Together in the Mountains (Our Kalinga Adventure)

Hopping off a cramped, 12-hour bus ride with no aircon, Uli and I were happily greeted by Kuya Francis, our local guide. The bus arrived late in Bontoc, so he quickly ushered us to the nearest bakery to buy breakfast and head to the Tabuk-bound mini-bus. We almost didn’t make it, and the bus was pretty full. We sat on its roof, in between sacks of rice, wires, and a bunch of other market goods and produce.

The view was spectacular!

After an hour's ride, we arrived at Bugnay.

Uli said that the minute he saw our touchdown point, he knew we were going to be tested.

It would be another two and a half hour hike to Buscalan. With the blazing heat of the sun, a heavy backpack, and the fact that my footwear of choice was my four year old chucks, it was definitely a tiring and challenging climb for me.

We reached Buscalan exhausted but happy to have reached our destination. The village was never colonized, and there, everything’s simple and everyone’s close-knit. Dogs, pigs, and chickens marched freely about. Children played cheerfully on the streets and smiled at the camera.

We did a home-stay at Fang-od’s. She’s 92 and the last tattoo artist of the Butbut tribe. Her family cooked our food for us, and together with three other travelers we soon became friends with, the five of us slept side-by-side peacefully on the floor.

There was no signal there, and in this distant and isolated place, Uli and I bonded without distractions and interruptions. We finally had one other to ourselves. That night, before sleeping, we stayed up late and sat on the wooden planks in Fang-od’s porch. It was foggy, so there were no stars in sight. But we found the overwhelming darkness and silence comforting.

We were awakened by the crows of a lot of roosters the next day, and Kuya Francis recapped our next options. We could hike back with our friends and go to Sagada, or we could go to Tinglayan.

Uli: Kuya, mahirap ba yung hike papuntang Tinglayan?
Kuya Francis: Hindi naman.
Uli: Puro pataas?
Kuya Francis: Konti lang. May patag at pababa.
Mia: Gaano katagal yung hike, Kuya?
Kuya Francis: Apat na oras.
Uli (looks at me): Apat na oras?! PASS! PASS! Pucha, pass!

Hahahahaha! Uli’s Genuine Pass moment! A four-hour hike sounded too tiring for the two of us. But we were curious about Tinglayan, so we asked Kuya Francis how else could we go there without that long a hike. He suggested that we do an hour’s hike to Butbut Proper, and from there we could each take a motorcycle to Tinglayan.

That was the option we took, and I think that was the smartest decision we’ve made on that trip.

The hike to Butbut Proper was so scenic it already reached the point of being cinematic. With us were two Argentinians, two French folks, and a 76-year old German who overtook us throughout most of the hike. A diverse group of people traversing mountains and rice fields made it feel like a legitimate adventure. It was as though we were on an unspoken mission to destroy a ring or find Ibong Adarna.
  

We finally made it to Butbut Proper, and I found the children so adorable and interesting here. Uli and I soon separated from the group to hop on motorbikes and go to Tinglayan.

It’s my best motorbike experience to date! Riding through a beautiful changing landscape on a motorbike for one whole hour felt so incredible and kick-ass! I have yet to do that four-hour hike, but the motorbike experience was definitely, definitely awesome! A special shoutout to Kuya Augus and Kuya Timothy who were our drivers!

With Kuya Francis, our guide

We arrived in Tinglayan and checked in at Sleeping Beauty Inn. We ate a hearty lunch and spent the afternoon swimming and chilling in Chico River.

The next day, we hopped on top of a Bontoc-bound jeep and made our way home. It was a two-hour scenic ride to Bontoc, and I enjoyed every minute of it. Uli and I went to Bontoc museum as well.

I got back in Manila so sunburned. I couldn’t walk normally for a day because even my knees got sunburned, and they really felt sore. The sun didn’t feel like something to avoid there. The cool breeze and the lovely landscape made the heat bearable, and it was nice to reminded that the nearest star had a different kind of importance in this agricultural place.

I haven’t gotten a tattoo from Fang-od, but the people, the culture, and the landscape already have a permanent place in my heart.

Serious tips if you’re going to Buscalan and Tinglayan:

1. I still recommend that from Manila and back, you take the Banaue route. This route offers a lovely landscape and passes by the Banaue rice terraces. My suggestion is you take the Ohayami bus to Banaue, and from there you can take a jeep to Bontoc. We were really disappointed with Cable Tours which is the only bus line offering a direct Cubao – Bontoc route. Going to Bontoc, the bus bonked down a couple of times and we had no airconditioning. Going back to Manila, the airconditioning still didn’t work, and we felt so cheated because it didn’t even use NLEX. :(

2. Break down your bills. It’s difficult to find change there.

3. Bring matches, candies, and sugar. The people there love receiving matches and sugar, and the kids will give you extra smiles if you give them candies. :)

4. Before going to Buscalan, buy your food and market supplies in Bontoc. As far as I know, Buscalan only has one sari-sari store and no market.

5. Sit on top of the bus or jeep to and from Tinglayan. :)