This was supposed to appear in the Urban Life section of the newspaper but it appeared in the Opinion page. So I'm placing here the article with the supposed photos. :)
Full article also at http://mindanaogoldstardaily.com/extremes/.
To The Extremes
LIKE most people, I dream of travels–a lot of travels. And like most others, I try my best to save for life’s best adventures. While I can’t do them all yet, I continue to browse on my phone, social media accounts of nature trippin’, beach lovin’ and hiking adventures. I remind myself of the things I want to do if time and budget already permit.
Having gone through millions of posts on Instagram and Facebook, I found accounts with portfolios of rock climbing, mountain climbing, surfing and skydiving–basically, a lot of extreme nature tripping. As a kid, I’ve always been a fan of X Factor. I love the thought of adrenaline rush and euphoria. And I’d replay the TV scenes over and over in my head and imagine myself doing the bicycle stunts, the skateboard glides, the motocross jumps and the drag race turns. I’ve always loved the idea of being away comfort zones, outside nutshells and beyond ordinary.
While I am always awed by various photos in my social media feeds, I am more impressed that some people I came across with had already been into things I imagined myself doing. So I picked a few of them to cite.
Although mountain climbing has become ordinary nowadays–with a lot of groups doing diverse squad goals, nothing beats the passion of real mountaineers, who climb not just for the selfies and the groufies but for the rush and exhilaration it gives.
Ayen Chiong is a professional interior designer and a courageous mountain and rock climber. My favorites in her escapades are her Japan climbs: Mt. Fuji in Tokyo and Mt. Asahidake in Hokkaido, where she climbed them with an arm cast (yellow cast in the photo). Yep, you read that right. Not your typical mountaineer.
Why go for extreme sports: It’s a way of being much more alive. It doesn’t only challenge me physically, but also mentally and spiritually.
Who is your role model: Dr. Gideon Lasco, Philippine mountaineer, anthropologist, environmental advocate (www.pinoymountaineer.com)
Yam Otarra, 26, has since been a passionate traveller. From being around the beautiful Pilipinas to various international destinations, this young lady has travelled 35 countries (as of the moment). My favorites in her travel? Gazillions. Skydiving, surely is one of them.
What is your life motto: by Paulo Coelho: “And, when you want something, all the universe conspires in helping you to achieve it.”
What is your life motto: by Paulo Coelho: “And, when you want something, all the universe conspires in helping you to achieve it.”
What are you looking for in life: Happiness.
Of all the things I wanna do right now, this one is it: freerunning. I’ve always dreamt of becoming a ninja, a martial arts guru, well, yeah, a freerunner in these modern times. And I’m so glad they have training in Manila already. So yep, someday, parkour.
Karl Bautista is a graduate of Architecture in one of the universities in Manila. He does parkour and climbing rooftop buildings is his hobby. And like all freerunners, the world is Karl’s playground. My favourite: his photos of roof culture.
Where did you learn parkour: I actually learned parkour in the monkey bars in UST. I saw some guys jumping and doing simple flips. With my basic gymnastic background, I decided to join them a bit, but ended up loving the whole experience!
What does it feel like: When I parkour, I feel free. It’s a form or art, in a way, because I can express myself through movement, just like how dancers feel. Except, rather than music, we use the environment around with our mixed training in calisthenics, gymnastics and add some creative flare to it.
Motocross and drag racing are just few of my childhood dreams. I get so excited watching exhibitions of motocross and car racers. Few months ago, I was watching Pilipinas Got Talent and lo, and behold, I found motocross racers as contenders.
UA Mindanao is a group of motocross performers from Kidapawan City. The group graced PGT Season 5 and like the PGT judges, I was stunned. My heart would skip a beat every time the riders would strike a pose. And in every jump, I imagine myself doing the same thing. And I was like, “I’m killing this.”
UA Mindanao is a group of motocross performers from Kidapawan City. The group graced PGT Season 5 and like the PGT judges, I was stunned. My heart would skip a beat every time the riders would strike a pose. And in every jump, I imagine myself doing the same thing. And I was like, “I’m killing this.”
Me? Well, I’ve climbed Mt. Capistrano. I think that’s a good start. Haha! Skydiving? I’ll try freerunning first. I know I have been doing ordinary things and nothing like the episodes I watched way back in X Factor. But who knows, maybe in the next issues of Gold Star, I will be sharing with you how I am already into the extremes.
