Coz We Got High: A Weekend Getaway to Mt. Gulugod Baboy

Disclaimer: This was the first time I dared to organize and invited my friends for a fun climb. It was the first time I was able to turn my dream to share the beauty I see into a reality.

To celebrate the birthday of the two special people in our group, me and my friends decided to go somewhere all of us haven't been before. (Special thanks to our Boss who had been cool enough to approve all our VL requests. Woohoo!!!)

Mt. Gulugod Baboy or Mt. Pinagbanderahan is located at Mabini, Batangas and is considered a minor climb with difficulty of 2/9. Gulugod Baboy means 'pig's spine'; obviously, it has been named as such because of the contours and wide suface of the hills.
Gulugod Baboy had been popular for beginners and had been the top choice for fun climbs since it doesn't require much mountaineering/hiking experience.

Category: Anilao , Batangas , Mabini , Mountains , Mt. Gulugod Baboy

Chasing Baguio: A 4Day-3Night Travel Guide

How To Get There:
By Public Transpo a.k.a. Commute
Itinerary Guide:

Budget:

Budget for a 4Day-3Night-Stay in Baguio City is approximately around Php2800-Php3100.00. Other expenses will be for the taxi/FX fare while roaming around the City of Pines, food/meal purchases in the restaurants mentioned above which range from less than Php100-Php200 per meal, optional activities such as: Photo w/ the Dog (Mine’s View) Php50/4shots, Photo in Igorot costume Php10/pax (additional P10 if opt to take a picture w/ an Igorot); Rate of Strawberry Picking will depend on the price of the strawberries during the visit (rate increases if visit is made after the harvest season);

Other optional budget activities in Camp John Hay are as follows: Gutz Paintball Republic’s Zipline w/ Rappelling is for Php100.00 only. Tree Top Adventure’s Tree Drop is just for Php150.00.


Important Notes aka Friendly Reminders:

*Dont ever forget to bring jackets.
*Make sure to try the Club House in 50's Diner.
*Try the Chocolate Leche Flan in Sizzling Plate along Session Road


Category: Baguio :) , Travel Guides and Itineraries

On Chasing Crater and New Friends: Conquering Mount Pinatubo with the Pinoy Travel Bloggers

I have been dying to go to Mount Pinatubo ever since it has been opened to the public and was tagged as the newest tourist spot in our country. With my determination to settle this long-time craving, plans and itineraries have been laid out; I even tried to organize a trek to this crater last January among my friends and colleagues at work (yeah, that's how I wanted it so badly!!!). While trying to squeeze my brain and pocket for even daring to organize a major trip for the first time, an unexpected invite from my fellow travel blogger Robx of Travelingdork.com surprised me and made me do some cartwheels and a little dancing.

Hmmm... Tell me who's not gonna be happy? It was an invite for a Mount Pinatubo Experience together with the other Pinoy Travel Bloggers! Whoohoo! I tell you, That's worth dancing for. :) Not to mention, one of my idol in travel blogging and photography, Dong Ho was one of the organizers. Then that's another thing to celebrate on.

POINKS! What was that again??? I'll be with the Pinoy Travel Bloggers
As in seriously???!
My non-stop dance for joy and excitement toned down a bit when details started to sink in. It will be my first time to go on a trip with these famous people in travel blogging. I got scared really. What if I dont have enough english words in my backpack? What if they're too famous, they're not gonna like me? What if they're too bigtimes, they only use The North Face backpacks? Yeah, that was the time I realized, I'm doomed.

Category: Mt. Pinatubo , Pampanga* , Travel-Up

10 Rules to Win a Traveler's Heart: A Confession of a Hopeless Romantic, No More

I've been trying to write about love for 3 weeks now. (Seems like everyone needs to be mushy and all every February, so I tried to give in) But I don't know why, I am lost for words when it comes to matters of the heart.

To be honest, I am supposed to be writing why people should date a traveler. I had a hard time, swear! I tried to read some good romantic articles so that at least I'll be inspired and convince people to date me, I mean, a traveler. But it was an epic fail. Maybe, I just need to write about what's going on inside my heart.

Not all travelers want a date anyways.

