tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-21172620558127933362024-03-06T04:00:08.872+08:00Talk With StrangersChristinahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09275991223413184735noreply@blogger.comBlogger12125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2117262055812793336.post-13182492164647299302014-06-30T22:57:00.000+08:002014-07-01T00:24:32.467+08:00Budlaan Trek (Baugo - Budlaan - Malubog)<div style="text-align: justify;">
Last November my classmates and I went on a spontaneous trek to Budlaan, Cebu City. It's a very accessible trekking place and you get a lot of what you want outdoors: river, boulders, waterfalls (4 of them).</div>
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I've been to this place twice but I could hardly remember the trail. Getting lost was the least of my problems. I'm used to getting lost when trekking and luckily I always find my way back to civilization. And for all those times I did, they ended up to be the most fun and memorable.</div>
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I was with my group mates in internship during this trip. Internship meant going to work everyday, the whole 365 days of the year. Okay okay, we get about 4 whole days off in total. But this day wasn't one of them. We were about to go home that day (we were half day) when one of my group mates suggested we go trekking. So we agreed to meet around 1 pm.</div>
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It took us a lot of thinking whether we should pursue the trip since it was raining hard, afraid the river might be flooded. But eventually we decided to go. We started the trek at 2 pm. We took a habal-habal from Sunny hills in Talamban to Baugo. From there we asked the residents how to get to the waterfalls. They pointed us to a slippery descending footpath (thank you, rain) that led to the river.</div>
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<a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-wuRWf6NU8R4/U7FfcPlXo9I/AAAAAAAACSg/flb7So3C0co/s1600/Photo+4-27-14%252C+11+47+56+PM.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-wuRWf6NU8R4/U7FfcPlXo9I/AAAAAAAACSg/flb7So3C0co/s1600/Photo+4-27-14%252C+11+47+56+PM.jpg" height="640" width="480" /></a></div>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Dysserie, Cyndi and I on the bamboo bridge where the river tracing begins</td></tr>
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Fortunately, the river didn't flood. Must have be just drizzling up in the mountains that day. I think this is the perfect weather to go trekking. The first time I came here was on a sunny day and the river was dry and the waterfall dripping. The <a href="http://talkwithstrangers.blogspot.com/search/label/Budlaan%20Falls">second time I came here</a> was after a heavy rainfall with the river flooding. I will never do that again, playing with flooded rivers and waterfall. Neither should you.</div>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Santino and Dys braving the swamp</td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Water was very cold this day</td></tr>
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None of us planned to take a dip. No one brought any extra clothes. However, when we reached the first waterfall Santino couldn't resist the pool so he gave in while we watched and took photos of him. Yeah. You know the drill.</div>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Here still trying to pose and resist.</td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Surrender</td></tr>
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<span style="text-align: justify;">All the waterfalls had their own names which I don't remember anymore so I'll just number them.</span></div>
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A couple of times we didn't really know where to go and I could vaguely remember the trail (since I was the only one who's been here). From the first waterfall we saw a steep narrow trail nearby. It wasn't very easy but we managed to laugh it off with some of us masking our impatience. Haha</div>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">This is where we were slowed down. We had to help Dys move around since she wore rubber shoes -- not exactly the perfect footwear for this kind of activity. It doesn't grip at all and you don't want that when you're walking on mud and dirt. Cyndi went way ahead of us and took this photo while waiting.</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-tOxcHH8lR6Q/U7FbYKkS8EI/AAAAAAAACPc/LBKkWKoVbgE/s1600/20131026_144210.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-tOxcHH8lR6Q/U7FbYKkS8EI/AAAAAAAACPc/LBKkWKoVbgE/s1600/20131026_144210.jpg" height="357" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">I guess Cyndi got really bored waiting for us so she took a feet selfie. This pair of shoes she wore is perfect for the outdoors. I had my usual strap on sandals from Habagat. Both are at very reasonable prices.</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-pW4aeB9x2cE/U7FcilewE_I/AAAAAAAACQA/WGk6XofSXSE/s1600/20131026_145816.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-pW4aeB9x2cE/U7FcilewE_I/AAAAAAAACQA/WGk6XofSXSE/s1600/20131026_145816.jpg" height="357" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Dys couldn't stand her running shoes anymore so she went on barefoot Hobbit mode.</td></tr>
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When we reached the 2nd waterfall we couldn't find a path that would keep us dry so we decided to just swim and climb up the waterfall (which we failed to take a photo of, and of its basin). Turned out to be the best part of the trip.</div>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">So cold and refreshing</td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">We would have wanted to stay longer but we were worried about finishing late</td></tr>
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So we continued our walk, cold and wet, plus the cold weather. Saved us a lot of drinking water, mind you. Less heat = less thirst.</div>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">One of them waterfalls</td></tr>
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Kept walking until we <i>heard </i>a huge waterfall nearby. I love the sound of fresh water. It always makes me giddy!!</div>
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<a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-kxCLJP-uRJE/U7FfE3XzoaI/AAAAAAAACRQ/udDvbCFh1lk/s1600/Photo+4-27-14%252C+11+47+17+PM.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-kxCLJP-uRJE/U7FfE3XzoaI/AAAAAAAACRQ/udDvbCFh1lk/s1600/Photo+4-27-14%252C+11+47+17+PM.jpg" height="640" width="481" /></a></div>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Murky waters due to the rain</td></tr>
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Now this is where we started scratching our heads looking for a trail we didn't find. I know there's still one more waterfall we need to cross but i just couldn't remember how to get there. We tried climbing up the boulders nearby but were met with dead end walls. When you google Budlaan you see photos of this waterfall with a cave under it. It's probably the most popular falls among all of them. But our eyes tricked us. We couldn't find our way to it.</div>
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We did find a trail though but it led to a house. And we knew it was over.</div>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Resting our tired legs. Deciding whether to go back to our dropoff point in Baugo or exit in Busay. Time check: 4 pm.</td></tr>
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We decided to exit in Busay so we could make the most out of our trip. We asked locals how to reach there and this what what one of them told us: "Just follow the trail and you will see a coconut tree. From there you decide whether to go left of right."</div>
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Now when he pointed out the coconut tree, he was pointing out to mountains with lots of trees, coconut trees and other trees. We weren't exactly sure which one he meant but after a long walk onnnarrow trails, loose ground, steep climbs and more of the river (no photos, we were racing the sun), we finally found the coconut tree which we assumed to be it just so we could celebrate.</div>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Imagine our relief. We took the path to its left which led us to Brgy Malubog. The path to its right led to Sirao and would take us an hour or 2 more. It was getting dark.</td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Locals said these flowers were for harvest on January</td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Couldn't wait to see paved roads</td></tr>
