From Comfort Zone to Twilight Zone and Back

Introduction

Hi! I'm Pueh Tian from the QTA department. I am responsible for product releases; complain handling and some documentation system. When I am not at my cubicle clicking the mouse button, I enjoy running (10-21k), traveling and listening to music.

The reason that I create this blog is to share my photos, videos and thoughts about the amazing trip to Mount Kinabalu with my J&J Sales and Marketing team. Some of the stuff is too good to be kept in the hard-disc and memory cards. I am not that good with words, so I let all my pictures do the talking. Well, like they say, a picture is worth a thousand words.

I was fortunate enough to join this trip due to a last minute pullout from the team. I did miss out the training sessions that the team had gone through while preparing for the climb like trips to Gunung Kutu and Gunung Datuk. Anyway, I think I am reasonably fit (I completed 4 marathons and I go for road races every weekend), so I decided to get out of my comfort zone and go for the trip!

The pictures here are from my own cameras (yes...I brought 2) unless specified. If you should want the original copy of the photos or videos, you know where to find me.

Acknowledgment

To Amelia Ang: Thank you for making this trip happen and helping me to be part of this once-in-a-lifetime adventure. You have done your very best to ensure the success of the trip. And remember this, you cannot please everybody. For those who can't stop complaining, please talk to the hand, OK!

To all my J&J teammates: Thank you for allowing me, “an outsider” to be part of the team. Thank you for the “hi”s, smiles and little words of encouragement along the way to the peak. Now we can really literally say that we been through the STORM together!

Hello Kota Kinabalu!

Brief Itinerary
Thursday, September 27, 2007
AM KL-KK AirAsia Flight
PM KK to Mersilau Park Resort

Friday, September 28, 2007
AM Ascend via Mersilau Trail
PM Arrive at Laban Rata

Saturday, September 29, 2007
AM Climbing to the Peak
PM Free and easy

Sunday, September 30, 2007
AM Descend via Timpohon Trail
PM Arrive at KK Park
KK-KL AirAsia Flight



We stopped by this Sundry Shop to pick up last minute stuff for the climb. I bought some isotonic drink and snacks.


Buffet lunch was served at Palace Hotel.


Some managed to catch afternoon siesta....ZZZZZ while waiting for the KK Park transfer.

Road Trip

We left Palace Hotel for Kinabalu Park around 2:30pm. The road was long and winding. at certain stretches, we were able to see the "shy" Mount Kinabalu, covering herself with thick cloud on top.

An unfortunate incident - two bags were flung out of the baggage compartment due to lock malfunction on our way to KK Park. We were not able to retrieve the bags. :(

Poor Iris and Audrey!

I had an "aiskrim potong" while waiting for the group to do some shopping at the Nabalu town.

Mount Kinabalu as seen from the obervatory tower at Nabalu. I was very excited to see Mount Kinabalu again. I have been on top of it in year 1998 and 2004.

Nabalu - a popular stopover for souveniers or a meal.

We arrived at The Kinabalu Park about 6:30pm. Immediately we were transfered via Van to Mersilau Park where we would descend Mt. Kinabalu on the next morning.

After a 1/2 hour bumpy ride, we reached Mersilau Park.

Dinner is served at Mersilau Park Resort restaurant. After a long journey, everything seemed so delicious. Yummy! I had two plates of rice instead of the usual 1/2 plate. Carbo-loading for the next day. Heheh!

Full moon. The moon was bright that night. Some even had mistaken it as sunset because it was so bright!!

Our dorm. Hot water supply was limited. I had to take a quick record time 2 seconds shower!! Brrrrrr......

The Mersilau Trail

Weighing our bag for porter charges. 1 kg = RM10 (USD 3); return trip.

Rain Drops Keep Falling On My Head - group photo before we started our climb via the Mersilau Trail.

All of us looked like the hunch-backed nenek kebayan "old witch in Malay folklore". Thanks to the backpack, raincoats and the walking sticks.

Water falls. Mersilau Trail longer than Timpohon Trail but it is much more beautiful.

Another beautiful scenery.

Me at a waterfall. It has stopped raining.

Thou Shalt Not Pass! Me doing a Gandlaf the Grey from Lord of The Rings. Heheh!

View from the hanging bridge.

The climb was made easy by these steps.

After the rain.

Slippery when wet.

