Climbing Mt Kota Kinabalu

Here is a very short and quick update on my latest activities in Asia Pacific.

Work is going well, I like what I am doing, life is moving fast (that’s what happens when you are having fun) and I have already been in Singapore for more than 5 months.
During this time, I have done several trips to Malaysia and am preparing for an upcoming trip to Thailand, this time to Bangkok.
Also I have a trip to Mexico coming up for Xmas, let’s see how that goes, not exactly Asia but nevertheless very very exciting.
This Monday I came back from climbing the highest peak in South East Asia called Mt Kota Kinabalu. It was physically, the most challenging experience of my life.
Day 1:

07:00am-Going from hostel in Kota Kinabalu towards Kinabalu Park, 2 hours from KK, home of the 1st UNESCO protected site in Malaysia. There was a land slide on the way, we were quite late waiting for over an hour for the police to open the road.

11:30am-Started the trekking of 8.5 Km from the base of the Mount Kinabalu towards the Base Camp, the point at Km 6 where people sleep.

16:40pm-Arriving to the Camp after almost 5 hours of climbing. Breathless. 99% of the path is VERY steep. Temperature 12 degrees C.

17:40 pm-Getting something to eat, quick hot shower (thank goodness there was hot water) and off to bed, needed to wake up at 2 am and fight my way to the top of the mountain – another 3 km to go.

19:20 pm – Sound asleep in the hostel room with my 4 roommates.

DAY 2

02:00am - Wake up!!!!!! Quick breakfast. Get the layers and layers of clothes on you, torchlight on your head and mentally prepare for the ride of your life. Temperature 7.8 degrees C at base came.

02:42am - Start the second climbing towards the LOW’s PEAK (4,095.2 m) to see sunrise.

05:45 am - A thin line of sunlight in the horizon appears as we climb up the tip of the LOW PEAK. Temperature: 2C.

06:00 am - The sun is up, warming our face and hands. We reach the peak after lots of sweat, doubts and energy spent. The boots are heavier than ever but you feel sense of achievement and power. Taking lots of pictures.

07:00 am - Descending back to base camp starts.

08:30 am – More food and packing for the way down

09:00 am – Start of the descend down Mt. K. – additional 6 Km back. All downwards – painful on the legs

2:00 pm Reaching Final Destination where a van awaits us to take us back to Kota Kinabalu – the city at the bottom of the mountain.

An incredible experience!!! After this you feel you can do anything.