You want to go to where? Do you know how long that will take?
They said 2 hours.
At least 4 hours man, a 4 hour trek, and God knows how long to Pinatubo by car.
Hey man, it can't be a 4 hour trek. I was told it would be around 1 hour, and I could do that.
You'll need to wake up by 2:30AM to take the 3:00AM bus to Tarlac – stop at Capas Junction and be picked up by the 4x4.
Damn that's early... but I could do it.
Tell you what. I'll bet you that you can't get up there. Someone will have to take your picture once you get up there for proof.
Yea man, that's no problem. It can't be that hard right?
Geez, these guys don't think I can take a little jaunt up a volcano that smothered half the Philippines in ash over a decade ago.
Next day -
Damn, I'm already late. Get the hell out of my room and head for the Victory Liner terminal in Olongapo. The fuck, the Jeepney driver I got into isn't heauling ass. He's still waiting for a few more people to fill up the back seats.
I get off and trade in for another yellow jeepney - the other passengers get off also.
Was able to get on the bus to Tarlac and off we go! Zoooom! Zooom! Zoooom!
So I slept on the bus.
And I awake to find that I passed Capas Junction. Damn! Got off the bus and took a tricycle – 8 kilometers back to my destination – Mcdonalds.
So here we go! Get on the 4x4, and head off to Pinatubo. I'm gonna climb you sucka!
To say the ride to Pinatubo was mild would be a bloody lie. It was bumpy, jumpy and wet as we rode through dirt, rivers, lahar (ash), and rocky terrain. This was the fabled shortcut – through terrain that chafed your ass to the point of developing blisters in all the wrong places.
Yea boy! Finally going going to start the trek to Pinatubo! I was given a pathfinder, a ranger, a local, a guide rolled into one. Didn't talk much, probably because I didn't know Tagalog. But he knew his stuff.
We started..! And I had to quickly lean on a rock to take a rest. Damn he walks fast. Where the hell is the end? Damn this is freaking long. What's up with this bloody trail? Where the hell is the escalator?
Hu Hu Puff Hu Puff Wheeze Wheeze... Stop?! Again! I had to stop, this time I stopped at a scenic area. I took my camera and started to shoot this stone pagoda. There was a lot of these stone pagodas as we moved. My stop....That was a ruse... I wasn't going to show a local how out of shape I was, my flabby stomach and weak assed legs giving out on me. Hell no! I'm manning up!
Going to use my camera to my advantage and take photos I was planning on getting anyways.
Yea boy, I'm not taking a rest! I don't take rest, hah! I stop because I'm taking in the scenery with my camera. No excuse at all. Hell no. No sir! Not at all! Yea.... right. Delusions have a way of worming into my mind as I trudge ahead.
So yea, the sign at the parking lot said – 40 minute trek to Pinatubo. Right! 40 minutes!
Wait huh?! I just manned down, told the guide to stop.... again – can't... take... this trek... damn it's far. I should stop and turn back. Took a lot of pictures already.... damn it! I'm not going to lose that bet. Hell no.
I kept myself from asking if we're almost there. I'm not a kid at the backseat of the car asking my mom every few minutes if we're there yet.
I'm a man, and a man's gotta do what a man's gotta do!
What the? A group of European tourists just passed us by - a man, a woman and a kid. Damn!
Take your time damnit. Let me take in the scenery. The guide sees this everyday of his life. Let me take in the few hours that I have and live through the moment. Let me stop and let the environment sink into my brain and my camera. Tourists should be given the option of a slow 2-3 hour trek to take in the scenery.
The destination is only half the journey. The scenery on the way to Pinatubo is beautiful and deserves the time for people to take in – instead of looking down at the rocks as you try to avoid slipping or sliding on this rock or that wet rock.
Wha? What?! After climbing those stairs, I will see Pinatubo? Man, this better have been worth it. By this point, I'm wheezing, my legs are about to give out on me. Every few steps on the rock made stairs, I have to stop. This is getting really bad. My body that's been slaved to the office is so close to collapse over.... a 40 minute trek? I think it was closer to 2 hours to reach Pinatubo.
My eyes – they've been tasting my salty perspiration for a while now. My eye sight is getting really assed up. My glasses fogged from the salt, my camera's LCD looks shit. Everything looks hazy and underexposed. Man this is bad. I'll fix everything in post! Yea boy!
WOW Pinatubo! DAYMN! That's NICE! Shit, it was worth it to see that emerald green lake rocked by howling winds breaking its waves onto the rocks. Whoooosh!
From the lookout overlooking the lake, the winds push you hard as dirt hit your face like a billion ants stinging at your pores. It's that bad. The winds are strong up on the bluff. The is kinda funny. One moment, you don't feel it. Then all of a sudden, whoooosh! A big ice of wind blows at your direction, then it's gone. You meet silence.
Below, a small beach gives way. To the side, a pile of boats looks ready to be used by anyone. My Europeans are swimming in that clear emerald water on my right. Man they're fit. It probably took them less than 40 minutes to get to Pinatubo.
Man that's nice. The water is beautiful. I take in the sand as I lay down and listen to some jazz and blues.
I made it! Pinatubo reamed me all over my body, but I manned up! I got – you – blisters and all!
I won the damn bet! That's all that counts! I manned up, even though I have blisters all over my feet, and my ass. My muscles – all my muscles screamed at me.
I slept that night – a long beautiful sleep.
