Mt. Apo : Reaching The Top

      "Mount Apo is a large solfataric, potentially-active stratovolcano in the island of Mindanao, Philippines. With an altitude of 3,412 metres (11,194 ft) above sea level, it is the highest mountain in the country 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 40 kilometres (25 mi) to the northeast, Digos City 25 kilometres (16 mi) to the southeast, and Kidapawan City 20 kilometres (12 mi) to the west.

        Apo, which means "ancestor", is flat-topped mountain with three peaks and is capped by a 500-metre-wide (1,600 ft) volcanic crater containing a small crater lake. The date of its most recent eruption is unknown, and none are verified in historical times.

      The volcano is one of the most popular climbing destinations in the Philippines with the summit, on the average, takes two days to reach. The first recorded climb was on October 10, 1880, by a party led by Joaquin Rajal, then Spanish governor of Davao."~ http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mount_Apo

i have always wanted to reach the top of it . i have always wished that someday i could somewhat converse with mr. sun a bit closer while he sits quietly over the bed of clouds.  i have always had this strong desire to experience the great adventure of looking at the world in a different perspective.

finally, it happened! 

March 27-31, 2013. Malumpini - Mt. Apo Route

my tag all throughout the journey

meet kaykay... the mountain dog... 
she trekked with us until she reached her home.. 
i just wish someday Niji can come with me too...

hello jinibibi... she's the lady who tagged me along.. so thankful!

our colorful socks and gloves to fight the cold nights

breakfast at the camp...

walking in paradise...

almost there but not quite..

i don't drink sodas that much.. but it's a relief that they sell some at the mountains..
beating the scorching heat while on trail break...

mt. apo summit... almost!

guess who climbed the peak too.. hello there butchokoy!

tres marias on top...

and yes... without a doubt.. i finally reached the peak!!!

happy girl in her happy place...


MT. APO THROUGH MY EYES
seeing the beauty of nature from my point of view

indeed... when you want something so bad, all the universe conspires to make it happen!

i'm so in love with you Mr. Sun... always and forever!!!

it's time to go down now...

our ride, the jeepney...

AND WE CONQUERED IT TOGETHER...
thank you for tagging me along...
very much thankful for the experience
and the new set of friends i gained...

TAKE VACATIONS.
GO AS MANY PLACES AS YOU CAN.
YOU CAN ALWAYS MAKE MONEY,
YOU CAN'T ALWAYS MAKE MEMORIES!

YOLO!

Checking on my Bucket List for 2013

it's the first day of the year again. and as usual, it's time to do a little checking on my list. let's see if i scored fairly this time.

TARGET for 2013

• go back to running (oh yeah! indoor and outdoor running!)
• have more travels  and never forget to bring home pictures frames with names and ref magnets (i have a lot of places in mind like Boracay, Palawan, Ilocos, Dubai, Thailand) (Puerto Princesa, El Nido,  Boracay, Siargao, Cebu, Kota Kinabalu... no frames though cos they don't have those little one with names.. sigh)
• go diving again 
• do a run with Niji 
• watch PBA Live again (Ginebra baby!!!)
• eat Sushi and have a seafood buffet
• go to PALAU
• go firing
• have my license and drive (have to get a new SP though)
• attend lots of weddings (already lost count of my 27 dresses target..lol)
• get flat abs even for a while... lol ( hahahaha... i'll cross this one for a reason. lol)
• try curling my hair
• treat a total stranger
• do an outreach program
• do rockclimbing
• do pictorials again
• get myself a new phone (if i don't these messages will forever be with me.. lol... plus lost a letter on the keypad while we were in Boracay..hahaha) (plus i finally got an iPad. yay!)
• finally do an inverted zip
• buy a rainbow cake for myself
• jump off the cliff of Ariel's Point Boracay (ultimate wish since bungee jumping is way out of reach)
• bring Niji to a grooming salon and get her some doggie stuffs
• have some swimsuits (the more the merrier. hahaha)
• have more froggy stuffs
• have a decent conversation about anything under the sun with somebody i totally don't know
• do some NEW and EXCITING stuffs (life is an adventure ayt?lol)

WOW! too many travels, too many exciting stuffs. i did more than half of my list. 2013 had been really good to me. Happy much!

My Bucket List for Life 

soul-searching even for a week or two  (isa lang ang masasabi ko, magastos akong mag-emote! ubosan ng yaman ang peg. LOL. Cebu-Dumaguete on 2009, Cebu on 2011, Iloilo on 2012, Boracay on 2013)

experience the thrill of sky-diving/ parasailing

go to CAMSUR and do wake-boarding (did wake-boarding at Deca though)

reach the top of Mt. Apo  (yay! i finally reached the top on March 2013!)

play with dolphins in SUBIC.  ( had the chance to go to Subic with patty,mac and gary.. i haven't played with the dolphins but still i can consider it done, that's for going to Subic and watching the dolphin show..)

have my own license in diving

go to PALAWAN (wow! i didn't realize i went there twice on 2013..  on January and May!wooooot!)

