A Rainy Trek at Mount Batulao

The day started with the usual beeping of my cellular phone. Still drowsy due to inadequate sleep, I felt not to push through with the activity planned for the day; however I decided not to follow my lazy thoughts. Despite having drunk the previous night and the aforementioned inadequate sleep, I arrived on time in Buendia LRT Station, our meeting place. Unfortunately, I was the first one to arrive and have to wait for more than an hour before we started our journey. Our next stop was in Sta. Rosa to meet our 2 other classmates.

Because our trip falls on a Sunday we decided to pull over on Our Lady of Lourdes Parish in Tagaytay to pray for our forthcoming adventure.After almost two hours of riding in the center seat of the Ford Everest, we arrived in our destination, Nasugbu, Batangas. Along the way, we picked too skinny children, Erwin and Melvin as our guides in our expedition to Mt. Batulao.

Just barely twenty minutes of our journey, rain started to pour. Moments later, mud begun to pile up and heavy rains pouring all over us. It took a while before we found a safe place to stay. Fortunately for us, we stumbled to a hospitable family, which provided us shelter and food, which we paid. They also lend boots for my classmate ate Tina to ease her climb in the muddy and rainy condition of the mountain.

An hour later, when the rain started to disappear, we continued our journey across the mountain. Miraculously, I able to withstood challenges I've faced through, from muddy roads to shallow rocky paths to wild sugar canes (talahib) to edgy cliffs. Even though I figured to survive all of it, i've not faced the toughest obstacle yet, the mountain summit itself.

Come to think of it, I would have given up when we have reached the camp site and heavy rains started to pour again.However, feeling excited and composed of going to the top. Unluckily for me, it was a bad choice I made. Upon reaching the 9th peak of the mountain, a landslide emerged in our path, fearing bad circumstances will occur if we push through, we agreed to go back and consequently end our journey.

Nevertheless of the outcome, It was still a productive output for me, able to see Nature again and have an experience I will never forget. But I hope the next time I climb a mountain anew, I able to reach its summit.