At Brisk: Gunung Nuang

It’s almost 7:00 when we arrived at the airport. After we checked-in our luggages took a quick snack @ Tokyo Café and wait at the boarding gate. As I did my usual travel naps here and there while waiting, partner-wifey checked some more fancy coffee shops for curiosity. Later after boarding, on our respective seats, I readied myself for my only option possible-hibernate.

By 2am we were at our destination airport. Still, recovering from a gobbled vision after a “just-do-it-please”sleep, I have to get it going and land travel with our luggage 80 more minutes to KL City. And as we travel along I could see numerous raindrops hitting the shuttle’s windscreen as I also see wet and shining road pavement ahead: it’s raining cats and dogs. Afterwards, shuttle service dropped us off to our hotel and finally moved-in. At our room, while wifey hunted for the bed, I have to set my daypack, dressed-up and be ready for my days’ activity. Noelet will be at the hotel lobby any minute soon! Windbreaker, head torch, canned lunch, granola bars and going back clothes as I set my gears quickly. The thought of buying some water and breakfast to fill my near empty stomach has not materialized when Noelet arrived telling me we still need to get to another hotel for the car pool. The water and breakfast idea was dumped into oblivion. At the next hotel, we meet Sharva and off we go to Genting Sempah meet-up point.

While my colleagues were busy doing some stretches and warm-ups, I jumped and browsed some local foodchains around. Found one local food joint offering freshly cooked ( and still smoking)breakfast: Nasi Goreng. Swiftly, breakfast at last! Who would have thought that I can eat my breakfast in two minutes, huh! And now, for my immediate water supply----7-Eleven. Then, I was ready to rock!!!

I was welcomed by the group. Alex congratulated me for making it to the jump-off all the way from the airport with little sleep and no breakfast yet (that’s what they thought lol). Everyone jumped in to their respective vehicle and started the one and a half hours drive to Selangor. Sharva’s car is impressive as I listened to his talking GPS system. Later, we arrived at our trailhead. Gunung Nuang!!!

After Alex’s short briefing, we moved out and started the much awaited hike. Everybody was smiling with excitement. One, two, three, four hours. River, foot path, rocks, weedy trail and then muddy scrambling towards the summit. Others gave up, while I patiently waited for the last leg to summit. One ridge after the other, another ridge after another. It seemed to be endless. I just hoped for more patience from myself to get to the top. There was one point that I wanted to stop and have my lunch on the trail but some friendly voices from below told me to go ahead and I’m almost there. “It’s more sumptuous eating lunch at the summit” someone said. Okay, okay….so I went on realizing neither do I have special sumptuous lunch …just a canned Tuna Paella which I brought from home. “Sige na nga lang!” Minutes after……summit. Jesmail was already there. I overheard her earlier before the hike saying she trained well for Gunung Nuang.

And so after lunch and some photos, we decended. I tailed Jesmail this time and locked my distance with her until we reached the last point. By the river, while waiting for the others, I washed my dirty clothes,shoes and later tidied-up. An hour has passed and no one hasn’t arrived yet. As I waited for the rest, I napped on a nearby land tractor parked near the riverbed. It’s almost 6:30 when Sharva finally made it to the river, rested a while, changed clothing and off we go back to civilization. By 10:30 pm I was infront of our hotel room door knocking. There was wifey patiently waiting for me and immediately offered a hot soup treat at nearby downtown street food market. After the soup and glassful of Herbal tea with palm sugar, a soothing hot shower and gone I dove to the bed of oblivion. Zzzzzzzzzz…….

Pulong Dapa

I met tatay Gabby in one of my other weekender adventure trips. An 83-year old local of Mulanay, Quezon who amazed me of his intellect, hospitality and still active all-out adventure spirit, sailing the islands of Luzon all the way down to the far flung islands of Mindanao using his specially made “batil” geared by a second hand GPS system that he said he bought in Lucena City sometime two years ago. He is not a sailor by profession. He revealed that after retiring from his job he just wanted to spend some goodtimes with his new found interest: Sailing. So he spent all his retirement benefits in exchange of a sailing vessel that he still uses today.

In our conversation he mentioned: “Pulong Dapa” in Masbate for him is the most beautiful island he have seen so far. Numerous naturally-shaped caverns abound and crystal-clear water that surrounds as he described the island. The way he depicted Pulong Dapa in his expounding words seems to be very real that believing him right away is the only thing I preferred. Pulong Dapa never left my mind thereafter so I planned of seeing the place as soon as I have the opportunity.

