tahac.net trekking|camping

In trekking, space is a very important commodity because there are lots to bring for an overnight trip: cookware, clothing, tent, sleeping bag, mats, lights, water, and lots more. So how do we conserve space? With the use of a compression bag.

Some of the bulky items in our bag can still actually be reduced in terms of space occupied by eliminating most of the air in it and really jamming it into the compression bag. This has four straps crossing each other and runs from end to end. These straps are fastened using adjustable clamps.

The compression bag is fairly easy to use. Just fold-up the item you want compressed into the smallest possible footprint, place it into the bag, close the lid, then pull the straps until you get it fairly tight and compact.

For demonstration purposes, I took out my sleeping bag and placed it beside the compression bag and my size-7.5 trekking shoe for size reference.
After some huffing and puffing (I wonder if the compression bag will last for a long time with all the wear and tear it experiences?), I was finally able to fit the sleeping bag into the compression bag!

Now that's a lot of space conserved because the sleeping bag is definitely the bulkiest item I have on my bag.

Some people suggest compressing the tent too but I am a bit hesitant to do that because I think it will damage the tent's flooring. Other things we can compress are clothes (if you don't mind wearing them crumpled), pillow (if yours is not the inflatable one), towels, and anything you can basically squeeze the air out of.

Read Part 1 of this adventure here


After lunch, we made a beeline for the Macahambus Adventure Park located at Barangay Lumbia. Part of our itinerary was the canopy walk and zipline. Harnessed and ready for deployment, the canopy walk (also called the Sky Bridge) involved walking along a narrow passageway of about 123 meters across the gaping chasm.


At 150 meters high, it’s a looong way down. But not to worry. You get a refund if you fall. The first few moments upon stepping onto the bridge is rather unnerving. This can truly be a badge of courage for those with fear of heights. But after mustering a couple of steps, you can’t help but marvel at the lush vegetation. The trees here must be centuries old!


While gingerly navigating the narrow pathway, I wondered if we were going to walk all the way back to starting point. My question was answered soon enough as we approached a hut at the end of the trail. A 120-meter heavy-duty cable was strung from here to homebase, and we had to do slide through this entire length to get back.

Protective harness notwithstanding, one can’t help but shout as the solid platform on your feet gives way to nothing but air! The shouts issuing from the Tarzan wannabees didn’t have much variety; it was just the level of panic and terror that gave it distinct tone and volume. Those at the homebase had fun guessing whose shouts they were.

While most that echoed through the cavern were understandably filled with excitement and panic, our second batch almost did not take the Zip Line because the first lady Tarzan did a most bloodcurdling scream that we thought something had gone horribly wrong. She mad it back just fine, though. I think the guide at the other end was most helpful with encouraging words… and pushing? :-)

to be continued...
[cross-posted at watson.online/]

There are two sides of the coin when it comes to tourism: on one hand it generates a much-needed livelihood for the enterprising folk; and in the other, there is always that possibility of having our natural resources become ravaged by human carelessness.

I have seen too many instances where the bad side is the norm.

Take my hometown of Baguio, for example. Just last year, I can simply go to the bus terminal and get a ticket for the next trip within the hour. It has been around three months now that I get a ticket for at least three hours later. That's even during the weekdays. In Baguio, you can see a lot of construction going on. The more recent area threatened by "human development" is the woods located near the Convention Center and UP. I have, in the 70s, seen these grounds planted with pine tree saplings and saw it grow into what it is today: a beautiful green area where trees stand tall and proud. The fight to preserve this piece of land is now threatened because the people don't know enough about what is going on (or do they simply not care?). While this land can be bought by the local government, mindless politicians would rather opt to pass bills giving them the power to buy cars for their private transportation over much-needed garbage trucks or preserving our natural heritage. Everybody, not just the people of Baguio, should be made aware of these things and we should take action to curb the practices of these people who have nothing in mind but making money and thinking about their own welfare.

Another case: Taytay Falls in Majayjay, Laguna. In the late 90s, me and my officemates were able to get a chance to visit this area as a weekend getaway. We had to trek for a couple of hours to reach the falls. And in the site itself was just a couple of campers enjoying the serene beauty of nature. But during that time, we were already walking on a dirt road that was bulldozed to create a road going directly to the descent to the falls. I am not against convenience and enjoyment of nature by everyone, but you should see the amount of garbage left by picnickers! Amidst the cool, clear waters are shampoo sachets, junk food plastics, and bags with various bottles and tin cans. Why can't people be more consious of their surroundings? Even Mt. Banahaw's holy grounds are not spared. Garbage is dumped between the rocks surrounding Sta. Lucia Falls.

We don't even have to look far. Right here in Manila is the Arroceros Forest Park which was being nurtured for over ten years and then in the change of mayorship, policies were suddenly overturned, trees were uprooted and we now have an eyesore of a Department of Education Building right inside the forest preserve. How ironic is that?!

But I still yearn for the time when Filipinos will know how lucky they are to have these gifts through learning and travel.

It is my fervent hope that, in getting the world's attention to our more popular natural resources that we will see how lucky our country truly is in having these riches and that a concerted effort will happen in keeping these places free of garbage and human destruction.

So please vote for our candidates to the New 7 Wonders of the Natural World. Vote to open our eyes to our natural wonders and widen our horizon to truly see these trees which give our oxygen to breathe on and our oceans that give us food for nourishment without expect nothing from us in return but respect.


Visit the New 7 Wonders of the World website and you get to vote for 7 candidates. 3 of these nominees are our own:

Chocolate Hills

Puerto Princesa Subterranean River National Park

Tubbataha Reef

In order to vote, you need to input your e-mail address, then vote for your 7 Wonders. You can vote for a nominee only once! Voting ends on 31 Dec 2008. I will wait for a little longer to get more Philippine sites listed in there.

[cross-posted in watson.online/]

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I have been to quite a number of treks where there are some campers we meet along the way who have a metal cup tied to the outside of their bag. As a beginner, I took no notice of it, mainly because my main concern is, of course, a tent, a sleeping bag, and nice, warm clothes for the duration of the trek.

But with those already accounted for, I look for other essentials and set aside extra money for this. Of course, I was curious as to how it is better to have a metal cup than the plastic ones. The disposables have an obvious disadvantage: it's garbage after only a couple of uses. Plastic tumblers, on the other hand, may not work well with hot liquids.

Mornings in the crisp and cold mountain mornings usually call for hot coffee and noodles. When you need a single serving of hot water, heating it up in a pot and pouring it onto a cup can look too much of a task. So why not heat up the water in the cup itself?

Now that's where the metal cup comes in.

Also, with its hollow inside and cylindrical shape, cups can take up much space. So it is indeed practical to just hang it up outside the bag. And what material can withstand bangs and rough handling other than metal?

And so I bought mine. You can have yours too. Prices range from 300 pesos to over a thousand pesos for the platinum ones from your favorite camping store.