From Sea to Summit

I'm not a Tourist

2012-02-14T22:57:00.000+08:00

from G Adventures on Vimeo.
Travel is what most people do to see the world. Traveler is what you call a person who is travelling. Tourist is another term use for a person who travels. Now how does this two person differ from each other? Watch the video above to understand the difference between the two.

from G Adventures on Vimeo.
I love to travel. I've always thought that going to places I've never been to before is enough. But these videos just gave me another reason to travel more. Now I understand what's the meaning behind experiencing other country's culture. Everyone travels to learn, to experience and to grow. I don't think that setting foot in another place/country, and taking pictures of old buildings is enough to experience all that. If you want to learn, experience and grow, then I suggest you explore the place you visit. Be a real traveler. That's what I'm also planning to do. :)

Travel Inspiration

2012-02-11T12:22:00.000+08:00

When I made my blog From Sea to Summit, I intended it to be an outdoor blog. Somewhere were I can post anything about my outdoor activities. Later on, I come across a lot of Filipino travel blogs. Right then and there I realize that I can also write about my travel experiences in this blog. So I decided to make this a travel/outdoor blog.

Since I was a kid, I always love to go to place I never been to.Basically, that's the reason why I chose mountaineering as a hobby. I love the feeling of being in a place where no one knows you. I got fascinated how the locals in a certain area, live their life. Traveling to different places is one of my dream. But I always thought traveling is too expensive. Not until I came across Journeying James' blog. His blog is such an inspiration. All of his backpacking challenges and more make me realize that I can travel in a cheap way.

I've been climbing mountains for four years, and I guess travelling with a backpack is not an issue to me. With my backpacking skills, I think I can plan my own backpacking challenge like Journeying James plan his. I've made itineraries and host a friendship climb a few times, so the whole backpacking thing is not new to me. But I still need to prepare and plan my trip.

I'm starting to plan my backpacking challenge, as we speak. Since I'm not yet comfortable travelling alone, my cousin Carla who also has the same passion I have, is going with me on this trip. As I was planning our very own Backpacking Challenge, I found myself in the Sole Sisters blog. This is a blog of two remarkable lady, blogging their adventures and trips in Southeast Asia. They've become one of my inspiration in planning a backpacking trip. Because I want to be updated with their blog's content, I registered my self in their email newsletter. In return, I got to have a copy of their magnificent e-book.

The Sole Sister Guide to Planning an Epic Adventure eBook has been a great help to me on planning our trip. This eBook is equipped with all the trip planning information and tips you need. If you want a copy of this fantastic eBook, head now to Sole Sister blog and subscribe to their newsletter. I guarantee you, you'll never regret it. :)

GL Highland Resort

2012-02-07T23:36:00.000+08:00

GL Highland Resort is located in Brgy. Gaas, Balamban, Cebu. Just last year, we went to Brgy. Gaas for a feeding program for Doc Adolf's 4th Death Anniversary. It has been his family's promise to do a yearly feeding in Brgy. Gaas as a tribute to his death.

We spend the night at the resort before the feeding day. We were thankful for the owner for offering us a room to stay. But most of us brought our tents, so some just stayed the night in their tent.

We went to the Barangay Hall first thing in the morning for the feeding. We go back here after lunch.

If your a nature lover person, you're gonna love it here. The air is fresh and the view is magnificent. I've been here a few times before, and I will never get tired of going back here.

Compared to their pool before, it's more attractive now specially from a distance. They have renovated and improved the place.

How to get there:

* Private Cars : Drive your way to Balamban and look for this establishment. You wouldn't miss this. It is at your left when your going to Balamban.

* V-Hire : You can board a v-hire bound for Balamban in Ayala Center Cebu terminal.

Estimated expenses:

V-hire - P100 (one way)

Entrance Fee (as of 2010)

Adult - P20

Kid (<5yo) - P10

Pool

Adult - P50

Kid (<5yo) - P30

P.S.

*** I don't know the current entrance fee of the resort because our overnight stay there was for free. I just did a little research regarding the entrance fee. Most of the articles I read are dated way back 2010.

Oslob, Cebu : Whale Shark Watching

2012-01-25T17:08:00.000+08:00

Whale Sharks have been recently reported to be roaming around in the coastline of Oslob, Cebu. Words spread quickly. It awakens the interest of the tourist, and the people of Cebu. How many of you wanted to take shark pictures?

According to Wikipedia: The whale shark inhabits all tropical and warm-temperate seas. They are known to migrate every spring to the continental shelf of the central west coast of Australia. Despite its size, the whale shark does not pose significant danger to humans. Although massive, whale sharks are docile fish and sometimes allow swimmers to catch a ride. Whale sharks are actually quite gentle and can play with divers. Divers and snorkellers can swim with this giant fish without risk.

How many of you have been writing 'Swim with Whale Sharks' on your bucket list? I for one have also written it on my bucket list. So when I learned about these gentle giants roaming the cost of Cebu, I researched information on how to get there (Mustacio was a big help. ^_^). I was excited. Finally, I don't need to go to Donsol just to have a closer look of these friendly creatures.

As we jump on our boats and our boatman starts to puddle, my excitement grew. Not to mention I was in my hangover state at that moment.

At the sight of the Whale Shark, our oarsman get us nearer. Knowing the distance you should be with the Whale Shark, we keep telling our boatman to stay a little away from it. Just as to keep the outrigger from harming them. We don't want to put more stress on this gentle creature.

