I’ve found a new LOVE

Wow…wow…I’m so excited…I’m so excited
I so wanted to bog this a couple of weeks back…

I’ve found a new LOVE

Met this guy…in Nike Women for Love Event about 1 month back…and fell in love
Yes fell face on in love with the sport he was into…I’m referring to the sport not da man!!
I’m in Love with Rock Climb duh!! ....lol

Where did this all come about? Da love…da passion…
Just like how I LOVE my BC… Da challenge and trills and excitement makes me bagging for more…
Crazy as it sounds…dats me…CRAZY

Other then dat…for me, people and place are the most important aspects of any endeavor. Being outside with an experienced climber who is trusted and respected is, to me, a perfect place to start climbing. I can't say I was this lucky. I was so..so.. lucky to hav meet dis bunch of climbers. They even formed a group called Green Trekkerz.

So what do I need to climb?
When I went for my 1st climb, I know next to zero about rock climb…
Albert (this guy I met in Nike Women event) he said just bring yourself and a bottle of water.. That’s it?
That’s it!! That’s exactly what I did. With self confidence…stamina and endurance of my many many Combat classes and RPM classes I made my self up on to da rocks..

Some pictures I took on my 1st climb…
…2nd climb

And I’m so into it that I’m searching on da Internet on climb techniques…there’s just so much to learn…but everything said and done, experience comes in as da most important aspect.
Follow your intuition is wat on of da climbers told me. If you feel dat’s a good grip, take it. No one knows better of your body then u yourself.

Trip To Mount Kinabalu - Chapter 1 (6 March 2008)

Waiting for boarding at KL LCCT at 8am








2 and 1/2 hour flight (9.30am - 12pm)

Up...Up...and away

The spectacular view of South China Sea from de plane

WOW!! WOW!!

Along the journey to Borneo Global Backpackers Lodge

My Room - Basic but Clean

Checking out my climbing gear

Look at those rubber studs

Trip To Mount Kinabalu - Chapter 2 (6 March 2008)

First "Outing" Center Point Sabah...
My fren, he said there is real good discounted NIKE outfit here..
Let's check them out!!!

Lunch Time...HUNGRY YO!!

"Ngau Chap"

Beef Noodle - one of the local food here

I needed to get myself a sweater for the cold weather up in mountains

Got this at 70% discount - RM 39 after discount

True enough...Nike and Adidas were at 50%-70% discount Last seasons' though..but still!!! Not complaining This was on 50%
Got it for RM 89.00

Pink Adidas RM 69.90

Nike Green RM 45.00 - Nike Blue Rm 94.50
Started shopping at 2pm Finished at 6pm

Dinner not provided...so had to hunt for food

Dinner at one of the Mamak near by

Trip To Mount Kinabalu - Chapter 3 (7 March 2008)

Me...Getting Ready for the Big Day..D Climb

1st Layer ------2nd Layer

All done!!

Mount KK here I come!!!
My journey started at 8.00am after a "good nite sleep" The journey to Kinabalu Park HQ - approx. 2 hours.

Kinabalu Park Headquarters lies at an elevation of 1,563 meters (5,128 feet) above sea level. The 90 kilometers (50 mile) drive along sealed road takes an easy journey but not until the road passes the little town of Tamparuli, after about 45 minutes, does it start to rise.
Some of the best views come near Kampung Kelawat at the kilometer 55 (to Ranau) mark, when the mountains rises dramatically ahead as we round the corner.

The rain decided to pour half way thru our journey

I dun LIKE this!!

Arrived at Kinabalu Park HQ at about 10.00am. From here we can see the mountain more clearly and closely.
Kinabalu Park

Can't resist those beautiful flowers

God Creates... Human Imitates

Registration point before the climb - Sutera Sanctuary Lodge Reception office.

Take Nothing But Photographs - Leave Nothing But Footprints

Out Tour Agency registered for us. Came back with a name tag and a cute, young looking guide cum porter.
Name is Francis(will get pictures of him later)
We were then taken to the Timpohon Gate, the entrance to the summit trail where the start climbing.

It is a 15 minutes drive along the 4 kilometers (2.5 miles) winding and a steep uphill road leads to directly to the gate.

Timpohan Gate... It's time to climb

NOTE: time on pic is 1 hour faster
After a short registration at the gate, SURPRISE!! the short first section of the rough gravel and sand track leads down, not up, across small gully to join the main flank of the mountain, and past the little trickle of Carson's falls, named after the first Park Warden.

