2025 Recap!

 Idk why I still wanna post but idc ill post till blogspot become obsolete heh. So let me sum up this whole 2025 in one post? 

1. That Kaohsiung- Alishan-Taipei trip. Climbing in Long Dong (or was it Dec 24? idc still counts) Also by transit - Macao. 

2. Got interviewed by Siakap Keli abut my 10 years climbing experience. Wait thats Dec 24 as well haha. Its up on YouTube.

3. Got lead certified in Singapore! Thanks to Derrick. Its not easy to be lead certified in SG u know haha.

4. Brought my parents to SG they never been, while im attending the company's 30th anniversary.

5. First time trying Okeanos in Takun, before it closed again.

6. Got Top 3 in BoTB Eco City in Feb. Behind national athletes Renee and Tia who are 10 years+ younger haha proud of myself lol. 

7. Start taking care of my nutrition, started training lower body(my weak link) to prepare for Ozone Games and Crank Lead.

8. Also its my 10th year climbing and I plan to restart my Osmosis. but having trouble with timing (work schedule) and finding a project partner.

9. Gotten sick in June due to LEA (Low Energy Availability) learning more and more about myself and nutrition.

10. Finally sold my long serving Kancil to a Perodua staff who wanted to fix it and give it to his daughter. Glad it could still serve other girl even after almost 30 years of its existence. 

11. Went to US for the first time!! To celebrate Enercon US 50th anniversary. Peoria to be exact and by transit I also visited Japan for the first time (climbing in BPump Akihabara woohoo!!)  and London (haha just in the airport tho). Twas awesome for sure despite the loooooooong flights.

12. Met my Osmosis project partner Sol from Korea and he brought me to my 4th ever multipitch in La Kura Kura, omg so tiring but awesome. He also made me able to project Osmosis consistently for 1 month plus before he went back to home for Chuseok holidays.

13. Burnt my MUSE CAT 1A ticket concert in Jakarta because im too focused on projecting. Lesson learned.

14. Also have to burn my Crank training also due to projecting. In my defense its really not easy to find a specific climb partner who wanted to project the same thing, so I honestly throw everything else away at this period. 

15. Went to Kuching again (for work)

16. Knew an American and Turmenistan couple in Nyamuk, Joshua and Tamara and ended up being their witness for their marriage registration hahaha new experience. Also my name will forever be in someones marriage certificate lol.

17. After Sol went back to Korea i redirect my focus to Ozone Games and freaking won first place in Rookie Category!!!! After 3 years of participating.

18. Turned 39!

19. Treat myself a thorough bloodtest and excited to start 2026 with more clarity about myself inside and outside. 

20. Still projecting Osmosis and will send it soon. hee.

Vietnam Trip 2023 - Photo Dump

Was feeling down, monthly dopamine dip biasalahkan, 😒

When I read my last post rasa grateful pulak, tula manusia senang sangat lupa benda2 best, benda2 xbest je yg nk difocuskan. Anywho, dumping my recent Vietnam trip photos here as part of my gratitude towards life. Random gila trip last minute. But Alhamdulillah.

Also, who knows Chaoi is actually a great photographer!😍

Sama-Sama Orang Kampung

 I totally TOTALLY believe this was just a case of hormonal haywire.

Like I mentioned in my previous post, Wnjek onsighted this route on Day 7, Berg almost onsighted it but fell on last quickdraw, Acaan tried it with rests but convinced that he can send it the next day. 

So Day 8 me and Pian plan to join Acaan projecting it within that half a day, before we move on to Bukit Jernih crag in the afternoon. 

So Pian flashed it, and then and Acaan sent it like he said he would. So I have some confidence that I can send the route at that same morning, within that same hour. And for some reason I have this huge out-of-no-where made-up responsibility to sent the route at the time. Like the last cherry on top of the cake to bring home after sending my main projects. 

But the route was effing long, compared to Keretapi and Zamboney which were just 18m, this route was probably double that height. It anchors were almost the same line as Mata Timur.

The hard moves were just the first 4 quickdraws, monos and weirdly positioned pockets back to back. Acaan said once I figured that first 4, the rest are just endurance fest, only the anchor is tricky because you need to do a bit of a dynamic moves before getting to the anchor and reminded me when Berg lost his onsight because of that. He told me to utilize all the rest points that the route has.

So, I passed the first 4 qds, and just working my way up. After about half way, after 18m I realized that I haven't been climbing long routes in awhile, and I'm getting nervous. I'm getting nervous if I'm not able to send this routes like all the boys did. 

