Overnight at Jungle Base

At the time, this trip consisted of the most modified and the most box-stock Suzuki Vitara 4x4 of 4x4 Philippines <www.4x4ph.com>
4x4 off-road Suzuki Toyota Land Rover Nissan Jeep 4x4PH

4x4 off-road Suzuki Toyota Land Rover Nissan Jeep 4x4PH
Oct. 12, 2003 -- The week before this date the family went to Jungle Base for some R&R and to give a couple of my sisters a taste of 4-wheeling, and reported on our trip at the forums.

After reading my post, Wiretap_MD from www.4x4ph.com kept on bugging me to go back to Jungle Base with him as he had some free time on these dates. Since he''ll be coming from Batangas he won't be back in Manila 'til around 4PM so I suggested we stay overnight.

After having my right CV boot replaced (got torn the week before) and repacked the day before, we rendezvoused with Wiretap_MD at McDonald's Katipunan at 5PM.

We arrived at Jungle Base around 8:30PM (we took the trail slowly as my wife was pregnant then to our youngest)

After dinner we prepared for bath and bed, and we are grateful to Tito Clemente for having their people hurriedly put a temporary cogon roof over the loft where we will be staying...

Zzzz...

Oct. 13, 2003: 1AM -- I awoke with Wiretap_MD mumbling something, and I then realized it was drizzling and the temporary roof didn't cover the whole loft so we were still getting wet. We immediately transferred to the main area of the hut, right under the loft.

6AM -- we awoke as Wolf Den (from 4x4 Philippines) was just coming back to check on us, and to bring us coffee... and we realized it had rained hard as we were sleeping.

We then spent the whole day just relaxing by the Daraitan river in Jungle Base. Wiretap_MD left just before lunch and I realize he just went there to get a fix of 4x4 offroading while he had some free time.

Here are a few pics.

Wiretap_MD: Let's do that again, sometime! :)
4x4 off-road Suzuki Toyota Land Rover Nissan Jeep 4x4PH

Slim's Surprise Birthday Picnic

Delayed post...
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(L-R) AteV (The Suzuki Vitara 4x4), Jom, Sar, Nadem, Slim, Khail, Monday

I've been thinking of a way to make Slim's birthday this year a little different. 2 weeks I've been racking my brain as to what I could do...

I just can't remember how I finally decided on this, but I did: surprise her with a picnic party up in the mountains. As I want a little privacy for our little party I opted for Wolf Den's (a 4x4 Philippines family member) place, called the Gate House, in Tanay, Rizal, since I know they seldom use their house there.

The week of her birthday I laid out my plan to her cousin, Nadem, who was living with us, as she will be in charge of buying & cooking the food. A few days before the date I contacted Slim's brother, Jom, and his wife (girlfriend at that time) to meet with us before we go to Tanay.

Early morning of Oct. 2, 2003, Nadem cooked and loaded everything needed for the picnic. Around 9AM (I think... can't remember) we left the house for lunch at some restaurant (that was Slim's plan, she never expected the cargo area of our Suzuki Vitara to be loaded), met up with Jom & Monday. Then we remembered: WE DIDN'T HAVE DRINKS! So we passed by a store, bought 2 gallons of purified water, and off we went (I noticed Slim wondering why I bought so much water, but tried hiding her "confusion")...

Anyway, on the way she knew something was up, as she was expecting to have lunch somewhere in Q.C., or Makati at the farthest, but of course she knew that road we were passing: Marcos Highway - the road we usually take going to Tanay. She kept on asking, "Are we going to Jungle Base*?" I reply, "NO WAY! That's too far. We should've left earlier." And I just kept driving, plus with her pregnant condition the trail might be a little too much.

When we got to the Gate House we let the caretakers know we plan to picnic at the house, and since they're used to 4-wheelers going down there to play they let us proceed.

We had a good time, Slim doubting my plans ("We don't have plates!" "We don't have spoons & forks!" "We don't have glasses for the drinks!") and each time I bring out what she wants.

The rest of the pics can be seen here.

* Pics of Jungle Base can be seen here, here, and here. Our Kasalan was also held there.
4x4 off-road Suzuki Toyota Land Rover Nissan Jeep 4x4PH