Showing posts with label milestones. Show all posts
Showing posts with label milestones. Show all posts
Monday, April 30, 2012
Virtually Unfolded
Having an online work would also mean running in circle of virtual friends, and that’s what I have since the past year that I have gone full blast in this so-called the web life. Having considered with you the question of what kind of personas dominate the zone, they are varied in sizes, smiles, words and all but I would say it matters not and to some degree it does. The only thing that matters the most is how fast and accurate you could type to make the conversation flowing and interesting. You see, the backbone of a person’s character cannot be well defined in the virtual community, because handshakes can be just graphically done through the emoticons and laughing out loud can be just a simple LOL. Sometimes, the web jargon can easily be interpreted as all hype, no emotions, no bonds, no real friendships. The language spoken has its own interpretation and meaning, just like the twittering or warbling of a bird, very distinct and very different. Some say that virtual is well just virtual….it is just surreal! But in my case, that’s far from the truth. I did form friendships…and a close one at that. And if you ask me if it is worth the faded keyboard and the calloused palm base, I would answer YES outright without a doubt!
To this day, I am still a firm believer of the word “fate”. That fate comes in different packages, may it be small or gigantic, the experiences that you will encounter in life is your destiny and that you don’t only follow it but you also own it. You life is already packaged exactly the way you steer it and it is up to you to upgrade it or to leave it the way it is. And for some reason, I am one who pursues hard to see what’s behind the gesture of a small talk or kindness. I see people as unique creation other than my own and I treat friendships as wonderful treasures, including the ones I just formed. That is why I don’t let an opportunity pass by to get to meet in person the very people that keep me sane and insane at the same time amidst the call of la la la land when I am burning hours to finish work online. These are the very people that run in my virtual world and later dwell permanently in my real world.
I have met and fathomed many personalities all throughout my existence, most of them stayed beyond years unthinkable, and some of them chose the life without me…but for those who stayed and have put up with me, I thank them beyond the word of gratuity. I am proud to have them…and in this very rare case of having a virtual world, I have extra special words for them.
Unfolded before my very eyes is the subtle yet felt way of caring of Isabelle or Diwa as we fondly call her. She may filter much of her personal information but readily opens up when given the opportunity. We act as shock absorbers to each other, I could rant my heart out to her and vice versa. But in between those pouring out moments we know our relationship is not only confined to the face of the screen in front of us. I treat her as my younger sister though most of the time I act the other way around as she could just give me those timely advises I desperately need. That’s Diwa for me, the pretty little girl who drive s a pretty little car.
Next closest to my heart is Glen, my virtual “lolo”, the solo backpacker from Davao cum Afghan war remnant cum HR specialist. I just started having conversation with him about work and ended having a lot of LOL moments. I like chatting with him as we can express ourselves in our native dialect, it makes the scandal more scandalous and gossips much magnified. There was never a day that we didn’t get to talk about the candidates, the funny messages or irritating messages we get from them and what not? Then when we are both satisfied with our work output, we celebrate it with NAICHA! That’s Glenn for me, the only person who took my tantrums as just a girl thingy!
The first person I met first among my virtual family is Claire, the small, poetic girl from Davao who takes HR job so seriously that when her candidates fall short of the score threshold, she would die a little bit inside. She gave me another perspective when it comes to writing, she writes more sense than me, but I interject another facet of reality to her protected life that made us good friends even if she already left the recruitment team. That’s Claire for me, the girl who still believes in the sincerity of sending Christmas cards through snail mail.
Next person I had a chance to know more is Jo, my inviter buddy. She believes in toeing the line all the time. She never strayed from what is the norm and though we do see things differently, we always agree to give the best output as a team and that made things easy for us. After 3 small cups of Starbucks refillable water and a tall glass of iced tea, I got to learn the other side of Jo, and that is our similarities in our single blessedness. That is Jo for me, the woman who prefers fresh air from the farm rather than the excruciating heat in the city.
The one guy who I don’t talk much on chat but got to know in person is Kyle. He looked more mature in his picture than in person, and I am glad I saw that in him as I would forever wonder if we are of the same age just basing my opinion on the virtual things I see. I admire him for helping himself take out the bad habit of smoking from his system. I hope I can use him as my model to do the same. Funny thing is when he was smoking his e-cig inside the coffee shop, my foot was raring to kick his ass off because of envy, good thing they agreed to go out to give me the chance to smoke real filtered cigarettes. Oh for now, I prefer the odd taste of my Marlboro reds. That’s Kyle for me, the baby in the family but has the same habits as his older virtual sibs.
