A Journey to the Himalayas and Beyond
By Janet Belarmino Forney
(continued from Page 1)
It was a moment of profound pride and accomplishment for the Filipino people.
My true summit was when I saw my son and held him in my arms again. It was a triumphant moment for me. But my journey didn't end there. The events that happened after, and the decisions I had to make changed our lives forever.
As Himalaya grew up, he was exposed to the unique and exciting lifestyle of being a sailor and climber on an expedition. With his father Todd, a seasoned sailor who had spent over 15 years sailing around the world without an engine, Himalaya learned the ropes of life on the sea. From a young age, he played with tools, drove boats, and worked on engines. The jungle became his playground, the sky his canopy, and the sea his home.
One of Himalaya's first tastes of adventure at sea came at the age of five when he joined Todd and me on a four-month journey from Langkawi, Malaysia to the Philippines on Salmonberry, Todd's 35-foot Tahiti Ketch. For this voyage, Todd decided to install an engine for our convenience, but our first passage from Langkawi to Penang was anything but smooth sailing. A strong squall hit us hard, with strong winds, heavy rain, lightning, and thunder. It was a scary night, but we made it through and arrived in Penang at the first light of day.
As we continued our journey, we faced a major engine problem during our crossing from Tioman Island to Kuching, Sarawak. The spindle of the water pump broke, rendering the engine useless. We were forced to sail engineless in the doldrums, an area with no wind. We sat and waited for days, hoisting the sails at the slightest breeze and tacking tirelessly. After 14 gruelling days, we were pushed to Bintulu, Sarawak, where we dropped anchor in the river.
Our unexpected landfall in Bintulu was a stroke of luck, as we knew a fellow Filipino, Olson Quiazon, who was working in the area.
Fortunately, I had met Olson Quiazon during the Voyage of the Balangay expedition and he was able to help us find a solution to our problem. After searching several machine shops in Bintulu, we were told about a Filipino machinist, kuya Manuel, who was willing to take on the challenge of fabricating a new spindle for us. It took him two days to complete the job, and we were grateful for his expertise and determination.
A little back history about the Balangay. After our Everest climb, our team set out on the Voyage of Balangay. We built replicas of ancient Balangay boats, which were discovered in Butuan, Philippines in the 1970s and carbon-dated back to 320 AD. As the advance party for this voyage across Southeast Asia, my role was to secure all necessary ports of call and handle the paperwork for the fleet. One member of the Filipino community who offered invaluable support during this journey was Olson Quiazon, whom I had met during the expedition. His assistance would prove crucial in the days ahead.
Thanks to the resourcefulness and ingenuity of our fellow Filipinos, we were able to continue our voyage and make it back to the Philippines after four months at sea. Throughout our journey, we learned the value of perseverance and resilience, and we were reminded of the positive impact that Filipinos can have on the world.
We made it back to the Philippines after 4 months of voyage. We continued living our expedition lifestyle by running island boat expeditions in Northern Palawan and mountaineering expeditions in the Himalayas. Every day Himalaya met different people, learned from them, and expanded his world to a bigger and wider space.
After 12 years of a remarkable life in the Philippines, it's time to explore a new horizon. We are again venturing into the sea, sailing around the world with a purpose. This time my son has grown into his name. He is doing an apprenticeship in captaining the boat and being a dependable first mate to captain Todd.
In the end, Himalaya has taught me that anything is possible when we set our minds to it. He has shown me the power of perseverance, the importance of self-reflection, and the transformative nature of parenting. And as I look back on my journey, I am filled with gratitude and hope for the future, knowing that anything is possible when we embrace the positivity and creativity that lives within us.
Please support our cause and mission: https://explorerspod.com/
I wrote this article for Himalaya's 16th birthday last Dec.10. I believe it fits perfectly with the theme Dahil Sa' Yo.
I am Janet Belarmino, I climbed Mt. Everest in a women's world-first traverse from China to Nepal last 2007 together with the Philippine team. My husband is Todd Forney and he sailed around the world without an engine for 15 years. We are explorers, endurance athletes, climbers, sailors, and keynote speakers. We are the founders of Explorers Pod. Together with our 2 children (Himalaya 16 y/o and Amihan Star 4 y/o) we are onboard our sailboat and are sailing around the world, traveling with a purpose.