We travel so far, and spend so much, just to be witnesses to nature’s bounty and beauty when some of the best ones are right in our own backyard. This is one of the many times that I am grateful for being in, and from, Benguet. Its situated perfectly, giving us, i-Benguets, the best of both worlds: the conveniences of urban living, and the sheer grace and magnificence of nature. Is it any wonder, then, why it never occurred to me to live anywhere else?
Day 2 of our Ambuklao Adventure (check out our chill day 1 in this post). This is where the “extreme” bit of this adventure comes in.
After having breakfast at the campsite, we all set off at around half-past 7 for a 2.5- to 3-hour trek to Pinagjan Waterfalls. We were told to take just our lunches and cameras. Dress up in clothes that are meant to get wet. Wear sandals/slippers. After all, it’s going to be a river trek.
Essentially, this meant making river crossings and walking on rocky terrain. It’ll be hell on the soles of your feet if you wear a normal slipper, so make sure your footwear has good traction and provides just the right amount of support (and thick enough) without weighing you down.
(All pics are mine, UNLESS OTHERWISE INDICATED ON THE CAPTIONS.)
It started out simple enough. Just… simple walking.
And then crossing streams…
And then the current grows stronger, the water level higher.
But plenty of chances (and spots) to take fun photos in.
And it’s not just the rivers and rocks that made the trek even more of a challenge. No matter how much you try to avoid these plants, some are bound to get on to your clothes… and cling on. In my case, it even stuck on parts of my sandal. Persistent, these ones. I forgot the name of the plant, though.
This is the most challenging part of the whole trek.
It’s a small rock face (small, by experienced people’s standards) that we have to scale using a strong rope provided by the local Fire Department. And you have to do it without a harness, too.
This is probably the main reason why, two, three days after, my upper arms and shoulders were all sore and stiff. Because I weigh too much? Haha!
We had to wait for our turns since we could only go one at a time.
It. Was. Exhilarating. But, at the back of my mind, I was thinking “darn, going back down is going to be even harder”. I was right; it was.
And, as the Japanese would say, “rasuto supaaaaa-to~! (last spurt)
And we’ve arrived!!
All those hours trekking, crossing through rivers, slipping through loose rocks and even in the water, the trepidation in climbing the rock face…. all those were completely wiped out when we found ourselves standing before this stunning sight.
Supposedly, the place got its name, Pinagjan, from the word Binaljan, which is the name of another neighboring area. The reason?
Because they rhyme.
….
Yes, ingenuity comes in various forms.
According to the guides, they were surprised that Pinagjan Waterfalls had this much water. The drop was very high, and even from a distance, you can feel its force. The lens of our cameras became all fogged up in mere seconds.
Plus, the water was cooooold~ Exactly the way we wanted it.
I have seen more than a couple of waterfalls already, and this is definitely one of the best – and most memorable – ones. It also helped that we were the first ones to come here as a group.
Next year’s Ambuklao Adventure (that’ll make it Part 4) will focus on another place. Need you even ask if we’re going?
(For more photos taken during Day 2, visit this Facebook photo album. Access may be limited by certain privacy settings, though.)