Why Organize Hikes

Back in the day, I would only climb with the same buddies. But like everything else, hiking had to evolve.

Why Organize?

I once wrote an article on 'Why I Climb Alone'. This time I'll be telling you something quite the opposite. I organize hikes. Why?
First off. It's lucrative. You can earn as much as PhP30,000 over the weekend with just a full-van-capacity climb size of 12 pax. And that's after the costs. Did you know that there are organizers who charter a whole bus for their participants. Do the math. Pretty attractive, eh? One event every month is enough for you and your family to get by, you'd say. Well, at least you're well over the PhP10,000 poverty line income once set by NEDA for a family of five.


Secondly, there's no second reason! Let's face it, pera-pera lang yan. It could come from the event fee that you get directly from your guests or from the 10kg weed you bring down from your destination. Fame? Sex? I'm not the best person to ask.


However, while there's one big reason and plenty of other little reasons to organize hikes, it is not a walk in the park at all for an organizer. There are things that will make you think twice before organizing a hike.

Profile Picture

Namiss ko lang bigla ang ma-excite gumamit ng profile pic na may sea of clouds.

Before I knew it, I'm way over it na pala. I know...wala pala akong Facebook. Pero if I should make a new account, sea of clouds wouldn't be a big factor in choosing a profile picture.

In one world a sea of clouds profile pic would say 'astig ka'. In another it would say 'you're a newbie'. Whatever it is, your profile picture somehow summarizes who you are in social media. In fact, nung nag-oorganize pa ako ng treks, I would quickly reject applicants whose profile picture is Mt Maculot. Sorry na. Judgmental lang talaga.

Pero your time will come. Pagsasawaan mo rin yang Mt Kinabalu profile pic mo. Sa ngayon, namnamin mo lang muna kung ano ka.

TRAPPED

I miss my childhood years. Back then, I'd just knock on neighbors' doors, and me and three of my friends would be off to Pantalan. Now Carigara Bay has been transformed from a once clear and blue bay to a murky  body of water--a helpless victim to siltation due to unregulated logging for more than two decades. But the sunset is still beautiful. No big ships still dock there so its long stretch is still a lovely place to spend the late afternoons. Two decades from now, a young Carigaran-on today could be reminiscing about this sunset.


I want to go solo camping in Alegria but a guide is required now. I don't mind the fee, I just don't need some unsolicited company.


I am now in the tiny island of Mactan but all the beautiful shorelines have been fenced by resorts. So much for my Boca del Cielo daydreaming!


Apparently what we see in movies where you just get outside and find a place where you could contemplate and meditate has become more and more elusive.


But I believe I'll find one such place once again. I just know so.

Life In Transit

I miss my bus rides to Baguio and back to Manila!

I miss listening to the music they played. 

I miss looking out the window.

My bus rides had always been about surrendering to and living in the moment. I loved the stops and the length of time the ride had to take. It reminded me that I was inside the bus and that I couldn't do anything about it: that there was no point worrying about things. I loved the music I'd hear on board. It didn't matter what song they played. What mattered was the fact that some artists put together all their gifts to create that song. I loved looking at the views that presented themselves out the window. I would always imagine I had been on Mars or on the Moon for a long time and I'd instantly feel happy looking at each withered leaf and twig on the ground. I'd always be filled with awe, wonder and joy looking at how Life thrives on Earth.

It's a beautiful life!

Mountain Horror Stories You Never Heard

Fear of the unknown keeps us going.

Our imagination is easily tickled by the story of the roving couple of Mt Cristobal; or Maricar, the lady who jumped off the 'dila' of Mt Maculot; or Taong Lumot of Mt Halcon and all other horror stories of many popular mountains in the country.

But I'm not gonna talk about them this time. Instead, I'll tell you of real-life horrors during treks. 

DON'T ASK; DON'T TELL Part 2 (ON ORGANIZERS)

Kagaya ng pag-ibig, wala ring forever na view...yung akala mong pure nature na panorama
biglang makikiapid si hand railings pagbalik mo (photo by Ed Glipa).

Many misconstrue Lagataw's 'Don't Ask; Don't Tell' Policy as greed -- that we don't want to share the experience to others. But in truth, it's quite the opposite! We don't disclose logistical information to others fearing that these others might take the wrong people to these treasured destinations.