Hungry

The weather was getting colder and colder while the wind was getting stronger and stronger as we ascend to Laban Rata. To cure my hunger pang, I snacked on sweets and mango cookies, washed down with Ribena blackcurrant drink. Not eating worm. Heheh!

The lucky bird was holding a big juicy earthworm.

Keep On Moving

At certain stretch I was really scared that I would get blown away by the wind. Anyway, I kept moving. Slowly but steadily.

The only was up! I was following Essie Wong up the last few kms to Laban Rata.

My aim was to get to Laban Rata before it got dark. Visibility was very poor and at certain point I had to rely on my instinct to proceed.

Relying on my memory, I guided Essie to the entrance of Laban Rata Guesthouse. It was very misty and the wind was blowing like crazy!

The Arrival @ Laban Rata

Phew! At last - Laban Rata Guesthouse. The temperature was 6.9 degree celcius. I arrived at 4:31pm. Wowow! I had been hiking for 7 1/2 hours in the rain and cold!

The moment I sat down, I ordered a pot of hot Milo drink. It cost me RM6.00, pretty expensive but it was the most comforting cup of Milo that I have ever had. Less trembling now.

Warm Food, Warm Bed

Dinner! The dishes might look steaming but actually they were just lukewarm. It was the cold weather.

Our bunks.

After dinner, I crawled up to bed and curled up in the foetal position. It was cold and my warmer clothes had yet to arrive with the porter! I fell asleep waiting for the bag to arrive.

I was told my bag arrived only at 11pm that night!

Warning!

This is the worst nightmare for Mt. Kinabalu climbers.

We were scheduled to go up to the peak around 3:00am, however,due to heavy rain and strong wind, the climb was put on hold......till weather permit.

To The Peak

Summit trail. From Laban Rata, we had to hike 2.7km to the highest peak in Malaysia.

Amelia busy checking the list of people who wanted to go to the summit.

Somehow the weather conditions had improved slightly from the night. The guide agreed to take us up the peak with some conditions. Only those arriving at Laban Rata before 5:30pm on the day before were allowed to go. We were warned that the climb would be physically taxing.

The chief guide giving us a briefing. We were warned of strong winds and wet slippery conditions. Each climber go at his/her own risk. Their job was to take us up there and if anyone decide to not continue, he/ she would have to turn back without the guide. 30 of us raised to the challenge.

Getting ready for the summit climb.

I was wearing:

4 layers of tops - 2 t-shirts, 1 wool sweater and 1 adidas jacket.

2 layers of bottoms - Timbaland track inside and another on outside

1 scarf

1 pair of thinsulate gloves

1 thinsulate hat

Still I felt so coooooooold!

Summit Trail

We started to hike the summit trail after breakfast which took so long to be prepared.

The weather was chilly. But after walking for few minutes, I felt so warm inside because of the layered clothings.

Me and Annie.

Steep ladder/ steps made up the first 700m of the summit trail. Phew! All that training at Batu Caves finally paid off for some. I didn't get to train at Batu Caves. Thank God, running kept me fit for this task.

Rope

After dealing with ladders/ steps, it was time to deal with ropes.

It was the most challenging part of the climb. The rope are bolted to the stone at the cliff. We had to gingerly walk up the cliff using the rope. At some point the area for us to step on was less than 1 foot. So stress! Any wrong step means bye bye world. Heheh!

Me and Amelia. Taking a rest.

Exhilirating but tiring....

Exhausted

Watch this video. This is no acting. Climbing up the rope can be very tiring. We simply can't just let go.

The wind was not helping also. It was so strong. Can you see my camera strap being blown by the wind in the video?

A Real Challenge

That's Amelia. Too tired to pose! Heheh!

The climb became less "stressful" after the the cliff climb but it did not get easier. Now, we were exposed to strong wind and even colder temperature.

I was trying to get my self-potrait. But with the clumsy gloves on and the small buttons on my camera, I could only get half a potrait. Kinda dramatic. Heheh!

Had to cover my nose too because it was dripping like a leaky pipe. Brrrrrrrr....

All my clothes were drenched. Some how the wind carried high water content and it seeped into my clothings. Whenever I grab hold of the rope, water was being squeezed out! It was simple outrageous!

Seemed like a long way to go. Only the white rope as a guide. I couldn't see anything else.

The 8km mark. The peak was covered by thick mist. On my previous trip, I could see the Low's peak from here, along with other beautiful peaks.

I plodded on...