buddy run

Before yoga, I used to run. I remember back in May 2013, J and I would run in Ultra as preparation for our hike in Tarak Ridge, which was the second mountain I hiked and my first major climb. I didn't appreciate running as much as I did later on. I remember begging J if I could just do 3 laps when he wanted me to do 6 - haha! Eventually, I found running quite therapeutic especially on days when I really felt like running away from challenges I am obliged to face.

What started as a training for hiking eventually turned into something I enjoyed. J and I eventually joined organized fun runs and the first one we joined was the Robinsons Fit & Fun Wellness Buddy Run 2013. This happened in BGC on a drizzling August morning. I found that I actually enjoyed the entire 5km run with intermittent light rain. It was quite refreshing.

Over a year from that time, admittedly I have already forgotten the things that happened during the run. But I do remember feeling very accomplished upon crossing the finish line. These days, I do miss the rush I get from running. I miss checking to see if I've beaten my personal record - I'm competitive like that. But I will never forgot the rush of high I have felt during that run and all the other times I've ran.

my first flight

I've been practicing yoga for almost 5 months now and a regular practice has really improved my flexibility, strength and self-awareness. The improvements did not happen overnight; it happened gradually.

More than the physical benefits, I delight in the emotional and mental benefits. I have noticed that my mental focus has improved and my mood improves after each class. I always step out of UAM feeling rejuvenated and each time I am going through a rough day, stepping inside the UAM studio makes me feel good. I realize that I have come to associate it now with calmness and peace.

One of the highest points I have recently experienced in my yoga class is finally being able to take flight with my first arm balance: bakasana, also known as the crow or crane pose.

I am still a work in progress but finally being able to take flight through bakasana has given me confidence. It was true what my cousin (who's into a far more advanced yoga practice than I am) said when I shared with her my struggles with bakasana in my earlier classes - that I already have the strength to hold this pose and that I only have to strengthen the trust I have in myself. I'm still working on this pose though. Some days I have the strength and confidence to take flight, other times my body requires restoration.

By January, I will start attending Vinyasa open classes in order to deepen my practice.

​

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The thing about moving on when you've lost someone you love is that you don't really forget. You learn to accept the fact that they have passed on but no matter how long it has been since their passing, it takes every day to learn to let go. I know I haven't let go.

Even now, I feel a tinge of pain whenever I think of my grandmother and my grandfather. They are so alive in my mind. Their smiles are etched in my mind and fuel me to think that wherever they are, they are happy and smiling at me, untouched by any pain and sorrow. Oh but how I miss them and how much I wish I can be enveloped in their warm embraces, to feel their bodies next to mine, assuring me that in that small space between us, I have everything I need.

Several days ago, I dreamed of them. In my dream, I told my grandfather that I wanted to visit my grandmother and he told me how delighted she will be and so we went. And when we got to the place where my grandmother was, we were separated by an impenetrable glass. I longed to hug her then as I do now and I saw in her eyes how much she wanted to embrace me too. I cried in my sleep and woke up crying. I miss her so much and every day especially on days that are tremendously challenging, I long to be next to her touching her hand as I used to, listening to her as she reminded me to eat more or to always be courteous and generous, looking at her and seeing the woman I want to be and seeing her eyes that had always expressed all the love she had ever held for everyone she knew. I miss her so much.

Lola, I look forward to the day when I can hear your voice again,

when I can hold your hand again and when I can embrace you to let you know

how much I miss you for every day that has passed since you left.

I remember how much you have loved me each time I look at myself in the mirror.

Thank you for always loving me and for always being on my side.

I love you Lola and I miss you every day.

my first vinyasa class

I attended my first Vinyasa class today with my officemate, J. It was more intense than the FNR classes I attend. There were quite a number of poses that I haven't encountered in any of my FNR classes before. I liked the challenge that it brought me because sometimes I no longer feel challenged in my FNR classes especially when I'm feeling strong. That is not to say that I no longer feel motivated to go to my FNR classes. In fact, I am even more motivated now because in each class, I get to refine my poses and the learning never really stops.

