DESTINATION: Mt. Maranat
JUMP-OFF POINT: Brgy Licao-Licao, San Jose, Bulacan
SPECS: Not Specified Yet
CLIMB DATES: July 20-21, 2013
We knew that it was going to be a night trek, but we never thought we would be 3 hours delayed from the original schedule. We left Licao-licao jump-off point at 9pm. We arrived at Ate Julma's store at 10:30pm, where we were served the sumptuous bico. We had touched down at Mt. Maarat/Maranat base camp 1 around 12:30am. Some were still awake, having socials. Warm people greeted us. Even tatay nestor was still awake to greet us. We had dinner. Lights went off around 3am. I woke up at 7am. The sun in Maarat rises early, forcing the sleepyheads, to get off from bed/hammocks/floors/tents...
Upon waking up, I felt some pain in my left ankle. This was due to the slips I committed in the muddy and rocky trail of Maranat. I slipped thrice. The pain didn't stop me from going bouldering towards the Maranat twin falls. The challenge was to go bouldering in my Havaianas. The rocks were slippery, but the challenge was accepted. More weight burdened my already-injured ankle that by the time we were supposed to climb down, I felt that I will no longer be able to sustain a three-hour muddy and rocky trek. So, I decided to stay a little bit longer.
Tatay Nestor decided to honor my first climb to Maraat by killing one of his prized roosters to serve as our lunch. I offered to cook. Sir Rainier of Lumad, the respected head of the Maranat Lokal, Inc, wouldn't allow a woman climber to cook at the base camp, so I sufficed myself with scalding, dressing and slicing the chicken. The mag-uulings watched in awe that I could do such things (no pics were taken to avoid being tagged with animal cruelty).
Around 1pm, everyone's in panic because no lunch had been served yet. No one of the men climbers who were left could cook tinola. I insisted to cook. Tatay Nestor allowed. The chicken meat took time to soften, so we were able to eat the tinola around 3pm. Nanay Juliet and Tatay Nestor said that I cooked a very delicious chicken soup. my climb buddy, edwin, got surprised that i could cook well.
We started descent trekking around 4:50pm. We were at Ate Julma's place around 6pm, where we were served hot choco drink and macaroni salad. We were back at licao-licao around 7:30pm. I traveled back to Manila alone around 8:30. I was back at my crib around 11:30pm. I went to bed with a smile on my lips. Soon enough, I will be back to enjoy the family that I have found in Maarat and to harvest the aratiles fruit in the camp yard!
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| with the Maranat Lokals |
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| with Tatay Nestor (in yellow shirt) and Nanay Juliet (in red shirt) |
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| was able to play decent chess with another certified chess player |
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| bouldering at the Twin Falls |
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| with my climb buddy and close friend, Edwin (in white shirt)--one of Sagip Kagubatan pioneers |
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| the majestic Twin Falls of Mt. Maranat |
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