SALAYSAY FALLS

Basking in a gentle waterfall is a truly wonderful feeling. Salaysay Falls in Patpat, Malaybalay City gently crawls down a 25m high gigantic rock in the middle of a verdant slope. Hiking to Salaysay Falls is challenging. Going down will make your knees shake for holding your steps. Going up will do the same, plus you will gasp hard for oxygen.

MT. APO CRATER LAKE

The crater lake of Mt. Apo is undoubtedly an enchanting scenery. Situated at the shoulder of Philippines' highest mountain, the 200m wide lake runs out of water during dry season. After an arduous climb, many hikers take their lunch beside this appetizing scenery. 

PAMOLAO RIDGE

Pamolao Ridge is a minor mountain in Sitio Mabuhay, Brgy. San Jose, Malaybalay City, Bukidnon. The highest among the 5 summits can be hiked for around 2.5 to 3 hours. Pamolao is just one of the three minor peaks stretching from Casisang to San Jose, Malaybalay, the other two are Patulangan Ridge and Aniningpan Ridge.

MY 21 MOMENTS TO LOOK BACK IN 2021

For travelers, 2021 started with a hope that everything gets back to normal. Travel restrictions were lifted, inter-regional travels were also allowed until the second outbreak of corona virus by the stronger DELTA variant which claimed many lives, including my loved ones and close friends. 

 

Most of my travels in 2021 took place in my home province. The early months permitted me to hike 3 major peaks of the country--- Mt. Kilakiron, Mt. Kalatungan and the grandest Mt. Apo.

Below are my 21 moments worth looking back to in 2021:

 

21. SALUNGKAYAN ECOPARK, Can-ayan, Malaybalay CIty

LAKE LANAO

My first skinny dipping in a lake is in Lake Lanao in Marawi City. After witnessing the magical sunrise on the lakeshore, my host offered to bring me and my friend from an NGO to a nearby rock islet.

ARTHTRITIS AND SCIATICA: A Trekker's Struggle

A captivating scenery viewed from Pamolao Ridge of Malaybalay City

 

Dealing with sciatica and arthritis is never easy especially for a trekker like me. It limits my mobility. My joint pain started when I was 24. It respects no age. It was accounted to local occasions and celebrations in Central Mindanao University where I was taking up my masters degree. Meat is at its overabundant state. And when I say meat, I mean PORK. Every household had lechon. Aside from voraciously devouring oily dishes from house to house, I also got to bring back to my dormitory some leftovers. I truly enjoyed carelessly eating unhealthy foods, hence, the prize I get. As of writing, my left wrist and my right ankle are in pain. 

A COMPILATION OF LOCAL PORTRAITS

With Badjao boys in Badjao Village, Hadji Panglima Tahil, Sulu

 

Taking photos with locals is among my passion when visiting places. Sharing genuine smiles with the kids and adults alike makes me feel one of them. This also makes me feel attached to them and their wonderful place. And when they willingly pose to the camera with me giving their beautiful smiles makes me feel so accepted.

GATES OF HEAVEN IN BALI

Three hours. That was the time I spent falling in line with hundred other visitors from around the world who vied for an instagrammable pose at Pura Lempuyang Temple a.k.a. Gates of Heaven in Bali, Indonesia. This is situated at the highest Peak of Mt. Lempuyang in Karangasem in East Bali.   

A WILD ENCOUNTER WITH BABY OWL

 

A close up shot with baby owl. It was one of my best fauna shots in my many years of trekking. It was after an hour hike from Tunaan View Deck in Barangay Portulin, the site where we spent the night. This beautiful avian basked in an early morning sun along the trail heading to Mt. Kilakiron, one of the major summits of Mt. Kalatungan Range in Bukidnon.

Mt. Kilakiron can be accessed from Barangay Portulin, Pangantucan, Bukidnon. A climbing permit should be secured from Pangantucan Tourism Office.    

MALAMAWI WHITE BEACH

 

I slept safely in the open in Basilan. I quietly spent the night alone in an open cottage in a white beach of Malamawi Island. Malamawi White Beach Resort is located at Barangay Lukbuton, Malamawi, Basilan. After taking a night dip in its crystal clear waters, I installed my net hammock, grabbed my scarf and snored the night away. 

