K-log #7: The turning point ...

For most people, climbing mountain does not make any sense. Why should one climb a mountain only to go down afterward. I was one of those people before. This journey, however, make me somewhat a believer.

On the way up to the base camp, there were occasions where I almost gave up. My leg were aching and I could barely breath. At one point where I no longer have any mood to move on, my traveling Kaki suggested me to take a break. Grumbling, I obliged to sit with him in a rock facing the direction where i came from.

My "Panda ngengeng" mode uncontrollably kicked in. Its a view that I will never forget. The sun almost set, and we basically sat on the edge of a cliff beyond the clouds. I felt like I am on the top of the world (well definitely much higher than Bukit Timah to mind you). Scrambling to hide my tears, I pull out my camera and pretending to snap some shots. It was a tough journey (at least for me), but the view simply worth all the pain. Reaching there in my own will and strength was a bonus.

K-Log #6: .. humbled by the Mother Nature

Day 2: Smart as we all are, midway to the park HQ, we decided that the short route is not good enough for us. We decided that if we want to conquer the mountain, we want to do it with style (a.k.a through the longest route possible). What we thought to be a manageable 8.2km walk turned out to be a disaster in the making. Well at least for me.

The first half is not that bad. It went straight up for about 1.5km and then down for about the same length (talk about some wasted effort, duh!). Passed a nice hanging bridge, the path led us up and up and up. After countless of "ambik gamba" break, the climate and the terrain start to turn against us.

It is known that the higher you are, the less oxygen it is in the air. As much as I *thought* that I was mentally prepared to face such condition, it still shock me that I was literally breathless and have to stop every few steps to grasp for air. To make thing worse, even my thigh turned against me. Needless to say, everything went downhill from there (despite the direction that we were heading).

What supposed to be a 7-8 hours walk ended up to be 10.5 hours walk for me. Soon enough day turned night and we all have to walk in pitch dark in an awfully cold weather. With no mood to move on, I completed the last 2 km or so in auto-pilot mode.

K-Log #5: Sunset @ KK

Not satisfied with the sunset that we saw, we all set to hit the beach. Although the port/beach is not that nice in the afternoon, not to mention that it was a bit smelly, everything look majestic in the evening.
And again, we could not resist to take more pictures of ourself :)!

K-Log #4: Backstreet Boys @ KK

KK practically sit in between the mountain and the sea. Seeing Erbe big camera, our backpacker lodge owner (Cik Nancy) recommended us to go to a look-out point on top of a hill just behind the lodge to take some sunset shot. After got lost finding a look-out point, we end up on the different top of the hill, in a residency area. With a background noise of two huge dogs barking at us, we manage to take some shot of ... ourself (maklum biar cowo tapi semua banci foto)!

K-Log #3: The highest and the lowest point of Panda life ...

As per previous post, I failed.

After climbing never-ending stairs in pitch dark, rock-climbing is too much for me that I let go just hundred meters off the last hut. To be honest, I am not very proud of myself to give up at that time. But, like everybody said, there always be the next time :)!

K-Log #2: Quick Update

We all survived the trip and are backed safely in Singapore!

FX reached the Summit (4095m), Hans reached the last hut before the summit (3668m) and I reached about 100m before the hut (3600m). Oh well I guess I was not mentally prepared for the climb :(.

More to blog after I nursed my aching knees and get a good doze of sleep :)!

PS: Many thanks for all the good luck wishes and prays for the expedition.

K-Log #1: Blogging @ KK

Got internet in our backpacker Inn .. so can't stop myself from blogging.

Day 0: Princess Panda kind enuff to cook us nice dinner of Sate Lilit and Ayam bakar bali. Miss Tyty also whip us some lemper and lumpia for our breakfast.

Day 1: Woke up at 3AM, and did some stupid haha-hihi before embarking to JB with uncle who only know how to drive (anything else ask tauke!). Reach Senai airport a bit too early and stuff ourself with lemper and lumpia while waiting for the plane (thank god for the lumpia!). Slept almost the whole trip to Kinabalu. Took cab to our backpacker Inn, manage to book a room for eRbe and have some nasi Ayam and slept for 3 hours :) .. dasar kebo! Woke up realizing we may not have much monies to pay for the porter :( ... Contemplating ourself whether we should hike up without porter :) ....

Anyway the guys are waiting for me to go for dinner so hopefully can update this entry later :) ...