When was the last time you went on an
adventure? Or took a leap of faith? I had this realization that we create
our bonds, our restraints and our own captivity. Freedom is a state of mind. Take
that leap. In today's world, everything moves so fast. I've found that people
are more inclined to disengage from real life situations just to look for
instant gratification in technology and online. I've been really working on
being present lately. Look up from your screen. Build quality relationships.
Actually see things, appreciate its beauty and not just experience them through
someone's lens.
Last week, we explored south - Osmeña Peak
and Kawasan Falls to fill our souls with adventure. I actually cannot tell you
how much I loved those places and what it meant for me to spend time up there. Like
any plans, we started our trip in the morning but here comes our filipino time
we ended up riding the 12:30noon bus trip going to Mantalungon. At exactly
2:30pm we arrived there and funny news came to us. We got the wrong info
instead of going to Mantalungon, Dalaguete we stopped at the Mantalungon,
Barili which was the other way around. We didn't new that there was also
Mantalungon.Barili and Mantalungon,Dalaguete (perks of being a traveler).
To get back right in track, the concerned people from Mantalungon,Barili told
us how to get to Dalaguete. So we took a bus going back to Carcar and from
there we opt to rode a tricycle since the bus going to Dalaguete were always
loaded. The tricycle driver dropped us while on the way to the foot of the peak
because his tricycle can no longer climb up. Luckily we found this good man who
offered us lower price than that most of the habal-habal drivers there. They said that Mantalungon Public Market to the foot of
the peak takes about 18 km that's why most of the habal-habal drivers
will charged you 100 pesos each in going up.
From the tricky trip we're still lucky the sky is clear while we climbed and when we reached
the peak. Upon arriving, a lot of people from there will ask you if
you want to be guided in order to reach the peak but we chose not to and
decided just to follow the path where many people were taking. It took us about
20 minutes to reach the peak and a breathtaking view welcomed us. It was
already around 5 in the afternoon when we get to the peak. We're really in awe
of the view while we witnessed the sunset.
We stayed there for
the night because we planned to trek the Kawasan Falls by morning. Just brought
bottles of water and goods to fed up our tummies since there was no store near
there. The temperature at night was beyond my expectation, I was literally
freezing surrounded by fogs. It just
reminds me of riding the plane for the first time and you get to see the
aircraft’s wings slice through the clouds but this time I did actually slice it
through with my bare hands. Lesson learned, if you wanna camp there and stay
for a night better bring thick blankets, socks, beanies, hoodie to keep you
warm since making bonfire is not allowed there (for preservation).
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| we enjoyed the night by playing cards and sharing our stories |
Since we are planning to trek to Kawasan, we need to pay for a tour guide. Mostly tour guides will ask for 1,000- 1,400. At exactly 8:30am, we started our trekking down to Kawasan Falls, Badian. While on the way, our tour guide kuya Mhark taught us about the place, about the mountaineers, his life and more. He is also very kind to be our photographer.
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Adventure is a path. Real
adventure – self-determined, self-motivated, often risky – forces you to have
firsthand encounters with the world. The world the way it is, not the way you
imagine it. Your body will collide with the earth and you will bear witness. In
this way you will be compelled to grapple with the limitless kindness and
bottomless cruelty of humankind – and perhaps realize that you yourself are
capable of both. This will change you.
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| A journey is best measured in friends, rather than miles. |
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| we stopped at this small house and enjoyed our buko |
After 4 hours of
trekking, finally we reached Kawasan Falls. It was really tiring but the end
point is worth all the pain. To my mind,
the greatest reward and luxury of travel is to be able to experience everyday
things as if for the first time, to be in a position in which almost nothing is
so familiar it is taken for granted.
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| with our tour guide, kuya Mhark |
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| level 1 |
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| level 2 |
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| level 3 |
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| level 3 |
Looking
at beauty in the world, is the first step of purifying the mind.Like all great
travelers, I have seen more than I remember, and remember more than I have
seen. According to Pavese traveling is a brutality. It forces you to trust
strangers and to lose sight of all that familiar comfort of home and friends.
You are constantly off balance. Nothing is yours except the essential things –
air, sleep, dreams, the sea, the sky – all things tending towards the eternal
or what we imagine of it. The whole object of travel is not to set foot on foreign
land; it is at last to set foot on one’s own country as a foreign land. Twenty
years from now you will be more disappointed by the things you didn’t do than
by the ones you did do. So throw off the bowlines, sail away from the safe
harbor. Catch the trade winds in your sails. Explore. Dream. Discover as what
Mark Twain said.
( *If you have any plans to go trekking or canyoneering, I can refer you to Kuya Mhark to get discount. Any questions about this whole trip will be entertained, just message me on any of my accounts. )
Lots of love, Simply Gilian ♥