Next guy I took the chance to meet in person is Bingo, but I prefer calling him by his real name: Modesto. Given the fact that he is half Korean and half Filipino, I would like to see him more Filipino in his ways and calling him Modesto would sound more nationalistic, right? Bingo is one recruitment team member who gives sunshiny thoughts to your gloomy morning when he would paste senseless but thoughtful messages in the chatroom. Whatever you tell him to do, he would readily say yes although it doesn’t mean he would do it right away. I had the privilege to stamp a milestone achievement to my life when he introduced me to Korean drink SOJU. It tested my alcohol intake capacity and when I was already seeing doubles, he was gracious enough to take me to the nearest Starbucks. Thanks to him for bringing me to that Korean bar which name he cant remember even if he always frequented the place. That’s Bingo for me, unpredictable and loud yet funny and sensible inside.
The last person I am going to talk about is our Recruitment Team Manager Angel who acts as a glue that holds us strong as a sourcing department. She speaks impeccable English, very polished and very fluent. I admire her for handling us all with grace though sometimes we don’t know if we should befriend her or just plainly fear her. When I met her in person, I realized that I could just be myself with her, and that I could talk about things the way HUMAN BEINGS do. Not only that she gave us the chance to have a time to bond with each other, she also shared part of her with us openly and that is one precious memory I would always cherish about her. That’s Angel for me, fierce yet friendly.
In this life, the opportunities you have to be a friend to someone else will always be there. It could happen while in line in a grocery store or while having your hair done in a parlor. Take those chances, because the life you share with other people is the testimony of the life you have lived. In every person that you touch base with, you will always have something you can teach or learn. Friendship is just like any other relationship, you need to keep it constantly nurtured so it would grow healthy and sound along with your character and outlook in life. I am thankful that even if my life revolves around the virtual world, I do still have opened doors to make friends, and the people I mention above are just few of them. One friend of mine commented that since I became full time with my online job I became anti-social, he just doesn’t know that the party never ends in the virtual world. Pizza and beer can be ordered in just few clicks and laughs can be rolling over the floor or just simply laughing out loud.
That’s my virtual family for me, seems like just an imagination but so REAL to me!
Monday, October 24, 2011
CONTEMPLATION: The Workaholic in ME!
Wow, this is actually my first night in two weeks straight that I can retire early ( if you can say that 1220am is still early). I got this new contract on my online job that keeps me awake all night just to hit the required quota per week. And mind you, its quite a challenging one. Not because the task is so, but because the process is tedious and time-consuming. I work even on my off hours, but hey, I aint complaining. It is extra money for me, and I believe I can juggle my time between my daytime job, my son, my apartment duties and this one. Oh, not to mention the household chores and time to take a bath. Hahahaha!!
Seriously though, I accepted this contract because I feel the need to save for my plans next year. Hmmmmmm..in one of my contemplation moments, it got me to this point where I miss my love for travel. I traveled heavily the past years and it stopped when one financial crisis led to another. My savings were used up and there are still bills to pay. So I thought of a way to help myself. I found this one to be a good solution. I can put my internet connection to good use finally than just hitting FB and Twitter.
Right now, I am under contract with 3 employers for my online job. I write, I tweet and I recruit. Yeah, how do you think I can manage all that? Well, I spend my first waking hour checking my emails for my recruiting job, sort them out and once done I head to my office ( After having a good bath..got you!)
At the office, I dont work much for my online job out of respect to my company, although I still check my emails...to continue sorting them so that when I get home, it is already organized. My tweeting job takes around 2.5 hours to complete for 5 accounts and letting TweetAttacks run by itself. As soon as I am home, I start making invites. That's when I dont keep track of the time anymore as I have to aim for 250 invites a day. It sounds easy really, but the process is the one lagging me. The exact process is this: I check my pipeline assignment, read the description and find a good candidate based on the qualifications specified. When I find my candidate, I paste the permalink to the Inviter Tool and see if he/she has been previously invited or not. If so, I skip that and find another one. If the prospect can be invited, I have to send an invitation letter with the job description attached. Once the candidate accepts the invitation, I then send an offer for Testing. In between that, I have to check my emails for replies and declines. I have to reply to the queries which some of them are really so senseless, so there are times I curse myself for ever finding that candidate...( shhhh...*wink*). Once the candidate accepts the offer for testing phase, I have to put them into the tracker with their details so that the closer can handle them from then on. That is supposed to be the last step of my responsibilities, but I have to continue to process the other invites, imagine how many candidates I have to get into the tracker everyday? Can you even begin to imagine?