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We reached Brgy Malubog in Busay right before sunset. It was already dark when we reached the lowlands of Lahug. Still wet at that.</div>
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Total expense for the trip: </div>
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Php 70 (habal-habal ride to drop-off point in Baugo and down to JY square mall in Lahug)</div>
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All photos by Cyndi and Santino</div>
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Christinahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09275991223413184735noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2117262055812793336.post-35249780099327619642013-03-16T00:10:00.001+08:002013-03-16T00:17:32.830+08:00Napo to Babag Half-day Hike<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: justify;">
Hello again! It's been a year since my last post. I've been too busy on and off the internet: sweeping mines, coloring books, running errands, posting stamps, dog grooming, getting into accidents and what have you; and... yeah. I just deliberately unplugged myself from here. I realized I left this blog with just 2 posts for 2012 so I decided to breathe life into it again by posting one (probably the only one for this year) while I'm racing against the horrors of internship. </div>
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Last September I went hiking with my schoolmate, Gerard, and his mom whose age quite surprised me and probably you too. It was a weekend and we were told by our professor that we deserve a half-day break per week (seriously!?) from all the schoolwork. So half-day break we did.</div>
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We met at Guadalupe Church at 7 AM on a Sunday morning. All of us wore orange (unplanned, if you're curious) which was kinda telling of that day's weather -- I got sunburnt. We walked from the church up to this place called Napo.</div>
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Gerard and his mom. Murky waters.</div>
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That's a kid whose happiness shoots up on the sight and sound of fresh water.</div>
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Tub time. Water was pretty cold 'coz it rained the night before. </div>
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We were supposed to have someone else come with us but she didn't push through 'coz her mom feared the river might be flooded due to the rain. And trust me: you don't want to deal with flooded rivers. I've gone to an <a href="http://talkwithstrangers.blogspot.com/2011/08/budlaan-trek.html">it-just-rained-and-it's-dangerous-but-let's-push-through-since-we're-already-here flooded river trekking</a> and it was a stupid move albeit realized too late.</div>
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This is a caterpillar who also wore orange to match us. I've never seen a caterpillar as colorful and as big as this. I don't like insects (alive). Sorry for the blurry photo. My camera was not cooperating.<br />
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My company also introduced me to plants, butterflies, and ants of different kinds. One ant had these claws that give off a sound you can really hear when they click. Amusing but I hate them on trails. They feed on you regardless if you're hanging on to dear life or just comfortably walking. Wicked minute vampires.</div>
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Lots of steep climbs. Almost like knee to your chest kind of thing.<br />
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It still amazes me how people from the mountains walk these paths on a daily basis, some of them carrying logs or baskets on their heads and yet still keep their balance. Barefoot at that.</div>
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We came from behind those mountains next to where we were standing on this photo. </div>
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Since there were only three of us we finished the course by noon. Usually it takes a whole day for a large group to reach here. I don't have a photo of the RCPI towers but there's nothing much to look, really.</div>
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Them fields getting ready for All Souls' and All Saints' day.</div>
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Our view over lunch. That peak on the left is called Sirao. It's a nice view from there too.</div>
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Cebu City</div>
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From here we walked our way to the road that leads to Mountain View Resort and took a jeepney back to the lowlands of Cebu City.<br />
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Total expense for the trip: Php50.00<br />
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Happy summer, everyone!</div>
Christinahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09275991223413184735noreply@blogger.com8tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2117262055812793336.post-19378813504412335212012-04-21T21:57:00.002+08:002012-04-22T11:46:24.778+08:00Cheers<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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<span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="font-size: x-small;">Summer date with Lora, the only girl I know who prefers to be called by her last name. We were classmates in high school, went to different universities in college (but still kept in touch a lot), and back to being classmates in med school. </span><span style="font-size: x-small;">She is precious. Cheers, Lor!</span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: inherit;">It's been a long while since my last post. School has sucked the life out of my first quarter of the year but it's not all boring. So much has happened: ordinary and surreal. And!!! I'm already a junior clerk. That's not something I'm really excited about -- talk about the schedule and load -- but yeah, I can't be any happier. </span><br />
<span style="font-family: inherit;">Time flies.</span></div>Christinahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09275991223413184735noreply@blogger.com26tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2117262055812793336.post-17463705019864906542011-11-14T21:40:00.000+08:002011-11-14T21:40:20.404+08:00Osmena Peak - Kawasan Falls Traverse<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">Broke <a href="http://talkwithstrangers.blogspot.com/2011/11/osmena-peak-dalaguete.html">camp</a> at 7 AM. Sun was shining and the skies looked promising. We're just six hours away from the waterfalls.</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br />
</div><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Going to that paved road.</td></tr>
</tbody></table><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-oKcAXQPRqps/TrS9xIgkSTI/AAAAAAAABtU/hn-Dv6MPMt4/s1600/6.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="426" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-oKcAXQPRqps/TrS9xIgkSTI/AAAAAAAABtU/hn-Dv6MPMt4/s640/6.JPG" width="640" /></a></div><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-yerWqdZ6dRo/TrS99l5SoPI/AAAAAAAABtc/OeKuC7z3uw0/s1600/8.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="400" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-yerWqdZ6dRo/TrS99l5SoPI/AAAAAAAABtc/OeKuC7z3uw0/s400/8.JPG" width="266" /></a><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-iQ40F7TEkGo/TrS-HXaoSeI/AAAAAAAABtk/8_f9f6CIZ6Q/s1600/9.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="400" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-iQ40F7TEkGo/TrS-HXaoSeI/AAAAAAAABtk/8_f9f6CIZ6Q/s400/9.JPG" width="265" /></a></div><div style="text-align: center;">Stopping by the water source for some cold water sprinkling</div><br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">PawPaw leading our group of 5</td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="font-size: 13px; text-align: center;">Waiting for Paw's signal</td></tr>
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</span><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-0mUvhTMT5Mo/TrS-x_hbX7I/AAAAAAAABuE/744iAJnjPsk/s1600/13.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="426" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-0mUvhTMT5Mo/TrS-x_hbX7I/AAAAAAAABuE/744iAJnjPsk/s640/13.JPG" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Therese leading this time. Girl power.</td></tr>
