Mount Kinabalu

We had booked accommodation ahead by as much as 4 months and we were pleasantly suprised to the comfort and location of The Peak Lodge. It costs us RM250 for a 2 room/4 bedded apartment like unit. Panaromic view of Mount Kinabalu with a fireplace thrown in. Though we weren't cold, we couldn't resist lighting them up, if only so we could take a photo of it.

I couldn't have asked for a better start to the day. We started off at 8am. Cool breezy air fills my surroundings and great company Wong, Then & Eric to begin our treacherous journey.

Though I fretted about hiking up the longer Mesilau trail, it was an experience I thought I would only try once in my life. Being told that it was a more scenic route fuels my enthusiasm further.

It seems no amount of training was sufficient to prepare a commoner like me for a climb up Malaysia's tallest mountain. The load in my bag was of no help either. The contents? 2 T-Shirts, a windbreaker, a sweater, monkey mask, gloves, 1 headlamp + 1 torchlight, a pair of slipper, batteries, chocolates, buns, water bottle, disposable rain coat, underwear, socks etc .... I wondered then if I had overpacked or underpacked. As I drag myself up, I soon find myself in the company of the guide only. Where were my friends? Where were the scenic views promised? All I could see what steps after steps, rocks after rocks with sweat profusely dripping down my whole body.

Finally, a plant which caught my eye. I am always guessing how this Pitcher Plants traps its prey, Does it close it's cover? If it does, how does it sense when to close? Only when the guide explained did I understand. Still, how stupid can an insect be to drown themselves in the water contained in it? Life, so fragile ...

I finally caught up with my friends. Or to be more truthful, they were waiting for me at one of the checkpoint huts, gobbling up buns and chocolates to recharge and laughed they did when they saw the guide being a porter to my bag.

The RM3 walking stick did wonders for us. Those who were using the more expensive anodised aluminium must have wondered how the heck can that stick support us. We brought them back as a momento if you must know, all except Then who discarded it during his hike up to Low's Peak.

Being slow has it's benefits. As shown below, this particular web was a beauty to behold. Such weaving, such craftmanship. Too bad Elvis has left the building. Only the web remains. One wonders if the pitcher plant nearby had anything to do with it.





What? Only 2222metres (7290 feet)? How far more? How long more? I kept asking the guide, who must have looked at me and said, "What a wimp". Another sigh ... The trail definately isn't for the weak hearted.




Roof, I see roof. Finally, Laban Rata. I almost knelt and kiss the ground. My friends were ahead of me by about 20 minutes. Nevertheless, we were esthetic to have reached our first goal and looked forward to having a shower and a good meal. Our bed bookings didn't go as plan, much to my friends delight. We were thrown into a room where 2 Swiss girls were already occupying. Men's dorm were overbooked *whistling* I was amazed at the astounding speeds in which Then & Wong occupied the bed exactly adjacent to the girls. Wolves ....

The night was a restless one indeed. It was already a hot night for some with the ladies in the room, and when the heater came on, it was more than I could handle. I started stripping and eventually became topless. Short of removing my pants, I got up to asked if everyone was feeling the heat. We then decided to switched the heater off. By then it was too late. I couldn't sleep anymore, What more when Wong and Eric started snoring like a freight train.

Cock-a-doddle-do, it was time. Yawnnnnn ........... what am I doing? So many layers of clothings and socks. I felt suffocated in all the clothings. But hey, it was necessary right? Down we went for a hot cuppa before the leaving Laban Rata at 2:20am. And that was the last I saw of them as they huddled up towards Low's Peak. As I trotted along, sweat was dripping profusely down my head and neck, drenching my monkey mask & inside clothing. Sweat? In the cold? Well, those who knows me well enough will attest to my sweating prowess, much to my dismay. Finally, 3662m (12010 ft). What a relief it was to have reached the 1km Sayat-Sayat Hut checkpoint.



Relief? Another 1.7km, said the guide. Damn, I knew I couldn't make it for the sunrise at this point. I was however adamant on reaching the peak. I rested for about 10 minutes and tried to warm myself up but to no avail."Get up", I said to myself. I was now shivering away like someone with Parkinson's disease. It was now a matter of mind over body. 200 metres. No, not 200 metres more but only 200 metres since the last checkpoint. Then it had to happen, my frozen body gave up on me. Cold, of all elements to stop me on my tracks. Here from someone who sleeps in an airconditioning room naked with a fan blasting away. Here from someone who loves travelling to cold weathered countries instead of the opposite. I sensed I was on the brink of suffering hypothermia if I had continued on. Heartbreaking as it was, I informed the guide I was not able to go any further and asked him to look for my buddies while I go back down to wait at the checkpoint. I was huddled into a hut which sheltered me from the wind. It didn't help as I was already drenched in sweat on the inside. I kept warm as best as I possibly could.



The sun, the sun. Never had I been so looking forward to seeing the sun. Well, that was the best sunrise image I could take from where I was. I then proceeded to walk down towards Laban Rata. Halfway through, the disappointment set in and I cried like a baby. 8km up Mesilau, 1.2km up the peak, and I couldn't make the last 1.5km. My heart broke a thousand pieces.

Then eventually caught up with me. Hearing his story of success brought more sadness to me, but I was sharing his achievement as well. Bravo, well done mate. We reached Laban Rata soon enough. The Swiss girls arrived shortly after and Then was frantically asking me to get my camera ready. Look at his mug shot ... he was darn pleased.



Wong & Eric eventually descended. Slept and rested we did for a while before packing up and began the knee jolting trek down Timbuhan trail. First, it was the thighs, then the knees, then my slipper wearing feet. Not surprisingly, I was behind them by about 12 minutes by the end of the hike down. How comfy the taxi felt when we sat on it to proceed with concluding our adventure. Upon retrieving our luggages, Wong was carrying an envelope containing our certificates. Hooray, mine was the cheapest - RM1 for a black and white certificate for reaching checkpoint 1 while they had to pay RM10 for a colored copy. Suckers! Haha ........