LAKE PINATUBO, ZAMBALES, PAMPANGA, TARLAC, PHILIPPINES (March 25, 2017) One of my many travel highlights of 2017 was a trek to Lake Pinatubo, the summit crater lake formed after the eruption of Mount Pinatubo on June 15, 1991. Heck, it was close to six hours of hiking through various terrains. My calves, thighs, and lower back got a beating, but I was with some of my closest buddies from Bukas Palad, so none of that pain even mattered. The trek began with all of us in 4-wheel drives navigating through ash and lahar. But after a drop off point, we had only our walking sticks to help us through the rest of the journey. There were rocky trails, grassy knolls, sharp inclines, and friendly Aetas along the way. And some rest areas too where hikers could rehydrate or sit for a minute or two. The last hour was the most difficult with the path getting increasingly steeper and our panting more pronounced. The view from the peak, however, was worth all the trouble. Then we realized we would have to hike down the same way we came. And it began to rain.
