The 39 kg girl Truong My Chau has conquered the 15 highest peaks in Vietnam within 2 years, making many travel enthusiasts admire.
Truong My Chau is a girl born in 1990, from Gia Lai. Currently, she is working as an agricultural engineer, working on a farm in Binh Thuan. This girl born in 1990 has a small body, weighing only 39 kg. However, she has more strength and endurance than the other girls.
Recently, My Chau has been noticed by the trekking community in Vietnam because of a series of check-in photos with the top 15 highest peaks in Vietnam. Sharing about this, My Chau said she did it for 2 years, once even climbing a series of 5 mountain peaks during the trip to the Northwest.
Chat with ViGuide, the agricultural engineer shared about her exciting journey experiences.
– How did My Chau become passionate about traveling? What was so special about your first hike?
The first time I started participating in trekking was the trip to conquer Mui Doi in Khanh Hoa in 2017. After that trip, I started climbing a few more mountains in the South and the Central Highlands such as: Black Lady, Chua Chan, Ngoc Linh…
Next, I started to learn about the mountains in the North. The original plan was not actually to conquer the mountain peaks, I just planned to go all “4 poles, 1 peak, 1 fork” that is: 4 extreme points East – West – South – North of the country, Mount Pansipan and Indochina junction.
After that, some friends invited me to climb Bach Moc Luong Tu Palace in Lao Cai, so I decided to go. The first time I was able to climb a mountain outside the North, I must say, go where “eyes are O, mouth is A” because everything is so beautiful. All the clouds, the mountain wind, the trees… seem to blend together to create a beautiful picture. After that trip back, I started to learn about the remaining peaks and set more goals to conquer.
– Most people like to climb mountains with friends, why do you choose to go alone with porter?
In fact, there are still peaks where I go with friends, or sometimes I don’t know each other before, but accidentally meet each other on the mountain, so they combine to go together for fun.
I like to follow impromptu, just need to arrange the work to be satisfied and book a plane ticket. No planning, no waiting…so very few of you can follow. Because most people when going away often have to plan in advance, and sometimes planning a crowded date is often “broken”. I like the initiative, so I decided to do it, go right away and always (laughs).
My Chau often chooses indigenous people to accompany in the climbing trip.
– As a girl, it was difficult to go to the dangerous mountains and forests, over here you are still with an unfamiliar person, have you ever felt afraid?
Many of my friends often say: “Daughter, go into the mountains alone with a porter you don’t know, but you’re not afraid of being robbed, raped, or sold to China. Never think about those things.
Sometimes there are strange porters, the first time I connect with them to lead me to climb, just find out briefly on Facebook, so contact and go. I don’t know why I always have a certain confidence in them. And the truth is that when they come in contact, they are all very kind, cute, close, enthusiastic…
Personally, I have always traveled alone like that, always have a knife in my body. I have a dedicated backpack, always full of tools, always ready. When I decide to go, I just need to pack a few clothes and hit the road. Moreover, I have studied martial arts for 5 years before, so I feel quite confident. But my biggest belief is in the kindness of the people there.
– A girl with a small body, weighing 39 kg, can climb the top 15 highest mountains in Vietnam, do you have any secret?
Actually, there is no secret at all, I walk normally, the first time I climb, I still have leg pain like everyone else. But gradually you will get used to it, you will have experience. In addition, choosing the right clothes and shoes will also support a huge part of the trip.
She often climbs mountains during the day, goes fast but still has time to take pictures and watch nature.
– Many people think that a weak body will be difficult to pursue this subject, but she has proven the opposite. What are your thoughts on these ideas?
I’m sick but not weak. I myself am a farmer, I am also used to being in the sun, so my health is quite supple, especially endurance, so when I participate in this subject, I feel very confident.
In my opinion, it is not a matter of being sick or fat. The important thing is to go, practice, try to surpass yourself, everyone can go.
– How do you train your health and fitness to be able to meet such difficult and adventurous trips?
Actually, I don’t exercise every day. My work is often outside in the field, going to the sun and going in the wind is not much different from climbing the mountain, maybe when working, my mind is not as relaxed as when climbing the mountain.
As for the scenery, when working on the farm, every day watching each tree, each blade of grass grow.. It’s like a spiritual child that I love and is no different from the scenery of mountains and clouds in the Northwest, each of them brings with it. own beauty. And most importantly, they bring you joy and happiness.
