Finally I'm writing this post haha.
So, actually, before you really hike up the mountain, you would be worried about all sorts of things... Am I fit enough? Can I make it to the top on time? Would I end up being carried downhill by a porter? Do I need to hire a porter? Do I need to shower at Laban Rata? Etc etc...
Now that I've done it... I think I overthink it before this. Haha.
Let me pen down my experience and thoughts before I forget. Maybe it can serve as a note to self if I ever want to go for a second time (I doubt it), or for others who are going for the first time.
Before the climb, we stayed a night at Kundasang, which I hoped would help our bodies to adapt to high altitude. But Kundasang is a rural town, something like Cameron Highlands. So most of the shops close early, and open late. In order to make sure we have breakfast in the morning of the hike, we bought KFC burgers the night before (somehow there were many KFCs in Sabah but only one McD we saw) and just heat it up in the oven the morning of the hike.
After we quickly ate our breakfast and bid farewell to Sabrina, our Kundasang homestay host, we drove around 30 minutes to meet our guide at the Kinabalu Park. We reached there about 8.30 AM.
We met our guide who introduced himself as "Paul". He helped us with the registration. We got our ID tags and our lunch packs. We gave our bags to the porters and some of them rented hiking sticks. For the porter service, we were charged RM13/KG and I think the hiking sticks were rented at RM10/stick. We later found out that the price for the porter was for two-way, which means when we come back down from Laban Rata, we don't have to pay again but we must use back the same bag. After we were all set, we said goodbye to JY because she's not going to hike with us. Then we took a van for around 15 minutes to the starting point of the hike.
At the starting point, in front of a big map of Mount kinabalu trails, Paul gave us a short briefing. The trails were fairly simple, there were only like two places with branch roads and there will be a signage at both of the places. There will only be one guide following us which is Paul himself and he will be following the last person in the group. Another guide was actually our porter who would bring our bags up to Laban Rata and he wouldn't wait for us. So, the group members who are faster can just go ahead without waiting because it's unlikely to lose direction and besides there were many other hikers and guides too.
So we started our hike around 9AM. Oh FML we already had to climb stairs from the beginning =.= I hate cardio exercises because I really suck at it. Maybe because my heart is not used to stress or maybe my mindset does not like stress. So I would stop down to rest once my heart rate becomes really fast or when I'm out of my breath. I guess my other group mates just push themselves and just keep going even though they're breathless. So not even 30 minutes, all my group mates already left me behind.
 |
| The last time I saw them =.= until Laban Rata that is. |
And because I have history of hypoglycemic episodes during Bukit Gasing training, I paid a lot attention to my heart rate and my body during the hike. Not even 30 minutes, I already started drinking 100 Plus. The guide of another group some more teased me saying how could I reach the top if now already need 100 Plus lol. Haha whatever I just laughed at it and carried on. Sometimes the other guides told me to let my guide help me carry my backpack but I refused because I didn't think I'm incapable of carrying my own backpack up, it's just 3.5 KG. Also I worried that the guide may charge me a fee lah haha but I paiseh to clarify about this.
There were hikers from other countries like Japan, Thailand, China, Germany?? Also along the hike we had to make way for the porters because they're faster than us even though they carry stuffs that weigh around 14 KG and more. I hiked really slow, like every step I took I had to catch a breath haha.. Paul became my personal guide coz my team mates were no where to be seen. But Paul is a quiet person so he didn't talk to me or anything, just quietly followed me from behind. Once in a blue moon, he would tell me that we're going to reach a rest stop / checkpoint. That's it lol.
I think whenever I reached a rest stop I would take less than 5 minutes to rest, just enough to slow down my breath, because they said you would lose the momentum if you rest too long. But anyway I didn't need much rest because I didn't really push myself you see, I just need to slow down my breath. Whenever we stopped at a rest stop, Paul would smoke a cigarette and when I was ready to take off again, he would ask me to go first but slowly because he haven't finish smoking his cigarette. So, I just moved on without him lol I knew he would catch up anyway.
