General Comments about Kinabalu

We got our Kinabalu itinerary arranged through a local Singapore travel agency which took care of practically everything. Because our team was originally a largely student population, the agent did up a budget-but-fun programme. My wife & I decided to tailor the programme to suit our idea of a holiday.

Firstly, we chose to fly SilkAir at 9am direct from Singapore to Kota Kinabalu whilst the others flew budget Air Asia from Johore. This of course necessitated getting up extra early & a bus trip across the Causeway. Thumbs up for SilkAir. Generally, as they say, "You get what you pay for".

Having said that, we erroneously thought a more expensive accommodation, right within the Kinabalu Park HQ would be more convenient. However, although the Liwagu Suites were nice, the whole Park HQ was undergoing upgrading works & breakfast was a steep 15 minute walk up a hill to eat a buffet breakfast, instead of onsite. Thumbs down.

The agent threw in every possible adventure in just 5 days, from visiting the Poring Hotsprings, Treetop Canopy Walk on the first day, to Whitewater Rafting the day after descending the mountain. We skipped the latter, figuring all that bone-rattling after a hard climb would suit the youngsters better... No regrets !

The seafood in Kota Kinabalu was fresh & well presented in most of the eateries. However, my wife, who made the summit with everyone else, doesn't remember much of the food up in Laban Rata (where most people rest overnight before a final 2+km to the summit), she was too dog-tired :-(

How about the mountain air? As fresh as you can imagine! However, be forewarned, even though May to August is generally good weather, it almost always rains in the afternoon. Rocks get slippery & trails become muddy. Waterproof everything beforehand. Temperatures can dip to Zero degrees Celcius at the summit by midnight. Although daytime is usually cool around the teens to low 20s, hiking can become hot & sweaty so it's best to dress in layers.

Can one get sunburnt? You bet! So don't forget adequate sunprotection even though the cold wind & mountain chill may lull you into complacency.

Pre - Climb Preparation

Once you've got a good reason to climb, prepare yourself :

1. find a good leader & climbing buddies, unless you're doing it alone. For my wife, her ex-classmate from high school, Justin Lee was just such a natural-born leader : athletic, firm yet compassionate & high EQ.
   
2. build up your quads & aerobic fitness. Basically it's all about stair-climbing so find yourself the highest apartment block and / or hill to practise on.
3. accumulate mileage on the treadmill or local trails. Remember, even if you're reasonably fit, you're looking at 6 hours of steady hiking at a stretch.
4. a nice schedule would be 2 - 3 times a week. Graduate the no. of storeys climbed / distance covered / load carried. An ultimate goal may be up & down 120 storeys within a period of 1 - 2 hours / 13 km hike on undulating terrain covered within 6 - 7 hours / max load of 5 kg backpack.
5. carbo-load & hydrate yourself before each workout. A mix of low/high G.I. (glycemic index) carbohydrates & rehydration salt solutions are preferable to prevent hypoglycemia, electrolyte imbalance & heat stress.
6. don't forget to warm up/down & stretch those stiff joints/muscles.
7. take glucosamine supplements, recommended brand Viartril-S
8. when out in the sun, protect yourself with sunblock, hats, UV-protective clothing & sunglasses. The oral antioxidant, Heliocare may additionally confer protection against sunburn.
9. prepare for inclement weather (rain)
10. train to hike in the dark with headlamps.
    

First Things First

Why climb a mountain? And why Kinabalu?

If you can get this right from the beginning, you're setting yourself up for success! So here are some good reasons for doing Mt K :
1. to prove that you have the mental strength
2. prove that your body can acclimatize & endure
3. to inspire others to conquer their mountains
4. to raise money for charitable causes
5. to commune with Nature, God, or a higher conscience
6. to engender bonds in a social / religious group

Here are some reasons guaranteed to help you fail :
1. decide last-minute with no climbing permit
2. "because my parents made me climb"
3. travelling with disagreeable companions