One Step at a Time

Introducing the  GOTMAD  Crew! Starting as friends, we shared the same passion for the outdoors.  Through the years, hiking has tested and strengthened our bond,  and from this, the idea to share these amazing experiences  going through jungles and up mountains was born.    G  Spirit animal: Elephant Aili  Spirit animal: Raven Yun Spirit animal: Big ant Lyn  Spirit animal: Tonduyotung Sophie Spirit animal: Octopus Meloon  Spirit animal: Owl FS Spirit animal: Sloth The GOTMAD crew have been hiking for adventure for more than 10 years, and if there's anything hiking has taught us, it's to believe in what we are capable of achieving, to never give up no matter how tough, and to be humble and appreciative of the simple things in life. We are inspired by strong women (many of whom we had met along our hiking trails) who are not afraid to challenge themse...

The 10/6 Challenge Ok, so this is how it's going to be done. Ten peaks (less than 5,000ft each),  in six months.EASY. At the end, you get a medal and we'll have a big party at an outdoor retreat. Now before you dismiss this challenge as "too easy" or "not a real challenge", I'll tell you why it's easy. The challenge is intentionally easy so  anyone  can do it. Anyone who has "never had time", was always "too busy", or just plain never hiked before, can join. This challenge is also  exclusively   for women. Why is it only for women? We are inspired by strong and capable women and we want to celebrate how far we've come in life and how much we can achieve. We'll encourage each other to reach every peak. Here's how the challenge works: 1- Over six months we'll finish ten hikes. The hikes will be on weekends or long weekends.Some of these hikes may require camping equipment. 2- The climb...

Bukit Batu Putih/ Whitestone  Hill Tanjung Tuan Port Dickson, Negeri Sembilan This one is pretty new to me. Some time ago, this hike went pretty viral and that’s how I got to know Batu Putih in Port Dickson. There are several other Batu Putihs around the country, but this is the one that came highly recommended. From what people have told me, the sunset view from the peak is beautiful, and it’s a super easy climb for those with no experience. PERFECT! We wanted to look for something easy and relaxing, so the three of us (me, Sophie and Aili) made the drive down to Tanjung Tuan one Saturday afternoon. We took our time getting there, stopping for lunch and snacks along the way. Look for the Tanjung Tuan Recreation Park. The entrance is right next to the Ilham Resort. It’s huge, so you can’t miss it. There is a guard post where visitors register, and a RM1 fee. From the guard post, we walked up a paved road until the starting point, which is close to the Tanj...

Gunung Suku/ Mount Suku 1797m/5896ft Cameron Hihglands, Pahang Malaysia 10 th March 2018 This blogpost could have been about Gunung Besar Hantu, but it’s a post about Gunung Suku, because that’s what we ended up climbing. We had planned to climb Hantu (wonderful name, ghost) but after string of incidents, we cancelled on Hantu and went with Suku (which means ‘quarter’). There are clear trails and you don’t need a permit, so we decided to make it a day trip. The five of us (me, Aili, Sophie, Lyn and Eva) took off from KL at about 5.30am, and we took our time to get to Simpang Pulai. We stopped for a quick power nap in the car and then continued towards Cameron Highlands. It was very misty and foggy, very Silent Hill. The mist was so thick we got lost on the way to Tanah Rata. It was started to look like the beginning of a slasher movie. Thank god, in the end we managed to find our way and not die. We had breakfast close to a temple. We cont...

Gunung Nuang (via Pangsoon/Ulu Langat) (2D/1N) Gunung Nuang is the highest peak in Selangor, at 1,493m/4,898 ft. It's a difficult climb and a highly-rated practice climb for those looking to attempt any of the G7 or  G12 There's a reason why it's a highly-recommended training climb, and I was going to find out why, the hard way. It seems like such a small climb compared with Malaysia's highest peak, Gunung Kinabalu ( 13,435 ft), but its rough and steep terrain makes it a challenge. A climb in dry weather is a completely different experience to a climb in wet conditions. I've been told by super-experienced hikers that if you can climb Nuang in wet conditions, you can climb any mountain in Malaysia. That's how much respect Nuang has. So yes, any sane person would pick this as a first climb in ten years with no training. I set off one afternoon in 2012 with three friends. We took the route through Hulu Langat. You c...