DUNTUG 7: Tacadang, Kibungan,Benguet

(Photo Credits: Kuya Mel and Kuya Alvin)

January 28 & 29, 2017 - My first outreach in the mountains.

(Photo Credits: Kuya Mel and Kuya Alvin)

Once upon time, I took the road less traveled to a place that offered countless wonderful tales from different wanderers. The photos didn't prove its existence until more came to disprove my belief.

I was dispirited though when I was informed about the initial arrangement. The thought of happily climbing Tacadang simultaneously vanished together with my heart sinking to the deep blues. But, life goes on. Anya ngay?

Days before the event, the list of participants were posted. Guess what? Mere naam's on it.Despite the swollen excitement, my sanity came bombarding me pointing out about my physical limitations, the fact that I know no one from the possible attendees and the greater deliberation is my capacity to carry books. Understand that I summit mountains not by strength but by perseverance, thus without strength I may slow down the pace of the group. I don't like that to happen.

Night before the departure, I didn't pack. Yes, I do wanna come and I've begged God to give me this climb but I doubt if I can and besides, I think I don't want to lose half a day's pay. Recognizing that this is an answered prayer, I saw how the situation eventually aligned to my benefit.

On the way to the meeting area, I want to back out. haha. langya. But, I told myself: if they are still there, then I wont. Turns out, the group is not yet there except Alvin. Haha. God, my spirit is willing but my mind thinks I can't make it and my body is excited but nervous. Pano ngay garud?

I don't have problems talking with strangers 'coz I know there is a high probability that I wont meet them again. Matinding trip ko yan. On trails or summits, I will always be the one to say "hi!" and any ka-echosan that pops out of my brain. Yeah, di na kaylangang salain yan kaya kung anong naisip, un na. I can say: "ang gwapo mo kuya, take care" in an instant. Di naman nun ibig sabihin na crush na kita. You're going to surmount a mountain so why not give u good vibes through appreciation?

That 4:30 pm time was different. All I kept thinking was deng yes, deng no. Dilemma, but I kept my cool. Nung bumigay, I burried my face in my bag wanting to scream but I must not, so I then stood, tied my hair then jumped like a kid throwing tantrums & I don't care how I am behaving already.

My companion's bag is 70L or 40L, mine's lower. Jha, Shit yes, shit no?

Distracting myself, I observed padli who's chewing bettel nuts. How come his teeth ain't red? What if I ask for some to chew on, pampalipas oras lang? Why is his bag so big? Have I under packed? How come ate Gladys didn't come, I actually don't know her but she's the only Facebook friend I have from the participants? Where are u working? How old are u?

Btw, yes, I was not observing silently. My mouth moved faster than my hypothalamus from stopping it to ask questions. This is one embarrassing trait I have, people who don't know my principle of "low probability of meeting them again" would think i'm such a kwa. Haha

The sun's painting the sky, people are already leaving the capitol and yet our companions have not yet arrived.

Pyaari, what we gonna do?

Yes or no?

Yabara ... yabara...

Ow?

😊😁👍

Wanna know why? We aint gonna carry the books pala!

But, I was not still sure if I will go. I was just forcing myself to stay coz nakakahiya kung babackout pa ako eh dumating pa akong nakabackpak and all in all tas di rin lang pala pupunta. Goodness, I was still wearing my slacks dahil deba nga di masyadong prepared!haha.

Somehow, padli talked me out of my shitload excuses. Apir!😁. Taena, myself. Ur already here. Have the decency to stand on ur decision. Where's the fear comin from? Binagyo ka naman na sa summit pero nakaya mo,mag isa mo namang umakyat para makita mo ung falls pero kinaya ... Pero where is all this fear comin from? Syempre tapos na un, eh ung ngayon bukas pa.

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Jump off.

Parang jok lang ang signboard, 5 kms lang daw? De - slippers mga kasama ko, not on a hiking gear na para bang chill climb lang kaya napatanong na naman ako sa sarili ko if tama lang ba tong ginagawa ko. Then,I was reminded with that naked guy who successfully climbed a mountain & said: dont take mountaineering seriously. So I thought ngarud man, ustu ya. Besides, this was not a hiking expedition, Jha. It's an outreach.

LIBRO MO,INSPIRASYON KO.This organization aims to ignite the passion of students for reading, donate school materials and sports equipment, and introduce proven effective methods to help students to excel. At, isa akong volunteer. Yes,Jha, you are here as a volunteer.

I was in the middle of the pack, mostly alone and my own company is excitingly entertaining. Pero sa totoo lang, I just cant keep with their pace, haha. I cant keep myself from snapping pics also since the pictures that I only see from Climber is slowly coming alive in front of me. My heart beats faster, nakakainlab na this. Buti nalang I can be kilig in any way I want to coz only the trees see it. Yes, the mountains can easily seduce me to fall for it a million times. Ang sarap lang sa feeling ng like this😍😍😍

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Mt. Tagpaya. Makapa-yayeng. It is a kankanaey term na I cant translate even in English or Filipino, thanks to my limited vocabulary. Cheers!

