I've booked the air tickets a year ago to go KK for mount climbing. As the day draw nearer, the feeling of going up the mount makes me scare cos i did not fully train myself. Only manage to jog and walk hill for a week and that's all. The day i fly to KK. Surprisingly i cant sleep the night before, dunno if it's cos im too excited or cos im too scared that i might not bring enough for this trip. My backpack is already super heavy and full and yet i did not bring 7 days clothes. Wonder what is taking all the space??? Finally slept at 2am and when my sleep is at the deepest my alarm went off and ive gotta get up n get ready to go. 10mins after i woke up i receive my friend's call saying they will be picking me up in 15mins. Panic cos i still blur blur and not yet fully packed!!
A quick 15mins later, im in the car and on my way to airport. But before that we drop by at Sepang F1 Circuit early Fri morning. We reach airport with enough time for us to grab a Mc D breakfast and after that off we go on board. While waiting for the flight to take off, come the captain of the airplane announcing a slight problem with the brake system of the plan and need a 20 mins time to check and rectify it. So yeah, we got delayed abt half hr before taking off. Half way in the middle of the sky suddenly i thought of my lil keys for my lock which I've used to lock my backpack. I cant recall where i keep those tiny lil keys!!!!! gosh, was I anxious through out the journey but i manage to keep it out of my mind by reading. When i reach KK airport i ransack my sling bag over and over again to find the lil keys but they are no where to be found. Panic attack round 2! How am i suppose to get all my stuffs out fr my backpack!!?!!?!?!? I even asked my friend to double check my only sling bag which i took on board but yet the keys cant be found. No choice, gotta find locksmith or a big plyer to cut the lock.
All the way to KK park, my mind is thinking on how to get the lock open and where did my lil keys goes. gosh, im so blur. Luckily someone in my group has got a handy plyer and he eventually become my saviour. He helped me cut the mini lock so i can access my clothes or else Im gonna be very pityful hehehe. And I became the ms. forgetful in the group :P Everyone rest early that night ( I did, at least) but cant sleep too well. Dont know if it's because of the chalet which give me a spooky feeling or it's all in my head but somehow i manage to doze off only to be awake later in the wee hour for toilet going. Due to the spooky feeling in me, I tried very hard to withstand the urge but somehow I just need to release myself and I make a quick dash into the toilet, all the time I say my prayers in my mind. I guess it help calm me down and help me doze off too. Got a few more hrs sleep before everyone is awake for our hike up mount kinabalu.
Majority of us chosen to use the Mesilau trail during our voting session and in the end everyone goes for Mesilau trail as there's more flora to be seen. True enough. After a group picture, everyone is set to start our hike. We started at 9.30am. As we go along, some stop for a break some continue walking. The group starts to break into smaller groups. I eventually walk with 2 of my friends. My 'partner' has left me and walk with other friends hehe. When we saw the 1KM sign, we were so happy and excited and took pictures. Then continue hiking, 2KM sign came in. Took pictures again. All along the way, there's a lot of nice huge rainforest trees. It's an offence to pick or even pluck from the tree. If caught, will be penalise RM 50k. Come 3KM sign, yaay! we managed 3KM so far. Every stop we took we ate up all of lunch boxes and whatever energy bars that we brought along as it's heavy on our shoulder. Indeed this is a more to greeneries trail where we saw 2 waterfalls and alot of nice bonzai as we go further up the mountain.
I don't know when I started to walk alone (probably 5KM as shown in pic) It's always either I walk ahead of my friends or behind them but eventually I managed to catch up. This time I was walking behind them and I totally lost them. My friends were carrying my bag which contain all the food and drinking water etc. It didnt bother me the fact that I'm walking alone cos I have my MP3 player stuck to my ears and I just take my own pace to walk the trail myself. When I reach 1 of the stops, one of the potter whom we saw earlier pass me a bottle of water, telling me that my friends left it for me. Lucky me cos before I lost them I manage to chuck 2 energy bars into my pocket so I can fend hunger attack. The more I walk the harder it is. The trail has become rockier and harder to walk. It's no more walking trail. It's all rock where sometime u might need to climb a little. Finally I saw where the 2 trails meet, I know it wont be long before I reach Laban Rata. So I'm more determine to continue my hike even though Im super tired and my legs arent mine anymore. When I saw the 6KM sign, Im excited cos it's means Im only 2KM or so away only. But my legs doesnt felt that way. My legs is not obeying my command and worse still the skies is getting dark and it is also raining at the moment. Imagine me in my long sleeve top with my wool sweater and a rain coat cum wind breaker walking alone, my hands are numb and freezing. I got no choice but to continue my hike. The thing that worry me a lot is the darkness as I dont have my lights with me. It's in the bag. So, I hurried up and try to catch up a few Singaporean guys who's slightly ahead of me. Even though I'm breathless and tired, I just mustered enough voice to call out for them to wait for me. Luckily they heard my call and willing to wait for me, thus we walk together. One of the guys actually had cramps thus he's also having difficulty walking. Together we move in a group of 4. They are really a nice bunch cos they keep on giving me encouragement and letting me take my time to rest even though it's getting darker and darker.
