Findings at Mt Kinabalu... Day2&3

Mt Kinabalu group AZ15


Last week I went for a hiking trip to Mount Kinabalu. It was a fantastic experience and the memories will stay with me forever =D. It was an 8D7N trip… the first two days we went hiking Mt. Kinabalu while the rest of the time were spent traveling around Sabah. This trip was planned since last year together with a few of my fellow colleagues from Ingenuity. We stayed most of the time at Karen’s house… her family was really nice and generous… made us feel more than welcomed. Now I understand why people say that Sabahan and Sarawakian are really friendly host.

I’d kinda lost track but roughly the budget spend:

Air ticket & tax = RM120.00
Mt Kinabalu package = RM280 + RM160
(the 160 is due to change of travel agency – might be refundable)
Kiliu River white water rafting = RM120
2 Island Snorkeling = RM53
Extra spending = RM317
(Actually I spend for initial RM120 + RM280 Initial Package + RM650 that I brought)

For more photos click...PHOTO ALBUM

Travel itinerary :-
1)Day 1
- Go around KK
- buy stuff for hiking (water etc.)

2)Day 2
- Hike Mt Kinabalu until Laban Rata, 1 night stay at Laban Rata

3)Day 3
- Hike to summit and descend from mountain

4)Day 4
- KK town tour
- Bring clothes for laundry
- 2 temples
- Yayasan Sabah, hangout at @tmosphere (a spinning restaurant there)
- UMS
- Crab for dinner
- Clubbing at ‘Bed’

5)Day 5
- Visit Gaya Street, buy souvenir
- White water rafting at Kiliu River
- Visit Sutera Harbour
- Father’s day dinner at a fancy hawker centre

6)Day 6
- Visit Kudat
- Stop for burned Corn
- Bak Bak Beach
- Weird island wif two seashore
- Tip of Borneo

7)Day 7
- Snorkeling at Sapi Island
- Snorkeling at Mamutik Island
- Seafood dinner at a Club House

8)Day 8
- KK town tour
- Filipino market to get souvenir
- Local supermarket
- Look for antiques shops in Wisma Merdeka
- Go for YoYo drink
- Dinner at Tanjung Aru

Inclusive of the additional money I’d spend RM650 at Sabah, it includes everything in my 8D7N stay there (except for Air ticket and initial Mt Kinabalu package). So the whole package for d 8D7N is estimated around RM1050 (very rough estimate, as I’d forget bout the latter Mt Kinabalu package’s price :P)

When we were going to depart from LCCT, there was an issue that our rooms at Laban Rata was cancelled due to some reason from the agency. Luckily Darren (my ex-boss) managed to get contact from Ah Lai (the hiking Queen that joined us for Sg Lembing trip) and eventually got our trip back on track… phew… that was close! :P



We started hiking in a rainy day, around 1100. Initially it was cold, I put on my winter jacket that was reserved for the summit. It turned out to be like putting myself into an oven and I decided to take it off :P. At the beginning of the hike, I was with my team but eventually most of the time I followed the group from Japan and also another group of youngsters from KL coz from the advice of some of my friends, we shouldn’t take long rest in between the hike. One of the member of my team was sick and another had packed a too-heavy backpack. So, they need more rest along the journey. Although it was raining on the way up but I managed to enjoy myself while taking some pictures along the way. Met some Japanese… there was this nice funny Japanese uncle… he always say ‘pelan pelan’ (It was meant to be perlahan-lahan) =)) =)). That uncle was always making jokes. As I’d observed that they were fully equipted, I asked the Japs uncle whether he went for hiking very frequently. Without any hesitation he say no… then he said… about once every month. I was like... (-__-|||). Anyway, I found it very motivating to follow the Japanese group, maybe coz I don’t understand what they say but they laugh all the up HAHAHAHA =)) =))



I reach Laban Rata around 1720… took me 6 hour 20 minutes to reach! Found some Mt Guides playing takraw there… after resting for a while, I took some nice pictures there while waiting for the rest. It was so cold and windy… started to put on jacket. We went to eat at Laban Rata Restaurant. A group of Indian hikers were nice enough to share their table with us. It turns out that one of them is Mohanandas, one of the two Malaysian that made it to Mt. Everest!


