City life is beautiful – watching movies with friends, discovering various hole-in-the-wall cafes and visiting art museums – but above all else, I’ve always loved the great outdoors. The bustling city that is Manila can truly be exhausting with its heavy traffic, tremendous noise pollution and lack of ‘green’ spaces to relax. I needed to escape the stresses of living life like every minute counted, and so when some friends asked me to join them on a hike, I eagerly accepted the offer.
We drove to Kalayaan, Laguna, and set off on a hike to see the famous Twin Falls. The hike was simple and easy – thankfully. Although the entrance fee was slightly expensive, the experience was definitely worth it. When we arrived at the falls, my friends and I sat on moss-covered rocks admiring the magnificence of it all. I loved the places where the river turned a deep blue, because it felt like we were in some kind of fantasy world.
Afterwards, we took a bamboo raft ride in Pagsanjan and as we travelled further up the river, I was struck by how rich the vegetation was surrounding us. I hurriedly took my camera out of its waterproof bag, not caring about the rain pouring down on my shoulders and captured the lush fertility of the hidden valley just two hours from Metro Manila.
I respected the tenacity of the rowers who accompanied us as we neared the base of the falls, who worked hard travelling against the current. Then we manoeuvred around a rock blocking our view from the fall, and I was once again immediately awestruck. The waterfall was massive! Its size and strength were mesmerizing. After drinking in the sight, we got on our separate two-person rafts and travelled downstream back to where we our journey began.
Soon after we returned to Manila, my friends and I started planning for our next journey. We wanted to challenge ourselves, and decided to take the two/three hour trek up Mount Romelo, also located in Laguna, during the half-term break.
For this hike, we set out while it was still early in the morning (we were charged around three hundred pesos for a guide and fifty pesos extra per person). Fifteen minutes in, I wanted a break already. I didn’t realise how unfit I was, even though I’m a regular at the gym. Even as our guide assured us that our first break was just an hour away, at this rate, I was about to give up. Some parts of the trek were steep and very enervating--I was using too much energy. I even felt lightheaded until my friend offered me an energy bar, which I ate greedily. Afterwards I instantly felt better, and I persevered with my newfound strength. Soon after I could hear the slow trickle of water, and I knew we were getting closer to the falls.
The trickling noise turned into a sudden gush of water, and we found ourselves at the top of the falls. To say the waterfall was beautiful would be an incredible understatement. The rapid downward gush of intensely white water softened into a deep blue as it reached the plunge pool; blue melted into crystal clear water running around our feet. We swam in the freezing cold, absorbing the splendour of Mother Nature with our eyes.
At last, when our fingers turned pruney and we finished washing all of the mud off our bodies, we started the trek back. When we reached the starting point, we bought cold soft drinks--which we all gulped down quickly as rewards for completing the trek--and rested our aching bodies on the ride home.
Overall, I had such a great time, and I hope trek again in the near future. It was a gratifying experience for me and I’m sure it was the same for my friends. My love for the great outdoors will only continue to grow.
You can find the article and more pictures in the newest issue!
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