rkkwan's trip to top of Mt. Kinabalu, Sabah, May 2011
Jun 20th, 2011, 08:14 PM
#22
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Thanks! Let me post the link to the pictures again, since it may get lost in my long-winded report:
Mt Kinabalu album:
http://rkkwan.zenfolio.com/mtkinabalu0511
Other albums of Sabah trip:
http://rkkwan.zenfolio.com/sabah0511
Mt Kinabalu album:
http://rkkwan.zenfolio.com/mtkinabalu0511
Other albums of Sabah trip:
http://rkkwan.zenfolio.com/sabah0511
Jun 21st, 2011, 06:32 AM
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<b>Summit down to Laban Rata</b>
Because it was cold and windy and misty at the summit, we came down soon after getting our pictures taken with the sign. There was nothing to see from there, as visibility was very poor. After the first 200m, the next 1.4km was clearly the most enjoyable portion of the whole journey for me. Just going down a broad slope, and I was taking quite a few pictures there. The cloud cleared a little bit, and we could see the other peaks around us, including Donkeys Ears (occasionally) and the very prominent South Peak - initially in front and below us, then above us to our right.
I was feeling so comfortable I could actually chat with my gf a bit during this stretch, and she asked how I felt about the trip and summiting. I told her the truth, which is that while I felt very accomplished and proud of myself, I didn't really get that "high" I've heard and read about athletes achieving their goals - whether summiting a peak or finishing a marathon. I felt great, but not necessarily enough to do it again or to climb other peaks.
Anyways, soon we came to the steepest point with the rope; one had to turn around and go down backwards, pulling the rope to hold the descent. I was actually enjoying it, while my gf probably hated this part the most. But our guide Billy was with her the whole time and we came down with no problem, and we were just about 1.1km away and 400m above Laban Rata.
Then my problem really started. Coming down the tall steps, I started to breath heavily, sweating a lot and felt very tired. Even though I was using both my trekking poles and my knees weren't feeling that bad. I had to stop several times to rest, wipe my sweat and get a sip of water. Going down wasn't supposed to be this hard, I thought. And we still had 6km and 1,400m to descend this day. For the first time, I actually started to worry about my condition.
Finally, we arrived back at Laban Rata at around 9a. An older Japanese couple was there to greet all of us. They came up with their friends, but the two of them would stay at Laban Rata and not attempt the summit. Quickly, we had breakfast (which was similar to the 2am supper), and then I went back to my bunk to take a nap. Everybody had to check out by 10:30a so that they could get the rooms ready for the next group of hikers.
Now, about our friend who went for the via ferrata. Because he was the only one doing the long route that day, it was just him and the instructor from Mountain Torq. They moved quickly and finished it in about 3 hours (compared to the usual 4-5). And they got a lot of good pictures. In fact, he came back so quickly he managed to have the breakfast before they closed at 10:30a - which was almost unheard of.
After my nap of about 40 minutes, I felt quite a bit better, though my whole body still felt pretty tired. Really not looking forward to the 6km to the bottom.
Because it was cold and windy and misty at the summit, we came down soon after getting our pictures taken with the sign. There was nothing to see from there, as visibility was very poor. After the first 200m, the next 1.4km was clearly the most enjoyable portion of the whole journey for me. Just going down a broad slope, and I was taking quite a few pictures there. The cloud cleared a little bit, and we could see the other peaks around us, including Donkeys Ears (occasionally) and the very prominent South Peak - initially in front and below us, then above us to our right.
I was feeling so comfortable I could actually chat with my gf a bit during this stretch, and she asked how I felt about the trip and summiting. I told her the truth, which is that while I felt very accomplished and proud of myself, I didn't really get that "high" I've heard and read about athletes achieving their goals - whether summiting a peak or finishing a marathon. I felt great, but not necessarily enough to do it again or to climb other peaks.
Anyways, soon we came to the steepest point with the rope; one had to turn around and go down backwards, pulling the rope to hold the descent. I was actually enjoying it, while my gf probably hated this part the most. But our guide Billy was with her the whole time and we came down with no problem, and we were just about 1.1km away and 400m above Laban Rata.
Then my problem really started. Coming down the tall steps, I started to breath heavily, sweating a lot and felt very tired. Even though I was using both my trekking poles and my knees weren't feeling that bad. I had to stop several times to rest, wipe my sweat and get a sip of water. Going down wasn't supposed to be this hard, I thought. And we still had 6km and 1,400m to descend this day. For the first time, I actually started to worry about my condition.
