It was my a first big trip that i’ve done in my life also the first climbing trip out side of Thailand. I kind of very exited and nerves to travel by myself. I flew to KL and changed a flight to Guilin in the next day. While i was in KL i’ve had checked out one of the best climbing gyms in S.E.Asia Camp5 and climbed there for a little bit just stretching my muscles then the next morning I had a early flight from KL to Guilin. After i arrived I can see when you go outside of the airport it no any english sign. Anyway I was waiting my partner Andrew Goldsmith who can speak very good Chinese and we go to Yangshuo town together so we took a bus from Guilin to Yangshuo town about 1 and half hour. I slept the whole way there because I didn’t sleep much while i’m in Malaysia. I woke up again already in Yangshuo town.
After I got there i’m psyched to check out the town . I stay at Rock”N”Grill with my partner after we put our stuff in the room we went to checking out the town and met our friends at Insight Adventures it was so glad to see them there Tina,Lieng, and Som and other new crew. The weather on our first day was so cold because of rain from the night before we had a very good foods on the night and went back to the GH early to have a rest for first day climbing Andrew and I decided to go to the egg it was raining there, but we still could climb. After warming up two 5.10+, I jumped on the route’s “Chuck if ya want to” 5.11d I got an onsight attempt on this route then rest a little bit and moved to climb “The new decade” 5.12a/b took me two attempt to finish and my buddy adrew told me you should try the route that Josh Morris, Marshall Balick and Paul Collis bolted it is called “Duck” 5.11b. I onsight this route it’s all about technique with crimps and long reaches.
The second day it was raining so much in Yangshou we weren’t sure that we will go or not i just hang out around town instead in the morning but in the after som took me get to know James and Abond and his friends I went out climbing with them at Lei Pi Shan in the afternoon. The wall it so beautiful and steeper than Crazy Horse. I warmed up on 5.10a after resting 20 Min then my buddy James give me a belay for “Crash and Burn” 5.11d it was steep and I didn’t expected to get a onsight attempt but I did and after I was psyched to try “Singularity” 5.12a/b. I fell off on the sixth bolt so I didn’t finish the route on that day but Andrew and I came back and I finished on my third attempt. I felt like I used all my energy after I sent it and then I climbed on the another nice 5.11c and sent it on my second attempt. After that, I looked at a route called “Thunder” 5.12b/c, the first pitch was bolted by James Pearsons from The North Face team. I climbed this route which requires very dynamic movement for short people. I did not send this route, but if I can finish this route it will be my next level of my climbing ability. I will come back and try it next year again. Ooan and Olivia came to Yangshuo the next day and we decided to take a rest to go pick them up. I was so excited to meet them here we made it man!!……Ooan and Olivia got here and the next day we went back to The egg again i’ve tried 5.12c’s call “The wiggle” and 5.12d call “The way to hilldurado”, but couldn’t send these route again today.
The next day it was our first birthday outside of thailand we were excited to go to White Mountain the wall is so so incredible and HUGE man. Most of the routes here are long and endurance climbing and a tons of routes i was so excited to climb so after warming on 5.11a I wanted to try something harder so I jumped on “Lucky Zone” 5.12c. It took me 9 attempts to send it in 3 days while we were climbing at White Mountain and I was able to try other classic 5.12b’s called “China White” and 5.12d ‘s called “White Devil”.
The next day we tried to check out one of the best climbing area called The Banyan Tree a the rocks here that looks like Ant Hill but not really similar. After warming up on a 5.10+ I saw one route like crag climbing style 5.11b “Open Team” I got onsight attempt on this route after that I jump on the route of Todd Skinner who is one of the first pioneer climbers in Yangshuo t was no name 5.12 b classic route i’ve climbed 3 tries and i couldn’t send it after 3 tried i was so pumpy i figure out all the moves but just no time to come back there again we climbed here just only one day i will come back and send it again next year and try some things harder here next year so STOKED!!!!! The last three day in yangshou before i hit the road to HongKong we decided to go the climbing in Yangshuo Moon Hill the wall it so amazing it beautiful shape of rocks we were climbing there for two day the first day i only sent one 5.12b here because 70% the rocks got wet from the rain we coundn’t climb much on this wall.
I’ve had an amazing time in my life and felt at home when I was in Yangshuo. The food is great, people are so nice and met a lot of new friends. I learned the new language and culture. Great community. Thank you so much to Insight Adventures people you guys so so Awesome. I appreciate that and glad to know most of you, Thanks Som for helping me a lot when i was there, Thanks P’ Andrew Ooan And Olivia i was so happy to climbed with you guys.
Live adventure and do what you love!
Surachet (Add/”NSTAR”) Kongsingh
Make sure you follow NSTAR’s adventures on his blog!
