Mount Palay Palay Adventure

I prayed for courage, and God gave me faith instead.

It’s 7o’clock in the morning, still got hangover. Not hangover as in “hangover” but hangover from my most amazing climbing experience (so far). I am still overwhelmed as I wrote this blog.

It was June when I first ascended Mount Palay Palay. I thought that, that climb tested my limit and that there could never be harder than that. This blog explains why.

Moving forward, this was my 6^th climb. I filed for half-day VL so I can take a nap before leaving, atleast I could get some rest. It was past 9am, all of us were in McDonalds MDC100 --- me, Lester, Emong, Jhenelle, Carrieh, Joseph and Jona. No cab everywhere, whew! There were few, but refused to go to Coastal Mall, where we could ride a bus going to Tenarte. Finally it was almost 10am when God sent us sweet, little manong who drove us all the way to Coastal Mall. Heavy traffic from Eastwood to IPI, but smooth along EDSA. It was almost 11am when we arrived in the terminal. There, Bim and other POT members were waiting for us. I was praying really hard for a smooth climb, since I got some first-timers with me, plus I consider myself as a newbie too, because it’s been a while since my last climb. I guess what I was trying to say is, I am not ready yet to do night trek, maybe next time lols! But ofcourse, I already set my friends’ expectation that we might do night trek and I must show them that I wasn’t afraid, though I am haha! I have to fake it, lols. I was confident though, because we’re with POT, plus the fact that God is with us. But I can’t hide the truth to myself that I am really afraid of the dark.

My friends finally met POT – Kuya Bim, Kuya Gaddy, Gensen, Sir Go and Glenn (hope I spelled out their names right). We got in the bus and headed off to Mount Palay Palay. My headache was killing me, I don’t know why. Of all the days, seriously headache? Ngayong pa talaga? We went to the market, bought some stuff, and then we ate lunch, and went to jump-off.

I didn’t take note of the time when we started to hike, but it was late than usual. Gensen got first, followed by us, and like before, Sir Gaddy was our sweeper. It was, again, easy at first them becoming more and more and more tiring as we go. More more fun and laughter at first, then much more fun and silence at latter. And know what? God really is a faithful God. Everything was positive --- I didn’t notice that my headache was suddenly gone, perfect weather, Jhenelle was able to view the sunset – no night trek, Carrieh realized that mountaineering is her thing, Jona loved being with us and with POT, Emong made it amidst of his pulikat (by the way, thanks to Bim who walked with Emong in the dark), and so on. I had a heart to heart talk with the gurls inside the tent while Lhez and Emong were outside, I do not know what they were doing. We enjoyed the socials as well – more more kwento. Ofcourse raffle for our 5 guests – winners are Carrieh, Jhenelle and Jona. Also, we realized that it’s not Mount Pico de Loro, it is Mount Palay Palay rather, lols! Thanks to Glenn. Bonding, happy happy happiness everywhere. It’s time to sleep. I thought that was it…. But the adventure has just begun…

inside the tent with the gurls... before socials

Wake up time was supposed to be 8o’clock, I don’t know what happened, lols. I was excited to go to summit and do the pillar. And there’s a very thick line between excited, and confident. We had breakfast then we started trekking. Mount Palay Palay summit, here we go!

Here’s the exact statement of Kuya Bim when I asked if trail going to summit is easy, “madali lang, dalawang split saka dalawang tumbling.” Okay, confidence plus one and excitement times two. The first trail was easy, but we came to the part where it seemed impossible to climb. Dry soil everywhere, I had to crawl. Well, others were crawling too, except those professional mountaineers like POT members. I was seriously afraid. But because I am me, I still continued to crawl. I had to stop for a moment to pray, I asked for courage ofcourse, and then God gave me faith. My fear wasn’t gone, but in every step, I knew God was with me. I came back to my senses when I heard Kuya Bim said, “Arby kaya mo yan, malapit kana.” I started crawling again. I felt Lhez’ hand pushing me up. That was funny but that was cool. I don’t know how others felt, but when I reached summit, I laid down and shouted. And to myself, I thanked God. I was very happy.

