"When you run so fast to get somewhere, you missed the fun of getting there... life is not a race, so take it slower... hear the music before the song is over."
I had the chance to join my friends on a backpack adventure to San Antonio Zambales, a three and a half hour drive from Monumento Caloocan via Victory liner last Saturday, Sept. 17, 2011.
We were ten lucky adventurers, who witnessed one of the spectacular creations of God, the beauty of nature : experienced joy , fun , and laughter as well as established camaraderie that tied the bond of friendship among us. Five (5) of them are my friends from Stream: Nadz, Paule, Roxanne , Anne and Grace and four (4) from Accenture: Mamarhu, Coleth, Lian and Michelle (Nadz friends, then eventually became ours as well).
My friends and I met at Boogies (in Shaw) then waited for Anne until 10 pm. We've decided to ride a taxi from Shaw to Caloocan to beat the time, we needed to be there by 11 pm. Luckily as what Nadz predicted we just arrived on time, as the bus was about to go.We paid the Taxi 205.00
Pag akyat sa bus, paunahan na sa pag-upo sa may tabi ng bintana, but unfortunately, all seats by the window were already taken . Hinintay ko pa namang makababa ng Pampanga yung katabi ko, tapos biglang tong si Nadz siya daw uupo dun... waaaaah, wala din.. We enjoyed the trip going there mostly kwentuhan at tawanan dahil sa umuugang upuan ni Paule hehehehe.
By 2: 30 am we were already in San Antonio Zambales, we stayed in front of the Munisipyo and killed time for two and a half hours more. Rox slept most of the time, even by just sitting on a chair, Panalo!!! By 5:00 am Nadz and his friends went to market to buy our food and other things that we needed before we headed to the island. But before that, a policeman approached us and asked if we were going to Anuwangin, when we said yes he gave us a paper to write our personal identifications.
We rode a trycicle for a 15 minute drive to Pundaquit, Zambales, where Mang Vic our bangkero was waiting. We paid the trycicle P30.00 each. Syempre pagdating dun, picture picture muna.. malakas ang alon, mang Vic said , that we have to let the rain passed , before we go. Ang galing ng mga bangkero, alam nila kung paulan na.
While we were on the boat on our way to Anuwangin we were awed by the beauty of the mountain, it has waterfalls everywhere. Someone asked, San kaya nanggagaling ang tubig sa mountain? Sabi naman ni Rox, sa ihi ng higante! hhahaha , San nga kaya?! :D
After 40 minutes, Yey! we were already in Anuwangin!
Hidden Paradise as I may call it, a virgin island hiding in Pundaquit Zambales, also known to people as Anawangin. Seeing the place makes me feel that I am on another country. What amazes me more was that , the island was dividied by fresh water coming from the mountain and salty water from the wide deep blue ocean. Additional attraction were the tall trees planted on the other side of the lake. God is really good in creating such a wonderful place.
Michelle had her tent and fixed it, while we rent a kubo for P500.00.
