A Perfect Sunday Hike in Natib: A Farewell to Summer

Location: Orani, Bataan
Elevation: 1,253masl
Difficulty: semi-major climb, with rope segments approaching summit

I just witnessed that boundary of season --- such a beautiful day when summer seemed to end and rainy days begin. It was 28th of June and the last weekend of the month. We saw the sun and skies simultaneously smiling though seemingly turned to be annoyed at us afterwards causing an increased level of heat. Eventually, the skies turned gloomy until finally, we saw them crying and pouring their tears over us in the form of rain. Well, farewell to you Summer.. Hello Rainy Season!

I could still say, it was one perfect day to hike Mt. Natib.

I thought I have forgotten this wonderful mountain. I thought it would remain a target ever since I've started to love mountaineering. But hey no! I decided to finally make climbing this one a reality.

Mt. Natib, being 1,253masl and perched at the town of Orani, is claimed to be the highest peak in Bataan province.  One should be able to face semi-major kind of terrains and encounter with mountain leeches/limatik.

The convenient part for me in this climb event was that we got a chartered van and so we were directly dropped off to its jump off point. But the point that we missed was the registration as we thought that we were supposed to pay the fee and lodge our names in the barangay where we would be starting the trek out.


We’re a group of 15 climbers for this – a combination of old mountaineering fellas, newbie climbers, “current friends turned being together” in this climb and new acquaintances.

The first two hours of the trek was a wide, open trail... slowly but surely elevated kind of trail. So we can already feel the ascending force. I loved such perfect time of walking early in the morning enveloped by the freshness of the surroundings and absolute nature.

hello morning sunshine!

Until we arrived at a quite new DENR building, it was nice climbing at the veranda part of that building. We could already see the wholeness of what surrounds the Natib mountain.

at the DENR building

Moving on, I realized we had already entered the typical forested part. 

trek, trek, trek!

We saw many kinds of resident living creatures amd so I took every single opportunity given to me to have a snapshot of them. ^_^ 

We reached a grassland part wherein we can see the peak signifying the last ascent up the summit. Yet this one appeared to be the ultimate ascent. Indeed, that was the hardest part. 

Nearing the real challenge :) view of Natib summit

So we sort of gathered our strength first by taking a break at a resting area appearing to be the foot of such highest peak.

True enough, the battle began from the time we started the act of scaling. The trail was around 70-80  (or even almost 90 degrees). For some, they were thankful to the rope segment to aid the ascending. I was, of course! Somehow, I guess. Sometimes, I was better off relying on my own grabbing and handling through rocks and trunks of the trees. Fine, I am actually scared of the possibility to sway while clinging on the ropes. Perhaps, I am not used to it. And I am this hard-headed to learn the correct way of ascending through it.

And everyone was helping each other or at least trying their very best to ascend safely and win over that challenge. So this is what makes the Natib a semi-major climb.

Finally, we made it. We arrived at the summit by almost lunchtime (can’t remember the exact time). Unfortunately, the summit wasn’t able to give us the 360-degree view as fog dominated the whole surroundings. I don't know if it's normal but from my observation in every mountain the we climb, typically clouds start to form on or before noon time and begin pouring in the afternoon. Maybe it's really better to arrive at the summit way earlier than 11am.

So, there! There was an attempt to rain as it drizzled during our almost one-hour stay there. We took our lunch then some initiated to take some photos despite the cloudy atmosphere. Some decided to take a nap.

Time to relax and slumber at the summit :-P

Lira and friends (Leah and MJ)

With Lira, a Lingkod sister and friend who's also into mountaineering

I think she's one of my best buds in climbing, Shiela

Nice to meet ya, fellow blogger, Francis of Ang Pala-lagaw :)

One of my timeless friends in mountaineering, Rheysonn :)

Jumpshot in the middle of fog :-P

And before we bid goodbye, a groupie pic shouldn’t be missed.

A group pic full of real laughter and fun (photo credit: Jim Pachi)

Upon seeing this dragonfly while sitting down at the summit (apart from the fact that it's already cloudy), I knew it would rain.

It rained when we started to descend making a bit harder to manage the slippery and wet trails.

Due to time constraints and lack of guide, we were not able to explore this mountain further as we missed the trekking to Pasukulan falls. So I have the reason to re-visit this mountain. Maybe, it’s better to do an overnight climb to allow an ample time to do the sidetrip.

Whew! We arrived at the jump off point and tidied up with the sun still up. While still a lengthy trek, thankful that this dayhike was sort of light and relaxing one to every one of us. I just realized our companions ahead was enjoying throwing some #hugot lines which added laughter during their trek.

