Chapter 3: Canyoneering

When the bus arrived at their destination at the entrance of Kawasan Falls, the students quickly got out of the bus one by one. In front of them was a narrow dirt road where only a motorbike could enter, and on each side of the road was a small canal. Along the path, the students could see a small bridge made of bamboo.

"Brats, ears here. As you can see, this is not our final destination; we still have to walk for 30-45 minutes before we arrive at our destination. Just think about this walk as a warm-up before the canyoneering. I know some of you will be exhausted, but it will be beneficial to your health. It may lower your risk of high blood pressure, heart disease, and diabetes, and it will also strengthen your bones and muscles, so just man up and do your best," Mr. Yap said with anticipation in his voice. 

"Mr. Yap, what are you talking about? High blood pressure? Heart disease and diabetes? We are not old, Mr. Yap. Oh wait, are you talking about yourself?" A student teased Mr. Yap for such a ridiculous statement. 

As a PE teacher, Mr. Yap was looking forward to this walk. He was a big fan of walking outside instead of working out in the gym. He did not expect to be teased after he said those words.

'30–45 minutes warm up? Are you kidding? When we arrive at our destination, we will be too exhausted to do the canyoneering.' Most of the students thought.

On the way to Kawasan Falls, the group was not the only one going; locals and foreigners alike of some races also accompanied them, like Americans, Indians, Koreans, Chinese, Japanese, etc. Kawasan Falls tours have always been popular among international and domestic tourists. This attraction was a photographer's dream come true! Visitors were in awe of Kawasan Falls' clear turquoise water and natural pools. Locals often compare this color to the Gatorade blue drink.

After minutes of walking, the group finally arrived at the foot of Kawasan Falls. Kawasan Falls consisted of three tiers. The first tier was the largest and most crowded, especially on weekends. Due to its popularity, the locals built some industry around the waterfall. Visitors will find food stalls and even tables set up. There were also fixed ropes and a bamboo raft that visitors could pay a local to take them out on for photos beneath the plunging waterfall.

The majority of the students who were visiting Kawasan Falls for the first time were taken aback by what they saw. Never in their entire lives would they witness such majestic water falls.

"Okay, now that we are here, let's rest first for 15 minutes, then follow me to the entrance desk to pay for our protective gear, like a life jacket and helmet," Mr. Yap instructed.

As the students and Mr. Yap rested, they could also see and hear some of the locals who worked at Kawasan Fall, who were busy instructing some of the visitors on the safety guidelines for participating in canyoneering. Minutes passed, and it was finally their turn to do the canyoneering; again, the locals instructed them on safety guidelines.

"Alright, let's go," the man guiding them said as he started walking up the Water Falls.

As Reese and the others made their way to the edge of the pool at Kawasan Falls, Renz's gaze was immediately drawn to a group of stunning women lounging nearby in bikinis, enjoying the sunshine.

Renz whispered excitedly to Rey, "Hey, check out those girls over there. They're gorgeous!"

Rey chuckled. "Yeah, they sure are."

Renz grinned mischievously and said, "I have an idea. Watch this."

Renz subtly took away Rey's sunglasses, adjusted them, and positioned himself behind a nearby rock, pretending to admire the scenery. From his vantage point, he could discreetly observe the women without them noticing. 

Rey raised an eyebrow. "Dude, what are you doing?"

Renz just smirked at Rey. "I'm just trying to get a better view without being too obvious." 

Rey just laughed at Renz's antics. "You're incurable, you know that?"

Renz just shrugged. "Hey, can you blame me? It's not every day you see such beautiful sights."

As Renz continued to steal glances at the women, Rey shook his head in amusement, knowing that Renz's antics always added an element of entertainment to their adventures. 

'These two idiots,' Reese said, sighing in resignation while looking at his two idiotic best friends. 

When the students saw what Renz was doing, they just sniggered, especially the girls in their class. It was so obvious what Renz was doing. Reese could only shake his head at the stupidity his friend Renz displayed. What was the point of the shade if he was acting like a damn obvious spy?

"Renz, what are you doing? Do you want me to throw you in the water? Give me the shades right now and get back to your group." Mr. Yap was so furious when he saw Renz acting perversely. 'No. My shade,' Rey thought while seeing his shade being taken by Mr. Yap. Though it's only 50 pesos, it's still money. 

The students were laughing at Renz after he got scolded; even some of the visitors were chuckling. Renz was so embarrassed that he wanted to bury his face in the dirt just to escape the situation.

"Now look what you have done, you dummy. You must pay me for my shades, you idiot." Rey mocked Renz angrily.

"Shut up. You act like your shades cost you a thousand pesos, even though they're only 50 pesos," Renz said, walking away from the students who were still laughing at him.

The group of students continued with their hike to the first tier of the water falls. It features a spacious swimming area with cool turquoise water and places to gather for social activities. Children were swimming while their parents were watching them, and some of the locals were cooking BBQ to sell to the visitors.

The first cascade stands at approximately 40 meters, while the less crowded second level has a height of approximately 20 meters and can be reached within ten minutes of trekking. But only a few foreigners dared to jump the 40-meter fall.

"Hey Reese, look. That foreign chick is about to jump that 40-meter fall. Do you think she can make it unharmed? I mean, just look at her; she's as delicate as a flower. If she can't make it, I will save her, then maybe she will give me a kiss and her number," Renz said with a hopeful gaze to the woman.

Before Reese could answer Renz's question, Rey interjected with a mocking voice.

"How shameful; you really think highly of yourself, huh. What makes you think you can save her if she can't make it? You can't even fucking swim, let alone save her. She might even be the one who will save you from your stupidity." Rey laughed as he said those words.

Reese just looked at the woman, who was about to jump. As Renz said, she was as delicate as a flower. Her skin was pale white, and she's small as well, about 5'0" feet. It will not end well for her if she's really going to jump.

Then the small woman jumped upon the gaze of everyone in the first cascade; fortunately, she did it perfectly, and she then came out of the blue water as beautiful as ever. Reese was impressed, to say the least. Just looking at the height of the falls makes Reese dizzy, let alone jump off of them. Unbeknownst to everyone except for his best friends and family, height and being drowned were Reese's biggest fears.

"Ahh, what a bummer," Renz said dejectedly. 

Finally, it was the students turn to jump on the first cascade, but no one was brave enough to jump the 40-meter fall. The students then proceeded to the second cascade, but still, no one was brave enough to jump the 20-meter fall. Then the students proceeded to the third cascade, called the Mud. Hence the name of the third cascade. But instead of simply hiking, the students accomplished the journey by doing a mix of activities like climbing, trekking, cliff diving, and swimming. After the third cascade, the students adventure finally came to an end.