2:00 a.m. We missed our bus to Baguio and as chance passengers, we had to wait for four hours before we got a ride. Lesson one: come on time for bus trips. Once we reached Baguio after eight hours, we found out that the bus to Sagada leaves in an hour but we insisted on buying return tickets to Manila.
Turn Back Time. Our tickets say the bus for Baguio departs at 10 in the evening but we arrived 15-minute late. And in the crowded Victory Liner station in Cubao, we waited as chance passengers.12:30 p.m. We missed the bus again. Out of desperation, we commissioned a taxi with a simple deal: we’d fill his taxi with nine passengers each willing to shell out 220 pesos (US$5.30) and four of us will pay for the return trip on Sunday afternoon. Lesson two: Sweet talk combined with cash pay off.
6:00 p.m. At long last we arrived in Sagada. The ride was long, tedious and quite an ordeal. The inn I reserved, to my disappointment, is the farthest from town. For locals it’s an easy 15-minute walk but for us, it extended to a 30-minute walk of winding roads, barking dogs, and chilly evening breeze under the pale moonlight.
Day 2: The First Adventure
9:00 a.m. After breakfast, we decided to trek Mt. Ampacao. “It is very near, just three hours.” Kuya Vien, our guide, said. I felt nervous. Lesson three: Any place is near to a local. By past two in the afternoon we reached Lake Danum where tilapias (St. Peter’s fish) thrive, like the trees and the lake, nurtured by nature.
Wide Open Spaces. The tour to Mt. Ampacao traverses the mountain and ends in Lake Danum. The whole trek usually takes three hours but with our pace, it took six. But once you reach the top, you forget the climb; you only remember the fascinating view of unpolluted blue skies with white fluffy clouds and the verdant terrain of pine trees.
3:30 p.m. We couldn’t walk anymore. That was how tired we were. Our guide called for a van to take us back to town. Once we arrived, we ate late lunch and explored the market. Red rice costs 60 pesos per kilo (US$1.4) and a bag of mountain tea costs 15 pesos (four cents). Rain poured as we were walking and we shared the tent with a halo-halo (sweet concoction of fruits with shaved ice and milk) vendor. To my amazement, Sagadans include a peculiar ingredient in this local dessert: Italian macaroni.
Day 3: The Last-minute Itinerary
10:00 a.m. “Your Havaianas won’t help you from slipping,” one of the locals shouted as we enter Sumaging Cave. Guided by the glow of our kerosene lamp, the weakest of the group walked first in line, to make sure no one gets left behind. We paced like glowing fireflies, one group followed by another. There are three parts of the cave: the muddy first part, the slippery second part where we took off our flipflops, and the third part where we crossed chest-high freezing waters and climbed limestone formations with ropes. Lesson four: Wear shorts of light quick-dry materials; cotton absorbs water and becomes heavy.2:00 p.m. I’m starving. Despite the numerous restaurants in town, dining proved to be a challenge too. After trying three restaurants, we found a table at Shamrock Café, a hole-in-the-wall restaurant below the Municipal Hall. Lesson five: In case of doubt, ask the locals.
Day 4: The Trip Home
9:00 a.m. This is my final morning in Sagada. The trees were shrouded in mist and the chilly air made hibiscus stay closed throughout the day. I wondered why residents still plant them, flowers that never bloom. The trip was shorter, with stops only to take souvenir photos. Lesson six: A good roadtrip album never fails. Try Dixie Chicks or Alternate Route.
--This article was first published in the June 2008 issue of Mabuhay magazine. This served as the first article on the new section called On The Road. Photos taken with a Fuji Finepix digital camera. Rights of these photos belong exclusively to Leilani Chavez.
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