We started our descent at around 12nn. It was already drizzling by then so I asked Arn to put our extra clothes and our gadgets inside a plastic bag. By 12:30pm, we have reached the sign that says "your Pinatubo trek starts here" and it was already raining very hard. We stayed under the makeshift kubo for a while in the hope that the rain would let up but it just continued to rain harder. After about 15 more minutes of very heavy rain, our local guides decided that we should push through with the trek fearing that the river water level would just get higher if we delayed our trek back any longer.
The trek back was really scary. Since the mountains were made of lahar/sand, di ganun kakapit, landslides were a very terrifying possibility. On our way back we kept on hearing rocks falling down from the mountains. The rivers were hard to cross as they were not only higher, ang bilis pa ng agos at may mga kasamang bato sa alon na binubugbog ang legs mo. After about an hour and a half of trekking, ayaw pa rin tumigil nang ulan. At this point, our guides decided we should climb up to the old skyway. The skyway has been declared closed and unpassable since 2009. Sa may maliit na parang waterfalls kami dumaan on our way up - rock-climbing on a very steep incline while the rain was still falling really hard. When we reached the skyway, ok na, at least we were no longer afraid of big rocks falling over us or being trapped in a landslide. Kaya lang, at this point, our local guides no longer know where to go. They had to talk to an Aeta to guide us kasi mga Aetas na nga lang ang nakakadaan dun.
Sa dating skyway, eto na yung best part ng trek pabalik kasi maluwag ang daan at nasa taas ng bundok. Pero ang hirap pumunta dito. And, as we'd learn later, horror makababa.
sa skyway, tumila ang ulan, ambon-ambon lang for a while, nakakangiti na uli
start na ito ng pababa, kinakabahan na naman ako nito at dasal lang nang dasal
The hardest part was going down the skyway. Walang daan! We had to go down a very steep incline of rocks and sand. Sinusundan lang namin yung path na dinadaanan ng tubig. Dahil wala akong tiwala sa balance ko at dahil nalulula ako sa taas namin, most of the time bumababa akong pa-slide/nakaupo. And when we finally got down, kagaya nga ng prediction ng aming guides, ang taas na ng river na kelangan naming icross to get to the side where the 4x4s were. Dito sumuko na ko, I was too tired from our 4 hour trek (from the leisure 2 hours trek papunta, it took us 4 hours to get back to the jump-off point, at ayaw talaga tumigil ng ulan), and still too scared from our descent from the skyway na hindi ko na kayang magcross ng rumaragasang ilog. Arn and the local guides were very patient and held on to me during the crossing. Andami kong pasang nakuha from the big rocks na umaalon kasama ng tubig. Until now, the bruises haven't completely healed.
The last part of our trek. natatakot ako sa balancing skills ko kaya ipinadausdos ko na lang dito ang pwet ko at nagslide. andami ko tuloy gasgas.
sa 4x4. finally. puro buhangin yang kamay ko, di lang halata sa cam
The last time I hiked was in 2002/2003 when I was filming an episode for Single. I am girly-girly, a weakling, an asthmatic and the farthest thing from being sporty or athletic. We decided on Pinatubo for our anniversary date because I wanted to fulfill Arn's dream of sometimes climbing Mt. Pulag together - so parang warm up ko sana ang Pinatubo kasi easy-climb naman daw siya. I never imagined how dangerous it could be when it rains. And even though we water-proofed our belongings, dahil sa tagal nang ulan, basa ang mga pampalit naming damit, ang mga cellphones at ipod (nabuhay uli ang 2 BB, ang Nokia parang walang damage na nangyari, pero i'm still mourning the death of the ipod and all the ebooks and all the characters na nabili na namin ni gael sa temple run)
I've said before that we now look back on our Pinatubo experience and see it as an allegory of our marriage. Going up, it was hard, yes, and tiring. But we had each other to cheer on, kakwentuhan at katawanan para di mabore at di gaano mapansin ang pagod sa mahabang lakad. The past 7 years have not been easy and yet di rin naman siya sobrang hirap. Our sense of humor, our friendship got us through the problems that we've faced. Pag nareach mo na ang Pinatubo, ang ganda niya at alamong worth it ang lahat ng hirap at pagod. But then our return trip made us realize na hindi Pinatubo ang destination namin. Na kahit gaano siya kaganda at kaperfect, hindi kami sa Pinatubo titigil. Na we might now have reached a point when we both are so thankful and satisfied with all aspects of our lives - our careers, our marriage, our family life (we have reached our Pinatubo, so to speak)- pero hindi ito ang end-part of our journey, hindi ito permanent. Harder challenges are bound to come our way. On our return trek, I experienced how Arn would take care of me. I was the weakest link in the whole group and we always ended up last so sobra kong bagal at lampa. Arn would never let go of my hand, especially in the most difficult parts of the trek. Di niya sinusunod ang mga dinadaanan ng guides, he would find an easier way for me. Nung nagca-cramps na ang aking left foot at ang aking right upper leg because of the length of travel, my lack of previous exercise and the extreme cold, he further slowed down his pace. Time and again he would leave my side to help those who are in more need than I (may mga kasabay kaming nagtrek na mga senior citizens), but always he'd come back to me. Nung nagchichills na ko on our van trip pauwi (kasi nga di kami nakapagpalit ng damit at basa ang mga damit na suot namin hanggang makauwi kami ng Manila), he did not sleep, hugged me and warmed me up. I knew then that as long as we travel together, even in the most difficult of circumstances, we could make it home. Yes, home. We realized during our return trek na kahit gaano pa kaganda ang Pinatubo, our destination is home. Ang thought ng boys na naghihintay samin makauwi was what got me through during that tough return trek. Arn was amazed na hindi ako nagwhine, di nagrequest ng pahinga kahit na napakasakit na nung mga paa at binti ko nung nag-cramps (e nung papunta na madali lang, puro ako reklamo at puro request ng 2-minute break para magrest). I told him I am a mother, malakas ako, uuwi at uuwi ako sa boys kahit anong mangyari sa katawan ko. I realized then that during the most awful times, it will be the boys and the thought of their very poging smiling faces, that would keep me strong. During the trip, Arn and I also never stopped praying. And with that, we know how God will always be an essential part of our lives.
Last year, we spent our anniversary attending a marriage encounter seminar/a couple's retreat. This year, parang ganun din because of the many realizations we've had. Mas nainlove ako ke Arn nun kasi alam kong di niya ko pabababayaan, hahawakan niya ko palagi at itatawid pag di ko na talaga kaya. At the same time, I noticed a deeper appreciation in his eyes when he kissed and hugged me after the trek and told me how proud he was of me for "bravely" going through daw what we had gone through ("pwede ka nang mag-operate, mommy."). And para ngang tunay na graduation sa isang retreat, walang stir, when we reached the 4x4, tumila ang ulan. Sabi ko nga ke Arn, kulang na lang rainbow para kumpleto ang drama. :)
Our certificates. Our tour coordinator said our group deserves a special certificate for what we have gone through.
So, Pulag for our 8th year? Nah. Maghohotel muna kami next year at magrerelax sa bath tub :)