Finally, we arrived back at Laban Rata at around 9a. An older Japanese couple was there to greet all of us. They came up with their friends, but the two of them would stay at Laban Rata and not attempt the summit. Quickly, we had breakfast (which was similar to the 2am supper), and then I went back to my bunk to take a nap. Everybody had to check out by 10:30a so that they could get the rooms ready for the next group of hikers.
Now, about our friend who went for the via ferrata. Because he was the only one doing the long route that day, it was just him and the instructor from Mountain Torq. They moved quickly and finished it in about 3 hours (compared to the usual 4-5). And they got a lot of good pictures. In fact, he came back so quickly he managed to have the breakfast before they closed at 10:30a - which was almost unheard of.
After my nap of about 40 minutes, I felt quite a bit better, though my whole body still felt pretty tired. Really not looking forward to the 6km to the bottom.
Jun 21st, 2011, 10:41 AM
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<b>Laban Rata down to Timpohon Gate</b>
After getting all of stuff ready, refilled our water bottles, and did some stretching, we started heading down as a whole group at around 10:45a. Since it took us 6 hours climbing up the previous day, we figured we could get down in about 4 hours, in time for the included lunch at the Park HQ before heading back to Kota Kinabalu.
Unfortunately, my pace just got slower and slower, even though the path was getting easier. In fact, my pace was barely faster than when we were coming up. It was hard to explain, as initially there wasn't a particular part of my body that was suffering that much. Simply, my whole body was tired, and I had to use a lot of energy on both my legs and both my arms (using the hiking poles) for each tall step I made going down.
I soon had to make breaks at every 400 to 500m, and have to stretch at every shelter (around 1km apart) as I really worried I would get cramps. I was also sweating a lot, so I basically finished my water just past halfway and had to drink my gf's. And looking down all the tall steps and steep slopes, I really found it unbelievable that I could have hiked all the way to the summit. Couldn't believe it.
Anyways, our friend would head down first, and he ended up waiting for us for a long time just before Timpohon. At around the 2.5km mark (3.5km done), we decided that my gf would also go ahead with her phone so she and our friend could call our non-climbing party at the Park HQ that we would be late, but still coming down. We dropped the idea about lunch. Now, all we hoped was I could make it down under my own power, and still had transportation back to KK before dark.
To this date, none of us could really figure out what happened. I have two guesses, and probably both contributed to it. First, I was simply exhausted from the 6hr climb the previous day, and the 6hr roundtrip from Laban Rata to the summit earlier that morning. I basically used up all my energy to get to the top without enough reserve. Second, because I hardly hike and was overly concerned about my knees and the steps coming down; such that I used way more energy to hold my body for each step. Together, I was basically suffering from exhaustion. Only that I was rehydrating myself adequately, and stretching often enough I managed to keep going, though progressively slower.
Also at around halfway, after being offered a few times, I finally agreed to let Billy carry my backpack for me. That certainly helped. Remember I mentioned that there are emergency stretchers at each shelter, and that evacuation can be provided at 350RM/km? I certainly didn't expect having to use them, but that option did cross the mind of both myself and my gf. If my legs had really cramped up, that might be necessary.
Slowly, I made my way one step at a time, and found my gf and our friend at the last shelter waiting for me with just 800m to go. [Billy was with me basically the whole way.] It was already past 4, and since all who were going down were gone, while nobody would be climbing up this late, we were the only people on the trail. It'd have been pretty scary without our guide.
But that wasn't the end of my struggle. Remember that when we first started on the trail on the previous day, the first 100m or so was downhill to the Carson Falls? Well, that'd mean I had to go up before getting to Timpohon Gate. By this time, my legs were gone, and the only way I could go up those last 20-30 steps was doing what cross-country skiers do going uphill - pulling with my arms on my hiking poles. It wasn't pretty, but I did manage to finish unassisted (except for my backpack)...
After getting all of stuff ready, refilled our water bottles, and did some stretching, we started heading down as a whole group at around 10:45a. Since it took us 6 hours climbing up the previous day, we figured we could get down in about 4 hours, in time for the included lunch at the Park HQ before heading back to Kota Kinabalu.
Unfortunately, my pace just got slower and slower, even though the path was getting easier. In fact, my pace was barely faster than when we were coming up. It was hard to explain, as initially there wasn't a particular part of my body that was suffering that much. Simply, my whole body was tired, and I had to use a lot of energy on both my legs and both my arms (using the hiking poles) for each tall step I made going down.
