The day before 5th June, I was having my leisure reading at the forum on those participants who hike before Mount Kinabalu. After reading one of it, immediately I rushed to purchase an extendable hiking stick. What a last minute!

On 5th June, together with the team, we departed from Penang airport at about 10.20am and reaching Kinabalu airport at 1pm and after that direct heading to Mesilau resort for a rest. Along the way, we stopped by at a Dairy Farm with the hope to approach closer to the cow to snap some photos. But to no avail, we arrived pretty late and were advised to make a visit next time. The greenery field was beautiful. If you were to snap a photo and show it to other people, they might think that it is New Zealand : )

On 6th June, that was the exciting moment everyone was waiting for. Getting our baggage to weigh and after that, go go go!! Our journey to Laban Rata started from Mesilau trail. We were told by our guide that the time taken to reach Laban Rata might be around 8 hours, later or earlier which depend on our ability. Looking at my watch and it was about 8.20am. My goodness, another 8 hours, it means my target time to reach was about 5pm. I can’t imagine how I would look like by that time. Pheww….

Walking up the trail for the first 15 minutes, it seems great as everyone walked pretty smoothly. By the time reaching the first signage indicating “KM0.5”, everyone was so excited at the number and posted for a photo. After that, everyone was counting the time when will the next signage be arrived. How come after walking for so long and yet the signage still hasn’t arrive yet…arghhhh. When hours passed by, it was a challenge not only to the physical but mental as well. For the first few KM, we rewarded ourselves by resting at each signage for photo capturing. When the distance went longer, the hike duration grew longer, the fatigue experienced grew greater. By that time, some walked faster, some walked slower. We were separated and became a smaller group.

The part I enjoyed the most along the Mesilau trail was the view. It is like a wonder world. If you watch “The Chronicles of Nardia” before, certain part of the forest is just like what I observed along the Mesilau trail. Once hiked until certain height, you will observe that the landscape is different. There is full of Bonzai a long the way. If you were to purchase a Bonzai locally, you will need to take care of it, trim and prune it. Just imagine, over the hill, it is full of Bonzai with different sizes being big and small, tall and short….and yet all of it is taken care by nature. That is the power of nature! I was amazed and appreciated the art of nature that shaping the trees to different sizes.

After 4 to 5 hours of hiking, I started to realize that the hiking stick was my best companion in the world! Never had I felt so contented that the decision I made to purchase it was perfectly right even though it was a last minute decision. Now I really understand the usage of it to support me not only up hill, but down hill as well. Wow…I just love it so much. Together with my teammate, we floundered with the stick and managed to reach Laban Rata at about 5.10pm which took us about 8.5 hours. Without the hiking stick, I am sure we will stretch even longer to reach. What a super tiring journey. What’s more I can do in Laban Rata but to rest, rest & rest to recuperate my fitness. Although I experienced slight headache, Panadol did a great job!

At 2am morning the next day, we were ready. Chockfull of energy bars were loaded into our smaller bag for half-way re-fuel. We started the next mission at 2.30am headed up. Weather was pretty great with windy but was advised again if there were to rain, we will need to revert back to the camp for safety purposes. God bless that the no rain pelted down and we moved on slow and steady with multiple stop to rest. Some of my teams managed to reach earlier. As for me, I took my own sweet time to rest and hike. Well, I was happy that I managed to reach about 6.15am morning. Cool…a small platform with signage indicating altitude 4095.2m from sea level, a platform that most people wanted to take photo with. Yeah, together we took a group photo which will engrave in my mind for very long time to come. Standing on the peak viewing down, it was like heaven. The view was awesome and I was very happy that I made it to the peak.

Life is about journey and not a destination. Same goes to hiking, I am very happy to reach the peak. But I felt even greater by having the opportunity to view what nature had endowed us along the journey which I enjoyed very much. We were very lucky that during our journey from bottom to the top, no rain pelted down that hindering our journey. By the time descending down the hill, it was the most challenging moment as compared to hiking up. My leg was so tired but to endure the pain going down via Timpohon trail. Pheww…thanks to my hiking stick that supported me to brace through the impact. Together with some of my teammates, we reached safely at 3.50pm via Timpohon station and headed back to Kinabalu Park for a rest and certificate purchased.

Well, the hike was no easy for sure. It was pretty challenging on certain area that needed the rope to hike at a steep angle. It was a wonderful experience after all. With normal training, I am sure everyone who wishes to conquer Mount Kinabalu is not an issue at all. Overall, we had an enjoyable trip after the hike where we rested our self in Poring and enjoyed a dip in the hot spring relaxing our muscles before a night stay in KK town.

Well, I waited for this moment and the moment waited for me.
I just wanted to shout that “YES….I MADE IT FINALLY!!”

Have a nice day!

