Saying goodbye is not an easy thing, especially when you've grown attached to the person. This is particularly true if they have always been there for you and your team during climbs or if they have helped to lighten the mood during difficult climbs.
A few years ago, my team and I planned a farewell climb from Osmeña Peak in Dalaguete to Kawasan Falls in Badian, Cebu. It was one last hurrah before one of our friends would be leaving Cebu for good.
Christine is the one who will be leaving Cebu after staying here for years. She was one of the first people I met when I started climbing mountains. She was there during my struggling years in hiking, and together, we created a hiking group that explored the mountains in Cebu.
Therefore, we can't just let her leave without a proper send-off. What better way to send her off on her next journey than by hiking one of her bucket list items in Cebu - The O'Peak to Casino Peak to Kawasan Falls.
Osmena Peak
Our journey started as early as 02:30 in the morning when we took a bus to Dalaguete from the Cebu South Bus Terminal. The bus departed at 03:45 AM, and we had a 2-hour and 45-minute bus ride to Mantalungon Junction.
Upon reaching the junction, we bought food at the 7-Eleven and rode a motorcycle taxi to the Osmeña Peak Tourist Assistance Center at the foot of the mountain.
When we arrived there, a thick fog enveloped the trees and the surrounding mountains. It was already gloomy when we reached the junction, but we remained positive, hoping it would pass.
The hike from the base to the peak was like a walk in the park, at least for me. The weather added a little something extra to the atmosphere of the hike, but I actually prefer it when it's gloomy. At least then, we don't have to worry as much about getting burned by the scorching sun.
Upon reaching the peak, there was nothing to see, haha. Apart from the dense white fog that obstructed our view below, it had already started drizzling. However, a little drizzle couldn't deter us from our adventure.
Rain brings out my inner child. I truly love the smell of rain as it hits the ground, and the scent of the grass brings back countless childhood memories - the days when I was carefree, playing under the rain and engaging in games of tag with childhood friends. Oh, how I miss those days.
Casino Peak
Casino Peak or Lugsangan peak is another peak located just a few kilometers from Osmeña Peak. On the way there, you'll pass a cabbage farm, so we have to be careful not to step on the crops.
Most of the time, we traverse on a cemented road towards the next peak. Along the way, we come across a few houses and sari-sari stores. Fortunately, we bought food from the junction area.
It was my first-time visiting Casino Peak. Although it has gained popularity recently and I have seen some posts online, I always envied those who had already been there.
To reach the peak, there is only one trail. While it wasn't a particularly difficult climb, the continuous drizzle made the trail muddy and slippery. I took my time since we weren't in a race anyway, haha.
Upon reaching the peak, similar to the first peak, we couldn't see anything below. Thick fog covered the scenery, resembling the Chocolate Hills. Occasionally, the fog would briefly dissipate, so we had to quickly snap photos, haha.
We waited patiently for it to clear, and all I could say was, 'WOW.' The view was truly comparable to Bohol's Chocolate Hills, but this one had sharper mountain formations.
As much as I wanted to stay longer and savor the view, we had to continue our journey.
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Descending was a bit challenging. One wrong step and poof, you might fall onto those sharp rocks. Even though I was wearing proper footwear, I still had a hard time descending.
Casino Peak to Kawasan Falls
After descending the muddy trail of Casino Peak, I took over as the trail lead. My friend, who had been leading the entire time, decided to take the middle position as he was struggling to walk without slipping every now and then. So Christine and I took the lead on the muddy trail towards Kawasan Falls. We still couldn't get over the view of Casino Peak and continued discussing it along the trail, haha.
After walking a few kilometers, we passed by a remote house with a sari-sari store. Since it was already 11:30 in the morning, we decided to have our lunch there.
We took our time, enjoying each other's company. After 45 minutes, we continued on a trail that was still muddy and slippery. Fortunately, I managed to avoid slipping throughout the entire hike, while some of my friends encountered problems with their knees and others had minor cuts and blisters. It's best to wear arm sleeves to protect your arms from the sharp edges of plants, as some may have thorns. So, it's better to be careful.
Finally, we reached a cemented trail, but we still had a few kilometers to go before reaching the back entrance of Kawasan Falls.
As we made our way to the junction of the Kawasan Falls back entrance and the road leading to the Badian main road, some of our friends let out a sigh of relief. Knowing that we were almost there, we sat on the road for a few minutes.
The next part of the trail was the unfinished road leading to the Kawasan Canyoneering jump-off area.
At 2:30 PM, we arrived at Kawasan Falls. We couldn't contain our excitement upon hearing the sound of the water while we were still at the back entrance. I started walking faster, haha, as if all my knee aches had vanished.
We stayed at the third level of Kawasan Falls, where we put down our bags and immersed ourselves in the cold water. We spent an hour and a half there, enjoying our time. Some of us went to various Instagram-worthy spots in Kawasan to pose for photographs.
As we found our way back to the main highway, I couldn't help but think about all the memories Christine and I shared. We started as strangers, just trying to make our day off productive by going hiking. I'm usually a shy person and don't easily get along with others, especially at work. However, with Christine and all of my hiking friends, I become a better version of myself. I tend to be livelier and laugh wholeheartedly when I'm with them. But with Christine moving away to a foreign land, I couldn't help but feel a mix of sadness and happiness. Sad that she's leaving, but also happy that she's taking a big step towards her future. Goodbyes are not the end; they're the start of something new for both us and Christine. Instead of saying goodbye, we say, 'See you later!'.