The good thing about going to my first Vinyasa Open class today (aside from sharing my yoga practice with someone I work with) is that I realized I can survive a vinyasa class. I'm still unsure though whether I'll attend another Vinyasa Open class soon.

building strength

The moment I heard Mel said that our class today would focus on building strength, I imagined myself wilting on my mat because I came to class knowing that I am not in my strongest. In fact, I have been feeling weak and wobbly on the mat for the past week. But I was determined to see through the entire 75 minutes of class and I always think that counts more than physical strength.

I've been practicing yoga for 11 weeks now. There are still times when I ask myself why I take the time to come to class especially when I'm feeling weak (like today) on the first 10 minutes on the mat and I feel like my body won't be able to hold up poses other than the savasana. The thing I like about yoga is that it always connects my mind to my body that at the end of the practice, I walk away from the mat with the answer. I take the effort to come to class because yoga directs my awareness inwards - to myself and to all the little places in my body that I do not normally pay attention to. The time I practice yoga is truly the only time I give wholly to myself because on the mat, I only have my body to control and to listen to with nothing else to distract me.

I rarely allow myself to fall behind the usual pace of the class but today, I did. When I started to feel bad, I reminded myself that it's ok because being kind to my body is as important. And so I really liked how Mel said that our bodies are different every day. It is true for me. Sometimes I feel how much I have progressed from the first time I stepped on a mat at the studio; other times, I realize I still have so far to go. Writing about it now, I realize that moments like those - moments that build confidence and moments that put me back in my place - are important in keeping me grounded and staying humble so that I will always be kind to my body.

And because practicing yoga brings so much light in my life, I have made the commitment of practicing for a year. Here's to a great yoga year ahead!

After a while, it hits us that we're no longer singing the same tune.

I'm singing a different tune now and dancing to a different beat. 

And I love it.

enjoy getting there

Fresh from yoga class and feeling very tired but on the other end, feeling so great. TS taught us crow pose (bakasana) today. I wasn't able to do it but it's ok.

The practice today consisted of hip openers and core work. I'm happy to share that I am now able to reach the mat while in forward fold with my legs straight. Amazing! I find it immensely fascinating how the body improves its flexibility just with constant practice. Teachers have been telling us it was going to happen and I've read countless articles on how yoga has the capability to increase the body's flexibility. I have held on to the hope that yoga can do my body good. And yet it's still surprising when it happens to you - those wonderful moments when your body debunks your idea of the range of motions it can only do.

I have to admit that I am intimidated with bakasana. I have yet to build my confidence and trust that I have enough strength to hold this pose. I like the last moments of practice when Tara reminded us that it's ok if we didn't get to do the pose, that there was no judging in the studio. The mat does not judge. The thing that I appreciated the most is when TS said that we should remind ourselves to enjoy the journey of getting to a point where we find enough strength and confidence in ourselves to hold the bakasana. I liked that the most I guess because that's where I am in my yoga journey. While a part of me really wanted to do the pose (that up until a 30 minutes ago, I've been practicing at home), I must remind myself that perhaps it is not yet time but in time, I will get there. Sometimes I tend to be fixated on achieving something that I forget how equally satisfying not to rush and just enjoy as things unfold. For now, it should be enough that I was able to reach the mat while in forward fold and that I was able to do half a bakasana (in preparation for the pose). Little victories that are not often celebrated but victories nonetheless that contribute to the greater goal.

My key takeaway in today's class is to always remember to enjoy the journey of getting there. So even though I wasn't able to do the bakasana just yet, I feel great because I know my body will slowly work its way to that someday.

​

being kind to the body

I have been feeling a bit under the weather since Friday and all throughout the weekend. I've been sleeping past midnight but I always wake up with an alert mind but with a body wanting to stay longer in bed. It's been kind of crazy.

It started on Wednesday night after J and I watched Rurouni Kenshin: Kyoto Inferno and I went home sneezing like there's no tomorrow. The following day, although wanting to sleep more, I hauled myself out of bed and attended yoga class with my friend, JR. It was exactly what I needed to perk me up. Admittedly though I felt a bit weak during practice, feeling my arms shake while on plank. Upon getting home, I took a nap that went down longer than I wanted it to resulting to not being able to sleep again before midnight. I ended up watching the first Rurouni Kenshin movie, which J insisted I watch. I liked it a lot. I slept around 3am but still got up in time for work a few hours later. I was even quite productive at work and I felt so triumphant at the end of the day.