You bring someone who panics when his substandard burner malfunctions, you burn Mt Pulag as a result. And all of a sudden everyone else may now be required to carry a portable fire extinguisher. The old experience is lost and can no longer be shared.

You organize a climb through the Kapangan-Kibungan-Bakun route and you allow a fresh graduate of Mt Batulao to join you and she slips off Taktak or early on at the 'via ferrata' segment. All of a sudden Kibungan closes the route labeling it as 'not safe for TOURISTS'. And the qualified adventure-seekers can no longer experience the same thrill that the previous participants did.

This is the main reason why I reconsider many times over before I admit an organizer into the climbing party. Many organizers indiscriminately take guests to trekking destination oblivious of the technicality of the route.

As it is, this activity of climbing mountains is just not for everyone. The incapacity and ineptitude of many tourists fuel the pervasive Safety First dogma that consequently changes not just the landscape (via infrastructure that ensures the safety of selfie kings and queens) but the whole experience as well.

This photograph can no longer be replicated...

...because now, a fence has been constructed to ensure the safety of tourists (photo by Aris Aglupus)

Remember that when you cause a mishap on a climb, you're not only jeopardizing your group. You are affecting the whole industry! So I'm not sorry if I refuse you on my treks.


We don't ask and we don't tell because we want to share!


If you think others need to know this, don't hesitate to share it.

The Lagataw Difference

Some of the destinations we take our friends to. (photo by Josh Pasia)

When I was kid I was the only child in the family who had roamed beyond the two-block radius around our home before reaching the age of six. In fourth grade, while everyone was using saw dust to show creativity in our map project, I used crushed egg shells for my map of Leyte. I have always had this thirst for uniqueness and discovery; to do what others do differently. And I’ve taken this principle even in my treks. Here are some of the things that make Lagataw treks different.

Tacadang Circuit: A Journey to your Soul

The rice terraces of Les-eng hemmed in by the plateau of Batangan and nourished by Talaktak Falls.

We first shared this route to some friends in August 2015. The objective was to offer a select number of outdoors people not just a journey through the hidden trails of Kibungan but also a journey to oneself. The route we take is unknown to mainstream hikers. Two years has passed after the first group did the Tacadang Circuit, and still you won't meet other hikers on the trail at least during the first two days. Mainstream hikers are often too busy sitio-bagging at Kibungan Cross Country. This route is dotted with mesmerizing views that make every trekker linger which, much to the organizer's distress, consequently delays the desired camp site ETA. 

HIKING DAW PO HINDI MOUNTAINEERING

What's the plural form of 'neck'?

Sobrang dami na po natin ngayon at unti-unting nag-eevolve ang terminology sa larangan ng pag- akyat ng bundok. Mukhang kailangan na ng panibagong Bundokipedia para sa mga bagong kataga na ginagamit ngayon ng karamihan.

Tampok sa post na ito ang pagbabago sa wika ng mga umaakyat hindi lang ang mga common mountaineering misnomers and misspellings kundi pati na rin ang mga bagong usbong na mga kataga at paggamit ng mga ito.

Koi Grey on Outdoor Education

Koi Grey in Nepal. Photo by our good friend Kat Marasigan

There is no need for a biography of this man. Everyone knows Koi Grey and his outdoor exploits. What I want to share of him to you is his unconventional learning process. 

LAGATAW'S OVERSEAS BACKPACKING TIPS (INTRODUCTION)

at the world's best airport

Filipinos travel a lot nowadays. Expressways get congested during long weekends. Yuppies now have more extra cash for travel. And some have already started going off Philippine shores. But still many hesitate to try overseas travel for two main reasons: logistics and cost. The fear of not knowing what to do once we get to a foreign land still haunts many of us like it used to scare the generation of our parents who would just avail of the services of travel agencies and tour operators if they wanted to go on an overseas trip. And many still think that it is very expensive to travel abroad. But the world has changed a lot. And these things that still hold us back should already be matters of the past.


In my next series of posts, I'll be giving you tips on how to do DIY backpacking while not burning your wallet.

It should be noted, however, that at the time of writing, I have just started backpacking. My first overseas trip was in 2014 and since then I've traveled to Thailand, Laos, Vietnam, Cambodia, Malaysia, Singapore and Sri Lanka. My advice may not be relevant if you want to go backpacking in Europe, America or Australia.


