Overdue Post: Koohflahz Nature Trip June '08

This post has long been overdue so finally after 4 months ...here it is. Well, I just happened to come across my developed pictures (oo d pa uso digicam nun ok? film film pa) during my UST-MC days. I just found out that I only have 4 climb pix: Batulao, Makiling, Daguldol and Malasimbo. Too bad I don't have any records of my 1st major climb (insert curses here) Mt. Tapulao. So after 4 years, I again found myself conquering a mountain. We thought it was gonna be easy, after all we only have 2 pcs. of friends who are 1st timers, but I will never ever ever! overestimate my strength again! Coz fuck, I almost died. This trip made me nervous at first since I have heard and googled, haha, that many people have died on this island. A week before our trip 1 guy drowned there. A week after our climb 3 mountaineers died at the very same mountain that gave me lots of bruises and a near death experience due to dehydration. Argh. Days before the climb, Vian and Anne had been bombarding me with their last goodbye-messages. I swear I almost made my last will and testament. Just in case.

-the river that may have caused the 3 mountaineers death-

It was nice seeing my UST kada and friends again. The trek at Mt. Pundaquit was hell (but still breathtaking) because we were not prepared, but other than that our gulong-ng-palad-ng-sosyal experience was super AMAZING! The place is divine, a little overrated, but still divine. We had a lot of fun and a lot of food! Hahaha takot magutom!

* Happy pa, chillin' at the beach. Walang magagawa dito so bring cards, alak, ipod, ipod speakers, a lots of food!

- Before trek, happy pa. Yosi pa. Smile smile. Cge smile lang. -

Highlights:
* Ariel's gulay supermarket
* Rocky sandbed na nakakasugat ng paa! (Swimming is not advisable)
* Capones island na walang lighthouse. hahaha! Asa kabilang side pala!
* The boatride that got us mega soaking wet even before we got to our destination. A bumpy boatride that's like we were constantly being thrown a pail of water. Our bags and clothes and all our other things got wet (thank God for ziplocks and Ron's waterproof bags!)
* Our mathematical equations sa pagtatayo ng tent ni sheila. After 30 mins... hahaha!
* Our buffet table sa dami ng food. Takot lang magutom!
-our food for a day haha-

* "Magbenta kaya tau ng gulay???" (sa dami ng gulay na dala ni ariel)
* Mountain trek pauwi ng naka flipflops, ng super yosi muna at walang stretching = SUICIDE!!! hahaha. After 7 hours of trekking the first thing I did was buy 1 liter of coke. Fuck. Heaven. Darn. - wag tularan.

-yahoooo after 7 hours!!!-

* Ariel: "Alam mo mukha na kaung papanaw na 3 sa mga itsura nio" (habang umaakyat ng bundok"
-panaw face, i swear near death!!! puro ascend!-

*Pag inom ng kahit anong tubig kahit galing stream or tubig ni Kuya guide kesa mamatay sa heatstroke and dehydration!!! (Ron I told you our water's not enough hahaha! AC almost died!). Buti nalang may water source narefillan mga bote namin!!!
-while waiting for our water! aaaaargh!-
-wag uupo sa may lupa if you're wearing light colored shorts!-

* First thing I did upon reaching Mt. Pundaquit's peak : MAGTEXT!!! Shet!!! Ahhh signal after 2 days!!!
* Dead Carabao's corpse smells like fucking hell!!! Another near death experience!

* Using an umbrella while trekking is not advisable!!! I almost slipped and banged my head on the rocks as it got tangled on the trees branches.
* Don't wear HAVAIANAS. Db AC?! Hahaha! Patronize Dupe! It'll take you places! Hahaha!
* (silence, tired na lahat eh) and then.. PAX (singing during ascend): This is why Im hot! This is why Im hot! This is why this is why this is why im hot! ARIEL: Ay pagod na nga.
* ARIEL: Pax, pagod ka na? PAX: Hinde, Autopilot lang. (Autopilot- a term we use when our feet starts walking on its own like it has its own mind).


TIPS (for Mich, haha!):
1. Don't wear shorts! Wag ako tularan! Hahaha! Well, you can if you're up to a hardcore kuskusan sa paglalaba after. And if your legs can take some beatings from the no mercy talahibs. Wahaha.

2. Bring flashlights, lighters, alcohol (this will save you from those crazy limatiks/leech), scarf/facetowel (coz I swear you'll sweat like crazy), swiss knife, first aid kit and jellyace!!! (perfect trail food since it has some kinda juice you won't be drinking too much water).

3. Know how to read trail signs, in case you get lost (like what happened to me in Malasimbo, buti may trail signs dahil andaming forks! Shet!)

4. Buy a mother plastic. It's liek a huge garbage bag you could use when it rains. You could put all your things there so it won't soak to death. Haha.

5. ZIPLOC ZIPLOC ZIPLOC all your belongings, even your clothes. Saves bag space and saves your things from soaking too. (this saved me at Makiling where we had to sleep in a tent with 1 inch rainwater).

6. Don't bring canned goods!!! Hahaha! I swear, pabigat lang sha sobra. You can bring 1 can of century tuna. You can use the can for cooking. (we did it once!).

7. Don't smoke 1-2 weeks before the climb. AND jog! exercise! cardio cardio cardio! To avoid near death experiences. :P



"Take nothing but pictures, leave nothing but footprints, kill nothing but time."