Just
January of this year, I remember braving the noisy streets of Cubao at 4 AM with
some of my friends as my half-hazy head couldn't believe that I finally decided to try escaping the crowds of Manila and climb my first mountain. Weeks and
days before that however, it was already undeniable - staying in the metro for a
prolonged period of time is toxic and yuppies posting breath-taking views of
mountain ranges on Instagram wasn’t helping in letting the stress be. That’s
probably why millennials, especially young professionals, have never travelled before
as frequent as they in 2016.
And in
my case, each of the seven mountains I trekked this year convinced me that I became a jetsetter
and as an urban dweller, I definitely became braver.
WHY THE MOUNTAINS
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| First Summit: Mt. Balagbag, Rizal |
I grew up a few steps away from the sea and in a way, it made the deep waters to be my home. So I really think that this urge to conquer hills is just the other
half of my soul wanting to heed the call of the mountains. It started
through the images I channeled inside my head, how would it feel to be under the
scorching heat of the sun? What would it be like for the breeze of the winds to
blow my face? And how far would the fields stretch across horizons? I wanted
answers to my questions.
And there was no stopping me.
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| Mt. Gulugod-Baboy Batangas, February 2016 |
As
someone new to trekking, I did not know what to expect. I even hesitated if
I was fit enough to climb mountains. There’s always that beginner’s doubt. It
may include the appropriateness of the trekking attire (I once brought a denim
jacket that’s heavier than my shoes and pants combined), the sufficiency of
water (1 liter is always never enough for a single peak), the difficulty
level of trail (because 2/9 may already be 10/9 for others.) and many other petty issues along the climb.
The
only constant thing however, at least for me, is that it is always fun.
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| Mt. Maynuba, Rizal, June 2016 |
It’s
funny how it was really triggered by Instagram. I joined the platform way
back in October of 2015 and luckily, I stumbled upon amazing hubs that feature “travelgrammers”,
a term coined to pertain to users who post on Instagram their escapades on beaches,
on seas, waterfalls, road trips and many other adventures.
Yet it was the mountains that got me most fired up.
Yet it was the mountains that got me most fired up.
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| Mt. Batulao, Batangas, March 2016 |
There’s
an inexplicable thing about mountains that makes me want to go back each time.
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| Mount Batolusong, Rizal, May 2016 |
At one
point, I got so captivated with sea of clouds even if I couldn’t really understand at first why people were obsessed with them at a time when they became a
frequent subject on photos online.
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| Mount Batolusong, Rizal, May 2016 |
And I
saw it myself – the poetry that the creeping of the mountains spoke aloud.
I knew
that I wanted to see the photographs come to life. And it was very satisfying
to see them unfold in a beautiful way that they did right before my eyes.
Later
on, I figured out that trekking mountains also had other aspects that people who
haven’t tried mountaineering for a couple of times may not realize just yet.
A JOURNEY WITH OTHERS
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| Osmeña Peak, Highest peak in Cebu |
By climbing mountains and taking as
many good photos of them could attract people to do the same thing. This is obviously
how I got into the loop, by getting amazed at people who are unknowingly promoting
Philippine tourism. It brings people from the metro to provinces. It makes
people recognize more places in the country they didn’t know were must-see.
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| A picture of our tour-guide in Mt. Maynuba, Rizal leading the way |
An increase in the number of tourist-climbers
also creates opportunity for locals to earn money on top of the little income
they have. This trend has seen natives of a certain barangay to be tour guides,
sellers of food and beverages and experts on environmental management.
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| Our tour-guide in Mt. Maynuba, Rizal leading the way |
This is why it has also become a
habit for me to add a little amount to the rates the local tour guides impose. I
feel like going to their mountain and paying them for their service is a big
help already to them and their families.
A HOMAGE TO ONE'S SELF
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| A hill in Calaguas Islands, Camarines Norte |
While I trek mountains, a part of
me is always thankful that I enjoy the chance to be with the people I treasure since I climb with friends and colleagues. I am also grateful that there are
times when I meet strangers during a climb and they share parts of them through
short conversations and giving of directions. Sometimes, they also become
friends who eventually turn into trekking buddies.
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| Mt. Batulao, Batangas, March 2016, 7 AM |
All these I still believe is a
homage that I pay to myself. That in every scattered horizon of mountain
ranges, I recognize myself a little. That in every slope I climb, I enjoy a day
of my existence. And that in each sweat rolling down my face, somewhere deep
inside, my soul is fed.
There is so much more in climbing mountains than the idea of reaching the summit.
There is so much more in climbing mountains than the idea of reaching the summit.
BRAVING THE URBAN LIFE
With every travelling millennial,
there will always be a bag that will determine the comfort and ease of
backpacking. And lucky for travelers, Urbanize has revolutionized our
array of backpack choices.
Evolving customer preferences
demand not just functionality but also fashionability. This is why for urban
jetsetters, Urbanize has made some of these products available:
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| Urbanize East Street backpack that would look very photogenic with the mountains. |
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| Fjallraven Kanken Graphite backpack for conquering adventures. |
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| Urbanize Packit Bag that can be brought anywhere in different occasions. |
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| Sherpani Olive Ash Backpack that looks classy and always ready to go |
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| Urbanize PH Store |
Urbanize stores are located at Gateway Mall, Shangri-La Plaza Mall, UP Town Ayala Mall, Glorietta 3, Uptown BGC, Venice Grand Canal, Alabang Town Center, The District in Imus, Serin in Tagaytay, Solenad 3 in Nuvali, Kiss and Fly NAIA T3 Departure level.
For sales and promo updates, find then at www.facebook.com/urbanizeph.
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| Bringing some coffee and book on trekking (not the best combo though) |
xxxx
NORBY