</tbody></table><div style="text-align: center;">Met the rest of the group in a chapel for lunch. Rested for a little while and proceeded hunting for cold waters. We took the other trail, the one that was not the half moon. I don't know what it was called. Feel free to let me know.</div><div style="text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: center;">It was almost an hour walk from lunch site to the river. Just so you know, I am so in love with fresh water. Even the sound of it makes me so excited, I'm all smiles!!!</div><div><br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Fresh water in sight!!! Just a few more steps away. I'm feeling so jumpy.</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-2M71a5x8LTk/TrS_INmxaNI/AAAAAAAABuc/cnBfYPP5Ses/s1600/16.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="426" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-2M71a5x8LTk/TrS_INmxaNI/AAAAAAAABuc/cnBfYPP5Ses/s640/16.JPG" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Campers entering Kawasan Falls via back door. No entrance fee here unlike the other entrance XD</td></tr>
</tbody></table><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">Kawasan Falls has 3 levels. I've been here a couple of times but not on this (3rd) level.</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Swimming to that little curtain</td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">SO COLD. My teeth hasn't chattered in a while. Photo by Julius.</td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Mini waterfall. Its size is dwarfed compared to the first level's but it's better coz you don't need a raft to go under it.</td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Cliff diving =) =) =) </td></tr>
</tbody></table><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">I looooooooove cliff diving!! We climbed onto that wall on the photo above, just around 15-20 feet. I wish it was higher.</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">Mini-trekked down to the rest of the waterfalls (love the river sounds) and onto the highway.</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div><br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">This is the first waterfall, and the largest among them, that you'll see when you enter Kawasan Falls via front door.</td></tr>
</tbody></table><div style="text-align: center;">Took the 3-hour bus ride home. So much for semestral break.</div>Christinahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09275991223413184735noreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2117262055812793336.post-60570239263398324172011-11-05T10:11:00.002+08:002012-01-19T19:14:12.462+08:00Osmena Peak, Dalaguete<div style="text-align: justify;"><div style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;">We took the bus which left at 10am from Caltex near USJR in Carbon. Php100 for a 3-hour ride. The ride wasn't that comfortable. Our knees were touching the seat in front of us and we sat next to live chickens and vegies but if you got good company, the chicken included, the ride won't really be a torture. It took us directly to Mantalongon Market, probably the highest wet market in the province. </div></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><div style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;"><br />
</div></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><div style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;">If you take the buses in South Bus Terminal, you drop off Dalaguete highway and take a 20-minute habal-habal ride to the market. I hear it's a fun ride.</div></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;"><br />
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi5wxUuZhG7N1pWPCiEukNw5bVnLkhCVd1MBmv2xMW1eJQv6O3Jpw0ggmBdvdeGwawy9MS1eixkieZ5fyrr4IAV80NwTzRbNAFyO8Zpi5VYf8ynzMbDUJLmvijX73BVtOFbu9DFi7izxwMm/s1600/221020111299+copy.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="425" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi5wxUuZhG7N1pWPCiEukNw5bVnLkhCVd1MBmv2xMW1eJQv6O3Jpw0ggmBdvdeGwawy9MS1eixkieZ5fyrr4IAV80NwTzRbNAFyO8Zpi5VYf8ynzMbDUJLmvijX73BVtOFbu9DFi7izxwMm/s640/221020111299+copy.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">On our way to those mountains</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-ZIP7L4DwNvg/TrAs2hM2HHI/AAAAAAAABps/ydQ0AZNJ77s/s1600/3.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="425" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-ZIP7L4DwNvg/TrAs2hM2HHI/AAAAAAAABps/ydQ0AZNJ77s/s640/3.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Adidas rock</td></tr>
</tbody></table>It's an hour walk from the market to the campsite. If you don't feel like walking, you can take the habal-habal which will take you to the foot of the peak and walk for just 10 minutes more. If you plan to arrive at midnight like some of the guys in our group did, then this route will be best. Unless you really want to night trek.<br />
<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-x4b0q_I5k84/TrAs5Dl5TcI/AAAAAAAABp0/vxF8tvlTpHA/s1600/5.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="423" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-x4b0q_I5k84/TrAs5Dl5TcI/AAAAAAAABp0/vxF8tvlTpHA/s640/5.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"> It was very cloudy when we got to the camp site. The hill on the left is Osmena's Peak.</td></tr>
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg7P0uOd_gyL6kjlnav1pHK5UwEo7YZx7O-UOb1IgcLaOZq80M1Ev5ScFhnD6hI-KWHKnZIgebvbe7Wg1AajLaQz8or_2v865NZLCvscTsoZu7v54-e4_7FSjhVbSh3g43Gtmg5_kZQ6mLO/s1600/6.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="423" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg7P0uOd_gyL6kjlnav1pHK5UwEo7YZx7O-UOb1IgcLaOZq80M1Ev5ScFhnD6hI-KWHKnZIgebvbe7Wg1AajLaQz8or_2v865NZLCvscTsoZu7v54-e4_7FSjhVbSh3g43Gtmg5_kZQ6mLO/s640/6.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Lots of campers that day. It was the first weekend of the semestral break. </td></tr>
</tbody></table><br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgSvMnD0fYakYNXU5EQq25nBPdn83yt58IE4UdrerXeJckiSVa5fD9nZgSPV0nIJkyh-E9xYh2rgOjIz4gK4r0pePnB3fSon-LQ8RXzrINy4k0x3tcgTKw0MAhA1sqpV9CUrtE96pHI7K5Q/s1600/9.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="423" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgSvMnD0fYakYNXU5EQq25nBPdn83yt58IE4UdrerXeJckiSVa5fD9nZgSPV0nIJkyh-E9xYh2rgOjIz4gK4r0pePnB3fSon-LQ8RXzrINy4k0x3tcgTKw0MAhA1sqpV9CUrtE96pHI7K5Q/s640/9.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Foggy!!</td></tr>
</tbody></table><br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-_LoLvbNj2lM/TrAtBGZ-hKI/AAAAAAAABqE/IszBCP3ANIo/s1600/8.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="423" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-_LoLvbNj2lM/TrAtBGZ-hKI/AAAAAAAABqE/IszBCP3ANIo/s640/8.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">View from Osmena's Peak. I wonder whose those other peaks are. Would be great if one of those is named after me.</td></tr>
</tbody></table><br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-ilQksTdBfLU/TrAtGmt7bqI/AAAAAAAABqU/qRPyFyF8BSo/s1600/10.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="423" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-ilQksTdBfLU/TrAtGmt7bqI/AAAAAAAABqU/qRPyFyF8BSo/s640/10.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">With my pretty sister, F. It took a lot of convincing for her to spend the weekend with me.</td></tr>
</tbody></table><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-4RgN-rH15O4/TrAtil8rhwI/AAAAAAAABr0/mKmaGQsR8F8/s1600/11.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="421" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-4RgN-rH15O4/TrAtil8rhwI/AAAAAAAABr0/mKmaGQsR8F8/s640/11.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Group photo by Tikboy</td></tr>
</tbody></table><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-qu4iC5i3-A4/TrAtbHdQ1jI/AAAAAAAABrU/w6RqdlTpWQA/s1600/12.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="423" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-qu4iC5i3-A4/TrAtbHdQ1jI/AAAAAAAABrU/w6RqdlTpWQA/s640/12.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"> With Jah who carried our tent the whole time. Looks like heaven! Photo by Julius.</td></tr>
</tbody></table><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-tH5qThLC3jY/TrAtIOwow8I/AAAAAAAABqc/Cm2ESzySIj4/s1600/13.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="423" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-tH5qThLC3jY/TrAtIOwow8I/AAAAAAAABqc/Cm2ESzySIj4/s640/13.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Thought we were unlucky that day. It was so cloudy we couldn't see the sunset.</td></tr>
