A 3-Week Trip to the Cordilleras and Guess What We Got At the End of It
To escape the piercing heat of Manila, we decided to head up-north to the Cordilleras. The sort-of plan was to kick it off by joining Alex's climbing buddies on their rock trip to Baguio, then wing it the rest of the way. How long, where and how? We didn't really know until 12 hours before we started hitting the road.
Bus rides are fun, and all that existential bus window journey bull, but it gets old after a while. When you have to schedule your days following bus trip times, it gets - for a lack of a better term - grueling for a while . So, we grabbed the chance and hitched a ride with Alex’s climbing buddies. It was 4am on a Friday that we had to leave for Baguio. A text we only got on the afternoon of the Thursday before. We knew we'd be spending at least 3 weeks traveling, but we didn't get to the packing part yet. In fact, nothing remotely close to any sort of planning until the weekend has past. So, 4am it is!
Bus rides are fun, and all that existential bus window journey bull, but it gets old after a while. When you have to schedule your days following bus trip times, it gets - for a lack of a better term - grueling for a while . So, we grabbed the chance and hitched a ride with Alex’s climbing buddies. It was 4am on a Friday that we had to leave for Baguio. A text we only got on the afternoon of the Thursday before. We knew we'd be spending at least 3 weeks traveling, but we didn't get to the packing part yet. In fact, nothing remotely close to any sort of planning until the weekend has past. So, 4am it is!
We spent the first weekend tagging along the Baguio rock trip. Since Alex's return in the Philippines, he managed to build his own group of friends (aside from my rather girly friends) and do what he loves most. And as guys would have it, it had to be more than just chatting - of course, sports. We've been hanging out with a group of really good Filipino climbers since we first hit Power Up gym in Tandang Sora.
We went to La Trinidad in Benguet and did some bouldering - or more, sleeping and general state of wimping for me. You see, when around these sporty people, you seriously doubt your own health's capacity. Don't get me wrong, I'm athletic and outdoorsy and generally able, plus I smoke a considerable lot – so you know, I do live a balanced life - yet, I still feel like a loser wimp when around these guys. Then, it came to me: it's really not that healthy to be with healthy people all the time, contrary to popular belief.
We went to La Trinidad in Benguet and did some bouldering - or more, sleeping and general state of wimping for me. You see, when around these sporty people, you seriously doubt your own health's capacity. Don't get me wrong, I'm athletic and outdoorsy and generally able, plus I smoke a considerable lot – so you know, I do live a balanced life - yet, I still feel like a loser wimp when around these guys. Then, it came to me: it's really not that healthy to be with healthy people all the time, contrary to popular belief.
Though more than the physical stamina, it's the grit - the passion, the fire, and dedication for what they love to do - that makes hanging out with these people fun. Since we started hanging out with them, I’ve been asking myself: "How about you, love?" "Where's your fire and love gotten you?"
I could change my mind about healthy people. I don't mind hanging out with this kind of healthy. This kind of healthy is contagious.
I could change my mind about healthy people. I don't mind hanging out with this kind of healthy. This kind of healthy is contagious.
After the weekend, and when the rest of the guys have left, we were all on our own – again, naturally. And the winging this starts.