What I don’t really like this time... Mount Kinabalu

Mount Kinabalu
6-8 April 2011

Kali ni ade one thing yang aku betul2 tak satisfy dengan arrangement having made by Sutera Sanctuary. Masa aku sampai baru aku tahu yang not only booking package ade new rules and regulations but other few things as well. Especially meals… I think this time, this become a very hot topic in our Kinabalu trip this time. From MNR café until at Laban Rata café…all with different stories. Tapi aku rase kat MNR café tu dari last year lagi tak pernah suka kami local people… it was like we’re unwelcomed. Come on, we paid OK not FOC. You should treat us like others. What so special about Korean, mat salleh or whatever outsiders. Minta polistrene & plastic pun… muka… ya Allah macam kami ni buat a really big mistakes of asking that. I don’t mind even I have to pay for that but pleaseeee don’t show us your ugly face… I cannot stand to see that. Our intention that time is to save the food since we cannot finish it that morning. Luckily aku tak angin pulak masa tu boleh senyum jer memanjang with the hope that they might consider that… reverse phycology yea. Agak2 nyer kalau kakak aku ader masa tu, mau dihambur jea receptionist kat café tu… hehehe. KLMJ.

Masa kat Laban Rata citer lain plak, pasal food juga. Kita orang arrived agak lambat pukul 6.30 p.m macam tu. Masa tu dapat sms dari yang lain maybe will arrive late so, since food not much left for dinner aku pun buatlah arrangement dengan café kat situ suruh tapow kan utk 4 persons and 3 guides. Rupa nyer Guides takde dinner … aku terlepas cakap plak. So, aku pun punye lah cari idea macam mana nak tapow kan for our guides. Luckily, 1 hour after that Jol n Fik pun sampai, and masa tu dinner yg tapow dah ader kat aku. So, aku suruh dua orang tu makan dulu so that aku bleh lah kasi kat guide nanti. Rupa2 nyer we’re being watched, orang café kat situ asyik duk datang kat aku tanye geng2 aku dah sampai blum. Aku rase 3 kali juga lah dia datang tanye… tapi everytime dia datang pun aku cakap… not yet (dengan senyuman paling menawan)… so, dah jemu dia pun stop… eventough aku rase dia dah dapat agak. Who cares???… yang penting niat aku baik. Padahal masa tu memang adeq n Fad je yang tak sampai lagi. Pelik sungguh, benda2 kecik macam ni pun nak jadikan issue… come on, makanan banyak jer lagi masa tue. Again, we have paid OK… aku nak makan banyak mana pun peduli apa (walaupun agak mustahil bagi aku)… buffet kan, you don’t have to ask so many stupid questions.

Luckily, they did not asked anything masa supper.

Not ended like that. Citer masa kami dah sampai kat Kinabalu Park. OK, this time we cannot replace lunch with Dinner… new rules juga. Tapi yang tak puas hati nyer, kasi nasi goring yg sangat banyak nasi nyer lepas tue tabor dengan ayam rebus yang dah dipotong kecik2… tengok pun memang hilang selera walaupun masa tu aku sangat lapar. Tak sempat plak aku nak capture masa tu. Hilang semua mood… walaupun Berjaya naik n turun.

I’m still not understood why they create this stupid rules. How can you expect every people to reach early or almost the same time at Timpohon gate. Different people might have different stamina and speed… one might fast and the other might slow. Like our team, since two members already injured, this might slow down our descending time. Eventhough, I could make it within 3 and half hours from Laban Rata to Timpohon Gate but still I have to wait for other teamates before we can proceed. We work as a team. Everything has to be done together…remember that.

Masa nak booking pun.... hal lain plak. This time, you cannot ask the breakdown price when you do the booking. All packages will have the same price. Even if you did not stay at Laban Rata resthouse, you still have to pay the same amount even if you stay at Panar Laban Hut and Gunting Lagadan Hut. To me, this is really unfair. Laban Rata is much better than other resthouse up there, you shud consider that even without the heater.

To Sutera Sanctuary, please be more organize. This is one of Malaysian Heritage that we should proud to. People come all over the world just to see the magnificent of Mount Kinabalu. Don’t spoil all these things just because of your new unacceptable rules.

Day 2... Mesilau to Laban Rata

7th April 2011
Mesilau Trail, Mount Kinabalu

We started a bit late this time around 9.30 a.m after breakfast and a short briefing by one of our guide, Pak James Jaibi. This time, we had 3 guides, Gojes hired personel guide, Pak Jimin... and the other 6 of us shared the same guide which also our potter, Pak Jurinin and Pak James. Our guides memang Best and sporting… luv them all… the best guide ever.

