20 May 2007 - dAy 4 @ kOTa kInABalU

1:45am...I was still under my thick blanket, unwillingly to get out from there because the temperature is way too low till my head hurted so badly. Kriangsak started to worry whether I am able to continue my journey or not and he massaged my head with some traditional medicine. "Are you okay now Mak?" I nodded and started putting up my jacket and long pants, off we went for the Laban Rata Resthouse to meet the rest of the group. My legs hurted so bad due to the climbing the day before. But I was not alone, it seemed to happen to almost everyone except those guide. The breakfast sure looked delicious but I had no appetite to even finish it, just two forks of noodle and that was it. My friends kept asking am I okay or not. I only keep telling myself that I can't give up to catch the sunrise on the summit hahaha...

We started our journey at around 2:30am. This will be the moment when your physical fitness and mental capability put to test. Most climbers are able make it to 3,688m where the shelters are. However, make it to peak which stands 4,095.2m is really another story as not everyone is able to make it that far. Even the person who has make it in the first try might not able to make it in the second try. Don't be frightened, it is really not so bad, just remember to breathe :P

Everywhere is dark. I can only see beam of headlight way up the mountain just like stars flashing in the sky. Oh yeah, there are lots of star that morning. The journey was quiet because I think everyone must be really tired and sleepy hahaha... KS remind me to breathe harder every step otherwise I will feel headache and dizzy. We climbed for about 800m of steep stairs then we came across some very steep cliff that we need to hold on to the rope. It was raining the night before so the rope is wet and cold so it is icy. Luckily I brought my groves otherwise the icy rope will cut my hands badly. It was very dark so you won't know how high you are at that moment. All I can see are headlights. After more than an hour, my headlight had run out of battery and I tried to keep up with the climber in front of me. After a while, I came across a couple who let me pass them as they want to rest for a while. Suddenly, the girl called "Mak, is that you?" I turned to look, oh it's Gary and his gf hahaha it was so dark, I can't even see their face. They asked me whether I will continue my journey or not. The reason is that they have come across a couple who gave up so that influence them to give up as well so they let the next pass by person to decide their fate, if the next pass by person give up, they will give up. But unfortunately that person is me hahaha...without thinking twice, I replied to them, "Of course, the peak is just there" while saying it, I pointed to where ever the peak is with my finger because it is dark, so I myself also don't know where it is :P They gave me 2 new batteries but I shut off my light and asked them to climb in front of me saying to save battery but on the other hand, I won't allow them to give up :P I keep saying "Jia yu Gary, Jia yu Fong Kyu" hahaha...they laughed.

After we have climbed for about 4 hours, we finally reached KM 8, another 500m to reached the peak.

Before we can reach the highest peak, the sun has already started to rise. I took a while to enjoy the view while others continue the climbing. There was an German lady asked me to take the photo for her as her friends weren't there yet. The sun reminds me of the eye of mondor in LOTR. It is really a great experience of the most magnificent sunrise of my lifetime, really no regret to climb this far.


Some people thought that Mount Kota Kinabalu was an old volcano but it is actually granite pluton. Many of you might probably think what the heck is granite pluton? When huge molten rock underneath the earth's crust is hardened, it will form a granite mound which called pluton. Then such granite pluton was pushed outward from the earth's crust to form Mount Kota Kinabalu. According to some geologist, Mount Kota Kinabalu is still growing from the current altitude of 4095m every year.

Shadow of Mount Kota Kinabalu extended across the landscape below.

The Low's Peak is up there as marked.

Final journey up to the Low's Peak as shown below.

Here I am standing at the highest summit of Borneo. I am really happy to reach this far as not everyone can stand at this Low's Peak. I really couldn't believe that I actually make it up to this altitude.

St. John's peak is behind me.

The rocks are steep and slippery, better watch out or else... :P

Hahaha...the bottom photo is quite funny. It looked KC doesn't want to go home :P

Stones piled up in front of KS is used to pray for those climbers who have lost their life and their bodies are never been found so far. According to the guide, some tourist does not listen to the expert's advice and end up slipping off the cliff to their death. There was a fat teenager who is very stubborn and ignore the guide yet still scold the guide that it is his life and it is none of his business if he died. He scolded him in cantonese because he thought the guide cannot understand but actually the guide does.

KS has done a good jump while mine couldn't capture by the camera at the right time so it ended up look like Stitch was dancing on top of the mountain :P

Not far away from where I slept, there are two peaks which called the Donkey's Ear, one of the seven major peaks.

Enjoying my view across Sabah landscape.

KC is sitting there suffering from gastric but luckily she made it down the mountain, thanks God.

This is the beginning of those steep cliff that you need to hold on to the rope to go up and down. Look at the lady on top of me then you will probably able to estimate how steep it is.

Safrey Sumping, our guide who is standing at the left, won 3rd place of the 20th MT Kinabalu International Climbathon 2006. He will compete this year again and hopefully will win the championship. Can you see how much weight he carry? He followed us all along to make sure that we make it down the mountain safely.

Here is my shoes, all covered with mud and scratches left by sharp rock.

Here are my certificates, one showing that I climbed using the Mesilau Trial which is 2.5km longer journey and the other showing that I have successfully made it to the Low's Peak. For those who doesn't made it to Low's Peak, will get his/her certificate without color.

That night was a tired night. Everyone walked so weird due to the muscles pain. Some of them went straight for the hot spring while I waited till the next day because I want to take better photos during the daytime and another reason is that my muscles are really killing me hehehehe :P Stay tuned~