Joseph, Jona, Kuya Bim, Carrieh, me, Jhenelle, Lhez @summit

 

But wait, there’s more. From Mount Palay Palay summit, I could see the pillar. I could also see the rocks and "bangin" all the way. My excitement was gone, and I started to be afraid again. More more motivation from POT specially Kuya Bim, but I was firm with my answer, which is NO. So they had to go without me, Jhenelle and Lhez. Sir Gaddy stayed and didn’t give up on us. He said, “lika na, ako bahala”. I prayed again, then fear leaves my heart for a moment. Sir Glenn also kept telling us that we could do it. So I started to go down, followed by Jhenelle. I stopped and started to melt when I saw how terrible my face would become if I die there, lols. Then I heard Sir Glenn, “bumaba kana, ambaba baba nyan, itutulak kita!” That was funny. Hahaha. Courage plus one. Rocks rocks rocks, pray pray pray, I was still afraid, but I knew that God was guiding my every step. I was also praying for my friends’ safety, especially Jhenelle’s.

Sir Gaddy was with me and Jhennelle, and we were able to surpass those rocks and our fears. On the other end were Kuya Bim, Joseph, Jona and Carrieh. They saw us and they were glad that we did it amidst of fear. Then Sir Gaddy had to go first so he can prepare the rope for us. I thought that was it, but there’s this strange stone in between two big rocks, very smooth stone, in which we have to crawl on, in order for us to go to the other side. Why was it too easy for Kuya Bim, but 20 times harder for me, haha! Okay crawl crawl crawl. I looked down, then I told Kuya Bim that I was afraid. Kuya Bim said, “dito ka sakin tumingin, wag sa baba … last nato arby, duon lahat madali na”. Okay, so I believed him. I did it, whew!!!!

The trail is deceiving as per Kuya Bim, it looks impossible, but it’s not, looks hard and deadly haha, but it’s easy and safe. Okay and that goes the other way around too. This rope part looks so easy for me, but when I did it, it’s hard hahaha. Oh, “pasa” everywhere in my legs, lols. But still I did it, so as the rest of the team. It was Jona who first reached the pillar, followed by me. Lhez was on the other side of the mountain, he was waiting for us in the summit to take pictures. And … when he saw me, he clapped his hands and I smiled, I just don’t know if he saw me smile. Again, I laid down and shouted. We took photos, enjoyed the view, then we had to go back to the campsite. I wasn’t that afraid anymore of the trail going to summit, just a bit. What I was afraid of was that rail going to the campsite, that dry soil where I had to crawl. Waaaaaaaah! Tanggal poise lols. 

that was us over there on the pillar, photo taken by lhez who was at the summit

Okay, really everyone was crawling down in single pile? That was funny and I was part of it. I think I was the funniest climber there hahahaha. Kuya Gaddy had to tie me because I was really afraid to slide all the way down. I heard Carrieh shouted, “bakit may aso dyan?” And Gaddy was like, “tsu tsu tsu”. Hahaha I was laughing, but it is better safe that stuck. I think I mastered the slide technique. I used my feet to remove the little stones so my butt won’t get hurt. I literally slide down with a pack of small stones with me and the people who would go up had to cover their nose because of the sand that I caused, and I couldn’t help but really laughed out so loud. Then the trail going to campsite was easy. We rested and started to go down at around 2PM. After 3 hours and 10mins, we reached the jump off.

we had to crawl down, lols

I could say that this was my most amazing climb so far. I am happy that my friends were with me. I was happy when Carrieh told me that mountaineering is her thing, and that she just realized it when she tried it. I was happy when Jhenelle told me that she felt amazing too that she was able to surpass things that seem impossible too, and she was able to connect it to life and to God. I was happy to be with Joseph again. I was happy to finally climb with Emong. I was happy to meet new friend, Jona. I was happy when Lhez told me that he’s very proud of me. And ofcourse, I was, and I am happy because God really knows what I need, even if it’s not what I asked for. I prayed for courage, and He gave me faith.