I do not accept a job that i know I cant deliver for. So to make sure I hit the quota, I put in extra hours to process them fully. So far, my eyebags are 5 kilos heavier...I dont know the week after this, so wish me luck!!! Now your question is, is it worth it? Well, I am not really a day person, so spending sleepless nights is okay with me, what I fear is that my body might surrender more than the mind can take. And of course, the extra income is a nice welcome to my pocket. It is like having a 100% raise with my current regular job, so again, I aint complaining!
My plans? I want to travel outside the country!!! I want to see long lost friends, relatives and the places I got to know through my readings. Touching base is always important to me, and how could I ever materialize that plan if I aint got dough to start with?? So, the workaholic in me is pumping energy out of my breath just to fulfill that. Dont forget that I have a son who wants to tag along..so actually Im saving for two!! But I promised him, only one out-of-the -country travel per year for us. God help me!!
I could say that I did fairly well for the 2 weeks that passed...hah, with the heavy eyebags now, I think I do not only deserve a pat on my back but a standing ovation as well!! One friend of mine told me that I am becoming so anti-social because my routine is now home-office-home.....and in front of the computer all the time!! I guess, its partly true. But in time, I would learn the ropes of inviting in the most efficient way and maybe could spare my weekends again to myself!!
My contemplation is this, to earn money is tough, to do the process is even tougher, so guys love your job. Dont complain the long hours required by your bosses for the same salary you get, instead be thankful that you have paydays to wait for. Dont complain for being tired, instead be thankful that you got tired because you worked, not because you looked for one.
When I feel like giving up, I just listen to my fave songs, and right away it gives me the urge to sing along....( you thought this was another hey guys line...;-). Seriously again, I am thankful that I can use my resources to earn money..and extra at that. So why complain??
But for now, I really got to sleep as my body is telling me to do so. Hey, I aint complaining..the spirit is willing but the flesh is weak..so please understand!
Have a good week ahead all of you!!
Seriously though, I accepted this contract because I feel the need to save for my plans next year. Hmmmmmm..in one of my contemplation moments, it got me to this point where I miss my love for travel. I traveled heavily the past years and it stopped when one financial crisis led to another. My savings were used up and there are still bills to pay. So I thought of a way to help myself. I found this one to be a good solution. I can put my internet connection to good use finally than just hitting FB and Twitter.
Right now, I am under contract with 3 employers for my online job. I write, I tweet and I recruit. Yeah, how do you think I can manage all that? Well, I spend my first waking hour checking my emails for my recruiting job, sort them out and once done I head to my office ( After having a good bath..got you!)
At the office, I dont work much for my online job out of respect to my company, although I still check my emails...to continue sorting them so that when I get home, it is already organized. My tweeting job takes around 2.5 hours to complete for 5 accounts and letting TweetAttacks run by itself. As soon as I am home, I start making invites. That's when I dont keep track of the time anymore as I have to aim for 250 invites a day. It sounds easy really, but the process is the one lagging me. The exact process is this: I check my pipeline assignment, read the description and find a good candidate based on the qualifications specified. When I find my candidate, I paste the permalink to the Inviter Tool and see if he/she has been previously invited or not. If so, I skip that and find another one. If the prospect can be invited, I have to send an invitation letter with the job description attached. Once the candidate accepts the invitation, I then send an offer for Testing. In between that, I have to check my emails for replies and declines. I have to reply to the queries which some of them are really so senseless, so there are times I curse myself for ever finding that candidate...( shhhh...*wink*). Once the candidate accepts the offer for testing phase, I have to put them into the tracker with their details so that the closer can handle them from then on. That is supposed to be the last step of my responsibilities, but I have to continue to process the other invites, imagine how many candidates I have to get into the tracker everyday? Can you even begin to imagine?
I do not accept a job that i know I cant deliver for. So to make sure I hit the quota, I put in extra hours to process them fully. So far, my eyebags are 5 kilos heavier...I dont know the week after this, so wish me luck!!! Now your question is, is it worth it? Well, I am not really a day person, so spending sleepless nights is okay with me, what I fear is that my body might surrender more than the mind can take. And of course, the extra income is a nice welcome to my pocket. It is like having a 100% raise with my current regular job, so again, I aint complaining!