And perhaps the attempt to still go to the Pasukulan falls can relate to - “wag na i-pilit kung hindi na talaga kaya!” hehehe… (don’t try so hard, if it would no longer work out!)

Note: The term “hugot” is a Filipino word which means to draw or to pull out. The usage of the hashtag “#hugot” became popular not so long ago and is usually used along with song lyrics, a quote, etc that the person tweeting relates to; “#hugot means the accompanying words draw emotions out of him/her. (hashtagdictionary.com)

Well, I just realized climbing a mountain draws you with a lot of #hugot lines. Hehehe. Oh yes, because with the experiences encountered, one is able to reflect really well.

A big thank you for letting us experience your beauty, Mt. Natib!

P.S. Luckily, we only spotted no greater than five limatiks. Hmmm, they are not rampant yet, it only indicates that there's still a touch of dry season. Well, just my wild guess.

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Seeing the World with Five Pairs of Eyes

Maybe If I would try to invite them for a trip and tell them that this much would be the budget, I would receive the expected answer. Maybe they would instead use the money to continue the final finishing of our family home in the province. They would probably choose to just stay at home. Yes, I am aware that the family would never have any budget at all for any trip. Practicality also, I guess.

But there was a compelling force in me. Being a traveler and a hiker for sometime, I've got a lot of beautiful experiences. I knew, I should also share the joy. I should open them with the idea that there’s a time to enjoy, and there’s more to life than being practical, stagnant or just staying at home. I figured I should let them experience going out, that there’s more out there to discover and witness. I wanted them to understand the world I have discovered and make them realize the beauty of exploring, of travelling, and of exposing oneself to possibilities of new discoveries.

Admittedly, It’s Kinda Heavy to the Pocket.. and Yet, It Feels Light to the Heart

I could have used the money for somewhere else. Maybe I could have spent the funds travelling abroad.  I guess it could survive and satisfy me well to any nearby countries in Southeast Asia. And yes, just for myself.

But I did not. I chose not to. Of course, I am naturally selfish. But honestly, I could feel that there was something forceful that drove me to have this special gift granted to my family.

Almost 15 years ago, I listed down my dreams. That list included the biggest dreams I had then -- to give anything that could make my family happy and proud including finishing my studies, getting the board passer title, landing a job and helping them improve our house. These things on being realized surely made them smile. Yet the dream of travelling around the Philippines and abroad was just for me alone.

So I went beyond my dream list. As pointed out earlier, I figured it doesn't feel good that I am the only one who experiences the perks of travelling. 

Sure, we are not from a well-off family and thinking of having a travel should be the least priority in the list. But I highly consider too, that where there’s a will, there’s a way. After a few years of saving, I got some budget. I've finally said, it's time!

Priceless Moments of Being Together, Not at Home, But On the Roads

Baguio, Benguet (2013)

At Camp John Hay

It was in December 2013 when I brought my family to Baguio City where my parents had their longest land travel so far. That was the first time our family had an out of town trip and truly a perfect time to be together for Christmas enjoying the cold temperature. It didn't have to be too luxurious and costly. Of course, it’s not that I am compromising the quality of the trip, but then I would go for anything fair that would minimize the costs. If I may say, I was spending for five people in this particular case, yes FIVE – my father, mother, two younger siblings and myself. Again, it doesn’t have to be so expensive. The important thing is that you are comfortable with the place you are staying at, that you will maximize the time to have a tour on a variety of places and that the whole of the trip is manageable. So, how did I do that?

We had a normal commute to get to Baguio, that is, the usual bus ride. An ordinary air-conditioned bus had been enough. I also booked for a simple yet clean, air-conditioned and comfortable guest house. You’ve read it right, I opted not to book in an expensive hotel. As to the transportation and city tour, riding a cab had been enough too since, unlike Manila, it’s not difficult to get a taxi ride in that city (with the bonus of having honest drivers giving an exact change). All of these DIY (Do-it-Yourself) approaches along with research on some best restaurants to pig out and paying a visit on the famous landmarks and tourist spots made everything fine and we were quite satisfied.

Mama and Papa at the Cathedral

     

The Igorotas :))

Boating at the famous Burnham Park

At Chaya, a Japanese restaurant; Buddy Dennis, by the way, also joined the trip

The total damage? It was more or less PHP15k for the five of us on a 3D2N trip.

Bohol Province (2015)

Five or six years ago, I made a promise to my second sibling that I would treat her on an out of town trip (particularly plane travel) if she graduated with flying colors and passed the board exams. Oh, she did it! But the promise? Well, although not totally broken, it was deferred for a few more years.