Saturday was laundry day and I had so much time left that I decided to do some major cleaning in my room. I rearranged what little furniture I have in the room and slept before midnight enveloped in fresh, clean sheets. I woke up on Sunday feeling so fresh and strong. I braved Sunday yoga class and throughout class, I felt in perfect condition. I didn't feel weak and it felt so good to be able to hold poses and not feel a part of my body tremble. The class I took last Sunday was one of the best classes I've had in Urban Ashram Manila so far. Not because I felt strong but because the teacher was great. The class was led by Maricar.

That night, I still felt so energized that I once again slept way past midnight. I was even able to catch the documentary on Ninoy Aquino's assassination on a local TV channel and how much of it still remains a mystery.

Yesterday, I once again woke up feeling tired but I was decided to attend yoga class because it was Share-A-Yoga day at the studio and I invited my cousin to share the practice with me. They arrived so early so we went to the studio an hour early. The class was led by Carla and it was the first time I ever had her as a teacher. I enjoyed her class so much so that I plan on attending her Sunday FNR classes in the future.

There were several poses that were new to me. These were challenging to me and I always felt a sense of achievement each time I was able to perform the pose - maybe not entirely correctly but the important thing was that I was trying and was enjoying in the process. Towards the end of the class, we did several balancing poses. The one pose we did that I really liked started out in garland pose. Carla then asked us to bind one leg with our arms and asked us to try, if we can, to stand up and balance. I was able to do it out of sheer determination and curiosity. When I couldn't hold the pose the first time I tried it, I realized quickly that a lot of what I have to overcome is confidence. Confidence that I can do it despite my newness in the practice. It was also overcoming the fear of standing out for fear of making a fool out of myself because only a handful was able to come up to standing. This made such a huge difference the second time I tried to do it. I was once again reminded that in practicing yoga, you only have yourself to think of and to listen to. And shutting everything out takes some getting used to.

Yesterday's practice has been so much fun, I suppose it was mostly because I shared it with my cousin who's been such an inspiration to me. At the end of the class yesterday, in between breaths, it dawned on me how I needed to be kinder to my body. And that being kind to my body doesn't have to end when I step off the mat. It means trying harder to sleep early so that my body will wake up as strong as it was last Sunday, coming to practice or to whatever I have planned with enough strength to enjoy every motion. Once again, ahimsa.

guimaras

In March 2013, my friend G and I planned to go on a weekend trip to Guimaras with JS and J. We booked it for November 2013. G and I were looking forward to this trip as we had previously gone to Guimaras in 2010 and promised ourselves to come back (hopefully) with our significant others in tow. By mid-year though, G and JS found out that they were on the family way and were expecting their bundle of joy to arrive early in January 2014. This meant that G and JS could no longer join J and me to Guimaras.

Fast-forward to November, J and I were so excited to go on this trip as the rainy months held us back from going to any major trips outside Metro Manila. Unfortunately, we learned rather belatedly that a supertyphoon was headed to the islands of Visayas... just like we were. Oh no!

But no typhoon could held us back. We didn't know then what a supertyphoon was and how dangerous supertyphoon Yolanda (also Haiyan to the international community) would turn out to be. J and I even laughed about it, joking that Yolanda was the third wheel in our vacation, but prayed that the storm signal 2 assigned to Guimaras won't hit the province that bad.

Checking weather updates while waiting for our flight to Iloilo.
It was sunshiny in Metro Manila.

And so we boarded and took off. It wasn't particularly turbulent for most of the flight except when we were nearing our destination. We got to Iloilo in one piece. The sky was gray and it was windy. I've been there several times before for work and leisure and this was the first time I landed there when the sun was not shining at all.

I told J that the weather didn't seem particularly good for traveling but we were still hopeful. From my previous travels to Iloilo, I knew that airport taxis should be avoided as they charge quite a fee when there was the much cheaper alternative of taking the van from the airport to SM Mandurriao and then taking a jeepney from there. Since we were on a budget, this was what we did.

