tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-89930483353172557252012-02-16T17:17:48.572-08:00A group of gutsy, zany souls representing the UP alumni in Hong Kong -- on a quest for the gold. Or at least a place in Oxfam Trailwalker Hong Kong history! Oxfam Trailwalker 2009 is from 20-22 November. See you at the race start, finish line, or points between, friends!TW 0383http://www.blogger.com/profile/00060196289646470331noreply@blogger.comBlogger241100tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8993048335317255725.post-7422586664529575642009-11-16T08:27:00.000-08:002009-11-16T08:30:29.727-08:00

Sponsor our team by donating to charity. Thank you very much. 

TW 0383http://www.blogger.com/profile/00060196289646470331noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8993048335317255725.post-69568359139442172702009-10-22T11:59:00.000-07:002009-11-16T08:25:31.067-08:00

 (Cathy shares some useful tips on how to prevent cramps)   (The team doing some stretching exercises) (Showing off our new caps from Val) *Photos courtesy of Joann Bautista

TW 0383http://www.blogger.com/profile/00060196289646470331noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8993048335317255725.post-40378770242132146512009-10-18T11:59:00.000-07:002009-11-16T07:54:22.685-08:00

We finished five stages (56 kilometres) in about 20 hours!   (Send off, 8am, Hang Hau MTR station)   (The Fab Four: Vic, Mario, Jeko, Wil)     (Road pavement for the first 10 kilometres)       (Singapore noodles for lunch)     (Taking a break, Stage 2 second pavilion)   (Water break)   (Waiting for the rest of the hiking gang)    (Stage 3 checkpoint)   (Fab Four with support hikers)

TW 0383http://www.blogger.com/profile/00060196289646470331noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8993048335317255725.post-2939088703413002752009-10-10T11:59:00.000-07:002009-10-24T06:43:44.444-07:00

(With guest hikers Edgar, Val and Arvin)   (The notorious Needle Hill of Stage 7)   (We were there)   (It's a rather long exposed area)   (The team that walks together ... walks together)   (Rocks, rocks, more rocks)   (Almost the end of the "rocky road")   (Exposed area still)   (Finally a covered area)   (Rest for 10 minutes)   (On our way to Tai Mo Shan peak)   (30-plus degrees)

TW 0383http://www.blogger.com/profile/00060196289646470331noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8993048335317255725.post-16046699584952294982009-10-05T11:59:00.000-07:002009-10-18T06:06:15.828-07:00

TW 0383http://www.blogger.com/profile/00060196289646470331noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8993048335317255725.post-47658427689868672272009-10-03T11:59:00.000-07:002009-10-18T07:03:51.824-07:00

(Flat road, Stage 4) (Water break, banana time) (On top of Hong Kong's "second highest peak")     (View from the top)   (Gilwell Campsite, end of Stage 4)   (Rex on his way to Fei Ngo Shan Road)    (Support team on Fei Ngo Shan; Benj taking photo)   (Lunch time)     (Ice, more ice, please...)     (Stage 5 rest area)  (Start of Stage 6 aka "Planet of the Apes")     (On our way

TW 0383http://www.blogger.com/profile/00060196289646470331noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8993048335317255725.post-29637123025680001542009-10-01T11:59:00.000-07:002009-10-18T07:00:49.637-07:00

(Warming up)  (Savouring the view)      (Dolosse)      (The water sports centre)      (It's a fine sunny day)       (More pictures)       (On our way to marker 021)       (Lunch time - chow fan please)       (The best beach in Hong Kong)       (White sand!)      (Mario: Yes, we'll be there in a sec)

TW 0383http://www.blogger.com/profile/00060196289646470331noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8993048335317255725.post-42254200933406416402009-09-27T11:59:00.000-07:002009-10-06T11:23:36.292-07:00

Stage 9 (6.3 kilometres, easy) Stage 10 (17.6 kilometres, easy) --> we finished both stages in 4 hours, 55 minutes    (Welcome to Yuen Long; Stage 9 starts here)    (Mario studies the map)   (Go, go, go!)   (Men who lunch)   (End of Stage 9)    (Reading a bit of history)    (Which way to go?)    (Turn left and follow the bridge, Jeko says)    (Campers give way)   (Beware of green

TW 0383http://www.blogger.com/profile/00060196289646470331noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8993048335317255725.post-250226588595586602009-09-21T11:59:00.000-07:002009-09-28T08:34:15.649-07:00

Filipino Globe, September issue, page 4 Click here to access the digital magazine.

