One morning in Sagada

THE body has a limit, particularly this body of a middle-aged man. It was up early and flew from Bangkok to Manila, met up with another group of travel bodies and hit the road for another 12-hour drive sans the chance to doze off (no thanks to the driver from hell), went spelunking and rappelling, trekked the mountainside for hours and did more touristy chores as a first timer in Sagada. It can only take so much beating, with or without an energy drink like Red Bull. It was screaming for sleep and lots of it.

But sleep was elusive, not on a night when seven others were having a drinking spree and playing Pinoy Henyo on the balcony by your appointed sleeping corner, and not on coldest night forecasted in the week. The layered clothing plus blanket and prayers were not enough to warm the body enough to get the rest it needed. One soul bothered to try to light the fireplace to no avail.

Not helping at all is the thought of having to rise early to catch another must-see in a tourist’s itinerary- sunrise at Kiltepan viewpoint.

This is precisely why I am a sunset person, preferably by the beach with a Mojito on hand making for a perfect way to end a day. Catching sunrise means getting up and rushing out before the break of dawn and rushing out. I don’t like sounding like an ingrate to Mother Nature’s astounding phenomenon, I know it’s beautiful, I have caught lots of it stepping out of the dance clubs in my discofied day.

But I don’t mind catching of the first day’s light breaking the deep blue hue of the night sky -- through the picture windows of a bed in some vacation place I am in. It’s effortless and will let me visit slumberland again in a snap of a finger. Spoiled bitch.

Since I missed the sunset at Lake Danum the day before (it was gorgeous I was told, the horizon was tinted red-orange; and me green, with envy), I wasn’t about to miss the sunrise on the last day of this Sagada sojourn.

Like I said forty winks were hard to catch, so I rose way ahead of the others and took the role of the rooster. Cock-a-doodle-do! Soon after, heavily wrapped bodies were on the (almost) zero visibility road to Kitelpan.

Surprise! There was already a huge crowd gathered in the area, some by the bonfire and the others establishing their posts by the hillside. We found our spot and waited for the much talked about sunrise.

Light! Snap, snap, click, click. The paparazzi mode is on.

Yes, light brightened the horizon until the entire valley was visible but the sun hid behind thick clouds. Hmmp! If there was any consolation, the view of the Sagada valley from the Kitelpan point of view was beautiful. I am blessed. I am grateful.

It’s time to head to Baguio. I am looking forward to seeing the place again, it’s been ages since the most recent visit.

Ang tanong, will the body get the sleep it so badly needs in the Pine City?

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