Poytho Wanders

It's the second month of the year, and so far I am keeping up with my OMOM challenge. Does it get any less thrilling than the first climb? Absolutely not! I mean, each mountain has a lot of things to discover and experiece

Tangadan Falls is situated in San Gabriel, La Union. To get there from San Fernando, just take a jeep going to San Gabriel, then tricycle ride to starting point. Remember: never be afraid to ask for directions so you wont get lost.

The falls requires an hour or so worth of trek depending on how fast you walk, or how little pictures you'll take along the way.lol The trek in general is easier than you would climbing a mountain, but it can still get a little draining if you're not so used to long walks in a not so flat surface.

Estimated cost:
Bus fare to San Fernando, La Union: P425 via Viron Transit
Jeepney fare to San Gabriel: P18
Trycicle to Tangadan falls touchpoint: P100
Guide fee: P200/head
Cottage rental: P100
Life vest: P50

So here's how my experience went:

From Manila, we arrived to the Tangadan base at around 6 AM. We had kuya Alan as our guide, a few "kumustahan" then off we go.

As we begin to walk, kuya Alan threw us a curious question about what kind of plant this is. Do you know?
To those who are well-versed with plants then you might have guessed it right! It's a Mongo plantation. Mongo that your parents cook during fridays, partnered with something fried.haha

Then came the so called "Temple Run" path that would somehow test your balance. The weir is quiet wide to accommodate you feet so worrying is not an issue.

Just after the balancing act, the start of the beautiful sight unravels. I wont say much about the place, I'll just leave you guys alone to marvel with the beauty based on these pictures.







I must say every angle is picturesque, indeed!

Just as you thought you've seen enough, comes an even more surprising sight! Dreaming of visiting the Grand Canyon? Maybe this could give you a taste of what it's like?











You might have noticed that some of the pictures had me doing the same thing but I loved seeing the drama of the angles. So, sorry! Would you agree of what I said earlier? I hope you do, 100%!

Out with rocks in with more trees. Here we go!
Wait! Here's another one!


I was really in awe this early in the trek. I can't wait to see where this water comes from!

And the rush of water falling of just started to get more and more pronounced. We are surely getting nearer.


And finally! Tangadan falls in all its beauty!








Witnessing the beauty of the falls had wiped all the sweat away. Taking a dip in the icy water was definitely refreshing. Just don't take too long, though. Muscle cramps will surely come next.lol

So there you have it! See you on the future adventures of poythowanders.

2016 had been a great year for me. Looking back, I realized each month had "layags" and "ganaps", save for September for reasons I don't even know. Its been packed with travels and adventures both local and abroad, each of them is surely noteworthy. Its a lot of firsts for me, and even now I haven't had a chance to make an entry regarding those wonderful experiences, yet. Apologies for saying things with the least relevance on what this entry is about.lol

This year, I aim to make my travels more practical, perhaps exploring places nearby, places you can reach faster, while offering experiences like no other. Which lead me to deciding on this self-made OMOM (One month, One Mountain) Challenge.hahaha I know I should've thought of a cooler name for the challenge, but I'm low on creative juice lately. Basically, I plan to make at least one climb every month. 'nough said, let's get this over with.

Mt Tagapo is situated in Binangonan, Rizal where mountains next to more mountains are found. Which means most of my climb will surely be from the area, but who knows? What's nice about this trek is it required a boat ride to get there. A touch similar to how you go on an island getaway.

How to get there:
Ride a jeepney bound to Binangonan: P40
Alight at Pritil Port
Ride a passenger boat bound to several barangays of the island, and depart at Barangay Janosa: P25

You can find out more about the mountains details like ratings, and other technical stuff here. lol

We reached the port just as the sun begins to rise.
The ferry makes several stops to different barangays on the island. Be sure to alight to Barangay Janosa.

Once there, stopover at Mt. Tagapo basecamp to fetch your tour guide, and pay P400 for his service. Kuya Philip was our tourist guide.
The only picture I had of Kuya Philip. I guess I better work on establishing rapport with guides in the future.haha
Mt. Togapo's trail is sorrounded with abundance of bamboos, and other foliage as any mountains would. While venturing into the rough path, we stumbled with this gargantuan Gabi-looking plant. What is it called? I would appreciate if you can shed light to this.
Liters of sweat, palpitations, and muscle aches will always be a part of the entire trekking experience. Taking time to rest every now and then.
And there will surely come a time where you just want to wave the white flag and forget the whole thing. Pero ngayon ka pa ba susuko?

But you keep pushing...
Then little by little, you get closer...
And closer..
Then a rush of breeze getting cooler the more you get higher...
Revitalizing your senses...
I never understood why a lot of people get so hooked into trekking until now. Some do it to get over a broken relationship, others do it for the thrill and In my case, a quick escape.
Here's the rest of Mt. Tagapo, with poythobomber.lol