Mt. Tapulao ⛰️
My first backpacking camping trip over night hike super rocky terrain leech encounter digging a hole in the ground kinda hike 🌳
“A 14kg bag is not that bad if I am 7kg lighter than my heaviest weight. Essentially, I am only carrying 7kg then”
- my mind while carrying my bag uphill with full sun ☀️
I look forward to hike more mountains this year, it brings me so much pleasure to use the camping gear I bought 2 years ago HAHA
This is my first time seeing a pitcher plant in the wild. I found it hiking to Zambales’ highest peak, Mt. Tapulao ⛰️
I found the pitcher plant hidden under the tall grass during the hottest part of the day. I really was tired and hot but I couldn’t let go of the opportunity to document this plant. 🌱
📸: Fujifilm X-E5 with the Viltrox 56mm f1.2
I was gonna run in UP and I decided to try to be matchy with the strongylodon juangonzalezii
aka the JC’s vine 🍃
Only can hangout with this vine in the Philippines cuz it’s endemic #lovelocal 🇵🇭
It was kinda hard filming this because there were so many people visiting the vine??? The JC’s vine is so popular right now
I love hiking but I was so happy to have the opportunity to draw the rafflesia ☀️
All I need was my notebook from 2013 and an old calligraphy pen that still had ink
It was always a small dream of mine to see Taal lake’s water from the very edge.
As I expected, the still waters and the volcano sitting in the back drop never disappoints. For now, this is the closest I will get to Taal volcano. 🌋
My next goal is to see the little lake found inside Taal’s volcano. Will I ever see the sulfuric waters of the volcano’s mouth? Only the future knows.
These moments were captured by my Fujifilm X-E5 with the Viltrox 56mm f1.2 lens
Thin air + high altitude + countless elevation gain = Hiking breathing ASMR 🏔️
The was my first major hike and it taught me many lessons. I hope for my next major hike, I won’t need to relearn these lessons again 💀
This was my first time hiking above 3000 MASL ☀️
#hiking #nature #yushan #asmr
Documenting my travels has been so easy recently! 📸
It really helps when the camera you bring is very pocket sized!!
#grsnap #ricohgriii #photography #hiking #yushan
From being a casual FB group chat to one of the most challenging experiences of my life, hiking Yushan will always remain a vivid memory to me🏔️
This marked my first major and international hike. It was the first time I carried an 8kg backpack for most of the trail. Additionally, it was the first time I encountered more than 1000 meters of elevation gain and hiked above 3000 meters above sea level.
Looking back, I can’t help but reflect on the sheer beauty of the trip. It was an experience stopping every few minutes to breathe in the thin air and view the incredible alpine landscape. To add to that, waking up at 10pm to the brightest night sky I’ve ever seen cuz I needed to pee🌟. Lastly, learning how to master using a squat toilet because I refuse to drink dietabs 💊 (I just didn’t have)
After all of this, I think I left Yushan a better person. Not because I’ve improved, more so because of the new sights I’ve seen, the incredible new friends I’ve made, and the incredible string of memories I will never forget.
Here are a few snippets of my hike ^
Yushan (Jade Mountain), Taiwan 🇹🇼
3952 masl
January 12, 2026
#yushan #taiwan #hiking
