Kop Khun Kha, Railay

Never mind that the connecting domestic Thai Airway flights to and from Krabi were delayed.

Never mind that the service at some of the eateries was kinda slow (according to our standards); or that the transfer from Krabi mainland to Railay (and vice versa) via the longtail boats required wading into the sea with heavy backpacks and climbing onto the boats.

Never mind that D & I didn’t manage to have our thai massages as our itinerary was packed with climbing as many limestone crags as possible.

Never mind that D & I have cuts, scratches and mozzie bites which we had “collected” in the last 6 days… especially D who had more wounds than I, of which some were due to my horrible belaying which didn’t catch his fall as he plummeted almost 6m (I reacted by closing my eyes ?!?!) and that resulted in more gashes and rope burns (Really sorry, D, I should have been less complacent and more vigilant… when it came down to it, I “chickened out” and didn’t dare to see you fall).

Still, the last 6 days were well-spent. We had fun doing lots of climbing at various locations (Eagle Wall, Diamond Cave & Muay Thai).

D & S (our climbing mate) had definitely improved their lead climbing skills exponentially during this trip. The 2 boys can now lead 6a and 6a+ successfully and tried some 6b routes which required some rests up on the wall. Moreover they took up the multi-pitch course with our climbing guide, Soley, and did well leading & climbing 2 pitches (6a).

As for us gals, we top-roped the 6a routes that the boys led. Although I am not exactly pleased with my performance on those routes since I shouted “Tension” a few times during the climb, I am still glad that I had tried those grades.

D thinks that I am analysing far too much while I climb and that I don’t trust my feet, hence I am not being an efficient climber. I do agree with him, but I like my moves to flow into each other and look good. That’s why I tend to analyse each set of moves while climbing, wondering if this or that combination is best (perfectionist?). But D reckons I don’t have that luxury of time and energy to do that if I am climbing long distances or leading.

“Sometimes, you just have to suck it in and climb,” D said. 

At Muay Thai and Diamond Cave, I practised by lead-climbing skills, while putting aside the fear of falling, on simple grade 5/5+ routes. I so need to do more lead climbing at the outdoor wall at King’s Park and practise the procedure of tying the rope to the anchor.

On Christmas morning, we took a break from climbing and went for an elephant trek. To D and I, it was an okay thing to do, ‘cos we actually just wanted to climb as much as possible during this trip. After the trek and walking around Aonang, we took the longtail boat back to Railay and went to Muay Thai to do more climbing.

The next day, which was Boxing Day, the 4 of us went on our first Deep Water Soloing (DWS), organised by Wee Climbing School. It was a good day out at sea and looking up close at these huge limestone formations in the middle of nowhere. There were some really good climbers there, and one of them, an American, climbed up the crag as we cheered him on and jumped about 20m into the waters below.

I was happy to traverse along the crag and took the giant stride out of the limestone platform about 5m above the waters. As there were insufficient climbing shoes, D and S climbed/bouldered barefooted till they couldn’t anymore as the rocks were becoming sharper.

D is sure he will not be jumping off the cliffs like that American guy but felt challenged to try out this 7a problem. He didn’t do too badly, considering this was his last climb of the day and that he managed to do at least 3 moves with little energy left, hanging upside down and almost horizontal.

There was this young chap (I thought he looks like he is from one of the East Europe countries, although S reckons he could be from one of the former USSR states) who tried the 7a problem very smoothly and made it looked so easy. Nonetheless he fell off at the last couple of holds, but I believe he would have made it if this was the first route he did at the start of the DWS.

The trip came and ended quickly, before I knew it, I am back home and chilling out the next few days before school starts again on the 3 Jan 07. Amazing how time flies, especially during the hols.

Here are the photos hosted on Webshots (click on the links):
1. http://sports.webshots.com/album/556701879rsRBKU 
2. http://sports.webshots.com/album/556699437EhylnM (Multi-Pitch Course)
3. http://sports.webshots.com/album/556718092gCDwbD (Me leading)
4. http://outdoors.webshots.com/album/556717605wzUTwJ (Deep Water Soloing)