So I took an effing long time at the rest points to make sure I have enough gas to do the anchor moves.

The noon sun was starting to show and Acaan was starting to get hot down there since I took my time to rest. But I really wanted to send the route.

And then I reached the last quickdraw, my mental was 100% scared at this time, not scared of falling but scared of failing. I REALLY WANTED THIS SEND. I REALLY WANTED THIS FREAKING CHERRY. 

Whoever was on Mata section at the time, Pian, Kev who were about to repel down to the ground. And also Thong Pak and Alex, was shouting allez! and Pian was trying his best to give his beta(while descending to the ground). But I'm too afraid to fail the move that I'm scared to even attempt it. 

Many time I regress back to the resting point to calm my thought and slowed down my breath but my wanting too much really affected me to attempt and when I finally tried, I failed to catch the jug.

Aaaaand like I said, I cried like I did when my kitten died.

Totally can't control it.

Hence I do believe it wasnt me, its the fucking hormones that betrayed me like it always does.

Anyway, I tried it couple of time, and I though atleast I topped it since I cant send it today, it was already noon.

And I topped it.

But I realize, my current fitness level/endurance level is really not enough send that route in just 2 attempts. And my mental expectation was making it worse.

If we were to stay, and I were to try it again after lunch, yes I would send it. 

But not in the span of an hour.

Well not yet atleast.

So thats the drama .

But I learned my lesson where I can, and the hormone parts, there's nothing I can do about my emotional outburst.

Lets hope it will be milder next time.

But this time I appreciate Acaan's effort belaying me in the hot sun. 

  

 And I cried like a crazy person.

Keretapi 7a+, Bukit Keteri

Some routes have the crux that you know the beta, but you know you can't do it because you're not strong enough or don't have enough endurance for it.

But Keretapi, I really don't know how to do the crux, its not about endurance, definitely not about power, but I do question my finger strength, but in the end its not even that, its just figuring out how to hold the holds the most efficient way, balancing, and trusting your foot.

But the most important part I think for me, is who's down there supporting me.

I've starting to realize that, I don't do well if there's a lot of people down there, watching me and throwing all sorts of beta at me. When I thrive, is when there's ONE person, focusing on me, helping me figure out the beta, figuring out what I might've done wrong, pushing me when I'm on the edge of giving up and praising me when I succeed. 

Since I don't have a specific climbing partner, its hard for me to ask someone to spend a chunk of their time on me working on a project. Especially the one I have problem on, cos they might have their projects too.

But at the time, Berg was there and he's trying his best to help me. 

He was suggesting this and that, whatever he can think of he will shout it out, trying to lay out all the possibilities that I can try. 

Of course not all can be applied up there, but his suggestions made my mind work actively and made me able to see things that I missed before.

And all of the sudden, I thought of holding a hold in a different way, breathe, and carefully execute all the sequence. 

And I finally figure out the crux.

And then when I wanted to come down, he asked me to stay and try the crux move again, and again. After my moves were solid, he asked me to brush all the holds that matters before lowering down. 

I rested for a while, try again, and I send it.

 

I remembered when he helped me specifically on my first project, Nov 61, when I was clueless on what projecting was, and on Chess, when I unnecessarily put too much pressure on myself. And I remember countless of time he helped others as well. He just have that supportive vibe from him, rock climbing wise. Maybe cos he's been climbing for 10 years, and he knows what it takes, what it made you, how it challenges you.

So that's my story on Keretapi, though I would love myself to be independent, I do believe that people need support, specific support, at times, to move forward. 

Really appreciate all the dedicated belayers who spend their time and put an effort to help fellow climbers overcome their struggles.

But for this particular post, Thank you Berg!

Post-Keteri fever

 Arggh so many nice things to talk about my Keteri trip, met my goal but malas nak transfer gambar ke laptop lagi😅

I'm in my resting mode still after I had my ganglion cyst remove right after Keteri, but I don't feel grumpy I didn't get to climb for 2weeks till my stitch got better, I just felt okay. So in short, it was a great trip.

I aim to send Keretapi,7a+ and Zamboney, 7b+. I sent both.

I also sent Jepun, 7a, and almost send Sama-Sama Orang Kampung, 7a, on the last day. 

I wanna talk about Keretapi and Sama-Sama Orang Kampung actually. So that will be a separate post each. haha

Day 1 Saturday, 18 Dec

No climb for me.

When we reached on Saturday, some of them went straight to climb but I did not have energy to climb since I didn't manage to get any sleep the night before, trying to be a good co-driver, even when they stopped at RNR I didn't managed to shut my eye. 