When the Whale Shark stay in place, we eagerly jumped in the water to swim with them. We did our part, and keep our distance from them. It was really great. But, I didn't stay long in the water. The waves was too strong and my hangover is not helping me at all. So I went back to the boat and just observe from there. That's when I notice a few plastic bags floating around the area. A little later, I catch a whale shark about to suck one of the plastic bag. I told the boatman near it to grab the plastic, but it was too late. The whale shark already suck it. I started to worry by then. But then a second later, he managed to spit it out. Lucky for him! What will have happened if that whale shark really suck that plastic in? Can you imagine?

This is what most people missed to see underwater. Do you think this will be a great environment for our gentle friend? I don't think so.

We talked about our experiences with our friends when we get to the shore. A friend of mine happens to catch one of the boatman (the one feeding the whale shark) throwing plastic in the sea. Now I realize where all that plastic bags came from. I'm not saying this to discourage everyone from going. This is just to let you know what we observe out there. If you go there, please just do your part. Okay? ^_^

Anyway it was a great experience. And we all had a lot of fun.

I know a lot of you will be going there, if not tomorrow, I'm pretty sure soon. Just a few reminder for future watchers.
*Please! please! please keep your distance.
* DON'T TOUCH the whale sharks
* NO Flash Photography.
* Please take your time to read THIS.

How to get there:

* Buses : There are Ceres or Sunrays Bus via Oslob in South Bus Terminal located near Elizabeth Mall. It takes 2.5 - 3 hours trip going to Brgy. Tan-awan Oslob. If you don't know where to stop, just ask the bus conductor to drop you off the Tan-awan Barangay Hall.

Fares:

*Regular Buses - P149

*Airconditioned Buses - P154

* Private Cars: Just go directly bound to south of Cebu. When you know you're already in Oslob, look for a big signage with a whale shark picture in it. That will be at your left side when your facing south.

Where to stay:

Marilyn’s Resort
Room Rates: (non-air conditioned)
Standard - Php 900.00 (good for 2 persons)
Double – Php 1, 100.00 (good for 5 persons)
Family – Php 1, 600.00 (good for 8 persons)
Entrance Fee – Php 50.00
Cottage – Php 400.00 (exclusive)
Table – Php 350.00
Life Vest – Php 20.00
Snorkel – Php 100.00 (Complete Set)

Mila’s Inn
Located at Looc Oslob Cebu, 15 minutes away from Tan-awan.Room Rates: (air conditioned)
Php 1, 300 – without CR inside (additional Php 150/head for extra person)
Php 1, 600 – with CR inside (additional Php 150/head for extra person)

Masters Resort Cebu
Features:
General - Restaurant, Pet Friendly, Bar / Lounge, Air Conditioned, Refrigerator, Kitchenette, Microwave, Hair Dryer, Complimentary Toiletries, Shower, Bathtub/Shower Combination, Poolside Bar
Activities - Swimming pool, Private beach, Scuba Diving, Water Activities, Child Pool, Pool Outdoor
Services - Multilingual Staff, Laundry service, Cell phone/mobile rental
Parking – Free Parking

Room Rates:
Double - Php 1000.00 (good for 2 person – additional is Php 500.00/head)

Estimated expenses:

* P300 – Entrance Fee (inclusive boat riding)
* P100 – additional for tourists bringing video camera
* P20 – Life Vest

* P100 - Snorkel (complete set)

* Bus fares:

-Regular Buses - P149

-Airconditioned Buses - P154

Ruvi Cave Resort in Minglanilla, Cebu

2012-01-21T18:34:00.000+08:00

Ruvi Cave Resort is located in Tunkop, Minglanilla Cebu. A nice place to relax and a great place to hangout with family and friends.

Our family decided to have a get together outing last January 1. Initially we wanted to go to the beach somewhere in Lapu-lapu, but it was just too far. Some of our cousins come from Car-car, so it'll be too far for them. In the end, we just decided to have our get together in Ruvi Cave Resort.

Ruvi Cave Resort has different sizes of cottages. They also have rooms for overnight stays. If your a fella that loves to sing, they have available karaoke for you.

Although they doesn't have a beach, they have a 4ft-7ft deep pool that you can enjoy.

They have also this small slide for children, which can also be enjoyed by adults.

They have Wi-Fi available in the area. Beside this, is their canteen. But it'll be best if you buy food outside. Food outside are cheaper compared to the food they sell.

They have few shower room available for everyone. They also have their grilling area which is located beside their shower rooms.

How to get there:

Ride a KMK bus from SM City or Emall to Tungkop, Minglanilla (P30 each). When you reach the minglanilla proper, ride a tricycle (P10 each), and ask about the resort. If you own a private car, find the Mary Help Christian School in Minglanilla located on the left side of the road if your facing south. Right after the school, you will find a corner on the left. Take that route and go straight till you reach the T section, turn right. So straight till the cemented portion then you turn left. About 50 meters from a corner, you will find the entrance of Ruvi Cave Resort.