To make your travel worthwhile, consider answering for yourself these four questions.

1. WHEN?
It helps a lot when you pick a special time to travel. It gives additional motivation for you to really carry out that planned trip. In my case, I try to do it every year sometime around my birthday. I find it a good way to celebrate my special day. Most of us give ourselves a leeway to spend a lot during our birthday. Some try to treat all their friends to a booze-up till the break of dawn. I prefer treating just myself to an experience that will help me learn and grow as a person. I try to experience different cultures.


2. WHERE?

I prefer to put together 3 or more countries in one journey. If there's one possession of mine that I want to get dirty that's my passport. I love to see many stamps on the pages of my passport. They say you wouldn't know a country if you only spent a few days at its tourist destinations. I say I've lived in the Philippines for more than 3 decades but I still don't know all of it. It doesn't have to be your goal to fully know one country's geography or culture. Getting there alone is already something. Being there will definitely create a change in you. And that's basically my goal.


3. WHY?

awe-struck by the wonder that the hands of the ancient man have created

A few people travel abroad for special reasons like a Thai massage training at Wat Pho or Ayurvedic Medicine in Sri lanka. But most of us travel to other countries for the usual reasons. To see monuments or to try different foods and sports. In my case, I love to see the wonders that the hands of man have made. I love to see ruins of great empires. I also love to see the creations of contemporary architects and artists.

mesmerized by the creation of the hands of the modern man

4. WHO?

travel only with thy betters or thy equals; if there are none, travel alone - The Dhammapada

I love traveling alone. I believe that 'more companions' means 'more chances of your trip getting ruined.' I hate wasting (time, money and energy). But honestly, when I find myself alone in the monuments I'm visiting, I always wish that some friend or a family member was there. I always think that the happiness I am feeling when I'm at a good place would be greater if I was sharing it with someone dear to me. So pick the right companion or travel alone.

Why I No Longer Take Part in Outreach Projects

 

There's a reason why I wouldn't give this Igorot guy a pair of slippers

I am not some big corporate guy. You probably make more money than I do. But I find a way to help others financially, not that I feel I have a moral or divine obligation to do so. I just feel that it's the right thing to do, but most importantly, because I am a product of philanthropy myself. I was on scholarship from high school 'till college. And this example of my benefactors helped me see the universe as a product of meaningful accidents or fate and fortune. It was an accident that I was born a Filipino citizen that's why I was not eligible for a working holiday visa when I was 25 and wanted to pick apples in Australia for a living and a holiday. Some Yoshihiro could do that because he was, by fate, born in Japan. And he could earn 3 months' worth of my salary, (just working at 7-Eleven in one month) because he was accidentally living in that society. But we can't just whine about our fate and envy others' fortune. We can choose to emancipate ourselves from this bondage of fate, and eventually make our own destiny. The inspiring story of Apo Elmer, whose dream to ride an airplane was realized all because he did what he was born to do--farming--and firmly believed in that dream, is a good example of making one’s own destiny.

Josiah Ballagan has a similar story. He was just doing what he was born to do--run--when I met him at their home on the foothills of Mt Tabayoc in Benguet. I saw his great potential as an athlete so I registered him in The North Face 100 (50K, CamSur) in 2011 where he finished 4th. It was his first trail race. It was 50km and he was still barely 17 then. In 2012, he finished second in The North Face 100 Baguio (50K). That same year, with the help of the Philippine Skyrunning Association and the benevolent Nestor Fongwan, the then governor of Benguet, I sent him to the Mt Kinabalu International Climbathon in Malaysia where he finished just 37 minutes behind the world champion Kilian Jornet. His outstanding performance in that international race prompted the governor to give him a full scholarship at Benguet State University. Four years after that run, he earned a college degree and now he has a job.

I prefer this idea of effecting a change—where you focus on an individual instead of a big community. I am not a fan of one-time-big-time outreach programs. Sometimes, the proud selfies of the donors last longer that the slippers they donate. Like I said, I am not some big organization. I can only effect a very little change in this world. I cannot help a whole community in a long term case. But with the help other little hands and small pockets, I can help create a lasting change in an individual.