Day 2 Sunday, 19 Dec

Tried Keretapi for the first time.

I straight away jumped to Keretapi on Sunday, with everyone, straight away couldn't do the crux move. Watching Pian and Acan do to figure out the beta.

Day 3 Monday, 20 Dec

Sent Jepun.

Since he's done with Keretapi and Zamboney, Pian wanted to go to Mata section, Kev's project Mata Timur,8b+ is also up there, everyone else wanted to go, so I went along. Najjar was projecting Jepun, so me and Diddy joined in. Moves were bouldery and 2 dynamic moves on the first 2 quickdraws, but very doable. First attempt my hand was sweating profusely, but after lunch, I send it after I get over the dyno parts. Berg says it should be downgraded to 6C right after I send it (darn it) but for me, if you have to place a quickdraws with you, and considering the dynos and the long run up to the anchor it is a (somewhat) soft 7a.

Day 4 Tuesday, 21 Dec

Back on Keretapi, still no luck.

I continue Keretapi again Tuesday, getting restless at this point cos Pian sent it days ago, and Acaan sent it today. And I still couldn't figure out the crux move. Can't do Pian's beta, can't do Acaan's beta, and after I saw Apiz try the crux part, I got a little idea, so I tried again a few times, and I managed to do the crux part, but still quite shaky and the moves are not solid and not really controlled.

So I'm getting stressed. So when Apiz planned to go jalan-jalan the next day I'm somewhat reluctant cos I came here with goals and I've been here almost half the time and I haven't get one of my goals yet.

Before I came, I thought I'm gonna be spending just one or two days on Keretapi and the rest I'll be spending on projecting Zamboney. But now its day 4 and I haven't send Keretapi.

Day 5 Wednesday, 22 Dec

Sent Keretapi.

On Wednesday, everyone else went to Mata, except Berg and JC and Diyan, cos JC and Diyan's projects were down here, after I set up draws on Diyan's project route, Siti, and helped her project it, Berg helped me with Keretapi. I managed to figure out the crux move, rest for about 45 minutes, and on the next attempt I sent Keretapi. Will write more on this on separate post. 

Later that same evening, I tried Zamboney for the first time and call it a day.

Day 6 Thursday, 23 Dec

Sent Zamboney.

I was somewhat positive from sending Keretapi yesterday and was in a good mood to start projecting Zamboney. 

Many people were there at the time, Wanjek just arrived, Najjar came back to settle Zamboney, cos he fell going to the anchor on Day 4 or something and had to go back to KL. Acan was also projecting Zamboney since the day before. I had to work in the morning so I spend most of the morning at nearby restaurant  working, and I missed Najjar and Acaan send the route. 

After lunch and after my job was done, I work on Zamboney again, workout all the hard parts, and after I felt okay, I rest, and then I try it again and I sent it. 

Really glad.

I worked on Keretapi, a 7a+ route for 3 days with countless attempts but send a 7b+ route in a day with 3 attempts, grades ARE subjectives but of course, it depends on the risk on the routes and the climber's style. Zamboney have a couple of monos, continuous hard-but-doable moves the entire route.

Keretapi only have that one freakin hard crux. 

So I felt relieved that I send my goal routes on Day 6.

Day 7 Friday, 24 Dec

Leisure climbs.

The next day I just leisurely follow everyone, Mekwan came from Kedah that day so I accompany her to climb what she wants, I sent Lorenz, a 6A+ route, follow them to Robot Wall, had caving experience along the way, belay others again and after we came down from Robot Wall, had a chance to try Belly Button Window for the first 6 quickdraws and got an awesome sunset shot there.

Day 8 Saturday, 25 Dec

Attempted Sama-sama Orang Kampung.

They plan to go to Bukit Jernih in the afternoon, but in the morning Pian Acan and me plan to project Sama-sama Orang Kampung since Wanjek onsighted it the day before. So I felt that its doable to be sent in half a day.

So Pian flashed it, and Acaan sent it, so for some reason I have this huge out-of-no-where made-up responsibility to sent the route at the time. The route was effing long, the hard moves were just the first 4 quickdraws, monos and crimps again, long story short, I did not send it, I fell going to the anchor. And I cried like a crazy person. That will be a different blog post. heh.

So after lunch we went to Bukit Jernih and the boys tried King of North, a newly bolted 8a route so I just watch the show.

Day 9 Sunday, 26 Dec

Bye Keteri.

