LOVE ON TOP

Arem Bolalin

“Leave nothing but footprints. Take nothing but pictures. Kill nothing but time.”

Aside from what they called “Vitamin Sea,” mountains can be your happy pill, too! Mt. Gulugod-Baboy is my first time on hiking, and one thing to describe the experience — it’s BREATHTAKING.

Well actually, we did not totally hike. We only have one day to travel Mabini, Batangas and our first destination is Tingloy, Island. We really want to be at Mt. Gulugod-Baboy before sunset, good thing our friend’s dad let us ride on their car. But vehicles can only make it up to like 3/4 of the mountain, I guess. So to reach its peak, you really need to go there on your feet. And here starts the thrill and excitement.

If you’ll look at it, you’ll probably say it’s not that challenging because it’s only few meters away. But halfway there, it gets harder because of some slippery parts. Being first-timer, I honestly got nervous and realized how dangerous it is to hike. What more for the other people who climb an entire mountain from the bottom to its peak? In just one wrong step, you can roll down there and die. However, at the moment you reach its TOP, I swear that it’s a very priceless feeling. From there, we saw the Tingloy and other islands, Batangas Sea, and green hills. Witnessing the stunning beauty of nature, I can really say that it is made with pure LOVE from above.

We successfully made it before sunset, which made the scenery more beautiful. The breeze was so refreshing, and it’s just so peaceful up there. Everything is perfect that it’ll make you wanna shout your heart out. And of course, what added more fun to this awesome getaway is being with friends and loved ones. I recommend this place if you want some time to unwind, do some “soul-searching”, or have a break from the stifling stress in life. This is also a good one to take instagrammable shots and artsy photos. So what are you waiting for? Hike while you can, guys and gals!

It’s not a joke to reach a mountain’s peak. It takes a lot of courage and spirit of adventurousness. After seeing the entire view and scenery up there, all I can say is that, it’s just like love… It’s worth conquering all the fear. I am beyond joyful to have experienced this journey, and I am looking forward for more. Last thing, this place gave me a moment to realize how amazing our Lord is, to have created such wonderful creations just like Mt. Gulugod-Baboy.