Kota Kinabalu - Day 4

After resting for the night. Everyone got to wake up and start the next climb at 230am in order to catch the sun rise. As usual I woke up very early around 1am. Washed up and get ready for a light supper and the climb. My new friend told me it was 9.8 degrees outside! I wore 3 layers of tee shirts inside and a jacket to keep my upper body warm, a boxer and shorts and jeans to keep lower body warm.


The climb to the Summit although is only 2.2km from Laban Rata rest house but it was also the most difficult climb (at least for me!) cos we had to navigate our way through the dark early morning and can only depend on our head lamp for the light source to see our paths ahead. So i had to climb slowly through the treacherous terrain that is ahead of me and sometimes i even need to go on fours to continue the climb! Along the way i am thinking to myself why i am going through all this! But then the thought of taking good photos of the Summit perks me up and with my strong will power and determination, i pushed on! I knew i can do it if i want to!


I am quite slow, and was the last few to reach the Summit at 730am so as a result, I missed the sun rise :( but personal safety is important then anything else! The climb from Laban Rata rest house to the Summit took me about 5 hours. But i am glad that I DID IT! And i am so proud of myself. For someone whose fitness level is only so-so and scared of heights, i think have made a very significant accomplishment for myself!


The climb down from the Summit to Laban Rata rest house was even tougher towards the later part of the climb because by now, there is daylight and you can see everything clearly ahead and below you... i had to climb down slowly and carefully... even the use of my butt to keep my balance is very useful at this point of time! There is one part of the climb which sent shivers down my spine. This path is so narrow and with only a rope to keep your balance, one missed step and down you go... Took me about another 5 hours to reach Laban Rata rest house. I did a quick shower, check out, order my breakfast cum lunch (cos i came down too late, missed the breakfast buffet) before making the way down back to Kinabalu Park HQ via the Timphon trail.


The trip down seems so much easier now... from rocky paths to steps and more steps before reaching the Timpohon gate. It only took me 4 hours to finish the 6km trail back to Timphon gate. Upon reaching Kinabalu Park HQ, i collected my certificate for the climb and went off to catch a bus back to Kinabalu City where i will be staying for one more night before going home the next day. Waited for nearly one hour but no bus in sight, so in the end, paid 80rm for a minibus to send me to Cititel Express Hotel. Reached the hotel around 8pm. After checking in to my room, I had a quick hot shower, went to have my dinner and had a good body + foot massage before resting for the night.






More photos here