I was asked to meet my Via Ferrata guide at 730am somewhere mear Low's Peak. Two other participants were supposed to meet me but when I met them, they informed me that they were unable to continue their Via Ferrata experience due to fatigue from summiting Mt Kinabalu. So it was just me and my Via Ferrata guide. I chose Low's Peak circuit which is a detour down Low's Peak to explore hidden corners of the mountain plateau. This activity is said to be 4-5 hours but with just me alone, the guide said it should no less than 3 hours. Carabiners checked, harness checked, helmet checked,balls of steel checked. My Via Ferrata experience begins......
Defying gravity at Mt Kinabalu
Excellent view from the side of the mountain
Descending..steeply
One must own good hiking shoes for a situation like this
Getting ready to cross the bridge
At the bridge
Enjoying the view
Balance, baby, balance
The bridge I crossed earlier
After an hour plus, a much needed is rest..by the side of the mountain plateau
Above the clouds
Laban Rata on my right
Started on Low's Peak and ended at the steps to Laban Rata..3 hours
A satisfied man
To be honest, I did not want the experience to end. I was in every nook and cranny of the mountain and to be there was just unbelievable. The view from those spots is breathtaking and it shall forever be etched in my memory. Via Ferrata really rocks.
Last year, Mt Kinabalu became the world's highest Via Ferrata(at 3800 metres) and I was eager to try my hands on this amazing new thrilling adventure that was started back in 1914 near the Dolomites. Now, I've summited Mt Kinabalu before and had a tortorous outcome. Trekking using the Mesilau trail and Via Ferrata are the only reasons I came back to Mount Kinabalu.
I landed in Kota Kinabalu's Terminal 2 airport and was picked up by my old Budak Kelantan friend, Hasmailee. Hasmailee and I used to be day labourers on Layang Layang island of the Spratly Islands.
Hasmailee and I mixing cement
It was good catching up with him after all these years and we swapped old stories and kept each other updated over our favourite lunch - Krishna curry fish head
Hasmailee and I over lunch
Later, he sent me to the bus/van/taxi station and I boarded one headed for Ranau. This ride costs me RM16.00 as opposed to RM88.00 charged by Sutera Sanctuary-the company responsible for Mount Kinabalu.
Vehicle headed for Ranau
Since I am taking the Mesilau trail (which is 3km longer than the Timpohon trail), my destination was the Mesilau Nature Resort,a resort tucked underneath the foothills of the mountain. The resort is located 16km from the Kundasang road junction and my intention was to take a cab from the junction to Mesilau Nature Resort. But when I found out that the cab ride was RM50.00, I had to resort to this :
Hitch hiking my way to Mesilau
Still no luck
It was frustrating but the view ..ahh the view compensated for it
As Kundasang has a cool climate, walking was perfect but ..stretches of uphill and downhill was starting to take a toll on me. I walked probably 0.5km and I was already panting. A dozen or so cars passed by without stopping and the timeby then was 500pm. It gets dark at around 620pm in Sabah. But deep down inside, I knew in my heart that someone will stop and give me a ride because I would and not everyone has a wooden heart so says Elvis. True enough, a driver saw my sign and asked me to get in. Phew, what a relief. He was going the same way and for once, he did not look like an East Malaysian serial killer. The 20 minute drive to Mesilau Nature Resort made me realize that if I were to walk my way there, it'd be a 2 hour walk. Yikes. Results of a quarter life crisis affected man. Anyway, we arrived at the gate and I thanked the good samaritan for his kindness.
My saviour who brought me to the gates of Mesilau Nature Resort.It's really really nice to experience the compassionate and caring side of humanity.
I started off the Mesilau trail the next morning. Beautiful bright morning and the hike was not too bad except for a few parts.
