BALATIKAN VIRGIN WATERFALLS
This is the second part of my blog on our mini adventure in Mount Apo Highland Resort. So to continue on, after shooting the sunset timelapse video of the Mt. Tampurong from the Lake Mirror, I asked around on how to get to the Lake Rosario where supposedly I can get a picture of the unobstructed view of Mount Apo. The night guard there offered his service to be our guide for the next day after getting off his duty. He said he has several places that he can recommend and bring us to and one of it is the BALATIKAN VIRGIN WATERFALLS, so after agreeing on a fee, we are all set for the next day.
At dawn the next day, we woke up to a hazy weather with slight drizzle, so at first, we thought of cancelling our day tour, but after our breakfast, the day decided to clear up so we opted to continue on with our day tour.
Our first stop is the BALATIKAN VIRGIN WATERFALLS, the road going there was rough, muddy and slippery that even with a 4x4 SUV, it was still such a scary ordeal. finally, we got to the place where we need to parked and get off after the many heart stopping near mishaps which has Ai-ing shrieking her head off. After getting off, we have to continue on on foot.
This was the first thing that we saw as we continue on foot, a big, green expanse of pasture with grazing cows, mare and foal. So far, so good, after stopping for a while to take some pictures. Our journey continues on, at the end of the pasture, we came upon a small stream that we need to cross.
The bridge was made of just 2 bamboo poles with another pole that serves as a handhold. This bridge got Ai-ing saying " NO WAY!!!". As you can see, I am in no way a light person, in fact, i am not just an ordinary heavy person, I am a super heavy person. however, being a person not easily to say no to a challenge, calmly and slowly, i took one step and tried the bridge if it would carry my weight. it did, so another steps
follow and another and another until I got to cross to the other side, meanwhile, seeing that the bridge did not collapse from my weight, Ai-ing decided to follow on too and cross the bridge. Since we are all so happy in conquering this frail bridge, we are unmindful of the fact that this could be an early sign of imminent trouble up ahead, besides, I am not a superstitous person.
So, we continue on with our trek to the BALATIKAN VIRGIN FALLS. We have to hike downhill on both a muddy and slippery and then a stony and rough terrain of really virgin trail. We even have to navigate through trail that had a ravine on one side and a stony wall with some grass growth on the other side. In general, obesity and clumsiness are synonymous, so I have no choice but to overcome this trek ala "COMMANDO STYLE", which means i climb and crawl using my feet, my hands and even my butt to do it. Whenever we ask our guide if it is still far, they would reply, " no, we are nearly there." and when we ask the same question 15 minutes or so later, we would get the same reply. I guess this confirms that what they say about rural folks gauge of distance must be true. Eventually, after almost a 2 hour hike, we reach the BALATIKAN VIRGIN FALLS. It was a bit disappointing as after seeing so many big and enormous waterfalls, this falls is comparably small. After a little bit of rest and photoshooting, we hiked back on the same trail, since going was all downhill, then coming back will be the other way around, all uphill which took us a longer time to do. Midway, we ran out of water and Ai-ing refuses to take another step till she got some drink of water. So, we had to ask one of our guide to run ahead and get us some water. The poor man had to run ahead, get on his motorbike, go to town, buy some water and bring it back to us. but its either that or we die of thirst, and besides, who can deny a dying mans wish (LOL). After some time, we finally made it back.
After this ordeal, I can attest that the BALATIKAN VIRGIN FALLS is really aptly called and true to its name, it is untouched by modernization and truly a virgin territory.
Though this was quite an experience for us, but if we are to be ask if we would do this again, I believe that both Ai-ing and I will be one in shouting at the top of our lungs. " NO WAY!!!!"
