On Conquering Mt. Pulag

These are some of the photos taken by my brother
During one of those times we played the game:
Let's - Pretend - We're - Photographers & Models

. . . .

The photos above bear absolutely no relation to the text that follows. 

Heehee.

. . . . 

A month ago, I discovered how easy it is to book a vacation online. (Don't laugh at me, I'm not a tech girl.) I've always known that it was something people did all the time but, I've never gotten around to actually trying it out for myself until then. It's the type of thing that repels people by disguising itself as something difficult - and as Filipinos say it, masyadong matrabaho - but life recently taught me that you can make great things happen, if you're patient with the paperwork.

After a few texts, calls, e-mails, registration forms and bank deposits, our mini vacation was all set!

When: 05/17/13 - 9PM to 05/20/13 - 3AM

Where: Mt. Pulag National Park, Benguet

Why: Family Time/ Bucket List/ Why not?

Via ClubTravelNow

You should totally book with them!

Everyone's goal is to reach the top.

I vaguely remember what was running through my mind during the four hour hike. At one point, I was thinking about the people I wanted to climb my next mountain with... The weird - looking wild plants were also the subject of my thoughts for a while, as well as the logs on the ground that resembled octopus legs... Water, food, sleep, the sky, the cold, the heat, my cousins, Dora the Explorer... those things came across my mind too.

But 90% of the time, I just wanted to get to the top. IT WAS SO FREAKIN TIRING. There I was, somewhere along the trail, in between my two siblings who were way ahead of me and my parents who were far behind, wondering if we were anywhere near the summit and breathing in and out like it was my sole purpose in life to do so.

You sort of forget all the other things in life that stress you out because for the time being, the goal is to make it to the top.

And oh my gosh, words cannot express how great it felt to have been able to get there - in one piece and just in time for sunrise too!

I probably overuse the world beautiful - the same way I abuse the words love and hate and favorite... but, it's probably just my underdeveloped vocabulary because sometimes, I really struggle to find an alternative word to describe something that's so... beautiful!

BECAUSE IT WAS BEAUTIFUL UP THERE. I LOVED IT AND IT IS  NOW ONE OF MY FAVORITE PLACES IN LIFE.

. . . 

As I was taking everything in, I noticed that the mountains were as vast as the ones in New Zealand and that the air was as cold as the air in Japan. Distracted by those comparisons, I sort of had to remind myself that I was neither in New Zealand nor Japan.

I was here.

In the Philippines.

And that made me a really proud Filipino.

:)

Because our country is beautiful and I love it here!