Shaky hands. Shaky legs.

A virgin climber is what Justin calls me.

Met up with this cool dude at Camp 5, 1-Utama. We'd never really seen each other ever since last August. He was asking for a get-together, like, a drink, which turned out to be a 'climb' instead.

The first rock climbing session won't go without some textbook guidance and instructions. I learned how to tie a double-8 knot, how to secure yourself to the rope and your safety harness, how a belayer supports a climber, how to twist and swing so that you get to rest and save your energy while traversing the walls, and many more.

It's not all about muscles. Brainwork and critical thinking, too, come into play in many instances. So plan your steps, make use of not only your arms, but your strong legs.

Speaking of being acrophobic, I was too busy figuring which rock to grab or to step on next and had too little time to worry about how high I was up there.

My arms don't feel any hurt right now, and it's almost 3 hours since I left the climbing gym. I'm expecting the pain to kick in the next morning. Ammeltz Yoko Yoko kept handy!