Climb 029: Pikoy Clean-Up with Elle Viajera Year 2

DESTINATION: Pico de Loro 644 MASL
JUMP-OFF POINT: Magnetic Hill, Ternate, Cavite
SPECS: Minor Climb, Difficulty 3/9, Trail class 1-3
CLIMB DATES: August 11-12, 2012

Climb 028: Freedom Climb 2012

with Bagwis Outdoor & Alliance of Filipino Mountaineers (FIMO)
DESTINATION: Mt. Irid 1469 MASL
JUMP-OFF POINT: Sta. Inez, Tanay, Rizal
SPECS: Major Climb, Difficulty 7/9, Trail class 3
CLIMB DATES: June 9-10, 2012

PRELOGUE: It was my first time to stay at the basecamp. T'was fun! I realized that summit is just a physical structure of the mountains that many want to conquer. The real summit is finding fulfillment deep within without having to set foot on the highest area of an elevation.

Climb 027: Elmer's Birthday Cholesterol Climb

DESTINATION: Mt. Talamitam 630 MASL

JUMP-OFF POINT: Sitio Bayabasan, Brgy. Aga, Nasugbu, Batangas

SPECS: Minor Climb, Difficulty 3/9, Trail class 1-2

SIDETRIP: Bulalo Plaza, Tagaytay

CLIMB DATE: March 25, 2012

Basta birthday climb, talagang inuulan--we're being blessed by heavens for celebrating them in the mountains. You may be wondering why I call it the cholesterol climb. We had flat tops chocolate thick bar for starters. Sa jump-off point pa lang, nilantakan na namin...

For lunch, we had three crispy pata and fondant chocolate for dessert. For dinner, we climbed down to Tagaytay for a variety of bulalo dishes: special, sinigang, and sizzling bulalo... We also had fried tawilis.

It was fun! We started at the jumpoff quarter to 11am, had lunch at the camp site around quarter to 12nn, so you can just imagine the scorching heat of the Batangas sun...

We assaulted the summit around 2pm and it was pouring hard when we got to the top. We were freezing in the cold rain. Well, I guess we were still lucky cuz none of us got sick the following day. Being in one with nature with the people you trust and cherish is always refreshing. I'm looking forward to the next Kaladkarin adventure!

Climb 026: Shore to Shore Adventure

with Bagwis Outdoor
DESTINATION: Mt. Pundaquit 464 MASL
JUMP-OFF POINT: Brgy. Pundaquit, San Antonio, Zambales
SPECS: Minor Climb, Difficulty 3/9, Trail class 2
SIDETRIP: Anawangin Cove and Capones Island
CLIMB DATES: March 17-18, 2012

Tanned from the beach bumming and mindoro sea dipping--straight to the scorching sun of zambales, whew! Who wouldn't get not just sunkissed but burnt as well? And I was supposed to go to cagbalete the following weekend. I just had to let it go. Had too much sun kissing my skin, I realized that i had to take a break. It was fun hosting the team building activities for our beloved orienteers. Hope to have more hosting stints in the future.

My 31st Birthday Getaway

KALADKARIN's Beach Camp
Venue: Talipanan Beach
Puerto Galera, Mindoro
Trip Dates: March 10-11, 2012

Puerto Galera was supposed to be my birthday destination last year. Change of plans was made in such a short notice because I got preoccupied by my attempt to salvage a relationship that I thought was worth saving...

This year, I vowed to myself that no negativity will ever hinder me from going for my dream--having a nice beach getaway on my birthday weekend. Thanks to Elmer, Noel, Oyet, Felix, and Damien, who joined me in my celebration of self.

The Leap Day

A Night with UP Astronomical Society
Venue: Sunken Garden, UP Grounds
Diliman, Quezon City
Trip Date: Febraury 29, 2012

I just decided that I wanted make this year's leap day a memorable one. I started it really early. I accomplished some errands that had been waiting in line to be given attention to. I let go of some grudges. I met an old friend. Had some cheesecake. I helped release sky lanterns. Watched the constellations and the moon through an astronomer's telescope for the first time. Met astronomical geniuses. Had pancit canton for dinner. Spent some more time with a very special friend. Well, my leap day extended another two hours.