Estimated Expenses:

Fare:

Bus [Cebu-Minglanilla] = P30 (one way)

Tricycle [Minglanilla-Ruvi Cave] =P10 (one way)

Rates:

Daytime (8AM-6PM)

Adult - P100

Kids (<10y.o.) - P50

Night (6PM-12MN)

Adult - P120

Kids (<10y.o.) - P60

Cottages:

10 persons = P200

15 persons = P300

25 persons = P500
20 persons (tent) = P500
center cave - P1,000
20-30 persons (lounge w/ aircon) = P1,500

Contact:
Ruvi Cave Resort
Tungkop, Minglanilla Cebu
Tel. No. : 516-4596
Fax No. : 490-3321

Travel Tips

2012-01-19T05:00:00.000+08:00

I was blog hopping when I saw these cute travel tips from The Googly Gooeys. I thought it will be nice to share this to you.

I know a lot of you loves to travel. I hope this tips will help you in planning that trip.

Enjoy!

Sinulog 2012

2012-01-17T14:40:00.000+08:00

Sinulog has always been the most awaited Festival here in Cebu. This is held on the 3rd Sunday of January. The festival features a street parade with participants in bright coloured costumes dancing to the rhythm of drums, trumpets and native gongs.The Sinulog celebration lasts for nine days, culminating on the final day with the Sinulog Grand Parade.

Sinulog is the grandest celebration happening in Cebu. You can see street parties every corner. People all over Cebu and neighboring islands came to the City to celebrate. Some are devotees of our Sto. Niño, and some just came to party. ^_^

Next time you go here, make sure you wont miss the parade of dancers with colorful props. I was busy drinking booze that day that I almost forgot to watch these dancers.

Photos from Erwin Castillon

See what I mean? ^_^

By the way, don't forget to get your henna tattoo done. I got lucky, a friend of mine knows henna. I got this for FREE! ^_^

Anyway, anybody here knows Jay-R Siaboc? Yeah, the first runner-up winner of Pinoy Dream Academy. Never expect to see him in our friend's house eating dinner.

As for the rest of the day, PARTY!!!

Alegre Beach Resort

2011-12-26T21:43:00.001+08:00

Last month, I had the chance to spend a day in this beautiful resort. Although I wasn't a guest at that time, I was able to roam around this small paradise.

Alegre Beach Resort is located in Sogod Cebu. By road, it takes approximately 1 1/2 hours from the airport and slightly more from Cebu City. As a policy all guests are met by a resort representative at the airport and brought to the resort by car (mostly vans), a fleet partly owned by the resort. Further pick up points are major shopping malls in Cebu as well as ferry terminals. Upon check out guests are taken back. The road from Cebu to the resort leads thru various picturesque villages, past markets and old Spanish churches, all on good roads.

I was in Alegre as an Adventure Facilitator for a team building of a certain company. My control point was one of the funniest area during the mini adventure race.

Everything was already set-up when we get there. The wall and zipline was done, and ready to be used.

The resort has a beautiful white sand beach which we had the chance to enjoy after the activities. Their beach is one of the beaches in Cebu with a fine white sands.

They have a long stretched beach that has comfortable chairs which you can use for your sunbathing or just relaxing beside the shore.

While your there, you can also try scuba diving. The resort have a great spot for diving and offers gears for guest to use.

Kayaking is also available in the resort. They have few kayaks for the guest. With their long stretched beach, I'm pretty sure you have a bigger area to enjoy kayaking.

Aside from the comfortable sunbathing chairs, they also have this outdoor spa. You can have your full body massage here while enjoying the view of the ocean.

If beach is not your thing, They have this magnificent pool for you to enjoy.

As we wander around this exquisite place, I notice this cute flower arrangement. These are flowers and petals arranged beautifully over a concrete basin of water. It gives out floral scent to the whole place.

Alegre is a 4 star resort. It's been open to tourist for over 20 years (if I'm not mistaken). Most of their guest are foreigners. I'm glad I had this kind of opportunity. Sogod is one of the place in the North I wanted to experience. I never thought this trip would give me this great experience.

ALEGRE BEACH RESORT & SPA
Calumboyan, Sogod, Island of Cebu, Philippines
Postal Address: P.O. Box 1094, Cebu City Philippines
Tel. Nos. +63 (0) 32 2549800; 2549811; 2549822;
Fax: +63 (0) 32 2549833
Direct Line: +63 (0) 32 2556388
Email address: reserve@alegrebeachresort.com or guest@alegrebeachresort.com

How to Use Your Trekking Poles Properly

2011-12-20T18:20:00.000+08:00

“Trekking poles can save your knees, and optimal use can help improve your endurance, confidence, and power on the trail.”

• Adjust your poles to the optimal length for the trail’s slope—which is sometimes different for poles in each hand. If you find yourself straining to stay balanced, take the time to stop and adjust.

• Wrist straps aren’t just for keeping your pole from flying downhill if you lose your grip. They can help you avoid a whiteknuckle grip—which causes hand fatigue. If the straps are adjusted properly, they may also help support your weight and add power to your push-off.

• Going downhill, keep your poles in front of you to ease the burden of impact on your knees. Placing poles ahead of you can also provide balance and help you with foot placement when descents are rocky or loose.

• Going uphill, don’t keep your poles way in front you; you’re not trying to pull yourself uphill. Instead, place the poles only slightly ahead (and slightly to your sides), and use them to push off of the ground as you move past them.

