Hulugan Falls (Daytrip)

I’ve been browsing my facebook news feed when I saw a video post about Hulugan Falls, and because I don’t get to see that body of water often I was pretty smitten so I shared it on my wall for my friends to see.

I should have known better. Because with the kind of friends I have sharing that on my wall is as good as inviting them to go. So a week after, my Lakwatsera Buddies (Marie, Kina, Tin-tin) as I call them are off to go see that Falls up close.

Hulugan Falls is a new and fast growing attraction, thanks to social media, Located in Brgy. San Salvador, Liusiana (pronounced as Lu-sha-na) Laguna. Since its new I could not find relevant blogs as reference as to what to expect how to get there etc. I had to back read all the comments from the FB post in hope to find atleast one blog link, luckily there’s one that even contains the Brgy. Captain number.

And because I was the one who “shared” the link it mean I get to make the IT for our daytrip. Though I’ve been to other places several times already commuting was never on my list of talents so I was like how do I get ourselves there? Bur with patience and literally going to the jepneey and fx terminal I ws able to get info on how and where to get there.

Our IT is very simple. Leave early (just in case we got lost at least we still have time to adjust), and get there.

We agreed to meet at 5am so we can catch the first trip to calamba and from there a bus ride to sta. cruz then another jeepney ride to san Salvador. We arrive at 8am (I think). You have to register twice 1 at the Brgy. Tanod station (no fee just sign your name and you’re good) 2^nd is at Cap. Which you will pay 10 pesos for the registration fee (cheapest I have encountered), all visitors I required to get themselves a guide (no shortage of guide here – the guide can even choose who they want). There is no fix rate for the guide – so pls. be considerate.

Just Got Here 

Registration

Cath with the yummy bibingka!

Hulugan falls from Cap's House is probably 45 mins to an one and a half walk first 30 mins is a road construction (fyi.. I talked to another guide and he said the gov’t city or whatever plans to make the area a park ergo the road construction so it will be vehicle friendly and visitors won’t have walk very far to reach the falls) the rest is a pretty much easy trek through the Forrest.

We reach our destination around 10am ( I think) and yes it was a sight! The tallest falls I’ve seen so far – I’ve been to two: Kabigan Falls in Ilocos and Nagsasa Falls in Zambales. Mist surrounded the whole place which makes it somewhat “magical” for me, there’s rainbow everywhere! Thus, the photo ops begins. We couldn’t even care less if our camera is not water proof!

After two hours or so of photo ops and swimming we decided to head back and see if we can visit Talong Aliw (which we didnt). Alvin the guide asked us which way we wanted to go; Go back to the same way we got here via forrest trail which will take us more or less one and a half hour or the 30 minute but "delikado" way. Not wanting to waste time we chose the "delikado way" which turns out out to be a hell of a climb! The trail is so narrow and not stable, all ascend with more or less 45 degree which means we literally had to crawl up.

had to crawl - my knees are hurting already

Dear Diary...

When you realize you're different from the rest and growing up became really awkward. Then finding friends is like applying for a job - you have to pass certain requirements; the clothes, the face, the brains, the money blah blah!

When even you decided to be invisible so that you won’t have to be a part of their world (because it's obvious that they definitely don’t want you in theirs) still they find it amusing to get a raise out of you because you're that - different.

Being alone works (mostly), but then you speak your mind and you get into all sort of trouble because those "normal" people feelings got hurt, and suddenly you're the rude one. So instead of trying to explain yourself you just shut up and return to being "slightly" invisible (because you know they will come again to stir you up some more).

You of course got hurt - you wanted to at least feel better and crying gets really tiring you thought talking to someone would at least help.

But since friends is not something you have and Family, is well family - you wouldn’t really want them to know you're having problems because they will most likely solve it for you by talking to people and you end up being the "sumbungera" which will result to more bullying (it’s really complicated).

Then there’s talking to yourself which is getting really weird so you find yourself grabbing a pen and writing (ranting most likely) how crappy adolescence life is, cursing those people (though it will kill you first to admit it even to yourself) who have hurt you.

That what did it for me; when it felt like I couldn’t manage what I was feeling and I know I just had to let it out (in a non violent way) I write.

I write, and it made me feel better; it gave me time to think first before doing anything. Yes it didn’t stop me from being angry but it keeps me occupied. I must have been twelve or thirteen when I had my first “Diary” out of one of my rarely used notebook and while girls my age would write about their crushes, mine was a daily “how to get by”.

Diary became my friend. No requirement needed. By writing I get to feel normal, I can talk (write) about anything! About my crush, about how good or crappy my day was at school, how annoying being the youngest girl in the family etc. with my diary I don’t get to pretend that I’m strong, I can be as bad as crazy, as happy and as lonely as I can be without them worrying or judging me.

Fortunately I did manage to be friends as in REAL FRIEND with some girls (who admitted they hated my guts at first – read my Super FRIENDZZ and you’ll get to know them) along the way, and I have my diary to thank for that because not only did it serves as my outlet through the years but as I read my previous entries it serves as a reminder of what I have been through and I realized that if I could just learn to open up and not try so hard to be the person everybody wants me to be then maybe people would also see ME. Hell! I did open up myself to a bunch of paper so why not try to open up to a real person???