I soon had to make breaks at every 400 to 500m, and have to stretch at every shelter (around 1km apart) as I really worried I would get cramps. I was also sweating a lot, so I basically finished my water just past halfway and had to drink my gf's. And looking down all the tall steps and steep slopes, I really found it unbelievable that I could have hiked all the way to the summit. Couldn't believe it.
Anyways, our friend would head down first, and he ended up waiting for us for a long time just before Timpohon. At around the 2.5km mark (3.5km done), we decided that my gf would also go ahead with her phone so she and our friend could call our non-climbing party at the Park HQ that we would be late, but still coming down. We dropped the idea about lunch. Now, all we hoped was I could make it down under my own power, and still had transportation back to KK before dark.
To this date, none of us could really figure out what happened. I have two guesses, and probably both contributed to it. First, I was simply exhausted from the 6hr climb the previous day, and the 6hr roundtrip from Laban Rata to the summit earlier that morning. I basically used up all my energy to get to the top without enough reserve. Second, because I hardly hike and was overly concerned about my knees and the steps coming down; such that I used way more energy to hold my body for each step. Together, I was basically suffering from exhaustion. Only that I was rehydrating myself adequately, and stretching often enough I managed to keep going, though progressively slower.
Also at around halfway, after being offered a few times, I finally agreed to let Billy carry my backpack for me. That certainly helped. Remember I mentioned that there are emergency stretchers at each shelter, and that evacuation can be provided at 350RM/km? I certainly didn't expect having to use them, but that option did cross the mind of both myself and my gf. If my legs had really cramped up, that might be necessary.
Slowly, I made my way one step at a time, and found my gf and our friend at the last shelter waiting for me with just 800m to go. [Billy was with me basically the whole way.] It was already past 4, and since all who were going down were gone, while nobody would be climbing up this late, we were the only people on the trail. It'd have been pretty scary without our guide.
But that wasn't the end of my struggle. Remember that when we first started on the trail on the previous day, the first 100m or so was downhill to the Carson Falls? Well, that'd mean I had to go up before getting to Timpohon Gate. By this time, my legs were gone, and the only way I could go up those last 20-30 steps was doing what cross-country skiers do going uphill - pulling with my arms on my hiking poles. It wasn't pretty, but I did manage to finish unassisted (except for my backpack)...
Jun 22nd, 2011, 04:42 AM
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<b>Aftermath</b>
Billy our guide called for transportation when I was finally approaching Timpohon Gate, and we we were back at the Park HQ in no time, greeted by our non-climbing friends and the baby. It was about 5p by then, as it's taken me almost 6 hours to come down, but transportation back to KK was not a problem. Lots of cars and vans there waiting for ANY return fare. My friends negotiated a 7-seat Toyota Van (similar to the airport taxi van) for 150RM, which was even less than our ride here 2 days prior.
We went to the Park office to purchase our certificates (10RM each). They are very official about this, as the guide had to certify up at the Sayat-Sayat checkpoint near the top that we actually made it to the summit. And the certificate has serial number and name of the guide. And it was printed beautifully on high-quality paper. You can see the scan of mine in my album, already linked. We said good bye to Billy (whom I gave him a 20RM tip for carrying my backpack) and picked up my stored suitcase.
On the way up to Laban Rata the previous day, we thought the mountain guide was useless. Well, he was definitely extremely useful for my gf and I for the second day. Earning just 85RM for two days' work (even if it's leisurely) is just a part-time job for Billy, who's a farmer from nearby villages. It is always amazing that while the foreign hikers like us would be wearing fancy hiking boots, etc, the locals simply wear the cheapest sneakers and they'd be hiking faster.
I slept for most of the way back to KK, and we would stay at the North Borneo Cabin again, for one night. I recovered from the exhaustion, but now all three of us had very very sore legs. No problem walking on level ground, but the it was excruciating to climb the stairs up to the hostel (it's only on the 1st floor). And coming down was even worse. One step at a time, with our bodies turned. At the hostel, other travelers could tell immediately we just came back from the mountain, and would ask if we made it to the top, how was the sunrise, etc... One Australian girl there summited a few days before us, and commented that she couldn't walk for 2 days, but it started to get better after. That's what we would be looking forward to.
Dinner that night was Bak Kut Teh at Yu Kee right downstairs. Least distance to travel. And good food.