Six months after, my Pulong Dapa sojourn is fulfilled. Tatay Gabby is right. Pulong dapa is incomparable. Now, I have to go back to tatay Gabby and share my experiences with the stunning island and later on talk some more of yet another set of adventure. Wait for me, tatay Gabby!!!

"Punsong Bato"

1
Nagsimula ng alas – otso
sa Liana’s nagkita tayo;
Isang buong araw lang ito
hindi dapat maatrasado.

2
At iyon nga ang nakapangyari
Tamang oras nagkita kami;
“Santiago dos” aming biniyahe
Sa drayber “tarangka” lugar na sinabi.

3
Makalampas lamang ng mahabang tulay
Umaho’t lumiko ng kaliwa ang gabay;
Matapos ay kanto malaking puno ang bantay
bumaba na kami sa pagkakasakay.

4
Doon ang panimula ng aming lakbayin,
Matapos ng kabahayan simula nang ahunin;
“mangkit at amorseko” madikit, matalim,
Sa init ng araw lalong mapapansin.

5
Nang may isang oras, nagpahinga sa burol;
Sa ilalim noo’y may tubig na sibol
Uminom, sumalok botelyang aming baon
At nakipaghunta pa kay Pedrong tagaroon.

6
Ilang sandali pa’y nangaghanda na naman
“Sitio Bignayan” amin nang nilisan
Patuloy na nilandas ang gubatang daan
Na sa dulo nito’y burol na hangganan.

7
Matapos tawirin maliit na ludlod
Kasunod naman ay bayabasang gulugod
Sa gilid ng cogonan bumaybay at sumuot;
At saka bubungad bahagdan nitong pusod.

8
Doon ay nagpasya na tumigil panandali
Ganda ng paligid na walang pasubali
Bagaman talampas ang magkabilang tabi
Init, hirap at takot agad na mapapawi.

9
Nabighani sa lugar at kami’s nanahan
Matapos dumulog tuloy na naghuntahan
Sarap ng hangin na pumapagaspas
Nagpasya pang umidlip kulang isang oras.

10
Manaka-nakay mulat sumandal ang kaharap
Parang sinasabing “kayo’y aking tinatanggap”
Kaya’t nang kumulimlim ako’y bumangong ganap
Sumiksik sa guang, dingding ay niyakap.

11
Malakas ang hangin, matingkad ang araw
Isang maling hakbang, maari kang pumanaw
Ngunit dahil narin sa kakaibang tanaw.
Kaligayahan sa pagdating ay nag-uumapaw

12
At eto na nga ako sa taluktok nitong dulo
Bubungan nitong lugar na kinatatayuan ko
Ikaw nga’y totoo o “Punsong bato”
Aking dasal at pangako “muling magbabalik sa iyo”.

Bundok Banahaw

Silently, amid the noise and haste....

January 16, 2010. At four o'clock early morning, we eluded. Just before day break, while everyone is still asleep......in darkness we croseed the river and moved towards the trailhead. Clearly as I hear the sound of the chirping birds and the rushing waters of the river....with no lights, on quick and strong but noiseless strides we were up on the ridge in minutes.

Away from the guards and the unnecessary interrogators that asks silly questions, my eagerness of touching Mt. Banahaw again will finally come to a realization. While we took our first rest stop, I grabbed my camera and took a shot. Then thereafter, was an enjoyable journey up to the summit.

Peek at the Peak

It was a clear day. We arrived at the summit camp exactly 1 0'clock in the afternoon. After settling down I noticed clouds were getting bulkier. Strong winds were blown much harder after another with upward strokes coming from the caldera. I rushed at the summit and checked if the horizon is still visible.....it was not, I was late. Then the rain has begun. And it did not stop even until we got down the next day. Soaking wet but able to arbitrate any dangerous slip or fall all throughout the descent. In four hours, we were back at our base camp.

Beauty, Madness and Patience

Lots of beauties were still not captured by my camera but only by my naked eyes. Seeing them is a wonderful experience. Pictures were taken only on the first day. On the second day, we plan to descend by the great waterfalls but rain was pouring hard. Waters were brutal so we moved away from undenying danger instead. A once gentle river suddenly became gruesome. We crawled like cats crossing it and descended further to safety.

Forgive me, but I wtill wish to come back.......soon.