</tbody></table><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-gzlxFS7IqO0/TrAtc9AmMII/AAAAAAAABrc/M7jXwyDTN5k/s1600/14.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="423" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-gzlxFS7IqO0/TrAtc9AmMII/AAAAAAAABrc/M7jXwyDTN5k/s640/14.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">But then the clouds moved away and there you have it.</td></tr>
</tbody></table><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-uDwvlPtU5s0/TrAtewcSPZI/AAAAAAAABrk/kEvLP5Altic/s1600/15.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="423" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-uDwvlPtU5s0/TrAtewcSPZI/AAAAAAAABrk/kEvLP5Altic/s640/15.JPG" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">That time of the day when the colors play in the sky.</td></tr>
</tbody></table><br />
<br />
<br />
<center>The night sky was a beauty. I hadn't seen as many stars ever--some shooting and falling, can't really tell the difference. We were lucky the sky was clear that night, not a cloud covering it, which also meant no rain. It was so cold already without the rain.</center><center><br />
</center><center>We didn't have any decent photo during camp at night especially of the millions of stars because Gerard aka <a href="http://www.tikboy.com/">Tikboy</a> who had the only camera capable of capturing it was seeing other kinds of stars brought about by Tanduay and whatever it was they were drinking.</center><center><br />
</center><center>No bonfires. Just headlamps, layers of cloth on our bodies, music, food, cards, talking, playing and laughing. The only things missing were a guitar and a lipstick to paint the card game loser's face.</center><center>And we had a firefly inside our tent! Lovely company.</center><center><br />
</center><center>You know what they say about people in the mountains. There's nothing much to do that's why they go to bed early. I guess that held true for the girls that night except that it was too cold, we found it pretty hard to stay asleep.</center><center><br />
</center><center>Woke up to this...</center><br />
<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-n5vcX1-19wQ/TrAtKyLSkWI/AAAAAAAABqk/8FPg2KnJrbk/s1600/19.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="423" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-n5vcX1-19wQ/TrAtKyLSkWI/AAAAAAAABqk/8FPg2KnJrbk/s640/19.JPG" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
</tbody></table><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-2qisuihJLew/TrAtNO1tBkI/AAAAAAAABqs/xzVZSJ8UeTc/s1600/20.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="423" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-2qisuihJLew/TrAtNO1tBkI/AAAAAAAABqs/xzVZSJ8UeTc/s640/20.JPG" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><br />
</span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">...and breakfast cooking. Packed up for a<a href="http://talkwithstrangers.blogspot.com/2011/11/osmena-peak-kawasan-falls-traverse.html"> long walk to some cold fresh water.</a></span></td></tr>
</tbody></table>Christinahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09275991223413184735noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2117262055812793336.post-14989140023825731682011-10-29T09:58:00.000+08:002011-10-29T09:58:04.035+08:00RappellingAt Campo 4, Talisay.<br />
Rappellling off a bridge. Not that high. Just learning the how-to's.<br />
Did this six weeks ago. I can't remember much of the details.<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-SkRjjpePozg/TqpxGAMNpDI/AAAAAAAABd4/2rK5l9sxReo/s1600/127_0660+copy.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="480" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-SkRjjpePozg/TqpxGAMNpDI/AAAAAAAABd4/2rK5l9sxReo/s640/127_0660+copy.jpg" width="640" /></a>Before this photo was taken, that yellow multicab attempted to cross the river but got stuck along the way. The water was deeper than they thought. A dump truck had to pull it out.</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-RouuIiAJS9w/TqpwmY38XoI/AAAAAAAABdQ/u4f4_uDEqTo/s1600/127_0620+copy.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em; text-align: center;"><img border="0" height="480" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-RouuIiAJS9w/TqpwmY38XoI/AAAAAAAABdQ/u4f4_uDEqTo/s640/127_0620+copy.jpg" width="640" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-1-tGkR2J99Y/TqpwqzxWJgI/AAAAAAAABdY/nvA_OGomBQo/s1600/127_0629+copy.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="640" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-1-tGkR2J99Y/TqpwqzxWJgI/AAAAAAAABdY/nvA_OGomBQo/s640/127_0629+copy.jpg" width="480" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">ropes, harnesses, carabiners, gloves</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div><ul><li>When a carabiner is dropped, it's considered broken even when it still looks usable. There could be small cracks inside of it. You cannot throw it away though coz someone might pick it up and use it. You can either keep it (but not use it), or have it x-rayed. The latter is too much of a hassle for a very small thing so they suggest to just attach it to your chest when you get a chest x-ray. XD</li>
<li>You must not step on ropes. Rocks and glass from the ground or your shoes could get inside the rope and eventually cut the fibers.</li>
<li>There are hundreds of ways to tie a knot.</li>
<li>Just do it.</li>
</ul><div>There were a couple more stuff (and terms) that I learned. I just cannot remember any more.</div><br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-lXVQrmhV9gY/TqpwjMoxhwI/AAAAAAAABdI/X-cTp55FmyM/s1600/3+copy.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; display: inline !important; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="400" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-lXVQrmhV9gY/TqpwjMoxhwI/AAAAAAAABdI/X-cTp55FmyM/s400/3+copy.jpg" width="296" /></a><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-YPO8wvPN__s/Tqpw2h1wzAI/AAAAAAAABdo/90K2l5a8pgs/s1600/127_0641+copy.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="400" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-YPO8wvPN__s/Tqpw2h1wzAI/AAAAAAAABdo/90K2l5a8pgs/s400/127_0641+copy.jpg" width="300" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">Not that high. Even if you fall you'd still be alive but with a couple of scratches and bruises.</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjM_h0nBNqy7FrxaINpw2T_7_SQfBPYhtp-M6njortXn4uKjGefvmGxSJ3Dtt3KdQOLdLumtHhU5XeqnU2794DT9dtHm5ex7SRt6Jsu0QrSXZjY1SIVsI4-WBcHVo-M6JbLlJEux-CJ27GU/s1600/127_0634.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="454" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjM_h0nBNqy7FrxaINpw2T_7_SQfBPYhtp-M6njortXn4uKjGefvmGxSJ3Dtt3KdQOLdLumtHhU5XeqnU2794DT9dtHm5ex7SRt6Jsu0QrSXZjY1SIVsI4-WBcHVo-M6JbLlJEux-CJ27GU/s640/127_0634.jpg" width="640" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">A few cyclists passed (and some stopped) by. </div>Christinahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09275991223413184735noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2117262055812793336.post-58915959825185572032011-10-18T22:46:00.006+08:002011-11-02T17:10:04.063+08:00Dear Photograph<div style="text-align: center;"><i>Suppose time is a circle, </i><i>bending back on itself. </i><i>The world repeats itself, </i><i>precisely, endlessly.</i></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Courier New', Courier, monospace;">-Alan Lightman, <i>Einstein's Dreams</i></span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Courier New', Courier, monospace;"><i><br />
</i></span><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-sClZzvVnovM/Tp17Z0JzP1I/AAAAAAAABbc/jLEFW4SNgJs/s1600/15102011542+copye.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-sClZzvVnovM/Tp17Z0JzP1I/AAAAAAAABbc/jLEFW4SNgJs/s1600/15102011542+copye.jpg" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">This photo was taken on October 16, 2011. </div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">The photo <i>in this photo </i>was taken on May 3, 1998.</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">Same spot. Same angle. A decade's difference.</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br />
</div></div><div style="text-align: center;"><div style="text-align: justify;">The cabinets, barometer, lights, picture frames are still where they used to be. The organ is now moved to a different spot; there are new shelves, books, photos and even new members in the house.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: justify;">It's amazing how in just a single click a moment is captured and kept for years or a lifetime. They'd even make very lovely gifts. Sometimes it's the only memory one will ever have.<br />