My plans? I want to travel outside the country!!! I want to see long lost friends, relatives and the places I got to know through my readings. Touching base is always important to me, and how could I ever materialize that plan if I aint got dough to start with?? So, the workaholic in me is pumping energy out of my breath just to fulfill that. Dont forget that I have a son who wants to tag along..so actually Im saving for two!! But I promised him, only one out-of-the -country travel per year for us. God help me!!
I could say that I did fairly well for the 2 weeks that passed...hah, with the heavy eyebags now, I think I do not only deserve a pat on my back but a standing ovation as well!! One friend of mine told me that I am becoming so anti-social because my routine is now home-office-home.....and in front of the computer all the time!! I guess, its partly true. But in time, I would learn the ropes of inviting in the most efficient way and maybe could spare my weekends again to myself!!
My contemplation is this, to earn money is tough, to do the process is even tougher, so guys love your job. Dont complain the long hours required by your bosses for the same salary you get, instead be thankful that you have paydays to wait for. Dont complain for being tired, instead be thankful that you got tired because you worked, not because you looked for one.
When I feel like giving up, I just listen to my fave songs, and right away it gives me the urge to sing along....( you thought this was another hey guys line...;-). Seriously again, I am thankful that I can use my resources to earn money..and extra at that. So why complain??
But for now, I really got to sleep as my body is telling me to do so. Hey, I aint complaining..the spirit is willing but the flesh is weak..so please understand!
Have a good week ahead all of you!!
Thursday, September 15, 2011
The THIN Line
When your lies become the very core of your reasoning power, eventually you will get lost along the way. When the lies are starting to get exposed, there is no stopping it anymore. And then it becomes really scary.....and worst part is....you cant see the thin line between the lies and the truth anymore.
I have just discovered a hay full of lies that I cant even find a single strand of truth within it. Its really a pity to know a person could web so much lies just to survive...especially if that person is the one you give your trust wholeheartedly.
Call it whatever you want...deceit, hoax, scam, fraud...whatever it may be, it feels the same....it hurts and it is painful. Really PAINFUL. I would have wallowed in self-pity with the betrayal but then I have realized that I cant be crashed down by those lies, instead I used them to help myself set the road ahead and rise above it!
It was one lesson learned, but hey, I love to learn, even if it was hard. I am still thankful that I have known about it before it could drown me. And now Im relieved, there is no other great feeling than being liberated from it.
I may have lost one person that I thought matched the feelings that I had, but then, I would not run after someone who just showed me what a pathetic life he has. If I went on with it, I would have been as pathetic as he is...so never mind my crying at nights, never mind the feeling of emptiness whenever a sweet memory strikes, never mind the little gestures of love I miss....for all I know, they were all part of the LIES.
Life surprises us with different packages...I got one huge package of LIES...but its okay, as long as I can give the opposite of what I received. It will not change the way I am nor the way I see LOVE...shit happens, and if it does, you just need to clean it up and wash them away...no big deal!
Well, Im on the road to recovery now...leaving one lie after the other...I am confident that before I hit the intersection, all lies are forgotten...and so the man who caused it. Once I reach the crossroads, I know the thin line of truth will be clearly visible..Have a great weekend everyone!
I have just discovered a hay full of lies that I cant even find a single strand of truth within it. Its really a pity to know a person could web so much lies just to survive...especially if that person is the one you give your trust wholeheartedly.
Call it whatever you want...deceit, hoax, scam, fraud...whatever it may be, it feels the same....it hurts and it is painful. Really PAINFUL. I would have wallowed in self-pity with the betrayal but then I have realized that I cant be crashed down by those lies, instead I used them to help myself set the road ahead and rise above it!
It was one lesson learned, but hey, I love to learn, even if it was hard. I am still thankful that I have known about it before it could drown me. And now Im relieved, there is no other great feeling than being liberated from it.
I may have lost one person that I thought matched the feelings that I had, but then, I would not run after someone who just showed me what a pathetic life he has. If I went on with it, I would have been as pathetic as he is...so never mind my crying at nights, never mind the feeling of emptiness whenever a sweet memory strikes, never mind the little gestures of love I miss....for all I know, they were all part of the LIES.
