People always seem like little ants in the mountains. Perhaps it's the silence, the endless skies or the fact that nature existed before our concerns. It is whatever it is, but it's the feeling I had when we took that very memorable trip to Mt. Lanaya.
It all began with a mere plan that soon became one of the best experiences we had ever shared!
One night, as everyone was just tired from all the busy activities, and all the responsibilities they had, someone said, “What if mag camping ta this weekend?” To begin, the thought seemed impossible. We all had a lot of sleeping in our homes to do and not much to do. The concept somehow remained in our brains though.
We were in Cebu South Bus Terminal a couple of days later, before dawn, with large bags, tents and plenty of snacks to serve an entire barangay. There was already a lot of activity at the terminal: vendors yelling out, cars arriving in succession, sleepy passengers looking for coffee. We were very excited and couldn't sleep at the early hour.
The trip to Alegia was longer than one expected going south, but no one complained. Most of the journey was spent in laughter, music, and picking out things out of the window. The city gradually faded behind us, and it got lighter. With every kilometer, the air fresher, the buildings taller were rice fields and the highways were coastal roads.
After spending hours on the road, we finally reached Alegria.
The town was welcoming and the peace of the village was what you needed to relax your mind. There we'd book habal-habal riders that would get us up close and personal with the starting point of Mt. Lanaya. Just that one ride was an adventure already.
The motorcycles made their way through bumpy terrain, surrounded by greenery, cliffs, and stunning mountain views. The wind blew in our faces, and the road got steep at times making us laugh, but we held on tightly to our bags. Each turn was another stunning view of the southern shores of Cebu. There was a mountain above us and an ocean below us.
We finally arrived at the jump-off point, and I realized.
But we still had to hike.
Initially, they appeared all assured. We got our backpacks adjusted, stretched like a pro, and took too many “before hike” pictures. However, after several minutes of walking up the hill, the truth emerged, we were already exhausted.
Mt. Lanaya wasn't an easy hike, but it was a challenge! In some spots it was very steep, in others it was very rocky, and every couple minutes somebody would have to catch their breath and pretend to be “admiring the view.” Though it was a challenge, we didn't gripe too much, considering the beautiful scenery we saw all around us.
As we ascended higher and higher, everything became more beautiful.
The grass was swaying in the wind, birds could be heard in the distance, and the mountains were in the background. We would sometimes stop to gaze down on the ocean and the horizon line, and the little houses on the hills of Alegria and the narrow, tiny roads from our perspective.
The world seemed to grow quieter with every step that we took up.
Hiking is a great way to travel with friends. Different sides of people can be seen in such times. Everyone gets to the point of extreme fatigue where the loudest person in the group goes quiet. The quiet friend suddenly becomes the motivator for all. When one person runs out of water, someone else will have some to share. Even when the peak is still a long way away, someone will say “konti nalang”.
Those little things somehow draw people together.
It took a very long time, but we did eventually arrive at the campsite at the top.
As soon as we reached there, we felt like we no longer had any fatigue.
The mountain loomed high above the clouds, and the coast stretched out in the distance. There was cold and strong wind, and the scent of the mountains was still fresh in it, like it's not in the city at all. Our bags went onto the ground and we stood there quietly, in awe of what we saw before us.
The afternoon was slowly coming to a close and the sky was starting to turn red for sunset. The mountains were all golden, and warmly glowing. It grew even colder but no one cared. We shared a seat at the outskirts of the camp watching the sky turn orange, pink and purple.
I had never seen such a beautiful sunset at Mt. Lanaya.
The camp site changed again as darkness slowly set in.
The lights of little towns began to show up, one by one, like little stars on the ground. The real stars started to appear above, The night was clearer and brighter away from the city lights. It was a night out in the sky like you wouldn't want to scroll through your phone because it seemed more beautiful than reality.
We erected our tents and started feasting, and huddled together as the mountain colds swept around us. Music drifted softly and others recounted stories and random jokes that somehow proved more hilarious in the middle of nowhere.
There’s a different kind of peace that exists in mountains at night.
No traffic.
No notifications.
No pressure to hurry.
Just cold air, quiet skies and people who make simple moments unforgettable.
The trouble I had in my life prior to the trip seemed insignificant.
Perhaps it is this, and perhaps more, that makes people continue to indulge in adventures such as this, for not only do they see the view but they also see the escape from the noise of everyday life.
The next morning we woke up very cold yet pleased.
The sun gradually emerged from behind the mountains, filling the sky with gentle hues. We were in our tents with our jackets on, sipping instant coffee as the world woke up down there.
No one wanted to go away.
But, after some time, it was necessary to pack up our stuff and make our way back down the mountain.