Once again, I am struggling to find a nice way of writing down the beginning of the post. Helpless. Clueless to start, though I imagine myself writing the body of the post and end it in a graceful conclusion. In my life, I always want to make a great start: but it all had the same, nonsensical letdown.
I know how to finish things, though I seem reluctant to start it. I want to have 95 in Math, yet a million decisions are waiting: and all I need is one.
Enough said.
Our batch had our Field Trip in Mount Banahaw: located between the provinces of Laguna and Quezon. We left Bulacan at 5:30 AM. My seatmate was Xavier. But after our stop-over, I switched my seat from the front row to the last row. Ha-ha.
Commercial - The maids are watching an Andrew E. movie, and as usual: they raise their voices with joy and boisterous laughs. I have no intentions of being a killjoy:
so let them drool over the TV.
Let me continue.
A three and a half hour trip from Bulacan would be as boring as hell. I've seen enough coconut trees and counted cars along the street. I've read street signs and watched the sun rose from its slumber. I've seen the evolution from urban to rural, from national roads to filthy sidestreets of Manila. Until I felt that the bus is leaning upward, engine roaring and hungry for acceleration. The mountains of Quezon Province is covered with patches of jungle; the missing patches were victimized by illegal logging (remember the glitch by illegal logging in Infanta?).
The tour guides live with the name of Elton, OJ (who looked like Jay of Kamikazee) and Kuya Kyut (cute here means ugly but interesting).
Sad to say, we don't have any pretty-sporty-girl tour guide.
We had stretching as a warm-up.
The next events were very unbelievable.
Trekking. With my Merrell (and it's dirty) rubber shoes, P.E uniform, and my backpack loaded with snacks; I went to the mountains and stepped over mossy rocks.
The first steps were scary, since I have no idea how to handle my feet. Then, we're crossing thin wood bridges that when you had a simple misplaced foot: you'll end up falling in an unfathomable abyss. You don't even know if you'll have a decent burial.
I've seen the flora and fauna of this sacred mountain. Sacred, yes. The mountain is revered by the natives. These natives (and they are very hospitable) consider Rizal either a hero, or a prophet. Weird, but I understand their religion.
After the long trekking, we reached a puwesto; a shrine. Shrines are like churches in the religion - Animism. They put candles and make their wishes.
The very sacrifice these natives do is that - when you'd go to a puwesto; you SHOULD and MUST be barefoot. Yes. No slippers, no sandals with straps or high heels or rubber shoes. It is because they consider these puwestos as holy, and that no sandals or shoes must step in its floors.
And how am I suppose to trek if I don't have any shoes?
I thought it was a prank. But I've seen other sections doing it; stepping from stone to stone - no matter how sharp its edges. So I did the same, and it's very hard at first. I cursed the stones since my feet can't stand the pain, but as we go on - I became immune from it.
On and on, we went until we end up in a
puwesto. We prayed for our adviser: since his son and two daughters were confined in the hospital and he himself failed to go and assist us in the field trip. We also prayed for our own intentions. The silence was deafening. A dank atmosphere covered us; a thick fog made Banahaw a heaven-like fortress of natural beauty.
But the mosquitos are very large, large enough to suck our blood. They are mutants; they are no longer ordinary mosquitos in the urban places.
Since the place is thrived with wild species (huge black ants, weird-looking water spiders, mutant mosquitoes etc.);
we are advised to put insect repellants. But then, I decided not to use any.
After we prayed; we went caving. It's not just caving, dude. The cave's mouth is so small; a sumo wrestler can't fit in. He would be stuck forever in that cave; maybe playing along with the dark or eating spiders. And, even Michael Jordan can't fit in; he's too tall.
So another risk is my height. But I need to take this challenge; I have no weight problems.
I'd do everything just to get in and out of that fucking dark cave: for experience. And another challenge is - I am barefoot. But I still went inside the cave. Only the sense of touch is my weapon; since candles are insufficient even for a small cave. I feel stones; stalactites and stalagmites, I thought. I descended into the cave's mini-chambers; small enough that even a bicycle can't fit in.
The heart-pumping action surged in my blood.
I am very scared - I am tall, can I still fit into this hollow cave?
While I'm in the middle section of the cave, I realized.
There's no turning back. I am stuck in a room made of rocks, and only two small holes serve as the door. One, going back to the beginning; and another for me to end this suffering. I decided to move on. I placed my head in the hole, then next is my hand - and the rest of my body followed. It fit perfectly in the small hole; thank God.
I still went on, struggling. Tell me this is over. Over. Honestly, tell me. Honestly.
Shit.
When will this end? I am sweating and gasping for air, very nervous. I went on, candles haunting my shadows. I crawled, I stood up and end up in another chamber. Fuck. It may be endless.
Until, finally - light.
Light not from the candles; but from the outside world. I finally ended up my suffering. I crawled into the last hole and standing there was our tour guide. He shook my hand. Congratulations, he greeted.
At least. It's over.
Yes! I finished the challenge!
After crawling in a small cave, barefoot, and even have the height disadvantage - I won over myself. And the feeling is definitely, inexplicable. That cave, according to the natives - is a test for devotees there. It tends to widen when the person (in this situation, me) have faith in himself and to God, and if that person has less sins.
So this, theoretically tells me that I am a sinful man. Yes, I know. That was years ago.
The next happenings would be written in a bullet form, for you not to waste your time with such long paragraphs.
We ate lunch, KFC (the school provided it and brought it up to Banahaw)
We went swimming down the Banahaw footsteps. It's Sta. Lucia Falls. And the water is freezing cold!
We climbed up and down from the Banahaw stairs; 270 steps. Torture.
I bought a souvenir; a black wooden bracelet. Pretty.
We changed our clothes (from P.E Uniform to civilian; since we're going to Mall of Asia) in a coconut factory; in their bathroom. The smell of swine's
dung almost killed me.
I bought 6 pesos worth of Judge Bubble Gum. My addiction! I can't believe that Mount Banahaw had these gums. Even sari-sari stores around our subdivision didn't have Judge.
We went straight to the next and last tour - Mall of Asia (this is my 2nd time going there). On the way there: we talked about music to fight away boredom and yawning.
I bought a cap and a t-shirt at Penshoppe. The T-Shirt says: Are you
looking for Mr. Right, or Mr. Right Now? Cool.
We ate at Ice Monster. And Shakeys. Mojos. My addiction!
On our way home, my seatmates around the bus had ghost stories. And it was creepy! Yay.
That's it. I'm too lazy to write paragraphs for those things.
The trip, is unforgettable. The fact that it's my last field trip. Plus, I achieved superb and challenging things:
I had caving and went in through holes. I had trekking; crossing thin bridges, challenged with the slippery mud and the sight of an unfathomable death pit. I've been through barefoot trekking.
At last. Sleep. My body broke down, hungry for sleep.