musings

Part 2:

After a restful sleep and a satisfying crap, I woke up at 4:30am. I thought of the day ahead and TL Alvin assured me that the trek won't be as long as Day 1. In fact, they were looking for ways to lenghten the trek. I didn't move just waiting to see if anyone from the group would start organizing breakfast. Just before 5am, I heard Marvelous Neil's voice calling out to everyone to start breakfast. And because they are the Marvelous Group, no one complained! They were in high spirits. I'm so proud of them. I should request the BMC (Basic Mountaineering Course)Training Committee to erase whatever demerits they have incurred.

I got out of my tent just when the cooking started. The members started to stir. I a found spot to relieve myself and let out a few satisfying farts. Melody, Vanesa, Tey and Felix got out of their tents and the day was getting brighter. We decided to check out the view deck.

As we were walking towards the viewdeck, I started to feel uneasy because it felt like we were slowly approaching the area where I crapped. Then I saw Vanesa's spot and across her spot was my spot right smack in the middle of the trail to the view deck. Although it was covered with plants and leaves the tissue paper and wet ones could still be seen glinting in the sunlight. Everyone avoided my spot and took pictures of the amazingly beautiful view. Mau joined us and we had a batch picture with Felix as the odd man out. lol.

We had a very good breakfast of mushroom and cheese omelet, my famous tapa, coffee and lots of laughter and teasing. The trainees went to see the view. I warned them though about my spot and I blamed it on Vanesa! The logic goes like this: "since she took the right side of the trail near the tree, I had to find a spot and I saw one across from her spot. Since it was dark, I didn't know it was part of the trail to the view deck." That sounded like a good spiel. Goldilocks, bless her soul, covered it up some more with plants and leaves and wet ones to mask the odor.

So while we were breaking camp, the other groups proceeded to the view deck. As every group passed by, I started my spiel about my crap to warn them. As they came back from the viewdeck, the members had various comments on my crap. The trainees of course kept their comments to themselves. The Marvelous group though commented that our batch were not taught to dig a hole. :-(

After breaking camp, we took a group picture at the view deck. TL Alvin informed us that the book donation was to take place past the summit ot Mt. Ooteen since the school was within the area not a Tacadang as previously planned.We started our trek at 8:45am, about 45 minutes late.

We trekked down to the bridge to replenish our trail water and arrived at the Kayang Kaag walls where Dado set up a rope for support. We were delayed by an hour. As we approached the wall, we could see sitio Tacadang far up in the distance. We coould see our team climb towards Tacadang and others waving at us. We could also see men bringing down what looked like parts of a coffin. Dado was at the walls with the rope. The walls are over rated. It does look dangerous but as you actually trekked on it, its a piece of cake. We climbed up towards Tacadang and the locals brewed coffee and a peanut brew for us. The whole team was there and we were all behind by an hour. As usual, TL Alvin seemed to be unperturbed about how late the whole team was.

After 30 minutes of coffee drinking and picture taking because of the beautiful stunning views, we trekked towards the river for our lunch area. When we got to the area the whole team was there still delayed by an hour. We ate lunch and that vegetarian pasta and carbonara was simply delicious.

The trek to Mt. Ooteen (it is pronounced that way it is written)started at the river. It was another combination of Tey's Revenge at Ugu and Akiki at Pulag. Very steep 60 to 70 degree trails. There is something about X and Mt. Ooteen. Mt. Ooteen seemed to beckon to X. Lol.

Vanesa was my trekking partner up to the summit of Mt. Ooteen. As we trekked, we noticed that Calven the guide was behind us. Vanesa asked Calven why the pine trees were burned. Calven explained that the locals would burn the mountainside during the summer months so that when the rainy season arrived, the grass would grow thick and their cattle used it for grazing. As we trekked up the ridge, Vanesa commented that we've been lucky so far. Good weather and good views and good company. But she spoke too soon. Suddenly, a cold drenching rain fell. The raindrops felt like needles hitting my dainty skin. We reached the log area where we left the books under a plastic tarp. Neil was there waiting for us. We tld him to go ahead. By that time, we were within the IT. Dado pointed out the Ooteen plant. The mountain was named after the Ooteen plant. We call it the 'pitcher' plant. But Ooteen sounds better. Lol.