Adventure Weekend : Rappelling at Campo 4

2011-12-15T01:54:00.000+08:00

This post is way long overdue. It’s been 3months since my last post. I know you’re wondering where I had been, during these times. Well, for those of you who are new here, I maintain quite a few blogs. I didn’t made those blogs because I feel like I’m a good writer, I don’t even consider myself as one, but because I love blogs and I just love to write. In short, I was busy updating my other blogs, and totally forgot about this one. After attending Visayas Blogging Summit last November, I realized a few things. One most important thing is the need to focus on a niche. This makes me decide to review all my blogs, and make necessary changes for great improvements. Anyway, enough of that alibis. Let’s get back to our topic, shall we? ^_^

Rappelling, as defined by Wikipedia, is the controlled descend down a rock face using a rope. However, in our case, we are rappelling down under a bridge. I’m actually sure it’s still considered as rappelling

This activity was organized by Outdoorsman’s Hub, a group of outdoor enthusiast in Facebook. Since this activity was open to all, we tag along for some weekend adventure. It was actually not my first time to go on rappelling, and definitely not my first time in Campo 4. Nevertheless, I was excited, like first time excitement. ^_^ I met new friends, and even an old schoolmate. What a small world!

I was having fun the whole time, but then, I have to leave. I promised my little sissy to bring her to Rainforest Park that day. If you’re interested enough to read about our experience there, click here. I have to warn you though. It was not that great. We're off the topic again, so let’s get back on track. ^_^

carla

Here’s a useful itinerary for those who want to plan rappelling in Campo 4.

Campo 4 Rappelling Itinerary

0700 Andoks [near Tabunok Flyover] and last minute buys [food/drinks/etc]
0730 ETD for Campo 4 [via Multicab]
0750 ETA Campo 4 Bridge
0800 Rigging and Safety Reminders
0830 Rappelling
1200 Lunch
1300 Open Activity/ Rappelling /SRT
1500 De-rig Quick Check and Equipment Count
1530 ETD for Tabunok
1550 ETA Tabunok proper; ETD for Cebu City
1630 ETA Cebu City

Estimated Expenses per Person: P150

Cebu to Tabunok, Talisay – P20 [bnf]
TAbunok to Campo 4 – P40 [bnf]
Miscellaneous [lunch, drinks, etc.]- P90

Bongon Tabuelan Cebu : Cave Exploration

2011-09-02T23:08:00.000+08:00

Barangay Bongon is one of the 12 Barangays situated in Tabuelan Cebu. It has a lot of unexplored caves in its territory. We were lucky enough to be invited to visit and survey these caves last Monday.

Kana-an Cave was the second cave we visited upon arriving in the barangay. I wasn't able to check out the 1st one coz I decided to just stay in the car and wait. Anyway, most parts of Kana-an cave were damaged by mining.

Luckily we found a specie and some stalactite housing inside the cave. By the way, that picture at the upper left corner is not a spider. Its some kind of a cave scorpion .

We were welcome by this beautiful sunset on our way to Timba-on Cave. I just can't ignore this beauty and let it pass. So I grab my cam and take a photo of it.

The Timba-on Cave was the last cave we visited on our first day of caving. It has two entrance, the 1st entrance[the 1st picture above] is seen at the side of the well-like structure [2nd picture above]. This well-like structure are also another entrance to the cave but because local people there are getting water from this opening, they decided to pass through the 1st entrance in the left. I don't know what was in there because I wasn't able to go down.

Only two people go down the cave, Charles--an American Caver and Dondon--a caver here in Cebu.

Everyone was up early the next day. I guess you could see in there faces how excited they were for that day. We're about to explore 3 caves; Mahayahay Cave, Kambangkas Cave and Santik Cave. We are divided into two teams. As for our Team, we are assigned in Kambangkas Cave. The other team were sent to Mahayahay Cave. For Santik Cave, we all decided to go there together.

Kambangkas Cave has a big entrance. Unlike other caves we visited, evidence of mining and destruction are very visible in the cave entrance. I can't seem to understand how people was able to destroy this kind of beauty.

Kambangkas Cave was another small cave, but we're fortunate enough to see some stalactite forming on the roof of the cave and stalagmites as well.

We survey the cave before going out for lunch. Getting the distance from one point to the next, as well as acquiring the degrees and inclination was just some of our duty in cave survey. They said it was a boring task but I never thought I'd enjoyed doing it. :)

We head next to Santik Cave, the last cave that we need to explore. It was the biggest among the caves we visited. Going down was a bit difficult but we manage to get inside without using ropes.

The cave didn't fail us. Although some part were destroyed, there were also lots of stalactite and stalagmites that can be found inside. There was a part of the cave that we were not able to climb, so our team leader just advice us to stay in the safe area of the cave while they continue to survey it. I can't quite describe how amazing it is to be down there.

After exploring all those caves, we were going home with a smile on our face. It was indeed a great experience, and I learned a lot. I'm hoping I can join this team next time.

Hey! You thought we'd be going home, right? nah-ah! We headed directly to Gumbang Spring after the last cave we explored. This spring is easy to find because its just located beside the road.

Everyone enjoyed the cold water from the spring. They were even playing like kids.

If your not into springs and love the river, you can just walk across the road and find the clean river. Some of my friends swim in this river before dipping themselves in the cold spring. Sinusulit talaga ang trip. :D

Like what I said. I really had a great time in this trip and I learned a lot. I'm looking forward for the next cave exploration. Hopefully they'll still invite me to join next time. Till then. Ciao!

