UPM invades Sabah, Part 1 - from sea level to 1500 masl

May 22, Kota Kinabalu - Eight years ago, I was roaming the streets of this city like a stiff mummy. Leg muscles tight from climbing up and down hard from Mt. Kinabalu, the highest accessible mountain this in Southeast Asia (at 4,095 masl, if you want to know). I don't look back fondly on those post-climb walks. I vowed not to end up like that again now.

the famous KK swordfish

Close Calls

(another retro-post from 2008)

Tragedy makes for a good screenplay; unless the tragedy is yours, then it sucks.

When disaster hits, it sometimes comes from the most unlikely places. The recent unfortunate incident in Pundaquit reminded me of some close calls I've had in "fairly simple/easy" destinations that I (we) underestimated.

New Pack!

Just in time for our Gunung Kinabalu trek this weekend.

I got a message a few weeks ago from Jane (ROX/Osprey), asking if I'm interested in trying out their packs. Of course I said yes! 

Ticking Off My ‘Bakit’ List

(This was an article I was asked to do for work last year, as a "special interest" piece. I'm posting it here as another "throwback" entry)

Ever since they came out with that film, The Bucket List[1], people have started doing their own list of things they wish to do before they kick the bucket (i.e. pass away, expire, go kaput, you get the idea). I am no different from them. I call mine the Bakit List.  Bakit being the Filipino word for “why”. Things on this list are mostly those that, when you are out there doing it, will prove to be agonizing, sometimes crazy, sometimes life-threatening, but ultimately rewarding—assuming you survive to reminisce about it. Like running a marathon or ultramarathon, or travelling from north to south of the Philippines on a bike, you will ask yourself over and over again, “Why the $^@#& am I doing this?  Bakit?”

In the past two years, I was fortunate enough to tick two items off this Bakit List. I remember them with sentimental fondness, now that I’m past all the suffering.

Our group on top of Kala Patthar (18,192 feet), the best vantage point to see Mt. Everest (the black peak with the plume of clouds at the center).

I Hate Sports Fiesta

Since becoming this year's officers, we've been thinking of different themes and gimmicks to spice up the monthly UPM general meeting. Last month, we had the Kalawang Chef cooking challenge. Now we have the I Hate Sports Fiesta, in the spirit of the local festivals that usually happen in May, complete with the banderitas.

Event poster done by Kerwin