Fried rice for RM13.50, Milo for RM5

ChinShin (who was very sick but her strong will managed to get her up to Laban Rata), Nickie and myself stayed at the restaurant till around 8+pm, waiting for my camera battery to recharge. We talked to a guy, he said his friend still haven’t reach but its near 9pm! He also said that he heard there were a group who only managed to reach Laban Rata at 11pm the day before… scary =S. That guy also taught us to wear plastic bag on our feet before wearing shoe if our shoe is non-waterproof (like mine)… it was a really good advice, else my feet would have been frozen up there :P



We went to bed around 9pm coz we need to wake up at 1.30am and be at Darren & Karen’s place at 2.00am. The next morning as planned, we woke up at 0130 but only manage to get to Gunting Hut at 0215 after meeting Biling, our Mt Guide at Laban Rata. When I knocked on their door, only to find that they were still sleeping =)). They told us later after the trip that actually both of them had discussed not to continue up to the summit but decided otherwise when they saw us. Too bad… we only leave Laban Rata at 0300. They way up initially was okay. When we reach the slightly danger ridge using rope part, I nearly slipped… phew.. the Mt Guide of the Japan group (in front of us) saw that I guess. He helped me up by guiding me, when I followed him, I need to go very fast, coz his steps are very fast and I don’t hold on to the rope to go up coz he don’t even need any rope. Wow.. this is what you call ‘experienced’ people :P. Thanks to him, my journey there was made so easy :D. After passing the checkpoint was a slanting flat rock area. Most of the time in this part I was walking with Nickie. I don’t know why but I feel so sleepy out of a sudden. It was so cold, and the wind was blowing so hard… I just felt like lying down on the floor, just sleep there and cold to death =)) =)). Maybe it was caused by the low pressure and lack of oxygen. I kept on telling myself… I must walk, I must walk faster or I’ll miss the sunrise. I can’t get much picture at that moment coz I don’t even have energy to put my glove on if I take it off.. so cold =S.




We see the sunrise at a flat area before going up to Low’s Peak. After a while we saw 2 familiar figure… we thought it was Darren and Karen but it turned out to be Karen and Biling =)) (Coz they wear the same colored jackets). We found out that Darren have to end his journey after walking for an hour coz he had some injuries at his joint =(. Must have been really pain. After that I continued on to Low’s Peak… I told Biling how sleepy I was and both Biling and the Japanese group Mt Guide laughed at me =)). Biling helped me up to the peak. I reached there around 0640. Both the Japanese group and the KLian were there at Low’s Peak, busy taking photos. I took some photos and they helped me take some of my photos too \:D/.





On the way down, it was so hot, you can feel d sun burning the skin on your face. So I walked faster. Bumped into the Japs group Mt Guide, chatted a while and I continued down again. After the checkpoint, I walked with one of the guy from the KL group. I get to know that he was also a Tarcian and also a senior for my course (year 2000 CS). After reaching Laban Rata we went out to the balcony to rest and chatted a while before going back to pack. Met Chin Shin at Laban Rata, so we walked back together :P




After resting a while Nickie and myself went back to Laban Rata for lunch while the rest make an earlier move but Biling waited for both of us at Waras Hut. Anyway eventually we managed to catch up with them. Going down is much easier. However, I think if you’d experienced some injuries during the hike, then going down will be a bit difficult. I left my team and walked alone for a distance. On the way down, I saw many locals carrying super heavy load but still they managed to walk so fast! I’d even heard about people carrying gas tank up the mountain =S. Not long after that, I bumped into the KL group again… and passed them again.. I saw another local! This time he was carrying two long zink construction materials. I salute!!!!

Not long after that, it started to rain heavily, that time I bumped into the Tarcian senior and another of his friend. We decide to run all the way back to starting point. The path was all flooded… my shoes were soaked wet. I had to force myself to walk faster as you know.. guys steps were much more larger as compare to shortie like SSP (-__-|||). Anyway, it was a great experience as this is the first time I descend so fast in a hiking trip. We reached the starting point at 1730. Only took us 4 hours and 30 minutes! Hoooray! No need to walk anymore MUAHAHAHA

So happy! Finally I can tick off one of the item in My List :D. SSP’s findings in Sabah to be continued…