Mt. apo ( my ultimate experience )

Mt. Apo ( it's a dream to reach you )

Davao del sur, Philippines

Special Acknowledgement:

I would like to say thank you to my papa specially to my mama for trusting me, giving me a chance  to join mt. apo expedition ( even do a lot of argue to explain because they are against my plan in joining the expedition but still they agree with a sadness in their face. )  and to my brother for the support all the way, and of course to the lord God for given me an strength and courage to conquer the thrill and for given us a beautiful weather to see the real beauty of mt.apo. thank you for your guidance to us.

Mt.apo is one of my dream to conquer, and I could not believe it finally i reach you safe and clear.

Mount Apo is a large solfataric, potentially active stratovolcano in the island of Mindanao, Philippines. With an elevation of 2,954 metres (9,692 ft) above sea level, it is the highest mountain in the Philippine Archipelago and is located between Davao City and Davao del Sur province in Region XI and Cotabato province in Region XII. The peak overlooks Davao City 45 kilometres (28 mi) to the northeast, Digos City 25 kilometres (16 mi) to the southeast, and Kidapawan City 20 kilometres (12 mi) to the west.. The moment I reach you I’m so happy, the feeling could not be explain inside of me and it is extra special because me and my brother are together to conquer the mt.apo extreme experience.

We are all 12 mountain climbs attempting to reach the summit. Plus 2 guide and 2 porter.

Here is our I.T ( and things that happen to me ):

Ø  Day 0, Aug. 20,2014-----at mactan Cebu International Airport ( 3pm ) 

Ø  6:30pm-----arrival at davao airport 

Ø  7:20pm----pick-up by the hired van

Ø  8:30pm----dinner at kandingan sa buhanginan ( davao city area )

Ø  9:30pm---start to travel going to kidapawan

Ø  11:30pm---drop off at guide house to leave some things not needed in 3 days climbs

Ø  12:10am---start to travel going to mainit jump off ( it’s raining plus the rocky road and mady )  

Ø  1:30am----arrival at mainit jump off

Ø  2:00am----sleeping time, lights off ( super cold coz were little bit wet because of the rain )

Ø  Day 1, aug. 21, 2014---the big date to begin with a big smile.

Ø  6:30am---wake-up call

Ø  7:00am----breakfast time

Ø  9:00am---start of the climb ( up hill climb, forest line entrance )

Ø  12:10pm---lunch at the trail ( encounter light rain along the trail camp )

Ø  6:30pm----arrival at godi-godi camp site ( set-up tent )

Ø  7:30pm-----dinner time / social

Ø  8:30pm---lights off ( energize myself for tomorrow another adventure thrill, I take in advance medicine for muscle pain…hhehe )

Ø  Day 2, aug. 22,2014

Ø  6:30am----call time

Ø  7:00am---breakfast

Ø  8:30am---start for the 2^nd day of climb ( trek to crater via boulder trail ) all up hill trail

Ø  12:30pm----lunch at crater ( extremely experience the sulfur that comes from the crater, walking all under the boulder, amazing experience)

Ø  3:00pm---arrival at the white sand ( encounter moderate rain along the thrill, and some mountaineer too. ) take a bit rest, then proceed to the summit.

-----along the thrill you may also encounter wild berries fruit, yummy sweet.

Ø  5:00pm--- finally arrival at the summit ( set-up camp/ explore the area, a lot of climber are coming over from the different places. Luzon, visayas, Mindanao, approximately we are all 60 people at the camping area summit.

Ø  7:00pm-----dinner / social

Ø  8:00pm---lights off ( the moment we arrived at the summit I’m not feeling well, I’m freezing too much cold, plus the continues moderate rain trigger me. We are all wet by the rain. My hands is at nab and the moment you talk smoke comes out to your mouth, the wind is so tight to breath, I could not breath normally, I breath by using my mouth to give me a little bit comfort.

Ø   At night after dinner I immediately  go to our tent to take some rest, I could not understand myself I’m so cold, my head is starting to ache and I feel vomiting I realized hypothermia is knocking me off. I immediately roll over to my body my thermal blanket, put-on my sacks and roll with plastics bag to my feet’s and hands, put-on my gloves, and cover myself with my jacket and sleeping bag, but still the feeling is the same I’m still in freezing cold. I just keep on clam and pray that I can still go thought with this situation. And little by little answered prayer, I feel a little bit okay. thank's god, I think that night I have no sleep, all the time I’m awake just observing the surrounding.

Ø  4:00am-----almost all of us are awake to witness and see the sunrise of mt. apo, we are all good to go to the summit and witness the beauty of god’s perfect creation…..yahooooo……..

Ø  Still it is so cold, the wind is so tight to breath, its hurt me breathing using my nose instead again I used my mouth to breath. The beauty of sunrise at the top given me courage to push through……yahoooooooooo…its so beautiful here……. 

Ø  Day 3, aug. 23,2014

Ø  7:00am---breakfast

Ø  8:30am----start to descend ( at around 9:20am to be exact accidentally happened my foot got injured ( natapilok ako….shit……sorry for the word ), but it hurt so much….with this incident, the group decided that some of them will go na to proceed the descend  thrill and we will meet at the lake venado for our lunch together. My brother stay with me together with one guide. My brother and the guide assist me all the way. ( naglalakad ng paingka-ingpa, slowly but surely walk, plus I used the padidit way in climbing, I did it may way…..hehe…..padidit way its help me a lot ).

Ø  1:45pm ----arrival at lake venado ( so late for the call time for lunch at 12 noon ) rest gamay. My co- climber give me a medicine for anti- inflammatory and I’m hoping not to worst this situation, and praying for more courage to finish this climb safe and good. ( because I’m injured the group decided to carry my backpack all the way to the end of thrill coz it’s a long way ahead of thrill pa to encounter.