<br />
Back in the days when analog cameras were the only ones available, photos were more tangible. Nowadays they get stuck in the hard drive or the internet and a single virus could erase them all.<br />
<br />
My dad told us that one day when we grow old we'll be thanking him for all the memories he's saved for us: photographs and videos. They get riper with age. I've come to realize the truth in those words not so long after he said that. Not that I've aged fast. It's just that I'm a schmaltz.<br />
<br />
Print your photos. Write dates and captions.<br />
<div style="text-align: center;">-------</div></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: justify;">When I was a kid I used to <a href="http://talkwithstrangers.tumblr.com/tagged/piano_cover">play </a>the keyboard during recitals, parties at home, and even during fiestas at the sports complex. It wasn't that fun. I didn't like the pressure and the attention. Even now, after 11 years, when I meet neighbors known to me or not, they'd still refer to me as the girl who played the keyboard the night <a href="http://talkwithstrangers.blogspot.com/search/label/mommy">Sweeney</a> passed away.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br />
<div style="text-align: center;"></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><div style="text-align: center;">Nearness of You (Cover)</div></div><div style="text-align: center;"></div><div class="player-btn"><span id="audio_player_11610754270"></span><br />
<div class="audio_player"><div style="text-align: center;"><span id="audio_player_11610754270"><embed height="27" quality="best" src="http://assets.tumblr.com/swf/audio_player.swf?audio_file=http://www.tumblr.com/audio_file/11610754270/tumblr_lt9i9r47HY1qhhhq5&color=FFFFFF" type="application/x-shockwave-flash" width="207" wmode="opaque"></embed></span></div></div></div></div><div class="player-btn"><div class="audio_player"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: xx-small;">CHOPPY. You'll hear my name somewhere. Clutter.</span><br />
<br />
<div style="text-align: center;">My originals are horrible.</div><br />
The photo is inspired by <a href="http://dearphotograph.com/">Dearphotograh</a>. It's a trip to memory lane. Reminds me of the movie filled with so much nostalgia, Cinema Paradiso.</div><script type="text/javascript">
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</script></div></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span id="goog_1547746001"></span><span id="goog_1547746002"></span></div>Christinahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09275991223413184735noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2117262055812793336.post-79031381685103354792011-08-31T09:49:00.002+08:002011-09-02T02:29:02.876+08:00overly romantic, it's laughable<div class="" style="clear: both; text-align: justify;">I want to make sure I bring all the stuff I need when I go out on a trip so I list down the things I have to pack. This is a list I made on our trip to <a href="http://talkwithstrangers.blogspot.com/2011/04/trek-and-spelunk.html">Argao</a> and I've been using it on the following treks I've had, adding whatever stuff I need.</div><div class="" style="clear: both; text-align: justify;"><br />
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</div><div class="" style="clear: both; text-align: justify;">One of the things I almost always bring with me is a book or any reading material and/or a notebook where I can draw or write stuff. It's true what they say: boredom kills. And this is my way of hanging on to dear life. (Okay, that was cheesy.)</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: justify;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: justify;">Packing for the <a href="http://talkwithstrangers.blogspot.com/2011/08/budlaan-trek.html">recent trek</a> I had was hurried. I was currently reading a thick novel but I didn't want to bring anything big and heavy so I grabbed this small novel (novella?) I had in my shelf: Bridges of Madison County.</div><br />
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<div style="text-align: justify;">It was so short at around 150 pages with huge font -- talk about stretching the length of the novel -- that I finished half of it during the frequent breaks we had. I had the impression that it was a good book coz the awesome Clint Eastwood made a <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Bridges_of_Madison_County_(film)">film adaptation</a> about it. I was wrong. It was overly romantic, too cheesy I thought some rats were trying to attack me. I hate the story. Wife of a decent husband falls in love with a stranger she met for four days while her family was away on a trip. She and stranger part ways and never meet again but their love never faded even until their death decades after. asdfjkl!!!!</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: justify;">Too sensational, too cinematic. I wanted to crumple the pages and burn the book. </div><div style="text-align: justify;">It's terrible. I'm no moralist but it amuses me that this book became so popular because <i>they had an affair</i>.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: justify;">Unless you want to feel angry and dumb and wanting to poke your eyes for reading such horrible stuff, don't read it.</div>Christinahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09275991223413184735noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2117262055812793336.post-32814934959353817772011-08-18T20:02:00.009+08:002012-11-16T23:55:34.237+08:00Budlaan River Trek<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: justify;">
After plenty of turning down invites for the outdoors I finally had the time to join one.</div>
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I went river trekking and rock climbing in Budlaan Falls in Talamban on a cloudy/rainy/sunny Sunday. I first met these people at a Basic Mountaineering Course held last month. The weather was just fine when the group rendezvoused in the morning but when we reached our drop off at Baugo it started to drizzle and then it rained hard. Our guide/leader surveyed the area and tried to weigh between doing <a href="http://tina08.multiply.com/photos/album/87/Baugo_to_Kan-Irag">Kan-Irag</a> or push through with the river trek.</div>
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We did the river trek.</div>
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My camera's LCD was broken so I was shooting through the viewfinder the whole time with no reviewing and stuff. I'm glad the photos came out good.</div>
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Some girl's feet swimming in coffee.</div>
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Because of the rain the water was brown. It wasn't really dirty. Just muddy. On normal days the river and waterfalls look like <a href="http://jonabering.files.wordpress.com/2011/06/budlaan.jpg">this</a>.</div>
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There were lots of rocks and boulders and plants and insects along the way.</div>
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<a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-owOFs8debI0/Tkzqu7j5t0I/AAAAAAAABMg/cQsqyPptazs/s1600/127_0014+copy.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="480" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-owOFs8debI0/Tkzqu7j5t0I/AAAAAAAABMg/cQsqyPptazs/s640/127_0014+copy.jpg" width="640" /></a></div>
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Sometimes we had to cross the river and the current was quite strong and along with that, some rock climbing and rapelling. There were lots of ropes involved. That guy on the left was our guide, Aaron. </div>
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I don't know what's up with those strips of white shades on the photos. </div>
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Mighty waterfalls. I have so much love for fresh water. =) </div>
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I don't really know the names of the waterfalls. There were probably three or four that we passed by. This one was the biggest, it was majestic. Well, it wouldn't have been so if it weren't for the rain. Otherwise it would have looked like (<a href="http://images.zzubu.multiply.com/image/1/photos/127/500x500/111/PC126984.JPG?et=XkNsRmtO7tJ1tACupKARXg&nmid=303835904">this</a>).</div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhzuzkq6i0i_V43D1Iylivv4w4wREX3hwkPV5PRV6kFK7tUwqmxnuLjeejzAvJYjmMmeZiwWq2un5EvJhgZGDQm62FLjJm40_52uHS-zHZ2jYOPQ1clmGVzMRjQ2_prQ6alxdTfnVMHlHiC/s1600/127_0025+copy.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhzuzkq6i0i_V43D1Iylivv4w4wREX3hwkPV5PRV6kFK7tUwqmxnuLjeejzAvJYjmMmeZiwWq2un5EvJhgZGDQm62FLjJm40_52uHS-zHZ2jYOPQ1clmGVzMRjQ2_prQ6alxdTfnVMHlHiC/s640/127_0025+copy.jpg" width="480" /></a></div>
