pain + fun (part 1)

09 February 2009

im on leave today, my legs are still sore, we climbed Mt. Pundaquit (zambales) last weekend. It was a 6 hour journey, up and down. It was my first climb ever and i dont think im gonna do that again! It was so hard, i swear! (lol)

Despite my busy days, i cant afford to miss this trip. I been wanting to go to anawangin the first time i saw a picture of it 2years ago, it's like love at first sight, that's why when C's classmate "J" invited us to go there i said yes right away. Thank Good Lord, I dont have class report scheduled on that day. Nakisama ang panahon talaga.

We left manila at 11:30pm friday night. We reached San Antonio, Zambales at around 3am. 20min tricycle ride to pundaquit. we gathered at the house of our guide for briefings, by 3:30 we are off to Mt. Pundaquit. We were with others hikers, actually there are a lot of hikers group. We were 16 in our team. It was still dark, the way to the foot of the mountain is sandy, you know how hard to walk in the sand, there is also a rocky part. By the time we reached the foot of the mountain im already tired. We took a 5 min rest before starting the "real" journey. With a back pack on my back, a rocky road (at that point i dont want the taste of rocky road) and a little light that came from our flash lights, i wanted to quit, yes, i really wanted to go back, i felt shortness of breath, probably im scared, i was praying silently and asking God for strength, i prayed "Lord sana makabalik pa ko ng buhay". i was silent for a moment thinking how to tell them i wanted to stop right there and go back but there is no turning back we are already miles away from the village, we took another rest, i decided to let the guide carry my back pack, goodness gracious, he said yes. Without the weight on my shoulder going up is much easier, my fear disappeared slowly, my breath goes back to normal and the will of reaching the summit gives me the courage to go on.

The track is tough,indeed, it is dark and grassy as in tall grasses. The only words i know at that moment is "malayo pa ba?" the climb is like eternity, someone screaming "are we there yet?" again and again.


When our guide finally said, "we are almost there" a wide smiles overcome us, finally! It's like seeing a pot of gold at the end of the rainbow!





By 6am we finally reached the summit, by that time the sun is getting ready to say "hello" world, but the clouds spoil the sun to rise with all its valor.


Wow, wow, the view on top of the mountain is so amazing, i was so proud i finished the journey! Congrats self! The other group of hikers were already on the summit. We took pictures and ate our breakfast.






Thanks J and the group for being so patient with us, assisting us in every step of the way, hahah naks!

I'd like to give tribute to kuya in orange shirt, he is the one carried my backpack, he is also our guide. You made my climb easier.



By 6:30 we are getting ready on our way down. I thought that going down is easier than going up, but i was so wrong, it was harder, you have to fight against gravity, with all my remaining power, i managed to reach the ground safe by 9am with a sore legs and feet.



Friends and I were the last to reach the ground and stunned at the news that J stumbled on the ground, his forehead hit the rock, got a cut about an inch, it was a little bloody, good thing they had a first aid kit and a nurse on the group. The bleeding stopped and J's back still kicking!

At the sight of anawangin with its glory, a peaceful sea, a mountain, pine tress and all, it was worth the 6 hour of torment.

Odd! that was a lot of people's reaction when they saw the place, how come a pine tress managed to grow on sand? Anyhow, that's the wonder of the place. Whatever force brought the pine trees there, I want to thank it, that made the place surreal among other places. The place was so serene.




I was thinking of edward hopping from one pine tree to another, bela on her back.




(photo credit: thanks to "C" vavavoom cam)

the majestic sunset



the moon reminds me of twilight..


I had so much fun, it was a new kind of adventure for me. I'm already planning my second visit to anawangin.

More stories tomorrow - our adventure at the light house in Capones Island

13 comments:

Anonymous said...

wow that quite an adventure. I would love also to do some climbing. Great job. Nice picture also especially the one where you're already on the summit. I like also the twilight picture :)

Anonymous said...

I dunno know mitch, i have been to one mountain climb, i went halfway to the peak, i don't think i will ever do it again. Great shots. I am glad you did that though, it was very encouraging.

Anonymous said...

That was a great experience. I can imagine how difficult it is. When I went up to Mambukal in Bacolod years back, I terribly grasped for breath.

