Posted by Prime Sarmiento

The travel coordinator handed me a list of things to bring in this four-day tour of Ilocos region. The regulars in my travel pack are in there: bottled water, comfy shoes, prescription medicine. The list also advises us to have that spirit of adventure and a sense of humor (as, after all, some things always do go wrong when traveling).

Of course any gypsygal will have to have that taste of adventure to enjoy traveling. It's one of the things that has spurred me to explore both familiar and new areas.

But I don't know about the sense of humor. At thirty-something, and having my own share of frustrations and disappointments, sense of humor is something that's getting scarcer. And when I'm traveling, there are just some things that I can't really stand, diluting whatever supply of sense of humor that I still have. I especially detest camping as I can't live without a western style toilet and daily showers; eating food that makes me ill; noisy and know-it-all travel companions and … having to subsist on instant coffee because brewed coffee is not -and will never be-available.

Which is why despite the heat (must be 40 degrees), I'm still craving for a cup of brewed coffee while traveling in Ilocos Norte. Caffeine is my addiction, and no matter where I am, I will always look for a coffee shop. But coffee – brewed coffee – seems to be in short supply here and the best that I can do is to make do with three-in-one coffee packs.

So I was a bit cranky, being caffeine- deprived. What lightened my mood however is the fact that Ilocos Norte .. well I don't know how to say this without sounding trite .. but the northern Philippine province is simply beautiful.

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Take for instance the Kapurpurawan or the White Rock Formation. Never mind that we had to pass through rough roads just to get there or that it was so hot when we we went there (around 3 pm at the height of El Nino season). The stunning view of chalky white limerock formation standing in a shore facing the South China Sea, with waves slapping against the cliffs – ahhh this more than enough to compensate for whatever inconvenience that we had to go through.

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The Kaibigan Falls is a must see if ever you get tired of just bumming around in Pagudpud beach. We went there in the morning, but before we can reach falls, we had to walk for about one kilometer – from the town proper The trek lasted for about an hour, and was a excellent way of losing those calories after heavy breakfast of sinangag (garlic
friend rice), fried fish and egg.

The walk itself was enjoyable. It can get a bit hot, but trekking through the fields filled with trees and crossing through shallow streams is cooling. Some locals served as guides and they assisted us especially when we has to walk through some slippery rocks.

I never got bored in this trek. Aside from chatting with fellow trekkers, there's just so many things to see and enjoy- clean clear stream, green rice fields (I don't think that El Nino ever hit thus place), the trees and even those carabaos just resting from a hard day's work of plowing the field. Everything is just refreshing for this urbanite who's been cooped up in the air-conditioned office and the shopping. malls for so long.

But the trek is just a taster. The Kaibigan Falls is to me the main spot to be. I don't know how to swim , but that didn't matter. I plunged in, to enjoy those icy-cold , refreshing clear water!!! (of course I'm careful to stay at the shallow part).

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I spent Sunday morning in Pagudpud beach. I was there just lying there in the powder white sand, being a true blue beach bum. Not thinking, not doing anything, just being happy and grateful and knowing that somehow, I think I got my groove back!

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Travel Tips:

How to get there: Ilocos Norte is at the northwestern part of the Philippines. Laoag City, the provincial capital is about 300 miles north of Manila. To get to Laoag, you can book a flight via Cebu Pacific or PAL from Manila. Trip lasts for an hour and the round-trip fare costs about 3,000 pesos (or roughly 80 U.S. dollars) . Or you can take a bus, travel time from Manila to Laoag is about ten to fifteen hours, and a round trip ticket costs 1,000 pesos (about 20 U.S. dollars). The following bus companies travel from Manila to Laoag City:

AUTO BUS
Laong-laan cor. Dimasalang Sts.
Sampaloc, Manila
Telephone (632) 7436873

FARIñAS TRANSIT
Laong-laan cor. M. dela Fuente Sts.
Sampaloc, Manila
Telephone (632) 7438580 loc. 103 & 105

F. FRANCO TRANSIT CO.
Lacson St., Sampaloc, Manila
Telephone (632) 7312584/7314473

PARTAS TRANSIT
Aurora Blvd. cor. Bernardo St.
Cubao, Quezon City
Telephone (632) 7257303/7251740

PHILIPPINE RABBIT
Balintawak, EDSA, Quezon City
Telephopne (632) 3643477/4567659

RCJ TRANSIT
1558 España, Sampaloc, Manila
Telephone (632) 7412994

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Kaibigan Falls can be found in the town of Pagudpud, a two-hour bus ride away from Laoag. Each person needs to pay 20 pesos (or about 50 U.S. cents) as preservation fee. You should get a local guide, which usually charges roughly $3 . When trekking, do bring an umbrella, SPF and bottled water. Wear slippers and a pair of shorts as you had to cross shallow rivers just to get there so you need to wear something that will dry quickly.