Life surprises us with different packages...I got one huge package of LIES...but its okay, as long as I can give the opposite of what I received. It will not change the way I am nor the way I see LOVE...shit happens, and if it does, you just need to clean it up and wash them away...no big deal!
Well, Im on the road to recovery now...leaving one lie after the other...I am confident that before I hit the intersection, all lies are forgotten...and so the man who caused it. Once I reach the crossroads, I know the thin line of truth will be clearly visible..Have a great weekend everyone!
Tuesday, June 14, 2011
Wednesday, April 20, 2011
Letters: To my friend Kikiw
Natal day 2011
My dearest TIK,BUNS,LING,Fwend;
It’s your BIRTHDAY today!!! Who would have thought I would be celebrating it again with you? That’s quite an honor really to be a part of your life for the past 6 years and eventhough we have gone through a rough time in our friendship, no one can deny the fact that most of those years were all good!! I cant thank you enough for making the last 6 years of my life wonderful my friend.
You are 22 now, too young to really have a full grasp of life, too old to still act childish but quite ready enough to face life’s battles. I am so proud of you for the things you have accomplished so far. I know that you are on your way to realizing your dreams and I know you will make it BIG! Just keep your feet on the ground at all times and be thankful for every blessing received. Remember, we got 46 countries waiting for us…so we better make good!
Wow, I don’t really have much to say my friend…..you already know what’s in my heart and that never changed since we became friends…I just wanna assure you that you are the most special friend I have in this little island of Dumsville…you know that I care so much for you and I love you lots..
How I wish we could do another week of celebration like we did last year…but it’s Holy Week…aside from all bars are closed, all banks on holiday…I guess our pockets betrayed us at this time of the month…TINGBITS! But I couldn’t let it pass without a grand salvo my friend…so sit back and relax…
Just before all the chaos begins…I just want to greet you a very Happy Birthday and may all you wished for be granted and that you will have another blessed year ahead!
I love you dearly,
Jubang
Wednesday, April 14, 2010
Trekking Mt. Talinis
I am not a sport buff nor outdoor-active person, not ever in my life. I have played softball and frisbee in school, but thats just about it...never been active in sports or any strenuous activities...I am that lazy.
Last weekend, my friends and I have considered climbing Mt. Talinis, the second highest mountain that can be found in Negros Oriental, at about 5905 feet above sea, level,also known as Cuernos de Negros or Horns of Negros. This peak is part of Valencia, approximately 9km southwest, forming part of the Negros Volcanic belt.Mt Talinis is popular because of the sweeping views. It has a number of lakes at its base, the most visited of which are the twin crater lakes of Balinsasayao: Lake Nailig and Lake Yagumyum. They are separated only by a narrow mountain ridge. Mt. Talinis is easily climbed via nature trails that start in Bidjao, Dauin and Apolong, Valencia.
We took the Apolong Valencia route taking off from Casa Roro at exactly 8am on April 9, 2010. Just on the way up to Casa Roro, which is about 20mins uphill hike, I was about to back out. My legs just wouldnt move and I was catching my breath endlessly. During rest time at the Casa Roro, my friends encouraged me to go on since we are almost at the mouth of the trail and that we were already fully-geared up. So reluctantly I went, with conditions that I am not going to be rushed and that I walk on my own pace.
I had mixed emotions going up, when the trail is all uphill, and I was catching my breath all the time, I kept saying to my companions that I'd rather go home than continue moving upward. This is the time when we all stop, set me up to a more comfortable situation, they give me water, let me eat salt to prevent spasms and just talk me out of quitting. Slowly, they took all my stuff one by one from me, first they gave me an improvised walking stick to aid me in the steep portions, they took my backpack for lighter load, they took anything that I might use as a reason to quit....what was left hanging in my body was my sling bag which carried the camera and some medicines...nevertheless, I was still the last one to arrive in every "rest point".
There were times when my shoe would get stuck in between roots, there were also times when I couldnt control my footing and would slide down with my butt touching ground, and countless of times that I had to stop to sip water to remedy a very dry throat...not to mention that my legs were always shaking. I had few sigh-of-relief moments when the trail is going downhill...but that doesnt stay long....the trail was mostly uphill, very steep, very narrow and very dangerous....well, one misstep will let you end up down the ravine...
All throughout my "agony", I was mesmerized by the view I have seen up there....the endless line of forest trees, the wild berries, the autumn-leaf ferns, the breathtaking greenery and the smell of fresh air, it was enough to give me will to continue walking despite my almost "distorted" legs...