TW 0383http://www.blogger.com/profile/00060196289646470331noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8993048335317255725.post-12225564946460041472009-09-19T11:59:00.000-07:002009-09-28T08:54:24.261-07:00

(Checking the route to Gilwell Camp)   (On the way to Stage 5)   (The team takes a break)   (Alive, alert, awake, enthusiastic)   (Sietes Trekkies)   (Who says we're lost?)   (Wil and Mario pose by the trees)   (A picnic site just before Beacon Hill)   (Relaxing after the ascend)   (Water break)  (Last photo op before it gets dark) (Dinner before we head to Stage 7) (The Fab 4 send

TW 0383http://www.blogger.com/profile/00060196289646470331noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8993048335317255725.post-13886439839535742662009-09-15T11:59:00.000-07:002009-09-28T08:34:03.048-07:00

The Sun, September 15 issue, page 29 Click here to read the article.

TW 0383http://www.blogger.com/profile/00060196289646470331noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8993048335317255725.post-85068698641186635962009-09-11T11:59:00.000-07:002009-09-28T08:34:43.741-07:00

***The Fab 4 braved Typhoon Signal Number 3*** ***Finished Stage 3 in 3 hrs 44 mins*** ***Finished Stage 4 in 5 hrs 7 mins*** Stage 3 (10.2 kilometres, strenuous) Stage 4 (12.7 kilometres, strenuous)  (Send-off in Hang Hau by fellow UPians)     (Fellow trekkie Rex in Saikung giving us final instructions)   (The steep ascend begins)     (Glow in the dark)      (Stroke of midnight: Wil's

TW 0383http://www.blogger.com/profile/00060196289646470331noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8993048335317255725.post-91233985114570404612009-09-05T11:59:00.000-07:002009-09-28T08:34:55.600-07:00

Stage 7 (6.2 kilometres, fairly challenging) Stage 8 (9.7 kilometres, fairly challenging) --> we finished both stages in 7 hours (Fighting colours)   (Trekkies with support team leader Gal)   (Start of Stage 7)   (The notorious Needle Hill) (Mario and Vic take a break)   (Ready to conquer Stage 8)     (Wil relaxes his legs) (Vic takes a sip)   (Flat road, but not for long)   (Almost

TW 0383http://www.blogger.com/profile/00060196289646470331noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8993048335317255725.post-81875512939202378992009-08-30T11:59:00.000-07:002009-09-28T08:35:06.459-07:00

 (Getting ready for the hike)     (Warming up)     (Mario takes a break)     (Back to walking)        (Umbrella mania)       (What a lovely sight)     (Fantastic views)     (It's Vic's time to take a break)

TW 0383http://www.blogger.com/profile/00060196289646470331noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8993048335317255725.post-56097988521292161972009-08-22T11:59:00.000-07:002009-09-28T08:35:19.527-07:00

Stage 3 (10.2 kilometres, strenuous) Stage 4 (12.7 kilometres, strenuous) --> we finished both stages in less than 10 hours (Our hike starts with an uphill climb) (Our very first break for the day) (More steps)   (Wil and Arnel take a break)   (Marker and Jeko's magic fan)   (Commanding views)   (Obligatory shot)   (Sweet beancurd dessert courtesy of Hui Lam Store)   (Oblivious to

TW 0383http://www.blogger.com/profile/00060196289646470331noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8993048335317255725.post-7928387335333211552009-08-21T11:59:00.000-07:002009-09-28T08:36:04.337-07:00

We attended the Oxfam briefing and physiotherapy session scheduled today. The guest speakers shared with us their Trailwalker experience and provided us with useful tips and safety guidelines. (Walkers and support team members, photo courtesy of Oxfam HK website) (Carboloading for tomorrow morning's hike) (Carboloading for tomorrow morning's hike) (And protein loading too!)