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Those are water hoses. And that's Neeru. Or was it Jerson? I was only sure of one name among the people in the group: Paw Paw who helped me bigtime.</div>
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Now, this is where the magic happened that day.</div>
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The ropes were extremely important. Someone said this is the part where you learn to appreciate your life. It didn't really apply to any of us until the "magic" happened. I don't want to talk about it. I just want to tell you this: think twice about river trekking if it's raining hard, ergo, when it floods. </div>
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This is the part where I finished a quarter of a short novel I brought with me. The group was moving slow and there were lots of waiting time in between it would dry your eyes out. It was an ugly book I brought. So ugly I think I'll tell you about it later.</div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj2FICI9zjc-W5WxiWpf1K0Y_RJWN0Qr7fmMTfSWo8-D7LmRo0G81esqpENPFr9TP4Y4pzVIyreimECE_goKLgFeDqusKZwlfVkQyrqVpldiP4Lm0tvkX0x5fn06wOxCplUkIGcJhO6qQ8B/s1600/127_0076+copy.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj2FICI9zjc-W5WxiWpf1K0Y_RJWN0Qr7fmMTfSWo8-D7LmRo0G81esqpENPFr9TP4Y4pzVIyreimECE_goKLgFeDqusKZwlfVkQyrqVpldiP4Lm0tvkX0x5fn06wOxCplUkIGcJhO6qQ8B/s640/127_0076+copy.jpg" width="640" /></a></div>
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Brisk walking back to Baugo. Racing the sunset.</div>
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We were way behind schedule. We were supposed to end up in Busay but it was getting dark already so they decided that we just go back to Baugo where we dropped off. I love walking trails--at dusk at that. And I was practically silent most of the time. #shytype. I would have been the opposite if my trek buddy, <a href="http://talkwithstrangers.blogspot.com/2011/04/trek-and-spelunk.html">Rochelle</a>, went. She had other plans. I miss her a lot. Like a lot, a lot.</div>
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This trek was so cheap I only spent less than 50 pesos. And I got a huge ugly bruise as a souvenir. It's so colorful it's like I have a rainbow tattooed on my left knee.</div>
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Christinahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09275991223413184735noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2117262055812793336.post-3066034184504133902011-08-08T19:32:00.002+08:002011-08-09T08:59:40.021+08:00Garden<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: justify;">Late post.</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: justify;">Last month's hike in Banawa.</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: justify;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-px2l1Pzm0XU/Tj_GdP1N6VI/AAAAAAAAA4U/BU6tAzg8xgg/s1600/1.2.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="480" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-px2l1Pzm0XU/Tj_GdP1N6VI/AAAAAAAAA4U/BU6tAzg8xgg/s640/1.2.jpg" width="640" /></a></div><br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-E1YolfByclA/Tj_I3YReyNI/AAAAAAAAA5E/8q14kPzbidA/s1600/12.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="640" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-E1YolfByclA/Tj_I3YReyNI/AAAAAAAAA5E/8q14kPzbidA/s640/12.jpg" width="476" /></a></div><br />
Christinahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09275991223413184735noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2117262055812793336.post-2135501897889659532011-05-15T01:02:00.011+08:002011-08-14T00:30:50.691+08:00Binuthan Cave<div style="text-align: justify;">April 30, 2011 Saturday I went with <a href="http://cebu-outdoor-guy.blogspot.com/">Bal </a>and Rochelle, the same cute guys I was with in <a href="http://talkwithstrangers.blogspot.com/2011/04/trek-and-spelunk.html">Argao</a>, to Binuthan Cave in Morga, Cebu.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: justify;">We were supposed to go there with a (?professional) guide but we were cost-cutting (whatever) so we went there on our own plus a local guide, which was much cheaper. Bal did a <a href="http://cebu-outdoor-guy.blogspot.com/2011/04/binuthan-cave-bonbon-cebu.html">reconnaissance</a> a few days before the trip. He's quite suicidal.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: justify;">Dropped off at 10am somewhere in Bonbon and went down a steep mountain. I was practically bumming at home weeks prior so the descent made my legs seem to wobble, aside from other more unfortunate events </div><div style="text-align: justify;">>.< So point is to do some exercise.</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjPm3RMmbgbPDaogW52Xq4ewEKw80B5O51wplefcQAnbdxgdcYDEfk6HuR6clwBwZ2EGxCD8dJpN8vsEb80bH8IceF8IKjHWyxoIqKqzl4eFZUEscXVRij4_dd7Z5JvYrDWBzXzrxpxrSSp/s1600/225661_2034079809307_1163545261_32448531_2407427_n.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjPm3RMmbgbPDaogW52Xq4ewEKw80B5O51wplefcQAnbdxgdcYDEfk6HuR6clwBwZ2EGxCD8dJpN8vsEb80bH8IceF8IKjHWyxoIqKqzl4eFZUEscXVRij4_dd7Z5JvYrDWBzXzrxpxrSSp/s400/225661_2034079809307_1163545261_32448531_2407427_n.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">Smiles of girls who were temporarily relieved of some climbing.</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-0HKQhaOaz54/Tc6o1F0JztI/AAAAAAAAAvM/zClQvDCupj4/s1600/221691_2034079169291_1163545261_32448530_5204081_n.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="300" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-0HKQhaOaz54/Tc6o1F0JztI/AAAAAAAAAvM/zClQvDCupj4/s400/221691_2034079169291_1163545261_32448530_5204081_n.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">Fresh buko snack.</div><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgmEHuApHygdyzU_zpQWlGgQexhFf6aPf9NQxIGcd5TfEJwbxAVfvxEYAs6zkyo24E-02LTP_KLgtt-wwl6XoIbEmuikQbDHrBrnr3Y4RxeH4PGd5f8lGr6ihfjAoSSOEhNkJjwklTbhwfQ/s1600/225276_2034081209342_1163545261_32448534_6118023_n.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgmEHuApHygdyzU_zpQWlGgQexhFf6aPf9NQxIGcd5TfEJwbxAVfvxEYAs6zkyo24E-02LTP_KLgtt-wwl6XoIbEmuikQbDHrBrnr3Y4RxeH4PGd5f8lGr6ihfjAoSSOEhNkJjwklTbhwfQ/s400/225276_2034081209342_1163545261_32448534_6118023_n.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">Going up to Binuthan cave. My favorite part of the trip.</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-Utm1VGpj_ZQ/Tc64WrAin4I/AAAAAAAAAv8/RcjJ5yMk0-k/s1600/228516_2034083169391_1163545261_32448540_495855_n.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="400" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-Utm1VGpj_ZQ/Tc64WrAin4I/AAAAAAAAAv8/RcjJ5yMk0-k/s400/228516_2034083169391_1163545261_32448540_495855_n.jpg" width="300" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: center;"></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">Eeeee fresh water <3 <3 <3</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-s_BCdz4oKN0/Tc6o715RCsI/AAAAAAAAAvk/uU7vViKJ5hw/s1600/225461_2034083849408_1163545261_32448542_3684002_n.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-s_BCdz4oKN0/Tc6o715RCsI/AAAAAAAAAvk/uU7vViKJ5hw/s400/225461_2034083849408_1163545261_32448542_3684002_n.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><div class="" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">Mouth of Binuthan Cave. You could use some fats to keep you warm and afloat in these waters.</div><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-Vqv9sTNL5lo/Tc6o5wbEXhI/AAAAAAAAAvc/Y4ZpfqwY97Q/s1600/225281_2034084249418_1163545261_32448544_5072198_n.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-Vqv9sTNL5lo/Tc6o5wbEXhI/AAAAAAAAAvc/Y4ZpfqwY97Q/s400/225281_2034084249418_1163545261_32448544_5072198_n.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">Lots of rocks above and below.</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: justify;">Because the water at the mouth of the cave is so deep, we had to use some inflatable to get through. Those are my little sisters' life jackets Rochelle and I were wearing. Just maximizing the resources. :P</div><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-dn4FYOP6Zoo/Tc6o-1d25bI/AAAAAAAAAvw/yfu0ZHAsu2s/s1600/228081_2034084729430_1163545261_32448546_7436372_n.