Trekking Mt. Pinatubo

February 2009

Putting aside the mishaps of the trip..

this Pinatubo climb is a great way to start the yearlong adventure of the roadtrippers!
  
Seeing the crater of Mt. Pinatubo has always been on my list of to do's before I die. And mind you, this list is way before the movie 100 was shown....So just imagine how happy I am that this trip pushed through.

Planning the trip wasn't that hard..there were various options available for the packages that we could take. It was all a matter of choosing the cheapest package that we could afford. Here's a breakdown of our expenses per person:

Van (Manila-Capas) back and forth : Php. 423.00 (Php5,500 van all-in)

Pinatubo Spa package tour: Php. 1,500.00

(inclusive of 4x4, 2 local guides, skyway fee, lunch)

Shower Php. 100.00

________________

TOTAL: Php 2, 023

 

 

We took the shorter route to the crater (skyway), which lasted for 2 hours -- 1 hr 4x4 ride and another hr for the trek. The trek wasn't that hard. I actually had a harder time walking on the cemented stairs near the crater. However, the trek going down is a different story. We went down at noontime, just when the sun is at its peak.. so I now have sunburnt shoulders and a tank top tanline.

There were group of Aetas (minority group) living at the foot of the mountain

Upon reaching the crater, you'll immediately forget your weary feet, sweaty back, and will find yourself smiling in satisfaction. :) A glimpse of the blue-green water of the crater amidst a magnificent backdrop is definitely worth the climb.

 

We stayed at the crater for a few hours to take pictures, have brunch, and doze off. Unfortunately, herds of people came to invade our privacy. But seriously, the crowd was too much for us that we opted to leave the crater earlier than planned. I guess that's the downside of the growing popularity of the place. So for others who are planning to visit Pinatubo, make sure to go there at the earliest possible time to avoid the throngs of people.

After the tiring and sweaty trip down the mountain, we rewarded ourselves with a refreshing shower at the Pinatubo spa! wohooo! What a way to spend the weekend :)

Note: The best time to go here is during the cool season (January-February) when the color of the water is blue-green.  During the rainy season, the color of the lake is brown.


What to bring:

• sunscreen
• water
• hiking sandals
• towel
• hat
• jacket (it can get chilly at the top)
• chips for snack
• extra clothes
• sunglasses
  

Contact person:
Pinatubo Spa (Jho Mallari) - 0928 3410402

Fly high!

Clark Pampanga's annual Hot Air Balloon Fiesta is a much-awaited event for everyone, especially for photography enthusiasts. With balloons flying in the air amidst a magnificent sunrise/sunset,this event is definitely a sight to behold and a perfect photo subject.

My first Hot Air Balloon experience was 4 years ago and I can still recall how much fun I had with my friends.  It was the 11th Philippine International Hot Air Balloon Fiesta which took place on the weekend of Valentines Day.  Sadly we weren't able to witness the first take-off of the balloons because of the heavy traffic.  So for the succeeding year, we decided to get there as early as we could.  Armed with our lomo cams, digicams, and SLRs, we excitedly took a lot of shots.  The night glow take-off was also worth waiting for. 

Though the stars of the event are the hot air balloons, you'll also see different kinds  of flying objects such as skydivers, toys for the big boys and kites. 

For a meager budget of 500 per person, we were able to have an eventful weekend at Clark.  Below is a list of things that we brought for our trip:

• Php 1000 for gas
• tent, mat, pillows, umbrellas (it can get really hot come noontime)
• poi, RC helicopters and a kite for leisure
• 200-300/person for a sumptuous lunch (try Pampanga's famous delicacies)

And to give a few words that come into my mind whenever I think about this trip, they would be the following:

picture perfect scenery.

sunrise.

wind.

clouds.

giant balloons.

skydivers.

best kite in town: flying nemo

car exhibits.

beetle.

aling lucing's sisig.

picnic.

night glow.

roadtrip.

driving lessons 101

lone tree

NATURAL HIGH.