Osmeña Peak: An Overnight Camp

2011-08-09T17:53:00.000+08:00

Osmeña Peak is known to be the highest peak in Cebu, located in Mantalungon, Dalaguete. This mountain is the most favorite peak for most climbers in Cebu. It has a great campsite and a magnificent view. Unlike any other mountains in Cebu, Osmeña Peak has a jagged edge hills which makes it unique. Weather in the area can be unpredictable at times, that is why it is best to hike or camp during summer. You can still access it anytime you want, just remember to prepare before heading out there especially during rainy season.

Well, just last month a friend of mine came back home from Australia. We went to Osmeña Peak for an overnight camp. It was July and just the beginning of rainy season. We got ourselves prepared for the heavy rain and strong winds. Fortunately, lucky for us the weather that night was great. There wasn't even one drop of rain and a warm sunrise woke us up in our comfortable sleep the next day.

HOW TO GET THERE:

You can reach Mantalungon by mini-bus. There is a Terminal for Mantalungon mini-bus in Caltex gasoline station just near carbon market and USJR. It's a 2-3 hours travel from Cebu City proper to Mantalungon, a municipality in Dalaguete which will be your jump-off point for the hike. You'll know when your already in Mantalungon when your welcome with a large banner "Welcome to Mantalungon" on the road.

Just ahead, you'll find Mantalungon's public market. From there you can start your hike up to Osmeña Peak.

Osmeña Peak [backtrack] Itinerary

DAY 2
0500 Wake-up call
0600 Sight seeing, picture2x
0700 Prepare breakfast & pack lunch; Breakfast;
0800 Start trekking back to Mantalungon

1000 ETA Mantalungon; ETD Dalaguete Proper/Cebu City

1300 ETA Cebu City

***Possible sidetrip in Obong Spring

Osmeña Peak Traverse Kawasan Itinerary

DAY 1
0700 Assembly time @ Caltex near USJR/carbon market
0800 ETD Mantalungon
1200 ETA Mantalungon, Lunch, Last minute shopping
1400 Start trekking to Osmeña Peak, Load water
1600 ETA Osmeña Peak
1700 Picture taking, pitch tent, prepare dinner
1800 Dinner, SOCIALS
1900 MAOY mode
2100 Lights off

DAY 2 TRAVERSE
0500 Wake-up call
0600 Sight seeing, picture2x
0700 Prepare breakfast & pack lunch; Breakfast; Load water
0800 Start trekking to Kawasan
1200 Lunch on trail
1400 ETA Kawasan
1700 ETD City/ SIDETRIP to MOALBOAL

DAY 3 MOALBOAL (optional)
1300 ETD cebu city
1600 Home Sweet Home ^_^

Estimated Expenses per Person: P350
Cebu to Mantalungon – P100 [one way]
Badian to Cebu City – P150 [one way]
Miscellaneous [food, drinks, etc.]- P100

It's been awhile..

2011-07-14T17:08:00.000+08:00

It's been a year since I joined the Trail Run in Bohol. It was around September when The North Face held their Thrill of the Trail in Bohol. Out of curiosity, I google it and discovered a video covering the event. I got excited and watched it. Unfortunately, I did not see myself in there. But it's okey, at least I saw few of my friends who also joined the event. Anyways, here's the video I'm talking about. Just want to share! :)

200 Squats to Stronger Leg!

2011-06-30T09:50:00.000+08:00

I'll be starting my 200 squats challenge today. I decided to stop procrastinating and just start the challenge that I've been planning since last month. I really feel the need to start something like this. Later on I'll be doing 200 sit ups after doing squats. Lets just focus on squats for now. Feel free to join the challenge with me. The more the merrier! :)

Oh! and don't forget to take the initial squat test before doing the program. This will help you decide on the correct program for you. Here's a link for the program.. http://twohundredsquats.com/week1.html

Enjoy!

Johnny Strange

2011-05-26T19:51:00.000+08:00

Have you ever heard about Johnny Strange? Well, I never heard about him before, not until last week. I read an interview article of him in OLOGY website, and from then on, I became one of his fans. I start following him on Twitter, bookmarked his website, subscribe on his YouTube channel and even like his page on Facebook. That's how much I like him and so curious about his life.

What amaze me about this guy is how young he is to have completely climbed the seven summits. How young you may ask? Oh well, he's just 17 years old by that time. So Amazing! At a young age of 19 now, he will be the youngest person to complete the Explorer Grand Slam (that is seven summits plus making it to the South and North Poles), when he wears his wing suit to fly to the North Pole.

Both of his parents were adventurers, so its not a puzzle anymore where he got his enthusiasm for mountain climbing and extreme sports came from.

Antarctica's Vinson Massif was Johnny's first climbed mountain at the age 12 and from then on his crave for Mt. Everest starts.

He's an active extreme sports person. If you don't see him climb, you can catch him doing base jumping, skydiving, downhill skating and more activities that is extreme in nature. As active as he is in his sports, Johnny is also actively supporting the Parkinson's disease research and Genocide Awareness. In fact his picture above this post, which is taken at the top of Mt. Everest, were a proof of how serous he is about spreading this awareness to the people.

Now if you want to know more about him, just visit this sites below:

Johnny Strange WEBSITE

Johnny's Twitter

Youtube Channel

Facebook Fan Page

Credits goes to OLOGY.COM for the informations.

Mt. Canlaon for the 3rd Time

2011-05-25T16:24:00.000+08:00

End of April, we went to Negros to climb the highest peak in the Visayas, Mt. Canlaon.

