(The author and his friends climbed Mt. Mabilog on June 7, 2014.)
- Where: San Pablo and Nagcarlan, Laguna
- Difficulty: 2/9
- Hours required to reach summit: 1-1/2 to 2 hours
- Trail description: soft loam and clay, with high tendency to get muddy when wet; grassy and not steep; last leg of trail is moderately steep
- Attractions: abundant banana and coconut trees, scenic views of lakes, panoramic vista of neighboring Calabarzon mountains
This year marked a sudden change in my life as an adventurer, and my life had been catapulted into the once unknown realm of mountaineering. Just last December, I embarked on a solo backpacking trip to Thailand and Cambodia for 17 days just because my intuition told me I was not Asian enough, nor did I feel Asian enough to call myself one. And no, the trip was not spontaneous. In fact, preparation was already underway by August 2013, so at least four months of intense research was poured into this trip to ensure my safety and to learn as much as I can about the history and culture of the Siamese and the Khmer empires. Continue reading
Pinoy Joie de Vivre 