A glympse at the peak of Mt. Cising, Yangmingshan

After my breakfast buffet at the hotel, I headed to the bus stop near Exit 3 of MRT Ximen station and waited for bus 260 bound for Yangmingshan. When the bus finally arrived, I boarded and swiped my "easy card" at the bus scanner and find a seat, As I saw some vacant blue colored seats, I knew they were meant for old people and the handicapped. I remained standing and as the bus traveled, I patiently waited for a seat to be vacated by local commuters. Several minutes after, I got mine at last. More than a hour has passed and we arrived at the Yangmingshan National Park located at the heart of vast mountain ranges. There were plentiful structures along the road that I didnot expect. It was not mentioned on my previous researches about the place.

Upon reaching the last bus stop, I got off and looked for some information where I easily got one. A direction to a visitors' center where an arrow is pointing upward towards a forested area. I became excited to at once check the place out.

At the visitors' area, everything is written in chinese except for trail signs strategically posted that has english translation. I did not bother to ask anyone but instead head for an interesting hiking destination. I chose Mt. Cising trail with 2.25km distance from the visitors' center to it's peak.

The trail was paved with natural stones that I believe designed to avoid erosion. Since it is raining the time I was hiking, the stones were wet and slippery. I noticed hikers on their way down with their wet raincoats on. I helplessly said "ni hau" (hello) to every one as that was the only chinese words I know aside from "tse, tse" (thank you). I wished I could say something more to hikers whom I met along but It's seems to be impossible at that particular time.

Cising Mountain stands the tallest at the rim of the Taipei Basin. Its main peak is 1,120m tall (above elevation). There was a crater at the peak but it became seven small peaks due to post-eruption erosion. The steep peaks of Cising Mountain are the most striking feature of this conical volcano.

Approaching the summit, there were strong winds blowing from almost all directions. Had I been not standing firmly, I have been blown away by the hard and heavy pushs of the wind. I hardly see anything except for that part of the trail which I was stepping at. Everything beyond 2 meters distance is not visible. I just grabbed some pictures of the peak and went down immediately. After almost three hours, I have returned to the visitors area where I came from. I had hot noodles treat for myself and a peep at some nearby hotsprings before heading back to the city.

Only in Macau

Macau, they say is a city with two faces. First, the fortresses, churches and food of its former colonial master Portugal speaks to a uniquely Mediterranean style on Asian coast. On the other, Macau is a self-styled Las Vegas of the East.

With more buildings on reclaimed land and diversity of its attractions, the greatest of these continues to be Macau's unique society. The ideas of East and West complementing each other, and the many people who come to visit - that, to most is Macau.

However, Macau to me is quite interestingly different even more.

1. You get to tour around Macau all day boarding a descent shuttle service free of charge.
2. You get to fill yourself of sumptous beef, pork and chicken jerky samples at Senado Square and the store staff could not care less if you if you ask for more everytime you pass-by their stores.
3. You’ll be delighted if store staff constantly give you pieces of almond cookies for free and still smile at you even if it’s your forth cookie of the day.
4. You get to speak to locals and understand each other, not by using the english language and them using cantonese but by using a simple calculator.
5. By 9 o’clock in the evening, you should be buying some early morning snacks because restos will open late the next day. Don’t be late...I’m telling you!!!
6. You get up in the morning, feeling that it is still early, not seeing any activity on the streets only to find out it is already 10 o’clock!
7. Yes, there are 7-11 convenience stores around. But nope, they are not open 24 hours!
8. You cannot possibly find a bath soap bar available even in popular stores. Believe me.

P5K HK Backpacking: “been there, done that”

For most people, Hong Kong is one of the world’s most fascinating cities….a spectacular harbour, busy streets, bargaining vendors, fantastic architecture, active people….and so much more.

But few have discovered that, in contrast to all of the clamour that gives the city its buzz, it also offers some of the most tranquil, superb hiking and camping opportunities you will find in Asia.

Here are the activities that I personally devised and carried out last February 2009. Itinerary includes:

Round trip airport transfers
Welcome lunch and briefing
Transportation to and from the hikes
Overnight camping by the beach
Early morning assault to the Sharp Peak
1 night accommodation in a downtown hotel
2 bottles of water during the hike/camp
2 Snacks and drinks on the hikes
2 meals while camping
Sumptuous lunch at the city after hike
Outdoor shops tour
City Malling
Cocktail party celebration (optional)

I will be coming back to HK to do another Sharp Peak Adventure sometime soon. Those who wish to join may contact me by this blogspot.

Hiking in some remote areas always have some risks involved. I shall not be held responsible in any way for any injury or death incurred or any loss or damage to personal property caused due to whatever causes including, but not limited to, negligence, errors of judgement and inadequate orientation skills on my part. Joining this activity is an implication that you have agreed to and accepted unconditionally this disclaimer.