That concluded the Mt. Kinabalu part of our journey. To this day, I am still amazed that I actually made it to the top. And there are others who are amazed that I could make it, with my medical history. But seriously, without the picture and the certificate, I myself would have a hard time believing I made it to the top! Most importantly, I would like to thank my gf and her friends for inviting me (or at least allowing me to join them) for this trip. I know I would not have planned this myself. And to bear with me during my trouble on this 2nd day coming down the mountain.
Next... Resting at the luxurious Gayana Eco Resort...
Billy our guide called for transportation when I was finally approaching Timpohon Gate, and we we were back at the Park HQ in no time, greeted by our non-climbing friends and the baby. It was about 5p by then, as it's taken me almost 6 hours to come down, but transportation back to KK was not a problem. Lots of cars and vans there waiting for ANY return fare. My friends negotiated a 7-seat Toyota Van (similar to the airport taxi van) for 150RM, which was even less than our ride here 2 days prior.
We went to the Park office to purchase our certificates (10RM each). They are very official about this, as the guide had to certify up at the Sayat-Sayat checkpoint near the top that we actually made it to the summit. And the certificate has serial number and name of the guide. And it was printed beautifully on high-quality paper. You can see the scan of mine in my album, already linked. We said good bye to Billy (whom I gave him a 20RM tip for carrying my backpack) and picked up my stored suitcase.
On the way up to Laban Rata the previous day, we thought the mountain guide was useless. Well, he was definitely extremely useful for my gf and I for the second day. Earning just 85RM for two days' work (even if it's leisurely) is just a part-time job for Billy, who's a farmer from nearby villages. It is always amazing that while the foreign hikers like us would be wearing fancy hiking boots, etc, the locals simply wear the cheapest sneakers and they'd be hiking faster.
I slept for most of the way back to KK, and we would stay at the North Borneo Cabin again, for one night. I recovered from the exhaustion, but now all three of us had very very sore legs. No problem walking on level ground, but the it was excruciating to climb the stairs up to the hostel (it's only on the 1st floor). And coming down was even worse. One step at a time, with our bodies turned. At the hostel, other travelers could tell immediately we just came back from the mountain, and would ask if we made it to the top, how was the sunrise, etc... One Australian girl there summited a few days before us, and commented that she couldn't walk for 2 days, but it started to get better after. That's what we would be looking forward to.
Dinner that night was Bak Kut Teh at Yu Kee right downstairs. Least distance to travel. And good food.
That concluded the Mt. Kinabalu part of our journey. To this day, I am still amazed that I actually made it to the top. And there are others who are amazed that I could make it, with my medical history. But seriously, without the picture and the certificate, I myself would have a hard time believing I made it to the top! Most importantly, I would like to thank my gf and her friends for inviting me (or at least allowing me to join them) for this trip. I know I would not have planned this myself. And to bear with me during my trouble on this 2nd day coming down the mountain.
Next... Resting at the luxurious Gayana Eco Resort...
Jun 22nd, 2011, 02:11 PM
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Wow, just catching up with this adventure now. Oxygen deprived blood at that height might have been the cause. When we "play" on Mauna Kea I can hardly breathe and sometimes develop a mean headache just driving down....not enough oxygen up there in the thin air is what everyone here tells me....
Fantastic report though.... I feel tired just reading it. Don't think Kinabalu is on our list but am sure you just enticed some of the more active fodorites in the group to follow your trail. Waiting for the luxurious part.
Aloha!
Fantastic report though.... I feel tired just reading it. Don't think Kinabalu is on our list but am sure you just enticed some of the more active fodorites in the group to follow your trail. Waiting for the luxurious part.
Aloha!
Jun 22nd, 2011, 03:14 PM
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hawaiiantraveler - Thanks for reading. There were times when I felt I was having a little trouble with the altitude, like when I first arrived at Laban Rata on first day, after the 6-hour climb. But I don't think it had much effect on the coming-down part. I still think it's lack of fitness and lack of techniques. lol.
Jun 23rd, 2011, 04:45 PM
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Rkkwan - Really enjoying reading your trip report. We just returned from Borneo recently and did not do the climb...I guess it was a judicious decision, as it sounds like it was more difficult than I had realized. Congrats to you for doing it!
