3 hours ride journey to the Padas River where we had our Class 3 white water rafting. Class 3? I think we should begin from Class 1 (Beginner). Met our friendly and comical guide, Angelo at the Summer Lodge. Took a hour and a half on van to a place called Beaufort where we catch our train.
Along the way, we formed our asshole dai-dee gang! Meishan, Meina, Hongli, Rusuell and me. Reached Beaufort train station, had about half an hour spare time, so we roamed about the small town taking photos.
Journey to the Padas River on the train is an unique experience. We had to rush to snatch seats with the locals there. Some locals were desperately climbing through the windows of the carriage and some were holdings buckets of stuffs trying to fight for places.
Lucky us, we did stunts! We climbed from the platform to the back for the train and surprisely no one else did except us. Some of us managed to get seats and some have to stand or moved to the open train platform which is the lagguage area. The platform is an open space.
At some point of time, we got bored seating in the carriage. All of us decided to move to the open platform. It was quite an experience. Got to see the clear view of the landscape, the padas river as the train travelled through the narrow ravine.
Given short time to put our belongings at the ending point of the white river rafting and to change to our wet clothings. Boarded up the same train again to the starting point of the activity. There we were briefed on the safety aspect of the activity.
My group is the fun lot with Quak, Minna, Hongli, William and Haowah. Most importantly we had our guide, Angelo in our raft. Damn funny and cock. Everyone was kan chong whenever we saw the rapids. We tucked in our legs deeply under the chamber of the raft so that we will be throw off into the river. After I went through this activity, kayaking in the open sea is like no kick to me. A pity that rafting ended so fast and it was really fun.
Went back to Kota Kinabalu town for our last seafood dinner together at one of the famous restaurants with cultural performance. After dinner, we took cabs to the airport to catch our flight. Along the way, Larry and I chit-chatted with the driver. Larry asked if the uncle is part time F1 driver by night. This boosted the uncle's ego and he got too engrossed and excited, talking how many cars he owned, how he drive, how he first bought car and then accelerated his new car on the road to at least 120km/h. Indeed, we were first ones to reach the airport with crazy taxi driving.
One of the trip leaders mistook the timing of the flight and our flight had already taken off before we reached the airport. So we got stranded in the airport for another day. ODAC is gotta burnt a hole in the pocket as the trip leaders have to rebuy the ticket the next earliest flight and it costed twice the price. Nonetheless, I was quite happy that I don't have to go back home in wee hours and spending extra money on midnight taxi.
The famous Dai-Dee gang cum Bridge tutorial group
The only entertainment for adult in Beaufort town: Pool
Beaufort railway station
Locals were waiting for train
Hitching a train ride
The locals were loading their stuff on the open platform
Traveling down the narrow rail
When all else fail, the best option offered on the train. SHIT
Our rafting clashed against the big boulder
Always when to smile at camera and where the cameraman is
The infamous ODAC pose
Makansusa, die die must try
Lunchtime
Finally a group photo before the train left
Sunset @ Padas River
1.5 Hour of thrilled white water rafting
Last dinner @ Kota Kinabalu Town
While waiting for dinner to be serve
We missed our flight... bags cannot be check in
Souless airport and we are stranded for another night
Woke up at 2.00am early in the morning with less than 4 hours of sleep. The tap water was ultimate freezing cold and my hands were freaking pain and numb after brushing my teeth. As for going for a major toilet business, the toilet seat was also freaking icy cold.
After the quick washup and drinking the hot milo, all of us descended to Laban Rata guesthouse to meet with our mountain guides to bring us up to the summit. As we got up higher, the weather gets colder. My gloves were wet after holding on to the ropes due rope soaked by the moist or dew in the air. This made even worst as I can't feel my fingers at all. So I followed one of the mountain guide and tried to put my hands into my pant pockets to keep warm.
There wasn't any vegetation up there to break the cold wind. We were like shivering all the way up with cold wind blowing at us. All of us got up early to the summit on time to catch the sunrise. At the summit, it was much even colder. Most of us stayed close together to warm ourselves warm.
Descended down to the starting point of the "Via Feratta" and "Walk The Torq". The braver ones will take the "Via Feratta", a full course, which is 3 - 4 hours and rest will take "Walk The Torq", a part of the course, which is 2 - 3 hours. My group consists of Meishan, Zhiqiang, Liping, me and our trainer, Ryan. A final check of our harnesses and the figure of 8 knots. We began to climb down like a professional rock-climbers. The initial part of the activity was exciting. We had to descend down on the vertically straightened rock surface. The only safety was our 2 krabinas hooked on to the metal cable and a dynamic rope that link the 5 of us together. In case 1 of us fall off, the person beside is able to use the dynamic rope to pull him up.
