I'll be the first to say that I'm not an active person. My exercise routine consists of "go upstairs to the cafeteria and grab some food". Obviously, I'm not the fittest gal in the world, and it's crazy to think I'd climb a mountain. Right?
Wrong! A co-worker invited me to climb Mt. Talamitam in Batangas with his college friends, and I, always wanting to try something at least once, gamely agreed.
Thought Process
Several days before the climb: This will be fun!
Pre-Climb Anxiety (one day before): I will be able to get through this, right? *tries to convince myself*
10 minutes into the climb: This isn't so bad. This is fun! Yay!
30 minutes into the climb: Ow, my legs/feet/calves/back! I'm already cramping!!
45 minutes into the climb: KILL ME NOW OH GOD WHY DID I EVER AGREE TO SUBMIT MYSELF TO THIS TORTURE WHO WAS I KIDDING
We started the climb at around 7AM. My first challenge was the rickety bamboo bridge.
It's not very reassuring to cross when you see a fallen bridge just beside it! :o
Let me tell you, I severely underestimated the mountain (Pinoy Mountaineer describes it as having a 3/9 difficulty level), to the point that I thought we reached the peak not one hour into the hike. When I saw the summit was still a loooong way off, I wanted to cry, quit, and wait for them at the foot of the mountain. I didn't do that because 1) I am far too proud to quit, and 2) I wanted to prove that I can conquer a mountain no matter how out-of-shape I was. So I soldiered on.
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| Note the desperate, exhausted face. |
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| My once-clean shoes. |
When we finally got to the top at around 10AM, I felt like all the effort was worth it! The strong winds, the view, and most of all, the sense of fulfillment cannot be beat. Truly an achievement for me.
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| YAAAAY |
Post-climb effects
- sunburn
- leg pain so bad, I hobbled for the better part of two days
When I started the hike, I swore it would be my first and last climb. When we were finished, I was wondering when I could do it again. :)
