One weekend, a good friend back in college invited us to camp at Sirao Peak. It was about four months after the first time we camped there, when we actually took the shorter route to get to the peak.

I was honestly still hesitant about going there knowing that it would tread a river’s route. I am not sure of the exact distance but the trail we took coming from Budlaan/Kabang Falls (I’m not quite sure) is about a 5-6 hour trek to Sirao Peak.

I have had a river trekking experience back in college and I know how hard it can be going through slippery rocks and boulders. The partner was confident, even with the daughter on his back, but I was not too sure about myself. I had no choice but to believe in him. Haha.

Anyway, I would just like to share life lessons I realized through our Budlaan-Sirao trek:

1) Life is hard.

“It’s not always rainbows and butterflies,” or so that Southborder song goes. True. In fact, this blog was not called Hey, Mis(s) Adventures for nothing. We draw for inspiration in the reality that things do not always go our way but we try our best to roll with the punches and just carry on with life.

2) People will tell you it’s impossible.

Way before our trek, I already had my sights on this trail but I was just not confident enough to do it. I asked around from those who have gone there before and they told me it might not be advisable to bring a baby for safety reasons.

We kept that in mind, too. But, the partner believed in his capabilities and encouraged me to do the same thing.

The daughter is probably the youngest person to take that trail now (unless of course someone tells me – and shows proof! – that their younger kid has done it ;)).

3) Make sure you have the essentials.

Essentials are what they always will be – necessities. If you do not have them, it will be hard to survive.

Then again, a few unnecessary items can actually save your butt, too. While we mostly have our important gears already (backpack, carrier, shoes, stove, cookset, etc), we still lack in the clothing department. As such, we tend to pack a few items more and because they are just regular clothing, they tend to be heavier than the ones designed for backpacking.

When we arrived at the summit, we did not expect it to be that cold. I mean, we did already experience the old but it was windy so it probably decreased a few degrees there. Thankfully, we had a few more items on hand so I added pajamas on top of the daughter’s leggings and also put on a jacket over her long-sleeved thick onesie. Then I hugged her under our fleece blanket.

Our extras definitely helped us beat the cold that time but we also learned a valuable lesson of never underestimating the power of nature.

4) To worry is nonsensical.

Will we get to the summit on time? Will this trail ever end?

There are so many things during the trek that I worried about but they were useless. All things do come to an end, after all.

What about work? What about paying for the house? What about the bills?

Worrying then and worrying now will actually not do anything at all. Will I have finished my work while I was worrying about it during the trek? Will the house and the bills pay for themselves? Nope. I had to finish what I was doing before I could move on and finish another thing. Nobody can cross two bridges at the same time.

5) There is no other way but forward.

There were so many points in the trek when you wish you could just go back. But then, the path going back seemed to be much harder than the one ahead. So, why not move forward instead?

Unless you could get someone to rescue you with a helicopter, that is. But – where’s the fun and adventure in that?

6) Take it easy.

It’s hard to take it easy when you’re the last person in the bunch but this I definitely have to keep in mind the next time.

I focus waaaaay too much on how hard it is, on how tired I am and I keep on complaining. I sometimes wondered if it was the right decision to tag along on this trip.

More often than not, we torture ourselves too much and forget our own worth. Why not take it easy instead and just enjoy the present? It, too, shall pass.

7) Friends make the journey easier.

To cut the story short, my trekking experience did not leave me unscathed. In fact, I almost threw up had I not given myself the chance to catch my breath once in a while. I slowed down my friends somehow but I am very thankful for their patience (about half of them were new acquaintances, by the way).

Thank you to my dear new friends for helping me carry my load, for being patient through my frequent stops and for allowing me to share the journey with you. I know it’s cheesy but c’mon – it is true, right?

8) Enjoy the view/experience while you’re at it.

Sometimes, we tend to think too much on what we left behind or what is going to happen next that we forget to enjoy what is already in front of us.

Admittedly, I am very guilty of this (the partner also told me so haha) and I promise I will make this a resolution the next time I go on a climb.

What other things did you learn from your climbs/treks that you also apply in your life? Do share!

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