Mount Kinabalu 1

So near yet so far....I was at 3,668m against the peak of 4,052m but by distance, it is probably about 1.5km away. It was raining and coupled with strong winds at 4.30 a.m, it is unbearable to move up. My whole suits (from head to toe) was wet (it is freezing but thanks to my extra fats...I can still hold on to climb down) and by the time I reached the last wall (with rope), I practically stop myself from ascending further as I was never prepared to climb the rope (although I had climbed two other wall rope minutes earlier but it was not only about 40 degrees steepness, and this one is probably about 60-70 degrees).

Where to start, there are so many good memories along the way from Day 1. The first day, it took me 9 hours and 18 minutes to reach Pendant Hut (about 80m above Laban Rata) from Mesilau Point. The length of the journey is about 8.3km. Frankly the first 4 km was peanut but as it comes to KM5, I started to feel the tiredness and coldness without my jacket, little drinks and foods. The wind was very strong and we (both Heroes and myself) had to chase our porter for the jackets and extra supplies. We managed to call Ah Too to look for our porter who was about 500 metres ahead of us (500 metres...means we are about 45 minutes in part based on our phase of walking...haiz). Though we have our jacket but we did not take out our head light and extra supplies from the bag as we never thought that we will need to walk for another 4 more hours as we are expecting ourself to reach Laban Rata latest 7pm (so we happily walked ourself up and still got the time to take photos on the scenery...and letting the porter up on his way).

We reached the junction between Timpohon route and Mesilau route at about 5.30 plus pm. I have asked the guide (do not know many times), how near are we to Laban Rata ? He said, it is quite near...another 2.3km (my heart is very sour and tired) and urge us to move quickly to beat the darkness ahead, so we obediently follow through. Along the route, we also met many couples and they were interwined in our journey. Thanks to them, we also use their muscle pain lotion as if not, we could not ever reach to Pendant Hut. They are loving couples helping each other up the Mountain. At 6pm, we overheard one of the couple calling their friends to pack dinner for them as the restaurant closed at 7pm. Thus, I have asked heroes to call Chuan yew to pack for us (this proof to be vital as none of our members did that as I discovered from Paul yesterday...what a relief...). At 5km using Timpohon scale@7.28pm (if Mesilau, we have reached 7km), our supplies had run dry and the darkness had enclosed us. I sms to Ah Too/Paul/Chuan Yew to ask for the head lights/food/medicine (as Heroes complained that he has fever).

At 7.45pm, we received head light from the guide but no food or medicine. Again, I sms to Paul sending stronger message to him telling him that Heroes is very sick. We were at 7.5km, the last pondok before Laban Rata. We waited for about 15 minutes and we decided to move a bit as to shorten the time whilst waiting for help (It is very cold with strong wind blowing...I think the temperature has dropped to below 14 degress Celcius).

Chuan Yew met us at about 7.8km with foods and medicine. What a great relief...(time is 8.00pm) (I must mention here that this Chuan Yew is super fit for this adventure....he had actually reached Pendant Hut at 4 something pm, having rest, trying to get shower and had dinner. he had volunteered to come down to bring supplies to us the moment Paul told him about our needs at around 7.45pm)

It is only about 600m to the Pendant Hut but it took us more than an hour to reach the destination. It is really a painful effort and I could not have completed this journey without the constant motivation from Chuan Yew along the way as he guided me.

At 9.18pm, I reached Pendant Hut ! (I am totally flat !) after 9hours and 18 minutes journey from Mesilau Gate.

To be continued......

Next week This moment...

Seven of us, the Magnificent brothers will be resting at Laban Rata whilst hearing out the first and last briefing to scale the peak of Mount Kinabalu at 2.30a.m the next day.....

How is our preparation at this moment....
BM1 ....now resting at home...I think 70% fitness...
BM2 ....now having dinner with family...fitness at 80%
BM3 ....dun know what he is doing now...but fitness at 95% (he had conquered the summit last year...so he is the most experience of all)
BM4...dun know also...but judging from his squashing...he is probably at 80%
BM5...I really do not know...guess he is at 70%
BM7....hmmm this guy is yo-yo...but I put him at 80% as he is strong mentally.

Last but not least, myself....I am trying to peak at 100% by 30th, that is only few days to go...now...probably at 60%. Being the heaviest of all, I am at a disadvantage as need to carry more weight, breath more deeply...but my strongest point is my "mental state".

However, fankly, my last two months were really the boiling point of my patience emotionally as facing unscrupulous people. I have lost much of my time in managing such challenges. Postively, tomorrow, i must sweat all out, challenging the 10km walk through hilly action in speeding up or stress test for this summit.

I will not ask for more time as I am really looking forward to this enjoyable trip with best of buddies especially after conquering the Summit, to the island of tits. Wow...

Continuing.....

Another BM Quits

Whilst all BMs are preparing smart and hard for the summit this monthend, we have just received the announcement of one of the most interesting BM quiting this quest of conquering Mount Kinabalu. The last round, we had our Joe but was almost effortly replaced by another BM. This time round, it is hard to get a replacement but who knows, there may just another BM waiting to fill up this seat ! This is so a positive news like the stock market nowadays.

