if time would permit. I asked Nazis if all of that were possible (including the relatives thing) on a daytrip and he said yes. He said Harka Piloto is just a boat ride away, after which we could hop on a jeepney for Tamaraw Falls (which was along the road to Puerto Gallera) and then head straight to Puerto. He also told me I didn’t have to go back to Calapan because I could go back to Batangas via the boats in Puerto Gallera. It sounded okay to me so off we went to Victoria for the relatives my Nanay wanted me to visit. Honestly, I had never seen most of them and most of them didn’t know me prior to this visit.

(To be continued…)

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A Walk in the Dark

These pics were taken on the 2nd to the last Simbang Gabi. In all the nine mornings that I attended mass (yes I was able to complete all the nine masses), I was never able to sit inside the church. Those people who were able to I guess went there an hour before the mass started.

Second photo was taken on my walk home from the church at around 5:20 in the morning. That's where I walked eight times out of the nine Simbang Gabi (I took a jeepney ride one time). There’s an even darker part of the road, I took photos but it was too dark to see anything. I wouldn’t really use flash. Too risky. It might attract the attention of hoodlums hiding somewhere. LoL! But seriously, it’s too risky to use flash in that dark a place in that time of day especially when you’re alone.

But here’s a video I took using my Kodak Zx1:

It was along General Santos Ave. Here’s a map:

And I went to church in Our Lady of the Most Holy Rosary Parish which is inside Bicutan Parochial School (marked A in the map).

The evening of the 24th, I attended mass with Princess wearing a Santa costume. There was no one to take a pic of her cuz I was carrying her and I don’t really put her down whenever we’re out (unless I’m taking her for a walk in which case I’d be taking her to a dog-friendly place) cuz of the dirt. Anyway, the Santa costume was the same one from last year (which you can see here).

So everyone who knows I completed the Simbang Gabi asks me what’s my wish. There’s this belief that you’ll be granted a wish when you complete all the nine masses. But I didn’t really attend Simbang Gabi for a wish to be granted. I just wanted to go to church. But then if God will let me have one wish for that, it would be good health for me and my loved ones, Princess included.

Simbang Gabi is really fun. I know I’d be doing it again next year.

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