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


               

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.

BRIDGES

where the Agno River feeds the Ambuklao Reservoir

In life you'll be crossing different waters.
Some are turbulent and some are deep.
But there will always be a bridge for you to get across.

But sometimes the water's too deep that part of the bridge gets submerged.
But that's fine, you just have to get your feet wet and you'll get to the other side.

Outside Looking In

I saw the beauty of the Philippines. And beauty became familiarity. And familiarity became boredom. And that boredom ignited a feeling—a quest to see something new.
So I wandered far to see what’s out there.

'The last step!' I celebrate in my tense quietness. But the last step happens to be the most dreadful. So I keep fumbling with my travel documents and as I hand them to the immigration officer my hands feel cold. She engages in a tense talk with me, her gaze transiting from my face to my documents and again to my face. Then she goes into a room with my papers. After five minutes she comes out and tells me “Okay na!” (You’re clear!).

Those two words were the overture to my first international trip in February 2014.

I have seen the loveliest beaches in the Philippines and set foot on its highest mountains. But when the plane landed in Bangkok, I was filled with the excitement and joy of having come to a new place—a sense of anticipation reserved for the first-time traveler. This overwhelming ardor was my only companion during my six days in Thailand. It got me through the 50-km trail race in Khao Yai. And it lingered on in Ayutthaya as I marveled at the ancient temples that testify how rich Thailand’s history is. Finally when I visited the Grand Palace and Wat Pho complexes in Bangkok, I knew what ‘grand’ means.

After seeing all the greatness of Siam, I felt ashamed for my country. It cannot match the tourism industry of its neighbors.

And this lamentation intensified when I chanced upon an American blogger’s open letter to the Filipinos. The blogger asks “What has the Philippines contributed to the world?” It was as scornfully simple as it was hurtfully honest. But as I pondered over it, I realized that the Philippines has nothing to envy about its neighbors. If I remember well, I never really enjoyed my visit to the Grand Palace. I was awed; I’m not going to lie. But as soon as I laid eyes on the temples, the excitement vanished. It was not something that I would want to go back to. And if I may add, I was particularly annoyed, to say the least, at the chaos of the crowd cluttered with tour guides speaking different languages. I just wished I could have the place all to myself.

the crowd at the Grand Palace complex 

In my travels around the Philippines, on the other hand, I can often enjoy the country’s natural wonders in peace. It may be hard to get to some of these places but once you’ve gotten there you’ll know that your effort is all worth it! There are more than 7000 islands in the Philippines to choose from. You will never run out of a quiet cove or lake in this country.

alone with my climb buddy somewhere in Benguet

alone with my guide at a crater lake in Ormoc

But more than the natural beauty of the Philippines, it is the friendship I make in these places that I keep in my heart. It is this ingredient of travelling that makes me want to savor each moment again and again. The Philippines is rich in people who will make your visit more than just an escape from work or the city. With them, travelling becomes more of a return to home.

And these people may speak a different language but they always find a way to communicate their friendship. I remember my Benguet-La Union cross-country. In the midst of the forest, I came upon a solitary house where an old couple lived. I was asking for directions when the old man, who spoke no Tagalog, told me ‘By and by, you see [sic] bamboo forest …” And I was just like “Wow! That was World War II English!” It turns out the farmer fought the war alongside the Americans. Y’see, anywhere in this country, people will go beyond linguistic barriers in order to reach out and help the weary traveler. And when the language of the tongue fails, we speak the language of the heart—a language expressed through a smile that says “Everything’s gonna be all right!” And this smile ushers in the Filipino hospitality.

The Ballagans of Kabayan, Benguet, who have become family to me

This is the answer to the blogger’s question! It is the Pinoy Smile that we have contributed to civilization. It is this smile that sets the Philippines apart from the rest of the tourist destinations in the world. You see this smile in every corner of the country—from the receptionist in your hotel to the street vendors around it. You see this smile among the farmers that till the terraces of Banaue and on the face of the boatman who will take you to the lagoons and secluded beaches of El Nido.

And this same smile gets us through any storm or tremor.

It touches.

It inspires.

So maybe the reason why we don’t have those grand historic landmarks is that our ancestors were not willing to contribute to the world a temple like the Pyramids, which were built upon slavery. Neither did our ancestors wish to stain history books with bloodshed from great conquests like Alexander’s. Instead our ancestors chose to busy themselves perfecting the Pinoy Smile and seeing to it that the Pinoy hospitality lives until today.