20 GREAT REASONS WHY 2020 IS STILL A GREAT TREKKING YEAR

2020 is the most challenging year in my whole trekking life so far. It paralyzed the whole world. It cancelled my many travels, climbs and flights. It disappointed me for having cancelled my trips to new places especially my trips abroad. Yet, this year is not all that bad. It enabled me to explore more of my home Bukidnon. Besides, before the lockdown, I was also able to revisit some of the misunderstood paradises, Basilan and Sulu and my long dream destination in Mindanao, the Agusan Marsh.

Below are the Top 20 Reasons why 2020 is still a great trekking year for me.

 

20. MAINIT HOT SPRING, Davao de Oro

 

 

TOP 10 MOUNTAIN QUOTES: TREKERO'S CHOICE

The Mountaineer's Creed states "TAKE NOTHING BUT PICTURES. LEAVE NOTHING BUT FOOTPRINTS. KILL NOTHING BUT TIME.

This saying has been my vow since I understand mountaineering. I have been trying to live by this "LEAVE NO TRACE" principle everytime I go trekking. 

There are also meaningful sayings about mountains. As mountaineer, a single quotation about mountains touches me in many different ways. Among the Mountain Quotes flooding the web, below are are my Top 10 choices:   

 

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MY TOP 19 REMARKABLE TREKS IN 2019

2019, like every year, was a great trekking year for my 40 year old feet. This year was full of excitement as I headed to places I have never been to before. Though frustrations got in my way, 2019 is still remarkable trekking year. As I bid goodbye to 2019, here are my Top 19 remarkable treks which I am so grateful of:

19. ANANAYAK FALLS, Impasugong, Bukidnon

Photo Credits: JB Branz

KAANIBUNGAN RIDGE

Definitely one of the most stunning ridges of Impasugong, Bukidnon, KAANIBUNGAN RIDGE offers grand view of other surrounding ridges, hills and the winding Tagoloan River. 

MACHALET FALLS: Hidden Silver Lining of Nueva Vizcaya

 

 
MACHALET FALLS is a gigantic series of drops situated in hinterlands of Sitio Papalungan, Biyoy, Kasibu, Nueva Vizcaya. It has 4 visible tiers. Settlers say there are more but inaccessible tiers above. There are wide pools in both 2nd and 3rd tiers enough for a cool dip.

WHEN NATURE SHOWS ITS WRATH

Taliyan Falls, Impasugong, Bukidnon before and during the flashflood

I and my trek buddies were stranded for more than an hour. After a halfday trek, we decided to pass by Taliyan Waterfall in Impasugong, Bukidnon just beside mighty Tagoloan River. We just took a short rest after taking our lunch. We took time to cool our bodies down before taking a dip. Suddenly the sky got dim and a heavy rain poured down. We hid ourselves under rocks and cavern hoping the rain would soon end. 

The rain got heavier. Waters started to drip inside our hiding refuge. We were supposed to go home under the rain. Yet we could no longer cross the small creek. The roaring water turned chocolatey. So we waited for more than an hour witnessing the gentle waterfall turn into a monster.

WAKING UP IN A MILLION STAR ACCOMMODATION

After a 7-hour ride from Santiago City, the passenger and cargo filled bus finally arrived at a remote town of Dinapigue, Isabela. Being a DIY backpacker, I had no contact or even an IT. I just had targeted destinations, Dibulo Falls and Dinapigue beach fronting Pacific Ocean. When I got in the ride, I just waited what happens next. It was 12 mn when we arrived. It was so dark since the town has no supply of electricity. There are no known accommodations, only deafening silence all around. So I ended up sleeping alone inside the bus with million stars right above my head.

DRINKING INSIDE THE TOILET

I was on my way home from an exhaustive trek in Machalet Falls in Papalungan, Kasibu, Nueva Vizcaya. I was clamoring for water to quench down my thirst. My habalhabal driver dropped me by at a stopover. Knowing I was reluctant to drink from a water jug with only one cup for all passersby, the kind lady host suggested me to drink from a hose with free flowing water. Seeing me wondering where the hose is, she pointed inside the toilet. When I got in, cool water abundantly flows to a basin near the toilet bowl. I couldn't pick the hose up since it is tied to an unfinished concrete wall. I had to stoop down, close my eyes, hold my sense of smell and gulp my thirst away.  

UGIS PEAK: The Skyscraper of the South

UGIS PEAK is truly a silent stunner among southern Philippine mountains. This scyscraper of Teduray (Tiruray) community of Sitio Ugis, Marguez, Esperanza, Sultan Kudarat is popularly known for its challenging knife edge summit offering exhilarating view of the lowlands and other landscapes.