Kota Kinabalu Bah !!

Continuing from previous posts of the climb to Kinabalu summit, we spent 2 days in the state capital before flying back to KL. It's already past 12 midnight by the time we finished dinner and shower. Slept soundly till next morning where we completely skipped breakfast to rest the tired bodies on the bed. The side effects? Not as bad as what I thought actually, not as claimed by some people that they're unable to walk for days. Only able to walk slowly & experiencing pains when walking up & down the stairs.

Because of our legs condition, resorted to visit & eat in places around the hotel vicinity only. The good news is Promenade Hotel is located in probably the best location in the city whereby foods & tourist attractions are pretty accessible by foot nearby. Took a cab ride to Suria Sabah shopping complex located nearby for window shopping.

One way to experience the local culture of a place is to visit the local market, which we did at Filipino night market located along the KK Waterfront. In one glance, the scene in the market just amazed u. U see unbelievably fresh seafood sold at unbelievably cheap price. Fresh vegetables from Kundasang sold as if they're for free. Imagine this, 1 bag consists of 10 pieces cucumbers costs only MYR 4.00 per bag. Multi racial people speaking to each other in local Malay accent. And all these happenings with the background of spectacular sunset scene. Besides the night market are the local handicraft market & dried seafood market.



Sunset at KK Waterfront

Fish market, u can see fishes delivered directly from boats to the stalls here

Fresh vegetables on sale. Notice the packed bags which are to be sold in bulks

Pearls sold at handicraft market

One reason of increasing repeat visitors to Kota Kinabalu is its famous fresh & cheap seafood. And to have the best seafood dinner with a reasonable price not necessarily need to be in a seafood restaurant with big aquarium. Few minutes walk away, makeshift restaurant stalls with "u pick, we cook" style, sprouted over a parking space. We got into this Seri 3 Rasa Seafood, displaying the largest choices of seafood I've ever seen on a single table. Fishes like seabass, trouts, pomfrets, groupers, all of them surprisingly are priced at fixed MYR 3.00/100 gram while others are also cheaply priced. Lobsters, are priced at MYR 15.00/100 gram while the rare jumbo-sized tiger prawns are priced higher but still cheaper by 40% I think than in KL.

We chose a coral trout fish (locally known as kerapu merah), big-sized prawns, squid & sayur pakis, local greens available only in Sabah to satisfy our hunger. A famous chef once said, when u use freshest seafood available, 70% of the work is already done. When we get it cooked with the simplest way, the natural texture & taste of the seafood will be enhanced. In this case, the seafood done the all the talking & not the chef. Price? MYR 85.00 for the food. No specific name for this place but all these stalls are located besides the Kota Kinabalu wet market along Jalan Tun Fuad Stephens. A definitely must-try place for all budget-conscious seafood lovers out there !!!!

Arrays of fishes & lobsters on display

Crabs, squids, crayfishes, prawns, cockles, mussels etc. U name it, u got it
 



Crunchy Sayur Pakis cooked in Belacan style, I can have this all by myself !!! 



Coral trout steamed to perfection in Thai sauce. Fantastico !!!

The next day, walked to the Kota Kinabalu biggest wet market & bought local Tenom coffee powders for souvenirs back home. A stone throw away from the wet market is the fish market. Was told that this is the place where fish mongers take their daily stocks & distribute them to multiple places around the city. Sneaked into the place, hoping to catch a glimpse of the so-called auction. Didn't got my wish granted but still manage to buy frozen fishes to be brought back to KL.

Scene at the Kota Kinabalu wet market. Clean & well organized stalls

Local fishermen segregating the catches of the day

Tip to be shared for those wanna pack the seafood back home. All packed seafood for airfreight need to be of frozen types. Malaysia Airlines allowed frozen seafood to be checked in but Air Asia only allowed them to be hand carried at maximum weight of 7 kilogramme per person. We flew home to KL in the evening, bringing home the sweet memories & hope of returning again. As a seafood lover, it's a sin to the Food God (if there's any) if I don't come back !!! Not forgetting of course, the other attractions yet to be visited like the islands, highland resorts & others. KK, I will be back !!!

