What to prepare for Mount Kinabalu climbing?

Hi! I know, it's been a while right? Well. As some of you know that I'm officially married and have start my new life as a Wife. I know apologize will not satisfied you but I will try to update this blog as much as I could this year. Last year, I have booked my name to climb the Mount Kinabalu on 11th April this year. Due to my career commitment and I have a serious audit going on that week, I have to let go and hand over to my cousin. Obviously, this post I made is special for her and a part of good luck to her as well. Mae, be ready!

Mount Kinabalu is one of the world heritage and one of our proud treasure of Sabah. Every year local and foreign people climb this mount, you need to book early for this trip unless you are trying to get into the Climbathon which held once in a year. This trip is not a cheap, and is not like a normal hiking as you thought. You have to mentally and physically fit for it or you may get injured and worst case, Death.

For first time climber, you can always refer to my previous post - Always Trust Yourself - Climbing The Mount of Kinabalu. There are 2 route of going up, the Timpohon Gate, Kinabalu Park and the Mesilau Nature Resort. If you go from Timpohon gate, you will be pass through a lot of going up steps where I could say, higher but shorter route, while Mesilau route is 2km further and the scenery are better than the Timpohon route. My suggestion would be, going up through Mesilau and going back to Timpohon. This expedition will take 2 days to complete includes eat and sleep.

Before the trip:

1) Get your physical ready. Do regular exercise like jogging, cycling or swimming in order to get your breathing technique right. Remember, you will face a climate change during the climb, prepare yourself about a month.

2) Planning your trip like transportation from home up to the starting point. Mostly, the trip is in group of people, check with them and get confirmation.

3) Now you might think, what should I bring? Do I need to bring more clothes?

In my case, I would try to bring as light as I could, because, the higher you go up the heavier your stuff will be. By this time, if you are not fit enough, you will thought of throwing your bag on your way up or never go up at all. What did I brought last time? Check your list and you may highlight to me if you think I missed something that really important.

What I wear during day 1 (from Mesilau to Laban Rata) - This will take about 5-7 hours walk. Start from 8am, and depends on you to reach early or late, but please do not reach Laban rata at 6pm, else you will missed your dinner and you might turn into a hungry dragon at night.

Clothing

1) Non slippery shoes - light weight recommended

2) Socks

3) Cap/snow cap

4) Sun glasses

5) Underwear/bra

6) Short pants/light weight pants

Inside the bag (where I put inside a plastic bag although my bag is waterproof)

1) 1 jacket - windproof or something that will not get heavy when you caught rain

2) Torchlight - rechargeable. - Additional headlight is recommended.

3) Soap & facial foam

4) Sunblock with high SPF - Don't assume that the weather is cold and we don't need that, remember we are climbing near to the sun

5) Gloves

6) Plastic rain coat - you can get this from the 7eleven store - think budget

7) Jumper or trouser (last time, I wear a legging so that if I got wet, it will dry easily)

8) Scarf is optional

9) Sarung/Towel - I would recommend a Sarung because it's not bulky stuff and easy to dry)

10) Underwear/bra

11) Non slip sandal - u will need this if your foot has blister while going down from the mountain.

12) Camera

13) Extra Battery

14) Mineral water - 1liter

15) Chocolate/Energy bar

16) Apple/Eggs

17) Active Fast Panadol/Aspirin

18) Safety Pins

19) Cotton Buds

20) Handyplast

21) Extra plastic bag

That's all as I remember, so, to Maglynna @ Mae, don't forget to pray for the good weather on that day! Have fun and please bring more photos please. Hold on, I found a good website on the guidelines to climb the mountain also. Check this out! ClimbMountKinabalu

3 Things To Prepare Before Climbing The Mount of Kinabalu

Who thought I can climb up to the peak of Mount Kinabalu again after 7 years! My first climb was in 2004, I was with my friend that time and still young and reckless. My first experience was different than my second climb. Why? In 2004, we are using Timpohon trail which only 6km to Laban Rata, and this time was the Mesilau trail which have additional of 2km more than Timpohon trail. Again, my weight was 15kg more than my first climb. I remind myself, I won't force myself up to the top if I can't. But what actually made me up to the top? The story that I will bring today. If I didn't make myself up to the top, the story will be different and u will never know what't it like to be on top again. Since I have experience the toughnest of climbing and crawling up to the peak, I will share some tips for those who are planning to climb the Mount Kinabalu.

Things you must prepare before the climb date:

1) Do not climb Mt. Kinabalu without physical preparation - Get Fit at least a month before climbing.

2) Bring as light as possible, the higher you go, the heavier it is. I mean, your stuff.

