If I had to describe 2017, I’d say it was a year of change.
I lost someone so dear to me at the start of the year, and that really broke my heart. It was kind of this that reminded me of the transience of life, and made me take on a bit of a “YOLO” (You Only Live Once) mentality to life – which meant I decided to just go ahead to do things that I like, without thinking too long and hard about logical reasons not to.
This meant a year of really indulging my love for adventure and travel. I was lucky to go on some work trips, but many were trips just to explore, with some really impulsive ones. There was Shiga Kogen in Japan to snowboard, Everest Base Camp, and almost three weeks in Peru with the highlight being the hike to Machu Picchu.
Then there were many small trips to neighbouring places in Asia like to Bangkok (three times!), Chiang Mai, Cambodia, Ho Chi Minh (also three times!), Seoul in Korea, Bali (what’s with the three times…but yes, three times!), Phuket…I spent way too much on travel in 2018, but I guess in 2018, I learnt that time is the most precious commodity that can never be bought back, and one I want to spend well.
I managed to catch two people I look up to in 2018 as well, Tony Robbins and Gary Vee, and I am hoping to further improve as a person as we go into 2019.
I saw a therapist for the first time this year, something I have only shared with a few close friends (till this video!). It felt self-indulgent and silly; perhaps I saw it as a bit of a weakness, but I have found it helpful, and as I hope for more growth in 2019, I will continue to see her.
In 2019, I hope for more growth, but honestly, with the year it’s been, I just hope for peace and joy in the new year, for me but even more so for my loved ones.
Passed by Carson Fall on the way up. This was really early on in the climb…
The weather was kind and it stopped raining about an hour into the climb. Everyone was getting really warm from the physical exertion, so we got rid of the waterproof and warmer layers and started stripping down to our lighter layers underneath. Some were down to singlet and shorts! I’m bad with cold so I was down to a sports top, one light thermal layer and an outer shell.
I was one of the few on this trip who didn’t bring along a “bladder” of water (that’s the pack of water where you can get to it hands-free, via a tube, as my cousin is doing, above); I had planned to just take a 500ml water bottle with me. I am bad with carrying heavy loads and I was determined to pack as lightly as possible on this trip! However, everyone advised me to bring more (they all brought like 3kg worth of fluids) so I brought three 500ml bottles with me. They meant well as dehydration is a real problem; but I really do know myself best, I think. I don’t perspire very much, and I am used to my long runs going for extensive periods without fluids. In the end, I finished just the one bottle! Admittedly, I didn’t want to over-hydrate also because I was hoping to not have to use the bathrooms along the way…not the most savory.
So glad it stopped raining and the sun came out! Finally started to warm up and was down to just my sports top.
Halfway up a mountain, but there’s always time for a fun picture! Here I am annoying Humphrey on his break, lol.
The porters who work the mountain tirelessly, day in day out, are truly the unsung heroes of this place. Animal labour is banned on the mountain (presumably to protect the flora and beauty of the place; I think it’s because animals eat the vegetation and also poop everywhere), but supplies such as food still have to reach the accommodation at the top (for people like me to rest and have a hot meal after a climb). The only way is by porter, and these men and women make the back-breaking climb daily; some with things as heavy as sacks of rice or cartons of condensed milk on their backs.
Some use their heads to support some of the load, as the man is doing here.
Many don’t wear proper shoes – most wear these rubber slip-ons that hardly look comfortable. I chose not to hire a porter and to carry my own load as I felt terrible about a potentially old man (there are young men and women porters, though not as many as there are older men) carrying my load. I still don’t know what’s the best thing to do though; friends have told me that hiring a porter gives them work and a source of much-needed cash. I just personally felt bad about it. Please let me know what you think is best on this matter!
Then of course, there are people who hire a porter responsibly, as my friends did, providing them a proper backpack to help carry up; and then there are people like this clown we met along the way, who had his porter carry up a cabin bag. I mean, seriously…
Nearing the destination here. The scenery was just beautiful and the winds were a welcome respite.
This part was pretty fun as it was all rock. Felt like I was in some computer game as we had to pick the right stones to step on. On our descent the next day, it was a storm (we’d apparently caught the edge of the Philippines typhoon) and this whole area was a veritable waterfall, with water gushing down the rocks. I unfortunately have no pictures as the storm was too crazy, the rain made visibility low and full concentration was needed to step on the right stones without falling (some friends in our party slipped and fell). I was also the only one who had just one, instead of two, hiking poles, so there was no way I could snap any pictures, although I actually liked having one hand free to balance and reach for rocks. Good shoes make SUCH a difference, that’s all I’ll say! So if you invest in just one thing on an outdoor trip, make it the shoes.
