Lumiang-Sumaging Cave Connection

It's really more fun in the Philippines, that's why we stole the slogan. Anyway, here's one late post. I haven't blogged about our Lumiang-Sumaging cave trek because lately I'v been rediscovering my love for mountain biking. Love that is lost and found again is always sweeter. I have a good reason to be lazy on this blog. Nobody pays me for the hours I spend on this blog. I'd like to think I am doing humanity service with my blogging but I really don't. I am too lazy to give directions but I gladly would if you ask me for some.

I have a life that goes nowhere and a good sense of direction should make up for it. Sagada is a place rich in meaning and winding paths so I strongly suggest getting a tour guide when you go there. Sagada Genuine Guides could greatly help you with it. I don't want to spoil your trip to Sagada--your first time there will be a once in a lifetime marvel. The place is not the most scenic I have ever been to but there's a certain feeling of calm and detachment that you can only experience in Sagada. Probably it's the same feeling of being in another planet. I have taken a lot of photos but I feel that it would be a desecration to the beauty of Lumiang and Sumaging caves to post many of them. So here's just a few that I could throw out:

Just a few tips. Water flows all over the interconnected caves so unless your skin is made of rubber, you are bound to get wet. No need to wrap yourself in a ziplock either. Just get something that will keep you dry or warm when you get out of the cave. Anyway, you will keep moving so you will not feel the cold too much but when you get out of the cave, prepare to plunge from hero to zero. Just don't mind getting wet. The water feels real good you would not mind freezing yourself to death. Also, your Merrell trekking shoes will not work there. Our tour guide James suggested flipflops. They grip better. I cannot suggest any particular outfit but leggings should be in the itinerary.

James is a really great tour guide and he showed us how to pump to get to a higher place. Well, neither the Boss nor me were able to follow that stuff. Beware of the things that look easy. Finally, I would suggest going to the place right after lunch so you will have plenty of time to spare. The whole trip takes 3-4 hours but those hours will pass by like minutes. On sort of unrelated note, the food in the Cordillera Region are bland. Forgive my poor culinary vocabulary. I meant that it seemed that they do not use a lot of salt. Probably because they are far out in the mountains? Well, they have all the salt they could need right now because of improved logistics but they have continued their way of cooking their food.

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It was evening when we got out of the cave. There were houses nearby but the town was still a 30-minute walk away. We were hungry, cold, and had fun to death. It has been raining for days and I could hear the angry rapids of the river from way below us.