(The thwarted plans of) Walking barefoot above the cold clouds

If there's one call of spontaneity that I always heed, that would be walking long distances out of the blue, out of a whim and on the oddest hours of the day. I have been doing this all through out my life: walking out, literally in any given situation, at any given moment. Giving in to walking can be likened to a tick that I can’t control, a thirst that needs to be quenched, a need, a must and never a choice nor an option. It must be heeded, as critical as a heartbeat. 

I had the opportunity to join a trip to Mt. Pulag last week. I did not think twice in signing up for the climb. Reaching the summit of Mt. Pulag, has been sitting patiently on my bucket list. I thought, perhaps a good climb on top of this magnificent beauty can cap off my year, right up to the very apex- literally. And so it happened, I joined a group 14 climbers, some experienced, some not. I thought that the substantial precipitation that greeted us at the ranger’s station, at approximately, more or less 2000 meters above sea level is just, after all, a  mere greeting. And yet, all through out the trek, which I must say, gave me the most intense exposure to wind chill in many years and gratefully an up close vantage of picturesque and massive land formations and verdant valleys which due to the day’s weather , has fallen a notch lower to perfection. The mild yet persistent rains blurred our vista. Upon reaching the camp, and suffering from excruciating cold winds whilst pitching the tent, and finally lasting the night without a warm meal— my hopes was still up for a morning with golden sun rays beaming out of the clouds. It did not happen. Perhaps, no dream for even the deserving ones for warm sunshine amidst a mountain top would be granted on that day. We are doomed to be besieged by rains on the entirety of this trip. The wind howled like the thunderous waves of the seas the entire night until the next morning. 

I was an hour away from reaching the summit but risking so may prove futile or even fatal. Most trekkers did not last the cold of the night, most were forced to break camp and do a descent mid night, we were fortunate to be housed in a tent, sturdy and made for such frightening conditions. The sleeping bag I cocooned myself in, saved me too. The winds pounded our tents and I must have recited a hundred or so Hail Mary’s which also, gratefully lulled me to sleep. 

The morning came but the bright sun failed to show up, as feared the rains and the dreadful cold winds reigned and conquered the mountains. No plans to assault the peak will be mounted. Hence the dream to walk amongst the clouds will be put on hold and that only means, this dream is not over. Although the gratifying feeling of reaching the summit and witnessing the first burst of the eastern sunrise did not materialize, I am no less determined than my first attempt. 

I shall see and experience this great mountain again and I am in no rush to accomplish it. The hunger of my youthful adventures has just begun.