Lynn Hill

I have been wanting to blog on this but had to put it off until I had given my climbing friends the books as their Christmas pressies.
I came across the book “Climbing Free” earlier in Jul when I was back in S’pore while browsing in my fav bookstore, Borders @ Wheelock Place. It’s an excellent book, not just because it is written by Lynn Hill, one of the few pro female climbers who has reached such a top level in the sport. but also because Lynn Hill wrote about her passion and love for the sport.
Later, I googled for more info on Lynn Hill and found her blog (see sidebar “Blogroll”) and realised that her book is also sold on her blog and that she will autograph each copy that is purchased from her website. Dang, I thought to myself, it would have been great to have her autograph my book.
Couple of months later, I thought her books would make a nice xmas pressie for my climbing mates. And I sent an email to find out if the books could be shipped to HK using the email addy found on her blog, thinking that someone else (not Lynn Hill herself) will reply to me.
To my surprise, Lynn Hill actually replied to me and we communicated via email.
Sure, the books can be shipped to HK, just tell me how many you need and the shipping address. Lynn Hill wrote.
And I couldn’t resist… besides getting 3 paperbacks for my climbing mates, I also ordered a hardcover for myself (besides the original paperback that I bought at Borders in Jul).
Could you also personalise the copies? I wrote in another email.
For a number of weeks, there was no reply from Lynn and I thought, maybe I will just order from her website instead since Xmas was getting closer.
And the next thing I know, D told me that the books had arrived and besides the books, Lynn Hill had included 4 VHS of her short documentary “Free Climbing The Nose” (as gifts). Besides that, she autographed every book, including a special note to me in my hardcover.
The other important thing was that Lynn Hill had sent the books to me even before I paid her. I mean, which company or seller would actually give you the goods before payment? She is quite trusting huh. Afterall I could have just kept quiet about receiving the books and perhaps deny that I had gotten it if she would ask. Of course, I wouldn’t do such a thing.
I quickly thank her for sending me the books and the tapes and most importantly, to find out the cost cos I wouldn’t want to owe her.

Having read her book, Lynn Hill is like an inspiration to me, so it was a real treat to communicate with her.

I dunno if Lynn Hill writes the same thing in every fan’s book, but u know wat, I don’t care about that. ‘Cos I sure am going to keep climbing and following my passion for travel and adventure in life.

Blessed Christmas to you and family, Lynn (if u do read this). Thanks a lot.

Summit Boulders, Ha Fa Shan (Tsuen Wan)

Some fotos of the bouldering site we were at on Sunday afternoon. I still can’t believe that I had hiked all the way up the darn almost 60 degrees (i think) incline and trudged up the dirt track to the Summit Boulders with my crashpad.
The view was amazing and the company was great. It’s the whole concept of hiking/trekking that I don’t fancy (and I believe D agrees with me). In a way, I am glad that 4-5h hike to Tai Mo Shan was cancelled on Saturday cos I would have “died” up there, or that is just being optimistic, I would have “died” even before the real incline starts, which is maybe during the first 10 minutes.
D didn’t take many photos at the Summit Boulders but I took lots of video footage. Would have to find the time to edit it later.
I dink we will be bouldering in Shek O more often than making the trip to Tsuen Wan, cos the 30 minutes hike is no joke for us, Flatlanders.

Bouldering @ Shek O Again

The usual gang was slightly smaller in size today when we were out at Shek O for another bouldering session. However, we had some new friends who joined us after lunch and well, it was a great day to try out my new Metolius Cheap Bastard Crashpad, and allow Ratty to climb some of the boulders together with Tartan McTeddy.

I had to take a number of shots of Ratty and Tartan with my N80. (More shots on my Flickr Set)

Besides tearing my fingers and forearms, it was still good fun reviewing the routes I had done before and trying out new ones, and doing all that with a group of like-minded people; shouting out encouragement and taking in betas, advice and just trying to put every move together.

D took some photos of us with his Canon 20D … they turn out quite well. Next time,  I shall take photos of D bouldering. The last time I took photos of him climbing was at the Blue Mountains, attached to the anchors about 50 m above ground, and D was somewhere down below making his way up. I had to make sure I didn’t drop the 20D or kick any loose rocks onto D.

Bouldering @ GoNature Indoor Gym

Weather was crappy today so we decided not to boulder at Shek O. Instead, together with 2 other climbing buddies and Rat, we went to GoNature Indoor Bouldering Gym. D was there on Saturday to reactivate his a/c and paid HK$450 for 3-month usage. Non-members like us will pay HK$40 per entry, but we need to go with a member ’cos the gym can only be entered with a code-activated card.
Like the other one near our apt, this one is also housed in a factory block and it’s a short walk from Ngau Tau Kok MTR station. Of course, D & I could still walk home (or to APM for food) from the gym, except that it isn’t as near or straightforward as before.

