Sabah

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It was a year ago when I was visiting Sabah and now it is still the best state to have our 'Cuti-cuti Malaysia'. After travelling so far to another part of the world, I only realised that my own country is so beautiful.

Due to my asthma problem, climbing Mt. Kinabalu used to be something I never thought of - at least never appeared in my list-to-do-in-my-lifetime…..until Wai Yee asked me to joint their team to Sabah. After a terrible (but still lots of fun though) experience in Gunung Ledang, I thought things wont get any worse and I decided to challenge myself again. After a few so called ‘training’ at Batu Cave (walking up and down the nearly 300 steps) we thought we were ready and voila, we were in Sabah after CNY.


First day in Sabah started with a visit to the town center and Pilipino Market. Most of these Pilipinos are from Mindanao, the nearest island to Sabah. Never tried any Pilipino food there (which I only found out recently in Djibouti that Pilipino food are fantastic too), but we did buy some souvenirs from the market (not sure they are made by Pilipino or the natives here because later we realised that the same souvenirs were sold at almost every tourist spot). The girls were really enjoying bargaining for every single item (part of the fun in travelling), where they could not do in KLCC or One U. Seafood at Sabah also a must try! I forget how much our dinner was, but the food was definitely yummy!! We left the restaurant with contentment.


The second morning while everyone was so excited and anticipating for rafting, I’ve sneaked out from the gang and wandering around the town centre. I’ve tasted the ‘butter kaya’ bun, which is slightly different from the ‘planta kaya’ toasts we normally have back in KL. The morning market at Gaya street was also an attraction itself but the souvenirs sold here were at least doubly more expensive than in the Pilipino market (so u know where to get cheaper souvenirs next time in Sabah)…..the streets were crowded with tourists, and I guessed that’s the reason why things were expensive here.


I then took a ½hour boat ride to the nearest island -Pulau Manukan. Sabah is famous for its islands but my Sabahan friend told me Manukan is definitely not in the top 3 list. I somehow still found it beautiful (better than Tioman). I also realized that we have the tourists-have-to-pay-more policy here where I was paying like 50% less than the Aussie who paid before me. The Shanghai couple who were in the same boat with me was treated as local too but I was quite embarrassed when they complained this to me (even though I’ve saved them from paying more) Without knowing how to swim, luckily there was a short trekking track which took me about 45minutes to reach the other side of the island. I felt like I was the only human being left because the only thing moving I saw along the trek was a giant lizard.


Third day after lunch we met our tour guides and they drove us to Kinabalu Park. I can’t remember how long the journey took but the scenery was wonderful along the way. We as firstimers have chosen the shorter trek - from Timphon Gate. We stayed at the rather luxurious chalet (with a fireplace - which we seldom find in Malaysia). The air was chilling but the majestic mountain which stood before us just made us felt excited. We have had a 2 minutes birthday song sing-along session too, and a Maggie noodle fest for our dinner.


The next day, after throwing all our sleeping bags and some backpacks to our porters (one of them was a girl at her early 20s), we have begun the so called lifetime-achievement-conquest by walking in a very slow pace. We have two tour leaders and some of us were carrying our own backpack (which later I was regretted for doing so) and when the altitude started to hit you, the backpack just got like ten times heavier. It was Yuk Shan who was so kind to give us some ‘Pao Sum’ to chew to help us in breathing (sort of Chinese traditional medicine but it really worked).


While the altitude got higher, the plants getting shorter and the air got thinner. We met some a**hole on the way complaining that the mountain was not challenging at all and the sight was so so…I just secretly wished that some spirits of the mountain would punish these fellas - maybe a mild AMS or a camera malfunction at the summit….


Without counting how many chocolate bars I’ve swallowed, we have eventually reached Laban Rata around 2pm (we started at 9am). The food here was at least three times more expensive than usual but you have to appreciate the effort the porters carrying goods at least the same weight like themselves all the way up here (I saw many porters with only their flip-flops along the trek). At an altitude like this we could not complain much but surprisingly the food was not bad - it wouldn’t be your all-time favorite but the food was really ok.


After an hour break we ascent another ½hour to our lodge - without heater but with better scenery and closer to the summit. Some headed to bed straight away and slept like pigs. A few of us scarified our rest and waited for the sunset (you don’t always get the chance to see the sunset at this altitude). Though the scenery was far below expectation (too cloudy), we still enjoyed the atmosphere and chitchat with some new friends we made here.


I slept around 7pm thinking of 4½hours would do me good…then I woke up with my head felt like being hit and guessed this was the AMS syndrome. One of my roommate (the airbus guy) also got headache and told us that he had given up ascending the summit (but surprisingly we met again at Low’s Peak). Our tour guide warned me not to take any medicine and once I got into action, the headache will go way. Voila, it was true and thank god I didn’t give up at that point.


The sky was clear that night and the moon was like meters away above our head. However, my headlamp ‘khalas’ after ½hour into the journey. I was depend on the moonlight in order to see what I am stepping on (a bit Tai Kat Lai Si). The oxygen got thinner and the air was freezing but it was part of the experience. .the scenery was so beautiful (yes we saw everything with the help of the bright moonlight) but my fatigue kept telling me to stop and rest. It was quite embarrassing while I was sitting halfway for a rest (about 5.am), an old couple (at their 60s) were descending from the summit! They saw us and teased us that even old fellas like them already went up and down, me who was younger should be kept on moving. Thank you uncle auntie and with my guiltiness I have moved on and managed to catch the sunrise at Low’s Peak.

The scenery at the summit just made me felt that all the hard work (at least it was really hard for a ‘san chai’ like me) was nothing. Eventually we have got the peak, the beautiful sunrise, some beautiful photo shots, but the most important we found was that descending was twice more difficult than ascending. Thanks to my 2months old Timberland (I thought I have made a right choice by wearing my newly bought trekking shoes before breaking it).almost all my toe nails got peeled off after I’ve made it back to the Timpohon Gate (what a ‘siasui lesson).


The following two nights I could barely walk…..we spent a night at Poring Hot Spring (it was like a typical package where most of the people we met here were familiar faces from the mountain)…nothing special but would not be a bad idea to rest for a day to get recovery. By the way, there were some souvenir shops too at walking distance.


I would like to thank Wilson for not leaving me when I was despaired……without it - my trekking pole (made of tree branch which I bought at RM1.50) I would not have made it to the summit. (we named our trekking pole as Wilson like Tom Hanks did to his volley ball in ‘Cast Away’) Hopefully one day I’ll be back again, but next time I’ll be letting the porter to carry my backpack….

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Photos

Everybody took this shot
How can u not take this shot while descending....

Waiting for sunset
The price of watching the sunset is not having enough sleep and suffer more when ascending the summit.....but it was worthwhile....

Going home
I promised to myself that I'll come again

The nite before climbing
The summit looked so unreachable

Comments

[kiathoe]

it is beautiful...
No wonder my friend would like to go again......