Si Hui's Climbing Experiences

We reach Mt. Kinabalu headquater, there we met our mountain guide cum porter. He is very young, only 17 years old. His name is Bill. He has to carry our 11kg bag which was packed with all our winter wear with us to the top of the mountain. Our bag for him has no proper support for his back, which i feel quite bad and sorry for him. His back must be aching.

As blur as my usual self , i did not know how far are we climbing. So we take it very slowly.

We start from the Mesilau trail with the packed lunch in our bag. We carry about 2 kg bag for this climb oursleves. Looking at the startng point of the trail, i felt it was quite cool. The trail was a bit dark and so natural. As we wait through, the first complaint i make it why are we walking down after we climb so much. This is because we have to climb up more to reach to the top of the mountain. But soon, i realised that this trail is the best. I can see lots of different things, like the vegetations, the trees, two small waterfalls, and the walking path is so different. We walked on man-made stairs, wooden stairs, on different kinds of rocks. It is really beautiful. God's creation is so beautiful. Best part of the climb: Waterfall and no mosquitos. Climbing upward is the worst part of the climb. But that is not all.

Soon, after about 5 hours of climb, we realised that we are halfway done, which means we are at the four km. We started the climb on 0945am. You know what, i already feel like giving up when i reach about 3.5km. I am already struggling. I already felt so breathless. And we have another 4 km to go. That is already so crazy to me at that point of time. Every 0.5km of walking feels so difficult. After the 4km, i already do not care about stopping to see the scenary. I just want to rest. But i cannot give up, cause there is no one to bring me down the mountain. There is also no one to carry me up the mountain. I cannot stuck in between the mountain. Cause not even helicopter can save me now.

At 6pm, we are aound 5-6km of the trail. The sky is getting dark. The weather is getting colder. The temperature is less than 10 degree celsius. We quickly put on our poncho and headlight. Can you imagine how dark it is. In a mountain place without lamp post. The horrible part is that it is too cold for us. Tse Lert is the one who fear cold the most. Too thin la. Must eat more. For me, i am already losing my motivations. I cannot see the end. I kept stopping and asked for rest. I am already too tired. Li xin is the one who is strong. Luckily for her, she didnt really complain why we are slowing her down. She kept encouraging us. That tse lert, you know, during the climb, li xin will be in front of me and tse lert behind me. I really scared i slowed down tse lert because she had to stop whenever i stop and i guess it will be more tiring for her. I felt guilty to stop so often and caused her to lose her momemtum to climb. At the rest time, she then tell me that luckily i often took rest, cause she felt chest pain during the climb, and she didnt tell us during the climb. I wanted to scold that person le!!

As we past by various hut in the mountain, i felt so sad. Cause there is a place to rest but we cannot. Bill's mother meet us aound the 7km of the trail. She then told us that Mesilau trail is not for us, who has no experience in climbing. She suggust we should try the Timphonon Gate first.
When i heard that, i felt a sense of accomplishment, while, i almost reach my destination. At that time, i vow i never come back to this place again.

Oh well, if you have not realised, we havent ate our dinner. Cause our dinner is in the hut, Gunting. We are so hungry, tired and also also freezed to death.

Step by step, inch by inch, even the last 100 to 200m of the walk, is difficult for us. We made our way to Gunting. It was already 10 plus. Me and tse Lert decided not to climb the summit the next morning at 2am. I think because 100m of walking is already tough for us. How can we go up to the top?

Well, we finally reach Gunting, the non-heated dormitry. As the name suggusted, it is so cold instead. We have no choice but to wear our long john, thick socks and long pant. We quickly threw our stuff on the floor. Our room was so messed up. I quickly ate a few mouthful of rice,vegetables and meat and tucked in in my bed to sleep.

I was awoke in the middle of the night by the noise other back packers who are intending to go for the summit climb. I saw Li Xin was still sleeping. I woke her up so that she wont be late for the climb and miss the sunrise. Meanwhile, i am tossing in my bed, mind is still very alert. I am surprised i felt no aching sensation in my legs and hands. I am deciding whether to go for the climb. In the end, i gave the thoughts of climbing. Up to now, i felt so 'ke xi'. But given at the same situation, i think i will still not want to climb up. So, if i really want to climb Mt. Kinabalu again, i really make sure i have enough training to climb the summit. I may also need to learn some mountaineering skills.