The following is my one-on-one interview with my 'busilak' heart. Please read, it's her first time to talk after almost a year. (Well, I hid her inside my cabinet so no one can touch and break her again; I took her out just for 10 mins) :)

10 Rules to Win a Traveler's Heart

1. Don't ask her to be feminine and be on the sexiest clothes. She'll be cold dead if she'll do that.
She just cant wear your favorite lingerie while she's on top... of a mountain. Understand.

Category: PTB Blog Carnival

I LEFT MY HEART in BAGUIO:Your 2012 Travel Guide to Summer Capital of the Philippines

"There are places I remember
All my life, though some have changed
Some forever not for better
Some have gone and some remain
All these places have their moments
With lovers and friends I still can recall
Some are dead and some are living
In my life, I've loved them all..."

Hmmm... I have been to Baguio for a couple of times now... maybe, for quite some time, it had been a place I don't even dare to think of revisiting. This 2012, I want it to be a different year, a happier one, so when my friends invited me to join them in their Baguio Trip, I'm just cool with the idea. Though I know that I have visited the must-see's in this small city, I gave them a nod and pack stuff good for 4days and 3nights.

Where To Stay:

Category: 50's Diner , Baguio :)

SURVIVING MT. PULAG: A 1st Timer's Guide to SURVIVAL

Disclaimer: I am not a mountaineer nor a certified hiker/backpacker, but I know there's a lot of people who wants to go to Mt. Pulag. So, here's the share of a first timer for the first-timers. Take note, it's a DIY Trip. (Im not really into packages nor tours; Li Belizario of Sablay Mountaineering Group organized this).

F.Y.I.
Mt. Pulag is the 3rd highest mountain in the Philippines. It is located within the municipalities of Baguias, Kabayan, and Bokod in Benguet; Tinoc in Ifugao and Kayapa in Nueva Vizcaya. It seats at 2,922 meters above sea level.

WHAT TO WEAR:
Since it's my first time to climb, I really bombarded my friend with a lot of questions on what to wear and must-haves. I'm not really into anything cold so going up somewhere with below 0 degrees temp is a matter of life and death for me. Yeah, call me OA! But Im just like anyone who's afraid to die. Hehe

For the outfit/attire, it can be categorized into 5: Ascend(from Manila-Baguio-Benguet-Campsite), Campsite(from camping to sleeping time), Summit(early morning ascend to the peak of Mount Pulag), Descend(trekking from Campsite to Ranger Station), and Travel(from Ranger Station-Baguio-Manila).

Ascend: Dri-fit Shirts, Shorts, Tights, Leggings
Campsite: Definitely thicker clothing than what you had during the ascend. Jackets, warmers, pants
Summit: Jackets, warmers, pants, bonnets, windbreakers, handgloves
Descend: Dri-fit Shirts, Shorts, Tights, Leggings
Travel: Any comfortable clothes :) Weeee!

Category: Benguet , Mountains , Mt. Pulag

Chasing Philippines' Top 11 Destinations for 2011

Weeheehoo!!! 13 hours and 12 minutes left before 2012. Here I am, cramming to start my post about my 2011 Travels; just then I realized, I haven't traveled much this year. And again it was because of my decision to hibernate (yes, it was MY DECISION). I gone too busy mending my broken heart, I almost thought of deleting this blog and create a new one which I would call www.chasingmyex.com. Haha just kidding.

Of Escaping, Falling Apart, and Chasing HappinessI love traveling and I have high respect for it. I promised myself ever since that I would not treat it as how most people see it. BUT, I'm sorry. I'M GUILTY. To be honest, I gone traveling this 2011 to escape from loneliness, from reality... from pain.

Probably, this had been my motto for this year..."Everytime you get frustrated and feel that you're not going anywhere, consider this globe called earth that we are all riding on." - Anonymous
Well, that's enough, everything happens for a reason, of course.

The following are my 2011 favorites:


1. TRICK ART MUSEUM

Category: 2011 , Balicasag Island , Bohol , Caleruega , Cavinti , Cebu , Danao , Edge Coaster Ride , Malabon , Manila , Mt. Pulag , Pagsanjan , Skywalk Extreme , The Plunge , Virgin Island