MT. PINATUBO: "Power of 3" Trek (5.23.11)

I love traveling and have read a lot of travel blogs. In fact, reading it is like a pill to my bored earthly being. It refuels my solitary existence and yields me to abide my itchy feet. I’ve been to quite a few places but don’t have the time to write and share my own travel experience. It’s just recently that I have finally found the means and the time to craft my own travel blog. Being my latest quest, my Mt. Pinatubo Trekking would be my foremost sight-see entry.

Just last week, my cuz and I were yearning for something. Being bored due to work for months already (in her case) and a bit obsession to do something uncommon in my case made us wrap-up for a day of adventure in Mt. Pinatubo. Just few days before our planned trek, the weather have been gusty that made us mull whether to pursue or not. But still, with an impetus to run after a day of quest… WE PURSUE! Whether we HIT or MISS!

So thrilled for the trip, we arrived at Pasay Bus Terminal (Victory Liner) at around 3:00 in the morning of May 23, 2011. Been late for about just 5 minutes for the first trip bound to Dagupan/Lingayen and settled for the second one. It cost us Php 175. After an hour, we left Pasay at exactly 4:00 in the morning and jumped-off at Capas, Tarlac junction around 7:30 am. 

From here, we rode a tricycle bound to Sta. Juliana (where the SPA Town is located and the jump-off point for Pinatubo Crater Trekking). The ride cost Php 300, we’re 3 so we had a hundred bucks each.

Arriving at the SPA Town, one has to register for the trek and cost us Php 1500 EACH inclusive of 4x4 ride, tour guide, use of SPA Town amenities, lunch (a choice between Korean and Filipino food) and trekking certificate (optional). Since we are all female, they assigned an Air Force Officer as our security to accompany us on the trek and we paid an additional P400 pesos.

trail route

There are two trekking routes to the crater: first is via SKYWAY with 1 1/2 hrs of 4x4 ride plus half hour of trekking and second is the OLD WAY with 1 hour of ride and 2-3 hours of trekking via O’Donnell River.

We opted to have the old way, though long trail and thigh aching, we're able to see lahar formations and canyons along the way as a reward, so worth it! 

As if young age, am insisting a 15-min more of trekking

And so there we are, after butt and thigh-aching two hours of trekking the rough river, we finally reached the pit-stop. It would just take few minutes from here to the crater depending on your age and vigor. We went beyond lush vegetations thereafter and finally reach the crater.

 Upon seeing the so-famous Pinatubo crater, 

I was in AWE AND BEEN BEWILDERED by something 

so magnificently beautiful yet so destructive.

Who would have thought that a catastrophic volcano who ruined millions of life two decades ago would be one of the breathtaking tourist spot in the Philippines! It's so majestic, can't believe i've seen it up close and personal…with my two naked eyes! A couple of grueling hours to reach it were so WORTH IT.

After hours of stay, we opted to go downhill. The possibility of rainshowers emerge as the cloud onset to get dark. Our tour guide (an Ita) elucidate that its quite dangerous if the rain falls down so we better get moving our ass out of the crater… and commence another two hours trek way back. And the Ita was right, we’re half-way the trek when the rain starts to fall so we hurriedly find our way to our waiting 4x4 wheels.

Upon arrival at the SPA, quite an ample serving of a sumptuous late lunch was already set. The use of their locker and shower room is also for everyone’s convenience. Php 1500 was worth it so don’t try to haggle around.

So that’s it, after a good bath and a lavish late lunch… we’re bound to go home…. but still, we eagerly asked the tricycle driver to drop us at CAPAS NATIONAL SHRINE (the starting point of the Death March way back in history) and have some photo ops at the Death March Monument.

Here's the breakdown of expenses:
P175 x 2 = P350 (2-way bus fare)
P100 x 2 = P200 (2-way trike fare)
P 133 (for the Air Force Security)
P 1500  (Reg. Fee at the SPA Town inclusive of everything)



All in all… the trip just cost us a total of Php 2,183 EACH! So worth it for a day of an exceptional adventure!

Choices

Having choices in life are really inevitable. It’s quite hard and really mind-numbing. Now, I feel that I am on a point wherein I am between two clashing decisions and I have to make a choice, just have to choose one… and not both. A choice whether i’ll set off or just linger behind… whether i’ll do it or toss it aside… and still, after hours and days of mulling over… nothing had changed… and the bottom line?!! I still have to make a decision and weigh things up… not only for my own good but for all! wheeew!

My HERO (In Tribute to Mom)

