Frozen air crept through the night as I snuggled deeper into the blanket wrapped around me like a shroud. I was the first up, the camp only just beginning to stir. Mt. Pulag in The Philippines was a great unknown to me… It had been an uncomfortable night, I had barely slept as the temperature had plummeted and my feet had turned to blocks of ice. Would it be worth it? I had no idea what to expect.
I stood, transfixed, the stars above me twinkling brightly in the darkness.
I took another minute to soak in the skies above me and then fumbled for my head-torch. I was joined by an eager Pinoy backpacker in a bright blue down jacket and an English couple backpacking around Asia. Together, we set off into the darkness in search of Mt. Pulag.
Soaking grass pulled at my trousers as I followed the rough path out of the camp and into the hills. I could see the outline of Mt. Pulag ahead, blocking out the sky, rising up out of the darkness like some kind of forgotten monument. I could barely see three meters in any direction but my Filipino friend, Jose, urged me onwards and together we plunged on.
The trail in Mt. Pulag national park, Philippines
As a group, we tackled the path, forcing our way through tangles of grass obscuring our route. Slowly but surely, we began to climb. The top of Mount Pulag beckoning to us through the pre-dawn chill.
We arrived almost without warning, the path simply ending and spitting us out atop the summit of Luzon’s highest mountain. We turned and spotted a trail of faint glows, head torches in the mist, stretching across the grasslands and back towards the campsite.
Unknown shapes danced in the darkness as the sun slowly began to rise. I strained my eyes, I could just about make out what almost looked like an endless ocean of clouds.
Comments
0 comments
Please sign in to leave a comment.