“Every height is completed by pain, striving, and out
winning. Every step may take a gulp of water, a gasp of air, and perseverance.”
This I told myself after accomplishing my first climb.
I was contacted by my high school friend Sisylson who
invited me to join them on their next climb while we circle UP ovals on a
Sunday or Saturday night basis with our barkada
<group of friends>. I think it’s time for me to take it up to the
next level: mountaineering! Cool idea but do I have the stamina to go for it.
They shoot me the email and I have agreed to join them. It was a booking with
TriPinas, a local mountaineering firm, that organize and put into a package a
mountaineering activity. To cut this short, our destination: Pundakit
(Pundaquit), Zambales for the price of Php 1,750.00 with additional Php 100.00
for the tent rent and Php 450.00 for the food. Date: February 08-09, 2014 which
a day in-debt from my work, needing to file for a time-off on the 7th
for a person working at night where our trips leave at 2:30AM of the 8th.
In preparation for this climb, note that it is my first, I
ran almost every day in our office gym after work and in UP oval on Saturday or
Sunday to build stamina and leg strength. Bought a climbing sandal from Tribu
which I advise 100% after the trip NOT TO BUY because its plastic buckles can
easily be chipped. Aside from that climbing Pundakit trail requires better
footwear. I suggest you buy close mountaineering shoes. I got the following
prepared for myself:
- Biker’s sleeves (rash guards will work)
- Mountaineering pants (best if you wear longer or at least with inner leggings to prevent from getting rashes or cuts from grasses)
- Comfortable clothing (cotton T-shrits)
- Sunscreen (it does not mean you're going to the beach that's why you need it, exposure to the sun is the real reasons...skin cancer is a no no)
- Head gear (ask me where you can get a cheap 21 ways head-gear.
- Hat/cap (I did not wear it but I have one on my rubberducky sling bag) <Thanks ate Eileen Penafiel for the cap you’ve given me> ;)
- 2-3 liters of drinking water
- Face towel
- Camera
- Energy bar (Thanks Japi for sharing your treats! Every time I see a Jolly bar I remember you!)
- GREAT COMPANY! <miss you all guys!>
- I also got some can goods for our overnight stay at Anawangin Cove. (more to read…)
We took off at McDonalds El Pueblo in Ortigas with Kuya Mike
(our guide and father of Anne who owns triPinas) around 2:30 AM. Saving our
energies with a feel of new friends to be harvested after this trip, we slept
ourselves during the road trip. It was a bumpy ride due to some driver’s uncomfortable feeling but we still arrived at San Antonio, Zambalez safe and
whole around 6:30. We are advised to have our breakfast at a local eatery where
I have a bowl of porridge with a hard-boiled egg. It was still a-not-so-cold
morning which a hot coffee is a good zip. We were then advised that there were
boatmen who will take our belongings to Anawangin Cove. <If we only knew, we
could have brought our fridge… hihihi… you know what I mean! :D>
We started our hike around 7AM accompanied by Kuya Leoncio,
the chief of local Barangay tanod. <wow! I felt relieved we are in good
hands.> Sandy pathway leads us to the opening of the mountain trail showing
a picturesque view of the area. We saw some housing projects which stands
unoccupied pasted in a breath taking Mountain View background. You’ll never
expect that a postcard view lays lively in front of you.
After the sandy path you will start to get a different view
of which leads to a deeper forested-rocky place. The hike started to shift from
an easy sandy to loamy – rocky road which you are welcomed by a portal-like
trees formed in triangular pillar-like structures. It was the cool air that
made not an eerie but more of a relax feelings.
Kuya Leoncio then led us to the mountain forest where you
will find a not so noticeable red arrow marking in a stone pile and the tree.
There we found an almost dried small river which did not surpass the
expectation of we walking on a river and we passed another river which they
called “Malakas” simple because the current in that river is strong when it’s
raining. Mind you, it was dry empty when we crossed it, I may call it a river
of round stones. We rested for a few as our guides switched places and Sir
Mike, Ate Anne’s (owner of TriPinas) dad, lead the first bunch of the hikers
while Kuya Leoncio became the sweeper.
The trek became harder as we got to higher altitude in the
midday in a denuded mountain due to “kaingin”
or forest fire. We gulped more water and dug in some energy bars as we stepped
on lose clay grounds or crumbled stones. It was passed half morning when we
reached the summit and the view was remarkable. Seeing Nagsasa Cove in a
different perspective gave you more of the vicinity’s beauty. We took lots of
pictures and I did my signature jump the “Buddha Jump” which Sisylson took
perfectly using a burst shot in his GoPro. Then we proceed to again a different
view of the mountain and a different terrain. Another switch of place by our
hiking guides and we went down Pundaquit mountain chasing the sea breeze in a
steep-sharp-edged-rough stone trail. This time it was really difficult with all
the high weeds which could cut your skin and the sticky-slimy feeling of wet
clay in your feet which snaps my trekking sandals. We made a remarkably six
stops to rest as we climb down the mountain to again another river of stones.
Kuya Leoncio guided 9 members of the hikers and 3 of us went missing. It was
really hard to find the way as there are no markings on the round stones, not
even foot prints are left not unless you reach the sandy area. There were 5 of
us who first came to the campsite enjoying the view; Japi, Alvin, Me, Sisylson,
Ellai, and Badeth. We then asked Kuya Leoncio to get those 3 people who were
left as we are not sure if they went missing or if Sir Mike was able to find
them along their ways as it has been 10 – 15 minutes since we haven’t heard or
seen them. It took another amount of time waiting so we decided resting while
Japi pitch her tents then we carried our feet to do the same thing. Sighting
Rhei, Lani, and Tophet after same amount of minutes made we more comfortable
eating ice cream on sticks and quenching our thirst with lots of water. Then
Sir Mike with Mitch and Marz arrived then rested for a while laughed at some
joke and a get-to-know-each-other activity then we prepped for our lunch. After
the tiring but fun trek and filled stomach, we bathe ourselves in the welcoming
waters of Nagsasa Cove and bask ourselves with sun’s rays until it went to
sleep.
At night, restless we are we cleaned up and food was
prepared in a boodle fight table which we ate a shared meal which each of the
hiking members brought with them for the said night. Then we had some drinks over a bonfire before some of us went to sleep while some went for a walk along the
shores to gaze the stars, the Dinoflagellates, and of course to further know those whom we
just came along with today then we walked back to our camps and called it a
day.