The Climb: Akinabalu Day II

As mentioned in earlier post of Akinabalu Day I, woke up early at night due to experiencing signs of AMS & couldn't put myself back to sleep. Plainly killing time till 1.30 a.m. on the bed to get myself up. Most people staying in the Gunting Lagadan Hut have got up by then & prepared themselves. One glance at the people wearing winter clothes, u could have mistaken yourself being at Switzerland, preparing to hike The Matterhorn.

What I wear? A beanie, a surgical mask (to replace with scarf as I can't stand the wool when put close to the mouth), 3 layers of clothes (yes, 3 layers-singlet, an inner tee & a long sleeve tee), a jacket, hand gloves & long cargo pant. Not forgetting the most important of all, the head light. After fully dressing ourselves & equipped with headlight, we went out to Laban Rata resthouse for early breakfast and met up with the guide. With the cold weather outside, regretted for not bringing my bottles of hot sake bought from Japan, which could help in warming up the body. By now, the sneeze has stopped, breathing difficulties has stopped but still, the headache was still there. Each of us took a Panadol Activfast tablet to help with that.

Our wear for the climb

Started the climb towards the summit at 3.00 a.m. sharp. The distance covers 2.5 kilometres from Laban Rata till the summit. There is this rule, all climbers are to report to the checkpoint at Sayat-Sayat hut at 1st kilometre point by 5.00 a.m. Those reported after that, will not be allowed to proceed further. Our guide didn't actually explain the reason for this.

The first kilometer trail to Sayat-Sayat are mostly rocky surfaces with stairs at ascending 45 degrees. Clarence n myself were huffing, puffing & stopping throughout the way, possibly due to the AMS effect & being exhausted from the climb the day before. Here is the starting point of judging your mental strength. Doubts begin to creep into our minds. Here is the time where we start to ask ourselves what are we doing here, why are we doing this, is it worth doing this, can we just turn back etc. Too dark to take photos of most paths but at the 500 metres point, we are told to hold tight to a long strip of rope, connecting all the way to the summit & climb up the rocks. At one point, looking down below, it was so dark that ur grateful ur not able to see it. Otherwise, u probably scared to death with the height. Here is also the point of "end of forestation" whereby the temperature is so low n cold that tropical plants would not be able to survive with the weather.



Reached the Sayat-Sayat hut checkpoint at 4.55 am, 5 minutes before the so-called cut off time of 5.00 am

Now, it was all wider, rockier surface, all the way from Sayat-Sayat point. The temperature probably reached 3 degrees by now. With such a wide area, there is no way u can run from the wind blowing at approx 25km/h to u. There's no other choice but to hang on & keep walking. Legs were still able to make the walk but the thin air made it more difficult to breath, needing myself trying to control the breathing to slow down the heartbeat. This was done while walking, actually caused it more tiring actually. Stopping at every 100 metres by now. And with the mind keep asking when are we gonna reach the summit, it's really mentally torturing not able to see the end of the trail.

Close to the 8 kilometre point

If there's a time to call the name of God, this has to be it. If there's a time to scream for your momma, this has to be it. I was holding to my pendant most of the time, reminding myself that I don't come all the way here to give up. Although three of us were walking at different timings, we kept stopping n wait for the others, as sign of encouragement n telling ourselves we can do it together.

Finally able to catch the sight of the Low's Peak once arrived at the 8th kilometre point. However, the worst has just begun. Never in my mind have a thought that arriving at the last 150 metres point, just below the peak is actually the most heartbreaking moment. If there's a perfect example of "being so near, yet so far", this is the one. Like what's Clarence described it, it's like a mountain within a mountain. With combination of rock formations, the steepness rise up to almost 60 degrees I think. With just a strip of rope as a guide, we are practically rock climbing to the top. With tired legs, prayed for one last push to the top.

The famous sight of Low's Peak, highest peak in South East Asia

At the point of last 150 metres to the top

Reached the Low's Peak summit at approx. 7.30 a.m. And yes, as what others said, it was an exhilarating feeling to finally reach the top, triumphing over multiple physical & mental barriers. This was the time when images of all happenings & challenges faced from the first day climb onwards being played in my mind & gratitude naturally comes. Gratitude to Him for giving me the divine strength to overcome the challenges to reach here. Gratitude to both Maj & Clare for the encouragement & advises shared before & during the trip. Gratitude to other fellow climbers for the encouragement given along the way.

Reached the summit finally !!!

