You Never Forget a Lingayen Sunset

When the world was locked down and you need masks to go out, we find ways to escape.
Escape where?
Somewhere…
Where you can take off your masks and enjoy the breeze.
Where the crashing of the waves causes you to sigh in comfort.
Where you can pass wind and nobody will know.
Where one minute you’re on earth, the next you’re on a martian view.
Where the sky gradients from blue to orange, lavender to purple, so beautifully it overwhelms you.
Where you forget the problems of life and thank God you’re alive.
I guess that’s what a sunset in Lingayen does.

• 

• 

• 

Last year when the road restrictions eased up enough, we started looking for places to explore and camp out. Anywhere just to get away from home for a change, because even with so much endurance, we just couldn’t take being cooped up at home for such a long time!

• 

• 

• 

• 

• 

• 

• 

• 

• 

In this trip we headed to Lingayen bay, one of the longest in the country. It was a joy to drive an overlanding rig convoy on the fine compact sand as we head to our camp spot. And when I say camp spot, I just meant somewhere out there with an area enough for a few cars to set up their tents. That’s the beauty of overlanding, you can camp anywhere.

• 

• 

• 

• 

• 

• 

When we got out of our cars we were greeted by the warm sea breeze, the sound of the crashing waves, and the feel of the sand on our soles. But the best show is about to begin.

• 

• 

• 

• 

• 

• 

The sun started to go behind the horizon and the gradient of the sky began to change, from bright blue to orange, then deep lavender, in full unobstructed view. We scramble for our phones to take photos, but later we find ourselves just staring at the sky. It was so good, no, it was amazing!

• 

• 

• 

Once the sky got dark, we started setting up, occasionally looking up to enjoy the view.  Colourful expanse replaced by a sea of stars. We started cooking, and settling down, the sound of the sea is now white noise. We relax. In a bit, dinner will be ready and someone will bring out the wine.

• 

• 

• 

• 

• 

• 

I’m truly blessed to be friends who take me along in their overlanding trips. In exchange for good photos of their rigs, I get full board during the trip, and when you say full board, that’s loads of rice, sausages, and the occasional steak and wine if someone remembers to bring. There’s usually an extra space in one of the tents but if the weather is good I sleep under the stars, usually dozing off during bonfire sessions.

• 

•