Last updated on July 8, 2024
We went camping. And I remembered reading a book about a shepherd’s journey where it mentioned that “beauty is a great seducer of men.” (The Alchemist, Paulo Coehlo) Well, just look at the photo below. This is Camp Papasi with green luscious vegetation, cold spring water, clean and at its rawest form. This campground is in Porac Pampanga, a 2.5-hour drive from Metro Manila in the Philippines. But there is more to this beauty.
“Beauty is a great seducer of men.”
This is different from the camp site Ilug Kamalig but the river flows from Camp Papasi to the Ilug Kamalig. Save this map.
The Caretaker
We met a lovely couple in their 70’s who tell the campground’s history as if everything was just yesterday, they laugh like there are no worries and share beautiful things about each other. I still smile when I think about it. They greeted us nicely when we showed up to stay for a night. Tatay Edi or Apo as his wife fondly calls him, showed us a tour of the campground where we could pitch a tent, do our number 2 and shower. They offered us a cup of coffee in between the conversation. They cared for us like we are long lost family members.
The Campground
The campground is powered by stored solar energy as the source of light at night so charging electronic devices is not possible. But this is not something I would fret about. There are good things such as network connection, clean shared restroom, and areas by the river to explore. Enough for campers like us to feel the beauty of simple life.
Source of Living
Tatay Edi has been taking care of the river for 13 years. He plants trees along the riverbank and keeps people away from getting sand or soil close to it that most use for building houses. There are edible ferns, kangkong, bamboo, gabi, and other fruit bearing trees that grow along the bank. I was also curious the whole night for the kind of mushroom that grows in the area. The river became their source of living. It is almost like the river is giving back the goodness it received from the couple.
Their shared time, effort, and genuine care bear fruit not just for them but for others too. The river became a go-to spot for many who are looking for a quick get away from the city life just like us, and it’s also a haven for the neighboring family whenever there are power outage and when electric fans are not enough during summer.
Camping Needs
Just your basic camping needs.
Find more videos and photos of the camping in my social media pages, Facebook and Instagram.
My Thoughts
I remember getting asked by other people about how we do normal things when we camp like going to the toilet, shower, and if there are any provisions for that, how clean is it? How do I get accustomed to it? Well, I worry about those things too, I was like them and then over time I realized how comfortable I am for trying new things, for being uncomfortable. I went through a lot in life and that taught me to stretch my limits. Facing difficult situations and learning from them has left me stronger than before. Adaptable, is the word I am looking for.
When you live in the city for a decade, you come to a point where you want all the comfort in life and get lost in everybody else’s WANTS. So time and again, I go outside to check my tolerance for discomfort and to loosen up to focus more on other things in life rather than what I have and compare myself to others’ ideas of life. My husband told me how strong-minded and persistent I am during this trip. “In a good way”, he said. I liked that I got to know myself better through the eyes of the people I love and genuinely care about me.
Dangerous Road: The Wrong Way to Vista Tarih Campground
After 24 hours in Camp Papasi, we decided move to another campground in Dinalupihan, Olongapo. The day was hot and humid. We are using a city car, a 4×2. We were taking a paved road. Never did I think we would get into trouble finding our next destination.
We were at the side of the mountain when the road became bumpy, rocky, muddy, and crevasses as big as my tires surprised us. Then, almost as if a vehicle is not a thing on that road. Small muddy road. We were disheartened. I was scared for our life. Are we still on the right track? The map shows that we are where we are supposed to be.
Questions came to my head and piled up as quickly as my worries. Can we still go back up to where we came from? The road, if it is a road, is just enough for an Alto to make a U-turn. On our right is a wall of wild ravine and on the other side is where we could easily fall ¬off and lose our precious life. As we took a careful turn to go back up, my mind was running faster than the car. My husband was outside the car assessing every reverse and forward I made. I was on the wheel holding back my tears. Then the real challenge engulfed us.
We were stuck. A.G. piled small rocks in crevasses. The engine does not have enough power to pull us up. I started questioning my driving skill. At that moment, I lost my confidence. My husband was out of his wits about what to do. Then, rain shower. As if we need more of this crazy feat. But we tried again. That’s when we heard the voices of two men talking and cleaning up the ravine. We were not alone. Briefly, we asked if it was a good idea to continue down our initial way. They gave us a big no. We asked for their help to push the car up. A little more effort on the gas pedal and the car was able to get out of the slippery mud. We never get the chance to ask for the stranger’s names, but we were more than thankful to them that we don’t need to fear the uncertainty of the night.
WARNING: DO NOT use the direction given by GOOGLE MAP. If you pass by Mont Bikers Haven on the way to Vista Tarih Campground, STOP. At least this year 2023. We will never know what development will happen in the next years.
Lessons
Once out of the unforeseen feat and back down the mountain, I realized many things including the unarguable “change is constant”. This is a fact. ANYTHING CAN HAPPEN in an instant. ANYTHING IS POSSIBLE. How we react to changes is the driving force of what happens next.
We went camping without thinking where we would get electricity once our electronics died out of battery. We went camping on a 4×2 where the trail could endanger our life. We wanted to camp from one place to another, but it did not occur to us that the map we followed would lead us to danger. The road was paved. Then rocky and muddy. Nothing was fully planned. Everything was beyond our imagination. The list goes on, but I realized that PLANS could change anytime due to external factors we have no control over. And there is also infinite reason to just give up and go back home. That, or work on what was in front of us to reach our destination.
This activity brought me a whirlwind of emotions. We had sleepless nights, deafening cricket noise and witch laugh-like bird tweets, and for the first time, I wished I could turn off the sloshing of river water. In addition to that, it was hot and humid. There were also good things. I met kind people. I explored picture-perfect places. EVERYTHING was MORE than I IMAGINED. More than I read from my books. More than any tale. I also starved that felt like fasting more than usual, not really a big deal until it gets to my head.
I also learned to work along with someone I am with during a crisis, and not shy away from asking for help when needed. Most of all, I learned more about myself. I was annoyed, scared, weak, persistent, optimistic, and happy. I can switch off my mind from thinking when I am close to the water. It felt like I am the richest human in the world because I have all the time for my perusal. As if I am the most powerful woman in the world because I could play, smile, and laugh all I want. I found out more about my good and bad sides. I am human after all.
Other Trips
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What I Need to Bike Commute in the Philippines?
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Biak na Bato National Park PH, DIY Guide