The descending walk below was a painful experience. With a flat rock surface with slight dampness, it was a slippery walk downwards too. By the time I reached Laban Rata to check out from the resthouse, I was already crippling & it was a painful walk all the way as got blisters at all my toes. After the lunch, we started to walk back at 11.30 a.m. Realised I made a bad decision to buy wrong size of shoes, causing the toes turn swollen along the way down.

This is the one of the dangerous rock paths we need to take to reach the summit & again, back to Laban Rata. One slip & heaven's door opens for u. 

On the way down

We reached the Timpohon gate at 5.30 p.m. By the time, we reached the Park HQ to check out, it was already dark & no more transport back to city. No choice but to take a RM 200.00 cab ride back to Promenade Hotel in the city. It's a standard price really. Everyone was so tired that we slept  throughout the journey back to hotel. So, to answer the usual questions below after the climb. Will write about our sojourn at Kota Kinabalu in next post.

Q: Is the climb worthwhile?
A: Yes. Can't describe the feeling in words, u need to be here to experience yourself

Q: Will you do it again?
A: Yes but not in near future

Q: Any advise to the climbers?
A: Please practice & exercise before you come. It's a battle between your mind & body, so please don't forget to pray for divine intervention.

The Climb: Akinabalu Day I

Continuing from previous post, woke up at 5.30 am & greeted with the morning breeze, coupled with birds chirping. Sabah, being located at the east end of Borneo, means u get to witness sunrise earlier than anyone else in the Peninsular. U can see bright sky at 6 am here. Can't really sleep the night before, probably being overexcited about this climb. Still, the mind is so fresh & heart is so willing to take on the upcoming challenge ahead.

By the way, no typo error on the title of this post. Akinabalu is the name of the mountain, derived from a Kadazan Dusun word "Aki Nabalu", meaning "the revered place of the dead". So, when guide say, "Don't curse the mountain", u better listen. We had breakfast & met the mountain guide assigned to us, a young Kadazan chap named Fazilin. Each of us got a rented walking stick at MYR 10.00 per stick.

Our individual climber's ID tag, to be worn at all times, while the guide will keep the climbing permit

Group shot outside Timpohon gate entrance

Proceeded to Timpohon gate entrance by van & started our walk at 8.30 am. The whole walk from the Timpohon gate till Laban Rata covers 6 km. The other trail used by climbers is Mesilau trail which is 2 km longer. There's practically every shelter hut provided for climbers in each kilometre. Each completed with water tap for water refills, & toilet. As u slowly walked up, u can see the changing climate at the highlands allowed different floras thrive in its habitat. This allowed us to witness different dimensions of sceneries altogether on a single trail, besides providing different challenge levels of terrains for the climbers. I find it fascinating to see this, completely unspoilt, probably just the way it is when Sir Hugh Low made the first Kinabalu expedition way back in 1851. Just let the photos below do all the talking.

First 2 kilometres with walk on mixture of flat surface & ascending steps

 

Next 2 kilometres are all ascending steps like this. Imagine walking up Batu Caves for 2 kilometres

After stop at halfway Layang-Layang hut, the gradient is now higher with more uneven surfaces & curves 

Energy gels - Helped in providing the much needed push. No one seems to care of having this but I could have made a profit by just selling them at the huts !!!

Next kilometre is now filled with drier clay surface, with cooler climate & higher gradient of course

The last kilometre to Laban Rata is filled with rocky paths & totally depending on walking stick by now to avoid using more energy of the already tired legs

At point of last 300 metres to Laban Rata, u just need to stop & gasp momentarily at the beauty of the weather & mountain. If there's a time to show gratitude to Him, this has to be it. Priceless

Laban Rata resthouse at 3,272 m - The resting place for the night before the ultimate climb up the next day

Had early dinner at 4.30 pm in Laban rata resthouse. All 3 of us got into bed almost immediately after checking into Gunting Lagadan Hut at the same area. Don't even ask me if taken any shower or not. The water here will surely freeze u to pain. Just merely wiped the body with cloth. Woke up momentarily 3 hours later because of constant sneezing, had this annoying ache at the temple side of my head & found myself not able to breath properly besides, having faster heartbeat. Altitude sickness or widely known as acute mountain sickness (AMS) has probably found its way into the body. Cant get myself back to sleep by now....