swim with jellyfishes in PALAU and eat at Rainbow Grill

go on a Caribbean cruise

go back to Siargao and surf (Siargao surfing on May 2013 it is!)

experience Boracay (August 2011)

go bungee jumping

do rock climbing

play paintball

go pole dancing

learn how to swim

have a real tattoo

have a real valentine date

have my own laptop. (i have my HP mini, my Samsung Tab and an iPad)

have xbox and a pro camera. (Nikon D3100. i won't give up my other cams.. NEVER!)

 pursue a medical carreer. (finally got my license!)

work abroad 

drive my own car (the bigger the better.lol.) actually i'm into pick-ups but i do want to have a Super Grandia and a mini cooper too.. extremes ayt?!

have a tour around the Philippines. ( i just love travelling but i prefer doing it by plane though)

visit Disneyland and Hollywood. ( 2010 Hong Kong Disneyland adventure it is!)

own a condo unit

have my own house by the sea

have my own NUDE painting

have my pictures taken by the windmills

eat Batac empanada again

go up in a hot-air balloon

visit Hundred Islands

give to a charity anonymously

visit El Nido and Coron again

learn to speak a foreign language 

find a job i love

watch a PBA game LIVE. (2011 oh yeah! i luv GINEBRA!) 

sleep at SHANGRILA HOTEL.. an overnight stay will do ;-) (it was not actually an overnight stay but i had a buffet dinner at Shangrila Boracay with Tutet and Ojie last June 2012. i would count that in. lol)

do an outreach program. (actually, i want to be the Philippine's ANGELINA JOLIE... a woman with the beauty and the heart ;-)  been running on the road for a cause.. that would count ayt?)

have my own coffee shop

have a vacation in HAWAII.. i soooo love the place... i wish i could go there soon..

have a birthday party full of veges and seafoods had a post birthday dinner with Umangs Cebu and my little sissy at AA's bbq last August 2012

stargazing on the beach shore and think of nothing yes this is the best part. i could do it all night at the shores of Boracay. this is one of the reasons why i keep coming back to the place i call home.

spend days with my man on a yacht and a private island

recieve a surprise romantic proposal and get engaged

get married (i want it intimately done)

go on honeymoon in Greece

have a baby

SOME REVISIONS on my wishlist :

• i said in my 2008 list that i want them BEFORE i reach 30.. but i changed my mind.. getting married, having a honeymoon and a baby needs some rearrangements..in the near future i guess..lol...i still have to enjoy my single life cos when i finally get married, i want to stick with the married life.. no more going back to stuffs i missed during my bachelorette's journey... guess that would take some time.. besides, i still have to complete my 27 dresses..lol hope i get a lot wedding invites..lol
• i'll change honeymoon in GREECE to honeymoon in GREECE or BALI or MALDIVES or PARIS..lol

Target for 2014

• quit my job, pack then leave.
• have more travels and explore the world
• find a new job
• eat at least 10 foods that i will miss in the Philippines
• go on a weekend vacation alone
• be a mermaid
• have a real valentine date
• go back to the gym and run
• have my license/certificate in diving
• spend time with Niji and take lots pictures together
• have sushi dates
• go firing
• have a haircut
• buy a planner and start writing 
• attend lots of weddings (already lost count of my 27 dresses target..lol)
• get a bit sexier and buy a new pair of running shoes
• do random acts of kindness
• do an outreach program
• teach someone illiterate to read
• give to a charity anonymously
• buy food and give it to a homeless person
• do rockclimbing
• do pictorials again
• try dune bashing
• do a joy ride in a motorbike
• step out in the rain
• learn a new language
• learn to swim
• shower in a waterfall
• go whale-watching
• go pole dancing
• pamper myself
• learn how to take a compliment
• learn not to say yes when i really mean no
• do early morning runs in boracay
• walk on the beach
• send a message in a bottle
• try the flying fish ride in boracay
• become a tour guide even for a day
• treat a total stranger
• get myself a GO PRO Hero 3+ and an iphone
• finally do an inverted zip
• buy a rainbow cake for myself and Niji
• jump off a cliff or a diving board (Ariel's point is so impossible with barely 2 months left)
• have some swimsuits
• buy a watch
• buy myself a bouquet of flowers
• finish reading 2 books (don't blame me... i am not really a book reader. lol)
• have more froggy stuffs
• save some travel money
• date date din pag may time. hahaha
• give somebody a surprise gift
• party hard and get drunk
• go somewhere new
• sing a song in front of an audience
• ask someone i've only just met to go on a date
• sleep under the stars
• stay up all night long and watch the sun rise
• inspire somebody by living my life to the fullest
• have a decent conversation about anything under the sun with somebody i totally don't know
• give a free hug and kiss to a stranger. i want to carry a sign that says FREE HUGS.
• make somebody else's dream come true
• do some NEW and EXCITING stuffs (life is an adventure ayt?lol)

Let's Party Hard on 2014!!! 

YOLO!!!