Trekking to Paradise

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Day 7 - Tamaraw Falls, Hidden Paradise, Hanging Bridge, and Jungle Kayaking

For just under $50 (2000 pesos), we decided to go on an organized tour to see the falls. Now, the falls were just falls and we took the necessary photos and left within 10 minutes. BUT the tour was still totally worth it. They drive you around the island and you get a great view of the water and jungles below. And our driver played Bob Marley so I was really feelin' it.

After the falls, we were going swimming somewhere called the "hidden paradise". In my research I hadn't come across this but it's totally worth it. It's a big pool of water that runs into the river with small waterfalls that you can slide down. It's totally awesome. Sunny day, refreshing swim, and our guide did all the barbecuing. I was quite satisfied with my rice, fish, and salad. Everyone else gnawed on chicken and skewered pork. AND of course, great fruit...mangoes, pineapples, etc. You have to trek through the jungle for a bit to get to "paradise" but the trek is great - you cross 6 rivers and these little ladies help you across. Of course they're following your tour group and being friendly so you will buy "souvenirs" from them later on but hey, if that's the only skill you got to try and make a living, that's what you do. Let me just say that there were literally butterflies and dragonflies loitering in paradise and Greg even swung from a vine down into the waterfalls. I'll bet he's been waiting all his life to do that.

Next was the hanging bridge which isn't all that daunting because you figure, they wouldn't let people cross it if it were dangerous. But then you start crossing and the other end looks REALLY far away, you look down and you can see holes in the bridge, the metal due to the heat I'm sure is popping up and down as you walk on it, and with enough people on it, it actually starts to swing. But I managed to stand still enough for a photograph. Across the bridge is a village which the guide had said was a nudist colony or something. But I did not see any naked people. The homes and the living conditions are astounding.

Then came the jungle kayak. Originally, we weren't sure if we wanted to do this because I wasn't feeling well that morning and quite frankly, I was afraid I would be attacked by river bugs in a kayak with spiders. I once had this experience where a spider in a kayak caused me to flip over.

Anyway, it was virtually bugless, the kayaks were in good condition, and it was an easy paddle to the end. There was of course the few exceptions when we hit fallen trees and got beached on the side of the river. And Lonnie Leaf, a leafy bug that landed on our kayak and I had named him our mascot so I wouldn't freak out. He flew away after we hit a log and got stuck.

Overall, one of the best tours I had ever been on and I dislike tours a lot.

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Comments

[Katrina]

Nice writing
You have a very friendly writing style. I am enjoying your entries on the Philippines. I'm going there in January 2010