What a great day to coin Feb 29th with the Pan Pacific Bldg in Makati..

Things I have learned on this once-in-four-years day:
*Nothing is sweeter than to lie under the star-filled skies and dreamily think of those special people in  your life.
*The beauty in life is measured by appreciating the good in the things that are bound to leave.
*T'was already scary seeing a dead body, much scarier recognizing it as ur friend's...

Climb 025: The Tahong, Talong, and Pinya Climb

DESTINATION: Mt. Palpag 600++ MASL
JUMP-OFF POINT: Maragondon, Cavite
SPECS: Minor Climb, Difficulty 3/9, Trail class 1-2
SIDETRIP: Gen. Gregorio Lim Marine Base Beach Resort a.k.a. Boracay de Cavite
CLIMB DATES: February 18-19, 2012

On my 2nd mountaineering anniversary, I wound up once again in Cavite (my first climb was Mt. Palay-palay in Ternate)--my father's home province with half my kaladkarin family (Elmer, Jason, and Ces) and some addition to our growing clan (Oyet, Jekk, Julius, the 8-yr-old PJ, Temyong, Tiny Bubbles and her hakot: Elaine, April, Marife, and Mhay).

The inception of this climb happened during the padre burgos island hopping.

The day before the climb, I was anxious because I went on hibernation from climbing for one and a half months after the atavism of my asthma and angina symptoms. Up to the last minute, I was praying for a great weather, a delayed monthly visitor, and a successful turnout. In return, I promised my boobs that they will not have an exposure the whole climb. Hahaha!

Palpag is not a common destination for mountaineers. This hidden paradise offers a serene farmland that provides a perfect view of the metro. During our socials on saturday night, we were able to watch the pyrolympics held near MOA.

Rice shortage. I underestimated the power of exhaustion that can lead to more rice consumption. Mhay's pack of Skyflakes biscuit was a life-saver!

As a result, we ended up pigging out at the Boracay de Cavite: tahong soup, grilled pork chops, ensaladang talong, pineapple and green mango from late lunch. A few dip, a few bottles of Tanduay ice and Red Horse, and we were good to go. I'm glad for the company of my growing tribe.

Getting High and Hot for Love

KALADKARIN's PHOTOWALK
Venue: 17th HotAir Balloon Fiesta
Clark Airfield, Pampanga
Trip Date: February 12, 2012

We were supposed to have some drinking spree a few hours before traveling to Pampanga, but I got to the meeting place a few minutes before 11pm, so we headed for the bus terminal soon after everyone had arrived instead. The next trip of Victory Liner was around 2:30am, so we went to another bus terminal which had a bus that would take us to Dau the soonest. W settled to the idea that everyone was going to take a nap the whole travel time, but we just missed one another too much that we had an exchange of chit chats and before we knew it, we had already arrived in our destination.

We landed at Dau Mcdo for some very early breakfast. We then took a jeepney ride to the site. And since I was able to purchase only 5 tickets and the couple who was with us had two--we needed to buy four more tickets. I volunteered to fall in line with the other three. It was time for more small talk because the it was my first time to meet Milady, Ellidel, and Mike. When we finally got inside, we waited for a little while and then the air show started soon.

Since the day started early, and I didn't get any sleep the night before, I fell asleep in the middle of the show. Haha! I think I missed some interesting balloons. It didn't matter because in my dream, I was riding in one of them. We went around to check out some exhibits and booths, bought some valuable stuff--I got my "Mrs Beckham" jersey! Harhar!

By lunch time, we decided to leave the place to look for the famous sisig place of Aling Lucing. It took us two jeepney rides and an empty stomach before we finaly found it--and were greeted by the news that they were serving the next sisig plate at 2:30pm. It was around 1pm and we were too hungry to wait up. We ended up at some Mang Inasal joint and had ourselves a pigging out session.

We were anticipating a bad traffic later that day, so we had decided to head for Manila after lunch. BITIN, but we had fun. truly, being in good company really counts...