5 things I learned about mountaineering

I was supposed to write this post in straight Tagalog for my post to have a patriotic vibe but I realized that I'd be a freaking hypocrite because I have never done that before so the most that I can do is do it in Tag-lish. Mali na kung mali, eh sa hindi swak kung purong Tagalog eh :P

Why write about it though, you might ask? I have been a mountaineer for five years so 5 is a pretty symbolic number right now. Technically, I started mountaineering in Feb 2013 but pregnancy hormones sucked all the mountaineering related creative juices and all I could think about at that time were cribs, mittens, diapers, labor milk and whatever pregnancy and motherhood related topic you can think of. Kagabi, para akong bida sa teleserye as I fried meatballs I wouldnt even eat- prepping for hubby's overnight climb this weekend(na hindi ako kasama) *sniff sniff, strokes of inspiration came by my brain that was getting fried together with the meatballs.hehehe

SA HINABA-HABA NG PASAKALYE KO, ANO NA BA NATUTUNAN KO SA LOOB NG LIMANG TAONG PAGIGING BUNDOKERA?

1.Lahat masarap sa bundok

You can either be a victim of this or benefit from it. Andami kong natikmang pagkain na ang sarap sarap sa bundok tapos nung kinain ko ulit sa "baba"(AKA normal circumstances within 10km radius of my beloved original recipe KFC) amfanget na ng lasa. Paninirang puri man sa kanila pero ang pinakamalala up-to-date, San Marino Tuna Embotido na pagkasarap sarap ng kainin ko sa campsite ng Mt. Gulugod Baboy pero nakakayamot ng kainin ko sa bahay namen.

mapanlinlang!!!!!!!!!!

2.Lagi kang may nakakalimutan

Pag sinuswerte ka, pwedeng wet wipes lang yan or ung extra trail food mo. Pero kung minamalas-malas ka, pwedeng ung undies mo o jacket mo sa Pulag climb mo ng December. Nung Tarak climb namin nakalimutan ko pala ang bigas kaya ayun, surprise surprise, gutuman nung lunch namin ng day 2. Buti nalang ung team lead namin may bigas pa from his previous climb, tawid gutom din.

circa 2009, Tarak Ridge, Bataan
busog pa kami sa kanin kaya happy faces pa ^_^ 

3. It's always your first time

To quote Gideon Lasco, you never climb the same mountain twice. Being with different people, climbing at a different time of the day and climbing at a different season, iba-iba talaga. I have been to Mt. Batulao 4 times- first in 2008, again in 2009, in 2010 and in 2011 pero iba ibang experiences talaga. I still plan on coming back because I'd still find it just as fulfilling as the first time around.

Unica Hija Batulao climb in 2009

Ze hubby and I nung chummy chummy magjowa palang kame, both also in Batulao

4.Twice a mountaineer, always a mountaineer

Not once, but twice. Nothing can prepare you for your first climb and you can either jump for joy or swear you'd never do it again. For me ang marker nun eh one year-if within the year you have another climb, aakyat at aakyat kana in the future pero kung hindi, ibig sabihin may bagay kang hindi nagustuhan sa pagbubundok- pwedeng ung gastos pwedeng yung mga nakasama mo o pwedeng yung obvious na obvious na dahilan na hindi lahat ng tao trip pahirapan ang sarili nilang maglakad ng ilang oras para lang uminom sa taas. hehehehe

L-R: Pico de Loro 2008, talikod keme keme pa ang peg ko
Pico de Loro January 2010(aha, nakapagsummit nako!) pose
Pico de Loro Oct 2010- Lasheng na lasheng sa The bar at Lambanog kaya parang tumira ng shabu sa picture

 5.Walang kadala dala!

But to rebuff the previous numbers, kapag mountaineer kana, wala nang atrasan yan. Kahit 2 oras lang tulog mo, akyat pa din. Kahit ung nanay mo sinasabutahe na gamit mo( "Ay hindi ko nakita yung tent mo, baka naitapon na ni (insert yaya's name) kasi akala di kailangan"), kahit halos gumapang kana nung huling socials dahil sa kalasingan, excited kanang umakyat ulit. Madalas sa socials palang ng huling climb pinaplano nyo na yung next climb, ganun kayo kaexcited.

clockwise: Anawangin/Mt Pundaquit, Mt Pulag, Mt. Timbak and Osmena Peak, significant climbs to date

Siguro may iba pa pero para sa akin yan ang mga pinakamatimbang. And how ironic that I decided to write this when I havent set foot on a mountain for seven months. Or maybe it is not ironic since I miss hiking a lot and as they say, absence makes the heart go fonder. Di bale, 3 months na ang bebe boy ko and sometime soon, I'll climb another mountain with him, his first of many hiking trips to come.

Ta-tuh!