Back to Mount Manunggal

While Cebu City was still shaking due to aftershocks last October 2013, we decided to go camping in one of Cebu's popular campsite. Although I have been there a dozen times, I still enjoy the trek with the company of some closest friends. Angel, Andrew & I decided to go there.

This time, it was a birthday trek. Ahh.. celebrating life every year. 

A & A

I decided that we do a dusk-night trek since I am confident and knows the w
ay to the campsite. I have tried a solo night trek there once and its really scary. Do I want to do it again? Yes! Because its fun and there are lots of scary things that you create in your mind while you are walking on an empty countryside road in the dark alone. Lucky if there are houses along the road you can get some light source. Worse? Dogs... Deranged farmer with a huge machete trying to chase you to your death or just a crazy guy with a gun in a motorcycle with nothing to do. lol

Wait!

Snake Roadkill

Now back to the birthday trek.

The Trek to Mount Manunggal Campsite

We got on a van for hire from Ayala Center towards the crossing somewhere in Balamaban (forgot the name of the place really, I will try to remember it... ill let you know if I already know.. lol). 

Some kid is walking home

As usual, the same road, same path. We decided to gather some berries growing on the side of the road as they look like strawberries with a weird taste. Anyways, we only bought some bread and a few cans of canned goods (i know i am not really a fan of canned goods during camping but this time, laziness won).

That fake strawberry with a weird taste

Few hours, we passed by some villages, we gathered some potable water and more of those berries. Some woman even invited us for dinner as they have this feast but we refused and went on. 

Then, darkness came and we are still on the trail. I was on the front with my headlamp on. But sometimes, I prefer with the lights off. You can see natural light casted by the moon.

Mount Manunggal Campsite

Nope we are quite far from the campsite, we have to walk a narrow slippery dark path towards the campsite. And oh,  did I mention that it was the crash site of the presidential plane Mt. Pinatubo which ended the life of our dear President Ramon Magsaysay sometime in the past? There could be ghosts in there... or zombies!

I got there first and immediately, I pitched my tent in the dark and got my Snow Peak Giga Power stove and whats left of my Kovea Cookset. I gave my cookset to a guide after we trekked Kitanglad-DulangDulang. They need it more than I do. lol

Fern with a mountain dew

After cooking, We had dinner and had few conversations about life (not!) over a bottle of a local rum. Then we decided to sleep under the stars. Not really, it rained an while we were still drinking but we finished the whole bottle before we hit the sack. 

As usual, I am left alone in my Marmot solo tent. 

Two kids running errads.

Somebody is barefoot. Kids were playing tag game at the side of the road. Decided not to wear slippers.

Day 2 

What woke me up at 5am was not the heavy downpour or the lightning & thunder but the damn aftershock from the earthquake that destroyed parts of Cebu & Bohol a few days before. Well, that was different. We got used to it anyways as there are at least 20 aftershocks a day that time. Somehow I missed the shaking sensation when I went home to Leyte a month after but encountered Category 5 Super Typhoon Haiyan instead LOL.

We had a light breakfast and decided not to do the Tabunan Traverse due to laziness. We decided to go backtracking and probably find some food on the way.

A wet moss. It rained early in the morning.

Clothesline above sea level

Got into the highway an hour after and waited for a van for hire an hour more. We went straight to IT Park to eat our lunch and celebrate again Angelique's birthday.

Some flower I cannot identify

Some flower I also cannot identify

Cows in the shelter. Its a foggy Morning

Favorite snack! the Binangkal! That countryside jawbreaker!