The girl in red stilettos woke me up around three am. I grunted and she relentlessly shook me out of my sleep...time to go, she said...and I groaned knowing death march is part of the itinerary for this day. I feigned sleep, but the impending thought of having to walk for miles is keeping me awake...and yammy is not giving up...she comes back shakes me again and I woke up frowning ready to complain -- but changed my mind. I took a glimpse at her and decided she is more scared of it than I am, and to complain might push her to the edge of worry and insanity.
But the worry of having to walk for miles slowly dissipated after we slowly dragged our feet up towards our destination. Its not the climb, we both learned, that is scary, it's the things that happens to you while climbing. Liam had an epiphany of umbrellas and octopus and I was dizzy on the first part =( Chocolate and good conversation got us going. Liam and I with nothing but time on hands as we did our trek, found things to talk about...important matters and not so very important ones. We wondered about stuff like plants and somehow found ways to connect it to the wallpaper issues of our lives. The scary thought of tumbling down was drowned by laughter as we try to focus our steps because we are more scared to having to do it all over again.
This is a practice climb, the social climbers said. I call it a death march...ok a happy death march. Mt. Apo is an 8-hour climb ordeal...I don't wanna name it.
In case you are wondering what this climbing and torture is all about. Liam is heading DownSouth mag. A mag to showcase the treasures and spots of Mindanao. And for this year's first issue, she confidently chose Apo. And because Mt. Apo is not coming down to the office for a meeting, we are climbing to have a word with it.
In case you are wondering what this climbing and torture is all about. Liam is heading DownSouth mag. A mag to showcase the treasures and spots of Mindanao. And for this year's first issue, she confidently chose Apo. And because Mt. Apo is not coming down to the office for a meeting, we are climbing to have a word with it.
Social Climbers said if you cannot talk anymore while walking, it means, you are out of breath. Out of breath is not something you would not want to experience while climbing. They advised to take baby steps...long strides are more tiresome and you unknowingly uses energy that you should be saving. We also have to get a walking stick...a third leg to carry 25% of our weight. Chocolates and jelly will be our comfort food. There will be porters, they shared..and they walk through the mountains barefoot. I am sure my eyes gleamed in disbelief...but I remembered the indigenous community I encountered before in my immersions...I don't remember those guys wearing shoes either...
We reached our destination in more or less three hours. After swearing off a lot of things, I found myself staring at a sight that is breathtakingly beautiful. The water and the mountain is wonderful...and I can't imagine how beautiful it will be on Apo...especially during sunrise and sunset.
Yes, I'm tired. Yes, I was complaining. But yes, I'd do it all over again =)
Yes, I'm tired. Yes, I was complaining. But yes, I'd do it all over again =)
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| they're happy that they dont have to drag a dead body. |
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| food! |
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| liam and i are still alive |
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| social climbers |
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| social climbers |
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| down south |
3 comments:
Congrats comrade for enduring the "death march" for three hours; getting back in shape huh? Friedrich Nietzsche said in order to see the view below you must climb the peak of the mountain; from there you would see the pitiable lowly state of the "subteraennians", while imagining yourself to be one of the noble Gods.
@ rene - death march is prepping us so we climb apo easily...weeh did that over the weekend...normally it takes four days to do so...we did it in three :D
This is a modern concept for promoting a country's sceneries. People will love it this modern idea as it uses social media and modern advocacy methods. I think the Philippines can use this in promoting their tourism.
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