We encountered heavy traffic on the very steep downhill trek to the Bulalakaw trail river. Barbs was laboriously making her way down the steep stairs with Gerry and Mau assisting her. Malvin's group was behind her and I was behind Malvin's group. We waited for at least 20 minutes before we started down to the river. We got to the river about 2:30 and we replenished our trail water and took some camp water. Neil washed the cook set and finished off my left over lunch. I told Mau to go ahead with Barbs since the campsite is just 30 minutes to an hour away. Vanesa and I were at the campsite at 4pm.

I gotta hand it to the Marvelous Group. We had a very nice isolated campsite.We set up our tents and kitchen area and settled down to brew coffee and cook dinner. Lechon Kawali, vegetable curry, brownies, lemon squares was in the menu. The lemon squares and the brownies never made their appearance. And its all Goldilock's fault! I think she forgot the lemon squares and the brownies at the Victory Liner terminal. Jason though running a fever. He took a nap and some bioflu. The lechon kawali was great and so was veggie curry. But we didn't have a dessert. We drank the remaining vodka. I started the 1st of a series of craps. My stomach felt funny.

TL Alvin came around to inform us that we gotta trek down by 6. And that's when we discovered that our Marvelous group made an error. We lacked 1/2 kilo of rice. When Wency passed by for her group major, we asked her for a rice donation. We also asked TL Alvin. They charitably complied with our request.

The boys went off to join the other mini parties going on at the campsite. The girls meanwhile settled down in their tents.I went to sleep early and so did Melody and Mau. Until at about 10pm, Jason woke up from his slumber all charged up and joined the girls for their girl talk. The conversation shifted to their love lives. They were laughing and they were noisy. But their love lives were pathetic. If you anyone thinks that Eira, Goldilocks and Ane has a love life, they don't. Their past loe life was boring. It can't even qualify for a Quiapo tagalog novel award. Ane better start her love life soon because she ain't no spring chick anymore. Lol. Lol. (I'm in tears!) I decided to put an end to their misery and "tama na yan. boring ang love lives ninyo. matulog na kayo!"

I'm really proud of my Marvelous group. They were awake by 3:30am cooking breakfast and all we members had to do was get out of our tents and breakfast is served. Parang breakfast in bed but in the mountains lang.

But as usual, breaking camp was a chore. We got out of there at 6:30am and traffic again was encountered in the very steep trek down. The trek down isn't hard but it was hot. So we took very advantage of the rivers and bathe in them. We were like little children. Before the end point going towards the bridge, there is a steep cogon type area going down. I fell 3 times because it was like the Lantuyan trail in Halcon. I cut my dainty little fingers in the cogon grass. Bummer.

Vanesa and I got to the end point at 12:30. Mau, Gerry and Barbs was there so was TL Alvin, ATL Marris, Borge, 'Posh" queen Janet, Gerry, Jun Delmo, Roy etc. I took a very nice bath at the house there. I decided to teach "posh queen" a lesson in posh. I showed her that I'm using my Gianfranco Ferre posh shirt. Amen.Lol.

God I love this climb!

PART 1:

We're back from Kibungan, Benguet! It was a hard but extremely fun climb. But I'm getting ahead of myself.

I was terribly busy that Thursday. There was a thousand and one things to do at the office, at the upcoming 7th ICFC competition and a meeting with the bankers. I had to remind myself to pick up the tapa and the rhum butter cake. That's when I remembered to text Rizza (who I nicknamed Goldilocks)about the lemon squares and the brownies. Little did I know that text would be a significant event.

We left Tower 1 aboard a very nice Partas bus arranged by the 'posh' queen Janet, a trainee of B2K5. It was one of the best bus that I have ever traveled in this country. Partas has buses that seat only 28 people in reclining chaise like seats with a rest room. The Marvelous group was in high spirits and as usual, the last to arrive was Ane and Eira. mosscake was engaging in light witty banter with Goldilocks (Rizza). I started to tease Vanesa who I realize I terribly missed climbing with. Felix was wearing his trademark basketball sando that I knew would burn him to a crisp. Mau was conversing with Melody and I shared the seat with Barbs. I rested relatively well. I found out that Malvin's group did not join us and opted to take the plebian way to Baguio, a Victory Liner bus ride. Lol. The bus trip was relatively quiet with almost everyone asleep.

We got to Baguio at the Victory Liner bus terminal at about 3:30am. I gave instructions for the Marvelous group to head inside the terminal and distribute their loads. I saw Malvin and his group. I couldn't help it so I asked him "Ooi, musta na ang 'others?'" Lol.

