After the momentous first day of duty, we realized that this day is GIGANTIC in proportions. We were so unprepared for what we encountered that our mouths dropped open in surprise, along with our lungs, as we saw the steep road downhill. ARE WE REALLY GONNA GO THERE? Of course, we have to. We were excited to see what’s in store for us today that we embarked on our adventure with wide grins and laughter in every step…NOT! We were too breathless and cautious of rolling downhill to even care! Alright, so maybe our shoes aren’t up to do the job but we had on heavy bags plus the CHN kit which was useless, btw.
With every downhill, there’s an uphill, a very UP-hill. We’re climbing to glory and the end of our journey, the sitio is just on the other side of the hill…not! We have to find the river which leads to the place…and it’s not appearing! Does this river exist? Or is it just the figment of our guide’s imagination? But the view was wonderful and so we trudged on like little Dora’s without Boots and a stationary backpack to go. The houses we passed by were pretty examples of great architecture…I’m way overboard but you’ll have to see it to believe it! It seems that every house has a car! You must be rich to live in a place like that! (or else, surrender yourself to riding the habal-habal) The houses became lesser as we went on and finally, finally…we see a, wait a minute is that a stream?!? Or a very minute example of one. But we see that it leads to our sitio! FINALLY! WE HAVE ARRIVED (after hours-it seemed like hours-of grueling walking, trudging, complaining, sweating, panting)
We rested at the main square (?!) of the area, but surprise, surprise…our CI pointed to a vertical, I swear it’s vertical, climb and said that we have to do an ocular survey of the whole area. We groaned aloud. Will our feet be up to the job? Of course, it is! That’s what feet are made for, climbing vertical places. As we climbed, we looked like hunchbacks doing mountain or more like wall climbing, only we don’t have the right equipment. Along the way we met a chicken, and the damned thing flew right at us! We screamed and held the person in front of us before we toppled over like dominoes towards the foot of the hill. We reached the top and climbed down again. We survived! (thank god!) and we’re still alive (barely).
After resting again, the time of reckoning has come, the way back is faced with two choices of transportation, each as perilous as the other. First, walk and Second, ride the habal-habal. Well, of course we’re not stupid! We’d be triple dead if tried walking that route again! So we rode the infamous habal-habal for only p10 per person! The mounting part was a bit difficult and I was assisted by my-almost-soon-to-be-crush, sV. He is such a gentleman! And btw, he didn’t even sweat it out the way we did during the perilous climbs! He looks so cute! Desperaux kind of cute.
The end of our second morning arrived quickly, but I really wanted to make the moment last a little longer (the sV moment! not the climbing part!)
And, btw, we will be doing that every day for 5 more weeks.
Survivor style much?!
Hope to survive all the way…
xoxo