And this year, we've seen two individuals brimming with talent—the elite runners from Antique, John Ray Onifa and Rene John Ello. However, little hands and little pockets can only afford to help one individual so we've chosen Onifa. We saw his running caliber when he breezed through the 21K race in Tracing Iraynon-Bukidnon Trails in Antique. Through the help of some individuals and organizations (who I really want to mention here but whose preference for anonymity we need to respect), the proceeds of the lagataw shirt was able to support Onifa in two of his trail races in Luzon—the Salomon Xtrail 32K and Soleus Cross-Country Challenge 12K- where he emerged champion (in both events).

Seeing the talent of this promising athlete, the office of the governor of Antique, Rhodora Cadiao (coincidentally a party-mate of former governor Fongwan of Benguet) through the Provincial Youth Development Office headed by Rexon Nodque, gave Onifa a job and a scholarship grant. Onifa couldn't contain his joy when he heard this news. He couldn't believe that great things could come just by being the best that you can be—whatever you are: a farmer, a fisherman or a runner. After TIBT, he has added more trophies and titles to his already large collection, the most recent of which is the Milo Marathon qualifier in Iloilo. But we want to extend this feat overseas. We're sending him to The North Face 100 Thailand in February 2018. And we need more small hands and pockets.

In this world of meaningful accidents and fate, you can choose between two things—you can be one who firmly believes in your dream and tries to be the best of who you can be, or you can choose to be the wind beneath that believer's wings.

Join me in sending Onifa to the finish line in The North Face 100 Thailand 2018.

dri-fit; neon green

Get a piece of this limited edition shirt. When you wear this shirt, it may not remind you of a mountain that you have conquered or a monument that you have visited. But let this shirt remind you that you have helped in creating a lasting change in this world.

Even the flutter of a butterfly’s wings can create a hurricane halfway across the Earth.

For details, visit our page on Facebook.

A Weekend with Asao Shimura

his first time to guide someone in the rain

After a two-hour ride from La Trinidad I finally arrive in Sitio Poking. It is a little hamlet of around a hundred houses that seem to be racing upwards on the slopes of a ridge that overlooks the sprawling undulating terrain of rice paddies liberally sprinkled with bamboo groves and clusters of subtropical trees. In one of these houses lives the family of Asao Shimura, a paper artist from Japan who decided to trade the convenience and exuberance of Tokyo with the humdrum and isolation of Kapangan.

Life's a Decision

exactly 2 years ago

Exactly two years ago, I started my ultimate journey. I had just finished working at a construction site in La Trinidad and I had just secured a letter of introduction from the office of the governor. And here's what I had to write on my journal*.

I leave La Trinidad for Tublay today. I feel apprehensive and hesitant. Perhaps because LT has become my comfort zone. I feel secure, comfortable, and certain here. But perhaps I'm just feeling the way everybody else would. Only, I'm more open to changes. I don't resist change as much as ordinary people do. This is nothing new to me. I've felt this when I decided to quit my job in 2011 to try farming in my hometown (but my boss called me up again after a few weeks and gave me an irresistible offer so...). It was repeated when I quit the same job in 2014 to try the BPO industry; and once again when I left that industry after 3 months to embark on this journey. 

Kapangan-Kibungan-Bakun Traverse (KKB) 2

On the dewy fields are the chickens, trying to catch the unlucky early worms. Down the fields is the mist mimicking an ocean foam brewing from the chasm that splits the Tacadang plateau and concealing the four waterfalls lining the walls of the ravine. Above the mist are the rice terraces partially silhouetted against the rising sun beyond the mountains.
 
This was how Day 2 of our 65-km traverse from Kapangan to Bakun started. And it was heartbreaking for Noi to have to leave this place too soon. He was the only Tacadang virgin among the six of us. Yet we had to move on. Mt Kabunian in Bakun was still a long way to go. The plan was to catch the sunset at the summit.

As we approached the border between Bakun and Kibungan more and more breath-taking views tried to stall us. At this point, only Ronald and I had previously seen the scenery. Fortunately the other three--Jepoi, Aljun and Erwin--had already been indoctrinated into my for-your-eyes-only travel principle. They couldn't agree more that it was futile to try to capture the grandeur of the scenery on a jpeg image. Some of them would sometimes just stop and and shed a teardrop gazing at the awesomeness of the panorama. I always tell my companions to quit trying to freeze the moment on a photograph. You lose the connection to the place and the intimacy of the experience. What a waste! We often forget that we go to places for ourselves--for our own experience and growth.