While the group was doing their load distribution, I sauntered over to Team Leader Alvin and quizzed him some more about the trail. I didn't want my Marvelous group to night trek and I wanted them to enjoy this climb. I had a suspicion that most of the trainees in the group didn't really enjoy their 1st and 2nd training climbs. I wanted them to enjoy this climb.

TL Alvin, ATL Marris and I worked together last year in AMCI's Board of Trustees. I was President at that time, Alvin was a Trustee and Marris was the efficient Treasurer. TM Dado was from Baguio/Benguet area so he knew the locals and the mountains. I knew them quite well. So I decided to place my trust in them.

I made a decision not to pressure my group to trek fast but just to merely follow and meet the I.T. AGL Mau would lead the group with Neil, Tads, Jason following. Vanesa, Felix, Tey, Ane and Melody would trek with Eira, Rizza, Gerry and Barbs. I on the other hand will take the rear. I communicated this strategy to the group and told them to enjoy the trail. As it turns out, it was a good strategy.

TL Alvin arranged for 2 buses and a jeepney to take the team to Kibungan, a good 4 hours away traveling in rough roads. The buses were very basic. It had 5 narrow bench seats across. The seats were straight back with hardly any legroom.We left the Victory Bus terminal quite early at 4:45am. Upon reaching the La Trinidad Valley in Benguet just before hitting the toll road of the Halsema highway, we turned left to a rough road going towards Kibungan. I was seated near the door. Soon I started to doze off and everytime the bus jolted, my eyes opened and I started to get motion sickness. Before it got any worse, we had a weewee stop at town called Taba-ao. I noticed also that everytime the bus approaches a town or baranggay, the roads are concreted but the moment you leave the town, the roads become rough again. There also seems to be some sort of strict road courtesy among the locals. The roads were mostly made for one vehicle travel. We went for several kilometers before encountering another vehicle. The bus or the other vehicle would make way for each other to pass. Sometimes we would back up, sometimes the other vehicle would back up. The drivers would give each other a friendly wave when they passed each other.

20 minutes before reaching Kibungan, we heard a loud bang. We had a flat. We reached Kibungan 10 minutes behind schedule. We got down in the municipal hall. The locals were curious to see us. They don't get too much mountaineering tourists in these parts of the country. In fact, the chief of police was kinda apprehensive about us trekking through the mountains. The town is neat and tidy. Garbage seems to be non-existent. The rest rooms were clean. And for a remote town, they had PCs and internet connection!

Bajay, our head sweeper and all around AMCI guru, opted to stay behind. Apparently, his head hit the jeepney ceiling and it may have affected his back. But I couldn't help it but tease him about his old age. lol.

As we begun the trek down towards a bridge, I noticed a sign that said "keep dogs on leash" and I asked why Kuya Mar didn't put his pet dog named Boy on a leash. Lol. I couldn't help it!We trekked down to a bridge. The trek down was steep and crossing a steel suspension bridge, typical of the area, gave me the jitters. We were already an hour behind the I.T. and I was beginning to doubt my strategy. I passed by TL Alvin and a guide and TL assured us that our pace was good.

After the bridge, it was a long upward trek to Gorio's Inn, our lunch area. The upward trek was steep. Almost like the Akiki trail in Pulag or Tey's revenge in Ugu. We got to the lunch area at noon, an hour behind schedule. The team re-grouped in the lunch area. Still behind by an hour, we continued our upward trek towards Mid Rock. The Marvelous group took lots of pictures and trekked upwards with a steady pace. Not too fast, not too slow but enough to enjoy the views. We could see the municipal building in the other mountain where we came from. I was beginning to worry that we might have to night trek. So when TL Alvin passed us by, I asked him if he was confident that the last man in at the campsite would be at 5pm. Alvin says we was very confident. Hmmmm.....

Passing Mid rock, we came to a the site called Cramp Site to rest awhile and monkey for the camera. We were still in high spirits because of the beautiful views. The trail though was steep. A combination of Tey's Revenge and Akiki Trail in a never ending upward trek reminiscent of Halcon but with the views of Ugu. Actually, better views than Ugu. The Cordillera mountains all have pine forests and mossy forests but Kibungan has this fantastic walls and cliff faces with paths/trails etched into it. Fog was starting to set in. I didn't even know that we reached the West Face until TM Dado told me. He said the left side of the path was a drop down into oblivion. I couldn't see a thing so I didn't care. By the time we trekked down to Alalegbi Bridge to replenish our trail water and camp water, we were within the IT.