I was not so rushing like what I did last time in the same track. This time, I preferred to be more relax and steady… why?? I don’t wanna miss every single beautiful thing along the Mesilau Track. It was awesome and very nice view along the Mesilau track which I guaranteed… none of you are not gonna miss it.

This time, every KM we've reached; we will take photos at the KM signboard. I’m not sure if I will repeat the same thing for my next trip to Mount KK next time (perhaps)… but this time as per majority we will try other trail, Timpohon or the more challenging one… via ferrata. Insyallah.

First Pondok

Trail thru Mesilau

So beautiful this time

Teringat first time kami kat sini with airforce team...sokmo bergambo

Every KM... saya amik gambar

Beautiful Waterfall

Simpang between Timpohon n Mesilau

Trail to Laban Rata

Trail to Laban Rata... masa ni pokok dah lain skit

Exhausted... another 0.5 km to go

We arrived at Laban Rata around 6.30p.m… lambat skit compare to last time, which was 2 hours earlier than this. Maybe too much spend in taking photos and plus, we started late. Apa pun pun I still arrived… it was just already dark and we could take photos around the Laban Rata area. By the time we arrived, most of the hikers already having their dinner and but still there were few others just arrived... macam kami juga. Dinner still served until 8 p.m. But, let say, if you cannot make it before 8 p.m, you must ask your fren who able to reach early to tapow for you or else you have to buy your own dinner. That’s what I did for Adeq, Fad, Jul n Fikri…sebab saya sampai awal.

This time, we did not stay at Laban Rata because already fully booked. Only 2 persons can stay at Laban Rata resthouse, the rest has to stay at Gunting Lagadan which is 10 minutes walk from Laban Rata. So, I decided to put Jul & Fikri at Laban Rata since 2 men only and ladies menapak sikit lah ke Gunting Lagadan… tak jauh mana pun but because of the really cold weather and kena naik tangga lagi, which slow down our momentum...penat juga lah. The room I would say OK… cuma too congested for a five cute ladies like us. Can u imagine… nak bergerak pun susah. Kalu ade orang solat, the rest has to wait on bed, cannot move. And as usual, mandi without heater at temperature around 5 degC. Fuhhh.

Jul n Fikri kena share bilik dengan Mat Salleh couple… nasib lah yea. Enjoy lah korang kejap duk ngn Mat Salleh… bukan selalu pun… hehehe. Macam-macam citer juga aku dengar pagi tu dengan Abg Fikri. Sorry, I don’t have a choice or else you have to wait for your turn on the next trip to Mount KK.

Aku start tido around 10 p.m. which I think already late at that time and masa tu juga Fad baru jer sampai. Kesian Fad, kaki dia sakit lagi… tapi She’s really tough… and still wanted to make it on the next day. Slalu nyer kalu dah lambat sampai ke Laban Rata, guide will not advise to hiking to the peak on next the morning. The reason cause too dangerous since you don’t get enough rest. But, to me, it depends on a person if you can make it, Mentally strong... than it shouldn't be a problem.

Day 1... Mesilau Nature Resort

6th & 7th April 2011
Mesilau Nature Resort

We arrived a bit late this time at MNR. But, it was actually really late, around 9 p.m. That time… I think most of the hikers already having their night dreams. We checked-in at MNR office and then put our baggage at Bishop Hostel and then return down to MNR café for a really late dinner. What to do… Luckily, we arrived before 9.30 p.m or else there’s no dinner served after that. The dinner is really OK… too many dishes served but since time already 10 p.m… most of us couldn’t digest everything at that time. Me, I was thinking to have a night good sleep and prepare for tomorrow’s hiking… takde selera dah masa tu. Not much chit-chat, after spend about 1 hour there, we returned to our Hostel and started to prepare everything for tomorrow. Arrgghh…. Malas nyer masa tu.

Dinner at MNR

View inside Bishop Hostel

Our room

Bishop Hostel

Mesilau to Laban Rata

21st May 2010


Today the real adventure of our Mount Kinabalu trip started. I woke up as early as 5.15 a.m, take shower & then solat. After that, packing bag yang nak transfer to Kinabalu park, packing bag nak pass to porter & pack stuffs I need to carry my own. Around 6.30 a.m, we started heading to Mesilau registration counter, register baggage yang nak di transfer to Kinabalu Park…RM10 per bag. After settled everything, we proceed to breakfast. Aku just ambil light meals memandangkan after this nak mendaki dah…kang heavy sangat tak larat plak, so, aku just amik telur, roti, sausage, cheese n fresh milk.

