Mt Kinabalu Adventure

My friend, Amanda is a mad keen adventurer. I first met her when I decided to go on a spontaneous 6 day hike along the Great Ocean road organized by her and our mutual friend, Liz, along with 2 other strangers. Ever since that amazing 6 days together, we have done another 5 day hike along the ocean wilderness in the border of Victoria and NSW. On the first day of that hike, Liz brought her ukulele along and we were making up songs over the camp fire and hot chocolates about brown bears. And then we started wondering if brown bears exist in Malaysia because Amanda is thinking about going there at the end of this year for her housemates wedding. After that, we jokingly sang songs about island hopping and climbing mountains in Malaysia.

11 and a half months later, on Boxing day, we found ourselves in Sabah, getting ready to climb Mt. Kinabalu together. God have planned our timing perfectly. It just happen that the tallest mountain in South East Asia exist in the Borneo part of Malaysia. I wasn't really planning to attend Amanda's housemate's wedding in Kuala Lumpur, but Greg's sister who lives in Bangladesh just had a baby and so along with many other reasons, we decided to go there via Malaysia.

It took 2 and a half hours for us to fly from Kuala Lumpur to Kota Kinabalu. There are 6 of us going on this hike. From the airport we decided to take a taxi straight up to the base of the mountain instead of the bus. It is much more expensive, but we decided that it would be much safer and straight forward. Besides, it is an additional 2 hours drive from the airport to reach the lodge we're staying in. We hired 2 taxis for 6 of us and 4 large suitcases. One taxi cost us 160 ringgit which is around Aus $55

This is our first time in Sabah, we haven't even seen the city and already we're making our way up to the mountains. The road up the mountain is very steep and the Toyota we were in is struggling to push through. When we traveled high enough we could already see the beautiful mountain and sunset views.

We arrived at "Sutera" lodge where we will spend the night before our hike. Greg, Glen, Luke and I are in a larger lodge with 2 rooms, a bathroom, a lounge and a kitchen. Amanda and Cecilia stayed in a separate cozy lodge that is more like a hotel room. That night we had a buffet dinner, did a bit of last minute preparation shopping at the souvenir shop of all places. The shop is actually pretty good and definitely catered for a last minute mountain climbing prep. After that, we all went back to the bigger lodge to play cards.   

Amanda and Cecelia went back to their lodge at around 9pm for an early night as we planned to get going by 7am the next day. Little did we know that the rest of us are up for a very exciting night. I distinctively remember that I was flossing my teeth and the guys are packing up their back packs when we heard this crashing noise on the roof that is very close to us. I was hoping to God that is wasn't our lodge. Nothing happened for about a minute... and then water started trickling from our bathroom roof. Less than 5 minutes later the water came down more and more and started coming down to the room next to it which is our bedroom. I stood there in disbelief, frozen. Thankfully Glen was very realistic and decisive of whats going on. He told us to pack all our luggage and take them outside the lodge- we are definitely not spending the night there. 10 minutes later, the house's floor was pretty much flooded and it was like raining indoors! We called and called the reception but no one came. The girl on the phone was obviously in training so even though I explained to her that the house is flooding and we desperately need to be relocated, she kept saying that she will send us the 'maintanance'. Finally Glen took over the phone and ask to speak to someone higher in charge. Only then finally they are sending us a van to re-locate us. As soon as that's done, Luke and Greg turned off all the power as it was leaking through the corners of the rooms.

We all got out of the house waiting for the van and stood there watching the lodge as if it was melting away. At one point I thought I left my camera inside so I ran in to the house with my head torch- it felt really weird, like I'm walking through that dump of a house in fight club or something.

We lost an hour of sleep because of this and so we decided to get up an hour later than what we told the girls. Unfortunately for Greg and me, waking up that morning was another event in itself. We wanted to get up at 6:30am and hopefully get out of there by 8. Greg's alarm went off that morning and although it was hard, we managed to get out of bed. Greg had a shower, we both finished packing, got all our hiking gear on and are ready to go for breakfast. Greg went next door to get the boys while I waited in the room. When he got back inside he said, 
"Guess what?" half smiling. "...I'm still in Australia time." Which was 3 hours earlier!!! 

"Oh Greeeg...! Are you serious? Are you kidding meee???" 

"No, no I'm not. I went into the guys room and they asked me what time is it. I looked at my watch and I was like, Um... I think I'm still on Australia time. Luke laughed though, and Glen went straight to sleep. So, yeah... no wonder it's still dark outside! Hehe..."