So if you want something more than just sights, choose the Philippines. Because when you do, you choose the Pinoy Smile! It is not a history frozen in ruins. It is not a sight whose beauty disappears as soon as you've seen it. It is a living history, well-crafted by our ancestors for you to experience now, and to keep in your heart for years to come.

And so I saw the beauty of the Philippines. And beauty became familiarity. And familiarity became boredom. And that boredom ignited a feeling—a quest to see something new. So I wandered far to see what’s out there. But, alas, I saw not what’s out there. Instead, I saw the gem that had always been inside—the incomparable Pinoy Smile!

The North Face 100 Thailand (Feb 8, 2014)

The North Face 100 Thailand (Feb 8, 2014; Nakhon Ratchasima, Thailand)

And so my ultra-running year has just begun. And it started last February 8 in Khao Yai National Park in Thailand. I joined the 50K event of the The North Face 100 Thailand. It was my second TNF100 50K and it was 2.5 hours easier.

The bus service at Makkasan (Airport Link) Station

Khao Yai National Park in Nakhon Ratchasima is like in the middle of nowhere! You'd think that it is conveniently accessible by public transport because it is just in the outskirts of Pak Chong City but it is not. The roads are empty and almost all the residents there (in Khao Yai) rely on their own cars for transport. I was lucky to secure a seat in the transport service arranged by the organizers. For 370 baht I had a comfortable bus ride from Bangkok all the way to the race briefing venue. 

The Bonanza Resort Khao Yai

The final registrations and the the race briefing were held in The Bonanza Resort Khao Yai. My estimate is that around 50 percent of the participants in the the major events (50K and 100K) were Caucasians. In fact the race briefing I attended was rendered in English (I believe there was another one in Thai). I did see some compatriots there and some of them were even from Cebu.

Ryan Blair (right) during the race briefing, a familiar face in the TNF100. He dominated the 50K event.

If you should join next year's TNF100 Thailand and if it is going to be held in the same location, you'd better book the accommodations promoted by the organizers. The location is practically empty except for the resorts scattered in the area. It is difficult to find any transport service or any place to eat there. I had initially booked an accommodation in Pak Chong City. Google maps says it's just about 7km from the starting point. Then I cancelled it and booked a room in Khao Yai Tana Lagoon because the map says it is close to the starting line. But with the horrible reviews of the hotel, I cancelled my booking 2 weeks before the event. When the organizers of the race opened another set of accommodations, I booked one of the few remaining rooms. It turned out to be just across from Bonanza Resort where the race briefing was held and where the free shuttle service to the starting point would pick up and drop off runners. I was very lucky indeed. I would have spent a lot of money chartering a taxi to take me into and out of Khao Yai for two days if I had not availed of the accommodation services recommended by the organizers.

My accommodation at Larn-yah Khao Yai 

I booked a room good for 4-6 persons on my first night all to myself because according to the organizers, the hotel had run out of single rooms for Feb 7. I was supposed to move to a smaller room on my second night but the owner of the hotel let me stay in the big room for two nights. 

The whole family of the host help each other in running the hotel. The kids take orders and serve food at the restaurant. They sometimes serve as translators for their father. The language in the hotel is rendered in smiles. On February 7th, the restaurant was exceptionally busy as the TNF100 organizers had outsourced some food for the carbo loading party at Bonanza Resort from them. I had to wait for one and a half hours for my dinner! All the others seated were already expressing vexation as they had also been waiting too long. I was also annoyed but I reckoned complaining wouldn't get the food served more quickly. So I just told the owner, who was already frantically confused, to serve my food in my room as soon as it was ready. And he was very apologetic. On my departure, he gave me a free ride to Pak Chong City where I took the bus to Bangkok!

Last year, I used my Columbia hydration pack and my Salomon shoes. But this year, I was practically clad in TNF gear from neck to toe! They didn't let me down. The lightness and comfort made me feel as if I was naked while running. I particularly liked my shoes. They gave me ultimate protection despite being light. I don't know why, but there are still a lot of those who want to go minimalist in a trail run. I saw a lot of runners who moved funnily as the rocks and pebbles pierced the soles of their minimalist shoes. I know one who did not finish the race owing to his hurting arch because of his minimalist shoes.

My TNF Single Track Hayasa before and after the race.

