A Few Tips

45 days had passed since I climb the SE Asia's highest mountain and yet I still can't get over with it as every time my friends found out that I did climb they keep asking me about my preparations for the climb and how did I get to KK. They're interested to do it too.. Well for you guys who really wanted to climb here are my tips..

1. You need to book a ROOM or BED on the mountain hut at Sutera Sanctuary Lodge website, 2 or 3 months ahead of your scheduled climb as its a lot cheaper. Just check their website for the current price but take note it is still very expensive (well for me it is! hehe) and once you paid thru Credit Card, they can no longer refund you if ever you want to cancel (that is their policy) so make sure you will climb on the date you specified or you'll be sorry :(

2. As far as going to KK, you don't have a problem getting there as there are 2 airline operators from Philippines that has flight schedule to KK. One is Air Asia (daily from Clark) and Cebu Pacific (twice a week from NAIA 3). Just check their website for the airfare. Book also in advance if you are on budget.

3. If you want to stay in the city for a night prior to your Mt. Kinabalu Adventure, you got lots of choices for your lodge. From best hotels to backpackers/youth hostels lodge. The price starts from 20RM up. For me its good to stay in youth hostels coz aside from its cheaper you can meet a lot of friends from around the world there.

4. As for your physical preparation, I suggest u look for the tallest building in your area and then take the stairs up and down on that building maybe twice a week for two months. The trail on Mt. Kinabalu is only a series of steps/stairs and its not that hard to climb if u got a stronger legs. Jogging and walking is also okay and any exercise will do as long as it involves the lower portion of your body.

5. What to wear? A short and a shirt will do during the first phase of the climb. Then a pair of walking or hiking shoes. If u have a goretex shoes much better. Both of my toes were hurt during descent so I suggest u also bring a sandal to be used only for that purpose. Don't forget to bring a raincoat coz the weather up there is unpredictable. We never thought it would rain along the way since the weather when we started the climb is very sunny but the change is so sudden and I was not prepared. I should have bought a disposable raincoat at the base but I listened to my partner that I don't need it :(

6. Bring some medicines with u. Paracetamol, OTC pain killers, oral rehydration (to be mixed in your drinking water) and best if u can have some tablets for altitude sickness. That was my number 1 enemy as I climb higher.

7. Don't bring a lot of stuff with u as it gets heavier on your backpack and believe me it will make u miserable as u climb like what happened to me. Hehe. I bring along my DSLR camera but never used it there because of tiredness and altitude sickness.

8. What else? You need a spirit of determination..there came a point in my climb that i felt like giving up but because I am determined to finish and make myself proud, nevertheless, I continued. As sir Edmund Hillary said "It is not the mountain we conquer but ourselves."


If you still have some question just post it in the comment section.

Dancing Waters..

Water, thou hast no taste, no color, no odor;
Canst not be defined, art relished while ever mysterious
Not necessary to life, but rather life itself,
Thou fillest us with a gratification
That exceeds the delight of the senses.
- Antoine de Saint-Exupery

I was looking for a resto last Friday night
when this fountain caught my eye..Greenbelt Makati

Conquring Mt. Kinabalu (Part 2)

On my last kilometer to Laban Rata I feel like collapsing na..parang lasing na ako at paekis-ekis na ang hakbang! But I really need to push myself to get to the hut. The rain never stopped..and my bag so wet already..buti na lang nilagay ko sa plastic ang mga gamit ko! Naligo na rin ako sa ulan..sobrang ginaw na! I thought si LORD na lang talaga ang hope ko! Haha. He did heared me..may nakita akong lodge sa unahan..YAY! i felt happy! I knew I am near LR..nakita ko yan sa mapa...at di nga ako nagkamali sa unahan din ay ang malaking lodging house.. yun na yun! I feel soooooo relieved..At last I finished the first phase. I feel like crying when I arrived at the doorstep ALONE. I can't describe my feeling.. happy and yet sad? Na miss ko ang mga katropa ko sa pag-akyat..masaya kasi pag marami kayo na umaakyat..at least walang iwanan. Buddy buddy system talaga! And I am used to that during our previous trekking pero ngayon iniwanan ba naman ako mag-isa! Kunsabagay di ko naman sya ka close! So kanya kanya diskarte na! Anyway, I took a deep breath and then went inside the hut! Wow, its full! More people than I thought. There were at least 150 people in there. Sobrang maingay! Some were already resting , pacoffee coffee na lang and taking their evening meal. I was hungry but i didn't feel like eating. I really feel nauseated..All I want was to have a shower and a good rest.. So I went to the receptionist desk to inquire if my partner already checked in and the lady in charge confirmed it but said we're going to share for 2 more. What?? Ulitin mo nga?!! A dorm room??? Hindi naman yan ang pina booked namin a! I argued with her 'coz I made sure that in my booking reservation its a private room for 2 pax.. I planned to rest well prior to the summit climb! but she insisted that I only paid for the dorm room. Oh myyyyy goodness! The SSL is worst than u can imagine. I had no choice again but to head to our room which was very small with 2 double decked bed. It was very cold inside, no heater since it will only be operational at 8PM. The water in the bathroom was likewise not heated...soooo cold but tolerable for me. I can't argue for more but be contented for the accommodation.. andyan na eh! Although I really feel soooooo bad about it..hehe.