Last year I was so inggit with my former officemates. They climbed Mount Pulag. Before that they did some 'training' so that they're well-conditioned for the actual climb. They emailed some woods photos to me, which look like the ones there. I was at the peak of my Twilight addiction then. Thanks for sharing the photos. It must be very fulfilling to be standing on the summit. =)

Anonymous said...

great adventure. The last time I climbed a mounted saw ten year ago pa. Hay kaka miss. La na kasi mga mountaing climbing buddies ko, nag si alisan na ng country :(

Thanks for sharing and great photos by the way!

Aihara Ramintessah Sanchez said...

Hi sis! Nice shots.Thanks for sharing. I just dream of mountain climbing. I dont think I could do it. I easily get tired. And believe me Im the clumsiest of all.LOL.

Anonymous said...

wow that looks like quite a hike! :)

iluvgreen said...

@upto6only - an adventure, indeed!

@sheng: grabe, sobrang hirap talaga, until now i cant imagine na naakyat ko, whew!

@jo: dpat talaga nag warm up kami or nag tranning before the climb, sobrang na strech ang muscles ko, hehehhe

@jeanny: medyo matagal ko cguro bago umulit, hirap eh, heheh

@tessah:clumsy din ako, ilang beses ako nadulas, grabe.

@ria: yes true, quite a hike

Eds said...

wow! sounds like a great adventure here. congratulations. thanks for sharing your pitures and experience with us.

Anonymous said...

Hello, sa susunod i try niyo yung nagsasa cove. tapos i timing mo ng lowtide kinabukasan para mapuntahan ang camara island. Baka naman pwede kaming sumama uli dyan same crowd, yung cook, yung addict sa bundok, yung maingay na nasagasaan ng 10 wheeler, at lalao na si Choco mucho

Heart of Rachel said...

Beautiful photos! Looks like a fun and memorable hike. It's nice to see everyone having a terrific time.

Anonymous said...

wow, that sounds like a great trip! ;-) love the photos; they make me want o go there!

iluvgreen said...

@bluerose: great adventure, indeed.

@windell: sure, cge go ulit tayo basta ba may choco mucho lagi eh heeheh, san ba yung nagsasa cove?

@rachel: yeah right. i had so much fun kahit mahirap.

@caryn: i'm sure you'll gonna love it.

Alice said...

Great photos and what an adventure! I wish to go hiking one day. It's been a long, long time since my last hike. LOL

09 February 2009

pain + fun (part 1)

im on leave today, my legs are still sore, we climbed Mt. Pundaquit (zambales) last weekend. It was a 6 hour journey, up and down. It was my first climb ever and i dont think im gonna do that again! It was so hard, i swear! (lol)

Despite my busy days, i cant afford to miss this trip. I been wanting to go to anawangin the first time i saw a picture of it 2years ago, it's like love at first sight, that's why when C's classmate "J" invited us to go there i said yes right away. Thank Good Lord, I dont have class report scheduled on that day. Nakisama ang panahon talaga.

We left manila at 11:30pm friday night. We reached San Antonio, Zambales at around 3am. 20min tricycle ride to pundaquit. we gathered at the house of our guide for briefings, by 3:30 we are off to Mt. Pundaquit. We were with others hikers, actually there are a lot of hikers group. We were 16 in our team. It was still dark, the way to the foot of the mountain is sandy, you know how hard to walk in the sand, there is also a rocky part. By the time we reached the foot of the mountain im already tired. We took a 5 min rest before starting the "real" journey. With a back pack on my back, a rocky road (at that point i dont want the taste of rocky road) and a little light that came from our flash lights, i wanted to quit, yes, i really wanted to go back, i felt shortness of breath, probably im scared, i was praying silently and asking God for strength, i prayed "Lord sana makabalik pa ko ng buhay". i was silent for a moment thinking how to tell them i wanted to stop right there and go back but there is no turning back we are already miles away from the village, we took another rest, i decided to let the guide carry my back pack, goodness gracious, he said yes. Without the weight on my shoulder going up is much easier, my fear disappeared slowly, my breath goes back to normal and the will of reaching the summit gives me the courage to go on.

The track is tough,indeed, it is dark and grassy as in tall grasses. The only words i know at that moment is "malayo pa ba?" the climb is like eternity, someone screaming "are we there yet?" again and again.


When our guide finally said, "we are almost there" a wide smiles overcome us, finally! It's like seeing a pot of gold at the end of the rainbow!





By 6am we finally reached the summit, by that time the sun is getting ready to say "hello" world, but the clouds spoil the sun to rise with all its valor.