They head back to KL, I continue to mend my wounded heart in Langkawi with Chaoi. hahaha

Overall its a great rock trip for me including the crying part. hahaha

Pics will upload later 

The unexpected - Stigmata, Nyamuk Wall

Having just sent Chess 4 days ago, I came back to Nyamuk today to work out on my next project, Stigmata.

Stigmata, 7b, 30m, 11bolts + anchor

2 cruxes at the bottom, one right after the first quickdraw a balancing problem, and the second crux is after the 4th draw where u need to hold a series of coin sized crimps and then launch to a huge jug from a 3mm crimp on your left hand and a sidepull crimp on your right.

The rest of the way up is all endurance, similar(albeit a little longer) to Le Futur.

I’ve attempted the route the same day I tried Chess for the first time, one is trying the crux moves, and then another topping the whole thing. That’s when I realised I need to train my endurance first cos I know the whole top part after the launch is going to be a problem for me. So I shift my focus to Chess first.

Today I planned to do the same, work out the cruxes and try and smoothen the endurance part. 

First time I tried is at about 10pm and the morning sun was scorching on my back so I can’t even get the 2nd crux done cos its so hot I got a headache 😅

The second time I tried I managed to top it again and learn the moves. But I tight on every draw.

The 3rd time I tried I was hoping to clean the cruxes and see how far I can sustain at the top. 

After I passed the second crux, the launch, I tried to rest the best as I can before gearing up the top part. And one moves after another, I feel like I can managed the pump well. And I managed to find a good position to rest. And when I got past the crack section, I started to think, Hey if I’m relaxed enough, I could probably send this thing today.🤷🏻‍♀️

So I breathe and try to relax and I send it!

It’s the total opposite with Chess where I expect to send it in a few tries but I don’t. And Stigmata, I expect I’ll take a while to send it, probably spend the whole next week to send it but I got it earlier than I thought. 

Thank God.

So I should probably think what am I going to work on the next week. Foreign Investment? Prophylaxys or straight to Osmosis?

All for the iconic roof - Chess, Nyamuk Wall

Eversince I send Pear, I have been looking at this route thinking I would totally enjoy climbing this one. The iconic roof is so inviting not mentioning the instagram-worthy shot when you’re cut loose -ing on the roof.😍😎

But the other guys advised me to straight away move to Harry’s Code first since it is the same style with Pear. 

So after I send Harry’s Code, I decide to not follow the Acan-Pian-Hatta send train by doing Stigmata, instead I wanted to do something on my own first, so I can experience the feeling of figuring out the beta all by myself. So I choose Chess.

Chess, 7a

9 bolts + anchor, sketchy slab start with slopers and pinches, until 3rd draw, overhanging until 7th draw, roof section, crack, crimps section then anchor.

2cruxes, one is going out from the roof, second one is from the 9th draw to the anchor.

Some don’t consider going out of the roof as the crux, so it depends on individual style and strength.

So last Saturday, I tried placing the draw first, expectedly I couldn’t get past the roof. The move going out from the roof feels too powerful to me. 

Then I tried again on Sunday, this time I managed to go out from the roof by jamming my knee, and I managed to place the quickdraw after the roof. Tbh the efficient way to save energy going out from the roof is by not cutting loose of your feet while on the roof. 🤷🏻‍♀️ So the cut loose is just basically for the ‘gram. 😅

After roof part’s done, I still have no idea how to navigate the crack that follows.

So I tried the move, and I managed to topped the route, I felt that its totally doable. We even got the roof shot on Sunday since everyone’s in the mood to climb and shoot.📸

Now that all the draws are placed, I tried again on Tuesday, I was like 92% confident that I can send it on Tuesday when after the first attempt I managed to clip the 9th quickdraw but fell when going to the anchor. But 2 tries after that, I still fell at the same place and got majorly discouraged.😅 I thought I could send it in few attempts but apparently I underestimated the second crux.

So I try it again today make sure I totally get the sequence of the crack, where to hold, where my feet goes, where to clip, how to do the crux move and happy I got to send it today.

So next, I will be back following their send train by projecting Stigmata. Wish me luck!😊

Continuing the momentum - Harry’s Code, Nyamuk Wall

Harry’s Code, 7b

10 bolts + anchor, Slab/face, crimps and pockets, 2 cruxes.

I thought after Pear I need to do several more different style of 7a climbs before projecting a grade harder, but the other advised me that even though Harry’s Code is 7b, but the style is super  similar to Pear that it is good to jump to it right away while you still fresh from Pear’s move. 

