-Part 1- A Self-Challenging Trip to Mount Kinabalu~ Yeah!

After a few weeks of hiking on weekend as training, it was the date! It exerted anxiety on most of us as we are worried that we could not make it to the peak. However, things shouldn't stop just for the worry, but we shall try our best.

8 May 2013 that marked the beginning of our journey, Ai Yin and me was taking the flight from Penang to KL, then only departing to Sabah from KL. I met one of my secondary school friend in LCCT, Chan Joo. She missed the time for checking in luggage, and so have to get another tickets immediately to join her friends. While I was reminding myself of not falling into the trap like this, I saw... Shu Yih? Am I wrong? Oh gosh. From the FB info, they should have departed once we reach. LOL! Actually they made a mistake for the time, should be the flight later, haha! We chit chat a bit. Then Ai Yin and me went for breakfast in MarryBrown. Something that little of you know, I carelessly lost my boarding pass and some of the receipts that I put in the trolley, huhu... That cost me another RM21 to print in the cyber cafe in LCCT. We reached Sabah at about 2.30pm, meeting Shu Yih and Der Jiun again while waiting for the rest. Jok E and the bf reached in a while, communicating with the drivers first. There was a shift in plan for transport, and so we had to wait for the bro-in-law of Jacy, then only started collecting the rest from Tanjung Aru. 4pm, the exact time of departure towards Kinabalu Park HQ. The transfer costs RM58 per person for a return trip.

When we reached there, the sky is already getting dark. After checking in for all my friends, we dropped our luggage at Rock Hostel and getting back to Balsam Buffet Restaurant for dinner.


9 May 2013 We moved from the hostel to the same restaurant again for breakfast. Meanwhile, I settled the fees for mount guide and tranfer to Timpohon Gate. 14 of us need 3 guide that was RM450 in total, and the transfer is RM9 per pax. Part of our luggage were kept at Sutera luggage room, RM10 per piece of luggage. They are very kind, some of us combine the luggages that saved some money. Around 9am, we were ready for the transfer to Timpohon Gate.


And here we reach Timpohon Gate.


Then only the real journey starts. To be continued...

Plan for the Challenge

Day passes and we are getting from kids, teenagers, adults and at the end towards the aged. We do not know how many 10 years that we can achieve, but the least to do for ourselves is to fill life with colours.

It was the plan since don't know how many years ago that we mentioned about this: We are going to conquer Mount Kinabalu. As usual, some plans are dragged years by years until one day someone creates the sparkle that keeps the plan moving. It was Annie, Jacy's sister that asked around. Eventually, the interest spread to Lian Chee that try to make it as our annual trip. I guess she has gone through some resistance to eventually collect 14 of us to go in a group. A huge group for hiking right? Haha.

Well, buying the flight ticket doesn't seem to be a confirmation to join the trip. After buying the flight tickets, some matters occur. Der Jiun and Shu Yih planned to not joining the hike. At that time, I was having some conflict with my lab mates about our Sabah trip too. That makes me wonder: Must I really join the trip too since the hiking experience doen't count everyone in? It should be an annual gathering for our BCM family. We won't be able to spend much time together if the trip goes on like this. After getting myself cool down, I get to see their point and concern over the matter. I do agree that it's not convincing to promote a local trip for RM 1000, especially when we need the money for something else.

And hence, I decided to take up the responsibility to organize the trip this time, hoping that I would be able to get something that satisfy most of us. However, communication is kinda hard as most of my friends are staying in Selangor, so the only thing I can do is to discuss through FACEBOOK and followed by personal message or SMS after that. The only thing that I regretted is on the transport that I promised Uncle Chong, but somehow I have to change the plan at last minute. People might not understand why do I insist on taking Uncle Chong. For me, a promise is a promise that should not be broken, I dislike people that simply say things then just ignore it. That shows that the person is not trustworthy. However, at the end I change mind because I think the opinion of others should be taken into account.

After comparing a few companies, we decided to take the package from Sutera Santuary Lodges that costs RM560 for hiking package from Timpohon Gate. We almost missed the place offered by them but luckily, the place come back to us after that. Huh! And so the date s set to be on 8-11 May 2013.