When we reached the flowing river, we stopped for lunch. We had packed lunch of fried chicken, scrambled eggs, fish, rice, tuna sandwiches and meat loaf. We took few minutes of rest then off we hiked again to reach our destination which at that time was around 30mins to finish. We have divided our group into two, the first group of three were the ones who knew the trail very well and acted as our guide. Their pace was fast but stopping in a distance just enough for us to still see them. While I was with Kirk who is also a first-timer like me and Tymer who acted as our leader and has helped me a lot in this adventure...
At last after 6 hours of walking ( ideally, the trek can be done in 2 to 3 hours non-stop), we reached Nagabi at around 2pm, ( this is located at the foot of Mt. Talinis on the opposite side of Lake Nailig and Lake Yagumyum.
Up there is a very different, eerie yet exhilarating feeling. My first feeling was a sense of relief, relieved of being able to reach it unharmed and that my legs are still moving, I just couldnt believe my eyes....Everywhere I look, all I see is the lush greenery of vast forest and the nicely shaped mountains...It was just amazing. Not long after, we spotted some mountaineers coming down from Lake Nailig trail, it was such a nice feeling to see other people there. We had set up our tent just beside the hut of Yayang who has been living there for 15years. ( Yes, and they follow the trail at least 3x a week, imagine that!)
Another group of mountaineers came late afternoon, so all in all we were 17 campers in Nagabi campsite. The other mountaineers set up their camps just below us, but at nighttime, they came up to have fellowship with us. They were composed of mountain advocates who goes up just to clean the trail and the campsites, also with them were 2 Japanese volunteer nurses who are equally friendly and charming. Some of them were there for sheer fun and hike, just like what our group had in mind.
We spent sometime observing earth hour, talked about how to maintain cleanliness in the mountains and then introduced ourselves to each other and what followed was endless noise of talking, laughing, dancing, drinking and just bonding with fellow hikers. We ended the fellowship with some noodles and coffee at 2am. Then we proceeded to our tent which at this time was already moist. Inside, we hurried to be under the blankets and tried hard to sleep despite the very cold weather.
We awoke the next morning with a very beautiful fog covering the scenery. Once we were out the tent, we hurriedly went inside the kitchen for some heat from the flaming firewood.
The other campers invited us to trek down the sulfuric steam vent just few minutes walk from our campsite. Reaching the destination was quite rough due to uneven trail and rocky terrain. The vent has a very offensive odor, sulfur steaming out from it was painful to the nose, but the scenery was like being in another place altogether. It was all white due to sulfur residue, trees are dead and dry, water cascading was somewhat dull and the whole place was just lifeless.
After the trip to the vent, other campers went straight to twin falls, which I declined because of lack of sleep the previous night. I spent the rest of my morning dozing off inside the tent amidst the reflection of the sun flowing in. Then the afternoon was spent playing cards, playing games and preparing for frog hunting by the boys. They had makeshifts weapons to catch frogs and we rooted for each one of them.
We also went to the carabao puddle and there we took pictures of different plants we see along the trail, while the boys were spotting hiding places of the frogs they were about to catch come nightfall.
Our group was the only one left on the second night as the other campers left after their twin falls trek just around noon that day. So when darkness came, we just content ourselves drinking the last bottle of rhum and spent the night just talking with bonfire to keep us warm.
We also ate the frogs caught ( around 50) and enjoyed the cool breeze gently hitting our faces for the last time.
On our last morning, we spent an hour exploring other areas, we took pictures of ourselves in different spots, lying down, jumping up and just plain smiling.
Then after breakfast, we headed home taking the PNOC route. We stopped by at the guardhouse making small chitchat with the caretaker, asking for the right directions leading to the river ( where we stopped for lunch going up). More pictures were taken and then off we started our 4 hour hike going back to the city.
Once in the river, the boys went swimming while I rested my feet and breathed hard to prepare myself for the downhill hike. The hike downwards took a lot of effort from me, especially from my legs and shoes. I was wearing fencing shoes and it wouldnt break when I wanted it to, and controlling my knees to stop myself from going straight down was quite strenuous. But this time, I was raring to get to the exit of the trail, so excited to take each step as it means getting nearer to home.