3) If you are a photographer, please decide what would you shoot in order to minimize which lens that you should bring. I brought my 18-200mm lens so more flexible for me.

Special tips for first time climber:

1) Make sure all the booking, transportation up to National Park or Mesilau Nature Park have been confirmed to avoid last minute dissappoinment. Always double confirmed.

2) Check your itinerary on that day, never missed a line. From the point you leave and up to your arrival.

3) Be early! This is important, to avoid rain, misty, and dark weather, you must get ready as early 6-8am, around 8am, you should start walking through Timpohon or Mesilau trail already, not from your house.

4) Always bring your wind proof jacket or warm suit and a good shoes.

5) For Timpohon & Mesilau trail, wear shorts, and cotton shirt is okay, as the temperature not as cold as up there, suggest to wear your sweater or wind proof jacket 2km before Laban Rata.

6) Normally, the program would be, Day 1, 8am-5pm walking up through Timpohon or Mesilau Trail up to Laban Rata, Day 2, 2am - 5.30am up to the Low's Peak of Mount Kinabalu. So, bring your headlight or torchlight at least.

7) When going down from the mountain, do not push hard on your toes, you will ended badly injured or worst case, unable to walk at all.

8) Google for more information

9) PRAY!

Head to register myself..   Part of the group, 10 man, 1 girl which is myself. LOL.
    So refreshing..
    Worth the walk, although Mesilau Trail is further than Timpohon trail..

  See the sign?   It was cold and I just put my camera on the rock and shoot..   I have a story that I have climb the mountain twice.. :D 
 P/s: For those who will be climbing soon, good luck! Bring home inspiring stories!

10 Tricks to Budget Travel

Celyn Resort, Kundasang Ranau Sabah.

Love to travel, but always have excuses to travel? Stop procrastinating. People often asked me these questions and some even talk about me like these:

1) How do you plan for your own travelling?

2) She got a lot of money, that's why she can travel.

3) Her company provide her a lot of annual leave, I don't even can have one.

4) She is different, I am poor.

Wrong!!! Obviously, I can't control the time ticking. I don't even have time to travel seriously. But I do have time to rest, some annual leave, public holidays and there are times you need a long rest! There are some tricks.

1) Plan your vacation. If you like to travel, it is not necessarily to travel to foreign country, start from your own country first. This will helps you to avoid the feeling of - I'm the only one in this earth who loves travel but never get our of the country. At least, make a record that you have visited all the state in your own country.

2) Earn and save for your dream vacation. Some people they invest their money for the future. Some may die before they can enjoy it. Remember, we can have several accounts. When I was studying, I always have this secret chamber called, the dream and the emergency chamber. The chambers are sort of piggy bank. I save any amount of money in my dream chamber and saves a fix amount in my emergency chamber. So, when I want to go for my dream stuff, for example go to Manukan Island, I will count the money from the Dream chamber, if not enough, then the Emergency chamber will be opened.

3) Work hard and play hard. When you work too hard, you will enjoy your holiday harder because when you work very hard, you will forget the time passed and when it reach your holiday time, you will feel, aaw! It's holiday! And jump for joy. Just be careful not to waste on your money in foreign country.

4) Be smart, sharpen your maths, careful with the exchange rates. This is the first thing you have to consider before visiting other country.

5) Prepare and Surf. Just like wedding, you must have a date first, before you finalized your date, of course you want the good whether, the season, what to avoid during the day in order to make it successful right? Then only you can decide when is your flight dates.

6) Know your destination well. Where are you going? To the beach? Or jungle? Or the city? Or all? You must plan your own itinerary in order not to waste your time in just one place. If you go in group, please be consider not to let other people waiting for you on bargaining for one little thing.

7) Backpacking. This is the best type of budget travel. Google it if you not sure about it. I experienced it in my own country, Singapore and Bali, and I still can say, the internet are my best friend.

8) Look for best packages. Not sure, ask more than 3 people. There is no harm asking and if you felt threaten, avoid asking and move away. Better be safe than sorry. When you ask, be polite and you might get a free package. Who knows. ;)

9) Spend wisely. This is a warning, do not try to spend more than 30% of your budget in your first day, try to minimize your spending. If you feel the souvenir is very cheap, you may buy it but always keep in mind that you still have another day to go and you may need the money for foods, don't die in other country.

10) Emergency kit. Always be prepared. Never spend your last cash in your last day of vacation. You might ended stranded in the airport and unable to go home.

Waterfront, Kuching, Sarawak.


Chinatown, Singapore


Kuta, Bali, Indonesia

Now that your have the tricks, let's go travelling!