On the second week of November, my friend asked me if I could go with her on a hiking to Lake Holon in South Cotabato. I've always wanted to go to this place but of course, I wanted to be all-prepared when going there. You see, I just went out of my comfort zone. Which means I've never been on a hike before. I explained to her that I might pass and just do it the next time because I'm so unprepared but I realized she will leave the country next month so I just went with her lol.

Yep, I have no idea what to wear. (Thus, the dumb outfit I'm wearing in that pic) I've never been on a hike before!!! So, I don't know what to bring, to wear, to do, and all those things... and the hike will be on the next day! Well okay. I'll just bring the things I think are necessary.

Our meeting place was somewhere in the city at 11:45pm. From Davao City, we traveled through van to T'boli, South Cotabato which took us around 5 hours. As a night owl, I wasn't able to sleep throughout the travel. I was just thinking if we get ambushed by the terrorists and got me beheaded, someone must take care of my account and get the money for my funeral. LOL. @rasamuel knows what I'm talking about. :P

We arrived in T'boli at around 5am and ate our breakfast. Then we went to the T'boli Tourism Office to register our names.

_{So you know, when someone falls in the cliff, they would know the identity of that one, and so they could put it in the headline of the news... and not "A dumbass girl with a curly weird color hear wearing shitty not-for-hiking-outfits fell in the cliff". It would just sound awkward.}

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Before we left the office, the person who greeted us warned us about the muddy road cos it just rained the previous night and that the van might get damaged or something... but we left with the van anyway.

It was a rough and scary road. Others were screaming we might fall at the cliff and die there. Which was funny.

Aaand the journey with the van had to stop since there was an elf that broke down and it was blocking the way..sooo.. We rode a motorbike going to the starting point of the hike.

The road got scarier though, and sometimes you just think that we might just fall from the bike because it felt like a scary roller coaster but sorry to tell you, we didn't fall.

But the view was so lovely!

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We arrived at a community place and the hiking started here. Most of our fellow hikers hired a porter - the one who will carry their bags for the whole hike. I didn't, mainly because I want to challenge myself even though the bag was almost half my own weight LOL.

The first steps with my bag was like daaamn so heavy. My shoulders ached right away. I began to think of my life choices but then again I remembered I needed to challenge myself :P

_{The village where we came from.}

_{Open field for the first part of the hike.}

Then soon we entered the forest.

I honestly felt I was in a fairytale looking for the magic that I've lost.

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Aaand we got to the open thingy again, so we know we were near the peak.

_{My favorite picture of her!}

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And at last, the Lake Holon!

We were a bit sad though, because the lake should show its full beauty - clear and blue water with the sun lighting the mountains. But to us, it was just foggy. It showed like this a few minutes but later covered with mist.

Legend says that if the Lake Holon didn't fully show itself, then the Lake and the guardians like you and your attitude... because it wants you to come back! That is according to the T'boli (Indigenous People of South Cotabato).

_{Zero visibility!}

_{Lovely flower but I don't know the name sorry :(}

_{Me, who looked like a cancer patient on her last wish. It was cold, okeh.}

This ends the first part of the hike.

-travelingblade