My New Comfort Zone

Before acrophobia took over

In the past six years, I had been coddled by the comforts of the media industry's lifestyle beat, especially when it comes to traveling. 

Whenever I joined media familiarization tours, even if it involved  trekking in the outdoors, we, the writers and bloggers, would always be well taken care of. Porters would be hired to carry our stuff, personnel would be ready to hand us drinks, and modes of transportation would be present at any given moment. 

That's how babied media could be at the times. Unfortunately, others get used to it to the point that they demand all the privileges when that should never be the case. (But that's another topic altogether that I'd rather not discuss.) 

And so I wouldn't blame my best friend for telling me, "That's not you bes," after seeing this photo I shared over Instagram: 

(Photos from Ms. Weng)

That's me learning the basics of ropemanship and applying it in an actual scenario: which was to cross a gushing river during rainy weather with an emergency harness. The training was led by Sir Rick, our co-founder and leader of Random Act of Kindness (RAK). It was held at Daraitan River in Sitio Manggahan in Tanay, Rizal where our group organized an outreach for the marginalized community and Dumagat tribe the day before. (Read Finding Meaning in the Mountains-Part 1)

With half a day to spend at the remote village snaked by the river, RAK members decided to spend for ropemanship. Sir Rick first showed us how to properly cross a river without any ropes while sharing tips and tricks to our survival. Of course, it looked easy but I highly doubted it was. And then, he tied a line from the two sides of the river. This was were rope harness tied to us would be connected. 

Thanks to peer pressure, I came third in line. What happened surprised us all. Because of the continuous rains (the weather was bad even before we got at Sitio Manggahan), the water in middle part already reached my chest, I actually got swept away by the strong current. But thanks to our safety line, I was safe, haha. Yay, it worked! 

Still, I had to be semi-rescued because I couldn't stand anymore and finish the task on my own. About three came to me and two held the rope steady. 

It was well documented you see: 

Ready, steady

About to be swept away!

All of them to the rescue!

The only time Sir Alex did not bully me. But he went back to it right after we got back to land. 

When I returned to the rest of RAK, what do I get? Bullying! As always, we just made it a laughing matter. And all was good afterward especially with the shot of lambanog to warm the body. 

The week before that, we climbed Mt. Daraitan to raise funds for the community outreach and that too proved very challenging to the sheltered lifestyle journalist that I was. 


For the first time in my entire traveling life, I experienced the most number of falls I could ever had. Funny, in the beginning of the descent, I was even boastful for saving myself a couple of times from slipping thanks to my quick reflexes. This proved to be useless on the last hour of the four-hour descent because of the ruthless trail--muddy and slippery as fuck. Add to that my exhausted and lampa legs. I was a disaster. Haha. 

Muddy and slippery as fuck

Slip here, fall there. Landing on my butt, stopping the fall with my hands. At one point, my left hand without gloves landed on a sharp stone cutting it. I was bleeding and I needed to get a first aid. Hoho. On another instance, I landed with my right arm planting on the soil. I froze on the ground and thought oh God, hope I did not dislocate my arm. Thankfully, I did not. 

"Maisusulat ko pa," I would tell Sir Rick and my best friend Xerlyn, as well as the local guide. The four of us in the tail of the pack. 

We also went off trail and had to cross a narrow cliff. I almost slipped here too. But no worries, I was well assisted. 

All the time, our destination which was the Daraitan River at the foot of the mountain could be heard flowing with might as if we were getting nearer but we weren't! What a tease.

But as what life does not cease teaching us, it was never about the falls but how one got back up on his/her feet after. So on zombie mode, I did finish the hike. I was covered in mud and sweat combined and sure looked nothing like a lifestyle journalist.  

Yet, I felt as if I belonged there, in the great outdoors. In time, I will make it my new comfort zone. 

Finding Meaning in the Mountains - Part 1

Exhausted, I went to bed, closed my eyes, and tried to sleep. Half-conscious, half dreaming, the memories of the day that just transpired flashed in my mind. It was a blur of browns and greens, the colors of the earth and trees, of the mountain I just hiked. 

Normally, this only happened to me after movies that I took by heart. It could only mean that said mountain made the same impact, perhaps even greater.  

At the summit of Mt. Daraitan

It was Tanay, Rizal's Mt. Daraitan, standing at approximately 739 meters above sea level. Supposedly, it was categorized as a minor climb but totally did not felt that way to me. It was my first serious hike and it was also the toughest. 

Nevertheless, I was not one to complain because despite feeling dead from the physical pain, I felt so much more alive from the unforgettable gain. 

Because unlike most of the commercial climbs I bet you have joined to "get away from the city" and instead "get close to Mother Earth while"--and all other similar cliches--this particular journey to Mt. Daraitan was mainly for a good cause. 

The colors of the mountain

Held last December 11, Sunday, it was one the last fund-raising climb of Random Act of Kindness, or RAK, for the year 2016. RAK is a group of mountaineers slash volunteers hailing from different sectors of the society. 

Only on my second adventure with the group, I had been enlightened ten-fold about "mountaineering" and all the responsibilities it entailed. It was never just about reaching the summit, taking selfies, and saying "I conquered Mt. Daraitan (or any other mountain)." 

Sir Rick of RAK lives and breathes mountains

Because as RAK co-founder and leader Frederick "Rick" Laping said with conviction, "You can't conquer a mountain because the mountains had been there before you. And you can't conquer a mountain because the mountains will outlast you." 

What you are allowed to say is you conquered your fears, or you conquered yourself in reaching the summit and returning safe. Sir Rick further imparted to the hike's participants. 

There were over 10 of us plus three more RAK members Tupe, Alex, Paul and Daiana, who were savoring the steaming lomi after the tiring hike, while taking by heart valuable lessons from a man who had courted and loved the mountains for two decades already. 

The group at the summit

From this immersion came the awareness that many mountains in the Philippines served as ancestral domains of indigenous peoples, the rightful dwellers who most often lacked access to basic needs like shelter, clothing, food and light. 

Thus, RAK was born from the desire to do one random act of kindness at a time. Whether to extend a helping hand to remote, mountainous communities, or to protect and preserve the environment through clean-up drives, or promoting clean, renewable energy, among others. 

Sir Rick points to where the last outreach program of RAK for 2016 is to be held

So how to does RAK do all this? We go back to the non-profit organization's fundraising climbs which are open to all who wish to follow and support RAK's above-mentioned outreach programs. Of which, the culmination for 2016 was recently held on December 17 at Sitio Manggahan in Brgy. Daraitan (yes where the mountain was). 

I also took part in the said event and for two consecutive weekends, found new meaning in the mountains. 

To be continued in Part 2. 

***
For now let's take a look at photos from the Mt. Daraitan fund-raising climb with RAK. 

Don't be fooled by the seriousness of this entry because RAK is composed of a bunch of goofies and bullies, led by this trio, Rick, Alex and Kris (or RAK). Genius! 

Had to stop on my track just to capture this tiny beauties. 

There was also grotto deep in the mountain.

Sir Rick with the local tour guides in the background

Happy and funny faces at Station 2. 

My best friend and travel buddy Xerlyn and I at the summit, the very spot that confirmed my fear of heights. 

She, on the other hand, had no problem whatsoever and kept bugging me to take her photos. 

But truly, such a scenic view. 

Is this a challenge? Yak hane!

(ALL PHOTOS ARE MINE)