Ladies and gentlemen, Thailand has finally crept its way up to my heart. Or, to be more apt, it rock-climbed its way.
My first glimpse of the Kingdom of Siam was Phuket, and although it was nothing to be scoffed at, a lot of things were too ‘in-your-face’ for me, and its beaches still left me wanting.
Enter Krabi.
The first time I heard of this sweet-spot for scrambling up crags, I instantly knew it was an eventuality. It was just a matter of time of when I’ll score a promo flight to this weekend warrior’s haven. Finally, that time rolled around. Continue reading “Reasons Why Krabi Rocks”→
Word on the backpacker’s grapevine says that Batad is one of those rare glimpses of heaven on earth. A village that used to be a well-kept secret, Batad is neatly tucked away, almost in the shadow of Banaue, its more-familiar neighbor. A few souls have dared call it as the 8th Wonder of the World, but seriously, the title has been thrown around so often, that we can probably come up with a Top 7 ‘8th Wonders of the World’ list.
Hmm, imagine if halfway across, you realize you left your keys…
Picture a genteel castle, perched on a solitary island in the middle of Loch Duich. Picture the classic stone bridge leading to it, that has seen both gallant knights and violent warriors. Picture a small room with tiny windows, albeit with a breathtaking view of the loch. Ladies and gents, welcome to Eilean Donan castle.
Of course, every great trip deserves a tribute video. =)
To say that Mt. Kitanglad was a sight to behold is a glaring understatement. It was definitely one of the best climbs I’ve been on –> fun trail + awesome view = winner! If there was any doubt if climbing is still my first great love, then this trip just about squashes it all.
This goes out to kindred spirits Jan, Stan & Biboy. Can’t wait to go back and visit D2 next! 🙂
24-25 July 2010
Gunung Panti, Malaysia
With Chay, Tabs, Mike, Chinky, Annie, Jonahs, Mondale
There are two kinds of people — those who think that climbing mountains is sheer folly, and those who treat the experience as the only proof that everything is still right in the world.
A friend posted pics of their climb to Kota Kinabalu, and again I found myself grasping for an answer for that age-old question for any climber — why do I climb?
I’ve always thought it was because I can, but having more time to think about it, it’s more like because I need to believe that I can. I need to know that amidst all the chaos, I still have a full grasp on what’s truly beautiful.
I climb because I need to be reminded of how small I really am, because sometimes I forget.
Sporty is definitely the word to describe weekend #2 at Singapore. After spending the whole Sat afternoon playing badminton at Woodlands, we whisked ourselves to the Dairy Farm Quarry at Bukit Timah on Sunday to join a fundraising by the Bundokeros.
It was nice to get reoriented with the life on the trail, even for just a swift glimpse of who I used to be. Hopefully, that person is not forever lost. Maybe this is the part where I rediscover her.
It’s one of the more fun things I “have” to do in HP — make sure that everyone’s distracted from their work. 🙂
The Out-Of-Office Fun! initiative had a climb+beach getaway last Sunday, thanks to our great TL Kian, who put it all together. The day started as early as 4:30 am at the Victory Liner terminal at Caloocan; Jan made herself the trip’s target by arriving last several hours later. 🙂
At around 10:30, we were dropped off at San Antonio, Zambales and took tricycles to the jump-off point. After putting on sunblock and a round of stretching, we started the trek. The mountain’s relatively a Level 0.5, so it took us just around 4 hours for the whole climb (that’s going up + rest stops + singing + lunch + photo ops at peak + alaskahan + going down).
What we found on the other side of the mountain was a beach paradise waiting for us. We couldn’t wait to take our fill of this isolated strip of heaven, which we practically had all for ourselves. My words would probably not do justice to the moments of utter bliss we had, so I’d let the pictures do the talking instead. More pics from the great Paul and Kian. Thanks to Paul, Kian & Ronnel for posting the pics!
I love vacations. They allow you to disconnect and free you to be a non-functional individual of the human race.
Despite not pushing through with Camiguin & rafting as planned, to say that climbing Mt. Apo was memorable is a huge understatement.
Definitely, this was the hardest physical battle I’ve had. At times, I’m sure I lost, bruised, wounded and sprained, but the learnings I took from the experience were priceless and unexpected ones, and that’s always a delight.
Thinking about the whole Davao experience sends my head in all directions, but it’s the tiny details that stick. The sight of the clouds way below your feet. The roar of the river as you cross. The pinch from your ‘battle scars’ and the numbness from cold. The canopy that swallows you whole. The feel of the boulders and the smell of sulfur. The glorious sunrise that makes it all worth it.
I’m definitely no good in giving justice to what it was like, so i guess I’ll just let the pics do the talking, as soon as they come.
To the Lakay Apo team, saludo ako sa inyo. Daghang salamat, you guys saved my butt out there. Sana balang araw makabawi ako. Kudos!
It’ll definitely difficult to top this summer, as I never thought I would be given the chance to literally explore Luzon, Visayas and Mindanao. But hey, who knows? Do i hear a Sagada, Bohol and Camiguin? Woohoo!
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Winning Quotes: [habang malakas ang ulan ngunit umaaraw] “Buti pa ang tikbalang, kinakasal; ako single pa rin!”
.: ishcapades 