Hey, the good thing is the rest are ever eager to ensure 100% success of this scalping ! (I had just bought my windbreaker/sweater that cost me a bomb ! so..the commitment is definitely 100% here although lately I am faced with a lot of challenges...)

Seriously, this morning, is just my 2nd time continuously work myself up in preparing the quest...mind me...it is only about 24 days left. BM1 told me that we need to disciplinely carry out our own training during weekday whilst for weekend, we can do it together.

This week, we will scale Mount singai again (3X I guess to recover the last 3 trips which are supposed to be done !). I hope BM1, BM2, BM6 & BM8 can all make it to this last few training together...

I shall calling you....wherever you go ... (Digi theme song....)

FIRST FAMILY MOVIE IN CINEPLEX

A free ticket to Movie at Star Cineplex was given to Rachel as she achieved 6th position in her last Semester exam. It was given for all students who had achieved with 10 positions in the class. S0, I promised her to take her to the movie on last Tuesday, 31/3/2009 as the dateline is due for the ticket to be redeemed. We have decided to watch "Dragonball" as the rest are more towards adult preference.

She was very happy as I can see the radiance from her face as we reach the cineplex hall. I am happy too as this is the first time that I brought my whole family to a cineplex. Moses is also very happy as he keeps commenting during the movie (except the part that few teenagers behind keeps swearing vulgarities...shXt).

I hope to make more often especially when there is better "cartoon movie" around...may going for the one that Rachel is posting in front of the picture.

Discovering Truth or Lies

In the last two weeks, I have been discovering lies made throughout the years. This is really sad especially the trust built up over the time has broken to pieces. A trusted person but it turn out to be mastermind of many dilemmas.

This trust once broken, it cannot be mend by human standard (even to my standard..hehehe). Though I am angry and sad, I looked up at Jesus, whom has been cheated, betrayed, spanked, spit or even scorge, He can still forgive us...why can't we when we are His followers ?

Many a times, we have breached our promises with Him, we ask for forgiveness, He forgave us....

When i climbed Mount Singai two weeks ago, The Lord subtly gave me the message...forgive as I have forgiven you. I will not forsaken you even the rest despise you.

When the dust was about to settle down, today, I discovered more lies (truth about lying) and complications. I could not believe this is happening. I am gathering more information and it is just so sad... hai...

Moving On With New Toy

Finally, I have changed my phone service provider to Maxis, by porting my old faithful number from Celcom. I am with Celcom since 1997, April after I came back from KL to start work at the branch office in Kuching. That is the time when I have bought my first Nokia 232 and sign up the line ever since.

This big change of service has rocked me for the last two weeks or so especially getting the porting successful and to the right plan. I have been in communication with at least 10 Maxis customer service staff...many of them I must say that are not well trained and may be their performance drop due to hectic requirement from customer. however, few are excellent and I am really impressed.

Well, why the big move ??? Am I not satisfied with Celcom ? Nope, they are good and comparatively cheaper on average basis when compared to the other two telcos. However, I will save further on other charges like email, blackberry chats, msgrs etc.

The big carrot was I was enticed by my company's offer to take up blackberry (actually not offer, it is a requirement as the head) with the monthly subscription to broadband data line is fully adsorb by the company leaving us to pay installment over the black bold at average RM100.00 for 12 consequtive months. Not a bad deal except the deal is for 24 months basis. In any case, we leave the company, we have to pay on our own.

I am actually excited to have this connected in view of the power within this small equipment and so far, I have been using for the last 10 days, it is superb though I can be also being tracked every moment.

Disadvantage ? I must learn to be more discipline and patience as information are received promptly, so I need need to be more responsive whilst must have extra patience to evaluate information carefully rather than acting speedily without thoroughly assess the situation. At times, must buy time to understand whole scenario before acting further.

A bit small for me, so I have learnt new skills to be more tender to pressing or touching...even my eyes must be sharpen to be focus enough...(must also eat blueberry to strengthen the eyes muscles).Oh yes...incidentally..i have received an email talking above 5C (Cash, Condo, Car, Credit Card, Career)versus 5B (have Bungalows, have BMWs, own a Bank, be a Boss, have Brains)...but I think the author forgot about this Blackberry is another B for it !! (chuckles...)

I have not tried blogging from it...I will do it soon...when I am freer. hehehe chiao !

Time is running out !

It is less than 68 days before our journey to the peak starts. Guess what....(no need to guess), I have not really started...actually not started as yet (one round two round...cannot be considered started), on my training. Oh yes, if you stop your traning and had a break over 10 days...then your fitness level will reset back to previously...(that is what the expert said !) So, considering the CNY break, whatever tested before new year, is all gone. I have to restart everything.

A lot of scary statements have been advised by my tour agent who had personally climbed the peak on 6/4/2008...yes, the photo is givne by her. She firmly said, if we do not pick up our training mode, then we can kiss our trip goodbye. You will suffer a lot, even for her she training and prepared well...every two three steps near the peak, she has to breath very deeply. She nearly gave up as it is becoming very tiring, dangerous etc. (BTW, she was stretcher down from the peak as half way descending, she missed one step....she feel down and broke her leg...(huuuu, hair stand)).

So BMs, reality check please ! (of all BMs, I have learnt that BM2 was the most discipline...hmmm)