Didn't have any mood to take nice pictures during the hike up to Laban Rata because as I said I was breathless most of the time. Maybe sometimes I felt a bit lonely because I had to hike up myself but most of the time I was focusing on my breath really.
 |
| Not all the trails were stairs, some we had to walk on rocks, but still fairly easy. |
When I reached Layang Layang rest stop, I stopped for 10 minutes or so to have my lunch. Our lunch pack consisted of a fried chicken wing, a boiled egg, two small bananas and some egg/cheese sandwiches. Nothing fancy, but it's a healthy energy meal and easy to keep in a backpack. I didn't finish all at once because I normally don't like to stuff my stomach until very full. I saved some for the next time I feel hungry. The hike at first was quite normal, nothing memorable.
I was lucky that I met a chinese uncle who kept talking to me during the hike. His wife had sprained her ankle before coming to this hike so she couldn't move fast, so a lot of the time we were sort of like hiking together. Coincidentally, they were also from Klang! The uncle was very talkative, he could talk to anyone, like literally. He said it's his third time hiking up Mount Kinabalu and her wife's second time. Her daughter and his son-in-law also tag along this time. I asked him what made them came for second time, they said it's because of the view. Hmm, not me. I'm just too lazy to spend so much time and energy to hike up the same mountain again.
I think when I almost reached Laban Rata (around 1KM more I guess) only did I start taking more pictures because the view became more beautiful and unusual. The plant types were the ones you don't usually see because these only exist in high altitudes (2,000+ m). Put on my windbreaker cum down jacket too coz it started to get cold and misty.
 |
| Asked uncle to take picture for me, turned out my face so pale like ghost!! |
At the last 500 M until Laban Rata, I actually felt really uncomfortable with my shortness of breath. And my neck or shoulder pain was already bothering me a lot for some time. I always have this neck or shoulder problem I'm not sure because of tired, my bad posture or my backpack's weight. Paul offered to carry my backpack for me but I still refused. Every step I took was so damn hard because I couldn't breathe normally, most probably due to low oxygen level at such high altitude. But I gave in at the last 300m to Laban Rata and gave my backpack to Paul after some hesitation because by that time I just wanted to be done with it and reach Laban Rata faster. Haih don't care whether he will charge me or not liao.
FINALLY I reached. At 5PM.
I think my team mates reached around 2-4PM lol.. They also separated along the way.
Paul asked me whether to go meet my friends at the hostel or straight away go restaurant to wait since the buffet dinner starts at 5.30PM. I said go restaurant lah I lazy to walk already lol. When I reached the restaurant, there was just a few groups chilling there. I simply chose a table near the windows and just lay down on the table to rest. Didn't want to care about my image or whatever liao too exhausted! Actually I think I was not really exhausted, I was breathless.. My lungs / respiratory muscles were tired lol. I popped a tablet of paracetamol because I was having a mild headache. Normally for headache I don't take medicine because I can tolerate it but by that time I was willing to take any medicine just to make my life easier. Though I only take half of the standard dose which was supposed to be two tablets.
After don't know how long, my team mates came to join me. I felt a bit better by then, so went to the balcony to take some pictures!
 |
| NICE?? |
 |
| wohoooo |
We had grilled lamb, roasted chicken, potatoes, veges and ginger carrot soup for dinner. Of course, there were also bread and butter, fruits.. It's not as nice as what other people said la... Maybe they're just too hungry so they find anything nice lol. Only the grilled lamb was nice. The vege especially was so hard. I didn't eat much because I felt tired. Beverages provided were just hot Sabah tea and coffee.
 |
| Our buffet dinner |
 |
| How the restaurant looked like, go early to secure a seat! |
After dinner, we went back to our hostel at Lemaing Hostel. We had to climb a very small stairs to our room. Even then, it was like climbing the Batu Caves stairs to me =.= OMG I don't know why maybe my body was not used to the low oxygen level! But I die die also must take the picture below.
