::Speed Is Everything::

December 13, 2007 6:00 AM

Third Day To Low's Peak (4095.2m) & Via-Ferrata

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.