We all agreed that this Gym is much bigger and more airy than the old one and definitely quieter than Climberland @ Wan Chai. Well, maybe it’s quieter cos we were there around 10.30am on a Sunday morning, so that explains why, besides the 4 of us, only one other local came by to boulder for about 90 min. As before, this gym is still a dusty place given the amount of chalk used in the gym and well, this is HK… dust is everywhere and worse in an industrial area like Kwun Tong. I am just glad that my nose didn’t act up today as all the windows were wide opened to help with the ventilation.

We had a go at some of the routes, some easy whilst others are quite tough. D used the time to work on his overhang techniques, and he is getting better at it every time. I like to see how he latches on the holds, without bending at the elbows, swings his body around and uses his feet to either hook or push on the holds before reaching for another. Core muscles (i.e. the abdominal area) are necessary for this sort of climbing/bouldering cos it’s the core that controls the body and allow for controlled swings or lifting the legs upwards onto the various holds.

Bouldering is good training for techniques, cos you can really twist, turn and stretch parts of the body that may not quite be utilised whilst climbing. But all these help to shape the way the person climbs, and well, you never know when you need the body to do something outlandish whilst on the rocks. I now know which parts of my body are seldom pushed or used, ’cos those are the areas which are currently sore.

This is also Rat’s first bouldering session, and well, he seemed to enjoy it.  

The 4 of us reckon that we will be here often, alternating between top-roping @ YMCA TST, lead climbing @ King’s Park, outdoor climbs/boulders at Tung Lung, Beacon Hill and Shek O, and training at GoNature, in preparation for our Krabi trip this Xmas.

Fun-filled Weekends… Best way to end the work week

Today, being a day of rest and relax, D & I woke up at 3pm in the afternoon. Oh, you may say, that we have wasted a perfectly good Sunday. Well, I woke up a couple of times in the morning, and found it difficult to keep my eyes opened to focus on the clock. My barely-awake brain rationalised that I didn’t have much to do anyway and I could afford to go back to bed.

D & I have good reasons for sleeping in today as we had a busy day yesterday – Climbing @ Tung Lung in the day and party at my colleague’s place later at night.

Saturday Morning – Climbing @ Tung Lung: 

My shoulders and thighs are still aching from climbing on Saturday. D & I, together with our usual climbing buddies, were at Tung Lung Chau again. It was a glorious day, nice blue skies and equally great company. We decided to beat the crowd and took the earliest ferry (0830h) from Lei Yue Mun and reached the Technical Wall around 0915. The tide was still quite high, and the waves would splash over the right-most bedrock flooding that section while we belayed.

D and Simon set up 2 routes while we gals, waited and listened to some good jazz music playing from my iPod Mini & portable speakers. It was a great way to start off Saturday and we had the place to ourselves before the crowd came in swarms later in the morning.

One “scary” incident occured while I was belaying my friend and being ”blur like sotong” (Singlish for not being aware of things; can also mean being ditzy), it was only after the incident then I realised what a close call I had. Apparently some idiots had either looked over the edge and accidentally kicked some loose rocks over the edge, which fell off the Technical Wall down towards us climbers/belayers below, or purposely threw rocks down at us. Anyway, I felt one of the rocks fell onto the tip of my big toe and jumped off my Tevas, and mini-seconds later, saw another larger one landed some 20cm on my right. During that short time, I was still holding on to the rope while my friend was scaling the wall and was unscathed as she was under a small rock roof.

When the rocks landed around me, some of the guys shouted at whoever was above and told them to stop. Two of my climbing buddies mentioned that they saw 2 females running off without even apologising. Idiots…

God and His angels were watching over me and the others that day. The odds of my head being cracked opened by those falling rocks were quite high, judging from the rocks near me, but well, I got to live another day.

We packed up and left around 2.30pm so that we could catch the 3.40pm ferry back to Lei Yue Mun as we had to go to a party later that evening. Besides, it was getting too crowded, and noisy. Funny how people leave HK in search of some solitude to “escape” from the crowd, but ended up jostling for some space even on Tung Lung.

BTW, besides climbers, Tung Lung was packed with campers and hikers.