 |
| WOW look how pale was I! It was freezing cold! |
OMG when I reached our room, my friends told me I had to sleep on the top bunk because others were occupied. I was so breathless that I tumpang HY's bed a while and just rested there for like a few minutes. I knew that we had to share a room with maybe around 7+ strangers and sleep in double decker beds. After I catch my breath, I climbed up the ladder to my bed and just that small move I was breathing like crazy again. I felt a little scared because it was first time in my life I felt like this. I then took 8 tablets of dexamethasone with the hope that it would make my body adapt to the high altitude faster. I didn't want to take medicine unless it's last resort. Maybe because HY took dexamethasone before the hike to prevent altitude sickness that's why she's not breathless like me. I didn't want to take as prevention because I wanted to find out whether I will get altitude sickness haha. Anyway I figured I must take dexamethasone if not I might not make it to the summit.
After taking the pills, I think I napped on my bed for a while. Didn't unpack or change clothes first, coz I was breathing so hard I cannot. Planned to wake up at 6.30 PM to see the sunset but I think I was too lazy to get up. My team mates went without me. A bit regret though coz I missed this beautiful scene.
 |
| With some colour editing it became like cotton candy sea haha |
I think around 7PM I finally willing to get up and I felt much much better, not breathing fast anymore. But I realised if I moved quite a bit it would still make me breathe faster. But I forced myself to go to the toilet to pee because it's my normal routine before going to bed. Haih but they already switched off the lights so I had to use my smartphone's screen light to go to the toilet. Then I realised I forgot to bring along my tissue because they didn't provide toilet roll. So, I had to go all the way back to my bed again to get the tissue zzz. Heck, someone even went to switch off the toilet lights that I'd just switched on! That moment I felt wtf I'd just like left the toilet for 3 seconds?! I was relying on the light to walk back to my bed leh.... BTW my bed was located the furthest from the toilet. After I've done peeing, I just changed into my warm clothes for the summit climb on my bed because I really lazy to move. It was dark and other people were sleeping / trying to sleep anyway so nobody will see. I also packed my bag for the summit climb. Although I felt a little guilty for making noises when other people were trying to sleep but the heck I couldn't afford to care lah 我都自身难保. And blame themselves for not bringing earplugs loh.
Actually even though I brought earplugs, I didn't bother to use it also because I felt I can fall asleep without it because I was so tired. There were so many weird noises like people snoring, there's even a girl making the sound like a girl would do when having sex lol no idea what she's dreaming about or maybe she's just screaming out of fear. I didn't really sleep but I didn't think it's because of the weird sounds, I was just kept thinking about the summit climb, about whether I had pack everything needed into my backpack and whether I could make it. I felt like I didn't sleep at all except for that last one hour before 1AM.
We had to wake up at 1AM, to get ready and have buffet breakfast.
 |
| Our breakfast: fried rice, fried bee hoon, beans and fried egg bread. |
Again I didn't eat much because it was an unusual time for me to take heavy meal and I had some stomach gas yikes! I always have stomach issues so I'm not sure the gas was because of breathing too much or because of unusual eating time.
After we finish eating around 2AM, we switched on our headlamps and started climbing up the stairs to the summit. I think at first my body felt a little cold, still tolerable, something like in a classroom on full blast air-cond. But after climbing stairs for some time, I didn't feel cold anymore because my body started to heat up. I was so grateful that I was breathing more easily than the night before. In fact, better than the time when I almost reached Laban Rata. Perhaps it was the dexamethasone's effect, or maybe it's just my body already adapted to the high altitude.
Still I didn't want to force myself, I still climbed really slow, my team mates still left me behind lol but this time I could see a lot of people behind me. I felt more confident coz I felt like I have super powers after taking dexamethasone =.= lol so I climbed the steps one by one slowly, each step I took, I made a respiratory cycle. But this time the thought of not going to make it to the top on time didn't cross my mind. I felt great. I loved the cold weather during the summit climb. It's so refreshing! But when I took off my mask / gloves, my bare skin would feel the super cold wind, almost like needles pricking your skin.