At 3:30 am, I was one of the first to arrive at the starting point. 

The sun rose a bit late during the race day. But when it did, it exhausted all the runners who couldn't get to the finish line by noon. I was expecting a shady location as it was a national park. But I guess it was just the wrong time of year. The trees were all bare and the trail was open and dry. To make things worse, many parts were paved roads!

The dry and open paved road segment of the race

The trail was generally flat with a few ascents. Many parts were dry and dusty I had to literally eat the dust of many runners ahead of me! And the last ten kilometers was 50% paved road again. When a runner from Malaysia told me that I had less than 2 kilometers to run, I sprinted my way to the finish line.

I have no excuses for this race. I really did my best! But there were just a lot of fast runners there. The top 100 was dominated by Caucasians. I finished 95^th among6 the 237 runners who participated in the 50K event. 

Although it was a far cry from my ranking last year in Baguio (36th), it was 2.5 hours faster! I am happy with my time and my strong finish. I took the last ten kilometers of the race in just 1 hour and 16 minutes (just 8 minutes slower than the first ten) overtaking about 10 runners who were already walking in the noon sun.  

Couldn't be any happier with this time

Back at Jump-off…Back to Basics

This is the first time I'm posting something that I did not write.

This is an entry in the recently concluded open writing contest in a Facebook mountaineering group where I am one of the administrators. The author, Christian Kalaw, is a friend of mine. He joined me in The Second Lagataw Invitational Climb (Bakun Trio) in 2011. He is now making a living in Australia and in this write-up, he is sharing to us how mountaineering has changed his life and how it has helped him survive each day here in the Philippines and overseas! 

It’s been six months since my last climb. I’d be a fool if I said I’m not missing it.

It all began a few years ago when I had this feeling of excitement as I packed my stuff for my very first climb. A small day pack, bulky jug of water, paper plates and plastic spoons plus my casual clothes. When I set my first foot on my first summit I said to myself “kakari-reen ko to”.. And I did…somehow up to now. It changed my life and it taught me how to survive no matter where I am and under whatever circumstances. It improved everything like the simple organization of my clothes in my drawer and in my bag. It taught me how to be responsible enough to put even the smallest piece of trash into where it should belong. And when there’s no gas, my mother has even learned how to operate my camping stove. Those are just a few basic things that we do on the mountains that have a large impact on how we live our normal lives down below. For me, there’s no difference between living in a tent and in a house with a comfy sofa or a bedroom or a nice kitchen. We still can have the same dreams, the same meals and the same happiness or even more. It’s just a matter of appreciation—learning how to deal with what you have and make do with it. Communing with different people on the mountains is also a training for us to be more sensitive with whomever we meet every day. ‘Sir’ or ‘mam’ is a nice start and maybe you’ll find that ‘kiliti sa bawat isa’. Respecting others even in the city earns you respect in return.

Right now I’m living far away from the mountains, and it still feels like every day is going to be a climb for me. I have to be strong and attentive to be safe at work even if I have to stand up all day to do my job,’sa bundok nga maghapon pa naglalakad’. At night I have to cook for myself because no one will do that for me, ‘sa bundok nga kahit naulan nakakapag luto ako sa maliit na tarp sa labas’. And just before I sleep I have this sleeping bag to give me warmth on cold nights. I realized that I’m fortunate enough to have been tested under these conditions. At the end of each day I’m grateful because I survived another day. In the summit we just have this small space to step on for a great view. For me this small space is enough to see what trails I have passed by or let’s just say the problems I have solved. So that when I come back and encounter the same problem again I will now know what to do. Life is a matter of going to the top of everything. You just have to be strong and focused to achieve your goals. It’s not how fast we climb to the top, rather it’s about living it and learning from it at a slowly-but- surely pace. Right execution and a calm spirit will surely get you to the summit and back down and call it a successful one.

Mountaineering isn’t just about climbing the summit. It’s also about getting to the peak of our lives, that in the end you can proudly say ‘I’ve been tested by nature, challenged by time, scarred by circumstances, yet I still managed to get to the top’.

