Kinabalu

Masa berlalu terlalu pantas. Kini sudah masuk bulan kedua dalam kalendar Masihi 2016. Terasa setahun yang lalu macam masih fresh dalam ingatan. Aku perlu take a few steps back untuk berlipur lara untuk post kali ini sebab everything started quite a year back.

Menjejak awan at Laban Rata accommodation, 3272m

A year ago, someone dalam komuniti kami telah petik the idea of scaling up Mount Kinabalu. And the idea evolved so fast that it catered 24 individuals within weeks. I was one of them. It was my second attempt. The first was in 2007 in a small party of 7. However, this time the group is huge and the buddies were like perfect.

Though after my first attempt, I was like sort of retired from all this mountain madness, due to time and age of course, but this party is irresistible. You wouldn't want to miss it.

Fund was collected in stages. We had a year to come up with it. It was a good idea, ample and convenient. I like the idea. We bought our flight in January with Malindo at RM325. And some where in April we paid our climbing fee deposit of about RM314. The balance of it came it subsequently and followed by ground handling expenses. With a total of almost RM1000 per person, we find it perfect.

Then came in the training. We scaled a few neighbouring hills and mountains such as Pine Tree Trail, in Fraser Hill, Gunung Datuk in Rembau and Gunung Bunga Buah at Genting Highland. The later was my favorite since the old mountain days. I like the view from the first Rock Garden Peak of Genting Resort. It also reminds me of Gunung Tahan.

I even started running again. After a laborious attempt at Bunga Buah, I knew that I need strong legs and stamina. Hence, the running started weeks before Kinabalu and I revisited the favorite local 8km loop.

On 31-January 2016 we made it to the peak of Mount Kinabalu. 4095.25 meters, as the highest ground in South East Asia. All 24 of us. Totally exhausted but with buddies like this, it was fun. Alhamdulillah.

The cold and chilling wind was stronger than before but the hours spent and magnificent views were prestine.

Low's Peak Smile