"You're a Mountaineer? But You're so Skinny!"

This reaction isn't exactly new to me. I've heard it a hundred times before when I tell people I climb mountains and rocks. They look at me with disbelief, seeing a thin-framed, slightly hunchback girl and wonder how I can manage to fight off a gust of wind, let alone carry a huge backpack on my fragile shoulders.

But instead of feeling offended, I'd feel an evil kind of glee. So you think a gust of wind will blow me away? Watch me!

It was that glee I tried to revive as I climbed Mt. Apo, the highest peak in the Philippines. At 10,311 feet, this mountain is far from being a giant. But since it's the highest mountain I have ever climbed so far, I couldn't help but feel a bit anxious if I'd come out of this adventure in one piece.

Despite my belief that body mass does not entirely equate to strength, it cannot be denied that mountaineering is not easy. It's a sport that requires discipline as much as physical strength. You can't just go off with friends in a hiking adventure without knowing so much as the basics-what to bring, how to pack what you have brought, and the logistics of your trip.

Choosing the right kind of food is important since what you put in your body will determine how strong your body is going to be. Bread is a good substitute for rice if you want carbohydrates but don't want to cook. Peanuts, chocolates, and bananas are excellent trail foods. It will give you strength and prevent you from getting muscle cramps without having to stop all the time to get food from your pack.

Knowing how to keep yourself warm is also another basic. You can't bring a quilt-or a beach tent for that matter-because it's too heavy. Nor can you bring a gallon of shampoo, conditioner, alcohol, insect repellent or lotion. If you do, you'd have to exert more effort carrying things you won't be using anyway. You might end up camping at the foot of the mountain instead of on top of it.

With that knowledge, training and a will that is stronger than my body, I did reach Mt. Apo's seven peaks. Me. A thin-framed, slightly hunchback girl with fragile shoulders. It wasn't just a gust of wind I overcame but a mountain a thousand times bigger than me. And given another chance to prove myself, despite the soreness and pain, I'd do it all over again.