Quadruple Birthday Celebration

November 13-14, 2010

This event was organized for a quadruple birthday celebration. Destination is set at Calauan, Laguna. Our camping grounds, Mt. Kalisungan summit.

The climb starts at a banana plantation. This part of the trail is home for mosquitos, so you wouldn't wonder if you see your skin full of mosquito bites. The whole trail is a steep ascent until your reach the grassland where your can feel the cool breeze. At the middle of the trail, there are views of some towns from Laguna and Rizal. You can also see Talim Island with its towering Mt. Tagapo which they say it looks like a female breast which its other name came from Mt. Susong Dalaga (Mt. Young Woman's Breast).

The summit has a 360 degrees view where you can have a glimpse of the Seven Lakes of San Pablo with Mt. Cristobal and Mt. Banahaw on its background. You may also see Mt. Makiling far at the west.

We reached the summit almost 7PM where it is already dark. We set our camp and start preparing our dinner. Then, its fiesta time. Our menu for the night; hotdog, adobo (pork stew), tinola (chicken in chicken broth with young papaya) with a hot steamy rice (YUM! YUM!). After the dinner, socials begun with alcoholic beverages; Lambanog (coconut wine) and GSM Blue.

We woke up early morning and ate our breakfast. We were about to break camp when it started to rain, I thought that the whole climb will have a fair weather since yesterdays weather is good. Well, weather in the mountain is very unpredictable.

We start descent and it is still raining. The trail was very slippery and not to mention, muddy. We then reach the jump-off and waited for our service which will take us to our side trip, Bunga Falls.

The falls looks like a chocolate falls, the water flowing was color brown (mud). I think the rain was the culprit why the color of the water is brown. Bunga Falls is also known as The Twin Falls. Its name was taken from Bunga (betel nut) Palms which grows around the falls. Some say that the catchbasin has some creatures which pulls outsiders feet. Well in my conclusion the pulling effect is caused by the force of the waterfalls which created a pulling effect.

The celebration was a great success. Thanks to Tanaka, Lakwatseros and all new and old friends for this successful climb. Until we meet again.