Author: Katie
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Maculot for the holidays
In celebration of the holidays, we had a Christmas party and year-end dayhike at Mt. Maculot in Cuenca, Batangas. Albeit rainy and slippery, we had fun eating cake at the Grotto and blowing candles at the Rockies. After the quick Maculot traverse, the group gathered at the mountaineers’ store for a simple potluck meal and…
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May pic(k) of the month
“A smile is the light in the window of your face that tells people you’re at home.” ~Author Unknown You were my happy accident as I was strolling along the streets of Lucban during this month’s Pahiyas Festival: the innocence and radiance of your smile the noisy banter of your fellow kiddos the colorful array…
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Kalisungan is not a walk in the park
Expecting a quick dayhike ala the likes of Daguldol and (as I was told) Gulugod-Baboy, imagine my surprise as I squished and squashed my way through sloping trails of mud and horse dung. Fruit flies hovered over dead banana trunks and coconut husks scattered along the way. Mosquitoes were abuzz at 3/4 of the trail.…
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It’s never too late to dream
When I am old and gray, legendary adventures will still appeal to the wanderer in me. But a thrill-seeker at 70 or 80 may not be allowed to jump off the Eiger in a wingsuit anymore, let alone descend to a volcanic crater with an active lava pool. No. And so I start planning for…
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April pic(k) of the month
When you were first unveiled that eventful night in March, a mix of emotions ran through the crowd. It was launched as the theme of the bellwether RunRio team. Now, it has become the song of all runners in the metropolis. And I saw you again this month – on a shirt. As people continue…
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Madlum weekend break
Barangay Madlum of San Miguel in Bulacan is the home of Mt. Manalmon, the Madlum River, and numerous caves. It offers a variety of activities to excite the adventure-seeker in you. At 196+ MASL, Mt. Manalmon may go unnoticed; unremarkable for some, even. To up the ante, we did a night trek of its 2-kilometer…
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March pic(k) of the month
A beautiful monster and devastation.The poster of how something so beautiful can be so destructive. Last March 26, burning mountains loomed over the back of the northern campsite of Nagsasa Cove. Retiring early after a scorching traverse of Mt. Bira-Bira (a.k.a. Mt. Nagsasa), we awoke at 10:00 PM to the agitation of fellow campers, the…
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February pic(k) of the month
Mt. Pulag at 2,922 MASL This month was highlighted by my return to where all the madness started. We romanced Luzon’s highest (documented) mountains on this month of love. You were the main feature to cap our three-day and three-mountain climbing trip. And we were blessed. With the whispering of the cold wind. With…
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Scaling the parrot’s beak
Pico de Loro Towering over seas of greens and blues, scaling Pico de Loro is the highlight of a climb to Mt. Palay Palay. The monolith stands imposing and dramatic amidst the plains of Cavite and the waters of South China Sea. They say conquering the parrot’s beak takes skill and experience. It may not…
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January pic(k) of the month
Ichaddaw ko imo. January marked the fulfillment of one item off my must-go to places in the country. And like this window, I open another year of travel and fulfillment to more beaches, cities, mountains and roads less travelled. Dios mamajes. xoxo, Kiss
Always Wandering 