Araw ng Kagitingan!

(Photo credits: Icoy Mercado, Chrome Mojica and Pogs Manalili)

LONG WEEKEND......what to do? where to go? typical thoughts running given that two words =)
and it won't take long to think where and who to go with.....there's a lot of places to go, plus i have my constant companion...my gala buddies

and so here I am...walking along the beach of Laiya and Hugom to climb Mt. Daguldol for the second time with new sets of companion

Icoy and Sheila, Icoy's first, Sheila's second

there's Bing (first timer)...so tired but she made it to the top =)

then Chrome and Pogs first time also

after about 48 rests =)

and another rest.....

we reached the camp site..usually it will take you 4 hours (maximum including rest) to hike Daguldol but we're raising the lead....we did it for 7 hours (awesome)

we did it on purpose, since it's our second time we told them that we'll take it slow...we'll enjoy the view, the company of each one and we just need some light enough to pitch our tent and prepare dinner (lusot na ba?)

and just some going around for sunset watching....
then after dinner we had socials according to our itinerary/program (prepared by Sheila) so we had ghost stories c/o Chrome, star gazing and identifying the constellation and also eavesdropping to our neighbor's stories (we didn't hear much just their mountain climbing stories), lights off at 9PM

good morning Daguldol....so happy to see fogs everywhere....WOW =)

meet the Magigitings hehe: Bing, me, Sheila, Chrome, Pogs and Icoy....time to explore Daguldol

this is the biggest camp site, they call Anahawan...golf course like and highest point of Daguldol where you can have the glimpse of Mindoro and Marinduque

along the trail you can see a good view of the sea...

a lot of rest areas like this

our holiday is not yet over =) heading for the beach....rest awhile then dip into the blue sea before we finally say it's over =)

Mt. Daguldol Hike

I love this trip! Oh well! I always say that in all my trips, so it's not new. But this one, I like this coz this is a combination of hike and swim, the mountain and the beach together in one trip. Nice no!?

IRRI pipz packed their bags, drove their cars (oh well those that have cars only) and go on a weekend away in Laiya but not the typical Laiya beach weekend, we level up a bit. We climbed Mt. Daguldol and beach after, that is the following day.

all set for a half day hike, easy climb according to the website we visited, let me see if that's correct .... from this parking space you need to register and pay for the guides fee and the some sort of entrance to the camp site because it's a private mountain...dunno how or why but that's what they said, anyways .... we pay, can't be sure but i think we paid P30 per head

start of trek, nice! beach area...you'll pass by La Luz resort and climb the rocky area to get to this rocky part =P

after the beach trek we pass by a sari-sari store and rest/drink/cr break before proceeding

after the sari-sari store, no more community on our way...just greens greeting us

Marie from France exchange greetings with this big leaf

another soft drinks break

Jill from Scotland posing before the Daguldol orchids, both a lovely sight

a monkey, another company aside from the greens and orchids

moving up up and up some more

you call this an easy climb? tell it to the marines =)

the last store before going up....they offer halo-halo and fresh buko

then up again

yahooooooo almost there, just a little bit more

first to reach the camping site were May and Paul

after a little rest, we put up our house for the night

then we go around the place and found another camp site, bigger than our camp site but a bit far from the water source

from the big camp site you can see this awesome view of the beach

enjoying some more the big camp site before going back

dinner time

1-2-3 pass after dinner, the Filipino rule over the French in this game

then party using our mobile phones as disco lights and sounds

sunrise greeting us with a new day =)

preparing for breakfast were Tiny and Litel

the hikers posing one more time in our camp site

there's a sign you can see while you trek Daguldol that says "Don't change the mountain, let the mountain change you" and for sure this hike changed us....