A view you don't see if you use the Timpohon trail
Mountain squirrels that will eat anything you give them..even energy gels
Mesilau trail-misty and mysterious
I started the Mesilau trail at 8am and reached the turn to Laban Rata, the halfway house to the summit of Mt Kinabalu at 1130am. The traffic there was heavier compared to Mesilau as Mesilau's trail has an added 3km route.
Part time job as a mountain porter. RM9 per kg
I reached Laban Rata at 130pm and was quite pleased with myself as compared to last time's performance. The next morning, I headed off for the summit at 300am and did not even stop until I reached the summit. It's unfathomnable that I am this fit!!!! I summited Mt Kinabalu for the second time at 545am and was pleased with myself overall. Next stop, the world's highest Via Ferrata!!!!!
ABT - About bloody time I took up diving. I've always admired people like the late Jacques Cousteau and Dr Bob Ballard(He found the Titanic) for their contributions towards oceanography.I've always been comfortable with water since young as I was always jumping off from the wooden jetty into Sungai Golok back in Kelantan. Just kidding. However, I was already swimming by 8 years old.
Afters years of putting off diving, I finally made up my mind to get my license. I arrived in KB in the morning and had one of ze best nasi lauk for breakfast with my loving parents who knows my taste buds at the back of their palm. Driving to Besut took me 45 minutes and by 11am, I was already on the island to begin my academics of diving. I think nobody likes this part but it is essential for knowledge and safety once you're underwater. I watched the video and read from the manual all day long. Jumping into the clear blue waters every time it got slightly hot.
Video studying
Baca
Day Two I was taught the scuba gears and mechanism. BCD, Regulators, LPI hose, etc. My instructor, Sean from the UK brought me to shallow waters and for the first time in my life, I took a breath ...underwater. Hang on a minute, I am wiping a single tear that is rolling down my cheek. It had such a calming effect after a few minutes. But then, I was asked to clear my mask with some fancy technique. Now, that is scary. You learn all your life to breath in through your nose but this time, I had to breath in through my mouth and exhale through my nose ...underwater...and not on the surface of the water like snorkellers do. I panicked slightly but got the job done and my instructor gave me an OK signal and shook my hand. Everything is so graceful underwater, even a handshake and a fist bump. 2 hours later, I went on my first real 18metres dive. i saw marine life like These are some of the marine life I saw :
Titan triggerfish
Yellow boxfish
Blue spotted ribbon tail ray
Sneaky batfish
Angel fish
Pufferfish
Day Three I went for 3 more dives around Perhetian Island and it took 45 minutes for each dives. And after every dive, I had to carry the weights, the scuba tank, the BCD and walk past snorkellers. I hate to admit it but I sure did feel a bit sorry for snorkellers now.
Suiting up
Coming back from 2nd dive
Day Four Graduation day. My amazing instructor, Sean gave me my application form for the PADI card and congratulated me for my efforts. He did a great job as well. Anyway, do I like diving? Absolutely!!! IN fact, I'm planning my next dive in 2 weeks time.
After our first successful waterfall exploration which includes an unmistakable good rapport and partnership between us, Lim and I embarked on another challenging exploration and we wanted it to be special this time. We administered an exhaustive research and we came to a conclusion of a probable hidden and possibly unknown waterfall that exists somewhere in the remote jungles of Northern Malaysia. Throughout the days, we made contact with the Orang Aslis and this time, I thought I'll bring along some used clothes and shoes for the Orang Aslis which meant I had to lug a 6kg bag for at least an hour for this gesture.
Lugging a 8kg bag for almost 2 hours
Arriving the Orang Aslis village entrance, we were greeted by a huge petai tree and clear blue skies in the background. The whole place just seem so peaceful.
What a view
The two chinamen then proceeded to meet with the head of the Orang Asli. After presenting to them my used clothes and shoes, we then asked permission to trek further in to find the alleged undiscovered waterfall.