Wow, wow, the view on top of the mountain is so amazing, i was so proud i finished the journey! Congrats self! The other group of hikers were already on the summit. We took pictures and ate our breakfast.






Thanks J and the group for being so patient with us, assisting us in every step of the way, hahah naks!

I'd like to give tribute to kuya in orange shirt, he is the one carried my backpack, he is also our guide. You made my climb easier.



By 6:30 we are getting ready on our way down. I thought that going down is easier than going up, but i was so wrong, it was harder, you have to fight against gravity, with all my remaining power, i managed to reach the ground safe by 9am with a sore legs and feet.



Friends and I were the last to reach the ground and stunned at the news that J stumbled on the ground, his forehead hit the rock, got a cut about an inch, it was a little bloody, good thing they had a first aid kit and a nurse on the group. The bleeding stopped and J's back still kicking!

At the sight of anawangin with its glory, a peaceful sea, a mountain, pine tress and all, it was worth the 6 hour of torment.

Odd! that was a lot of people's reaction when they saw the place, how come a pine tress managed to grow on sand? Anyhow, that's the wonder of the place. Whatever force brought the pine trees there, I want to thank it, that made the place surreal among other places. The place was so serene.




I was thinking of edward hopping from one pine tree to another, bela on her back.




(photo credit: thanks to "C" vavavoom cam)

the majestic sunset



the moon reminds me of twilight..


I had so much fun, it was a new kind of adventure for me. I'm already planning my second visit to anawangin.

More stories tomorrow - our adventure at the light house in Capones Island

13 comments:

Anonymous said...

wow that quite an adventure. I would love also to do some climbing. Great job. Nice picture also especially the one where you're already on the summit. I like also the twilight picture :)

Anonymous said...

I dunno know mitch, i have been to one mountain climb, i went halfway to the peak, i don't think i will ever do it again. Great shots. I am glad you did that though, it was very encouraging.

Anonymous said...

That was a great experience. I can imagine how difficult it is. When I went up to Mambukal in Bacolod years back, I terribly grasped for breath.

Last year I was so inggit with my former officemates. They climbed Mount Pulag. Before that they did some 'training' so that they're well-conditioned for the actual climb. They emailed some woods photos to me, which look like the ones there. I was at the peak of my Twilight addiction then. Thanks for sharing the photos. It must be very fulfilling to be standing on the summit. =)

Anonymous said...

great adventure. The last time I climbed a mounted saw ten year ago pa. Hay kaka miss. La na kasi mga mountaing climbing buddies ko, nag si alisan na ng country :(

Thanks for sharing and great photos by the way!

Aihara Ramintessah Sanchez said...

Hi sis! Nice shots.Thanks for sharing. I just dream of mountain climbing. I dont think I could do it. I easily get tired. And believe me Im the clumsiest of all.LOL.

Anonymous said...

wow that looks like quite a hike! :)

iluvgreen said...

@upto6only - an adventure, indeed!

@sheng: grabe, sobrang hirap talaga, until now i cant imagine na naakyat ko, whew!

@jo: dpat talaga nag warm up kami or nag tranning before the climb, sobrang na strech ang muscles ko, hehehhe

@jeanny: medyo matagal ko cguro bago umulit, hirap eh, heheh

@tessah:clumsy din ako, ilang beses ako nadulas, grabe.

@ria: yes true, quite a hike

Eds said...

wow! sounds like a great adventure here. congratulations. thanks for sharing your pitures and experience with us.

Anonymous said...

Hello, sa susunod i try niyo yung nagsasa cove. tapos i timing mo ng lowtide kinabukasan para mapuntahan ang camara island. Baka naman pwede kaming sumama uli dyan same crowd, yung cook, yung addict sa bundok, yung maingay na nasagasaan ng 10 wheeler, at lalao na si Choco mucho

Heart of Rachel said...

Beautiful photos! Looks like a fun and memorable hike. It's nice to see everyone having a terrific time.

Anonymous said...

wow, that sounds like a great trip! ;-) love the photos; they make me want o go there!

iluvgreen said...

@bluerose: great adventure, indeed.

@windell: sure, cge go ulit tayo basta ba may choco mucho lagi eh heeheh, san ba yung nagsasa cove?

@rachel: yeah right. i had so much fun kahit mahirap.

@caryn: i'm sure you'll gonna love it.

Alice said...

Great photos and what an adventure! I wish to go hiking one day. It's been a long, long time since my last hike. LOL