As we replenished our trail water, out of the corner of my eye, I saw Malvin toss a stone that was suppose to land in front of me splashing me with water. It didn't happen. It was more of a plop. So I acted as if I didn't see it. Sneakily, I picked up a large rock and when Malvin was getting water, I tossed the rock towards him and landed right smack on target splashing him with water! Success! lol.

As I trekked up to Lanagan the campsite, I passed Alexis who was having cramps. His group mates were giving him salt or salty food. I also passed Xenon and ialman who was obviously keeping the Queen Mother company. lol.

By 4:30pm, I reched the campsite. Melody suggested that we transfer the camp to better site that she saw. So I asked the Marvelous group to decamp and move to the better campsite. Neil, though didn't like it. I explained it to him that making them choose the campsite was part of their training. But experience takes over when a better campsite is selected. They should learn from the experience.

One thing nice about the Marvelous group is that you didn't have to tell them what to do. They set up the kitchen area and the tarp. They organized the cooking chores and campkeeping chores. I was worried though about Ane. She was running a fever and was asleep in her tent. Vanesa and the rest of the members gathered round the kitchen area generally just observing what the trainees were doing. Neil is a vegetarian and Mau is trying to stay away from meat. Neil and Mau cooked laing. This prompted Jason mosscake to comment "but you both eat raw pussy!" Lol. We had sinigang na baboy.

And as the coup de grace, we had one whole rhum butter cake for desert. We sang happy birdie to Neil who was celebrating his birthday. alman dropped by to bitch about his tentmates/groupmates but its better if he tells his story. Don and Boy (Kuya Mar's pet) dropped by and had a piece of rhum butter cake and baileys in hot coffee plus a shot of vodka.

I decided to turn in early because I was pooped. I didn't know if I snored but Mau and Melody will have to get used to it. It's my tent! Lol. Anyway, at about 1am, I had this funny feeling of shitting. So I left my tent and went off to find my spot. I found a perfect spot to the right of a tree but he moment I looked closer, Vanesa used that spot! So I looked across and saw a perfect spot diagonally across Vanesa's major spot. So I crapped in that spot. I covered my spot with leaves and rocks. Little did I know that spot was smack right in the middle of the trail going to the view deck.

(TO BE CONTINUED)....

tonight, mosscake, ialman and about 120 other AMCI trainees and members are off to kibungan, benguet. mosscake is in my group and i'm the head faggot of the group. i named my group, the marvelous group because we are just marvelous people. ialman is in the group of mother Xenon, the original mountaineering queen of the club. X is a nice old faggot but an evil, bitchy queen if he does not like you.

i'm excited to climb the kibungan range. it has pine forests, streams, rivers, waterfalls and fantastic views. and its not hot. i'm bringing a rhum butter cake and my famous tapa. i hope the others bring the hard liquor. we need that to keep warm. besides as head faggot, it wouldn't look nice if i molested one of them cute mountaineers.

in this climb, X will reveal his top 7 cutie guys. and the socials promises to be very gay. the theme of the socials is: musicals. mosscake likes it. i'm going to make him head director.

i like an ipod. can someone get me one for xmas? you can all chip in. lol.

i hate hip hop black ghetto fashion. they're ugly. loose jeans and now the trucker hat with bandanas inside them and angled. yuck. and it is only in this country of ours that mimicks/copies hip hop black fashion. i have nothing against african americans. but i have a bone to pick on their fashion sense. and when our youth copies them, it depresses me.

based on stats from the USA, african americans make up the bigggest group of economically disadvanteous groups. most ethnic groups by the 2nd generation have moved on to graduate into the middle classes. somehow blacks get left behind.

now we copy them. no wonder this country is a loser. other asian countries copy trends from europe. we copy hip hop. we copy poverty. no wonder we are poor. even our singers copy them. although our bands are good, we are good mimickers. our bands are xerox copies of black american music. lest i raise hackles, i'm refering to bands outside of this country.

enough of my ranting and raving... time to get my blood pressure down... lol

In a Past Life...

You Were: A Ditzy Fortune Teller. Where You Lived: Mongolia. How You Died: Hung for treason.