It took me and my partner Tymer 4 hours to reach Casa Roro, although we made a few- minute stop on top of the mountain just to make chitchat while we secretly ate our last stock of snacks. (*wink) ....down there, we met up with Kirk who was waiting for us for quite sometime already and written on his face was the word WORRY because he was calling out to us but we didnt answer while still inside the forest ( he was calling when we were having snacks, thats why we didnt ansnwer...lol).
Time check was 12noon...my face and neck were red, my legs shaking and jolting by itself. I was beginning to feel the pain all over my body but we had to hike some more to reach the stop where we can get a ride back to Jack's house. We had lunch at Yayangs house just down Casa Roro.
My experience was exhausting, even very dangerous...according to the mountaineers, we took the hardest and roughest trail but the shortest one. I still couldnt quite believe that I have achieved this much, considering that I am not in my best body shape now. I am not fit, not enough exercise to sustain endurance, not enough healthy lifestyle to breath longer and not enough experience to tackle such long trek, but I made it and I made it with flying colors....despite the soreness I feel all over my body, nothing can compare to the joy I feel inside. Secretly, Im congratulating myself for this amazing feat I have conquered. I have survived Mt. Talinis, arent you proud of me???
Last weekend, my friends and I have considered climbing Mt. Talinis, the second highest mountain that can be found in Negros Oriental, at about 5905 feet above sea, level,also known as Cuernos de Negros or Horns of Negros. This peak is part of Valencia, approximately 9km southwest, forming part of the Negros Volcanic belt.Mt Talinis is popular because of the sweeping views. It has a number of lakes at its base, the most visited of which are the twin crater lakes of Balinsasayao: Lake Nailig and Lake Yagumyum. They are separated only by a narrow mountain ridge. Mt. Talinis is easily climbed via nature trails that start in Bidjao, Dauin and Apolong, Valencia.
We took the Apolong Valencia route taking off from Casa Roro at exactly 8am on April 9, 2010. Just on the way up to Casa Roro, which is about 20mins uphill hike, I was about to back out. My legs just wouldnt move and I was catching my breath endlessly. During rest time at the Casa Roro, my friends encouraged me to go on since we are almost at the mouth of the trail and that we were already fully-geared up. So reluctantly I went, with conditions that I am not going to be rushed and that I walk on my own pace.
I had mixed emotions going up, when the trail is all uphill, and I was catching my breath all the time, I kept saying to my companions that I'd rather go home than continue moving upward. This is the time when we all stop, set me up to a more comfortable situation, they give me water, let me eat salt to prevent spasms and just talk me out of quitting. Slowly, they took all my stuff one by one from me, first they gave me an improvised walking stick to aid me in the steep portions, they took my backpack for lighter load, they took anything that I might use as a reason to quit....what was left hanging in my body was my sling bag which carried the camera and some medicines...nevertheless, I was still the last one to arrive in every "rest point".
There were times when my shoe would get stuck in between roots, there were also times when I couldnt control my footing and would slide down with my butt touching ground, and countless of times that I had to stop to sip water to remedy a very dry throat...not to mention that my legs were always shaking. I had few sigh-of-relief moments when the trail is going downhill...but that doesnt stay long....the trail was mostly uphill, very steep, very narrow and very dangerous....well, one misstep will let you end up down the ravine...
All throughout my "agony", I was mesmerized by the view I have seen up there....the endless line of forest trees, the wild berries, the autumn-leaf ferns, the breathtaking greenery and the smell of fresh air, it was enough to give me will to continue walking despite my almost "distorted" legs...
When we reached the flowing river, we stopped for lunch. We had packed lunch of fried chicken, scrambled eggs, fish, rice, tuna sandwiches and meat loaf. We took few minutes of rest then off we hiked again to reach our destination which at that time was around 30mins to finish. We have divided our group into two, the first group of three were the ones who knew the trail very well and acted as our guide. Their pace was fast but stopping in a distance just enough for us to still see them. While I was with Kirk who is also a first-timer like me and Tymer who acted as our leader and has helped me a lot in this adventure...
At last after 6 hours of walking ( ideally, the trek can be done in 2 to 3 hours non-stop), we reached Nagabi at around 2pm, ( this is located at the foot of Mt. Talinis on the opposite side of Lake Nailig and Lake Yagumyum.