But many have hopped on the bandwagon, pointlessly extending the experience to others by hoarding pictures to share on Facebook. It is not bad to take pictures as long as you make sure that you have truly experienced the authenticity of the moment. And so Day 2 started with a glorious sunrise in Kibungan and ended with the same sun setting beyond the very rare sea of clouds in Bakun.

Sea of clouds as seen from the summit of Mt Kabunian

It was a trek dotted with so many Instagrammable moments that on our second day, Day 1 felt like a week past. We wouldn't quickly remember what we had for lunch or dinner during the previous day or where we had them. And these moments, including the Sitio Paraiso + Sitio Impyerno combination on Day 1 made the trek enjoyable even though it was undeniably tough.

The team dubbed this spot as 'Sitio Impyerno' due to the scorching heat of the noon sun.

There were only six of us. The five guests were among the fifteen carefully chosen Lagataw trekkers who received the exclusive invitation. Ronald, a triathlete, had previously joined the tougher first edition of KKB (Mt Tenglawan exit). Aljun had joined the Tacadang Circuit and the Tacadang Traverse; Jepoi had two Tacadang traverses under his belt plus a Mt Tenglawan Extreme; Noi, just Tenglawan Extreme and Erwin, Tacadang Traverse. And these trekkers are not among the noisy ones on social media.  Erwin would hardly strike you as the trekker type. It was a small team. The KKB is mainly about the genuine goal to share a very beautiful experience. It is never about the figures. It is quality over quantity.

The A Team, clockwise from top left: Ronald, Lagataw, Jepoi, Noi, Erwin, Aljun

The success of this bold attempt to condense this long expedition into two days and two nights was due mostly to the well-crafted itinerary.  I realized that making an itinerary is actually a skill. You don't just Google an itinerary and copy-paste it to your event page. There should always be ample knowledge of the destination and the capacity of your companions. Without putting into consideration the aptness of your team to your itinerary, and without taking care of the logistical preparations beforehand, your expedition is bound to fail. I am very proud to have been able to put together a strong triathlete like Ronald and a pot-bellied Erwin in the same condensed itinerary, maximizing daytime experience and providing a good night's rest.

The high risk factor of the route is the reason why the team had been carefully selected

Another big factor was the discipline of the team members. The expected chemistry of the carefully selected team made any pre-climb meeting unnecessary. We all did not do as much training as we did during our previous treks together. All of us already knew how to handle a Lagataw trek so we were all psychologically conditioned. I am most proud of Aljun and Erwin for having been able to quit smoking about two months before the trek. Aljun had been smoking for ten years! And this is one of the many things that motivate me to keep organizing Lagataw treks--the knowledge that I am able to create a positive change in the participants.

Almost done!

The expedition was a big success I had to thank the participants individually on my Facebook wall. And we didn't even celebrate. I think that's what we unconsciously develop in Lagataw treks. The celebration is the moment itself--the trek itself and not after it--just like my 90-day solo thru-hike in Benguet in 2015, no hype, no publicity, not even a bottle of beer, no nothing afterwards.  Through this at-the-moment celebrations a better self and a unique fellowship are forged, which somehow explains why previous Lagataw trekkers can't be stopped from joining another Lagataw trek.

It was a simple closing gesture for that long journey -- no jubilation, no hype, just the overwhelming gratefulness and praises to the Almighty for granting us a wonderful experience. 

For those who want to be part of this epic journey in October, watch out for the qualifying treks on my Facebook page.

INDOCHINA: Travel Beyond Tourism

At one of the bus stopovers in Vietnam en route to Phonsavan

When the bus pulled over at a restaurant I looked for food in the shelves. But all I saw were tables with set meals. I thought they were for the drivers and their crew. Then they invited me over. I remembered Vietnam is a communist country! It was a feast for free.