Just as i thought!

i'm having maid trouble. it all started last week when eric and buttercup informed me that our maid (full time with us and part-time with eric) has plans of working for us on a part time basis. it didn't sit well with me. i'm paying her 6,000 a month or 1,500 a week. that's a pretty good wage and she gets free food! but that's not the point. i need a full time maid not a part time maid.

the next day, she talked to me about it. i told her that i need a full time maid and if she was going to work part-time, she would get only 4,000 a month or 1,000 a week. she didn't mind the reduction in pay. she wants to do part time work for other people to earn more money for her 11 kids. i can't fault her for that. but i told her i need someone fulltime and if she can't work for me fulltime, i'll have to look for someone else. anyway she agreed to stay on till i found someone full time.

thats when the trouble started. i asked all 6 maids that my mother employs in her house to help me look for a maid. she must be an all around maid. she should know how to do the laundry, clean well, speak resonably passable english, know basic cooking and must be mature enough to fuck outside the house if she wants to have sex. lol. ok ok let me explain: 3 years ago, buttercup (thad) and i had a young maid. one day, thad came home and caught her having sex in the maid's quarters with her boyfriend. and that freaked us both.

anyway, nita, a maid that has been with my mom like forever recommended her friend. so i asked nita to ask her friend to come over to my house so i can interveiw her. meanwhile, our maid continues with us on a part-time basis. nita then calls me that her friend would be ready by sunday and i can interview her on sunday. and that's when i made a mistake. i couldn't get a hold of my old maid to tell her not to come in on monday because the new maid would be coming in.

monday morning found me with 2 maids in the house. so to make matters worse, i suggested that the old maid teach the new maid the work to be done. they didn't teach each other. they compared salaries and compared what i said to one maid and what i said to the other maid. in other words, it was a disaster and i lost them both.

so now i don't have a maid and buttercup hobbles with a cane around the house. i gotta find a new one soon. i'm going up to the mountains and i can't leave thad alone without a maid. not in his condition. bummer.

willy so celebrated his 46th birthday last saturday. doctony and the rest of the gang was there. the food was pedestrian great but the wine was so so. Until eric mixed a mean tequila based drink. that did it for me. i got drunk in a jiffy. i had to sober up fast since i was the driver. buttercup couln't drive because of his back.

we had a nice pre-climb meet last saturday. mosscake didn't show up. he must have been in dreamland. at least niel, the veggan in the group, found a soulmate, mau, the aspiring vegan. lol.

ialman owes me a drink. he'll pay for it in kibungan this weekend. lol.

what a busy day i had. i had to rush work because i had to take thad to the doctor for his back problem. thad walks around with a cane because of the excruciating pain in his lower back. he had an xray at the emergency room of manila doctor's hospital (i was born there before the place turned intsik!). doctony strongly suggested to buttercup to get his painful ass over to the emergency room.

i drove him there and literally acted like a mother hen (oh what love can do to you. you turn into your parents. lol). i had to wait with him for an hour at the doctor's office. that corridor was hot. i wished i brought my tintin comic book. his doc said that its mild lumbar spondylosis ek ek whatever it means. doc says that 85% gets better after 2 weeks of rest. buttercup can't go to the gym and he is in great danger to gain back all of the 15lbs that he lost.lol. i was kinda relieved because when he suffers, i suffer too. i feel his pain. (charing!)lol.

i'm a group leader at the next training climb. mosscake is in my group. the others are barbara, niel, gerry, thaddeus, rizza and eira. it's a pretty balanced group and the only person that i may have a problem with is barbara. we're going trekking to kibungan for 3 days. its not expected to be that hard and the views are fantastic. we'll also pass by part of the batad rice terraces.

i've named my group as the 'marvelous' group because they have a marvelous group leader. the only other problem is the meal planning. there are 2 people in my group that are semi/vegetarians. i guess there goes the lechon kawali and the tapa.

Current Mood: relieved
Current Music: elemental--tears for fears

From doctony blog. Correction people, 17 years pala sila. Pasenya na kayo at medyo ang mga aging beauty queens ay may failing memories na! Lol

Yesterday was Ronnie and mine's 17th year together! We actually forgot the year we met and had to go over it during dinner with some close friends to find out whether it was our 17th or 18th year. He he! We have not been celebrating together kasi Ronnie was in the US last year, and I was in Europe naman the year before. Anyway, we did not want to celebrate it with a party anymore, so we just treated our usual Tuesday dinner group, people whom we have known all those 17 years. I cooked adobong Batangas with kamyas, lechong kawali na binagoongan, and beef neck kare kare. It was fun remembering the years together, the time we fought and he left, and I hauled all of his plants to his place(mamatay sila without Ronnie!). The conversation then went to things that happened way back then in the 90's, including who slept with who and who kissed who (see cutebalddiver's latest journal entry!) I was fun kahit walang alak! Ha ha! Happy Anniversary Ronnie! Thanks for all your love and understanding!