“It was in 1988 when she started to work in a foreign land… as the one being able, she tried finding a greener pasture for the family… endure the time of not being with her love ones… constantly bearing in mind the beneficial reward of what she was doing… that is to PROVIDE GOOD FUTURE FOR HER KIDS! She tried dissimilar works and strive the incongruity of distant land… cope to the culture and idealism then eventually sink in… for her to be at ease. Years went by… then a decade soon passed… she came to the point of reaping the rewards of her hardwork. With the cooperation and support of her better half, her kids grew up, finished school and started to work on their own. It was really a great achievement for her… Seeing her children self-governing in their wants and needs… coping greatly in life with sovereignty and still in good will, despite of her absence as a mother is such a great accomplishment. Then, she continued to preserve a good future for the family… went on working abroad… Years passed, it was in the first month of 2004 when she started to feel different… she feels a bit weak at first… her cough soon became abrasive. Still believing that nothing was wrong, she just take usual medication for cough… and continue to work despite of what she was feeling… believing it was nothing! She was known as a very determined and strong person, in fact a healthy one. Then a month passed, it was in February 2004 when she went to the doctor… they have seen a lump near her throat and started to study about it. The doctor said that the lump should be removed… and she allowed it knowing it would be best for her. With the company of her brother, she continued the medication abroad. During this time, her family in the Philippines knew nothing. All they know is that she was having a simple cough… she spared her family the pain she was going through. She thought that it would be better if her family knew nothing. Eventually, the simple lump operation in her shoulder yield to a more horrid disease. That single lump metastasized through her body, nodes soon to spread out steering her lungs… She remained strong and determined that soon she’d be well. She undergone chemotherapy abroad… still coverting her real condition. She told everyone she was with, not to tell her real condition with her family in the Philippines. She believed that hiding her condition is the best that she can do to spare her family from distress. A month passed… it was in April, when the results of tests and medical examinations have been known… she was diagnosed to have pulmonary metastasis in the lungs… numerous nodes have metastasized in her lungs… and it was too late… the doctor affirmed that she would be living for a month or long… SHE KNEW IT AND KEPT IT TO HERSELF. With great faith in God, she concealed her real status and arranged the necessary papers needed in case she’d be going home in the Philippines. Strong-willed as she is, she signed all the documents consigning her daughter to fetch her remains if she gone home lifeless… SHE KNEW IT THAT TIME! Being a great believer of God, she accepted everything… continue giving glory to God, accepting wholeheartedly her fate of dying in a foreign land… without seeing her family even for the last time. Indeed, she was really AN EPITOME OF A STRONG AND TOUGH WOMAN… A WOMAN OF GREAT FAITH… a woman who love her family so much, to the point of bearing all the pains just to spare her family in agony… she done it all on her own! And on the month of May, 2004… just five months since the first time she felt the symptoms…the day after her 49th birthday… God sent angels down to fetch her… to finally be with her Creator… God wanted to stop all her pains and make her happy forever… with HIM in heaven!” MISSIN YOU SO MUCH MOM! I LOVE YOU! Soooo much…… ~ Marthan 

Yes, you’ve read it right… she’s my mom! MY HERO… AND WE’RE VERY PROUD OF HER! What she have done was an exemplar of what a mother can do and endure for the sake of her children… fortunate are those who have their mom, the only person in the world whom one can always turn to, without expecting anything in return! LOVE YOUR MOM! She deserves all the love in the world… No one in the world deserves profound love and gratitude than our mothers! Moms are exceptional! =)

Journey to Adulthood

Did you ever wish you’re still a kid… the certain point in life wherein you have no dilemma, no need to think about life, just giggle and laugh… a point wherein everything seems so fine! And playing is the only thing you wanted … with simple wishes… and a bruise can be mend by just a piece of lollipop! Wheeew, how fast time flies is really foreseeable… we really have to cope with it, and if not, we have to face each and every consequence of our actions!

As we journey to adulthood, great expectations arise… mind-numbing responsibilities flooded… life’s imperfection becomes inevitable… wheeew, quite tough, isn’t it! In addition, it is the time wherein we have to craft a good future and still have to enjoy the present age… a matter of saving and spending all at once! It’s really a form of multi-tasking… I know you guyz with the same age as mine probably have the most enjoyable period in life… wherein the eager passions of our youth are cooled, and harder infirmities of our age not yet begun… this is our time, so we better enjoy it… we’re just in the beginning of our journey to adulthood… a time for learning in love, and life… trials in every aspect do come at this moment… so we better watch out and learn. Discern each moment and defy each difficulty as a part of our lessons in this thing called “life”. What we have learned on our journey, whether big or small is accountable to what we might become in the future… Still, as we go along our journey… we all must LEARN HOW TO DRAW UP OUR PLANS and DEFINITELY DO IT despite any trials… and for sure, an incomparable journey awaits us! =)

Contentment

I was reading a book a while ago and I’ve read a line that caught me… The caption said that Blooming where you’re planted has to do with two things: contentment & productivity. Isn’t it nice, I think it is. Often, we have to be reminded to be content where we are. If we believe that God planted us on the right place, guezz we don’t have to worry and be the best in it. There’s a purpose why God placed us on a certain piece of this world. Most of the time, we often question God why we haven’t arrive at a place we dreamed of, or rather get the things that we wanted for a long time. Guezz the reason for it, is that, those things that we dreamed of won’t make out the best of what we are as an individual, instead, those may harm us and lead us to be a fiend-doer. I think, the best that we can do is be content and bloom where we’ve been planted. Dream still, yet trust God on where and what He want us to be. I remember when I was just starting my small business 4 years ago, my friends and colleagues often asked me if that was what I really want, to think that for them, I can gone so far. For a while then, I asked myself if it is really what I want and I am kinda doubtful about it, honestly. Then I still went on doubtedly. Then a year after, a tragedy in the family happened. And it is by that time, that I realized why God situate me here, its for my own personal growth as human, emotionally and spiritually. Guezz, we must don’t have room for complaints instead enjoy every bit of God’ blessings. Be content yet dream still. Since then, I started to be thankful and contented … and I know this is the place where He wants me to bloom… for now! =)