We've heard about the toughness of the summit climb, that the weather is really cold, that the rocks are slippery, that some parts you had to cross the edge of a cliff... but I didn't experience any of it... For me it's quite easy. Of course, I'm grateful to be well prepared with the right gears. My turtleneck thermal wear, my cheap but sufficient waterproof windbreaker cum down jacket with hoodie, my warm waterproof gloves, my hiking shoes with excellent grip, face mask... These were the things I felt really useful during the summit climb. Out of everything, I'm most grateful about the weather. It was perfect I think. Not too cold, not too hot, and NO RAIN! I've heard that some people went to Laban Rata twice but didn't get to go for the summit climb because of rain. We were lucky lah! If it rains, the trails will be super slippery and harder to hike. Not to mention it will be many times colder too!
Hiking in the dark with only the light from headlamps were not scary at all, at least for me. When we reached the part where we have to grab the ropes for support, it was more fun but also more tiring. Because the rock were at a 45 degree inclination. The grip of my hiking shoes was actually really good I felt I didn't even need to use the ropes for support. But I would accelerate a few steps then rest for a minute or two because my legs were tired. When I sat on the rocks and looked down at the rocks beneath where I came from I was in awe. Although it was quite dark to see anything, I still felt so awesome to be able to see the view from such a high place! I felt like just sitting there whole day and not going back down lol..
So very slowly I climbed towards the summit, as usual, Paul wasn't with me sometimes and I climbed alone, well, when he's with me I felt alone also anyway haha. When I saw a sharp peak I thought was the summit (Low's Peak), I asked him whether it's the summit. He said no, that's another peak. :/ Still cannot see the summit. After 30 minutes maybe, he pointed to a spot where little dots of light (from the headlamps) can be seen, and said, that's the summit. I asked him though, whats the time of sunrise? He said 6.30 AM. I looked at my water resistant fitbit-inspired watch cum fitness tracker (it showed 6.00AM), and looked at the summit, it looked so near yet so far lol. I knew I wouldn't be able to catch the sunrise at the summit with my tortoise pace, so I actually didn't put much hope already. Anyway, I told myself that the view of sunrise probably won't be that beautiful in pictures also because the lighting would be so low? Haha it's true!
Around 6.30 AM, I haven't reach the summit, but I could already see the sun coming up, and it was so pretty. I saw some hikers taking pictures at a place located away from the rope-guided route, so I also went there and saw this scenic view.
 |
| It's the lockscreen picture on my laptop now! So much better than the view at the summit lah right?! |
Seriously, bringing my camera along was the best decision! If not how could I take these high resolution photos of these majestic views and use them as my wallpapers ?!
Haha I finally saw my friends after the sun really like showed its face.
I missed the group photo shot at the Low's Peak though coz they reached way earlier than me and had to compete with others for the phototaking spot. So they couldn't stay up there any longer to wait for me. It's ok at least we got this haha.
OMG there were so many hikers that it's so hard to take a picture without any photobomb. Haih had to make do with my editing skills lah.
After taking group photo shots with my friends, I went up alone to the Low's Peak to take photo. Luckily the queue wasn't long, actually I just had to wait for 2 groups. The Low's Peak actually wasn't beautiful at any angle, it's just the tallest peak of Mount Kinabalu.
The beanie was for aesthetic purpose only lol. I didn't need to wear it because the hoodie of my jacket was enough to protect my head from the cold. Besides, I don't like the feeling of a beanie covering tightly on my head. So I actually wore my beanie just to take picture (if not wasted my money to buy it haha). But the beanie was very long so I would look like an elf wearing their iconic tall and pointy hat lol. So I simply push down my beanie but didn't bother to check any mirror, so it turned out like the weird shape in the picture above lol.
When I was climbing up, didn't take much pictures because it was so dark. When I was going back down, every view I saw I wanted to snap a picture because it was so beautifulllllllll.