Normally, fare from the airport to SM Mandurriao only costs Php 50 per person. However, we caught the last van leaving the airport and there weren't enough passengers. The driver said that each of us had to pay Php 70 to cover for the empty seats. I didn't think this was particularly fair as it was none of our fault that there weren't enough passengers. But most of the passengers didn't say anything except for J, who talked to the driver about this. Since we weren't going all the way to SM Mandurriao, he just let us pay Php 60 per person as he was going to drop us off somewhere where we can take the jeepney to the port where the boats going to Guimaras were located.

The residents of Iloilo are very friendly and helpful. We just asked around on how we could get to Guimaras. Unfortunately, we ended up in Parola where the boats going to Buenavista, Guimaras were. We were supposed to go to Jordan instead of Buenavista as the latter is nearer the resort where we were staying.

By this time, the sky was overcast and we knew that we only had so much time before it rained. One woman even approached me and suggested that J and I no longer push through going to Guimaras as a supertyphoon is about to make landfall that afternoon. The people in Parola even told us that the coast guard might halt boat trips to Guimaras soon. And because J and I really wanted to spend our vacation in Guimaras, we rushed to Ortiz wharf. It felt like a race against time (or a supertyphoon, if you may) as we rushed to get to Guimaras before Yolanda could prevent us from setting foot on the beautiful island of Guimaras.

Landing at the Iloilo International Airport and ending up at the wrong wharf,
it felt like a race against time (or typhoon, if you may) as we rushed to Ortiz wharf.

Much to my fear, the rain started pouring before our boat left Ortiz wharf. But we left soon after. The seas were rough and it was terrifying to be on a pump boat while it was raining quite hard. My fear escalated when some locals wore the life jackets provided at the boat. I also wore one. Soon after, the rain stopped and thankfully, we finally arrived at Jordan wharf after 15 minutes.

It is easy to get a tricycle once you're in Guimaras. J is always good at negotiating and he was able to talk a driver into a slightly less expensive deal that includes a land trip around the island.

Our first stop was on a fruit stand along the highway where we bought ripe and unripe mangoes, which we planned to eat during our stay.

Mangoes from Guimaras as said to be the sweetest in the country.
But really, Philippine mangoes are delicious!

After that we had late lunch at Pit Stop where we tried their Mango Pizza. I love pizza but I never liked fruits on pizza. Case in point, I avoid the Hawaiian Pizza as much as I can. But the mango pizza is a surprise. I liked it. J said it was only okay. It could be that I was only very hungry then but I liked the mango pizza and I'd eat it again if I were ever in Guimaras again.

Island eats. L-R clockwise: roasted corn from Iloilo, steamed crabs at Raymen,
mango pizza from Pit Stop, and unripe mangoes with bagoong.

We went to The Trappist Monastery next. The chapel was being renovated so we just walked around and took some pictures. Next stop was the Trappist Mango Orchard, which was just across the monastery.

The Trappist Monastery in Guimaras.

We also stopped by Valle Verde Mountain Resort, which has a nice view, similar to what you'll pass by the roadside only slightly better. After that we headed to Guisi Lighthouse where we climbed the old lighthouse. We also visited the beach in Guisi. 

Island life. Clockwise: Two hens and one happy rooster, a bench at Guisi,
J at the top of the lighthouse in Guisi, and Deza buko station where we
had fresh buko juice.

The beach in Guisi is a mixture of fine sand and small pebbles and corals.

Guimaras,
November 7, 2013

It started raining again so we headed back to Raymen Beach Resort, where we were checked in. It rained the entire night and when we woke up the following day, November 8, it was very gloomy. When the rain started pouring, it no longer stopped. There was nothing much to do that day. So we slept, ate at the canteen, watched the news along with the staff and some of the guests at the canteen, and went to the beach to watch the crashing of the waves as we waited for typhoon Yolanda.

The waves were big for Alubihod beach. I recall much gentler waves from my trip back in 2010. The waves that day were bigger and more powerful, somewhat reminiscent of the waves in San Juan, La Union. J and I watched the sea, not really knowing what was coming as the rain continued to pour and the waves crashed on the shore and the rocks of the distant islands, which at some point seemed to disappear as they were enveloped in mist.

Alubihod beach during typhoon Yolanda.
Guimaras, November 8, 2013.

From where I stood watching the sea.