Things like this are the highlights of my Indochina backpacking. While many people would imagine Angkor Wat, Wat Pho, The Royal Palace and the Floating Market when they hear Indochina backpacking, I devoted most of my time to things that are intangible like the stories behind Tuol Sleng in Cambodia and the bombs in Laos. As a matter of fact, I only spent 3 hours on my bike in the 25 sq.km. complex of Angkor Wat, Angkor Thom and Ta Phrom; but I spent 2 hours at the small COPE Visitor Center in Laos trying to know the horrors and impact of the atrocities of the US in Indochina. And while many would think that my Indochina itinerary is a wild rush, I actually almost always had a beer in one hand. It was a slow yet fun trip. If I wanted to linger at a spot, I'd do that in the mountains in the Philippines. Why would I waste 3 days (like the tourists recommended) staring at the temples in Siem Reap? When I saw the temples, yes I was amazed by the work of the human hands. But that's the case for all the other temples! The same loss of excitement that I felt two years ago upon seeing the Royal Palace. Actually the jungle in Siem Reap was the one that caught my attention. I enjoyed riding my bicycle under its canopy more than immersing myself among the tourists in the temples.

Of all the beers I tried in Indochina, Saigon Special is the best

And I loved the bus rides too. They were comfortable and they double as your hotel room too. It felt good to be the only non-Vietnamese or non-Lao on one inter-country bus ride. Most tourists would take the Dien Bien Phu - Muang Khua border or the Mekong River crossing. My objective was not to take a selfie at the temples nor to have an immersion. My objective was to find stories. And I'll share one with you.
Laos is the most heavily bombed country in the world. And whose bombs? The US--in their desperate attempt to win over Vietnam. The unexploded ordnance that they have left in Laos have killed more than THIRTY THOUSAND (and counting) innocent civilians in Laos since the end of the Vietnam war. And of course, we always disregard the injured! But the injured have more haunting stories to tell. And only 3 percent of these unexploded bomblets have been neutralized. COPE says that with the amount of support and manpower they have, trying to rid Lao lands of these bombs, it will take more than a hundred years to completely declare these farming lands safe! Now you know why Laos is poor.

These neutralized bomblets are the centerpiece of the CORE Visitor's Center in Vientiane

And the US has the audacity to bitch about Duterte's 3000 dead drug addicts! WTF?!!! And did you also know that the US supplied Pol Pot's Khmer Rouge with arms that killed an estimated 1.7 million Cambodians in 4 years? Why? You might ask. Because Pol Pot helped the US subdue the Vietnamese forces. You see this vendetta of the US against Vietnam has made the US volunteer to be instrumental in a genocide in Cambodia and a continuing massacre in Laos without even being there. Experiences like these are the ones I look for in a trip. Something that can improve my worldview. I don't think I'd get these stories in the temples. When you're traveling beyond tourism in Indochina, ten days is actually more than enough. If you're collecting temples and heritage sites, 10 days is too short and yes, in that sense, Indochina is actually already very common.

Vietnam, Laos, Thailand, Cambodia for less than PhP20,000 in Ten Days

You might think that this is another budget travel where you closely monitor your expenses. Nope, this isn't. You should know that I spent one night at a 4-star hotel, I bought 50-USD worth of pasalubong and I even checked in at an inn just to use the bathroom. I didn't splurge but it surely wasn't the typical tight 'budget' travel.

Here's the itinerary (with details of my expenses) of my 9-day Indochina trip. Details of each day will be posted soon.

Day 0 (Oct 27; Thursday) Leaving on a Jet Plane  (PHP2,409)

The exchange rate at Ha Noi International airport is much better than at NAIA

0800hrs: ETD from Baguio for NAIA P455; snack at bus stopover P35
1400hrs: ETA Cubao; late lunch P120; MRT to Taft P24; Taft to NAIA 3 (Airport Loop bus) P20
1700hrs: ETA NAIA; Travel tax P1620 ; food (KFC) P135
2215hrs: ETD for Hanoi (Cebu Pacific Flight 5J744; NAIA Terminal 3)


Day 1 (Oct 28; Friday) BIG DAY; Ninh Binh (Vietnam)  VND612,000 (PHP1,332)