A jungle in the midst of "Via Feratta" really suck alot, it just break our momentum. We had to release our dynamic rope and krabinas off from the cable and then bashed through the thick vegetation. All of us slipped and fall down during the 200m walk in the jungle due the lose and muddy soil.
The 2nd part of the "Via Feratta" after the jungle trek was so boring, nothing exciting. The thing we did was so routine. Climb, change krabina, hook up the safety line, change the other krabina. Sibei sian, did this over hundred of times since the beginning of the activity. So sian, at some of point, I don't even bother to hook up the safetly line on the D-ring!
After the end of the "Via Feratta", I was quite shagged already. We still have to descend down to the Kinabalu Headquarter to get back to the Kota Kinabalu town. Some of those who did the "Walk The Torq" has took their lunch and were resting at Pendant Hut, while waiting for "Via Ferrata" group to finish.
The 6km walk down from the Pendant Hut to the Timpohon Gate was slow and torturing for all of us. Our legs were wobby. Xavier offered to help to carry Hongli and Kahfong bags. Sometimes, I helped to carry also. Hongli was like going to throw her bag down when she saw a series of stairs as her kneecap was pain. Helped to carry her bag for her.
Just 2 resting huts away from the Timpohon Gate, we saw Zhiqiang rushing down. He was carrying 2 bags down; his and Liping's bag. Got to know from him that Liping has fell down and knocked her head against the rock. I was amazed by the strength of Zhiqiang to carry 2 bags down all of way. No doubt the spirit of Commandos!
Reached the Summer Lodge in the evening, shower and bathe. We were all so tired with legs aching, every step we took was a pain. To settle our dinner and not to walk so far, we decided to eat at the Pizza Hut downstair. I concussed on the bed immediately after the dinner.
4095.2 meters ! The weather at that time was below 5 degree celsius
Sunrise
Indeed it is land above clouds
Preparing the equipments for Via-Ferrta
All set and ready to go
Nice photo shot...
Hooking on each other like the movie "Vertical Limit"
A 2 hours ride from Summer Lodge to the Kinabalu Park Headquarters for registration to climb the mountain. Had a warm up together conducted by Zhiqiang before we took another mini bus to the starting point: Timpohon Gate. Took about 6 - 7 hours to scale 6km to the resthouse where we booked to stay for a night over there. As we climbed higher and higher, the weather gets colder and colder. Some started to develop slight altitude mountain sickness: headache, short of breaths. I think I abit wrong, I'm not feeling cold at all, getting warm in fact. I wore no less than a t-shirt, a short and my underwear and scaled up all the way to our resthouse.
I reached Laban Rata Guesthouse first followed on with Xavier, Rusell and Meishan. Meishan told us that our resthouse is Gunting Lagadan which is 100m away from Laban Rata Guesthouse. So four of us decided to move on first. After putting my bag down, I decided to went down to help Kah Fong to carry her bag. As I was walking down, I met with our guide, Diana, and she told me that we went to the wrong resthouse. Oh man, at that point of time, CUI-ED, had to climb up back to Gunting Lagadan to carry my bag down to Laban Rata Guesthouse and then to correct resthouse: Pendant Hut. It was not an easy climb to Pendant Hut, we had to use rope to ascend to the hut. Greeted warmly by Mr Lim, one of the boss of MountainTorq, was waiting for us at the bottom of the hut. Pendant Hut that we are staying was so nicely decorated, their bed and sleeping bags are clean and new. Just a wonderful place to sleep. Straight away after putting my bag down, I went to help Kah Fong and direct the rest to Laban Rata Guesthouse as suggested by Meishan to go for our buffet dinner first.
After the dinner, we had "Via Ferrata" familarisation to prepare ourselves for the activity the next morning. "Via Ferrata" is an italian phrase, "Via" means Road, "Ferrata" means Iron. In short is Iron Road. It is a new activity organized by Mountaintorq trainers. Going through Via Ferrata will let us see the inaccessible views of the Mt. Kinabula. We had to wear harness with krabrinas and helmet. Basically we had to climb like a rock-climbers!
Misty bus ride up to the mountain
At the Kinabalu Park Headquarter
Group photo at the starting point of the climb
Carson waterfall before the 1st checkpoint
Stairways to heaven...
2.5km, still alive and kicking
3.0km, okay half way there
3.5km, starting to feel time is long
4.0km, cold weather sets in. Breathing gets harder
5.0km, 1km more and almost dying
6.0km, finally last stretch to the resthouse only, not the summit yet
Reminds me of a lonely spirit luring around the path of Mt Ophir.
So near, yet so far... at the 4.5km mark
Laban Rata Guesthouse
Yatta!
Gunting Lagadan resthouse, the last house before the start of climb to the summit
Land Above The Cloud @ Balcony of Laban Rata guesthouse
Kids, please don;t not try it at home - 8.9 degree celsius. But you try it at your friend's home
