look at the pretty mountain...

finally...
yup due to my insistent demand and leo's encouragement (hopefully not a mistake), I am going to climb a mountain this weekend.
The mountain in question is called Mt Sembrano.

Mt Sembrano

It's a mountain found in Rizal-Laguna province. It's suppose to be an easy climb. Hopefully that applies to newbies as well. We are suppose to set up camp at the top so it's going to be fun.

Of course I can't wait to get up there. This is my first climb and I'm always psyched when I'm going to do something new.

So last week I'm chatting with leo and I told him I've always wanted to climb a mountain. Then he tells me they're going up to Mt Sembrano Mar 5-6 and I asked if I could join. The next day, his friends say yes and I ask my parents for permission.

Technically, I'm not asking. Apparently my parents have had almost 25 years of experience with my stubborness. They don't want me to go but they don't want to fight me (their words not mine) so they're letting me go.

Hmm... my dad said he agrees to any sport I get myself into but not mountain climbing. Well, I seem to recall he said the same thing about skin diving... I haven't even told them yet that I want to just go and train to go scuba diving with sharks.

Anyway, in a space of a week and with the help of a lot of friends and money I shouldn't be using for this... I actually got all the stuff I need.

tent, two bags, sleeping bag, armguards, gloves, raincoat, shoes, slippers, jogging pants...

Did I mention I was bringing neal?

Yup... first thing he said was "ano nanaman pumasok sa utak mo?". I think the closest transalation in English, not in the literal sense of course, is "Are you insane?" It ceratinly sounded like that to me.

I haven't trained physically in 3 years. Last time I exerted that much effort, I swam around 20 laps. So I spent the weekend "getting in shape." I jogged and walked in UP.

Neal hasn't done anything except buy equipment.

I think we're in for some heavy breathing and exhaustion all the way up. But I'll probably have more fun than him anyway.

Did I mention I was scared of heights?

Or that I detest the cold?

This is what I call fun.