The CSB Experience 4: The Malarayat Fieldwork

I'm starting to think that going out new and different places have become a sort of my thing. I always crave for that certain level of adventure and excitement as I step on new unexplored lands.

Never did I expect that last weekend would bring that level on a higher notch than I would have imagined otherwise.

Last Saturday, August 14. I managed to hitch a ride with Ren and Rachel and caught up with the rest of our classmates in Natsca2 for our Batangas fieldwork. Earlier that day, the three of us had to attend an equally important seminar, the practicum seminar workshop conducted by the CPO.  Important in the sense that it's a requirement for sstudents undergoing their OJT's to attend to such.

Fortunately, luck was on our side and the next thing I knew, I was in my hotel room at the Mt. Malarayat Gold and Country Club in Lipa, Batangas at 8pm in the evening.

We have to get up real early the day after since me and the rest of the Natsca2 sections were supposed to go bird-watching at the mountains before climbing the summit planting tree-lets/seedlings.

We left at around 6am and started our trekking around more or less, a quarter before the hour of 7.  On the first leg of the trek, we stopped by a certain point to catch some birds flying. Using binoculars (or binocs as how eco-people would say), i was able to see some birds although I have no idea what type, variety or kind of bird we saw although Philippine hornbill birds have been the most commonly sighted bird for others in the group.

We spent about 3 hours trekking 8 kilometers of dirt, plants, and rocks up in the mountains, passing by poachers (yes, poachers), rural folk, and locally-domesticated horses and their horse poop.

The moment we reached the summit, I was amazed by what I saw. It's like we're in a freakin' Lord of the Rings. Can;t desrcibe it in full detail but you can imagine Frodo passing by this area hehehe. Not soon after, we got ourselves wet and dirty planting seedlings on poked holes on the ground and on the mountain side. I actually have to climb one to plant several plants over there.

I would have gotten myself tired by that time already but obviously, I just reached my peak as I breathe the fresh poopy air touching my face as I gazed upon the mountaintop.

But it quickly got drained out when we spent 2.5 hours going down the mountain. By the time we reached the foot, that's when I felt a sudden drop of energy.

Nonetheless, trekking a mountain indeed was an exciting experience. It made me think of doing it again for the sake of keeping the spirit of adventure alive.

This is one trip that I will never forget. This surely equate the fun that I have 7 years ago with Banahaw.

Woot woot!