I have wanted to climb Mount Kinabalu in Sabah. Finally the
opportunity arose and I boarded a flight to Kota Kinabalu with my other
friends and an equal measure of excitement and trepidation. As ever, the
flight was comfortable and timely, delivering us to Kota Kinabalu early
in the afternoon with plenty of time to make the two-hour drive up to
the Kinabalu Park headquarters. As we approached, in heavy rain, to
Malaysia's first UNESCO World Heritage Site, I got my first glimpse of
the great mountain, with the grey rocks of the summit rising
majestically from the lush green forest below, teasing us from behind
the clouds. We spent the night in the park and awoke the next morning to
a brilliant blue sky filled with sunshine. Weather like that never
fails to lighten my step, no matter how many I needed to take.
My
group set off from Timpohon Gate at 8.00 a.m. The fresh air and cool
temperature were a joy. I found the trail well maintained, and the
combination of markers at every 500 metres and regularly spaced rest
huts meant that I always knew how much progress I was making. It was a
six kilometre trek to the Laban Rata resthouse, where we spent half the
night before making the final push for the summit. The last leg - about
1.4 km - didn't sound far but was, in fact, quite a challenge! Whilst
there was plenty to look at - the occasional, breathtaking views across
the lowlands, the forest, fellow climbers and, porters passing with gas
canisters, cases of canned drinks and trays of eggs strapped to their
backs - the trail did become a slog and the air got noticeably thinner.