Perjuangan bakal bermula

Around 7.30am, kami semua berkumpul di starting point Mesilau Trail sambil tunggu our guide sampai. Aku, yatt n Huzz sempat gak beli hiking stick untuk di bawa bersama. RM5 sebatang…boleh lah. After a few minutes, our guide Jaidin n the geng pun sampai. Sempat jugak dia berseloroh….semua pompuan ka. Kita orang pun ketawa je lah. Tak caya kot...tapi takpe extra guide ramai lepas tue...hihihi. After sesi timbang berat & recitation of doa, kita orang pun memulakan expedisi kami. Guide suruh kita orang jalan dulu, sudah nyer sampai ke Laban Rata pun aku tak jumpa guide & porter aku.

View from First Peak kat Mesilau

Mula-mula tu aku ade problem sikit dengan breathing aku, I felt like something maybe because of the altitude. Tapi, aku try bernafas cara yang betul sambil chew mentos, baru ok. Alhamdulillah….semua nyer berjalan lancer. Sepanjang track Mesilau macam-macam pokok yang unik aku jumpa, periuk kera, strawberry & macam-macam lagi lah yang aku jumpa…Cuma tak tahu nama jer. Aku agak terkilan juga lah cos tak dapat jumpa Rafflesia. Orang kt situ cakap ni bukan season dia that’s why takde…maybe betul juga cos banyak bunga yang aku jumpa semua pun macam baru nak berputik.

Rehat sebentar di Pondok Bambu...lepas KM 2

Already 3km :)

Pondok Shcima

Pondok Lompoyou

Di setiap pondok & hentian kami abadikan kenangan

Waterfall yang kami jumpa Kt Mesilau...Beautiful

All the way through Mesilau, aku saing sekali dengan Kak Ayu, T-rah, Huzz n Yatt without our guide. Kadang-kadang tukar2 pulak dengan Julie, pastu dengan abang2 Air Force pulak. Every km & checkpoint kita orang stop and amik gambar…mana-mana yang dapat diabadikan lah. Ade satu area kat Mesilau ni memang betul2 memukau….it’s like in heaven. Memang tak dapat digambarkan keindahanye.

Beautiful View from Mesilau

After simpang Timpohon-Mesilau, aku tercepat langkah, pandang belakang tak nampak dah makcik2 ni. Aku pun proceed je lah jalan, perut pun tengah kosong, menyesal pulak aku kasi packed lunch aku kt porter tadi. Nak tunggu tak tahu bila plak dia sampai, aku pun jalan je lah…dia orang cakap kalau dah nampak jalan batu2 tu makna nye dah dekat dengan Laban Rata. Aku pun speed up lah dengan perut yg lapar. Masa tu aku tak nampak dah ade orang kat belakang & depan aku. After 15 min macam tu baru aku nampak Julie jauh ke depan n one Chinese Lady yang tak juah dari aku....aku pun saing lah dengan len lui nie. Mase ni aku tak fikir dah benda-benda lain yang aku tahu nak sampai cepat, makan n mandi.

Like stairways to Heaven :)

View on the way to Laban Rata

Alhamdulillah....around 4 p.m, aku pun sampai Laban Rata, sorang je....masuk2 jer nampak Julie tengah cakap ngn receptionist kt situ...dia pun baru sampai. Kita orang check-in & then lepak2 jap sambil tunggu the rest sampai. Tak lama lepas tu Huzz n Yatt pun sampai. Then followed by T-rah, Ayu, K n Adik. Lepas tu, aku n the geng pun turun dinner About 5pm mcm tu. Alhamdulillah, kenyang. Food served here…I would say OK…macam2 juga ade, dari western ke Local Food. So, Banyak choice of food juga lah. Overall, food memang tak mengecewakan. Aku makan pun tak banyak… sekadar mengalas perut aku yang memang dah lapar dari tadi. Sambil makan-makan kita orang pun sempat juga lah borak2 with other group & buka storey on the way nak ke sini tadi….macam-macam but it was fun.

Habis jer makan, aku n Julie gerak dulu nak jalan2 around Laban Rata…cari mana-mana port yang boleh diabadikan lah. Since, still got a lot of time… aku sempat turun ke bawah Laban Rata sikit nak cari angle yang cantik. Luckily that time, still cerah and obviously could see beautiful area around Laban Rata. Subhanallah, memang memukau.

Habis jer photography session aku n the geng pun start gerak balik bilik. Almost 6pm at that time, baru teringat tak solat lagi…oppps. Time ni washroom tak ramai orang lagi, so enjoy sikit lah but yang tak tahan nyer air dah tahap sejuk melampau… I was thinking “macam mana nak mandi esok pagi nie”. Suppose, we got heated bathroom but maybe the heater didn’t work well that time, so, terpaksa layan juga lah.

Fad arrived a bit late but before 8pm. By the time dia arrive aku pun dah belayar…zzzzzz.

In front of Laban Rata

Beautiful View you could see from Laban Rata