Actually, going down was easy for me because I was now working with the direction of gravity so it wouldn't make me pant. And I was confident of my balancing skills and also my shoe's grip. So going down was a breeze. I easily overtake my friends haha.
Even had so much free time to take pictures while waiting for my friends haha. REVENGE YOU GAIS... Haha joking joking..
When we reached Laban Rata, we quickly pack our things because if we check out after 10.30 AM we will be charged RM15 per hour. We reached about 10AM. Then, we had our buffet lunch before we started going downhill. The buffet lunch had almost the same food as our breakfast =.= I managed to sneak 2 small bananas in my bag hehe.
As I said, going down was a breeze, I was leading... At some time, I left my friends far behind that I never seen them again.... Until when I was halfway done, my legs started to feel so weak like jelly... then I slowed down... Not long after, my teammates managed to catch up with me... One by one... My legs were so useless, I relied on my walking stick like a cripple. Literally, I put my whole body's weight on the stick, then moved my left leg down the step, then my right leg down. Every step took me one second, or more wtf. My friends... they were like didn't care about their legs just walked fast like normal. I think this is why I'm always slow, I don't like to force myself. Eating also slow, anything I do also slow...
The last 1KM or so... was so torturing... but never did I have the thought of giving up... In fact, the whole time of hiking up Mount Kinabalu, I never thought of giving up surprisingly. I knew I could finish it with determination. I just did'nt know whether I could make it on time. We had to reach the starting point before 4PM. I didn't know that so I took my own sweet time while my friends chiong like their legs didn't matter lol. In the end, I arrived last again, but just maybe 2 minutes later than HY and her husband lah. We started climbing down from Laban Rata at 11AM and reached at 4.30PM. OMG I couldn't believe I actually walked like a cripple for 5 hours! I think we were supposed to give extra charge to our guide for arriving late because it serves as their OT. But in the end Paul didn't claim from us :) And luckily he didn't charge me for asking him to help me with my backpack during the last 300m to Laban Rata.
We were so lucky lah! The heavy rain started pouring once we got up the van that took us from starting point back to Kinabalu Park office.
BTW, after we got our certificate only did we know that our guide's real name was actually Pollelly (Pol, not Paul lol).
We said thank you to Paul and then we got on our journey back to KK city. Poor JY waited for us in the car since like 1PM because there was nothing to do around Kinabalu Park. She drove us all the way back to KK city. It took around 1 hour.
We had our dinner at Little Italy. Everyone walked like a crab or something haha. I also winced in pain when walking up / down stairs or elevated grounds.
So that's it about my Mount Kinabalu climb!
Our expenses
Our package: RM600 / person (divided into 3 payments)
Porter service: RM13/KG (Basil and me shared a bag - total RM130)
I heard that if you sign the package through Sabah Parks you can get around RM250-RM400.
Would I go again??!! Maybe not!!! xD
 |
| A very rare group photo lol |
 |
| One with our guide, Paul |
 |
| My solo shot (after editing) |
 |
| My solo shot (before editing) |
OMG there were so many hikers that it's so hard to take a picture without any photobomb. Haih had to make do with my editing skills lah.
 |
| I actually don't like my expression here and I look fat and obviously the two guides photobomb me kao kao. But can see the green mountains down there so nice. |
 |
| See what I said? Humans all over the place! |
After taking group photo shots with my friends, I went up alone to the Low's Peak to take photo. Luckily the queue wasn't long, actually I just had to wait for 2 groups. The Low's Peak actually wasn't beautiful at any angle, it's just the tallest peak of Mount Kinabalu.
 |
| Low's Peak! |
 |
| This is another peak. The peak that I thought was Low's Peak because many people took pictures with it. I don't know who's that guy in my picture lol but I like this photo until I use it as my laptop wallpaper. |
When I was climbing up, didn't take much pictures because it was so dark. When I was going back down, every view I saw I wanted to snap a picture because it was so beautifulllllllll.