Enjoying the buffet lunch while having a river cruise in Loboc

To supplement some convincing factor to my decision, I had this item in my short-term plan every year that aims to increase quality time spent with my family. I am working in Manila and my parents are staying and working in our hometown which is around 7-hour trip from the metro. Phone calls and text messaging are also very rare except for important advice. See, we do not have that strong and close communication. Apparently, that’s something to be worked out. So one of the action points is to have a good time of bonding. And travelling would be a good idea. I give a high importance in keeping the relationships and creating memories with loved ones. Moreover, I thought it would be a good idea to see my parents, considering their energy at this point as they are not yet too old, to enjoy the outdoors and see them ride a plane for the first time

Stopping by at Bilar Man-made forest

While tarsiers are hiding.. and sleeping..
 here's our family photo at the sanctuary

Simple, cheap yet comfy and safe cabin for two nights and almost three days; a car rental to have us roamed around the ten towns and the capital city, Tagbilaran, of this small island yet big and rich in natural wonders: so there, our trip went well. Yeah, that was almost half of Bohol island that we visited: Chocolate Hills, Tarsier viewing, Church ruins, relaxing mode at a beautiful Panglao beach and many other spots that this wonderful island province boasts of. Need I say more? I can’t help but tell that it’s a perfect destination for a family trip. It's worth it, really.

Picture! Picture! with the honey bees at Bohol Bee Farm

At Hinagdanan Cave

Total damage? It cost me almost Php28k having this DIY Bohol trip. We’re five and this was a 3D2N trip.

A Five Times Effect of Happiness or More

I would agree that it was great to travel solo to encounter some solitude moments. Yes, hanging out with a set of friends would normally make a fun trip. And yes, even spending for oneself alone could be already hard to lift from the hard-earned money to allocate a budget.

Honestly, I have always traveled on a shoestring budget and taking a step to treat the family on an out of town trip is something similar to one eye closed while digging deeper on the pocket. But you can always save while expecting in return these precious and quality moments with loved ones.

Frankly, I was a former fully introvert and even now I have this tendency to be introvert, even if friends are there. So maybe, considering to travel with family is something out of your idea, particularly if it would be “on you” and you alone to shoulder everything.

Facing the freshness of the morning... by the way, thank you, selfie stick!

These two photo addicts maximized the splendor of Panglao beach

Here are my thoughts: You only live once and you can never tell how long you’ll get to bond with your loved ones. Cherish wonderful moments with them. Make time for them. Being together in travel could be an exciting idea. To me, it's better than being together at home where sometimes, everything is a routine; and where most of the times, even good deeds towards each other are even ignored.

I strongly believe in the treasure from creating memories. It’s a wealth that can never be replaced nor vanished. The memories you had together can be so valuable that your heart can always keep and remember all your life, That’s when you could also realize the joy in sharing and the happiness in making others happy.

Now, how much more to me who lives more than a hundred miles from them? So, create more special occasions. than the usual.

How about you? Does the idea of treating or inviting your family for a trip ever touch your mind? Would you believe that its repercussion could also cause much joy to you? Can you set aside a destination that you have been eyeing for sometime and instead switch to a new trip? This new trip is different... this time, it would be spending time with family.

If yes, get your pen and plan your trip NOW. You'll be surprised at how awesome it could get.

At Kan-anan, Dumaluan Beach resort.. celebrating the May Celebrants -- Mama (second from the left) and Maybe (second from the right), the youngest sibling.

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Seven Lessons from Akiki Trail

Steep. Extremely steep. Long hike.

You do the Google search and these are the famous descriptions unanimously used to portray Akiki. It was my seventh time in Mt. Pulag and I don’t want to make this post a venue for reiteration of such popular adjectives for the said trail.  That’s seemingly a cliché especially for a mountaineer who have journeyed a lot for some time. For the first timers, it could obviously be a total challenge. And yet, whoever does the trekking, that doesn’t change the image of Akiki, it’s still a long, steep journey. So there, I have no choice but to use those words again.

Situated in the municipality of Kabayan in Benguet province, Akiki remains to be the most popular among other possible major and difficult trails to get to the Luzon’s highest peak, Mt. Pulag. It was my seventh yet it was neither my first time to put my feet on its elevated grounds.  In 2011, we did the Ambagiuo- Akiki cross country traverse, that’s from Nueva Vizcaya to Benguet, and from the title itself, our descent took place through Akiki. I may have the idea of the trail already but it didn’t stop me on the desire to experience how it feels to ascend on that trail.

The Participants

It was a fine morning in March 2015 when we were transported to the jump-off point where DENR is also located. Apparently after almost four years, it has changed a lot. The premise is now well-painted and all concrete. We had the best weather on our start of the trek and this perfect beginning along with new acquaintances and companions led me to feel the good vibe of the whole trek.

