As usual, I am again invited by my bestfriend Ms. Dianne Dalit to go with her in their trip to Mt. Apo. Knowing nothing but the simplicity of the fact that it is the highest point in the nation, I didn’t hesitate for a second. Well, the decision was a little bit not in the right track, but because of the exciting idea of climbing the highest peak in the Philippines, all doubts vanished. So let the journey begins!
April 11, 2009 First Stop: Digos City, Food Preparation Kapatagan, Davao del Sur... Start of the long walk Night: Stayed in a sub camp
April 12, 2009 Second Stop: Camp 1 from 8:00 am – 4:00 pm Third Stop: Camp 2 from 5:00 pm – 9:00 pm stayed for the night
April 13, 2009 Third Stop: Mt. Apo Peak but before the exciting though of it, I can’t imagine how I manage to be alive after all the horrifying stunts I ever did.... we went to visit the rocky path to the sulfur site of the mountain, now I know why there is a visible smoke present in the mountain.. (it creates a spoiled smell) the hard track was starting to get on my nerves, I was not used on climbing with so much difficulty. The only thing that I can hold was roots and stones, having faith in that stones were not so easy for me. It went on how several hours, and then the most terrifying sight I ever seen, There was no more green things on the scene I was looking up to, from bottom to the top of my sight. It was all big rocks, bare and dead! It took almost 5 hours to finish the boulders. I was on the verge of giving up that I was willing to be left behind and die behind those big rocks, I was numb all over and all my muscles aches and if they can only speak, they are cursing me to be on that spot. Yet, it was useless being left in that spot, so I went on with the help of my friend Chengy (Jake and Dianne were walking far passed us.) I thought, the boulders would be the shocking track, yet there I was, looking at a wall almost creating a straight line, yet in a vertical manner. When we started to climb, I was hopeful that we were almost there. Jakey was always talking about 87, I was then curios what it was, then I know it wasn’t a place but the degree of elevation of the wall. I was trying to absorb the thought of climbing an 87 degree wall, without any rope, foam bed at the bottom and the bothering load in our back. Up there, sticking to that wall and gripping to the stones with my life, I was crying. It was like I was to die any time. Looking at the bottom, I know I will be crushed into pieces. After almost 2 hours, we were finally in the crater. It was splendid. Another hour of walking that we finally arrived at the camp site. It was raining hard, yet we were able to pitch our tents. It was so cold, but because of the exhaustion, we slept like pigs.
April 14, 2009 In this day, we enjoyed the view, it was really awesome since I can see almost all the provinces in Mindanao (well, not really...hehehe) but I was able to identify, Digos City, Davao, Kidapawan, South Cotabato, Bukidnon and many others.
April 15, 2009 Time to go home, we walk for the whole day, from 8:00 am – 10 pm. (We were lost in our way, because the batteries went dead. I was crying because I need to go home for my graduation would be the following day. )
April 16, 2009 My graduation Day! But where I am? Thinking of how am I gonna be in my graduation since I am still in the mountainous place of Kapatagan. Yet, God is still good, for it came quite good. (I’m ALIVE and I went to Mt. APO)
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