Mamarhu was the head of the kitchen. We get to cooked just like the old ways, sa kahoy, tapos hihipan mo yung apoy gamit un kawayan na may butas... Mamarhu cooked the best Tortang talong. Yum!! Tahimik lahat habang kumakain, ang dami namin gutom! We had inihaw na tilapia, inihaw na porkchop, adobong manok at baboy. At dahil wala pang kumukuha ng isda, Paule asked "pwede bang kainin to tilapia? We said yes, then he replied, akalo ko display lang! Palusot pa eh! hahahaha
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| Mamarhu |
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| cooking just like the old times- cge rox hipan pa .... |
After the hearty meal, picture picture muna sa lake, then tinawag na nila kmi to start the real adventure.. we went to the other side of the island near the mountain, picture picture, then nagulat na lang ako kase aakyat daw kami. Syempre nagdadalawang isip ang lola mo , coz i'm afraid of heights!!! What duh!!, nakaakyat na sila, ako nalng naiwan then Nadz and Paule. Grabe!!! It was my first time na umakyat ng mountain. Super kitid ng daan at madulas pa, things were running on my mind, i am so damn nervous, then there was this place na walang bato, i was so afraid to move.. Nadz, left us to looked for our friends who were ahead of us. He left me and Paule for almost 5 minutes, and i thought that was the last minute of my life, super ngalay na ko, di naman ako makagalaw kase baka mahulog ako, pag ginagalaw ko paa ko nadudulas sia sa lupa,,, waaaah, then sabi ni Paule," mali si Nad dapat di nia tau iniwan,"ngaun pag naalala ko yun natatawa na lang ako.. hehehehe... Paule was also tired at muntik na ring madulas, at that moment, habang wala si Nadz, tahimik lang kami ni Paule, for me everything was black and white, things went running on my mind, akala ko katapusan ko na..naisip ko kung tatawag pa sila ng tulong para kunin ako after two hours pa yun, hehehe,,, i thought that i would never get to see my family again, flashes of scenes, happy moments, things that i still wanted to do, things that might still happen in my life if hindi ako mahulogsa baba, many things, grabe! ganun pala talaga yun!. ibang iba yung feeling, maybe other people won't understand me why, madali kase ko malula coz of vertigo. Even panoramic escalator takot ako eh hehehe... Then Nadz came and helped us moved. he kept on saying, Bato bato.. damo.. damo.. on me to keep my feet on the stones and hold on to the grasses. I was so scared and grateful as well coz we made it!!! Even with lots of bruises, yes i made it!!! Thanks to Nadz and Paule who kept on their patience. Though when i reached the top, the feeling was different, as i see the beautiful scenery, tiredness was paid off. Then when they said we were going down, nagulat ako, dun ulit ang daan.waaaaaaaaaaaaaaah, huhuhu, medyo madali na bumaba, and i know pagod na si Nadz sa pag alalay, kakahiya na pero wala akong magagawa, i want to live hehehehe
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| We did it! We did it! Hurrraaaay!!!! |
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| Yey!! |
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| hurray!! |
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| the whole gang |
When we reached the water, Mamarhu , grace, Rox and I stayed for a while, kwentuhan to the max.Then we went to the beach and played with the big waves. Beating the big waves was so so fun!!nandyan ng maalis and damit , bumaba ang short at tumalsik sa lakas ng alon! Parang mga bata lang, precious happy moments with them..
After mapagod sa pagsalubong sa mga alon, as usual natulog muna si Rox, ako naman sa kubo, maaga silang nag dinner , bago magdilim , dahil walang kuryente. We had bonfire, then tagay session, special part was the question and answer portion, but what happened in Anuwangin, stays in anuwangin.. hehehehehe sorry, i can't tell... We went to sleep at around 11: 30 pm
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| the birthday girl anne & Nadz ang taga tagay |
Next morning, bayaran na! hahaha our sharing was P600.00 each for the food, boat entrance in anuwangin (100) cooking charges (150, we borrowed kawali and other plates)
By 7:30 am we were on our way to Pundaquit. We rode a bus bound to Olongapo, then transferred to another bound to Caloocan.
It was really a great experience. An experience i would never trade for anything. I was lucky to be with these great guys and still looking forward for another adventure with them.. wag lang aakyat ng bundok,, pass ako dun hehehe :D
Thank you so much!
Every minute counts, never waste an oppurtunity to be with the people you love and care about, there you will know that happiness can be found even in simple things you never can imagine!. Now i know, that there are other things i can do, though it would still take me time , to think if im going to climb a mountain again, yet i know i've conquered my FEAR! yeah!!! :D
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| fly like an eagle :D |
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| all smiles |
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| wave 4 |
Things to bring:
Tent
Plates
Spoon & fork
Water
Cooler (ice)
Flashlight
Sunblock
Foods ( can buy in San Antonio Market)
Medicines
Photo credits to: Nadz David, Roxanne Abe, Michelle Cabe