Jun 24th, 2011, 09:14 PM
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<b>Gayana Eco Resort May 27 to May 29</b>
There's probably no better place to rest for a few days near KK after climbing Mt. Kinabalu. Quiet, private, and minimal walking required once inside! Well, if you can look past the cost. Our over-the-water villas cost about RM1,350 (US$450) each per night. That is by a wide margin the most expensive accommodations I have spent, ever. And that's 30x the cost of the North Borneo Cabin we were staying at. But did I enjoy it? Of course!!!
But let me state what this place is NOT, first. It is NOT a beach resort. It has a small stretch of beach, but with all clams and sea urchins not far from the shore, it is not for swimming. And the strip of beach is narrow, so they don't ever bother putting lounge chairs, etc there. It is also NOT a fun/game place - no banana boats, no parasailing, no water ski, that sort. And, from what our companions reported, it is also not that great for diving; for that I think one should go to Sipadan off the east coast of Sabah.
So, what did we do that I so enjoyed the place? [BTW, it's a short 10-minute speedboat from the Jesselton Ferry Terminal in KK. They have a reception/lobby right on the pier.]
Complimentary, except when I state the price:
- Massage at their spa. It's the first time I went to a spa. Very relaxing. Nice view from the room. 90min for RM348 (US$116).
- Watch the feeding of the cobia (locals call them kingfish) and the giant groupers.
- Snorkel. The sea there is full of fishes and clams and sea anemones, etc; and some coral. We were literally staying right above a natural aquarium. Unbelievable.
- Kayak into a mangrove. (Kayak is free, but going into mangrove requires a guide; 40RM/person for an hour). There's a healthy, growing mangrove just across the bay from our villa.
- Visit the Marine Ecology Research Center - short film, touch tank, beautiful aquariums with all 8 species of the giant clams, and feeding a pair of sea turtles by ourselves.
- Swim in the infinity pool.
- Swim in the ocean with our friends' baby. The sea in this bay is very calm, very clear; but also with high salinity/buoyancy. Effortless to stay afloat.
[Our friends with PADI licenses went for diving. They took them on a boat to the opposite side of the Gaya Island at the Bunga Raya Resort, an even more expensive sister property. They spent about 500RM (US$170) a person for half-day including park fees, etc. But as I mentioned, they found there's more to see by just snorkeling around our resort.]
There are also some trails around the resort, including one across Gaya Island to Bunga Raya. Gaya Island is the biggest island in the Tundu Abdul Rahman National Park afterall. But we didn't do any, as first, we barely had enough time for the other stuff; and second, three of us could hardly walk!!! But I think it'd be fun to walk the trails.
---
<b>Food</b>
There are two restaurants in the resort - Macac, Western/Malaysian next to the pool, also where complimentary breakfast is served; Alu Alu, a Chinese seafood restaurant above the water. There's also a lounge where they serve complimentary drinks/beer and one daily cocktail from 6p to 7p.
First evening, we had seafood at the Alu Alu. While it is of course more expensive than Suang Tian in the city, it is not unreasonable. Cost about 900RM (US$300) for the 5 of us; not only did we have lobsters, we also had a pricey steamed humpback grouper (老鼠斑). But we also had one of the most pleasant surprise - the simple boiled shrimps were the best tasting ones I can remember having, ever!
Second evening, my gf and I celebrated my birthday at the Macac. The menu is mainly western, with plenty of seafood, and with a bit of an Asian twist. Decent and very reasonably priced. Two of us cost RM190 (US$64) with a cocktail. The mosquitoes did start to gather around me near the end of the meal, but the nice thing about a resort is that they simply delivered our complimentary fresh fruits to our villa.
But I think most impressed me is their complimentary breakfast at the Macac. Besides a fairly nice self-service continental breakfast bar, each guest can also order a main course from about 10 choices. These are gourmet dishes, well created, well made. Though it can be slow. Those staying at the priciest villas with a large balcony can also have them delivered by boat.
Pictures from the resort (not too many, as I was often just walking around in swimming trunks and a t-shirt:
http://rkkwan.zenfolio.com/gayana0511
---
So, that was our trip. We made it to the top of Mt. Kinabalu, we saw orangutan and proboscis monkeys and fireflies, we stayed at hostels and we stayed at luxury cabins, we had lots of good food - cheap and pricey. In short, an awesome trip (other than the 4.5-hr delay on AirAsia coming back from BKI to HKG). And I can start to walk again about 3 days after coming down from the mountain.