We finally hit our (mid-point) destination for the day at Laban Rata!
Our Laban Rata digs for the night!
The temperate climate at this altitude meant beautiful flora.
Marilyn and Char taking pictures of each other…taking pictures of each other!
Starving! So thankful for not just a hot meal, but a hot buffet meal that wasn’t half-bad. Shiok!
I basically conked out after dinner and a (very quick) shower before 7pm.
Woke up at 1am excited to summit! Here’s us packing and getting ready.
Sadly, went out to see a crazy storm of heavy rain and strong winds. I seriously wanted to cry. Was really looking forwardto doing the via ferrata down!!! I actually went to look for the ranger to plead with him to open the gates to let us up the mountain. He was really nice but firm about it and explained that it was for our own safety – it is extremely dangerous to attempt the summit in the cold and rain. Argh! Not meant to be, I guess.
We waited for awhile more before the guides said the weather would basically be like that the whole day. So we packed up, put on our rain gear and started the trek down in the storm. A (small) consolation was that at least that was pretty exciting! No pictures as it was near impossible to not use full concentration for balance and choices (which rock to step on without falling) especially at the higher levels.
We made it down safely in less than 5 hours. While the journey down was easier in terms of exertion as we did not have to fight against gravity, I found going down more difficult as it was slippery and required full mental concentration. My knees were also suffering – I think the next time I may take two poles to put more weight on my shoulders and arms instead of bearing the full impact on my legs (and poor knees!).
Back in KK town, we goofed around, got massages, shopped, ate…and ate some more.
The whole crew back at the airport. Couldn’t have asked for a better bunch to travel with. Thanks Eliza and Isaac for arranging everything! Till the next! (Rinjani, anyone?)
So I finally, FINALLY made time to climb a mountain. I’ve been thinking about it for ages; good friends have gone and I wasn’t able to make the time when those trips happened, but this year, the stars were aligned (and I put my foot down on work and committed to doing this, finally) and it happened! We were banging around trying to find common dates for the longest time, before finally settling on these July dates. The group grew larger and larger and I didn’t know everyone who on on this trip, but I was just glad it finally materialized!
The flight to Kota Kinabalu was at 0840 hours and some of the group wanted to meet at the check-in counter. I told them I’d see them on the plane. You see, I’ve realised after so many travels; some with friends for fun; some for work with a whole crew; some solo; that everyone has a different comfort level when it comes to timing. Will chat more about this in a another post, but simply put, some like to be at the airport two hours before departure; some like to go like REALLY early to chill and eat before boarding; and then there are people like me, who like to go at the last possible minute, and board the plane at the last possible minute. People who despise rushing hate the way someone like me cuts time so close because it makes them extremely anxious, while people like me feel like we are already going to waste some of our lives just SITTING on a plane – we’re not going any earlier than is absolutely necessary. So these days, unless I travel with my man (a fellow cut-it-close kinda person), I choose to meet people on the plane or when we alight at our destination to prevent any potential unhappiness!
Here’s some of our group happy in our vehicle that was bringing us to Sutera Lodge, the base of Mount Kinabalu where we would start our climb.
Enroute.
So many Catholic churches on the way up to our starting point and resting place for the night, Sutera Lodge. I felt sure I was going to be blessed and protected on this trip, and this was His sign!
Grocery run before hitting the resort! Highly recommend this if you’re watching your budget – stuff costs a lot more the higher up the mountain you get! I bought chocolate and instant noodles. That’s my crazy cousin doing her ‘thang in a KK supermart!
Our swanky digs for the night before starting the climb bright and early the next day. I must say, I was expecting conditions to be really rough, even for the first night, so this was a more-than-pleasant surprise!
We got settled in, then it was time for the mandatory briefing, which was a 5 minute walk from our lodge.
Here’s us annoyingly-addicted-to-being-connected Singaporeans enjoying the last bits of free wifi while waiting for the briefing to start.
Fun times at dinner!
Morning of the climb! Excuse the makeup-less face, lol. Weather looked great and everyone was super psyched as we headed down to checkout and for breakfast to fuel up before starting.
Except that it started absolutely POURING as we finished our breakfast. That was a slight dampener to our spirits (pun fully intended, heh). It didn’t crush us entirely though – suited up in our waterproofs, and off we went!
