Mount Kota Kinabalu, Sabah...great experience!

How am I suppose to start?
Hmm...
Start with the day before climb...
No...start with the preparation... (you may skip this, if you are not planning to go / not interested)

Preparation:

I) Train before go!
1. Training every week at Bkt. Gasing, PJ
2. Training at Gunung Datuk, Rembau
3. Training at Gunung Nuang, Bt 18
4. Jogging

II) Clothing
1. Track bottoms (water proof, long/ short)
2. T-shirts (long & short sleeves)
3. Windbreaker aka raincoat (water proof)
4. Gloves (PVC/ leather & woolen/ garden)
5. Sweater (woolen)
6. Shoes (suitable walking shoes, trail/hiking shoes) & spare pair of sandals
7. Socks
8. Extra cloths for change (after sweating)
9. Hat/ Balaclava

III) Items, food & drink...etc
1. Small torch light /head lamp & extra batteries
2. Optional : Walking stick – if you have will be helpful (can buy at Mt KK)
3. Personal medication / headache tables/plasters for cuts/blisters
4. Sun block / lip gloss/deep heat lotions (for muscle cramp)/ insect repellent
5. Drinking water/high energy food (chocolates, nuts, raisin, glucose, power gel, banana)
6. Plastic bags for wet/dirty cloths
7. Camera put in water proof bag/ batteries & films /memory cards
8. Watch
9. Optional: binoculars
10. Towels, cloths (under wears, shirts, T-shirts, track-suits)
11. Toiletries /Toothbrush/ toothpaste/ soap
12. Money for expenses
13. Optional: breath freshener
14. Sun-glasses

IV) Bags

3 bags to bring along:

1. First bag/luggage is for 5D/4N clothes.

2. Second Bag (overnight bag/traveling)
This bag is to be used to put in your climbing clothes as these clothes will be worn at Laban Rata for ascending to the summit.
For those that need porter will carry this bag for you.

3. Third bag is the backpack type, where food, drinks & raincoat will be carried by yourself during the climb. The backpack can be carried in the air plane.


So much for preparation...now continue the journey to Sabah...a bit introduction...


Orang utan is the symbol of Sabah...just a simple intro...when you enter the airport, you will see posters of orang utan (visit Malaysia 2007)...promoting...

Surprising that wild boar is popular in Sabah!

The 'nearest' Mt KK is on your RM 1 notes..LOL

Journey to Sarawak from Sabah need 2-days trip (driving car + shipping)

Largest population are of Kadazan

UMS - largest varsity in Malaysia (if not mistaken)

Highest building - Yayasan Sabah (30 levels/floors only...one of the world's unique building..built from top to bottom)

Coffee bean, 1st coffee house before any other...Starbucks

Mostly are christian (catholic)...saw many sign board (to church) along the way

Mostly speak Malay (Indonesian)/ English

Will get honk if you drive fast (highest is 60 km/h or 70 km/h)...good for pedestrians

Sabahan people are friendly ;)



Let's start the journey!

Day 1

8.45 am - cab to airport...checked in...pics..etc
2.00 pm - reached...Shangri-La Hotel...opposite GSC cinema
3.30 pm - lunch/ dinner...
5.00 pm - last-minute-shopped for snacks...for 2 days climb, back to room & rest (vomited~vegetables not digested properly)
9.30 pm - others went to watch Spiderman 3

Day 2

7.30 am - buffet breakfast
8.00 am - start journey to Tamparuli...walk on Jambatan Tamparuli to cross to the other side of the road...continue to Kinabalu National Park...lunch..then transfer to Mesilau Resort...pics...the water heater need 15 mins to be heated (sigh ~ bath in cold water...freezing...get cold)
6.30 pm - dinner then back to room (10 beds on 5 double deckers)..I have no choice but to go to the top - I'm the youngest among them (not as heavy as them~LOL)...watch people play big 2 (poker cards)...listen to bedtime story (lagend of Mount KK) before sleep

Day 3

7.30 am - start at Mesilau starting point...strange that I'm walking with the oldest among us, Ah Lee (because she's same group as mine - each group 6 persons, 3 groups)...she walks very fast..I just follow my own speed...sigh ~ saw nice scenery (waterfalls) but no camera at the moment, both of us also don't have 1 ...she said, "We capture them in our mind" ...continue walking...1 KM passed...2 KM...She doubted, "Are we on the right track?"...because all the way seem like going down...(I thought, "We are supposed to climb up, but why is it the path & stairs leading us to down?") Then I answered, "Should be! We are on the right track"...seem convincing..haha...we followed the path all the way...meet 2nd group (Yee hua, Tze, Ben) ..walk together...rest..then walk..take pics...here come my group leader, Mr. Tony Wong...being gentleman (walked slowly..waited for other group members)...walked..reached bridge...took pics...continued...meet 3rd group (My sis & Kok Foong) ...continued...have a break at hut..went toilet...add in water...continued...taking pics...etc..etc...bla...bla...all the way up we saw rodents! (rats, squirrels)...& orchids..pitcher plant...reached Layang-layang - the intercept of Timpohon (4 km) & Mesilau (6 km) ways...
2.30 pm - at last, we reached Laban Rata...Yeah! ...shower..had lunch...continued to Gunting Lagadan..where we stay...rest, sleep for the next day - journey to low peak

