Borneo Part 2

I'm back from my Borneo adventure and it was swell. The experience was unforgettable and i'll try to chronicle the notable moments. Pictures will follow suit.

Day 2 Ascending Mt Kinabalu
Woke up early and had a big breakfast and headed off to find transport to the Park HQ at 7. Taxis were RM150 one way and we opted for the bus which was RM15 each. It was a slow bumpy ride and we only reached at about 11. Did the necessary procedures, which was really cumbersome and had a packed lunch. They ran out of guides so they told us to just head up first and they'd send up one later in the evening.

So we began at 12 and it was an arduous trek from there on. Due to the altitude, the air was really thin and you get really breathless after a little exertion. It get worse the higher you go. Steps were steep and some parts were slippery. Took numerous rest stops along the way and we finally reached Laban Rata, the 2/3 way accommodation point at 4 plus.

Had a humongous dinner and we headed for our accommodation at Panar Laban hut some 10 mins away.By then it had started to rain and we were tired and cold and feeling every bit miserable. The hut was real basic just 6 bunks without heating and the temperature had dropped to 10 degrees then. Decided to take a shower which was a small hut 10m away and the water was "heated", cause the water was so cold that the heater just made it a little less cold. So there I was showering in an open hut with freezing water and I almost hyperventilated from the cold and lack of oxygen. Lost alot of body heat and it took a few hours for my body to warm up again. Not a nice experience really.

Turned in early at around 7 and it was cold even though we were bundled under the blankets. By this time the guide came and enquired if we were still gonna make the ascent to the summit at 3am.By then Collin and Rohit were spent and declined to make the ascent, in favour of sleeping in and getting a good rest. Well I decided what the heck, I came here to climb to the top, not Laban Rata, so yeah I was on. With that, I hunkered in and got as much rest as I could in anticipation of what was to come.

Day 3 Summit and Descent
The alarm rang at 0230 and I was roused from my sleep. It was darn cold but thankfully the rain had abated. Ate a can of tuna and biscuits and washed my face with some water I had boiled. Downed a can of Milo too before setting off at 3. The first part of the climb consisted of an endless flight of stairs and rock steps. The going was tough as I felt like puking out all the food and I was incredibly breathless. I had to sit down to catch my breath many times. The guide wasn't really helpful and told me I still had 2.5km to climb and asked if I wanted to continue. I'm not sure if it was pride, foolhardiness or perseverance but I insisted on carrying on and would reach the summit anyhow.

Soon the altitude and terrain made it impossible for any vegetation and I emerged from the forest to meet a wall of granite. From here it was a mixture of steep inclines and gradual ascents up the granite face using ropes. It was amazing that nobody fell off and died,cause you would practically roll down and off the cliff. At some parts it was just a little outcrop of rock just a wee bit wider than my shoe. The climb here got tougher and I kept fixing my eyes on point 10m away and trudged towards it before falling to catch my breath. The pattern ensued for the next couple of hours. But during the breaks, I just gazed off the mountain to the beautiful view below, illuminated by the moonlight. Looking up, the heavens were filled with stars and I could make out the only constellation I knew - The Orion. It was truly magnificent and all I could do was to gaze in awe and worship.

Soon the dawn was breaking and the sun rose steadily from across the horizon as I made my final assault at the summit - Low's Peak. When I finally hauled my a** up there, I took a picture, savoured the view from there and then had to descend. It was surreal and truly memorable to have finally conquered the peak after a whole night's slogging.

The descent was just as challenging as now I had to navigate my way down the steep inclines and soon made it back to my hut at 9am. By then Collin and Rohit were out front and received a good cheer from them haha. My legs were already sore and were not responding well due to the strain. Packed up and headed off for breakfast before making the descend from Laban Rata, which was when the nightmare began.

Due to the stiffness of my leg muscles, my legs could no longer absorb the impact of descending the flight of steps and rock. Each step was a pain as my knees bore the full brunt of the impact. Whats worse were my toes banging against the front of my shoes. The cumulative impact left my toes badly bruised and each bad footing sent excruciating pain shooting up. I was so weak that I hobbled down and had to rest my weight on the sporadic handrails present or any ledge or tree I could get hold off. And so it was in this manner that I made the last 6km down. It was a whole 4 hours of pure suffering and it was pure perseverance and willpower that kept me going. So many times, that I lost count, I just wanted to collapse in fatigue and pain, but I just willed myself to continue. By the time I made my way down the mountain it was already 3. A harrowing and unforgettable experience in all.

