The last week of December 2024 will always be special to me because it marked several firsts in my life. It was my first trip outside Cebu, my first time riding an airplane alone, and my first solo travel adventure. Looking back now, I can honestly say it was one of the most fulfilling experiences I’ve ever had.
I joined a 2-day, 1-night hike to Mt. Pulag via the Ambangeg Trail. Since I was traveling alone, I initially felt nervous. Everything was unfamiliar from navigating the airport by myself to meeting people I had never met before. But as the trip went on, I realized that traveling solo doesn’t necessarily mean being alone.
One of the things I appreciated most during the trip was meeting fellow hikers who shared the same love for the outdoors. Despite coming from different places and backgrounds, we were all there for one reason: to experience the beauty of Mt. Pulag.
We stayed at a homestay near the Ambangeg Ranger Station before the hike. The climb started around 1:00 in the morning on Saturday. Walking in complete darkness with only headlamps lighting the trail felt both exciting and intimidating. The higher we climbed, the colder it became.
To be honest, the hardest part of the hike wasn’t the trail itself it was the cold.
Coming from Cebu, I wasn’t used to that kind of temperature. The combination of freezing air and strong winds made every stop feel uncomfortable. There were moments when I questioned whether I had packed enough layers.
And speaking of the cold, I had one funny and unfortunate experience along the way.
While using the restroom at Camp 1, one of my gloves accidentally fell into the toilet. I stood there for a few seconds seriously contemplating whether I should retrieve it. In the end, I accepted its fate and left it there. Thankfully, I was wearing two pairs of gloves at the time, although the remaining hike became even colder because of it.
After hours of hiking through the darkness, we finally reached the summit around 5:00 to 6:00 in the morning, just in time for sunrise.
At first, I felt slightly disappointed because the summit was completely covered in fog. It was so cold that I found myself hiding beside some bushes just to shield myself from the wind while waiting for the weather to clear.
But then something incredible happened.
Little by little, the fog began to move. The first rays of sunlight started peeking through the horizon. Then the clouds below us slowly revealed themselves.
Suddenly, there it was.
The famous sea of clouds.
I had seen countless photos online before, but nothing prepared me for seeing it with my own eyes. The mountains looked like islands floating above an endless ocean of white clouds. The sunrise painted the sky with beautiful colors, and for a moment, everything felt unreal.
I remember quietly telling myself, “You can get me now, Lord.”
It might sound dramatic, but that was genuinely how I felt at that moment. The view was so beautiful that I thought I had already witnessed the most amazing sight of my life.
Standing there, surrounded by the sea of clouds, I felt grateful, humbled, and completely at peace.
The entire journey was worth it.
The exhaustion, the sweat, the freezing temperature, the strong winds, and even the lost glove all of it became part of the story.
What made Mt. Pulag special wasn’t just the summit. It was everything along the way. The rolling grasslands, the breathtaking views, the mesmerizing mossy forest, the people I met, and the realization that I was capable of stepping out of my comfort zone and traveling alone.
As my first solo trip and first experience outside Cebu, Mt. Pulag gave me more than beautiful photos. It gave me confidence, unforgettable memories, and a reminder that some of life’s greatest experiences happen when we choose to take that first step into the unknown.
And if you ask me today whether it was worth it?
Without a doubt.
Every single step.