Carson's Fall

From Carson's fall the trail rises steadily as a series of rough, uneven steps, right up to the overnight huts at Laban Rata (3,272 meters/10,735 feet)
Along the way there will be 7 shelters (pondok) where each pondok have toilets & untreated mountain water source. The average time taken to reach Laban Rata is about 4 - 6hours

1st 500 meter

The first trail shelter, Pondok Kandis, is reached at 1,981 meters (6,499 feet), with excellent views looking down to the coast (southwest). It is a steep 30 minutes climb to the shelter.
Pit Stop No 1 - Pondok Kandis

This is where we get water supply and do nature call

Climb continued...with raincoat on coz mother nature decided to cry

...........................i have climbed 1.0KM .......................still goin strong!!
Pit Stop No 2 - Pondok Ubah
Continuing along the Summit Trail for another 20 minutes, is Pondok Ubah, 2095 meters (6874 feet). It is a shelter just below a well known site for what must be one of Borneo's most unusual pitcher plants, Nephentes

Soon after, an overgrown track leads off left to the radio station, but the main trail continues to the right contouring around the ridge. The forest becomes thicker and mossy, tree ferns are abundant and everywhere the long spiky shoots of climbing bamboo pierce the mist.

Arrived Pondok Lowii (2286 meters, 7500 feet) after 30 minutes of climbing. The air is damp and green moss and ferns carpet the ground and stunted trees.
Pit Stop No 3 - Pondok Lowii

More to climb

Still more to climb...

but i'm good

What M I doin here ...hanging to dear life

Pit Stop No 4 - Pondok Mempening
After about 40 min climb is Pondok Mempening(2518 meters, 8262 feet) wild begonias growing nearby. Stop at this pondok and observe the squirrels, tree-shrews and birds that seems so unafraid and come looking for discarded food on the ground

Pit Stop No 5 - Layang-Layang (previously known as Carson's Camp)
Soon we will emerge onto an open exposed ridge at Layang-Layang 2,702 meters (8865 feet), where a small tin hut provides a welcome resting place (though not an overnight stop) for weary climbers. It is a 30 minutes journey. Here wild raspberries and a view to the East make a rest or lunch stop enjoyable. At this point a band of ultramafic soil, distinguished by its orange-cinnamon colour, crosses the trail and the vegetation changes dramatically. The forest becomes shorter and much more open and is dominated by the second species of Leptospermum that grows on Kinabalu, L. recurvum, with its tiny grey leaves. This is also the zone of insect-eating pitcher plants which Kinabalu is famous.

Ultramafic soil - distinguished by its orange-cinnamon colour, with the shorter forest, dominated by Leptospermum tree.
Shortly after, you suddenly leave the ultramafic soils. The forest again changes back to taller trees draped thickly in mosses, and orchids cover the ground in between tumble granite boulders.

Pit Stop No 6 - Pondok Villosa
After about 45 minutes and at about 2,690 meters (8,825 feet), arrived at Pondok Villosa.

It is situated at the top of an open rocky patch and soon the forest becomes more stunted. Superb view of the mountain towering above.

KM 5.0 One more Pit stop and i'll be at Laban Rata at no time

That's me trying to catch a good picture of myself!! Ya.. no one around..My climb partner is far behind and i'm happily testing out my poses ;> he..he

PART 2 - Me sheok sendiri

Me - Part 3

Opps...did i get myself upside down Nvm me..i'm goin insane!!

More? Part 4

M i turning into a Vampire!!
Gosh!!! u cant imagine the adrenalin rush up here.
O2 is so so thin here. But i'm Loving it

Pit Stop No 7 - Pondok Paka
Another 45 minutes of journey, we will arrive at the seventh shelter, Pondok Paka at 3,080 meters (10,105 feet), named after the Paka Cave nearby, famous as the place where Low, Whitehead and others slept before making the final assault on the summit. The Paka cave, on the edge of a small stream, is really nothing more than a large overhanging rock. It can be reached along a rather overgrown track to the left, which continues above the cave to join the main trail higher up. This detour is fairly steep but takes only a little longer than the standard route.

Finally...some1 to take picture for me

Still me and my close shots ... look i got Anthon at the background

5.5 Km ... i'm almost there

The scenery is just awesome from here

MY GUIDE - Francis

At Last Laban Rata Resthouse
Laban Rata The thinning air makes it harder to breathe, but the accomodation complex of Laban Rata lies about another 40 minutes ahead. The Laban Rata Resthouse is equipped with running water, electricity, a restaurant and indor showers and toilets. Electric heaters are provided in the rooms (in Laban Rata resthouse) as well as blankets. This is the resting place for most climbers. You can have your meal, wash yourself up and just have a nice rest with your travel guidebook to read.