Mt. Canlaon is famous among climbers in the Philippines because of its amazing view. It was my 3rd time to visit this magnificent mountain. Usually I don't go back to mountains I've already visit. But this mountain has its exception. I've been to different mountains here in the Philippines. So far, the view from Mt. Canlaon is far way more different from the others. I know there are mountains giving out nice sea of clouds view, but I never been to that. So much for the introductions. Lets proceed to tale telling. :)

It was Friday morning when we all met up in Toledo to grab the first trip to San Carlos City. Luckily we get the chance to ride the first fast craft, which only travels for 45mins. Compared to Lite Shipping that travels 2 hours, I guess were lucky enough to ride the fast craft.

Upon arriving in San Carlos City, we went directly to Gaisano (Grocery Store) to have our last buy. Then proceed to San Carlos Bus terminal to catch a ride to Canlaon City, the place where the famous Mt. Canlaon is located. We had our lunch upon arriving in Canlaon City, then meet with our guide.

After talking to our guide and agree on the itinerary, we happily jump to our rented multicab that will bring us to the foot of Mt. Canlaon. Believe me, it was one hell of a ride! I can feel my spirit jumping out of my body. :)

We arrivcd in Brgy. Maput safely. Lucky for us, no accident happen during the trip. We hike towards Sudlon Falls located at the foot of the mountain.

We spend half an hour in Sudlon Fall diving in its cold water. It was like swimming in a tub full of ice. My fingers got numb because of the chilly water.

After half an hour taking a dip in that freezing water, we started to hike to our 1st Camp, the forest line. It was an easy hike, made more easier with the nice view we saw upon our back. Less than 2 hours later, we arrived in our 1st camp. We excitedly pitch our tents and prepare our dinner. Then spend the rest of the night drinking spirits. I mean not the whole night. Of course we also need to sleep. We need energy for the next day's hike.

After having our breakfast, we happily jump to our feet, grab our bags and start our hike to the next camp, Mt. Canlaon's shoulder. But of course we need to stop by in Mt. Makawiwili, the mountain peak that stands opposite to Mt. Canlaon. There you could see the entire view of Mt. Canlaon and Margaja Valley. If your not prepared for the climb, the long strenuous hike plus the cold wind that touches your skin will kill you. You'll be lucky though if you happen to climb there with good weather. But if you climb with the weather like we had, well, you'll still survive but expect it to be so cold.

As much to our dismay, we did not have the chance to see the full view of Mt. Canlaon from the Makawiwili peak. Because we had a bad weather, Mt. Canlaon was wrap with fogs and hide its beautiful view from us. We had no other choice but to continue our hike to the shoulder of Mt. Canlaon, where our 2nd camp would be.

While pitching our tents in our 2nd campsite, the view of the crater/ Mt. Canlaon cleared. I guess our prayers were answered huh! :) It was so beautiful. Unfortunately that view didn't last long. It was covered again by big fogs. It was like that until sundown.

The next day, a hot noodles with rice warms our hungry tummy. It was the best breakfast I had with the cold wind surrounding us.

It was really a cold morning. Still not much of a luck for us, a lot of fogs are scattered around us blocking our view of the crater.

With all the fogs that are covering our view, I decided to just stay at the campsite and let them climb up to the crater without me. At the back of my mind, I was thinking that it will only just be a waste of time if I go with them with no guaranteed that I can see a clear view. But unlike me, my friends were very optimistic about all of this. They still went up to the crater hoping to see its beauty. I can't blame them, it was there first time to visit the place. I guess their prayers were answered though, they really did saw a beautiful view up there.

I started packing my things while they were in the crater. When the time they got back, I'm already done packing. They happy told me how the fogs cleared when they arrived in the crater. I was happy hearing them told me all of that. I've seen better view compared to the one they saw, but you can see in their faces how happy they are seeing what they saw. I'm happy for them! :)

With the cold wind surrounding us and a limited water, it will be impossible for us to cook a real meal. So we just all decided to pack up and head down. We'll just cook our lunch on the first water source we'll reach.

A group picture before heading down.

We reached the first water source from our campsite and cooked all our remaining foods. We had our lunch after all the foods were cooked and resume our trek afterwards.

We celebrated our successful climb the second we arrived in Canlaon City Bus Terminal. We look for a store and buy a couple of beers. Really, I never been that thirsty for beer my whole life. :) We had our 'tagay' session while waiting for the bus.

We took the last bus trip to San Carlos City and stayed the whole night in our friends house and get drunk. What could possible be better way to celebrate a successful climb than drinking the whole night until we all got drunk?:)

The next day, we went ukay-ukay shopping. With a heavy hangover and a bad headache, a reward from last nights drunkenness, we manage to find some good stuffs in a very reasonable price. :)

We headed back to the house afterwards and pack our bags to go home. We stop by at Gaisano to eat sundae in Jollibee. You can't blame us, we're craving for something cold. :) After the stop in Gaisano we went to another ukay-ukay store and buy more good stuffs. Then went to San Carlos Bus Terminal to buy some pasalubong for our family. The next thing we knew, we were almost late for our boat trip to Toledo.

I was happy we had that climb. We had the chance to know each other. :) I really had so much fun, not to mention all the boopers. ^_^ Well, thanks for reading! Till next adventure!

