Day 2 – Lannah Junction, Bangaan and Hapao Rice Terraces and Bogya Hot Spring
Following our itinerary, we started chasing our route to Lannah Junction as early as 7 am for we must catch the public jeepney to bring us to Banaue town proper. Without having our breakfast (apart from the pancakes shared with us by our new-found friends – Marlon and Zenky) and fully backpacked, we crossed the Lannah Junction, with different route from Batad Saddle. As per with our itinerary and self-proclaimed tour guide it can be done with no guide necessary.
From left to right: Choi, Marlon, Arnel, Joriel, Jheng, Zenky and the pancakes
The dense fog could possibly moisten the trail so we came to pass slippery route. This is where I want to commend my hiking shoes (I don’t have ‘selfeet’ picture wearing my hiking shoes – just refer to Chad’s hiking shoes with his bright yellow socks – for it also looks like mine), even if sometimes I do not trust its grip but still, it holds me in every step I make. We are just starting our trek when I slide and fell hitting myself hard on the mud walls.
‘Selfeet’ of hiking shoes in overfascinating, bright yellow with mustache socks
This is me being so doubtful with my hiking shoes, coupled with slippery walkway and heavy backpack – I certainly felt the smash of that stumble.
Walking for almost two hours, breathless for the heavy carries and trail, we encountered an X-marked fence blocking our way. Depicting it as a prohibited sign, we quest other route down to the highway. We’ve tried and seen three routes heading down, but these all if not steep, were too sloppy or weedy path. Starving and exhausted at around past 10 am, we hopelessly decided to get a guide. Upset to discover that the correct way down was the one with the X-marked fence. According to the guide, that X-marked fence was intended to keep wild boars from getting to the routes where we were trying to trail. An added dismay was that the trail after that X-marked fence was too obvious and straight which leads to the town proper and eventually to the highway.
Going back with our pal – Arnel. I’ve just couldn’t missed him, imagining his adverse trek carrying his travel bag. We’ve been teasing him that the guide was actually meant for him. He really consumed the use of the said guide – carrying his travel bag and taking his pictures. But Arnel, being the most sociable – have almost obtained the biography of our guide.
Arnel and the adversity of his travel bag
Arnel and his rented tour guide
We were certainly out of schedule per our itinerary. It was already 12 noon, and we haven’t crossed any stores or cafeteria to fill our stomach of anything. We also missed the jeepney ride going to Banaue. So, we continue our endless walk and despite it being endless, we also managed to have our perfect shots in every picture (our pictures doesn’t show how tired we were that time – every shot was a sort of recharge to us).
Without even noticing we have reached and sighted the Bangaan Rice Terraces – the second of the five clusters of the rice terraces we have seen but not able to get there.
Honestly, I can’t remember why we haven’t descend to Bangaan, though it is included in our itinerary and we have also pictures with the signage going down or pointing to Bangaan Rice Terraces. (Right this very moment) – our dearest Tsad explained and reminded me that we were too fatigue and hungry for almost five hours of walking that we don’t want to pursue going to Bangaan and that we were more concerned and expectant for a public vehicle that will pass. Favorably, Tsad’s patriotistic deed of taking pictures of Bagaan Rice Terraces left us one of my favorite with his shots.
The Bangaan Rice Terraces
One local there offer to hire his jeepney to take us to Banaue, which we definitely accepted for we can’t afford to risk waiting for another casual vehicle to pass and extend our starvation. When we got to the Banaue town proper, we have our lunch at around pass 2 pm and Tsad have managed to bargain a guide for the remaining hours that afternoon and tomorrow morning before we en route to Sagada.
Via tricycle ride, we seized the view of the stoned-wall rice terraces of Hapao, Hungdungan – the third of five clusters of rice terraces of Philippine Cordilleras. Not given a chance to visit the other two rice terraces – Mayoyao and Kiangan, for it is located further from Banaue Village.
Hapao/ Hungdungan Rice Terraces
Then, a walk of about an hour through the rice paddies to reach the hot spring. Upon reaching the hot spring, we were kind-a disappointed with its size and sanitation. But, after a substantial and hefty day trek – a warm water can really reward and release muscle tensions we have obtained for that day.
There were sprinkling cold fresh water from any spring or rock clusters forming falls
Surely after I soaked half of my body – I felt the swelling of my upper butt. The hot spring at the end of the walk was worthy to actually bathe in, but the adjacent cold stream was more of the valiant compensation to dip with.
The adjacent cold stream flowing water
It’s almost dark when we roved back to the village. Where fogs were expected to cover the place, we being all wet from the hot spring must overcome the frigidity. What was really astounding was the spinning turn of our tricycles and the out-of-no-when and -where use of “nganga” or “moma” of the tricycle drivers. All of a sudden, our tricycles’ drivers stop to do their “nganga” and it left us chilling for 15-20 minutes, I guess! Locals there in mountain province have this vice of using “nganga” – wherein they chew then spit it. Through Arnel’s sociability, we’ve discovered that there is a tradition that once a lad starting to chew/ spit nganga would mean that they are engaged or about to be engaged. And traditions state also, that engagements would lead to many rituals which includes offering of two wild boars and eight carabaos as ‘dote’. This conclude our guy friends that they will just remain bachelor exploring Sagada instead.
While for me it’s the most complicated hike for the whole week, I have learned that there are many places where you can accidentally go the wrong way. And it’s fine. One must be lost in order to be found. We will never realize finding the right way, until we headed in the wrong way and got lost.
One must be lost in order to be found
To close, I would like to quote:
“Life comes with pain. And the best revenge is living it well – Marlene Aguilar”.
Perhaps, my hard fall this day would be one of the reasons that I consider this as the most complex one. But you see, if I quit right there and then – I will not experience the next days in Sagada which is truly remarkable. My thoughts are these: No matter how painful it is – by continuing, you have just given yourself a chance to live. Living well is hard – and it’s my everyday achievement.
Different is hard
avisomeness 