The not-so-touristy side of Tam Coc

0030hrs: ETA Hanoi (Noi Bai Int’l Airport Terminal 2); buy USD and VND using PHP; loiter/sleep at the airport
0500hrs: ETD for Hanoi city center (bus # 7) VND8,000; city center to Giap Bat bus terminal (bus #27 VND7,000 + bus #16 VND7,000)
0700hrs: ETA Giap Bat terminal; book a ticket for Ninh Binh; breakfast VND22,000
0730hrs: ETD for Ninh Binh by pink bus VND70,000
0930hrs: ETA Ninh Binh; take a cab to Tam Coc (Nam Hoa Hotel) VND80,000 (dodgy taxi meter);
1100hrs: Lunch VND130,000
1300hrs: Ride a bicycle (free at Nam Hoa Hotel) to see spots in Tam Coc; Climb up Hang Mua cave/peak (VND100,000) for a good panorama of Tam Coc at dusk
1700hrs: Go back to the hotel; dinner +beer VND188,000

Day 2 (Oct 29; Saturday) Vinh (Vietnam)      VND1,018,000     (P2216)

The accommodation in Vietnam costs much less than in the Philippines

0600hrs: breakfast (included in the booking)
0700hrs: more shots of Tam Coc
0900hrs: Check out of the hotel (VND550,000); ETD for Vinh. Hotel staff calls an honest cab driver VND40,000; take the sleeper bus at the highway VND200,000
1230hrs: ETA Vinh; Check in at Saigon Kim Lien Hotel Lunch (hotel room service: ham and chicken sandwich + fried potatoes) VND35,000
1500hrs: walk to the bus station (1km away) to check the schedule for the trip to Phonsavan tomorrow.
1600hrs: soak in the bath because the pool isn’t very inviting
1800hrs: watch TV; drink get some beer from the mini bar; VND63,000
1900hrs: Dinner; pork steak + baked potatoes VND130,000
2200hrs: Have a good night’s rest

Day 3 (Oct 30; Sunday) Phonsavan (Laos) VND1,042,000 + LAK70,000  PHP2687

The Plain of Jars in Phonsavan

0500hrs: early breakfast (included): check out VND630,000; ETD for bust terminal by taxi VND12,000
0600hrs: ETD for Phonsavan by sleeper bus VND400,000
1100hrs: free lunch en route to Phonsavan
1200hrs: border crossing
1700hrs: ETA Phonsavan. Stay at some guest house (not recommended guest house): LAK40,000
1900hrs: Dinner + snacks LAK30,000

Day 4 (Oct 31; Monday) Phonsavan  (Laos)          LAK422,000  P2517

Plain of Jars (Site 1)

0600hrs: Breakfast LAK10,000;
0730hrs: hire a motorcycle to see Plain of Jars LAK100,000; Site A entrance fee LAK15,000
0930hrs: Go to Phonsavan for lunch and to visit UXO Information Center (tuktuk) LAK20,000; buy some souvenirs LAK25,000
1200hrs: Lunch LAK32,000
1300hrs: Go back to the guest house to check out (tuktuk) LAK25,000; beer + pho LAK25,000
1700hrs: Head for the bus station (tuktuk) LAK25,000; dinner LAK15,000; bus ticket for Vientiane LAK130,000
2030hrs: ETD for Vientiane

Day 5 (Nov 1; Tuesday) Vientiane       LAK221,000 + THB825  (PHP2480)

Just take a photo of Patuxai monument then head straight to COPE Center

0500hrs: ETA Vientiane northern bus terminal; wait for the green bus to get to the city (every 30 minutes) LAK3,000
0600hrs: ETA Vientiane morning market; breakfast (pho) LAK15,000
0700hrs: get a room to steal some sleep and take a shower LAK70000;
0900hrs: city tour; go to COPE; buy souvenirs LAK103000
1200hrs: lunch (pho) LAK15000
1430hrs: Take the bus at the morning market for Nong Khai (Thailand) LAK15000
1600hrs: ETA Nong Khai; get off near the train station. Dinner THB70
1910hrs: ETD for Bangkok (Train #70 second class lower berth) THB755


Day 6 (Nov 2; Wednesday) Bangkok (Thailand)             THB760      (PHP1055)

The reclining Buddha at Wat Pho

0600hrs: ETA Bangkok (Hua Lamphung Station);
0630hrs: Take a cab to hotel THB65. Check in (or leave stuff) at Rambuttri Village Hotel
0700hrs: Laundry THB60;
0900hrs: Wat Pho THB100; 7-11 snacks THB45
1200hrs: lunch THB40
1500hrs: buy souvenirs THB450
2100hrs: Night life at Kao San road (meet Japanese friends)
2400hrs: rest at the hotel