Up there is a very different, eerie yet exhilarating feeling. My first feeling was a sense of relief, relieved of being able to reach it unharmed and that my legs are still moving, I just couldnt believe my eyes....Everywhere I look, all I see is the lush greenery of vast forest and the nicely shaped mountains...It was just amazing. Not long after, we spotted some mountaineers coming down from Lake Nailig trail, it was such a nice feeling to see other people there. We had set up our tent just beside the hut of Yayang who has been living there for 15years. ( Yes, and they follow the trail at least 3x a week, imagine that!)
Another group of mountaineers came late afternoon, so all in all we were 17 campers in Nagabi campsite. The other mountaineers set up their camps just below us, but at nighttime, they came up to have fellowship with us. They were composed of mountain advocates who goes up just to clean the trail and the campsites, also with them were 2 Japanese volunteer nurses who are equally friendly and charming. Some of them were there for sheer fun and hike, just like what our group had in mind.
We spent sometime observing earth hour, talked about how to maintain cleanliness in the mountains and then introduced ourselves to each other and what followed was endless noise of talking, laughing, dancing, drinking and just bonding with fellow hikers. We ended the fellowship with some noodles and coffee at 2am. Then we proceeded to our tent which at this time was already moist. Inside, we hurried to be under the blankets and tried hard to sleep despite the very cold weather.
We awoke the next morning with a very beautiful fog covering the scenery. Once we were out the tent, we hurriedly went inside the kitchen for some heat from the flaming firewood.
The other campers invited us to trek down the sulfuric steam vent just few minutes walk from our campsite. Reaching the destination was quite rough due to uneven trail and rocky terrain. The vent has a very offensive odor, sulfur steaming out from it was painful to the nose, but the scenery was like being in another place altogether. It was all white due to sulfur residue, trees are dead and dry, water cascading was somewhat dull and the whole place was just lifeless.
After the trip to the vent, other campers went straight to twin falls, which I declined because of lack of sleep the previous night. I spent the rest of my morning dozing off inside the tent amidst the reflection of the sun flowing in. Then the afternoon was spent playing cards, playing games and preparing for frog hunting by the boys. They had makeshifts weapons to catch frogs and we rooted for each one of them.
We also went to the carabao puddle and there we took pictures of different plants we see along the trail, while the boys were spotting hiding places of the frogs they were about to catch come nightfall.
Our group was the only one left on the second night as the other campers left after their twin falls trek just around noon that day. So when darkness came, we just content ourselves drinking the last bottle of rhum and spent the night just talking with bonfire to keep us warm.
We also ate the frogs caught ( around 50) and enjoyed the cool breeze gently hitting our faces for the last time.
On our last morning, we spent an hour exploring other areas, we took pictures of ourselves in different spots, lying down, jumping up and just plain smiling.
Then after breakfast, we headed home taking the PNOC route. We stopped by at the guardhouse making small chitchat with the caretaker, asking for the right directions leading to the river ( where we stopped for lunch going up). More pictures were taken and then off we started our 4 hour hike going back to the city.
Once in the river, the boys went swimming while I rested my feet and breathed hard to prepare myself for the downhill hike. The hike downwards took a lot of effort from me, especially from my legs and shoes. I was wearing fencing shoes and it wouldnt break when I wanted it to, and controlling my knees to stop myself from going straight down was quite strenuous. But this time, I was raring to get to the exit of the trail, so excited to take each step as it means getting nearer to home.
It took me and my partner Tymer 4 hours to reach Casa Roro, although we made a few- minute stop on top of the mountain just to make chitchat while we secretly ate our last stock of snacks. (*wink) ....down there, we met up with Kirk who was waiting for us for quite sometime already and written on his face was the word WORRY because he was calling out to us but we didnt answer while still inside the forest ( he was calling when we were having snacks, thats why we didnt ansnwer...lol).
Time check was 12noon...my face and neck were red, my legs shaking and jolting by itself. I was beginning to feel the pain all over my body but we had to hike some more to reach the stop where we can get a ride back to Jack's house. We had lunch at Yayangs house just down Casa Roro.
My experience was exhausting, even very dangerous...according to the mountaineers, we took the hardest and roughest trail but the shortest one. I still couldnt quite believe that I have achieved this much, considering that I am not in my best body shape now. I am not fit, not enough exercise to sustain endurance, not enough healthy lifestyle to breath longer and not enough experience to tackle such long trek, but I made it and I made it with flying colors....despite the soreness I feel all over my body, nothing can compare to the joy I feel inside. Secretly, Im congratulating myself for this amazing feat I have conquered. I have survived Mt. Talinis, arent you proud of me???
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