"Pinatubo"

A few hours trip from Manila, at the heart of Luzon lies Mt Pinatubo. Surrounded by a wasteland of ash and stone, the once majestic mountain now hosts one of the country’s most unique adventures – a journey definitely for the scene-seeking enthusiast.

We began our trip at 3 am in Ortigas, where a group of more than 30 people converged. We left for Tarlac and arrived a little after 5:30 am. It was here that the real adventure started. We boarded a 4x4 buggy that took us through the lahar-ridden plains of Tarlac. The ride was bumpy yet exhilarating as we made our way through the trenches. We felt a soft cool breeze blow while the majestic sun peaked from behind the mountains facing us. This was an unexpected discovery. Who would have thought, that a valley once plagued by a disastrous occurence could boast such a picturesque setting?  We met the children of local Aetas playing in the mounds offering bananas to the tourists that would come their way.  We saw mountains and mountains of lahar and were crossing rivers to get to our destination. After 2 hours of driving, we finally stopped in the middle of nowhere. Our guide nudged us to get our gear as we would be starting the long hike to the mouth of the volcano – the crater.

The adventure was only halfway through as we started our ascent to the crater. The trail was not as steep as expected so it is relatively friendly for first timers like me. We traversed the dusty plains and shallow streams. Rubber shoes definitely aid the rocky hike. The locals were  kind enough to build rest points made of bamboo and nipa to offer a shade from the sun, which at this point was already high enough to cause sunburn. It took us a little less than 2 hours to reach the crater peak that greeted us with a breathtaking spectacle - an ash-topped mountain range that fenced a clear turquoise lake. What a sight! 

We spent a good 2 hours just marvelling at the wonder, not to mention resting our weary legs. We were no longer allowed to swim since we were warned of some unfortunate incidents that could happen to us in the 2,000-foot lake (which incidentally is the deepest lake in the Philippines). I saw quite a few people trying to catch a short siesta under the shade, so we decided to stretch our legs and do the same. It really did not take much effort, we dozed of quite easily, exhausted from the trek.

When we awoke, we were re-energized for the trip back. The sun was hot at this time since it was just a little after noon, but we had to head back if we were to meet the schedule of the tour group. It took us a total of 4 hours to head back down to base camp. We even managed to squeeze in cold halo-halo at the local sari-sari store just to reward ourselves for surviving the trek. Everyone was asleep on the way home – exhausted yet satisfied.

Like any adventure, Pinatubo brought its share of experiences and insight. It allowed us to see the Philippines in a whole new light, beyond the green foliage and sandy beaches more often associated to our country. And as cheesy as it may sound, it allowed us to grow, even just a little bit. After all, that’s what "Pinatubo" means.