Boy, was I sad when I saw the sign 4.5KM cos I remember I already walk pass the 6KM sign. Eventually the 4.5KM sign is for people who uses the other trail. At 5.5KM, one of my guide who also serve as my potter (a person who help us to take our bags up to Laban Rata for a fee; my bag is 8kg) saw me and am surprised to find me there. He is also another nice guy cos he held my arm and keeps on pulling me and helping me all the way up. As my hand is freezing and turn numb, one of the Singaporean guys gave me his hand gloves to keep my hands warm. I really am very thankful for his kindness. Thank you, Lee Tong.
When I finally saw the light of a hut like place I'm so happy and try all my best to reach there only to be disappointed cos that is merely a guard house or some sort. The restaurant/cafe where I am suppose to go is another 200-300m up. The feeling at that time is like, I wanna kill people cos I am so freaking tired. No choice but to hike up to where all my friends are with the help of my guide. I reached there at 8pm and everyone is clapping their hands to give me encouragement for reaching there safely. I almost colapsed not cos of hunger but cos of tiredness especially my legs. No strenght and it's soooooo cold outside. All my friends who saw me quickly help me sit down and bring me hot water to warm my hands which has turn white and is totally numb. I cant even feel what I touch. I am not the last to reach, there's another 6 person who have not arrived. While I have my dinner, everyone went back to the dorm to sleep cos we need to be up by 2am for our climb to the peak. I was alone again having my dinner and when I saw the Singapore guys I join them again for dinner. At 9pm, 1 of the guide told me to go back and rest and not wait for the rest as my dorm is another 200m up from the cafe. I almost wanna faint when I heard the news. Another 200m up??? Sigh. No choice but to pack my stuffs and hike up and this time I saw my friends who are late. 4 of them finally reached at 9pm. Together we went up to our dorm. The dorm look very run down to me. As I have not been a backpacker thus Ive no idea how bad a dorm can be. This is one dorm which I would not wanna stay in again. The saddest thing is, by 9pm the water heater is turn off. I had to take my shower in cold icy water. Did not really shower, just wipe with wet cloth. Washing my face with icy water is really an experience. It's so darn cold that it kinda have a needle poking feeling when the water hit your face. Quickly I wash up and brush up my teeth and head to my bed. I wore a long john, a long sleeve top with long sleeve bottom, a sweater, a hand gloves, a knit wear head hat and socks and slide myself into the sleeping bag before covering myself with another 2 blankets. That's how cold it is.
I did not get to the peak. Sad. Did not sleep well that night and had backache, neck ache and headache. Had to put on counter pain before continuing to sleep. Woke up the next morning feeling somewhat fresh and a little regret for not going up the peak. After all the hardship I've been through to reach Laban Rata. Sigh.
Everyone took some pictures of the peak (since we did not manage to reach there my as well capture some picture for memories sake) before going for our breakfast. Everyone is still talking about how each of us manage to hike up previous night and catching up on the last 6 person who came in late. After breakfast, everyone continue our journey down the mountain. This time we are using another trail to go down. The Timpohon Trail. It's has got a lot of steps and it is like walking down the stairs. Look easier than done. Walking down the steps is not as easy as like walking down the staircase as some of the steps are wide apart and slippery and our legs is not helping either as some of us are having joint pain. Still we brave the steps down eager to reach the bottom to go to our hotel for a nice rest. Stepping down is so much faster and easier. Some of them actually run all the way which hopping down the steps. And he is one of them who went up the peak. Yes, they manage to catch up with us who start our descending journey first. Half way through, my knee joint starts to feel pain. Like they said, don't think it's pain and continue walking. That is exactly what I did. I'm the 6th person to reach the Gate. Boy, am I so relieved that I don't have to endure what I have been through the other night. Took me about 4hrs to reach the Gate. Had a group picture with all our tired faces but everyone show the thumb sign indicating that it is indeed a good climb!
When the last person finally arrived, we took our stuffs and went into the van which will bring us into town. That's when I realised I lost my handphone! My 2 month old handphone. Sigh. Darn unlucky me. Went back to the place to search but no luck and I think someone took it already. So again, I'm the ms unlucky after the first bad luck. Sigh. Luckily nothing else went missing or any misfortune happened on me throughout the week I was there. Managed to have fun water rafting and island hoping in KK. And oh yeah!, loads of beer session for us, every night non fail. Overall, it is not too bad a trip. Came back KL in one piece and skinnier (that's what everyone said abt me) and tanned.
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