By the time we had dinner, it was only then that we realized how strong this typhoon was. Power went out but we were able enjoy electricity thanks to hotel, which has a generator. We were able to catch some news on TV but this was before news of the devastation in other parts of Visayas were reported in better detail. It rained more heavily in the evening. The hotel staff were sent home earlier than usual and we retired early, praying that it will be better come morning.

And in a couple of ways it was better because it was no longer raining and the sun began to shine again.

Alubihod beach after the storm.
Guimaras, November 9, 2013.

J and I making plans of touring the islands if the seas permit it.

The heart of the ocean washed ashore in Alubihod beach after Typhoon Yolanda.

A little piece of paradise in Alubihod beach.

But in more ways it wasn't especially when news came in of how the typhoon has devastated Leyte, Samar, and other parts of Visayas. After breakfast, J and I decided to go island hopping even though he wasn't feeling very well.

Going on an island hopping about the Ray Joshua 4 boat.
Meant for bigger groups and definitely a very big boat for
a couple of travelers.

We first went to SEAFDEC, which is a research institute. It is an interesting place to visit to see really big fishes and pick up some trivia regarding the fishes there.

At SEAFDEC with one of the guides who told us about
the kinds of fish kept in this area.

On our way to an island where we were supposed to see turtles, J got really sick and we agreed that we'd head back to the hotel after visiting Baras Island.

Back in 2010 when I first visited Guimaras, I promised myself that I would go back to Baras Island. It is special to me because I came to the island at a time when I was finding a reason to begin again and the view on the island seemed to tell me to leave all the baggages behind and beckoned me to just keep moving forward. At that time, it seemed then that it was there that I found myself. And it felt fitting to come back to that place again, three years later... to thank it for the generous gift of happiness and inspiration that it has given me.

Baras Island and its resident dogs/trail guides.

We were joined by two friendly dogs on the short hike to the wonderful view. They would stop every now and then perhaps to check if we could keep up with them. On the viewing deck, the view is still as beautiful as it was three years ago.

A stunning view at Baras Island.

As much as I wanted to stay longer, we had to leave as J was feeling worse by the minute. When we got back to Raymen Resort, we decided to postpone our trip back to Iloilo until J felt better. We stayed cooped up in the room with occasional visits to the canteen for food and beverages. In afternoon, when the staff learned that J was sick, they cooked porridge for him as he was not able to eat well. I appreciated this a lot. I kept on thanking them because it is nice to find people you don't really know who genuinely care for you when the moment of need arises.

At around 5:30pm, I told J that I'd be going to the beach to watch the sunset. It wasn't as glorious as the other sunsets I've seen but the subtle change in coloring of the sky was still beautiful.

Alubihod beach during the sunset and a stranger.

We woke up the following morning with J feeling so much better than the previous day. We quickly packed our bags and left the resort as we had a plane to catch in Iloilo. Taking the same route we took when we arrived in the island, we realized how lucky we were to have been spared by the rage of Yolanda. There wasn't much destruction on the road, or at least the road that we had taken.

I kept telling J how fortunate we were especially as we slowly began to understand the extent of damage supertyphoon Yolanda has done in the nearby islands in Visayas. With two adventurous souls like ours, it's often easy to forget nature's power over us. This trip reminded us of that fact.



Budget

Our total spend for this trip was Php 13,303 (that's 6,651.50 per person). This could be much cheaper if you are traveling with a bigger group so that cost of meals, land tour, island hopping, and accommodation can be shared.

Click photo to enlarge.

Notes:
*The island hopping fee in Guimaras is on a per hour basis. You pay Php 500 for the first hour and 150 for every succeeding hour. We arranged this tour at Raymen Beach Resort.

• The boat ride to Guimaras only takes about 15 minutes.
• The tricycle ride from Alubihod to Jordan Wharf takes about 40 minutes.
• From Ortiz Wharf to SM Mandurriao, it takes about 20 minutes.
• SM Mandurriao to the Iloilo International Airport is about 20 minutes.

tarak ridge

J has so much faith and confidence in me that for my second climb, he suggested we hike Tarak Ridge in May 2013. Admittedly, I know very little about mountain climbing as I'm only beginning to like it as a recreational activity whereas, J knows a lot about it. And because of this, hiking with him always gives me a sense of security.