Then I grew up. Went to college, retain my friends, got myself a decent job. Still, I kept those diaries (can’t remember how may I have now). I never stop writing on my journal in between those years no matter how big or how silly, I felt like I just had to write it down for future references ^_^.

The moment I picked up the pen and started writing “Dear Diary…” little did I know that I’m not just letting out my teenage angst – I’m letting myself heal, that not only it made me write to feel better. It helped me create beautiful memories. Mine. J

Mt. Batulao

It seems like all my friends have been to Mt. Batulao but me. Ewan ko ba pero lagi conflict sa schedule ko (as ussual) I end always end up just reading blogs or looking at my friends "been to Batulao" pictures on facebook.

So again when one of my favorite couple (Rey and Reggie) suggested out of nowhere a hike in batulao I was like "finally!". And being days away before my birthday - imagine how excited I become (last year i got to celebrate it in Zambales - Mt. Pundaquit and Anawangin Cove) and this year I get to celebrate it in Mt. Batulao!

We didnt really plan it as in. Just agreed to the date and time and since we all have to work on a saturday the best possible plan would be: NIGHT TREK! I dont know but i believe none of us have been night  trekking before but we were assured that its relatively easy - one can even do without a guide so night trek it is.

Because really how hard can it be as long as we make sure we stay on the path with our headlight and nothing can go wrong... Except none of us expected to rain on that day! particularly in the night!!! and because we have so much faith in Accuweather it didn't deferred our plan. So we're on the Road before seven pm - oh! did i mention that its raining kinda hard on the way to tagaytay with slight to moderate fog??? :)

We reached evercrest golf club at around 8pm (I think) at this point we barely see the road because of the thick fog (we we're even joking about the movie Wrong turn because at some point it really feels like one) we we're basically navigating trough Ipad / GPS to find our way. We even have to backtrack from where we began just to make sure we're on the right road. Bert and I we're ready to go out of the car and walk around to see if maybe we can find anyone to ask for direction. luckily we we're able to get direction from a passing car he i can still imagine the look on his face when he learned that we we're hiking batulao on bad weather.

He said "oh wow, goodluck" while looking at the sky and then us - TRANSLATION: "this bunch is crazy!"

Rainy Hike (Rey, Regie, Feng, Bert, Yours Trully, Hakob)

The original plan was to not go for a guide but because of the weather we decided to get one (better safe than sorry). So after stuffing our groceries (yes we bought plenty) to our bags and a prayer we started walking.

@ the registration area

Since its raining all day the path was sooooooo muddy as in! I could hug Bert for insisting I wear the rubber shoes than my ever favorite sandals because I will surely have my "pabebe" moment once my feet will be covered with mud - I'm sure hindi lang mud ang ingredient ng lupa!. Its dark so its not only the mud that one should worry by wearing sandals there's thorns, sharp rocks, barbed wire and broken glasses.

Fortunately for us the rain already stops on our way up but for the occasional drizzle. We didn't even bother to wear our jackets because tho the weather i a lot nicer still going up still takes effort. Feng and Bert have been to Batulao before and that the trail we're walking is very narrow so we should really watch our steps. There were even a part when I cant practically see the person in front of me it was like i was encase in a wall of fog that even my headlight can penetrate. For a moment there it felt like i was on my own (good thing I'm not the "I'm scared of the dark kind of girl).

Camp 1

We started hiking at nine and reached the camp site (slightly crowded) around 12am. So after finding a good spot to pitch our tent, get our selves clean - a little, cooked our midnight snack and chat a lot. By 4am we we're again cooking, since its my pre-birthday celebration I decided to cooked Carbonara for breakfast :) and started breaking camp at 5am we wanted to start early - cant wait to see Batulao in full daylight.

Tough Girls set up their own tent!

Gilber and Jacob

Spell D-I-R-T-Y

UPHSL Commerce Buddies

Carbonaraaaa!

Sandals pa more!

And it was - is really a sight! Green everywhere! A very HAPPY Birthday to me indeed! *happy dance" 

@ the Campsite

Love this shot! (Brought to you by Summit mineral water!)

Aliw sa Fog

FENG

Glad I was not afraid of Height

HAKOB

REGIE

REY

They we're not joking when they said that the trail is very narrow - one wrong step and you'll be tumbling down the mountain. There's a part where we had to walk on a very narrow rocky part, literally one foot at a time. One foot in front of the other or side stepping or if the wind is feeling playful crawling will be an option or else one can topple over and unlike the other trail no grass will cushion you on either side but pure rock.

We went from the new trail to going to the old - that means we practically going around the mountain. From camp 10 (peak) we had to rappel down - my favorite part of the trek :) and from there it was almost all down.

GILBERT

And because we cant have enough pictures it took us a little longer going down.

I don't have my favorite mountain because every mountain I've been to has its own unique personality. Sure this one have been kind to me - I have very few "dulas" moment but as always it gave me new friends, gave me happy memories and as always made me appreciate life more - made me appreciate ME more. That I shouldn't looked so hard in finding what it takes to be happy. Be uberly thankful for the Gift of life.

Because being with friends is happy. Soaking in the rain then seeing the sun shines is happy. Standing on the peak and seeing Gods gift of life is happy. Being ME is happy. :)

   (video credits to REY https://www.facebook.com/RRWebGraphics)