First Family Trek in Baler

Baby’s Age: 6 months

Our first trip to La Union encouraged us to plan another one soon after we’ve rested and recovered. We were not yet ready to go on a plane ride so we decided to go to Baler next. This destination has become more and more popular because of the relatively short 6-hour drive from Manila.

We had the whole gang in tow. This time decided to bring our two dogs. I remember thinking a day before the trip – “Whew, this should be interesting”. And it definitely was!

What was supposed to be a 6-hour drive turned into 10.5 hours, with multiple stops for nappy changes, cleaning the vomit, stretching our legs, walking the dog, etc. At  7:30pm, we were checked in to our room in Costa Pacifica. As we entered our room, I was ready to take a shower and sleep. But unlike before, it just was not possible. There were clothes to unpack, bottles to wash, the dogs to feed, the baby to wash and put to bed. Of course, I did not do everything alone. Luckily, Summer slept right after her bath so we had the chance to do the chores and rest.

I was happy to see how spacious the room was. It was beautifully decorated too. There were two single beds and one day bed. The beddings and the pillows were heavenly! Summer would stay relatively still when sleeping so we put her in the day bed, securing all sides to make sure she will not fall down in case she rolls or moves. We were happy to get one bed each because God knows we needed a rested sleep. The bathroom was huge as well and had lots of counter space.

By 9:00pm, we were done with the chores. Room service for dinner. We all slept soundly that night.

The next morning, we had the standard buffet breakfast in the resort restaurant. The selection was not too big but was well curated. They had some of the locally made products like the peanut butter. Summer was already starting to eat but only pureed food so we only gave her milk during the whole trip. This is also to avoid any upset stomach. Pets are not allowed in the restaurant premises so they stayed in our room.

After breakfast, we geared up to go to the water falls. 

The drive to the falls was scenic, with old trees lined along the main road. After parking our car, we rode a tricycle to the jump-off point to Ditumabo falls. Summer looked puzzled about her first bumpy tricycle ride. The trek was relatively easy. We had done this before with the two dogs but it is our first time to do it with the baby. We specifically chose a river/waterfall hike because it is usually easier than a mountain hike and is suitable for beginners. There was also shade for the most part of the trail. I carried the diaper bag and the small dog while Russ carried Summer using a new baby carrier that we bought prior to this trip. I took turns with our guide in holding the Beagle’s leash.

Summer looked entertained by the swaying of the leaves on the trees because she kept on looking up. We were lucky to do the trek on a day with good weather, not too hot and not raining either. During the 45-minute trek, the baby dozed off. When we finally reached the falls, we took some photos, enjoyed the breeze for a while and then headed back. We did not swim anymore because the water was too cold and there were too many people that day.

It was so refreshing to take a shower back at the resort. We got back at around 3:00 in the afternoon. After doing the chores, late lunch was room service again because we were all tired. We sure needed to ease ourselves back to our old active lifestyle. At 4:00pm, all of us went to sleep. Even the baby slept so soundly. I woke up at 8:00 in the evening to pack our things. I then asked my husband if he wanted something for dinner. Neither of us was hungry. We happily went back to bed, only waking up occasionally to check on the baby. It was such a treat that even the baby slept through the night.

By morning we ate breakfast at the restaurant and took some obligatory resort photos. Russ and Summer dipped at the pool for a while. The baby cried because the water was too cold for her so we went back to the room to shower and get ready to leave. 

My take away from our first hiking trip and the many others after this trip...

Mountaineering is something very close to my heart and something I thoroughly enjoy. It is both challenging and meditative for me. In 2014, when we decided to start a family, I really thought I’d have to forget about it for a while. At least until the kid is big enough to trek and is healthy to do so. I thought wrong. There is a way...there’s always a way. It is not a walk in the park, it’s never easy. But it has taught our family precious lessons especially about patience. I am amazed about the fact that this child has the ability to detach from the comforts of the city – airconditioning, television and other gadgets, etc. and just be quiet and connect with nature. Again, it was never easy but it has definitely been interesting every step of the way.