Once again, we signed up to climb with Trail Adventours and paid Php 1,400 per person. With my happy experience of hiking Pico de Loro earlier in the same year with them, I felt that it was going to be as hassle-free and worry-free as it was the first time. This time around J also invited his colleague, A to join us. Although J and I work in the same company and are in fact within the same business unit, we had never worked together. And as such, I do not know many of his colleagues save for a few.

We all met in El Pueblo on a very early Saturday morning. There were a couple of familiar faces but most were new and I think that's the good thing about joining a group. You get to share an experience with people who you do not know and maybe even get to know them in the process. When everyone who signed up for the climb was accounted for, we left. I can't remember how long the drive was from Manila to Bataan because I fell asleep. The drive was smooth and comfortable save for the excruciatingly irritating minutes when someone's phone mercilessly shrilled so many times over and jolted J and me awake. When we got to the jump-off point, it was about 6am. After finishing our sandwiches, we began our trek.

A goat smiled for me.

The hike was quite easy at first. There were a couple of houses here and there. There were goats on a fenced part along the trail, doing what goats do. And then the scenery began to change, with the trees growing in number and blocking the sun so that there was just enough sunlight to make us appreciate our surroundings. Along the trail, we stopped by a hut. After a few minutes of rest, the group did some stretching exercises and then off we went again. There was a stream here and there and rocks big and small. And then finally there was Papaya River, which was a welcome sight. Writing about it now, many months later, I frankly cannot remember most of the details of that hike. But I do remember holding on to branches, encountering parts of the trail that I felt were dangerous. The trees grew in number, the fallen leaves carpeted the trail. There were a couple of fallen trees. Some parts of the trail were muddy. And a young man, who was part of the group, struggled with his shoes because it was falling apart. 

And if we weren't already tired enough, the next part of the trail was even more energy-draining as we looked on to a steep trail. There really was no other way but up. Literally. But I was happy because there were a lot of roots to hold on to. But surprisingly, this was the part that I really enjoyed the most.

I guess because it wasn't just about walking. It involved grasping onto things, figuring out where to step and what to hold on to next, and really just thinking on your toes on how to get from A to B. There is something playful and childlike about climbing the way you have to climb that part of the trail to Tarak Ridge. And aside from that, there is also something fun about it and there's a hint of danger as well.

And I loved it. It reminded me of the time when I climbed trees as a young girl, when I had very little care about pain and death; when there was nothing to hold me back and when doing something adventurous and fun felt like it was the only natural thing to do. This part of the trail is the one that I liked and enjoyed immensely even though my arms were almost about to cry in pain. I remember the trees were huge in that part of the trail but it was dry and so it was good. I can only imagine how difficult it is climbing that trail if it weren't dry.

Eventually, we reached the ridge. We had lunch and rested for some time before we explored the rest of the ridge.

Blue skies at the ridge.

Exploring the ridge.

Tarak Ridge,
May 11, 2013

Peace at the top.

J and A before we headed back down.

That hike to Tarak Ridge was a nice experience for me. It was nice to get to know A and to glimpse a side of J that I barely see - his face when he is among friends, the way he is in the company of a friend. I've never been one that is comfortable around guys but it was nice to be around them for a while, to hear male chit chat and banter. It was a nice change for me. 

We were the among the last ones to head back. At that point, I was already so very tired that I wished I could just slide my way back to where the vans were waiting for us to take us back to Manila. But sometimes, heading back seems so much quicker than it is when you were still going to that place. And luckily that was the case for me.

nagsasa cove

Back in 2013, with the memories of Siquijor fresh in our minds and the summer sun beckoning us, J suggested we go on a camping trip to Nagsasa Cove in Zambales. I haven't been on a camping trip before. My friends don't think of me as the type to go camping. With my requirements of clean toilet and bath with lukewarm water, they simply didn't think of it as something I could and would do. But J made camping sound so exciting - grilling your food by the beach, watching the sunset, and sleeping under the stars (inside a tent, of course) plus add the fact that I wanted to spend time with him - I was utterly convinced. He even assured me that there is a working toilet in Nagsasa and showering with clean tap water is possible. My only real fear at that point was bathing in cold water.

We agreed to a budget of Php 1,500 per person. With our bags packed, we took a road trip to San Antonio, Zambales. Four hours later, we found ourselves in the town's market. We bought fresh fish, meat, hotdogs, potatoes, fruits, and everything else we could possibly need for nice meals. Later on we realized we got too excited and bought too much.