 I must admit that I started laughing listening to his story. But then I quickly remember that it's 4am and I'm already in my hiking boots... and then I feel like killing him.

So without much of a muchness I went straight to bed in my gear and all. Unfortunately the second half of my sleep isn't that great as I dreamnt that Luke and Glen had turned into zombies and both tried to eat me.

On the way to breakfast, we went back to our flooded lodge to see if they have done anything about it. And sure enough, there were still water running inside the house and the wall paint started to bubble up from being wet. How amusing....  

We aim to start walking at 8am in the morning, but there is a few things that need to be done before we go, and a few extra costs that need to be paid. At this time, 3 Ringgit is an equivalent to 1 $Aus and $US. It cost 10 RMB per luggage to leave our luggage overnight in the reception while we climb the mountain, 15 RMB per person for the park permit. Everyone who climbs up must have a guide. Our guide cost us 150 ringgit for the group. And lastly, we didn't realize that we need to catch a a van to the starting point. At first we thought it was a bit of a rip off to pay another 8 RMB each for transport, but then we realize that the starting point is 4.8km away from reception, and there's a lot of uphill, so it was more worth it. Later on in the hike, we met a guy who is travelling alone and they asked 48 Ringgit from him for transport. He refused to pay so he has to walk the additional 4.8km whilst his guide took the van and rode past him.Yeah, he's pretty unhappy about that. 

We met our guide from the reception. Without even kidding, his name is Genius (spelled Jennius), and he is an absolute champ. Today, we are climbing 2/3 up the total climb from the starting point which is 1800 meters to the hut called 'Laban Rata'.We didn't start walking until 9:30am.

What can I say about the walk? Well, it's definitely not flat...AT ALL. At first we were all quite happy and being under the cloud level so it was warm and we could see things. Amanda, Jennius and I tend to stick together as I'm the slowest member of the group and can't help but to stop and have a good look at the vegetation. I'm particularly very fond of flowers, moss and trees- same with Amanda so we got along well- and Jennius didn't mind.

Every time we pass another guide, they would greet Jennius with a surprise. Turns out that he had just climbed up the mountain yesterday and back again earlier this morning. End of December is a very busy season for them so they are out of guides. Jennius is already a part time guide but I bet he is capable to do it anyway because he is super fit. Every year they held a worldwide 23km run up and down the mountain. People from all over the world are attracted to this extreme challange. Jennius participated in the veteran race this year and he came 10th and won 400 RMB!

Jennius has been married for 24 years, and he's got 8 kids. The rest of the time when he's not guiding, he grows vegetables and only sell them in the market occasionally  I'm not so sure how that works. Although the land in Borneo is very fertile. It might just be that he's living a self-sustainable life and only need money to send his kids to school.

There is a hut built roughly on every kilometer of the hike where we can have a bit of a shelter and there's flush toilets! There's also a lot of 'squirrels' around the huts but Luke reckons they're some sort of a forest rat with fluffy tails. Jennius said that they love chocolates, and they are super tame because of all the feeding and attention they get from the tourist. It is a bit unsettling for me though, as cute as they are. The idea of a wild animals relying on tourist for food is never good.

Soon enough we reached the clouds line and it was very foggy. We met a lot of people walking down from the mountain. They said the view on the top is really worth it so it was a sign an encouragement for all of us. It must be at the cloud lines where I got puffed up very quickly and every time that happened it was very hard to catch my breath and the climb was getting challenging. It was very clear and sunny above the cloud which was great. We could see the hills under us covered in clouds and we could see the granite mountain getting closer and it was very exciting- although from there on the hike got noticeably steep.   

     

Amanda, Jennius and I were sort of hiking in sync with a very big Korean grou11p. There were 17 people with 2 guides going with them. We got along with them on the way up. Since I was going very slow, I was loving their pace. Everytime they see a nice spot for a break, they would sit down and have a few minutes of picnic or so. This happens probably almost every 50 meters up. On the way I learnt a bit of Korean, and I was trying to get a tiny bit of English out of their youngest member of the group which was a 9 year old boy. They offered me and Amanda some Korean whisky and lollies- why not hey? I tried to sing some songs with Amanda and their guide Jimmi- who is super friendly and speaks brilliant english- but unfortunately I couldn't get enough breath to finish any songs and need to save some air to actually climb up these super steep rocks.

