As of this writing, I have sore knees, cramped calf muscles, sun-burnt face but with exhilirated spirits. I am mighty proud of myself for being able to get to the crater of Mt. Pinatubo (and back). I have never been an outdoorsy type of person, so this is a big feat for me. And I did live to blog all about it.
Our adventure started in Brgy. Sta. Juliana in Capas, Tarlac, the pick up point for the 4x4 jeeps that will take you as near as you can possibly get to the hiking site. The jeep ride took more or less an hour. It wasn't bumpy at all. I was worried I might get motion sickness but I did not. Our eyes had a fill of the wasteland created by an explosion about 18 years ago, so I really didn't notice the time.
The actual trek wasn't that bad, and I must say, I outdid my expectations. Sure it was tiring, but nothing that a person with zero knowledge on mountain climbing can't surmount. There were really challenging parts (like the initial descent from the drop off point from the jeep and the ginormous steps going down to the lake). While going down these parts, I was already worried about how I am going to make it back up. But with much effort and a good stick that served as a cane, I managed to get past these hurdles.
The climb should only take about 45 minutes, but with the intermittent stops for photo opportunities and pauses to catch our breaths, the climb took us about an hour and 15 minutes. We were with a mostly male group (tennis buddies of my dad), but my sister, my cousin and I were trekking much faster than the pace of the group. I was actually quite pleased with myself for this. But we were really proud for one person in the group who had polio and he conquered Mt. Pinatubo. What a feat that was for him.
Once you reach the top and get a good view of the crater lake, you'll know the sight is worth every step you took to get there. The sight is absolutely breathtaking. A simple glimpse of the turquoise blue water was so soothing for every frayed muscle and nerves of my body. The water was so inviting in fact that we couldn't resist not taking a dip in the lake.
It was about 12:00 noon when we hit the water, and boy it was chilly. We were only about a meter away from land but the water is already neck deep. And the tour guide said the water can get really deep, so I didn't have the guts to go any farther. I literally froze in my place, both from the chill and from fear. But it was surely worth it. The water left my hair really dry and sticky (I cannot even run my fingers through it). There was no changing room as well, so we had to swim in our hiking attire. We managed to change to dry clothing in the crummy toilet. Mind you, the toilet has no water, so you can just imagine the stench. But we had no choice.
All too soon, it was time to head back. We didn't even have time to ride the kayak (P250/head) which I would have wanted to do. Maybe some other time. I wouldn't mind going back. I would even like to do the longer trail (the 4-hour trail), and stay overnight in the site. I think I've been hit by the trekking bug.
But before I return, I have to make sure I have the proper climbing gear. I don't have an all-terrain shoes so I only wore mojos (sandals). I thought that mojos will do since I know this is the footwear of choice of UP Mountaineers and besides, I didn't want to buy shoes which I might end up using only once. And what a poor decision that turned out to be. My toes got a severe beating from the rocks and I now have unsightly sunburn marks on my feet.
Overall, it was an adventure worth taking. We only paid P1000 per head for this trip (food included). The tour guides were very friendly and extremely helpful. The experience definitely filled my soul. It made me realize how something amazingly beautiful can be formed from a very horrific incident in the past. That is very comforting to know. It is an affirmation that all things happen for a good reason, no matter how unfortunate the incidences may be. So for all the storms raging in our lives now, be comforted to know that at the appointed time, a calming peace will be formed.
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