We had a great sleep, thanks to the cool weather (12 degrees Celsius). The next day, we woke up to a cold, wet, gray morning as a gentle drizzle showered the landscape. The mist that descended on Lake Nailig made everything ethereal and magical as brilliant colors muted.

Ever since we started mountaineering, we’ve always wanted to climb the verdant slopes of the gorgeous Mt. Talinis in Negros Oriental considering that the mountain is relatively close to Cebu. And we heard exciting stories about it: the unspoilt trails, the virgin forests, the gentle lakes as well as the agonizing terrain, the dangerous slopes, and the exhausting trek.

We were not disappointed.