LUZON 3-2-1 (Three Peaks and One Goodbye)

I first summited Mt Pulag in January, 2006 with All-Terrain Mountaineering Club (ATMC). At that time, Pulag was just a dream for me—a five-month-old mountaineer. It was then when I found two of my best climb buddies—Nixon Olbes and Chuck Miralles. Then in April, 2006, with scant information in hand, I scaled Mt Timbak (aka Mt Singacalsa) via KM 54 with my college friend. And in August, 2006 what should have been a Bakun Trio first anniversary climb for me and the Kuligligs became a whimsical Mt Tabayoc attempt. Without a guide, we tried to penetrate the rain forest in the morning. But the dark, misty, mossy forest of Mt Tabayoc didn’t let us get through its labyrinth of trails and creeks embedded in the moist rain forest trees.

Me and Nixon during our first Luzon 3-2-1 attempt in December 2006

After that failed Mt Tabayoc mission, the idea of stringing together the three highest peaks of Luzon was born. I did a lot of research, planning and correspondences with other climbers notably Sir Erick Bautista. Then in December 26, 2006, my best climb buddy Nixon Olbes and I set out on this unforgettable journey. It was my second time in Mt Timbak and this time, we took the KM55 entry point. It was during this climb that I met Ate Josie. She provided us with lodgings in her cozy cabin! The following day, we took the traverse route and for the first time, set our eyes on the famous Timbak mummies! Then we resumed our trek to Kabayan Barrio. It was during this downhill descent when I got my right knee sprained. We spent our second night at Kabayan Barrio. It was the place which Nixon told me he would want to rest forever. We were there in time for the Scouts Jamboree. And that night, the organizers joined us in our socials and I heard a joke uniquely Bengueteño.


Waking up at Kabayan Barrio on a fair day is like seeing yourself in a place reserved only for postcards. The surrounding mountains slowly getting illuminated by the rising sun makes you feel like you’re witnessing a theatrical surprise of nature in slow motion! We left Kabayan Barrio in the afternoon and went to Ballay by bus. We rested for the night at the solar-powered house beside Tabeo Lake with our guide Santiago. We planned to climb Mt Tabayoc the following day but my knee hurt even more so we just settled for the Four Lakes and Jr Pulag. After arriving at Lake Incolos (the last lake in the itinerary), my left knee also got sprained. It was an ordeal for me to take a single step. And we were soaked in ice-cold rain water! The day passed and we decided to abort our plan to climb Mt Pulag. We went home separately with our hearts defeated but filled with a resolute promise to return for another shot at the expedition. At the same time, we were overwhelmed by the joy over the wonderful experience we had with the place and the people!

with Jessie Laurel and Joshua Calimag
during the first successful Luzon 3-2-1 expedition in April 2008

In April 2008, we were ready again to take on the Luzon 3-2-1 challenge. This time, we included two Kuligligs, Jessie Laurel and Joshua Calimag in the team. A week before the proposed climb date, Nixon called me up for a topak climb in Mt Cristobal. Thursday, after the climb, I got a call from his girlfriend telling me that he passed away the day after our climb in Mt Cristobal! I was still in great disbelief and very depressed that I almost gave up the thought of still pushing on with the journey. But in the end I just prayed that he accompany us on our journey. And that became my strength and determination.

During my treks with him, Nixon was the path-finder. His instincts were very strong. When he felt that one trail is a shortcut, he would take it without scruple and we would always end up saving time and effort. We climbed Mt Marami, Mt Timbak and Mt Cristobal without any guide….just the two of us!

And during that second Luzon 321 attempt, I tripped, on the traverse to Kabayang Barrio, at the points where I had to enter the shortcuts we discovered in 2006. It was obviously him leading the trail! And while I was meditating at the river in Kabayan where we had found a rock embedded with silvery mineral on our previous attempt, there was a black-brown bird that kept hopping (not flying) and led me to that same rock! And at last that week, Jessie, Joshua and I accomplished Luzon 321!

Luzon 321 will probably be my most unforgettable expedition. I was a neophyte when I took on this challenge and I succeeded. I am not sure if somebody else had done it before Nixon and me. But it’s not the record that I am after. I keep track of my own personal records! I just hope that this serves as a testimony that you too can do things that you think are impossible.

Our original itinerary was six days and seven nights. This itinerary has been condensed to four days and three nights or even shorter by new organizers like Sir Melo Sanchez! I have never organized another Luzon 321. This expedition is very fulfilling and rewarding! When someone plugs this event, have no second thoughts! Go for it!

Join me this coming April 21-24, 2018 in celebration of the tenth anniversary of this epic journey. And the twist is, we'll be taking a route to Mt Pulag that has been taken by less than 5 mountaineers so far.