Top 10 Highest Mountains in the Philippines

2011-03-29T19:40:00.000+08:00

1. Mt. Apo

Location: Davao and North Cotabato

Elevation: 2956 m

2. Mt. Dulang-Dulang ☻

Location: Kitanglad Range, Bukidnon

Elevation: 2938 m

3. Mt. Pulag

Location: Cordillera Range, Benguet

Elevation: 2922 m

4. Mt. Kitanglad ☻

Location: Kitanglad Range, Bukidnon

Elevation: 2899 m

5.Mt. Tabayoc

Location: Cordillera Range, Benguet

Elevation: 2842 m

6.Mt. Kalatungan

Location: Kalatungan Range, Bukidnon

Elevation: 2824 m

7.Mt. Ragang

Location: Piapayungan Range,Lanao del Sur

Elevation:2815 m

8.Mt. Maagnaw

Location: Kitanglad Range, Bukidnon

Elevation: 2742 m

9.Mt. Singakalsa

Location: Cordillera Range, Benguet

Elevation: 2717 m

10. Mt. Amuyao

Location: Cordillera Range, Mt. Province

Elevation:2702 m

Note: ☻= mountains I've climb***

QVM3K34G8C57

Adventure Bucket List

2011-03-28T17:53:00.000+08:00

I love adventure ever since I was a child. I love to climb trees and spend most of my time outdoors. Now that I'm all grown up, I'm loving more extreme outdoor and adventures. I'll give you a chance to have a peek at my adventure bucket list. This might encourage you to create one. ^_^

Note: ☻ = been there, done that! ^_^

☻ Bouldering

Scuba diving

Bike Tour

Canyoneering

☻ Wall Climbing

Surfing

☻Skim boarding

☻Caving

☻Hiking/Mountain Climbing

☻ Kayaking

☻ Rappeling

White water rafting

Run a full marathon

☻Trail Running

☻ River Trekking

Parasailing

Gliding

Bungee Jumping

So there you go. My kind of adventure!
QVM3K34G8C57

Mt. Manunggal : "Paghandum ni Magsaysay"

2011-03-27T17:37:00.000+08:00

Every year, climbers all over Cebu and from neighboring islands, come together in Mt. Manunggal to celebrate the annual "Paghandum ni Magsaysay". Mt. Manunggal is located in Balamban, Cebu, having a height of 1,003 meters above sea level. Mt. Manunggal happens to be the 3rd Philippine President's final resting place. An annual event is held to commemorate the death of Pres. Ramon Magsaysay and has been a tradition for quite awhile.

I first attended this event way back 2007.

I still don't belong to a mountaineering club at that time. Having been invited by a friend to this event encourage me to join a group of mountianeers.

2008 was my second year. At that moment, I'm already a member of USPM (United Southern People Mountaineers).

That year I was able to climb the peak of Mt. Manunggal. It was a great year, having a fine weather and a chance to see the magnificent view from Manunggal's Peak.

2009 was a wet Manunggal event. It rained the whole night resulting to slippery and muddy ground.

Luckily, it stopped raining the next day giving us a warm sunshine. :)

By 2010, we were not able to attend the annual activity. I think I was busy at the time. ^_^

This year, exactly March 19-20, we were able to join the Paghandum ni Magsaysay. Like 2009, Manunggal celebration was also a wet and muddy year, even worst. We jammed with the bands who played in the stage, even it was all muddy and raining. None the less, it was a fun event.

The next day, we head home.

With some sidetrips to a spring pool and a few minute stop at a sweetcorn vendor. Yummy! ^_^

Weekend Bouldering at Campo 4

2011-03-27T13:33:00.000+08:00

Last week we went bouldering with my cousins and friends. Yes I know, I'm a little bit late posting about this. I get busy from my work this past couple of weeks. I can hardly find time to update my blogs. :) Well, so much for excuses. Let's get into it.

I was so excited about this activity when my friend invited me. I have never done bouldering before and its listed on my bucket list. It makes me more excited knowing I'll be going to cross out one thing from my list. We headed to Campo 4 for the bouldering. Just a couple of rides from our house. We meet up with my friends and started our way down to the river. We did a little river trekking before arriving in our destination.

Bouldering was not that easy. We went through a lot of big rocks. Its more dangerous than we thought. Just one mistake, and your on your way to the hospital. Did I scare you right there? I'm not really kidding. It was really dangerous, but what can I do, I really enjoyed it! hehehe..

After a couple of hours wrestling our way through big rocks.

We find ourselves in a beautiful spot, over looking a magnificent view from the top.

We also found this amazing jacuzzi-like pool. It was like they've create a hole at the middle of a big rock.

We decided to dip our heated bodies in the cold water for a few minutes, before headed our way down. It was a great experienced that I will never forget. All the danger, scratches and wounds are all worth it. I don't mind doing it again. :)

PS: More photos from this activity are posted at my multiply account.

Earth Hour 2011

2011-03-25T23:31:00.000+08:00

This March, the whole world will again celebrate the Earth Hour. This practice had started way back 2007 with one city, taking their stand against climate change. There are 2.2 million people across Sydney that switch their lights off. Last 2008, Earth Hour went global. Over 50 million people in 400 cities around the world participate in it. In 2009, the big switch off united the planet. Around 1,000 cities across 88 countries took part. Last year (2010) became the biggest Earth Hour ever. 128 countries and territories commit themselves to the event.

Tomorrow, another Earth hour for 2011 will happen. We should do our share and participate in switching off the lights.

At 8:30PM tomorrow, March 26, join me in switching off the lights to show our stand against climate change.

