Just a walk in the park

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I somehow came up with the great idea of climbing the highest mountain in south east asia, Mount Kinabalu (4095 m). It says in the lonely planet that it is one of the easiest mountains in the world. They most likely lie, not that I have ever climbed any mountains or ever will try again.

First you have to climb up to the "basecamp" at 3300 meters. It was hard, mainly because the air contains less and less oxygen. Each step was hard, my heart beat like a drum (a fast one) and I felt very lightheaded. But we made it, after 5.5 hours (it should take about 4).

Well up there we we're totally exhausted and fell asleep. We got a room with 2 aussies. They got the top bunkbeds. This was a room with a room heater which started around 8 o clock. The problem was that this heater was non adjustable so it got from 15 degrees to 30 very quickly. And since heat rises, the aussies couldnt sleep because of heatstroke. The only solution was to open the door to the corridor and the window. Of course across the corridor was the mens toilet, so all night we could listen to men doing their business. And the climb to the peak was to start at 2.30 in the morning.

So 2.30 we started, in darkness and cold . It was very hard, each step was a chore, I think it was because I was still suffering from the high altitude. After about 45 minutes (3500 m) I had big problems, feeling sick, heart beating franticly and lightheadedness. I must admit it was quite scare, and knowing the hardest part was to come I decided to stop and go back to the camp. It felt quite shite, there was schoolgirls and old people walking past. However, the thought of being lightheaded and putting my foot in the wrong place and falling down wasnt nice. Better safe than sorry. Amie continued to the top and made it, I went back and got some more sleep.

Then of course we had to leave to the bottom of the mountain. A 6 km walk steeply downhill without any safety. Since I had had a bit more sleep than the rest of the climbers and my body had finally adapted to the altitude I thought it was a quite nice walk down. I overtook at least 50 people and had no problem at all. You would get more and more oxygen the lower you got so it was easier and easier. I pretty much ran down.

We managed to get a ride back to Kota Kinabalu and got back to our hostel.

This morning I woke up, unable to move my legs. We are talking serious pain. I probably shouldnt have been going down so fast, since my muscles wasnt used to that exercise. I walk like if I have shat myself and stairs, dont get me started. It is a good pain though and I laugh af it.

We went snorkeling today, to and island called Manokan. While in the ocean my legs didnt hurt at all. I saw a lot of cool things, an eel, a manta and loads of fish. The reef is about 1,5 meter down so you ar really close to everything. In one moment you can be in the middle of 200 colorful fishes eating on the corall. And I feel I am getting better at snorkeling as well. Good fun. Then of course there is a bad part. I managed to get sunburnt, my back and my calfs are quite stylishly red.

Our plans now is to get a flight to Tawau (really really cheap, the same price as the bus) and then go to an Island called Sipadan which is top 5 diving in the world. I might go diving or maybe just snorkeling.

The food is great, well not on the mountain but anywhere else. We are eating satay which is one of my favorite food in Europe and here, well even better. I want to try more seafood, we might go and fish for tigerprawns and bbq them on the beach. That cant be anything but amazing. There is even talks about going python hunting. I dont really want to hunt it, but wouldnt mind trying eating it. Fresh lobster is also on a future menu, a whole one is about 11 pounds. Mmmmmm food.

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Comments

[Mamma]

Orm
Har sett till att mormor ska fa dina reseanteckningar, Speciellt nu när du skrev om ormar. Som du vet ar hon paniskt skrackslagen for dessa djur.

[The Tricky Knitter]

Snorkely Lobster Munching Mountaineer
Thats all you are! Great blog...very informative...let's me figure out just how jealous I should be...take care hun. Liz xxx