The journey from the hotel began at 6.30am, and by 9am, we were at the Timpohon Gates :: the set off point (our driver was a speed demon in an unser); after finalizing the registrations and payments and stuff. A guide was there to guide us through and 2 porters were hired to carry our stuff up (fyi, 1kg costs rm6.60). It was already super-duper cold then, much like Genting during night time, more so because I was only in t-shirt and short pants (I not stupid! You'll know why later on). And with me, I carried a backpack with some essentials, food and drinking water, which totalled up to about 2kg.
Pre-climbing stuff are all settle here
A view of the summit from far, just-in-case I cannot make it there...*worried*
Just for motivation...
Overview of our journey, map denoting all the huts, shelters and helipads...
And so it began. According to our guide, the Mesilau trail is longer by 2km but offers a scenic and easier route. The first KM was relatively easy, not much of climbing (in fact, there was quite a number of descends)and we reach the first shelter in approximately 25 minutes. Of course start to action loh, and estimated that we will reach Laban Rata (the check-point) by noon... boy, were we in for a surprise...
KY and munyee... those smiles will be wiped-off their faces soon enough, muahahahaha
Me and munyee @ Carson's Falls
Lush greenery
Us @ Pondok Kandis, the first shelter
Pressurization kicks in! This was only the early stages... will it explode?
Then the real stuff kicks in, from P.Kandis onwards, it was endless streams of steps for you to climb. This is when the decision to get a walking stick proves its worth, whereby some of the perssure/weight can be shifted from the legs when climbing. Makes a good tool for selecting a good stepping point, because the soil was kinda moist, thus slippery. As most of us were still energetic, we decided to forego a stop at Pondok Ubah and continued with the journey. By this time, there were some gap existing between the fore-runners and the slow-coaches (me! Well, I'm just maintaining my pace...) and we also began to notice that the guide will always stay with the slowest person of the group. The next stop was @ Pondok LOWII, and at this point, I made my first refill of the untreated drinking water. Initially I was worried that the water will taste funny, or murky or will cause me to "lau sai" indefinitely but it turns out to be alright. Actually, it's cool and refreshing! For those who does not have weak stomach (mine is kinda weak actually, but who cares...) can actually consume these water (available at every shelter), saves a lot of hassle carrying own stock of drinking water.
Step by step, oh baby!
Good view...
Pondok LOWII, notice that its missing an I? Shiny eh?
The rustling of plastic bags here attracts squirrels; constant feeding from climbers has made them darn fat...
Posing before continuing... see, t-shirt, short pants and body fat is all you need...
Some random plant growing on some random rock
4th shelter, Pondok Mempening... makes you pening
The fifth Shelter will be somewhere near the Layang-layang huts, which is a little bit ahead of the joining point for Timpohon and Mesilau route (refer to earlier map if don't understand). Most of the climbers will stop to have a longer break here (favourite point to have lunch) before continuing. The track ahead will be rocky, and one better be extra careful when climbing, a face-fall proves to be devastating. I had to stop more frequently to catch my breaths (less plants, more rocks), as the air was getting thinner and cooler, and it drizzles occasionally. Our guide mentioned that if it rains, we might have to turn back as the surroundings would get too dangerous for us to continue ascending.
Resting @ the shelters @ layang-layang hut
Rocky surface + drizzles = dangerous slippery path :: recipe for disaster
Smile for the camera, actually tired like shiet already...
Pondok Villosa, 2nd last shelter from Laban Rata, approximately another KM to go...
All these while, I was catching up to munyee who was always a few steps ahead of me. Respect kau-kau! At times, I was so exhausted that I begin questioning myself "Why am I doing this? Why am I paying to suffer?" By then, I knew that I was not only physically unprepared for the climb, but mentally as well. I kept going because reaching Laban Rata is easier than heading all the way back down... thanks to munyee as well for motivating me to move on. After Pondok Paka, the final shelter, we realize that the group has been seperated quite far apart, as we could not catch up with the front-runners and the others seems to be quite far behind. Finally, at about 2+, we managed to reach Laban Rata, our destination for the day, I can't put into words how happy I was back there. It was 10 degrees Celsius there; I had earlier donned a face towel around my neck and wore gloves for the cold was beginning to be unbearable! Time to get some rest!
Pondok Paka, the final shelter
Finally, Laban Rata, I have longed to see this building for so, so, so, so, so long...!!!
Taking a picture with munyee before heading in for a nice, hot meal!
The next post will be of they stay in Laban Rata and the climb to Low's Peak! Are you bored yet? Hahaha!
2 comments:
Wooo u still can take so many pictures. Last time i tired until no mood to take pic hahaha.
Like the environment. Very nice.
That's the reason some of the pictures are quite blurry, tired until hands and legs are shaking...
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