In my blog profile I mentioned there were a few things on my list of ‘things to do’,one being the Macau bungee jump and the other being Mount Kinabalu. Well, I’m pleased, no extremely proud, to say that the latter is now completed!
February 4 saw me, and 22 other AirAsia staff, from Kota Kinabalu and Kuala Lumpur set off to climb and conquer Mount Kinabalu.

After an early night, on Day 1 we started the climb at around 9am. It was a chilly morning but it felt great to be in the fresh outdoors and we were all excited about the day ahead…(if not a little apprehensive!)
What a day!? I would be lying if I said I didn't feel the strain in my legs, but every step was well worth it for the spectacular views on the way up (and up, and up!) What I found very interesting was how the terrain changed as the altitude increased. Speaking of altitude, I luckily didn’t seem to suffer from any sickness which I was relieved about!

Just before 1pm myself and a fellow colleague reached Laban Rata where we would be staying overnight to rest up before the sunrise climb.

Although the walk up was great – so was the knowledge that we could sit in the warmth and relax! While you are welcome to help yourselves to the free tea and coffee its also a great chance to meet the other people who were there – you’ve all been through the same experience.

After lots of makan to re-fuel its early to bed to prepare for the 2am start the next day.
We were unfortunate – we woke up to the sounds of rain pouring down…not ideal!
But our group was high in spirits and keen to do what we had set out to do – conquer Kinabalu!

With rain jackets on and only our head torches lighting the way we began the upward climb towards Low’s Peak. Soon all the aches and pains from the climb the day before became apparent but all you can do is push forward – that we did.

Even through the rain and wind we carried on, with 13 of our group reaching the peak. What a moment! To stand at over 4000m above sea level is something most people never achieve. It is not only the breath taking views, but the pure sense of accomplishment that is quite overwhelming. To see the sun rise (although it was slightly cloudy) was truly an incredible experience – one that is not given justice in even the most exquisite words or pictures.

Friends had warned me that the downward climb would be tougher than the climb up so I expected the worst, but I thank fully found it to be bearable. With a few breaks on the way down, it is a great chance to soak in the views before a quick stop again at Laban Rata. Here again you have time to chat about your experience with fellow climbers. But it’s not over quite yet…you still have the next 6km down hill before you can say ‘I did it!’.
And believe me, the last kilometer really takes it out of you but then you finally reach the entry point. Altogher it took me 10hours of climbing up/down. At the bottom is a list of the record times for the climbathon; the record time is 2hrs 39min! In honesty I don’t care – I had done it and I felt great!

After my fantastic experience I would definitely consider going again – and I’m hoping to do so later in the year via the Mesilau Trail (2km longer than Timpohon).
I would recommend the Mount Kinabalu experience to anyone – but do not underestimate the physical challenges you will face – not only during the climb itself but the after effects on your muscles - you should have seen me walking downstairs the day after!

But as we say at AirAsia; ‘Believe the unbelievable, dream the impossible’

Have you ever wondered how does it feel to have the first flicker of light reach your eyes and the first heat touching your face? Standing there quietly, looking at the cloud lazily rolled towards you, and slowly, your surrounding becomes misty and after the clouds passed by, the sun filled the sky with brilliant color. That was exactly how I felt at South’s Peak of Mount Kinabalu!

As what one of my fellow climbers; Gideon Paren Ding of Technical Record (Engineering Department) told me “Mount Kinabalu humbles me”. I could not help but to agreed wholeheartedly. From now onwards, whoever tells me that Mount Kinabalu is not challenging, I dare you to climb Kinabalu then come back and tell it to my face.

Tracking via Mesilau instead of Timpohon trail according to Jamaluddin Ahmad of Maintenance (Engineering department) is what distinguishes between men and boys! I discovered that Mesilau really brought out the man in me! The trail was hard; we encountered 90 degree steps (no bigger then 3 fingers put together) with no handles, tall rocks with no rope to climb. For to jump from one slippery rock to other rock with a very shaky knee was definitely not an easy feat.

During the 10 hours walked to Laban Rata; braving the mountain rain and the freezing strong wind, (I was wearing only T-shirt and Bermuda) and very much alone, never in my life I felt so vulnerable. What keeps me going on was, the beautiful little purple flowers, that looks so delicate, yet bloomed along the trail despite the harsh weather. The flower is so delicate, but it survived.

I keep plodding on, stopped before I got too tired, moved before I got too lazy and every time I felt that I couldn't move anymore.. I kept telling myself that each 5 steps are better than nothing at all.

2 kilometers before reaching Laban Rata, my body was already pushed to the limit, the cold wind had no mercy and I could feel the sharp pain every time it rained. It was around 5pm and dark. I had to use my instincts to move forward groping in the dark. I lost my way and out of desperation I started to shout “Hello!” “Hello” (I don’t know why I choose to shout Hello instead of HELP”). A few guides heard my voice and started to thump their feet and I followed the noise. (read more...)