Donation exercise
Mix breed of tiger and dog
The Orang Asli village (probably around 18 Orang Aslis) headman was reluctant to bring us there as he fears that we Chinamen will act exactly like.... Chinamen. He informed us that his reluctance to bring us further in was because of unscrupulous outsiders that have time and time again cheated the Orang Aslis of their land as well as spoiling their natural secret beauties. But he could see the sincerity in Lim and I that all we wanted to do was explore this unchartered region and that we won't attempt to bring outsiders into their peaceful surroundings. With our stronger than cengal wood promise, he commanded 3 men to escort us into our exploration.
This was harder than we thought. We had to walk on ledges as narrow as your laptop screen width. Trudged through bushes with torns and worst of all, haul our way hrough forest and forest of bamboos. A word of advice. Be extra careful when going through a thick forest of bamboos as their shoots are extremely sharp. I got sliced by one just nicely above my shoulder.
Bamboo slice on my shoulder
We finally reached a nice pool after 3 hours of bush wacking trekking. We decided to rest and our guides went on with their spear fishing activities. There was a full bright hot sun but the water was super cold. I could only submerge myself for 3 minutes.
A nice pool
The Orang Aslis, with their home made spear would dive underneath boulders in cold shivering waters and within seconds, out comes a speared fish.
Spearfishing with the Orang Aslis
Catch of the day
Strange plant.Smells awful though
We continued not much further and we finally arrived at our unexplored waterfall. According to the Orang Aslis, we were the first non Orang Aslis to set foot in this waterfall and they hope we'll be the last to do so.
We're naming this BR Falls as in Bragging Rights Falls
After spending 2 hours exploring the region, we left this charming part of the forest and thanked our guides as well as vowing again to not expose the waterfall to the outside world. We came back to the city with a sense of an accomplished mission and of course bragging rights.
I love hiking alone. I love the sense of adventure and most importantly, I am able to engage nature at a personal level. Although at times, it can be scary when you're walking alone and then suddenly, you hear an uncommon noise coming from the nearby bushes or when you stumble across a couple of wild boar footprints or worst, feline type footprints.
Recently, I met with a fellow hiker who, also like me, enjoys travelling alone. But I believe he's a bit more daring than me and might I add, a bit crazier. For example, if I come across a junction trail in the forest, I would just turn the hell back. Mr Lim (that's his name) will just push forward and if the trail leads nowhere, he'll return to the junction and use the other trail. For that, he has my respect.
During our blind date, he proposed to look for an unknown waterfall deep in the jungles of our country and assured me that this waterfall may be known only to the Orang Asli community and few local residents. I snatched up this offer and went back to watch Man Vs Wild Season 3 to get myself all pumped up.
Last Saturday, we left for our maiden exploration together. Our trekking first lead us to a stream with large boulders and a clearing that spans downstream with lush jungles on both sides of the river bank. This was heaven to me and Lim. If I was travelling alone, this would be my final destination and I would be contented with it. That's because I would not have the balls to go deeper into the wilderness alone. Hey, I'm no Bear Grylls. I'm just Ah Beh Teoh from Kelate.
I wish I had boulders for balls
An hour into the trek, we came across two bridges that spanned the river. These bridges can be called the crooked bridge because it is crooked on one side. And instead of concrete and wood, the two bridges are made out of vines and bamboo shoots. Yes, vines. And it had the Penang bridge cable lookalike as well. It was exciting and thrilling as we crossed the precarious bridge, A vine or two snapped, the bamboos creaked and the roar of the river down below you can't even hear yourself talk. Now, that's adventure. After an exhausting 3 hours, we arrived at a mini waterfall with a gigantic pool to dip our tired bodies in. What an amazing place this is.
Awesome mini waterfall
Refreshing
Just imagine something out of a Brokeback Mountain scene: secluded, quiet and private. This is Lim, by the way
Lim
Bamboozled
After a pleasant rest, we trudged on to our destination and after another hour, we arrived at our destination. A pristine, immaculate, untouched waterfall.