Thanks for reading. Questions and comments very welcomed. And again, photos at:
http://rkkwan.zenfolio.com/sabah0511
There's probably no better place to rest for a few days near KK after climbing Mt. Kinabalu. Quiet, private, and minimal walking required once inside! Well, if you can look past the cost. Our over-the-water villas cost about RM1,350 (US$450) each per night. That is by a wide margin the most expensive accommodations I have spent, ever. And that's 30x the cost of the North Borneo Cabin we were staying at. But did I enjoy it? Of course!!!
But let me state what this place is NOT, first. It is NOT a beach resort. It has a small stretch of beach, but with all clams and sea urchins not far from the shore, it is not for swimming. And the strip of beach is narrow, so they don't ever bother putting lounge chairs, etc there. It is also NOT a fun/game place - no banana boats, no parasailing, no water ski, that sort. And, from what our companions reported, it is also not that great for diving; for that I think one should go to Sipadan off the east coast of Sabah.
So, what did we do that I so enjoyed the place? [BTW, it's a short 10-minute speedboat from the Jesselton Ferry Terminal in KK. They have a reception/lobby right on the pier.]
Complimentary, except when I state the price:
- Massage at their spa. It's the first time I went to a spa. Very relaxing. Nice view from the room. 90min for RM348 (US$116).
- Watch the feeding of the cobia (locals call them kingfish) and the giant groupers.
- Snorkel. The sea there is full of fishes and clams and sea anemones, etc; and some coral. We were literally staying right above a natural aquarium. Unbelievable.
- Kayak into a mangrove. (Kayak is free, but going into mangrove requires a guide; 40RM/person for an hour). There's a healthy, growing mangrove just across the bay from our villa.
- Visit the Marine Ecology Research Center - short film, touch tank, beautiful aquariums with all 8 species of the giant clams, and feeding a pair of sea turtles by ourselves.
- Swim in the infinity pool.
- Swim in the ocean with our friends' baby. The sea in this bay is very calm, very clear; but also with high salinity/buoyancy. Effortless to stay afloat.
[Our friends with PADI licenses went for diving. They took them on a boat to the opposite side of the Gaya Island at the Bunga Raya Resort, an even more expensive sister property. They spent about 500RM (US$170) a person for half-day including park fees, etc. But as I mentioned, they found there's more to see by just snorkeling around our resort.]
There are also some trails around the resort, including one across Gaya Island to Bunga Raya. Gaya Island is the biggest island in the Tundu Abdul Rahman National Park afterall. But we didn't do any, as first, we barely had enough time for the other stuff; and second, three of us could hardly walk!!! But I think it'd be fun to walk the trails.
---
<b>Food</b>
There are two restaurants in the resort - Macac, Western/Malaysian next to the pool, also where complimentary breakfast is served; Alu Alu, a Chinese seafood restaurant above the water. There's also a lounge where they serve complimentary drinks/beer and one daily cocktail from 6p to 7p.
First evening, we had seafood at the Alu Alu. While it is of course more expensive than Suang Tian in the city, it is not unreasonable. Cost about 900RM (US$300) for the 5 of us; not only did we have lobsters, we also had a pricey steamed humpback grouper (老鼠斑). But we also had one of the most pleasant surprise - the simple boiled shrimps were the best tasting ones I can remember having, ever!
Second evening, my gf and I celebrated my birthday at the Macac. The menu is mainly western, with plenty of seafood, and with a bit of an Asian twist. Decent and very reasonably priced. Two of us cost RM190 (US$64) with a cocktail. The mosquitoes did start to gather around me near the end of the meal, but the nice thing about a resort is that they simply delivered our complimentary fresh fruits to our villa.
But I think most impressed me is their complimentary breakfast at the Macac. Besides a fairly nice self-service continental breakfast bar, each guest can also order a main course from about 10 choices. These are gourmet dishes, well created, well made. Though it can be slow. Those staying at the priciest villas with a large balcony can also have them delivered by boat.
Pictures from the resort (not too many, as I was often just walking around in swimming trunks and a t-shirt:
http://rkkwan.zenfolio.com/gayana0511
---
So, that was our trip. We made it to the top of Mt. Kinabalu, we saw orangutan and proboscis monkeys and fireflies, we stayed at hostels and we stayed at luxury cabins, we had lots of good food - cheap and pricey. In short, an awesome trip (other than the 4.5-hr delay on AirAsia coming back from BKI to HKG). And I can start to walk again about 3 days after coming down from the mountain.
Thanks for reading. Questions and comments very welcomed. And again, photos at:
http://rkkwan.zenfolio.com/sabah0511
