Back in Borneo! Once
again. Probably quite a short stay this time but still, if I'm here
now for the 5th time I think it's also time finally to
climb the mountain. But paying huge fees for dorm accommodation at
Laban Rata is not what I wanna do so why not do the climb in one day.
Also just to see if I can do it. Plan was made and I also found
company for the climb, Shane from Ireland who I met while diving in
Lembongan in July.
One day, 17,2 km, from
starting point at the elevation of 1866 m to the summit at 4095 m. We
were well prepared, I had been sick for 2 weeks before leaving to
Borneo and also still not feeling 100 %. Shane climbed up with a
rash west, shorts and a dry bag. Our guide was also really supportive
and reminded us every time we saw him (not many times) that we are
too slow, we won't make it in time and that the other climbers are in
better shape than we are.
The climb/trek is really hard.
For sure easier made if you climb to Laban Rata on the first day and
then to the summit the next morning for the sunrise. We were total of
6 men and 1 woman doing the climb in one day, divided to 4 groups. At
some point I was climbing with Shane, the summit I reached with two
swedes and I came down mostly alone. It was important just to make my
own pace, not to go too fast but also not too slow. And I still don't
know whats's the point of having a guide (mandatory) as I hardly saw
him and when i did, he just annoyed the hell out of me.
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| Laban Rata. The hardest part still to come. |
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| Reached the summit! I dunno who was freezing more, me in shorts or the swedish dude taking a picture of them. |
The total climb took me
9,5 hours. At the summit it was raining, icy cold wind and about +3
degrees. I was freezing, couldn't feel my hands, cheeks or legs.
There were icy spots in my shorts. And there was also no view. But at
that point I didn't really care, I was just happy I made it! The last
2 km's are the toughest ones, no shelter from the forest, going up
really steep and and less oxygen as you are reaching slowly 4000 m.
And at that point I didn't know yet how much fun I'm gonna have while
coming back down.... My legs were absolutely frozen and muscles in my
both legs were starting to let me down. The further I got, the slower
I was. I was quite a happy woman when we reached the starting point
again and got back to Kota Kinabalu for a hot shower, food and beer.
The nasty surprise came
the next day. My throat started to ache already during the climb and
the next day my tonsils were swollen and infected. Probably thanx to
the icy wind at the summit. Now I'm eating antibiotics for the next
days and trying to take it easy. Which is not easy.
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