They said you'll find some sort of solitude in climbing a mountain. And I did, despite climbing in group. I was able to contemplate well.

Let me share with you some of my simple realizations. These thoughts/ideas are not new to us. But because of this climb, I was gently dragged and reminded.

1. It feels great when you are carrying light.

I anticipated a tiring trek particularly that it will be done on a 2D1N itinerary with an overnight stay at Marlboro campsite and resuming the trek very early the following day. This is contrary to the usual itinerary of three days. I only brought the necessary stuff. I admit I am not a heavy loader. I believe I could not stand carrying it for a long hike. Good thing, I have a buddy where I can share some stuff with as our gears are distributed to both of us.

Just like in life, the more you carry a load and a burden, the heavier and the more inconvenient it gets. This is a reminder for me not to carry heavy stuff in my heart, it can only get worsened. So take it lightly and pack light. Just bring in your life whatever is truly essential.

The presence of a good and true friend to share with would always be a relief, an assurance, someone you can rely with and get some help... and just pure happiness.

2. That in this life, you would continue to encounter new people.. and we have to accept that some of them would not be able to stay

If you allow yourself to explore, you’ll meet new people, learn amazing things about them, hear their stories, enjoy company with them even for a short period of time, share laughter, but at the end of the climb event, it’s time to part ways.

Think of any of the closest friends that you had before.  You were once close to each other, but now you feel like strangers and you cannot hear anything even hi or hello from him or her. The point is, in your journey and in the reality of life, people just come and go. Some are only able to play a short role and eventually they are not bound to stay. It seems that their significance in your journey only covers the current moments in your life. And only few people will stay.

But the good thing is, you meet him/her/them. And the memory remains.

Who knows, you’ll bump with him or her someday and you’ll know in your hearts, "hey, we’ve got memories together, right?

3. Life is like a traverse climb, you have to start from one point and end in another point for you to consider that you have successfully completed it.

You have no choice but to move on. Otherwise, you’ll stay from where you are and nothing leads to progress. You may go back from where you’ve started but you would not be able to complete anything.

Just like in life, once you've started your endeavors, you cannot stop, you must continue until the end of the line for you to accomplish and reach you goal.  And yes, brace yourself for a traverse full of challenges. That’s the thrill of the journey. 

4. You will question at least once in your life, “Why am I doing this?”

Life is not a smooth-sailing journey. Undeniably, there are chapters where hardships are inevitable. Life is going to test your endurance and resilience. It will test how strong you are as you climb the ladder towards success.  It’s like a mountain full of steep trails. You have to go through it. And when you reach that moment that you are tired and weary and having difficulties climbing particularly when it feels like you are not going closer to the endpoint,  you seem to just stop and question, why are you doing this? Is this worth it? You hope that you just stay somewhere and never ever attempted to do this shit.

But with such act of questioning determines your next steps. You know from your heart what to do next after overcoming it.

5. Life is a bitter-sweet journey.

They call it Unlimited Assault. Oh yes, that’s Akiki! On an average steady pace, it’s 11-12 hour trek to the summit and 90% of it shall be vertically pushed.

But hey, look at the fine pine forest... the fresh air... the green surroundings... the laughters you shared during “take-5 rest.” They compensate with the difficulties, aren’t they? Much more if you successfully reach the summit and witness the majestic views atop the mountain?  Much more if you experienced the sea of clouds?

Just like in life, there may be obstacles, but if you dig deeper and see the positive side, you’ll see how sweet too is what you’re going through. It's a humbling experience not being able to experience the just finest parts. I guess, it'll make us more human tasting both the bitter and the sweet.

Hey, look at this beautiful creature? It looks beautiful and yet try yourself to get close to it and you'll be alarmed in the itchiness you can get. Beautiful yet dangerous. Well, similar to "sweet yet bitter."

rampant/scattered "higad" along the pine forested trail.

                                         

6. It is more victorious if you reached the success as a team

I was one of the first to reach the summit. I think we’re around five to witness the earliest freshness of the morning and the actual rising of sun at the mountain top. Majority of the team weren't able to arrive by 6 or 7am. Perhaps because of the heavy longpack they were carrying and the fact that most of them were relatively new to do a long hike and major climb. But I pay a salute to them! They pushed themselves to their limits and they were able to make it. Only after we’re together in the summit did I experience the pure joy. That we’re all in this success together.

Happiness is at its best when shared.

Wait, here's my seventh! "Always remember that you're one small, wonderful being in this big, wonderful world."

. 

I know, we all have our own share of struggles and difficulties. Problems unsolved. Dream unrealized. You may never be aware of it for now, but the Higher Being above sees the whole picture ---  a beautiful soul in a grand journey to a promising destination.

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