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-dn4FYOP6Zoo/Tc6o-1d25bI/AAAAAAAAAvw/yfu0ZHAsu2s/s400/228081_2034084729430_1163545261_32448546_7436372_n.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">Walking through this part of the cave reminded me of Britney's MV of <a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgu9LBsUwBxOjDf57GxP50DKjlvVWuqOa8lzsZCMGA8U7rLV5G87bDvx8TBQzqlvZGa72l-Qpl3I4QYdgxrJWlpjWFKJ18jJHFu29p-n1d3D6qnYgKRJdM5IdiATfHR7fnKNCebpcdPU1T9/s320/Britney+Spears+-+I'm+Not+A+Girl,+Not+Yet+A+Woman.jpg">Not a girl not yet a woman</a>.</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">It took us an hour and a half to get to the end of the cave.</div><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-_UklC7Upqk8/Tc6o-JqPWqI/AAAAAAAAAvs/2X7vibybglg/s1600/226546_2034084969436_1163545261_32448547_1155900_n.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-_UklC7Upqk8/Tc6o-JqPWqI/AAAAAAAAAvs/2X7vibybglg/s400/226546_2034084969436_1163545261_32448547_1155900_n.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">End of Binuthan Cave</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">To make the most of our trip we decided to check another cave nearby.</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-dDD6LpwV5DI/Tc6pA5iPeMI/AAAAAAAAAv4/8-zMdq4DRMM/s1600/229056_2034085689454_1163545261_32448549_1500297_n.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-dDD6LpwV5DI/Tc6pA5iPeMI/AAAAAAAAAv4/8-zMdq4DRMM/s400/229056_2034085689454_1163545261_32448549_1500297_n.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">With Rochelle and Bal.</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">Facebook is always watching.</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: justify;">Even when you're far from civilization, do mind your fashion. Unfortunately I don't mind very much of what I wear so I never pictured myself when I grabbed my clothes that morning. It's stupid to have polka dots and stripes in one get-up. Gah! I should have been a man.</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: justify;"><br />
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</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-E-KQRHh8c4A/Tc6o6nxN27I/AAAAAAAAAvg/Mo0jyzb9wbk/s1600/225336_2034086129465_1163545261_32448550_6044001_n.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-E-KQRHh8c4A/Tc6o6nxN27I/AAAAAAAAAvg/Mo0jyzb9wbk/s400/225336_2034086129465_1163545261_32448550_6044001_n.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">Field of cabbages. It's my first to see a field of vegetables so I did feel like it was an achievement.</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">Bucketlist:</div><ul><li><strike>see a field of vegetables</strike></li>
</ul><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-QVVC96IysMU/Tc64X6mrbbI/AAAAAAAAAwA/cPvlpii0gS4/s1600/223221_2034086569476_1163545261_32448551_5619207_n.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="400" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-QVVC96IysMU/Tc64X6mrbbI/AAAAAAAAAwA/cPvlpii0gS4/s400/223221_2034086569476_1163545261_32448551_5619207_n.jpg" width="300" /></a></div><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">Satuhan Cave</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: justify;">It's a chapel inside. We thought it's a boring place as you can see in the photo the end is seen from the entrance but it's actually for extreme caving as you have to rappel down to explore. We didn't know about the extreme caving thing until I posted the photos on facebook and someone commented. Told you facebook is always watching.</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: justify;"><br />
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</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: justify;">*Photos by Bal</div>Christinahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09275991223413184735noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2117262055812793336.post-14839857404318826672011-04-07T21:41:00.012+08:002011-10-01T22:55:17.886+08:00Argao Trek and Spelunk: Balay sa Agta and Bugasok Falls<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">The day right after final exams, I went with <a href="http://cebu-outdoor-guy.blogspot.com/">Bal</a> and my high school and med school classmate, Rochelle, to south of Cebu, Argao. </div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">I stumbled upon blogger <a href="http://www.travelandsnaps.com/">Mark Salvador</a> who wrote about some really interesting places in Cebu, mailed him and he suggested Balay sa Agta and Bugasok Falls in Argao. I couldn't think of anybody else better to take with me other than Bal and Rochelle. They both love the outdoors. Roch is a wall climber who wanted to try caving and Bal is a cyclist who is ready to die anytime. They haven't gone trekking nor caving ever so we were all first timers. :) Mark said the cave is easy to find so we didn't mind getting a guide beforehand. And Rochelle sorta wanted to get lost, ala Bear Grylls -- he's the man!</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">Minimal things to bring: </div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"></div><ul><li>flashlight / headlamp</li>
<li>water</li>
<li>food</li>
<li>money</li>
</ul><div>I tend to overpack so my <a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-dOlZfwojfp4/TleqQuMZ2YI/AAAAAAAABOM/qNscJ7-iroY/s1600/127_0288+cop1y.jpg">actual list</a> was quite longer.</div><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">Rendezvoused with the group at 8am, took the bus from the South Bus Terminal (Php 79), arrived in Argao then took the habal-habal (motorcycle) (Php 50) to Usmad River. We started walking at 10am.</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-Ecb37XRZbS0/TZ2gD2DIzWI/AAAAAAAAAnE/8S1Fa_AhBes/s1600/3.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="476" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-Ecb37XRZbS0/TZ2gD2DIzWI/AAAAAAAAAnE/8S1Fa_AhBes/s640/3.jpg" width="640" /></a></div><br />
I live in the city and haven't gone to many provinces. This is the 2nd clean river I have seen in my entire life. And the first that I have crossed. It felt so nice.<br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-DSsg7wSZwP4/TZ2gE_bNgyI/AAAAAAAAAnI/5TZ_pllaeMY/s1600/8.1.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="476" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-DSsg7wSZwP4/TZ2gE_bNgyI/AAAAAAAAAnI/5TZ_pllaeMY/s640/8.1.jpg" width="640" /></a></div><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-DXVVCuhVYtY/TZ2gNwMewVI/AAAAAAAAAnM/xr5ErMbQY9U/s1600/9.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="640" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-DXVVCuhVYtY/TZ2gNwMewVI/AAAAAAAAAnM/xr5ErMbQY9U/s640/9.jpg" width="480" /></a></div><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-mL_KBusM2rw/TZ2gTu07rSI/AAAAAAAAAnQ/eWu71Erb3QA/s1600/11.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="480" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-mL_KBusM2rw/TZ2gTu07rSI/AAAAAAAAAnQ/eWu71Erb3QA/s640/11.jpg" width="640" /></a></div><br />
A lot of blogs I've read about getting to the cave said that you just have to keep looking up to the right to be able to see the mouth of the cave. We kind of forgot that part and tenenenen... we ended up GETTING LOST. We just kept walking and walking and following this narrow trail which wasn't really so bad coz the view of the trees, rocks, insects and the sound of the river were so lovely. (Excuse the city girl). And I also learned something from my company: as long as there's a trail there'll always be people somewhere.<br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-oNyP_Tz2oME/TZ2gVZ7iQMI/AAAAAAAAAnU/ywrRN272sRg/s1600/15.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="478" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-oNyP_Tz2oME/TZ2gVZ7iQMI/AAAAAAAAAnU/ywrRN272sRg/s640/15.jpg" width="640" /></a></div><br />
So unless you want to waste your time looking for civilization, keep looking to the right to find a huge hole on a wall.<br />
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We reached an isolated house (which was such a relief after walking for so long without seeing any human) and asked for directions. We gave up on our sense of direction and asked Manong Sammy and his kid to guide us to the cave and the falls.<br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-pqZpbHekP6w/TZ2ge3My9iI/AAAAAAAAAnY/HLOvl_edPz0/s1600/22.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="640" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-pqZpbHekP6w/TZ2ge3My9iI/AAAAAAAAAnY/HLOvl_edPz0/s640/22.jpg" width="480" /></a></div><div style="text-align: center;"> Rochelle and Bal standing in the mouth of the cave. </div><br />
