Pagudpud

Pagudpud (PAH GOOD POOD)
Pagudpud is a sprawling and scenic town on the northwest tip of Luzon, the largest island in the Philippines. The hills and mountains are verdant, the valleys fertile. Creeks, streams and waterfalls splash the landscape and spill into the South China Sea. All around, the ocean and sky are awash in varying hues of blue.
Source: http://www.pagudpud.net

The main point why we embarked on this Northern Luzon escapade was to actually go to Pagudpud. People sometimes say that in life, it's not the destination but the journey that is important. It's definitely true in this case. It was definitely anti-climactic.

I'm not a beach person, to tell you honestly. When you've seen one beach, you've seen all of them, I always say (my friends can attest and more often than not protest to this). Warning lang, kasi baka exag yung experience ko for some because ayoko nga sa beach =P. You may ask: "Eh bakit ka pumunta ng Pagudpud, eh ayaw mo naman pala sa beach?" Answer: Peer pressure.

We stayed in Arinaya Beach Resort. In Pagudpud, it doesn't really matter where you stayed because all resorts share one shoreline, one view. For more than 16 hours of driving, bickering, and sharing cramped spaces, it wasn't worth it. It wasn't that extraordinary. Matataga ka pa sa presyo, it was that expensive! We had to camp out pa (P800 yung rent sa tent), because like the adventurous people that we are, we didn't make any reservations (and on Holy Week to boot!). So, we had to use the communal bathroom/restroom. I don't think we would be able to afford a room, anyways, because the price ranges from 3k - 5k, if I remember correctly. May bayad pa extra head dun.

The camping experience, per se, wasn't that bad, though, Sleeping inside the tent, with the strong winds trying to blow our tent away. That was fun, hindi sarcastic yun ha. Drinking Lambrusco before going to sleep was the best. I especially liked, waking up, going outside the tent, sitting atop the breakwater and watching the sea (ng di pa naghihilamos o nagmumumog man lang).