Jennius was very good in pointing out some flowers to me and Amanda- so we managed to stop and appreciate a lot of different type of flowering orchids and the mountain's most treasured plant- the Napenthes Villaosa- the most gorgeous carnivore plant I've ever seen in real life- and in their natural habitat too! 

When I was anticipating to go on this hike, my biggest fear is to get eaten by leeches and come across with worms as I am terrified with anything that is gooey, has no legs or has waaay too many of them. I'm very thankful that I hadn't seen any leeches. Although I did saw an extremely big worm in the middle of the path. It look like it was about an inch wide and 30cm long. I freaked out big time, and Amanda just laughed and took a photo of it!  

The last 2 kilometers up was extremely hard. We always thought that laban rata is just sitting right on the corner of an uphill- but it never seem like it is. We finally got there at 4:30pm. The Koreans were ecstatic, but they didn't come in to the hut straight away. They stayed outside the hut for a good 15 minute to take photos and getting absorbed of the views from the hut. Amanda and I went straight in to the hut in the dining room where there is a massive dinner buffet and the rest of our friends waiting for us.

Greg was getting worried about me and even started to consider about climbing down to come and get us. Greg, Luke and Cecelia went zooming up the mountain and had arrived in the hut 2 hours earlier and already had a shower and everything. Glen arrived with the fellow hiker (same guy who had to climb an extra 4.8km before the starting point), Eduardo around an hour earlier. I thought I would be completely starving, but turns out I was only hungry for speficic thing- a sweet green bean and sago dessert soup with coconut milk. I needed that good extra sugary goodness. We were in a very happy mood during dinner. Saying hi to everyone we saw throughout the hike, laughing and telling stories. Everyone who are in this hike are the sort of adventurous people that are very easy to talk to.

After dinner, I really tried to make an effort to get to bed by 6pm. We have to be in the dining room to have supper by 2am for a 2:30am start to climb to the peak of the mountain by 6am for sunrise. 

All 6 of us stayed in one tiny room and the smell of each other is not really all that pleasant but I was so focused on getting to sleep I didn't care. The room is heated, and the bed is nice and clean so even though it was still light outside, I was asleep in no time. It seem like Cecelia and I are the only ones who got any deasant sleep. When Amanda's alarm went off at 1:30am, you can tell that Luke hasn't been asleep at all and he went, "Well that was a good restful sleep!" And everyone else laughed. Unfortunately all of the boys and Amanda got less than an hour of sleep. If I were them I don't know if I'd be keen to go up without much sleep.  

After supper, we were all out of the hut by 2:30am. It was raining outside and Jennius said that if the weather kept going like this they wouldn't let us climb all the way up. But the rain didn't hang around too long as we climbed up. The climb was alright, but again the lack of air is making me struggle a bit. It was nice to see everyone's head-torch shining neatly in line ahead and behind us though. The full moon was shining and it was very easy to see the view of the mountain peaks and the drop down.

Before long we reached the end of vegetation and the start of the granite where we have to get up using the white ropes. The ropes are attached to the granite so we used the ropes to pull us up when it's steep. When it's not steep we used the ropes as indication of where we are going especially when the weather is misty or cloudy.  The first time was a bit scary actually. We were pulling ourselves and walking up with a bit of granite path under us but with a steep drop just behind us.

Greg hiked with me the whole way this time. The shower he had the day before at Laban Rata was freezing and that gave him a cold so he decided to take it easy with me. It was a long tedious climb up the granite. I can tell you now that Greg and I never made it up to Low's peak. Greg and I are 400 meters away and we could see the peak but then it started raining. There isnt much view to see and the big scary wet cloud is starting to roll over in so we're convinced that there's not much to see from whichever side of the mountain.

The most memorable time for me I think is when I was sitting on the slopes of the granite next to a white rope when it was still dark. I felt like I was sitting in the heavens as the mountains around us look like hills and and the clouds are also so far down below us. It felt so amazing, peaceful,  tranquil and a sense of surreal-ness about it. Once I stop and look behind me it's really hard to believe that I got up half of that mountain with my own two feet. 

Going down in the rain wasn't much fun at all. We have missed the sun rise completely, it was white all around us and freezing cold! I had a long sleeve, a t-shirt, a jacket, and a rain jacket and it still feels very cold. I am also not a morning person at all! So when the  sunrise hit, I felt so exhausted, and it was getting a bit too much I wanted to cry. Then when we had to climb down the slippery granite with the ropes, I started falling asleep. Yes that's right, I was climbing down a super steep and slippery slide off a rock face with a rope and I was falling asleep. Greg kept looking back at me as I doze off and yelled at me to wake up. Anyway, we kept going and managed somehow. Now I understand why they don't let you go up there when it's raining. 

