Battered.

This I think is the best description of what exactly I am feeling now after
an overnight mountain climbing trip to the hills of Quezon, somewhere in Pangil.

Yes, battered.

I don't know if this is an indication of how unfit I really am, but indeed I am a physical wreck.
My neck hurts, my whole torso hurts, my arms and legs are dotted with mosquito bites (of all varieties, even blue ones! - the mosquitoes, I mean).
My knees ache, my legs ache and my feet are worn out. If I were a car, I'm badly in need of a tune up!

But don't get me wrong. I had fun.

It's been ages since I've been mountain climbing and the places I've gone are usually organized. The whole of yesterday was
a totally new experience. 45 degree mountain slopes with only a slight path for you to follow, places where you
have only the plants and vines to hang on to, and because of the rains yesterday, there was MUD.Plenty of it.

I don't know how Mother Nature could create something so icky. As I write this, I can bet that our helper wants to murder
me right now. If I were our helper, I'd murder me right now. Personally, it is going to be hellish to clean the
clothes and shoes I brought home as all of these (including underwear) are caked in layers and layers of mud.

The mud couldn't have been avoided. The ground was wet and the soil had been transformed into muck. At one point, my leg sank into
the mud all the way up to the knee! And did I mention that since the path was steep and my rubber shoes had no traction, I kept on slipping and I have
a feeling that I went a quarter of the way (with intervals), slipping and sliding on my butt! You know that nature saying that goes "take nothing but pictures...". I violated this yesterday 'cause I think I took half the mountain home with me in my clothes!

But the view was terrific! And the waterfalls was breathtaking!

I guess seeing the waterfalls was enough reward for the treacherous 3 hour trek going as well as coming back. Damn it was beautiful!

And considering the company I had, it made the trip much more fun!... yes, we were all muddy!

The night was the best though- a drinking spree with pure, unadulterated, concentrated Laguna lambanog. Hell, that was good!

The best part of drinking though is pacing. This is so you can watch other people get wasted before you. This is where the comedy begins! And since Lambanog
does make you kinda light-headed, the fun is doubled watching the people who have lost all their inhibitions due to drink.

Lambanog is pretty strong, and I consider it an achievment that after 5 full shots, I was still sober! This is taking into account
that the chaser was Gilbey's island punch. Oh yeah. What a surefire formula for inebriation. I had to counter my tipsiness
by gallons and gallons of water. I think I must've used up all the water in the refrigerator of the place we were staying in!

I'm really, really happy to be home now. After that tiring trip, nothing beats lying your tired, aching body on your bed.

I guess the only feeling that rivals that is a bath. And that is what I did- an hour-long bath with the works!

Here's an observation: eventhough you take a bath in other places with the same amenities (5 star hotels included), you never really feel clean until you take a bath in your own bathroom.

And yes, after that bath, I am starting to feel almost human again.

Everything is semi-up and running. Hell, took me awhile to do so (and a lot of internet time too). Thank God Mozcom, my internet server shaves a lot off during off-peak hours or else, I'd be toast! In any case, for a start, I hope this Blog is decent. It better be... I made kulit my ate to kingdom come for her to help me put this thing up. Hey! She started it anyway and got me hooked!

Hello. Still trying to get things running here. It's still pretty messy though... hehehe!!!

Okay. This is a pathetic attempt at getting started. Give me a few days.