TW 0383http://www.blogger.com/profile/00060196289646470331noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8993048335317255725.post-10020626908157980482009-08-16T19:00:00.000-07:002009-09-28T08:35:35.639-07:00

The easy walks are officially over and it’s time that we familiarise ourselves with the actual trail. So we met up at 7am today in Diamond Hill MTR station, had a quick breakfast and began our long, arduous bus ride. It was already 9am when we reached Pak Tam Chung entrance. From there we began our walk to the entry point of MacLehose Trail Stage 1; time check: 9:12am. We almost got lost when we

TW 0383http://www.blogger.com/profile/00060196289646470331noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8993048335317255725.post-10205418878828945002009-08-12T19:00:00.000-07:002009-09-28T08:35:52.272-07:00

We got some valuable tips from two highly experienced Oxfam Trailwalker finishers today: two-time finisher Angela, who emailed us some tips on how we should practice as a team; and three-time finisher Titos, who found time to meet with us at Anchor's Point on Staunton to answer all our questions and inspire us with his team's story. Thanks Angela and Titos! (The trekkies with three-time

TW 0383http://www.blogger.com/profile/00060196289646470331noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8993048335317255725.post-58113555887283843082009-08-08T19:00:00.000-07:002009-09-28T08:36:17.315-07:00

Our third hike, which comprised of Stages 5 and 6 of Hong Kong Trail, was a bit of a shocker. We didn't expect steep climbs in the first 20 minutes of walking. It was probably a good wake up call, though: that not everything starts with the "easy round". Nonetheless we came, we saw, we conquered, and we finished both stages within the three-hour time frame. Total distance covered: 8.5 kilometres.

TW 0383http://www.blogger.com/profile/00060196289646470331noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8993048335317255725.post-60400026258402587662009-08-02T19:00:00.000-07:002009-09-28T08:36:30.683-07:00

Had another fun, easy hike on Sunday. We covered To Tei Wan to Big Wave Bay in a little over 2 hours. (Vic aims high, quite literally, while the two M's savour the views.) (Mila, Wil and Mario mapping out - quite literally, too!) (Prexy Gal: "Anything healthy for our hikers?")

TW 0383http://www.blogger.com/profile/00060196289646470331noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8993048335317255725.post-44975664237535593432009-07-26T19:00:00.000-07:002009-09-28T08:36:42.826-07:00

Team 0383 kicks off training with a fun, Jaberwalky-esque hike. Met at Pacific Place in Admiralty at 9am; had fun shoots with Rey, Butch and JoAnn for almost an hour; and began our ascent to The Peak. Total distance covered: unknown; total hours spent walking: three. (Mila, Wil and Jeko studying the elevations.) (Trekkies put on their best smiles before the ascent.) (Leader Jeko dreams big

TW 0383http://www.blogger.com/profile/00060196289646470331noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8993048335317255725.post-10541858074935142532009-07-19T19:00:00.000-07:002009-09-28T08:36:57.233-07:00

Meet the UPAA-HK Trailwalker team: (from right to left) WIL, the silent type; VIC, the hiker cum swimmer; JEKO, the fierce team leader; and MILABEL, the rose among the thorns. (Discussing our plan of attack over a cuppa.) ...and their support manager and designated photographer for the day, JoAnn, during the team's first official meeting. Not shown here are the other UP Trekkies: REX, MARIO

TW 0383http://www.blogger.com/profile/00060196289646470331noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8993048335317255725.post-54115489616668042432009-07-18T19:00:00.000-07:002009-09-28T08:37:09.123-07:00

We got our info pack from Oxfam today! (Our team is definitely in!)

TW 0383http://www.blogger.com/profile/00060196289646470331noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8993048335317255725.post-8196686716385167922009-07-10T19:00:00.000-07:002009-09-28T08:37:21.558-07:00

After a couple of restless weeks, we finally heard the good news. UPAA-HK is in, we're joining this year's Oxfam Trailwalker! Woohoo! The task? Finish the rugged 102-kilometre trail as a full team of four members within 48 hours.

TW 0383http://www.blogger.com/profile/00060196289646470331noreply@blogger.com0