Mount Kinabalu - Pay Money to Suffer!

Just back from Sabah last week and climb Mount Kinabalu (4000m)! 7 of us managed to finish it in one piece but with our legs near to breaking. We stayed in the Kinabalu park which is around 1500m, so actually the climb up is just another 2500m vertically but walking distance of 8km!

We started from the Timpohon gate with our guide, Taising who is 52 years old. He offered to take 1kg of our luggage for RM9 but all of us are strong enough to carry 'till end. So, with a 'tongkat', we start moving at around 8am. Along the trail, there were around 8 rest stops which we stop to fill up with clear untreated water from the mountain, perhaps added with "monkey pees" vitamin to make us strong. There were lot of stairs, from mud to woods to stones. Then it started to rain but the journey continues, with our RM2.50 plastic raincoats. We are the earliest going up but there were this "kuai lo" who are like walking in the park, going so fast. Then there were those porters who help to transport things up the mountain. That's why the rice up there cost RM15.

But around 1pm, we reached the Laban Rata resthouse at 3300m, our stop for the day. Legs are aching at that time and the food was just nasi goreng and no hot water with outside temperature just 10'C! We slept around 6pm that day for the early morning climb with headache and stomach ache coming in.

The next morning, at 2am, everybody are prepared for the last climb. So with just a torch, we started walking again but oh my god, we need to climb rocks? After the comfortable stairs, we reached the rocks! Just clinging to a rope, we walked sideway in the dark with just a step width. If you slipped, bye bye and you can become monkey's food! It was scary but again, the "kuai lo" can walk easily through the rocks! We are basically walking 45 degree then 30 degree steep and luckily no rain. Struggling to walk and breath in the cold and thin air! No food and no water! It's how funny some people pay that much money to suffer...

But at 5:30am, we managed to reached the top! The view was great! It was still a great feeling to reached the top after two days of walking and climbing. After a while, it was time to start heading back. The journey down will take another half day...

It was a nice experiance but once is always enough, no next time for me...