^_^

myLot User Profile

Basic Climbing Knot

2011-03-13T09:42:00.000+08:00

1. Bowline Knot

Form a loop a short distance from the end - allow for the size of the loop and the knot itself. Pass the end of the rope through the loop as though making a simple knot (a half-hitch). Pull the end through, then round the standing end, and then back through the loop to finish the Bowline.

2, Water Knot

Tie an overhand knot in the end of the strap. Lay it neatly but not too tight. Thread the other strap in the reverse direction following the exact path of the first overhand knot. Pull the knot tight.

3. Double Overhand Knot (stopper knot)

Wrap the end of the rope round itself for two complete turns. Then, pass the end back through these turns and pull tight.

4. Figure 8 Knot

In the bitter end, form a loop by twisting a bight of the rope. Then pass the bitter end round the standing end, i.e., take the longest journey not the shortest, and through the loop to make the figure of eight.

5. Figure 8 Double Loop

Make a long bight in the rope and form a figure eight knot. Pass a double section of the bight through to complete the figure eight. Then pass the end of the original bight down, round, and over the whole knot. Pull it tight to lock the two loops.

6. Double Fisherman's Knot

Overlap the two ends. Wrap one end round both ropes two full turns. Then pass this end back through these turns and pull tight. Next pass the other end two full turns round both ropes. Pass this end back through and pull tight. Pull on both ropes to tighten the two knots against each other.

7. Alphine Butterfly/Lineman's Loop

Wrap the rope around your hand. At the end of turn one, position the rope close to your fingertips. Continue round and complete turn two back near your thumb. Pick up the turn near your fingertips. Wrap it round the other two turns. Pull it through and tighten by pulling on the loop and the ends.

8. Prusik Knot

Use a piece of cord formed into a loop. Pass the knot round the rope three times inside the loop. Pull the knot tight and make sure the turns lie neatly beside each other.

9. Klemheist Knot

Use a piece of cord formed into a loop. Pass the loop around the main rope. Make three complete turns, laying each turn on neatly. Pass the knot through the loop and pull it back down in the direction of the expected pull.

10. Clove Hitch

Form a loop in the rope. Then form a second loop - the "same way up". Both loops should be identical. Then cross the loops one above the other so they form a knot - instead of just two loops stacked on each other. Place the knot over the post.

Credits to this post goes to http://www.animatedknots.com/indexclimbing.php

Survive Outdoor:First Aid on Insect and Sting Bite

2011-03-11T09:01:00.000+08:00

Insect bites and stings are very manageable. However, if the person is allergic to this, it can cause severe reaction that need serious medical attention. Although only small percentage of people develop severe reactions, you still need to know what this severe signs and symptoms.

Signs and Symptoms of Insect and sting bite:

immediate pain, swelling, and redness at the site
immediate muscle rigidity in the stomach, back, shoulders and chest
burning, numbness, and tingling
itching, rash or hives
dizziness
anxiety and restlessness
nausea and/or vomiting
swelling of eyelids and watering of the eyes
Weakness, tremors,
sweating
deep sting marks or double fang marks

What to do for mild reactions:

Move the victim to a safe area.
Remove the stinger. If the stinger is still present, use straight-edged object like ATM card and driver's license card and scrape it across the stinger.

Apply cold. This is to reduce swelling and pain.
Apply hydrocortisone cream if you have one.
Take an antihistamine. I have told this before in my previous post that an allergy medication is a must have.

What to do for severe reactions:

Move the victim to a safe area
Check pulse and breathing. Perform CPR if needed.
If victim is conscious, reassure him/her to make him/her calm
Remove everything in victims body that may aggravate swelling. Things such rings, bracelet, necklace and watch.
Stay with the victim until medical help arrives.

Now that you finished reading this post, you should know what to do next time you encounter situation like this. Hope you'll apply what you learn here. :)

Inside your First Aid Travel kit

2011-03-09T08:17:00.000+08:00

A pair of trauma shears
2 pairs of sterile exam gloves
1 biohazard wast bag
4x4 gauze pad
4 gauze roller bandage
safety pins
alcohol prep pads
iodine prep pads
elastic bandages
triangular bandage
CPR mouth barrier

Did I forgot to put something on this list? Feel free to comment below.

A must have First Aid Medication for Travelers

2011-03-07T07:37:00.000+08:00

As a smart travelers you should pack all the essential medications even though you don't need it. You'll never know, you might need it on your next trip to Europe, or any other places you plan to visit. Let me give you some input on what to bring or pack for your first aid.

1. Imodium
This one needs to be on your no. 1 list. You know how uncomfortable it is when your stomach make some problem in the middle of your bus trip. This will not cure your problem but at least it will make it stop temporarily .

2. Rehydration Salt

When your having diarrhea during your travel, of you need to rehydrate yourself to prevent from dehydration. They come in convenient pack/sachet that need to be dissolved in clean water and drunk.

3. Eye droppers

This is essentials to those travelers that are using contact lenses or to those that have dry eyes. This is also useful to travelers heading to somewhere dusty areas. It will give eye relief from irritation and wash off irritants and backteria.

4. Anti-Nausea Medications
You know how nasty a bus ride can be. This need to be in your first aid kit to save the person sitting next to you from showering your vomit. :)

5.Allergy Medication
This is also in case if you happen to eat something that can trigger your allergy. Always bring this medication if you don't want to end up in a hospital. You know how difficult it is when allergy strike you on you trip.