Ø  3:30pm---arrival at mainit hot spring because of my injured situation we arrived late at mainit hot spring, late from the call time. and then start river crossing. We crossed 6 rivers with strong current and rapids and because of my situation its knock me off the moment I forced my feet to the ground, we cross 2 rivers at night ( naabutan kami ng gabi by river crossing ) its feel's me so worried because its already dark. Along the thrill we encounter bangin wrong false moves is deadly. Plus moderate rain alone the way.

Ø  Luckily we all survive the thrill of mt. apo. A big congratulation to all of us we made it……mabuhay!!!!!!!!

Ø  8:00pm-----arrival at lake agco mountain lake ( digos ) spend the night at the resort ( no rooms are available coz its holiday maraming tao, in all the thrill super pagod na sa climb no choice amigo sa cottage na lang and set-up tent later for a good night sleep.

Ø  8:30pm---swimming time at hot spring…pa-relax gamay…pa massage my back at the running hot spring……feel so good……..og naglugud gamay…hehhe ( 3 days no shower hehehe ) 

Ø  9:30pm---dinner with plenty of fresh fruits ( with so affordable prices of mangoestine, lanzones, rambutan, marang, wow…wow…… )

Ø  10:00pm---lights off

Ø  Day 4, aug 24,2014

Ø  7:00am---wake-up call

Ø  7:30am---breakfast

Ø  9:00am---pick-up by the hired van

Ø  9:20am-----travel going to kidapawan area ( drop off at guide house to pick up our things lift / take some souvenir photos )

--------this two guys is our ultimate guide, they are good and fun to be with...a highly recommend guide if you want to experience mt.apo.

Ø  1:30pm---arrival at Agdao public market davao ( along the highway you can see rambotan, durian fresh from the trees )

Ø  2:00pm-----arrival at co-mountaineer house ( to leave some stuff/ and preparing to samal island for the side trip plus meet and greet pastor emata ( the 1^st Filipino climb mt. Everest ) a close friend of our co- mountaineer.

Ø  3:00pm----mr. pastor emate drive us thru the port going to samal island. ( time consuming waiting for the bus )

Ø  4:00pm---arrival at samal island ( still time consuming to pick-up multi-cab going to kabutihan resort ( not a good day jud….pagod na pagod kana tapos nasiraan pa kami ng sasakyan…hayyyy………

Ø  6:30pm-----arrival at kabutihan resort samal ( still its holiday maraming tao no rooms available cottage lang…mag-set-up naman ng tent )

Ø  8:00pm---dinner / social

Ø  9:00pm----feel so sleepy na ( og sa dihang nibundak pag-ayo an uwan, super kusog, natog mi og semi-basa……hay………..super kapoy in all ya di comportable sa situation )

Ø  Day 5, aug.25,2014

-----  Early morning the group decided not to go into island hopping coz everybody is tired ( there are some disappointed issue ---deadma n lang----)

Ø  6:00am wake-up call ( babad sa dagat kay tugnaw kayo natog na semi-basa ilahos na lang….hahha

----- at samal island you may try to visit samal art legacy, if you wanted to buy some art souvenir stuff.

Ø  7:00am-----breakfast

Ø  8:30am----pack up / preparing to travel going back to davao city.

Ø  1:00pm-----arrival at co- mountaineer tita house ( they are very accommodating / hospitable to us plus a big bonus they prepared to us a yummy buffet. Perfect to refresh ourselves.

------  Take some rest after the late lunch, the group decided to get a hotel so we can rest properly.

Ø  4:00pm---arrival at green window hotel davao

Ø  5:30pm-----go to abreeza mall ( raining sa davao, bumabaha din sa davao just like any other city hehheeh…… )

Ø  6:00pm-----dinner at food court ( abreeza mall ) later buy some pasalubong ( fruits )

Ø  8:45pm------lights off.

Ø  Day 6, aug.26,2014

Ø  6:00am wake-up call

Ø  6:30am----breakfast

Ø  7:30am----go to embarcadero and some souvenir items shop ( buy souvenir and pasalubong )

Ø  10:00am----back at the hotel ( preparing to go to the davao airport )

Ø  1:00pm---flight davao to cebu

Ø  Thank you davao for your safe accommodation to us….tell we meet again……

------- fully loaded of baggage of happiness and beautiful experience, thank you mt. apo……….you rock………

------back to cebu, back to reality-----

----at MActan Cebu International Airport ,thank u all guyzzzzz......

Expenses:

----airfare ( sponsor by my loving brother ) thank you

----meal for 3 days ( during climb days )--- ( by the way when it comes to cooking the guide is the one who will cook for the group, you can eat na lang like a king. ( just give them na lang some tip at the end of the climb. )--------------------------------------------------------------------php2,000

-----transportation from climb/ registration fee/ guide fee/ porter fee-------------php-1,700

------side trip expenses ( lake agco mountain lake, digos, samal island, davao city, suroy-suroy, pasalubong, souvenir )-------------------------------------------------------------------php2,500

--------total in all -------------------------------------------------------------------------php6,200

Word of advice / tips:

------prepare yourself ( physically, emotionally, mentally ) for the climb ( get some excise for the preparation at least 2 months )

-------10x double check all the things you need ( always go light baggage )

-------bring emergency foods and power bars / drinks

------bring extra gloves, sacks, jacket, thrill jacket
-------proper shoes ( thrill shoes ), proper jacket that can comfort you from cold

------always water proofing all your belonging

------- bring extra batteries , thrill pole

-------follow instructions….listen to your guide

--------keep clam and alert…and of course just enjoy the climb