🇵🇭 ALILEM • Trekking the Jungle, Barefooted and Wet

"Only the two of us, me as a stranger and a local resident familiar of his lovely mountain town. If trusting a stranger is a crime, then I am guilty."

I don't know how to start this post really. My friends told me "You're traveling alone, that's awkward." But it is a thirst for adventure, and what pushes me is my lifetime goal to visit all those towns before I die. No time frame, I want  to make it slowly but surely. Honestly right now, I do not know how to do it but everytime I look at my map, I am seeing those towns and it will be a regret if I will just act later on. Now that I still have the strength, I wanna pursue it. Will I fulfill that goal? Honestly, I don't know, I just want to let it flow naturally.

I preferred to be barefooted, the only way I know to save myself  in Alilem

This goal is the reason why I urged to visit Alilem

#Alilem | Province of Ilocos Sur | PHILIPPINES

FAST FACTS: The town of #Alilem is rich in water resources. It is where the Bakun Hydropower Plant is located that supplies power to big parts of Luzon. / Photo: Balay ANito Falls literally means "House of the Unseen Spirits" Copyright: Edmar Guquib. A town that can be accessed mainly with a motorcycle ride. I don't know where this journey will lead me. Sometimes I am thinking it is a waste of money but I just can't resist it because it is the craving of my soul.

Everytime I see a bus, the excitement goes on. If only I have unlimited funds I will spend my whole life traveling and exploring. Riding on a habal-habal, I pursued the journey with the determination that big things come from small things.

It is but another mountain town. Transportation is by chance so I have to make it sure that I will go back home safe and alive. I'm merely a stranger to this town and with the help of another stranger, we trekked the jungles of the town of Alilem

#Alilem | Province of Ilocos Sur | PHILIPPINES

FAST FACTS: The town of #Alilem is rich in water resources. It is where the Bakun Hydropower Plant is located that supplies power to big parts of Luzon. / Photo: Balay ANito Falls literally means "House of the Unseen Spirits" Copyright: / Edmar Guquib to see waterfalls

Category | Waterfalls

PHOT: Pinsal-Burayok Falls in #Nagbukel, Ilocos Sur, PHILIPPINES. / Copyright: Edmar Guquib

The trekking started here.

We stopped along the road. Royel is the name of my guide, a stranger that has become an instant friend. I don't know what kind of person was he or what kind of tribe he belonged but I just gave my full trust to him.

Only the two of us, me as a stranger and a local resident familiar of his lovely mountain town. If trusting a stranger is a crime, then I am guilty.

We stopped on an empty road where the things you can just see are the rapids, stream, the towering mountains and one hanging bridge. There are numerous hanging bridges along the way actually but one of them is situated on a place where Kuya Royel parked his motorcycle and where we stopped. Then trekking to the jungles of Alilem

#Alilem | Province of Ilocos Sur | PHILIPPINES

FAST FACTS: The town of #Alilem is rich in water resources. It is where the Bakun Hydropower Plant is located that supplies power to big parts of Luzon. / Photo: Balay ANito Falls literally means "House of the Unseen Spirits" Copyright: Edmar Guquib started in search for a waterfall.

One of the many hanging bridges in Alilem

Making my first step, I don't know if I can finish the trekking. It was an instant wet soil, a mud. But it was ok, I am used to it.

Trekking the jungle of the town of Alilem, I was welcomed by a beautiful woodland. I can not determine if it was rainy that time or the forest was just creating moisture because as I look everywhere, the trees are filled with moss and ferns. The huge woods are moist and the rocks are all wet covered with green algae. It was just the amazing work of the forest.

Ferns and moss growing on tree barks

The good thing was some parts of the trail going to that waterfall were concreted. But because the forest is moist, the concreted trail was wet covered by algae or moss that makes it slippery.

Another challenge I have to take is to cross a stream with a powerful current. I was with my backpack where my valuables are placed. With my hands is my camera and my tripod hanging at my shoulders. There is nowhere I can ask for assistance because my guide was too fast and he has just crossed the angry stream just before I can make it.

Moist rocks with algae in the forest

Of course my valuables are my priority. I can not afford to get wet because crossing that powerfully gushing stream, all you need is a balance.

But of course I am not sure if I can balance that because I am still thinking that there is a possibility that I may not be able to maintain it and the consequence is to fall to that stream and swim as you cross that rapids.

For that matter, my valuables might get wet including my camera, my precious road guide map I bought 5 years ago and my penny.

As I focus my eyes to the rapids, the velocity and turbulence seemed to be getting severe. With my flip flops I bought for 40 pesos, I just handed it. My left hand did the job while I hang my camera with its cage on my neck like a big pendant of a necklace.

Huge stones at the rapids

It was not easy to cross this stream you know :)

At first look, the stream could be nice and cool, yes, it was really nice. But once you step and cross it, especially that I am handling my valuables, taking the risk was not a good idea but I took that risk to fulfill a travel goal.

I went barefooted to cross the rapids. It was the only way I know to survive the trek. After crossing that part of the stream, going barefooted was not a good idea because I noticed it was more slippery to take the mossy trail in bare foot. So I put my slippers back.

Kuya Royel, my trek guide

He just crossed while I am still on doubt if I can make it 
because of the valuables I carry

We were near the waterfalls already but going close to it required me to take the huge rocks, so I went barefooted again to my surprise, I slipped with one of the slippery rocks. Good thing my head was not bumped but my backpack got wet as I slip at the wet rocks. 

The back of my clothes were wet too. But I didn't mind about it because the waterfalls I was seeing was just overwhelming that I almost forgot my name, lol!

After the 40-minute trek, I was welcomed by an amazing view. All I was hearing was the sound of the falling waters of the falls and the stream.

The photo above is just the welcoming stream, the grand welcome is hiding behind.  I tell you, the hiding waterfalls is greater, higher and is more legendary. /To be continued...  

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Balay Anito Falls sub-series
Part 1 | You are reading Part 2 | Part 3
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Alilem #TownExploration Series

Map Showing the Location of #Alilem

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