Had lunch then went took a 2hr cab ride back to KK Town. Grabbed dinner and since we had time to kill, we caught X Files at the Cathay cinema there haha. Lousy show, with a hazy plot and no haphazard character development. Went back and retired for the night,in anticipation of the drive to Kuala Penyu the next day.

Day 4 Kuala Penyu
In the morning, we took a walk down our street in search of a good breakfast and found a nice homemade noodle stall. After that it was off in our Proton Wira for the 2 hour drive to Kuala Penyu. The road was pretty straightforward and driving in Malaysia is pretty nondescript unless you get mugged. Watched the scenery roll by from the cityscape to kampungs and rolling farmland. Bout midway, there were durian stalls along both sides of the road and we pulled over and Collin picked up a couple of em for RM30. The rest of the journey was smooth and there were sporadic encounters with buffalo and their shit on the road and avoiding roadkill and stupid dogs that almost became it.

Our destination in Kuala Penyu was Tempurong Seaside Resort, an offbeat place on a secluded stretch of beach. We turned off the highway and had to traverse a 7km stretch of unsealed road that was way muddy and bumpy. We were worried the suspension would go anytime and the potholes were huge. Soon the black proton was lathered in muddy water and the wheels were caked with mud. Halfway in, we were rather apprehensive about the route and calling of the lodge and office for directions didn't help. So we just had to ask the kampung folks and they pointed the way out to us. A little while more, the car cleared a small gradient and the South China Sea in all its splendor emerged into view.

To our dismay, the resort was perched on a ridge and the only way up and down was a flight of stairs. So we lugged our luggage in agony and proceeded to check in. After settling in, we brought out the durians and they were magnificent, savouring them on the patio, with crisp sunshine basking down and with the sea rolling by. Changed out and headed for the beach to just spend the afternoon there swimming and lazing in the shade. Very chill indeed.

Dinner was a sit down affair at the restaurant which I termed the "cookhouse" and it was 3 dishes of vegetables and one pot of curry chicken. We were famished by then and Rohit had 3 plates of rice while Collin and I followed close with 2 and a half. Post dinner activities were just spent sitting around playing scrabble and cards and I started on John Grisham's, The Appeal. Turned in after devouring half the book.

The highlight of the stay there was waking up to a gentle breeze and the the sound of the waves crashing down below and the birds chirping outside as the rooms were naturally ventilated. Headed for breakfast and met the owner - Frankie there. We chatted briefly and he explained that the place was really his family home and after some cajoling from his friends and to help cover the maintenance, he had decided to let the place out. He chanced upon it when he was sailing down the coast about 10 years ago and was struck by its seclusion and the beauty of the beach. He came ashore and negotiated to buy the 3 acre plot from the kampung further in and built the place. The guy runs a travel agency and we talked about our travels and the business and all. Proceeded to finish up my book and soon it was lunch and time to check out.

Day 5 The Long Way Home
Drive back was more or less the same, save for one stretch that we took differently. Came to a river and the only way across was by ferry. It was interesting to see the ferry in action and pull up ashore discharging its load. I then drove up and soon we were on our way across, really an adventure in itself haha.

Reached KK town at about 4 with lots of time to spare. Shopped around the local market and drove around town. The town was so small we covered it in half and hour. Decided to drive out of town to the Sabah Administration HQ which was a swanky tower across the bay. When we got there we noticed there was a revolving restaurant and decided to have our dinner there. Food was mediocre and expensive but the views were awesome. Thereafter it was off to the airport to catch the flight home. Wished it would have been a nice uneventful journey back but it wasn't to be.

About 10 mins before boarding, the announcement came on that our flight was getting delayed due to inclement weather. By the time we left we were about half hour behind. Landed at JB Senai Airport and took a cab to the causeway. To our dismay the last bus had already left and we were stranded on the Malaysian side. SO with no other alternative, we had to walk across with packs on our bags, akin to a route march at 2am. Tried hitchhiking but all those Singaporeans were too wary to stop for us haha. Got across and cleared immigration and took a cab back. When I got out to get my luggage when we reached, the guy just drove off! He totally drove off!!! WTH. So i had to call Comfort and tell them to get the driver back and after 15 ins he came back apologetically.

So that in a nutshell was my Borneo Adventure. It was a n experience and one I hope will remain once in a lifetime haha.