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Getaway
26 ~ FireFlyz
Top of the
World …
Located in the East Malaysian
state of Sabah, Mount
Kinabalu is the highest
mountain in Malaysia. Wanting
to tick scaling this mountain
off her bucket list,
Anitha Lim
decides to brave the elements,
and with no prior training,
heads off to the top.
M
an
by nature is a
conqueror –wars
over the centuries
have been fought
to lay claimto
everything fromthe spice trade to oil
and borders. Suggest to the audacious
man that something is difficult and the
challenge immediately thrills. Suchmust
be the thinking behindmountaineering,
for why elsewould someone glance up
at a toweringmass of tricky terrain and
decide that the thing to dowould be to
climb it?
Almost
Important biological site
Set within theWorldHeritage Site of
Kinabalu Park in Sabah,Mount Kinabalu
stands at 4,096m. It has been declared
one of themost important biological sites
in theworldwith over 5,000 plant, 300
bird and 100mammalian species. The
typical ascent is broken over two days,
starting early in themorningwith a 6km
hike to Panabalan Base Camp (3,272m),
where lodgings for the night are situated.
The popular 3D2N climbing packages
are priced between RM1,120 and RM1,600
per person, depending on group size and
includes a night’s accommodation, buffet
dinner, packed lunch, climbing permit
and a guide. Only 135 permits per day are
issued to ensure the clear passage along
the Ranau Trail, theMesilau Trail having
been closed indefinitely after last year’s
earthquake.
Our group of six set off one August
morning for our adventure. A van picked
us up at sunrise for the two-hour drive to
Timpohanwherewemeet our guides and
handed over our heavier luggage (porter
service rates start at RM65 for the first
10kg) to keep theweight on our backs
light, carrying just our packed lunch,
high-energy snacks and rainproof gear in
our backpacks.