Angels Brought Me Here

"It's been a long and winding journey, but I'm finally here tonight..."

—Guy Sebastian

Our trek of Mt. Pinatubo began just as the sun was peeking over the horizon. After having boarded the bus at 11:30 pm the night before and arriving in Capas, Tarlac at the ungodly hour of 3:00 am, the jeep dropped us off at the jump off point. Though our weary bodies craved sleep, we had no choice but to unload our bags as the jeep could go no further due to the softness of the sand. Though the wind was chilly, we started walking as the bright lights of a group of 4x4 vehicles zoomed past us. They whipped out their cameras and took pictures of us—an odd group of mountaineers walking steadily with heavy backpacks—as if they were in an African Safari and we were a herd of wild animals who happened to pass by.

The road of sand and rocks stretched mercilessly before us. All around us were astounding fomations of hard ash and lush vegetation that have grown over the years since the volcano last erupted. It's been said that the mountain's terrain changes every few years as sun, wind, and rain continually beat down on its already weathered surface.

Along the way, we passed by aetas living in the nearby areas. Some children asked for bread, while others merely smiled and gazed curiously as we walked past.

The trek was a relaxed and relatively easy one. Unlike in our previous training climbs, we were able to stop and rest at our leisure. We took time to admire the scenery, pose for pictures, and breathe in our surroundings. Numerous streams, both big and small, snaked their way across our path and provided a cool respite against the sun's burning rays.

The final stretch to the summit was tough. The heat had slowly siphoned our last remaining reserves of energy, yet our destination still seemed so far away.

But taking the final step was worth it as we beheld a view that literally took our breath away.

After having Mardel's infamous Patatim and Niel's mixed vegetables for lunch, most of us took a brief siesta to make up for the previous night's lack of sleep. When it was cool enough, we trekked down to the crater lake and took a dip in its chilly waters, not quite believing that below the surface was a deep chasm where burning ash and lava once churned and boiled till it was ready to explode.

We prepared our dinner, ate, drank, laughed, and talked endlessly as the sun finally succumbed to the night and allowed a blanket of stars to shine above us.

After a delicious breakfast the next morning, the group took some final shots and bid Pinatubo goodbye.

AMCI B2K5 in Pinatubo

Bajay, Loree, Maida, me, Roland, and Angie strike a final pose.

special thanks to Mardel and Roland for the beautiful pictures