Day 7 (Nov 3; Thursday) Siem Reap (Cambodia)       THB1997 + USD7     (PHP3110)

Departure and arrival cards for Cambodia and Thailand

0600hrs: early breakfast (included in the booking); check out THB1100
0630hrs: take a cab to Mo Chit Terminal. THB110
0730hrs: ETA Mo Chit. Catch the 8am bus to Siem Reap (Transport Co / Nattakan) THB750
0800hrs: ETD for Siem Reap
1100hrs: lunch @ 7-eleven (complimentary); buy snacks THB37
1700hrs: ETA Siem Reap; tuktuk service to the hotel (compliments of Nattakan); check in at I Lodge
1800hrs: rent a bike for the early morning ride tomorrow USD5
1900hrs: Dinner USD2


Day 8 (Nov 4; Friday) Phnom Penh (Cambodia)                    USD56.5    (PHP2770)

The savage Ta Prohm

0400hrs: early breakfast (not included in the booking) USD2
0600hrs: Explore Angkor Wat USD20
0900hrs: done with Angkor Wat; bike back to the hotel; refreshments USD1
1100hrs: lunch USD3.5; check out USD16
1230hrs: ETD for Phnom Penh (not recommended van service) USD10 snacks at stopovers USD2
1700hrs: ETA Phnom Penh (night market); walk to G Eleven Hotel ; check in
1900hrs: Dinner USD2
2100hrs: Drink with Japanese friends
2400hrs: take a rest at the hotel


Day 9 (Nov 5; Saturday) Ho Chi Minh (Vietnam)  USD59 + VND80,000 (PHP3067)

Detention cells at Tuol Sleng (S-21)

0700hrs: Breakfast (included in the booking); check out USD19
0800hrs: Visit S-21 (Tuol Sleng) USD1 (tuktuk) USD3 (admission fee)
1030hrs: go to the Kumho Samco Bus office
1100hrs: ETD for HCM (Kumho Samco) USD10; lunch and snacks at stopovers USD2
1800hrs: ETA Ho Chi Minh; at the bus terminal take the yellow airport bus #109 to the airport USD1
1900hrs: Dinner VND80,000 ; souvenirs USD23

Day 10 (Nov 6; Sunday) Transit/Ho Chi Minh – Manila            PHP660

My last pho (at Thanh Son Nhat Int'l Airport)

0100hrs: ETD for Manila @Tan Son Nhat International Airport Terminal 2, Ho Chi Minh Cebu Pacific flight 5J752
0445hrs: ETA NAIA 3
0500hrs: Take the airport loop bus to the MRT station PHP20; breakfast PHP85
0700hrs: ETD for Baguio (Saulog Bus) PHP455; lunch and snacks at stopovers PHP100
1400hrs: ETA Baguio City (Home Sweet Home)

TOTAL EXPENSES: PHP24,303 (Exclusive of airfare)

Minus accommodation cost (PhP6324) = Pocket money of PhP17,978


               

Don't Sit like a Frog; Sit like a King

Day 1

After nearly nine hours on the trail, we finally arrive in Les-eng. One is tired and can’t wait to just lie down and recover some sleep lost to driving from Bulacan to Baguio. The other just wants to wash up maybe for lack of anything else to do. I, on the other hand, am just anxious that the only store in the village won’t open tonight.

Happiness is real when it is ORGANIC

Some people profess ‘I climb because I love the mountains’ or ‘I climb because I wanna achieve peace of mind’. But it appears these are all empty clauses that they have gathered from the many hours they have spent loitering on Facebook pages and groups.

DISORIENTATION

Waking up in this room during my four-month assignment in Batangas always heralded a good day.

One question I find hard to answer these days is ‘Where are you?’ Y’see, I change locations almost every week.  When I’m in Benguet, I could be in La Trinidad, Kapangan, Kibungan or Buguias. When I get tired of the mountains, I take a little respite at my brother’s apartment in Laguna, or my sister’s in Cebu or back home in Leyte. My previous job as roving supervisor still sometimes makes me feel like I'm in Angeles, Baguio or Batangas. Some of my friends have learned to put the word ‘now’ at the end of the question. And it makes me feel amused at how ‘unnormal’ I have become.