Never ever ever look down from the edge, kuya Alvin did and this is his description: kabutbuteng, even my balls are trembling. Hahahahhaha. Epic to this! Kuya Dong went to the summit already so I wanna go too. And this is the blank where u insert my facebook post:

"That moment u let ur kuya leave u. U awakened the diwata in u & ur deadly combination nga courage and curiousity that allowed u to sexy walk the trails that leads to this.Ngem, it gets lonely up there ngay. Still,a Naina needs her Kabir to find the magic of Kipshi pass tas di ka pa maka b_ _ challenge. “

I was hungry, my intestines are dancing and my stomach is pleading to be fed but beyond my hunger for food was a stronger call:the mountain. I went even if I was alone at kahit na baka malayo, 😀. I kinda like to do the bra challenge pero nobody's gonna take a picture met and I dont want the Patullok incident to happen again nor the same dream to visit and torment me. Thank you again #LMIK for making me summit this mountain, truly indebted to the org. Hope you'll have me in ur next outreach.😊

Took the wrong trail goin back so I did a lot of kung fu-ing the spider webs and stopped every now and then too, to drink from pitcher plants (ubing!).

Sa katahimikan at ingay ng na violate na privacy ng bundok, someone called out my name. "I was worried", haha kunana met ten. Natayak ban? I can see met my feet moving and all is well tadta nga I am walking down paapan kanyanan. Kidding aside,sorry a, ngayon lang ako binalikan eh.😁 Ano bang tamang respond? Maybe: bahut bahut shukriya's hen hao le. Haha. It felt like ung time ba na nabigyan ako ni kuya Bon ng diatabs and omega pain killer ni kuya Roel, consoling. Cheers!😁

Pagdating, tahimik lang ako para hindi madlaw adi nga I took the wrong way down. haha

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Purpose.

Arriving in their community is a humbling experience. Naiiyak nga ako now that im writing about it. Words ain't enough. Tipo bang it is an experience na mala panacea for all woes like music and art.

The teachers and students have already gathered and were playing in the grounds when we arrived. As I watched them play, I was transported to my elementary days. Yong wala kang pakialam how u looked like at ang pakay mo lang for the day was just to enjoy and be merry? Yong may mga bagong dating sa inyo tas tititigan nyo and lalapitan after sometime and try to converse with them in broken tagalog or english? Yong takbo dito and takbo doon kahit ag nguy nguy nguy ti muteg mo ta panangriknam haan ka met agsaksakit? Yong kahit gabi na pero agasem han ka nauma nga ag ay ayam paulit ulit ulit? Ay nag imasen!:)

There welcome and coffee is great ngay uray hanak managkakape ta itsa ti kaykayat ko. Sikaman ti ag kape how many MASL nu han ka maragsakan?😁 Despite being tired, I escaped the crowd and exited at the back para di kakadlaw adi. I reached a playground that serves as an area to view the nearby village on the next mountain carved with rice terraces with the picture I have dreampt of seeing. Teka lang. Naiiyak na naman ako habang nagsusulat. Kainlabs talaga. Alam mo ung pag ibig na napanaginipan mo at inakala mong hanggang dun lang pero paggising mo nasilayan mo? 😍 Ganun katindi. Ung akala ko hanggang picture lng pero nakita ko na at wala akong pakealam kung hindi kinaya ng cam ko na picture-an. The cloud slowly moves na paunti unti eh humihinto din para magtitigan kami hanggang sa nagkahiyaan kaya yon umalis tas dumating naman ung iba tas the same process ulit. Pero, the terraces remained visible naman eh. Nawawalan ng clearing habang pagabi na. Aanhin ko ang clearing? Nakita ko na, uy! Kahit takpan mo it is in my puso and isipan poreber. 😁 ang sarap ngay, parang nag mala Hannah Reyes ako habang sipping my coffee, kulang na lang ang Jon Morales.lol.

The program started. As much as I only want to stay behind the lenses, na attract ako sa kaastigan ng mga cam nila kaya better be in their pics somehow. Funny how i looked sa mga pics na posted. Yeah, that's how i look like pag walang ligo at pawisan.

After distribution ng books, nagpagames ang group. As usual, epic na naman na this. Hahahaha. Ewan ko ba, ilang beses akong natransport in just one setting. Tas,multiple time dimensions pa!ayay! Extremely memorable😁 pero ayukong balikan ang Jan 28,29 ko bilang araw na puno lang ng pagbabalik ko sa nakaraan with no new memories.

Hindi naman ako na- disappoint. Malalim halos lahat ng mga realizations ko. Ang daming kwento, new experiences at di ko maexplain na wonders na nakita ko that's deffinitely fueling me to keep on wandering.

Total mahaba na tong entry kong to, sa huli, pag ibig din lang yan eh. Pag ibig sa taas, igid igid and sarili will be the best😁. Cheers👊💪

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#LibroMoInspirasyonKo humbly request your support po, if you have books you want to donate just send them a message on Facebook so that they'll tell you the directions. If you don't have but you still wanna help, they accept cash donations which they'll then convert to books and school materials.

Kuya Carl, thank you for accepting my request po. wohoo lalabs u kuya:)