I gotta agree on the similarity. First 5 quickdraws are relatively easy, then the first crux starts, before sustaining to more pockets and crimps till the 9th quickdraw (second crux) after the 10th bolt to the anchor is easy jugs again, similar to Pear but both have long run outs to the anchor so be careful.

My strategy for this one is the same as Pear, to try and remember the sequence that suites me. But its trickier because if Pear the crux is only from quickdraw 5 to 6, Harry’s Codes crux are all the way from quickdraw 5 to 9. 😅 Here I learn not only to have a precise foot placement and best way to hold the crimps and pockets (microbeta), but I learned a subtle change in movement can save energy enough to last you through the anchor. 

This one was a challenge for me and I’m happy I managed to ‘unlock the code’.😊

So what’s next?

2020 Recap

Oh my God 2020 what a year!

When I was a kid, everytime I think about the year 2020, I would imagine I would be a 30 something mom with 4 kids. It was not a year I was looking forward to cos I thought I would be old and my life wouldn’t be anymore interesting that it already is. What a weird thinking.

So 2020 started off great when I send my project on that PCP big wall in January. I was so looking forward to training for some competitions later on the year but before that I was busy training for Kinabalu in March. Little did I know, after Kinabalu all my climbing progress were put on halt.

I already wrote a post on how depressed I was going through the first mco. All March to June I just watch that video of me sending the Blue route over and over and over. Wishing that wouldn’t be the last of it.

But after that, things were not as bad. Great actually. 2020 marks a lot of my firsts, some achievements that I did not think I’d achieve. I would summarise 2020 as a year of ‘growth’. The year when I go out of my comfort zone. Get out from PCP, climb elsewhere, make friends with new people and that new people expose me to new environment.

July - It started with me joining Battle of The Boulders in Utropolis. Where I met with Pian and Acan, whom are rock climbers and since its on and off lockdown and we can’t climb in gyms, they brought me to climb outdoors.

So that’s when my rock climbing  journey begin. 

August - went to One Utama to pursue my red key goal.

September - I’m halfway to getting the red key by sending a 6c route. My first indoor 6c ever!

September - Joined the National Selection. My first lead comp. And my first boulder podium. 

October - Second mco happened, my rock journey continues. I was still adjusting to climbing rocks and still getting used to all the hikings and the dirts and the scary falls but slowly falling in love with it.

November - They brought me to my first multipitch climb in Nanyang Wall. A 3pitch route called Circumcision, 6b/+.

When the mco is lifted, I went straight back to One Utama and complete my red key mission when I send a 6c+ route. My first 6c+ indoors.

November - On the 28th, I send my first outdoor project, Nov 61, 6c in Whitewall. Honoring the month the route aptly named.

When the guys first brought me to climb outdoors, they tasked me to project this classic route, Le Futur, 6c in Nyamuk Wall. They said Le Futur is a benchmark for those who just started to climb in Nyamuk. You send Le Futur first, you are en route to send everything else in Nyamuk Wall.

December - After the lockdown lifted, after Nov61, I came back to Nyamuk Wall and send Le Futur on 8th December.

Then they say I should be able to proceed and try Pear, 7a. If it were on a different circumstances, I might not be as confident to try a 7a route, but these guys do more than convince me that I’m able to do it. So I send Pear, my very first 7a on 20th December and say goodbye to a hell of rollercoaster ride of 2020. 

I am super grateful for this year despite everything that happened, when I thought my climbing will be put on hold, it turned out to be the other way around.

So so grateful of the experience, the people I met, Alhamdulillah I still have a lot to improve in my climbing and I hope this momentum will carry on in 2021. InsyaAllah.

Breaking into the 7 - Pear, Nyamuk Wall

Pear, 7a. (Redpoint)

Nyamuk Wall, Batu Caves, Selangor.

28m, 7 bolts + an anchor, face, pockets and sharp crimps. One crux.

The first 4 bolts are fairly easy, the crux starts after a big undercling and the 5th bolt, when you are going to the 6th and 7th bolt.

You need to have a very good foot placement and very precise way to hold all the crimps and finger pockets. All I did was get the sequence down pat and memorise it like my life’s depend on it.

After 7th bolt is a far run out to the anchor but all are good holds you just need to rest after the 7th bolt before powering up to the anchor. I literally took a solid one minute rest there.

I was secretly hoping to send this on my birthday (14th Dec) but that would be one of those times when I was being overambitious.😅

Anyhow glad I did it. 

Now on to the next project.