Our long standing friend and regular travel companion - Steven Pang OT and his wife, Diana Sim; my wife Winnie and I, attempted to scale Mt Kinabalu last year on 9 August 2008. Why this day? Because my wife's birthday falls on S'pore's National Day !!! However, except for Steven (our only marathonist in the group), the rest of us didn't summit LOW's PEAK (4,095.2 meters) but stopped at Laban Rata resting hut (3,600+ meter high) as some of us were down with flu.
We are going for a second attempt this year and we hope to be summiting on the 20 July 2009. This time, we will have an additional adventurer in his youthful days - my 2nd son Benjamin Thong to boost our morale. Why 20th July ? It is his birthday!
We are going for a second attempt this year and we hope to be summiting on the 20 July 2009. This time, we will have an additional adventurer in his youthful days - my 2nd son Benjamin Thong to boost our morale. Why 20th July ? It is his birthday!
UPDATE ON THE SECOND ATTEMPT - on 20th JULY 2009
The first part of the climb from the Basecamp to Laban Rata was done clipping off some 1 hour from our previous record, just in time before a heavy rainstorm that battered the compound till midnight. However, Benjamin, the youngest of us all, did it in less than 5 hours.
The final ascent to Low's Peak started early next morning at about 0245hr, after a light breakfast at 0200hr. Winnie & myself could only make it to the 2nd portion of the ropes on the cliff side around 0530hr when the mountain guide advised us to return to our WARAS Hut as that part of the climb would be too "challanging" for us at such a late hour (cloud formations) on our return trip.
Steven & Benjamin floated way ahead of us, reaching Low's Peak and returning to the WARAS Hut around 0945hr for their full breakfast and and a short rest before starting our descent at 1045hr - all the way down to the Basecamp.
We reached the Basecamp at approx. 1700hr., again being battered by a downpour halfway down.
Overall, we had improved on our timing compared to the last climb and felt less fatique dispite of climbing the additional 2km up and down the cliff in the wee hours of the morning.
It was another experience of a lifetime for us and especially so for Benjamin, who was On-Top-Of-The-World at 4,095.2 meters (at least on top of SE Asia) on his BIRTHDAY.
We also enjoyed the other attractions planned for the rest of the trip viz.:
1) white water rafting at Kiulu River
2) Mari-Mari Cultural Village
3) Snorkeling & other water sports at Sapi Island
4) hot spring at Poring Spring and last but not least
5) all the delicious seafood in KK.
A special mentioned for a most comfortable stay of a lifetime in Le Meridian Hotel in KK.
Share our fatigue and achievement by clicking on the link below to view some pictures of the former and recent attempts. Hope that it will interest you to take up this adventure:-
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