When climbing, the 39kg agricultural engineer often gets to know and live with people in the village.
– People climb mountains because they want to conquer, want to take risks, others like to have beautiful photos, good stories, with yourself, what is the reason for the trip?
I also love to conquer, like to take risks, like to discover new things… learn about the plants on the mountain. Because after every return trip, I will know a few more plants, foods or customs and traditions of the indigenous people…
The most important thing, when climbing, you discover your limits.
– How do you arrange your time, work and economy so that you can fully enjoy your travel and daily life?
My trips are accumulated from my salary, I always try to save and go with the lowest cost. When I went there, I went to the village to eat with local people, not at a hotel.
Regarding work, because I work as a farm manager, I can arrange work for workers to do at home. I will take advantage of the holidays or holidays in combination with taking a few more days of leave and then leaving.
She said that she always has a dedicated backpack, full of tools to meet any climbing trip.
– A daughter’s body went to conquer the high mountains, is your family worried or discouraged? What do you say to make people feel confident and support you like that?
In fact, during the trips, I never informed my family. Mother is often worried, so if she said it, she probably wouldn’t be able to rest in peace during her whole trip. After I go home, I will tell you.
My family did not forbid it, at first, they also advised me to be careful, but over time they got used to my walking feet, so I didn’t mind. It’s like “you can go wherever you want to go” (laughs).
– How long did it take you to conquer the top of the mountain? Which road do you remember the most?
Saying the longest time to conquer the mountain is not quite right. Because there are bows that go with a group of friends according to a schedule of 3 days 2 nights or 2 days 1 night, usually the first day only goes to the shack, the second day conquers the top.
If you count the arcs you go and climb by yourself during the day, perhaps the longest and longest arc is Nam Cang Ho Tao, which takes 11.5 hours both going and returning. This is the mountain arc that ranks in the top 12 in terms of altitude, but in the top 1 in terms of difficulty in Vietnam.
The engineer is witty, she often goes alone because her first appointment is often “broken”.
– Have you ever faced danger while climbing? How did you deal with it then?
In fact, every mountain is dangerous, but I have not seen it to the point of being too difficult. Like when climbing Ngu Chi Son, it rains heavily, when climbing the steep wooden bridges of almost 90 degrees, then just slip and fall. Or like when climbing Po Ma Lung, while walking, I met a snake that fell right in front of me, heard my porters say that snake is extremely poisonous, one bite can “go” immediately and always. Then like the time I went to Pansipan, when I went down the mountain to an altitude of 2800m, my leg was very injured, I had to drag until more than 9 pm to get down to the foot of the mountain, while it was originally expected to be around 5-6 o’clock.
I remember once after going down the mountain, I rode a motorbike from Y Ty to SaPa, it was dark at that time, the car had an accident in the middle of the pass, people were fine but the car was badly damaged. At that time, it was raining heavily, the fog was thick, it was cold at 4-5 degrees Celsius, so I pushed “face down”, walking for more than 5km, I met a car repair shop that was still open, then I was happier than starting. get gold (laughs).
Those times left an impression and unforgettable memories in me, and it increased the attractiveness, making me want to go and explore the next peaks, but never had any intention of giving up.
Like other climbers, My Chau also has a hobby of hunting clouds on every trip.
– Normally, people climb high mountains with a time of about 3 days and 2 nights, how can you go back in the day? Which mountain do you think is the most beautiful in the past journey?
There are many peaks that I still follow the normal route with everyone, casually chasing flowers and catching butterflies, taking pictures of all kinds. But there are peaks that I withdraw in a day and go consecutively because I want to test my endurance, want to do something that I thought I could never do before.
When climbing the mountain, I still take a lot of photos, it’s just that the departure time is earlier, faster, the rest time is less, and I bring some light things…so I can conquer the day.
Once, I conquered 5 consecutive peaks in the same trip, that was Ngu Chi Son, then Lao Than, Nhiu Co San, then Po Ma Lung and Chung Nhia Vu.
To me, each mountain, each forest has its own beauty regardless of the seasons. I have no particular preference for any mountain, all of them are beautiful and contain their own interesting things.
– Mountains…
.
Discussion about this post