It was a very steep climb getting up here from the river. Going to the mouth of the cave takes a lot of courage. You can't walk through without looking where your feet are, which means looking down and looking down the cliff. You have to be very careful or you fall down to a bed of rocks. One friend who lives in Argao told me that the way to the cave is very perilous. You just got to have the go-for-it attitude. We're so glad we got lost and found our guide who helped us along the way. <---- This contradicts what I said about looking to the right to find the mouth of the cave.<br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-4wxoQXYrrvc/TZ2gf3RL8bI/AAAAAAAAAnc/LYlbylvvI8s/s1600/25.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="640" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-4wxoQXYrrvc/TZ2gf3RL8bI/AAAAAAAAAnc/LYlbylvvI8s/s640/25.jpg" width="478" /></a></div><div style="text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: left;">Inside the cave is pitch black. You can't find your way through without a headlamp or flashlight. Rochelle actually bought a headlamp the day prior. It was a bit pricey but she was so excited and was hoping to visit more caves. :P I brought with me my dad's headlamp which he uses when he's fixing stuff. Bal held a flashlight. XD</div><div style="text-align: center;"><div style="text-align: left;"><br />
</div></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-rKRi5M3bgIc/TZ2glyW9GHI/AAAAAAAAAnk/daOUPKx3yzM/s1600/31.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="480" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-rKRi5M3bgIc/TZ2glyW9GHI/AAAAAAAAAnk/daOUPKx3yzM/s640/31.jpg" width="640" /></a></div><div style="text-align: center;"> In the middle of the cave is the "skylight" where you can find a hole right above. Notice how high the roof is.</div><div style="text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: left;"><br />
We got in the cave a little past noontime. It was perfect timing 'cause the sun was just right overhead so the rays shone right through the hole. The rays were so defined, it's exactly how it looks like on the photo.</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjiZOS9lUEDTfchBAqQwIsLDr9daJeG3zZoOqIUGw9b1AlSKyOfuf_S9lzTKHl2lS5U-LXZ-y7raMw1GXs2KCa4qwmWfSIWl8K4c3eaz9VhqKO9XXkszvgzJGe65ESY2Xt4_QU37KQ6ZVWi/s1600/36.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjiZOS9lUEDTfchBAqQwIsLDr9daJeG3zZoOqIUGw9b1AlSKyOfuf_S9lzTKHl2lS5U-LXZ-y7raMw1GXs2KCa4qwmWfSIWl8K4c3eaz9VhqKO9XXkszvgzJGe65ESY2Xt4_QU37KQ6ZVWi/s640/36.jpg" width="640" /></a></div><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-krGkAzq0bEg/TZ2m2S1jH-I/AAAAAAAAAoE/T05HuNs_wbA/s1600/27.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="478" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-krGkAzq0bEg/TZ2m2S1jH-I/AAAAAAAAAoE/T05HuNs_wbA/s640/27.jpg" width="640" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">Isn't it grand.</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-EdmuX9m3Wfg/TZ2guXpaxII/AAAAAAAAAns/YFJwR4zwCYc/s1600/39.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="480" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-EdmuX9m3Wfg/TZ2guXpaxII/AAAAAAAAAns/YFJwR4zwCYc/s640/39.jpg" width="640" /></a></div><div style="text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: left;">We got out of the cave (same where we entered) around 2pm. We were already hungry. We would've wanted to just eat inside the cave but thought it would be better if we crossed the "perilous" path first before enjoying our meals. I find it better if the bad things come first before the good ones.</div><div style="text-align: left;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: left;">We had lunch in a tiny glade under some some trees for shade. We brought packlunch. Original plan was to have lunch in Bugasok Falls but we got lost. Ergo, behind schedule.</div><div style="text-align: left;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: left;">After lunch, we headed to Bugasok Falls. It wasn't too far from the cave. Most of the people who come here start off from the falls (which you can reach by motorcycle) then go down to the cave. It will only take probably less than 30 min. But we took the other route where we started from the river way down the waterfall. The views we had with the route we took were so pretty I'm glad we chose that route.</div><div style="text-align: left;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-ZBsXqeIbeZw/TZ2g1TtOU8I/AAAAAAAAAnw/F6OvZcILKoA/s1600/43.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="480" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-ZBsXqeIbeZw/TZ2g1TtOU8I/AAAAAAAAAnw/F6OvZcILKoA/s640/43.jpg" width="640" /></a></div><div style="text-align: center;"> Bal on top of Bugasok Falls</div><div style="text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-8l918Ngab4Q/TZ2g7M_d-RI/AAAAAAAAAn0/ivON-OBA6D8/s1600/45.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="480" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-8l918Ngab4Q/TZ2g7M_d-RI/AAAAAAAAAn0/ivON-OBA6D8/s640/45.jpg" width="640" /></a></div><div style="text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhZJpP9HPUQGsosWEjtS2zgfjVeyYJNCkqI4blIoPvGbxNvJm7P1m31NynWqHS-BJbGuPSdVb66jUsj8OgBciHh9hdyBtgKG8c-2IvR2njvckq7xdlTEzDi1-It30sO70DZ4h38T04dwNI7/s1600/46.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="478" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhZJpP9HPUQGsosWEjtS2zgfjVeyYJNCkqI4blIoPvGbxNvJm7P1m31NynWqHS-BJbGuPSdVb66jUsj8OgBciHh9hdyBtgKG8c-2IvR2njvckq7xdlTEzDi1-It30sO70DZ4h38T04dwNI7/s640/46.jpg" width="640" /></a></div><div style="text-align: center;"> Bugasok Falls. It is lovely. But I don't think it's too safe to jump down there. I would've loved to though.</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiRq2o-NtVv4oZXxAmRIZ-IURKwzRTI2q9dQreuYbkMFU9UBROOM40iaOyLUOo36WiVKbFaFJcWqCRZUpZaA5roZiHRDfAo3brRXARsgsid4wDFKHfefhnAB5IygfiqdH9QrYfPdRM6m3tM/s1600/52.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="478" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiRq2o-NtVv4oZXxAmRIZ-IURKwzRTI2q9dQreuYbkMFU9UBROOM40iaOyLUOo36WiVKbFaFJcWqCRZUpZaA5roZiHRDfAo3brRXARsgsid4wDFKHfefhnAB5IygfiqdH9QrYfPdRM6m3tM/s640/52.jpg" width="640" /></a></div><div style="text-align: center;"> After checking the waterfall, we went up ahead where the current isn't too strong. We rested for a little while. Bal took a dip. He couldn't resist.</div><div style="text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: left;">A quarter before 4pm we left the river and went to the road. We were walking up to the barrio hall looking for a motorcycle to bring us back to Argao Market. It was a very long walk, and steep at that. As Rochelle said, it was the longest 30mins or so of her life. She said she was walking at the speed of less than 1 m/s. Haha! Who wouldn't be tired after walking for 6 hours? It would've been less if we didn't get lost.</div><div style="text-align: left;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-ONAZR-nxQZc/TZ2gB3pHOcI/AAAAAAAAAnA/JxkgN010C74/s1600/58.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="480" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-ONAZR-nxQZc/TZ2gB3pHOcI/AAAAAAAAAnA/JxkgN010C74/s640/58.jpg" width="640" /></a></div><div style="text-align: center;">The looooooong walk.</div><div style="text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: left;">We got onto a motorcycle almost 5pm, had some snack and took the bus home. The travel going home always seems shorter, don't you think?</div><div style="text-align: left;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: left;">Three very happy people that day. I prayed so much for this trip to be safe. And safe it was, plus a good weather. It's finally summer.<br />
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Photos by Bal and me.<br />
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*We paid Manong Sammy Php 300. He said "Kamo ray bahala," when we asked him how much he'd charge. I think that was enough? We're still students :P<br />
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Total expenses for that day: Php 400.<br />
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More photos <a href="https://plus.google.com/photos/110471515327145727598/albums/5597885935179178657">here</a>.<br />
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Not that I'm the best person to ask but feel free to ask me (mail or comment) if you need any more information about getting there.</div>Christinahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09275991223413184735noreply@blogger.com11