When we got back to Laban Rata, Greg's cold was playing up and he's even getting a fever. He was getting a bit worried about going down and wanted to go as soon as possible. On the other hand I was extremely tired and wanted to have breakfast and a nap before heading down. Anyways, I managed to have a tiny bit breakfast and less than 10 minute power nap. It must've done miracles to me because I suddenly felt very awake and look a lot less pale.

We left about one and a half hour before everyone else at around 9am. You use different muscle when going down the mountain so it was a different challenge. It wasn't until on the way down that I realize how incredibly steep the steps are. Makes me wonder how I managed to get up there in the first place.

On the way down we met very many fellow hikers who asked us how far left they have to go and if it will get any easier. And of course it really doesn't get any better from which ever way you look at it. The walk stays steep and difficult until you reach the very top. So unless you're in a race or doing it for the challange, I try to tell people to pace your energy instead of burning it up too fast. Try to enjoy the experience and the surroundings instead of focusing too much on getting there. With that being said, we did met this father and daughter who's trying to get to the top and back down in one day. They left at 8am and by 11am they've reached the 4km mark. That is just insane.

On the way down we also met a lot of 'porters'. Everything that is in Laban Rata is carried by these porters. We saw a few porters carrying all the food up there and then guy carrying up a gas tank up the mountain and another guy carrying all the rubbish down.

Greg and I reached back to the starting point by 3:30pm. Cecelia and Luke took over us and got there a few minutes earlier. We got picked up with the van from the resort and thankfully we didn't need to pay anything this time. Sitting inside that van felt like the greatest relief EVER!    

From there we had buffet lunch back at the Balsam restaurant. Going down must be very hard on Glen's knee's and it took him a lot longer to get down. Amanda and Jennius stayed with him though. They did managed to caught sight of the red monkeys in the trees- Glen is pretty happy about that.

We had a very good long lunch at the restaurant, but then we realize that there's a few things we needed to do before we go. We got our transport back sorted out for 150 RMB per van- and we all fit in one van this time. We got our luggage, and we got our walk certificate printed out. Turns out that they cost 10 RMB each to get printed out, which I ridiculous that they make you pay for your reward- but I guess it is only $3 really.  You can also ask them to print out several names into one certificate which is what I did for Greg and I. The buffett dinner finishes at 4pm, so I got 2 packed fried rice for Glen and Amanda when they get down the mountain. They dont seem to be very strict about giving food away either, so that was  very easy.

Finally Amanda, Glen and Jennius arrived at the reception at 6:30pm. It was getting very dark at this stage so we're all very glad to see them back. I thought Glen and Amanda would be extremely exhausted- and I am sure they are, but they don't look it at all. They seem content and happy. I gave Jennius a big tip- I think he's earned it. After saying a short goodbye to him we took the van straight back to Kota Kinabalu.

It was a long 2 hour ride to the hotel but none of us fell asleep. We were too excited discussing about what just happened to us. Even Glen and Amanda who hadn't had a big rest was very awake and talkative.

It's hard to believe that after all that, Glen, Greg, Luke and I checked into the fancy "Le Meridien" hotel looking (and smelling) extremely unpresentable. I was wearing my flip flops into the reception and carrying my muddy boots by hand. The lovely concierge saw my boots and insisted taking them off my hands along side with the rest of our luggage. I would suspect that we're not the first guest looking like this to arrive in the hotel. After a long bath and shower, Greg fell straight to sleep with his cold. I however went downstairs in the lounge with Luke and Glen and we all had a fancy cocktail each and had a mini post hike celebration. Just a side note, the Sabah Ice Tea in this place is very good.

The next day, I think I had the worst muscle sore compared to the other guys. Theirs only lasted for 2-3 days whether my legs were so unbearable to walk on for 5 days after. Oh my goodness it pains me very much every time I see even a single step in front of me. I thought I would spend the extra few days in Sabah doing things like island hopping and snorkeling  but no. Turns out that my muscles ached way too much, I caught Greg's cold, and the weather there is super hot and humid that as restless person as I am, I was very reluctant to get out of the hotel.

All in all. It was a very difficult walk, but it is only 1 day so it was worth it. It is very memorable though. We are all very glad that we've done it.