Timubo Cave
After wandering around town, we decided to proceed to our next destination, the Timubo Cave in the outskirts of San Francisco. This time the road was not anymore concrete but of finely constructed asphalt. I thought our motorbike even traveled more efficiently on that asphalt road. I could feel that there was more traction than at the very dry hard concrete roads. Ah the sights 
along the way were equally fantastic. Most people travel on motorbikes – even if they have to carry things that I thought were unimaginable. Like? Well, how about bundled long strips of wood and/or bamboo sometimes 2 or 3 times longer than any motorcycle? How about live chickens? And how about live pigs incessantly shrieking as they traveled? Now combine all those in one motorbike driven by a man with his wife as passenger! Amazing!
Alright, we arrived at Timubo. And if like me your idea of a cave is some hollow dark chamber carved out of a mountain, start changing that point of view. Timubo
cave is yes, a hollow dark chamber but it is not in any mountain or hill. In fact there is none in the area! It is just like a hole or hallway down to hell hehehe! Yep, it’s the first time I have seen such a cave. The opening is literally a hole on the ground and the cave is a zigzagging dark chamber down to wherever. Anyway…
On arrival, we chanced upon Regan, the caretaker who sat at a hut silently busy tending to his “other” business – making trinkets out of wire. After getting my 10-peso entrance fee, he went behind a concrete slab to switch the cave lights on. I
was allowed to go in while they just sat and talked at the hut. I asked if no one was coming down with me. Regan said he guards the entrance of the place while Randy said he was wearing white pants and had socks with his sandals on. I thought this was “bad trip” since I am no cave man and I do not like the idea of roaming in a dark cave alone. Duuu!
I proceeded down the concrete steps anyway. The stairs have lights yes, but anywhere else is darkness. Thanks to the lights though, I could see the eerie rock formations
in this big wide underground cave. Yes it is literally under ground! At least I have not seen or heard bat sounds, which made me fool myself that there’d be no snake in there (since they usually prey on bats). I really felt like I was descending to satan’s dungeon hehe! As I went down alone, the air felt a bit warmer and thinner, I think. And yes, every hair in my body was supposed to be standing erect, but were being pressed down by perspiration hehe! One part of my mind was saying, “go on and see what is there in 
this cave, don’t be a coward” while another part of my lowly brain was saying “yes, you are a coward, go back lest something pounce on and bite you, its only a cave anyway”! Whaaa hehehe! I was in my mind starting to complain why Timubo Cave had to be deep. Was I already under sea level?
Water level? There, deep down there, I reached water inside the cave. Not the dripping kind from stalactites but a pool or pond of water. I descended more to about shin deep. It was cold. I tried squinting my eyes to look further as to where
might this cave lead to. Darkness! Then a splash. What the… I knew I was alone in this cave, what was that sound? Ah that was it, I rushed back up as fast as I could hehe! The path/stairs btw, even if concrete with lights is still tricky as you will have to bend or a bit crawl on some parts. But I breezed through them on my way up. Reason why I was panting when I reached the cool fresh air of ground level outside the cave. Hah!
And Regan and Randy asked “di ka naligo sir?” I just rolled my eyeballs hehe! And off to Lake Danao we drove!
along the way were equally fantastic. Most people travel on motorbikes – even if they have to carry things that I thought were unimaginable. Like? Well, how about bundled long strips of wood and/or bamboo sometimes 2 or 3 times longer than any motorcycle? How about live chickens? And how about live pigs incessantly shrieking as they traveled? Now combine all those in one motorbike driven by a man with his wife as passenger! Amazing!Alright, we arrived at Timubo. And if like me your idea of a cave is some hollow dark chamber carved out of a mountain, start changing that point of view. Timubo
cave is yes, a hollow dark chamber but it is not in any mountain or hill. In fact there is none in the area! It is just like a hole or hallway down to hell hehehe! Yep, it’s the first time I have seen such a cave. The opening is literally a hole on the ground and the cave is a zigzagging dark chamber down to wherever. Anyway…On arrival, we chanced upon Regan, the caretaker who sat at a hut silently busy tending to his “other” business – making trinkets out of wire. After getting my 10-peso entrance fee, he went behind a concrete slab to switch the cave lights on. I
was allowed to go in while they just sat and talked at the hut. I asked if no one was coming down with me. Regan said he guards the entrance of the place while Randy said he was wearing white pants and had socks with his sandals on. I thought this was “bad trip” since I am no cave man and I do not like the idea of roaming in a dark cave alone. Duuu!I proceeded down the concrete steps anyway. The stairs have lights yes, but anywhere else is darkness. Thanks to the lights though, I could see the eerie rock formations
in this big wide underground cave. Yes it is literally under ground! At least I have not seen or heard bat sounds, which made me fool myself that there’d be no snake in there (since they usually prey on bats). I really felt like I was descending to satan’s dungeon hehe! As I went down alone, the air felt a bit warmer and thinner, I think. And yes, every hair in my body was supposed to be standing erect, but were being pressed down by perspiration hehe! One part of my mind was saying, “go on and see what is there in 
this cave, don’t be a coward” while another part of my lowly brain was saying “yes, you are a coward, go back lest something pounce on and bite you, its only a cave anyway”! Whaaa hehehe! I was in my mind starting to complain why Timubo Cave had to be deep. Was I already under sea level?Water level? There, deep down there, I reached water inside the cave. Not the dripping kind from stalactites but a pool or pond of water. I descended more to about shin deep. It was cold. I tried squinting my eyes to look further as to where
might this cave lead to. Darkness! Then a splash. What the… I knew I was alone in this cave, what was that sound? Ah that was it, I rushed back up as fast as I could hehe! The path/stairs btw, even if concrete with lights is still tricky as you will have to bend or a bit crawl on some parts. But I breezed through them on my way up. Reason why I was panting when I reached the cool fresh air of ground level outside the cave. Hah!
And Regan and Randy asked “di ka naligo sir?” I just rolled my eyeballs hehe! And off to Lake Danao we drove!
i always enjoy reading your posts... i find humor in your writings. keep it up... i am learning a lot here. re: places you visited.
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