 |
| Panorama |
 |
| Panorama |
 |
| I think I took this picture just to test the burst function, surprisingly got a rather quirky photo lol again I don't know who's that guy in red jacket and what is he doing. The signage is actually not 45 degree, it's actually the ground that is 45 degree lol. Look at the clouds behind and you would understand. |
 |
| Someone suggested jumpshot so we took turns to... |
 |
| Again I had to photoshop out the humans... |
 |
| Better xD |
 |
| A group shot at the place we did jumpshots. OMG my expression... I didn't look like me! The sunlight was too bright I cannot open my eyes wide! |
 |
| Time to go down... |
 |
| This part was fun... We went downhill by holding on to the ropes and climbing backwards, I could climbed down fast while letting my hands slide down the rope! I also took off my jacket because it got too hot. There were still strong wind blowing but once we started working the sweat came out. |
 |
| A picture taken by Paul from an interesting angle. It made it looked like we were climbing a 90 degree cliff right? But haha no lah it was just 45 degree! But HY was scared to hell she didn't dare to go down. In the end, a guide from another group had to like hold her while going down. |
Even had so much free time to take pictures while waiting for my friends haha. REVENGE YOU GAIS... Haha joking joking..
When we reached Laban Rata, we quickly pack our things because if we check out after 10.30 AM we will be charged RM15 per hour. We reached about 10AM. Then, we had our buffet lunch before we started going downhill. The buffet lunch had almost the same food as our breakfast =.= I managed to sneak 2 small bananas in my bag hehe.
As I said, going down was a breeze, I was leading... At some time, I left my friends far behind that I never seen them again.... Until when I was halfway done, my legs started to feel so weak like jelly... then I slowed down... Not long after, my teammates managed to catch up with me... One by one... My legs were so useless, I relied on my walking stick like a cripple. Literally, I put my whole body's weight on the stick, then moved my left leg down the step, then my right leg down. Every step took me one second, or more wtf. My friends... they were like didn't care about their legs just walked fast like normal. I think this is why I'm always slow, I don't like to force myself. Eating also slow, anything I do also slow...
The last 1KM or so... was so torturing... but never did I have the thought of giving up... In fact, the whole time of hiking up Mount Kinabalu, I never thought of giving up surprisingly. I knew I could finish it with determination. I just did'nt know whether I could make it on time. We had to reach the starting point before 4PM. I didn't know that so I took my own sweet time while my friends chiong like their legs didn't matter lol. In the end, I arrived last again, but just maybe 2 minutes later than HY and her husband lah. We started climbing down from Laban Rata at 11AM and reached at 4.30PM. OMG I couldn't believe I actually walked like a cripple for 5 hours! I think we were supposed to give extra charge to our guide for arriving late because it serves as their OT. But in the end Paul didn't claim from us :) And luckily he didn't charge me for asking him to help me with my backpack during the last 300m to Laban Rata.
We were so lucky lah! The heavy rain started pouring once we got up the van that took us from starting point back to Kinabalu Park office.
 |
| Yay we got this certificate of completion! The most pretty and colourful certificate I've gotten so far! And that's my ID tag with wrong name =.= Arthur's name was spelled wrongly too! Apparently it's their fault but I had to pay RM20 if I want it to be reprinted. But luckily, the names printed on our certificate were correct. Paul told us to inform the staff at the checkpoint before Laban Rata to have our names corrected.. |
BTW, after we got our certificate only did we know that our guide's real name was actually Pollelly (Pol, not Paul lol).
We said thank you to Paul and then we got on our journey back to KK city. Poor JY waited for us in the car since like 1PM because there was nothing to do around Kinabalu Park. She drove us all the way back to KK city. It took around 1 hour.
We had our dinner at Little Italy. Everyone walked like a crab or something haha. I also winced in pain when walking up / down stairs or elevated grounds.
So that's it about my Mount Kinabalu climb!
Our expenses
Our package: RM600 / person (divided into 3 payments)
Porter service: RM13/KG (Basil and me shared a bag - total RM130)
I heard that if you sign the package through Sabah Parks you can get around RM250-RM400.
Would I go again??!! Maybe not!!! xD