Saturday Nite – Party @ Nicky’s:

After a quick shower and coffee, we went to my colleague’s ”Out-Of-Bounds” rooftop for a Mid-Autumn Festival party. Her apt near Southorn Sports Ground @ Wan Chai is too small for so many people, hence the rooftop. We were, in fact, gathering there illegally as the security people at her block didn’t allow her to throw her party there when she went to ask. But I suppose that didn’t stop her, and I am glad she went ahead with her plans, cos we had fun.

There was booze, food and great company. We even celebrated 4 of my colleagues’ b’days as all are turning one year wiser this October. Nice….

Sunday Late Afternoon – Meant to Boulder But Ended Up Shopping:

After we woke up and had our usual cuppa, D & I decided to check out the Go-Nature Bouldering Wall near our place. We used to go there quite often last year, mainly cos the wall YMCA was undergoing renovation and well, we could walk to Go-Nature from our apt.

Anyway, it is closed now, all the thick gym mats and bouldering walls have been stripped off and we don’t know where it has moved to. D faintly remembered reading about it and thinks he can find out its new address. I think it would be a good idea, especially as an alternative to YMCA, and it would be a good place to further our training.

Since we were in Kwun Tung, D and I dropped by at the factory outlets nearby. Well, D hasn’t been there and I thought since it was still early for dinner, we could check it out. By the time we were out of there, it was already dark and we had bought stuff from Adidas.

Just before we got home, we dropped by at the electronic games store near the MTR station and well, I owe D a game (D reminded me that I promised to pay for one PSP game when he did something… which I faintly remembered saying something like that). Anyway, I paid for a 2nd hand MotoGP PSP game.

I will trade in my Ridge Racer and this other game bundled together with my white PSP on another day, and get either the Grand Theft Auto or Doom.

I should be going to bed soon, back to reality and work in another 6 hours. Can’t wait for the next weekend. Maybe we could go to Shek O next Sunday and try out my new crashpad.

My 1st Crashpad, Metolius Cheap Bastard

Latest addition to our climbing gear… the Metolius Cheap Bastard Crashpad. It cost me HK$1300/S$260 (after discount @ RC Outfitters) which I suppose is a bargain for a new crashpad.

My first choice was the nicer-looking Fat Bastard (HK$1600+ after discount) but the Metolius agent here had told D that he doesn’t have the Fat Bastard in stock and will have to order from US. It would take 3 to 4 months to arrive as their next shipment will only arrive around that time.  Sigh, it’s just not meant to be.

Well, I am not complaining since RC Outfitters seems to be the only shop we have been to that has a decent crashpad in stock. Besides, a plain-looking crashpad that serves the purpose it is made for is more important.

We were at the HKMTC shop in Mongkok last night, thinking it will have Beal or Mad Rock crashpads, but what the salesperson took out was such a joke. It was some nameless brand, and absolutely looked like it has been in storage for years. I didn’t even bother asking about the price, as the crashpad didn’t even have straps for me to carry as a “backpack”. But I did see a Beal launching pad, which isn’t something I need anyway.

I have even looked into buying crashpads online, but the shipping costs will inflate the price too much which will actually not make much monetary sense.

Anyway I can’t wait to use the Cheap Bastard in November when we go to Shek O again for some more bouldering.

Climbing @ Beacon Hill

D and I, together with our usual climbing buddies, were at Beacon Hill on Sunday 1st Oct to do some climbing for the first time. We had to take a cab from Kowloon Tong before beginning a 10-minute hike, negotiating the narrow dirt track with some steep incline at certain parts.
We had originally thought of going to Tung Lung Chau again, but decided against it, thinking it would be very crowded. Little did we know Beacon Hill would be just as crowded.
Nonetheless, we had a good time climbing the various routes. I personally found the granite routes on Beacon Hill to be quite abrasive and sharp. Moreover, the routes demanded much smearing, something that I need to work on as I don’t have much confidence in doing it.

Also I found the routes at Beacon Hill to be quite technical (think it is more so than those that I climbed in Tung Lung), and I took the opportunity to work on techniques like layback, bridging/stemming and smearing when necessary, making sure my C.G. is shifted accordingly to keep me balanced on the face of the wall.