I ate a little at the cafeteria although buffet yung food at ang daming pagpipilian..Gusto kong kumain ng marami pero super sama ng sikmura ko...hindi pumapasok sa tyan ko ang pagkain. I took some medicines to relieve my dizziness at na dehydrate yata ako so i bought some oral rehydration sa lodge! Then I joined sa chit chat ng mga puti na nameet namin paakyat pero hindi ko naman masyadong naintindihan ang sinasabi nila kasi ang bilis nilang magsalita at isa pa parang wala ako sa sarili ko (another symptoms daw ng altitude sickness!). Then at 7:30 I went back to the room to sleep na and I met our 2 companion there, a French couple and after a short chat to them I decided to rest. Because of exhaustion I was able to sleep easily. When I woke up at 2am people in my room were still snoring but I heard some noises outside..people were already preparing for the summit climb. Did the rain stopped? Some people last night told me that if the rain wont stop then we will not push through since its very dangerous.. Ma check nga! I went downstairs and asked 1 guide if we are still going up and he told me yes. Hindi pa nakontento lumabas ako at tiningnan ang kalangitan! Medyo clear na nga..may konting stars na! Haha. So I went back to the room and there they are.. still lying in the bed. Hehe. I woke my partner up and asked him if he still wanted to do the summit climb..so off we go! But before going out I made sure to wear four layers of clothing (buti na yung sigurado!) then i put 2 cellophane bags on each of my feet kasi super basa pa ang shoes ko at dalawang medyas din para yung tubig at ang lamig di pumasok sa paa ko..hehe. Improvised na lang kasi hindi man lang umandar ang heater! Yun sana ang pag-asa namin to make our shirts and shoes dry! Then after having some coffee and toast and taking paracetamol tablet..umalis na kami! Excited na naman! Haha.

I feel better when I started climbing the stairs kasi there are lots of people in front of us..so we just follow their gos and stops. Hindi mabilis ang pag-akyat which was good! Stairs and rocks lang naman daanan namin pero daluyan pala ng tubig..a stream. Buti't may plastic cover ang paa ko! Hehe. But as I went on my legs become sore again..and it looked like the stairs would go on forever..haha. Walang katapusan! Pero di kalaunan we came to an end of the stairs but now we had to do it harder..climbing the rock using the rope..mailawan nga! wow! i saw its very steep (70-80 deg?) and come to think...in the dark? Rapelling without proper gears and harness in the dark? Oh my! A small mistake and slip and u'll be dead..My partner said I should go first since he had no head lamp but I said he should go first..I am nervous to make a step up..It's good our guide has an extra flash light which he lent it to my partner..He climb first and I followed. I did it slowly but carefully. I am very nervous but I enjoyed doing it..I like the thrill and excitement when I hold on to the rope and pulling myself up..haha. I felt like I am an advance rock climber. Hehe. I did that for at least 45 min. Then arrived at Sayat-Sayat Hut (another gate for checking) and refilled my water... but from there I feel worst again. My head was spinning as I walked and also my stomach! Along the way I lost my partner and our guide. Oh, he left me again.. nevertheless I continued.. only every 10 steps I made..I also stopped to take a deep breath! I am very very very slow..Those that are behind already overtook me..i thought..a bahala kau dyan! Mauna kau kung gusto nyo! I can't speed up anymore kasi masyadong steep ang daan at masama na naman pakiramdam ko plus di na ako makahinga! Parang snail ba! Hehe.

At 8.0 km..I rested! I saw some people already ascending to the summit..kasi yung ilaw nila masyadong bright! I feel like I really could not make it to the top and see the sunrise...Ang layo pa ha mga 1km pa! The french couple passed by and asked if I am alright..I said I am very very tired already and wanted to give up. But they encouraged me to go on as they also felt the same (so they say!). I carried on..Nagbubukang liwayway na kasi! Naks! Ang lalim! hehe. I speed up not minding anymore what I feel coz what's on my mind was to really reach the peak ASAP kasi baka abutin ako ng gabi pabalik sa Park HQ.. And at last!!!!! narating ko rin ang tuktok ng bundok (mga past 6:00am) medyo maliwanag na! Pero okay lang kasi di naman nakita yung sunrise dahil sa clouds! Hahaha. I am very happy! Okay din kung inumaga ako basta nakarating sa summit and it's really my dream come true! Hehe. One more thing..hindi pla ako ang pinakahuli kahit na sobrang bagal ko kasi marami pa ang nakasunod sa akin! Hehe.. It feels like heaven! Nawala pagod ko ha! I can't describe how beautiful the scenery was.. even my captured images can't! So if u really want to know how great up there..see for yourself..do the climb! I know u can! It was awesome! God indeed is great and marvelous! So thank you LORD!

To be continued..