Would You Climb This Tree?

Matsuda MashimaruLeave a comment

From a distance, the tree looks almost fragile.

A pale, skinny chopstick stuck straight up into the jungle canopy. You’d almost think you could snap it in half if you tried. Then you step right beside its buttress root and realize the rainforest just played a massive optical illusion on you. Up close, the trunk is massive, so wide it takes three people with outstretched arms just to wrap around it.

The air down here is cool, dim, and smells of damp soil, while the top of the tree lives in a world of its own, high up in the bright sunlight.

Cranking your neck to look straight up, your eyes play tricks on you all over again. The highest branches look like delicate little twigs, and the huge, heavy wild bee nests clinging to the wood look no bigger than tiny mushrooms. In reality, those branches have been holding their place up there for generations, carrying the weight of the forest canopy, wild bees and everything else that comes with living twenty stories above the ground.

Standing beneath a living giant that has outlived generations, you suddenly become very aware of your own size. And looking all the way up, a rather practical question comes to my mind:

Why would anyone want to climb this thing?

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Hiking to Telety Pass, Kyrgyzstan

Matsuda MashimaruLeave a comment

I went hiking with a group of kindred spirits in Kyrgyzstan in late August, when the weather was at its best … not too cold, not too hot, just the perfect balance for long, soul-stretching days on the trail.

Kyrgyzstan is, quite frankly, Mother Nature showing off. A land of dramatic mountain ranges, glacial rivers, and endless valleys that make you stop every few minutes just to take it all in. And the best way to truly experience it? Step right into the mountains.

For those with a good level of fitness (and lungs ready for high altitude), a multi-day trek across the breathtaking Telety Pass in the Terskey Ala-Too range is a must. The trail links Karakol Valley and Jeti-Oguz Valley in the Issyk-Kul region. A journey filled with postcard-perfect rivers, sweeping alpine meadows, and encounters with nomads herding their livestock.

It feels like walking through a living landscape painting … except this one comes with fresh air, curious cows and sheep, and a pair of painfully sore leg muscles to remind you it’s all gloriously real

  • Location: Telety Pass, Terskey Ala-Too range, Issyk-Kul region, Kyrgyzstan (3800m)
  • How to go: Drive to Issyk-Kul Lake. You can start the trail either from Karakol or Jeti-Oguz valleys.
  • Attraction: Stunning natural landscape of the Terskey Ala-Tau range
  • Stay: Jeti Oguz- Kok Jaiyk Camp- Telety Camp- Karakol Gorge Camp
  • Difficulty: Hard/ Challenging
  • Distance out and back: Total distance 50km
  • Time spent: 4 days, 3 nights
  • Caution: Unpredictable weather change/ High altitude trekking. Bring your thermals, it’s a must
  • Tips: Hire a local guide to be safe.
  • Leech level: N/A
  • Entrance Fee: N/A
  • Require Permit: N/A
  • Local Guide: Zahariz Khuzaimah (+6010 2269806) (Zahariz@gmail.com)
  • Hiking date: start 29.08.2025/ end 01.10.2025
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Horse Riding to Song Kol Lake, Kyrgyzstan

Matsuda Mashimaru1 Comment

This is my second time in Central Asia.

My first journey took me to Mongolia years ago, and now, I find myself in Kyrgyzstan, the land of the Celestial Mountains, often called the Switzerland of Central Asia.

It’s easy to see why.

Nearly 90% of the country is covered by mountains, from the mighty Tien Shan to the rugged Pamir range. In a place like this, anyone who travels here must surely come for the mountains.

The moment I stepped onto its soil, I felt a quiet stillness in the air.

Song Kol Lake during sunset

From afar, the mountain range stretched endlessly beneath the soft light, and in that instant, I knew that there was no rush here. The people of Kyrgyzstan seem to move at the same gentle rhythm as the land itself; calm, unhurried, and deeply connected to nature. I reminded myself to do the same here. To move slower, to listen deeper, and to simply be present in this moment.

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Hiking Gunung Pulai, Baling

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Okay, let’s be real — this time, we weren’t hiking, but we were rock climbing. There, I said it out loud. Gunung Pulai may look small from afar, but trust me, this mountain is about 95% rock, basically a giant chunk of stone sitting proudly next to another chunk of stone called Gunung Baling in the middle of Baling town. And yeah, climbing it? Way tougher than it looks.

If you’re like me, the kind who’s always craving a panoramic view of the town framed by the sea of Butterworth and the Penang Strait, then you have to do Gunung Pulai for the sunset view. I know, I know, it sounds a bit odd to climb in the afternoon, but curiosity got the best of me. I just had to see the sunset from the Butterworth-Penang side.

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Hiking Gunung Alai, Gerik

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Craving a fairy-tale kind of view from high up in the mountains?

Don’t worry, peeps, we have our own Malaysia dreamy landscape here from the top of Gunung Alai, located in Gerik, Perak. Trust me, the view from up here is wow. If you’re wondering how to truly soak in its beauty, I’d suggest hiking up for sunset, camping overnight to catch the Milky Way, and waking up early for a stunning sunrise.

View chaser … this is the spot you don’t want to miss.

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