The first route I did onsight was a easy 5a (about 5.8) for the first 3/4 of the way, but the wall that was about 2 bolts below the anchor point really stumped me. I couldn’t find a secure way to go further as the hand holds are horribly thin (there was a pancake-like flake for my left and a shallow edge on the right) and I had lost the energy and confidence to smear on the rock face.
After what seemed like eternity, I had to give up and veer left instead to continue upwards. When I reached the bottom, I was told that it is difficult to climb straight up without veering to the left and if I had been sucessful, the 5a route would become a 6C (5.12c/d) one. Drats, I should have spent more time redpointing it instead so that I could say I have done my first 5.12.
D, together with the guys, actually did a couple of 6A (5.11b) and completed the 6C route that I couldn’t do. Excellent job.
Otherwise, first time at Beacon Hill has been nice, and well, besides the lack of proper sanitary facilities (got to do your business in the wild), the view of Kowloon while up on the rock face is amazing.
Next climbing trip would most likely be bouldering at Shek O again in November… going to get my bouldering crashpad soon.

                                                           My Anasazi decided to climb before I did, and they really can stick. Theorectically, I should be able to smear quite well, it’s my confidence that didn’t work together with my gear.

Bouldering @ Shek O

Funny how the weather decides that Sunday is a good day to turn lousy, after all that nice blue skies we had from Monday to Saturday.

So there we were, stuck in the eatery at Shek O, waiting for the sky to clear up. We had comtemplated whether to postpone this outdoor bouldering session to another weekend and go to our usual indoor wall at YMCA. But it seems like no one wanted to make the decision, maybe it’s ’cos it’s Sunday and it isn’t a good day to wreck one’s brain over such an issue.

So we waited, ate, and waited… and engaged in a “political” discussion how the so-called “Vermicelli fried in Singapore style” can’t be found in S’pore (only in HK, and likewise, “Hongkong Noodles” that we find in S’pore can’t be found in HK itself). Moreover S’poreans don’t ever fry their noodles with curry powder, unlike those we find in HK.

Finally the weather seemed to have improved and we trudged down the path towards the boulders. It was my first outdoor bouldering session, and it was helpful to have 3 experienced local boulderers (2 of whom are full-time staff @ YMCA and the 3rd was Ah Jun, my instructor) giving us beta and helping us along.

Just like the yucky weather, I was still not 100% well… my nose was still stuffed but I just needed to get out of the house and get some fresh air. Moreover, no way was I going to miss this… Somehow, I summoned the right amount of physical and mental strength to redpoint a couple of routes.

I was just reflecting on the day’s activity, and realised that my best climbs were actually times when I shut out everything, and visualised each move before committing them. Sometimes the beta may help, sometimes it doesn’t, but you just have to keep trying. Maybe it’s the way my fingers wrap around the hold, or the part of my shoe that touches the rock, or how I shift my body for a good balance… so many different possibilities and variations.

D did well, as usual, and I am glad that he is enjoying himself and taking pride in what he can do, and humble enough to know what he can’t. But he will still try until he gets it, and it means a lot to me to see that twinkle in his eyes and silly grin when he made it. 

It’s days like these that I feel we are really living, not just working our arse off, but just enjoying the moment.

Living Life On The Edge…

I first saw Dan Osman in one of the climbing videos that D had purchased over the Internet, and he told me about Dan Osman’s free-solo climb up Lover’s Leap, California, at a record-breaking time of 4 min 25 sec.

Each time I watch this clip, I still feel the chills cos of the way he ”flies” up the wall and the occasional leaps from one hold to another a couple hundred feet above ground.I know the wall that Dan Osman free-soloed is graded 5.7 but the darn wall is over 400ft. Without any rope or protective gear, it’s a long way to fall and a messy way to die.

Dan Osman was famous for doing extreme sports, particularly free-soloing at break-neck speeds and doing “controlled free falls”, i.e. deliberately falling a few hundred feet off cliffs with only the safety rope breaking his fall. I read somewhere that his record free fall was over 1200ft.

Anyway he died on 23 Nov 1998 at 35 years old when his rope was not properly calculated during a controlled free-fall jump from a rock pillar called Leaning Tower in Yosemite National Park.

Dan somehow reminded me of Steve Irwin, who died just a couple of days ago when a stingray’s barb pierced his heart. These blokes basically live life on the edge, dangerous and irresponsible to some people, but they wouldn’t conform. Both deaths are really unfortunate, and shouldn’t they know better? But to me, at least they were doing the things they love just before they left. I dunno how or when I would be taken, but when that time comes, I hope I will not regret not living.