1, 2, ... 10 JUMP!

On my third time to the incredible place up north we all call Sagada, I finally had the guts to take that 20 feet plunge. My goolay! I'm not a good swimmer at all, but the thought of falling on a 17 feet deep basin didn't scare me at all kasi alam kong aangat at aangat ako and from there I'll paddle like hell na lang. What scared the shit out of me was what I saw while peering down. Where I stood, down below seems awfully far, mataas ang 20-foot drop ha.

Kailangan ng maraming lakas ng loob para iangat ang paa mo at tumalon. If you're on the top and about to do it, I swear you will hesitate on your first try. Or your second, and third and so on. But of course, if you have a bunch of friends urging and cheering you on - telling you that you can do it - it lessens the scare factor. At sa mga pagkakataong ito nagpapasalamat ako that we Filipinos have the "bahala na" factor to guide us in every decision-making tasks we need to accomplish haha.

Thank you Bathala for that thrilling experience. Thank You we all came out alive with no fatalities at all. I did it thrice! Though the first 2 was from the shorter drop. The coldness of the water is nothing once you hit it. I suggest you do the same if you find yourself in Bokkong Falls, in Sagada.

Priceless experience.

Cordillera Soul Searching

When I look back at it, funny how I have to experience first five days of social detachment before I can figure out that I don't need certain things in my life, that I can live with less cyberspace clutter and that I need to get my act together to finally move on to much important and better purpose in life. I've been stalling for more than 2 months now when I seriously need to get my shit together and find a decent job to feed my own mouth.

I was pretty much determined to do the latter but first I have to get away. Originally I planned on going alone but had second thoughts, I've spent quite a lot of alone time the past few days I might break down and cry when I get to my supposed destination so I might as well ask some confused souls in my sojourn. And that's how we three ended up being together. Unemployed people unite!

Batad Rice Terraces, Me in NFA-Aguian View deck of Banaue Rice Terraces, Me, Claire and Mick at King's Curtain, Sumaging, Cave in Sagada and a spankin' new PNB in Bontoc, Mt. Province.

Thank you Mick and Claire for coming with me in this travel adventure, our mutual employment status made this trip possible. At least the money went to something relevant right? ;)

Tappiya Falls at Brgy. Batad, the bus we took from Banaue to Bontoc, Bokong Falls in Sagada and the three traveler's baggages

I would forever remain in awe of the great Cordillera mountains no matter how many times I've been in it. Actually, there's still so much land to see, Cordillera is so vast it would take an entire lifetime to explore it all. And I don't think I have an entire lifetime dedicated only for it but at least I've been there twice already. NOIIIICE! I will see you again, soon.

And oh, I found my soul. It was still there somewhere. Bruised but perfectly intact. I hope it has been refreshed as what I intended it to be in the first place.