That Christmas I spent camping alone

I had this crazy idea before that I would spend my Christmas alone in the mountains. I couldn't go home for Christmas that year due to time constraints, so I decided to spend it alone since most of my friends were already with their families. It might sound sad, but I didn't feel sad or sorry for myself.

I started packing my stuff but I was still unsure whether I should go or not. It would be my first time camping alone in the wild, although I had tried solo camping on the beach before. Camping in the mountains was a whole different story.

But then, one camping site came to mind where I wouldn't be completely alone: the camping site of Mt. Kan-irag. It already had a caretaker checking the place from time to time, so I was sure I wouldn't be completely isolated.

I made my way to the jump-off point at the entrance of Budlaan Falls. I started after lunch, so I still had some daylight left when I arrived. I planned to slow down my pace and savor my alone time.

Originally, I had planned to follow the river trail all the way up to the main waterfall, but I ended up taking a shortcut to the last tier.

I reached a spot with a few houses and a store quickly, and I felt somewhat relieved, knowing I was still close to civilization. I continued walking until I arrived at the campsite.

I was pleasantly surprised when I arrived, and there wasn't a single tent in sight. I had arrived super early, so I had some time to climb a tree. Haha.

As darkness slowly crept in, I realized I didn't have a headlamp or flashlight with me, so I relied on my phone's flashlight.

Just before the sun set, a group of young guys arrived at the campsite, making quite a bit of noise. I tried not to pay too much attention to them since it was essentially them against me. Haha.

Dinnertime came, and I had brought take-out food from a fast-food chain because I didn't know how to cook rice using a butane stove. Lol. I only knew how to cook rice using a rice cooker, and let me tell you, my attempts at cooking rice using other methods ended up either burnt or as soupy messes. But that's a story for another time. Hahahha.

As the night progressed, I stayed inside my tent, watching some movies. Surprisingly, I was able to sleep despite the noise from the other group.

Morning came, and I woke up super early at 6 AM, while the other group was still sleeping. I only had a few slices of bread and water since I had not boiled any water for coffee to fuel me up for the hike home.

On my way back, I considered taking the back trail, but this time I decided to follow the river.

Along the trail, I encountered no one because, of course, it was Christmas, and people were in vacation mode in their own provinces.

I reached the last tier of the falls and rested there for a minute, taking pictures of the waterfall.

The next part of the trail made me a bit anxious. It involved descending a steep part of the waterfall's side, and the only thing to hold onto was a makeshift rope made of water tubing. I had to climb down a slippery slope, and thoughts of 'What ifs' filled my head. What if I fell and had no one to ask for help? What if I fell and no one found my body for days? Haha, those kinds of questions.

Fortunately, nothing happened to me, and I made it down safely to the main waterfall.

I continued my hike down to the heart-shaped basin, where I took a quick break since this was the last part of the river trail.

The final stretch of the trail involved a gradual ascent, passing by houses. I didn't particularly enjoy this part of the hike because it was quite tiring. But taking breaks here and there helped me reach the exit point.

I've tried solo adventures before because I was curious about what it feels like to plan my own itinerary and not follow others. However, recent local news about solo hikers encountering trouble along the trail and getting held up has made me a bit cautious. Perhaps it's time to learn some self-defense skills and consider carrying a portable knife and pepper spray for protection.

While I still cherish the idea of solo travel and the sense of self-discovery it brings, these recent events have reminded me of the importance of balancing adventure with caution. It's a fine line to tread, but with the right mindset, skills, and tools, I hope to continue exploring the world on my own terms while staying vigilant and safe.

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