Day 4
2.30 a.m - journey starts to low peak...Tony leads...stairs then ropes....steep...getting tough...hardly breath...colder..and colder as the altitude is getting higher...here come my sis (food & drinks in her backpack)...climb together... all follow the ropes to the peak...once again we saw rat...(even rats also can climb Mount KK...bravo! long lives to rodents! - wonder how they survived on cold weather...we as human have to wear 4-5 layers of cloths whereas the rodents with their bare "naked" body...wow!)...following the rope path...all people queued, head-light along the way...like to-to-train...LOL
Almost to the peak when we saw sunrise..so nice! the moment I turn around...feeling I'm surrounded by clouds...I'm above all...at the peak of Mount KK!...the highest mount in Southeast Asia...4095.2 m! after taking pictures...went down...too many people...busy taking pictures...imagine 1 people take pictures for 3 poses..not nice then take again & again (sigh~ I was waiting there and you are taking pictures again & again...what the--?)...went down waited for my sis...drank hot milo..nice! keep from freezing...skeleton shaking...as my sis went to take pictures Annie & I waited among the boulders (hopefully the boulders can cover us from strong-cooling-wind)...along the way down..took some beautiful pictures...going down the peak holding the ropes...feel like rock climbing...wonder how we went up just now...hmm...obviously going down is faster than climbing up! But going down must be more careful because if you step wrongly...you might just roll down like cheese roller...LOL...or maybe like those "bollywood movies"...they like to roll down the hills...for them "rolling down" from hills is "romantic"...haha... walking stick will be very helpful...especially when your legs' shaking, no more energy to go on...the stick will act as your '3rd leg'...~gee
Sayat-sayat is the check point, where we should show our climbing tags to the person...proved that we went to peak and come down from peak...saw the highest public telephone in SEA...don't know it's still functioning or not...hmm..

9.30 am - reached Gunting...packed everything before continue down to Laban Rata...took lunch...rest a while...went down to Timpohon, HQ gate...another starting point (all the way stairs...bored...shorter by 2 km compared to Mesilau way...that's why people usually use this way...along the way down...saw many people climbing up)...opposite from Mesilau way very few people use that way because it is longer way...(Anyway, I prefer Mesilau way...because it is more adventure and the trails are different...at least not all stairs...& can see more species)

11.00 am - from Laban Rata to Timpohon (all the way stairs...passed by each KM feel bored...stairs and stairs ...again & again...OMG!) raining some more...met 2 ladies (strangers) started to rain ~ sigh...put on raincoat...almost half way..met the 2 ladies again...start raining again...such a coincidence! (what the--?)...legs pain...ouch! saw this waterfalls named Carson Fall...thought of secondary schoolmate name Carson..haha..& also the FAB 5 (queer eyes guy) ...stairs all the way down..suddenly at 0.5 km..saw stairs going up!...(I was like huh?...why must it be like that!!...thought should be all the way down!!) Hump!!...some said..that's to balance...so that it's fair...just like our life...there are ups and downs...(maybe that's kind of karma also...must have both up and down ~ sigh all the way)

2.20 pm - reached at last! at the HQ gate...pictures of arrival...hehe..sat on the benches...got to sit finally...changed wet cloths..perspires..smelly..waited for others...half of us went back by shuttle bus to Kinabalu Park to collect certificates & luggage...it's misty..due to rains ...quite cold...feel like at Genting Highland...or maybe Cameron Highlands...went to the toilet...stairs again!..~sigh..really phobia of stairs...after every thing settled...went back to Shangri-La Hotel by bus...luckily hotel provide lifts...(relieved!)

At hotel, packed dirty clothes...took shower before dinner...sleep..zZZ

Day 5

8.45 am - buffet breakfast
9.00 am - our next destination - Manukan & Sapi Island (BBQ lunch) ...then city tour...highest unique building (Yayasan Sabah) in Sabah...to Filipino market...people selling "salty-fish" & other dried seafood...also pearls...hand-craft..souveniers...had a break at Coffee Bean..

5.30 pm - ready to go to airport...checked in...went for dinner before flight...(sis's friend, Andrew brought us to nearby restaurant)...chat...

7.30 pm - waiting for flight calling...
8.05 pm - depart...keep going to toilet on the air plane..drink too much!
10.25 pm - arrived... back in KL at last...went back to Annie's house at Kepong...only 3 of us same flight...others 1 hour later...waited there... another 2 sis arrived...hungry!...went to Steven's corner...eat while waiting for 1 friend (used to live opposite our house, but now shifted to somewhere) to reach OUG...
12.00 am - finally, back to home..reached at about 1.15 am...souvenir time...shower...waited for hair to dry
3.30 am sleep...zzZ

*special thanks to Mr. Shukry, our Sabah tour guide...my sis, our KL tour guide...hehe...and all her colleagues who take care of me during the climb...esp. Ah Lee, Tony & Annie...Ben, Singaporean who keep encouraging us...Yee Hua & Tze who help take pictures of mine.. Thanks a lot! also thanks to porters, who help us to carry our things up and down...those who pay for porters should appreciate their helps! anyway, they are paid for that! lastly, thanks to mount guide who guide us while climbing...he lend me head-lamp on half-way through the peak...Thank You! appreciate your helps...Quoted from Mdm Hardev, my EFS lecturer, "special thanks to my dad, my mom, my sis, my bro who stay at home while we are climbing, bla, bla, bla...etc...etc.."

*photos are available at the following websites:

1. http://ironmandreamer.multiply.com/photos/album/18
2. http://yeehua.multiply.com/photos/album/10

at the moment only 2...mine coming soon...hopefully...