Fresh fish at the town market. A kilo for only 80 pesos.

We had a quick lunch at an eatery in the town, where we also asked for directions to Pundaquit, the jump-off point to Nagsasa Cove.

The summer heat was full on when we made our way to Pundaquit. Once we got there, we learned that overnight parking and hiring a boat to Nagsasa would cost us so much more than we allotted for since it was only the two of us and it was the peak season. But J assured me that we would get a good deal with the budget that we had. 

He did everything. We ended up sharing the boat with a group going to Nagsasa for only Php 800 per person (plus free overnight parking for our vehicle). We thought this turned out cheaper by a couple of hundred of pesos compared to renting a boat all to ourselves (which we were told was Php 2,500) and paying a fee for overnight parking.

It took about an hour to get to Nagsasa Cove from Pundaquit. The boat ride was nice as the marvelous azure color of the water was mesmerizing. On one side, the water stretched as far as the eye can see. On the other, the mountains were a lovely addition to the blueness of the water and the sky. Eventually during the boat ride, I just wanted to sleep.

When we got to Nagsasa Cove, our boatman helped us look for a camping site.

Nagsasa Cove,
April 6, 2013

It was a lovely day and I couldn't wait to explore. But there is a tent that needed to be pitched and food to be prepared. After everything was done, J and I wanted to look for the waterfalls. The local kids were more than happy to take us. At the last minute though, we decided against it as it would be dark soon and it might be hard to get back to camp. 

We started cooking shortly after sunset. It got pretty dark quite quickly and I did not anticipate this. We struggled to get the charcoals burning. We were both on the brink of giving up as our charcoal wouldn't burn enough to grill a decent meal. Adding to our frustration was seeing the other campers happily grilling their dinner to perfection. It felt like hours until we were successful and everything else was easy after that.

Our meal felt like it was the most delicious I've ever had in months... possibly because I was really hungry and all it took was a nice meal to make us forget the challenge that we experienced before our meal.

The restrooms in Nagsasa Cove were clean. As I prepared to take a quick bath, I began to realize how most things in my daily life were a luxury compared to the simple and basic life in Nagsasa Cove. It made me appreciative of what I had back home. While lukewarm water would have been nice to wash off the day's sweat and dirt, at that point I was just thankful that there was a covered restroom and clean water.

That night, we wandered along the shores. There were campers who managed to make bonfires and I imagined how happy it would have equally been had our friends been there as well.

The night breeze was chilly and after gazing at the stars, we headed back to our tent. On the camp itself, the breeze wasn't as chilly as that along the shore. The night was dark and almost pitch black in Nagsasa Cove. You can hear stories and laughter being shared here and there inside tents from circles of friends. Generally though, it was relatively quiet. This was a wonderful change to the hustle and bustle of the city, where it sometimes gets too bright and too noise as there seems to be a perpetual stream of buses and jeepneys honking for passengers and of vehicles passing by.

It was my first time inside a tent and I quickly realized that you lose a sense of distance when you're inside one. Everything seemed so much closer somehow. I'm pretty sure there's a scientific explanation to it. When we heard voices of other people, it sounded like they were right outside our tent. In reality though, they were at a good distance from us.

As I was trying to get some sleep and J was reading The Hobbit by J.R.R. Tolkien, a funny but rather embarrassing thing happened. We started hearing strange sounds from one of the tents nearby. The sounds eventually became moans and cries of pleasure. We know what happened there.

After our laughter passed, it soon became quite uncomfortable to be hearing that unwelcome noise. For sure we weren't the only ones who heard.

Come morning, we were hoping to catch the sunrise. But the sunrise in Nagsasa was not as spectacular as we had hoped. The mountains blocked it from view. Still, there is poetry in motion watching the mountains that surround Nagsasa Cove slowly change in color as the sun rays touched it space by space.

We were among the last campers to leave Nagsasa Cove that day. We drove back to Manila, our adventurous bodies both tired and wanting of sleep but our hearts were filled with new experiences, funny anecdotes, and a renewed gratefulness for all the things that we usually take for granted.

 

Nagsasa Cove,
April 7, 2013