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Kuala Lumpur

Our highlights: 

 

Getting SIM cards (so cheap and easy), the stop at Explorer Outfitters to get water purification tablets, the Indian food, our adorable le Apple boutique hotel, the Batik factory and souvenirs, the pewter plant, the awesomeness of the Batu Caves, monkeys grabbing my skirt at Batu Caves, THE FOOD (cheap and delicious--$8 to stuff both of us).

 

Cool facts:

 

Our private, 65 year old local tour guide filled us in on Malaysia's demographics, history, government, industry, and culture. We learned that Kuala Lumpur (KL) is the fourth largest shopping paradise in the world, with over 65 malls and every store imaginable. KL is home to 3 million people, and it is a very green city.

 

If you cut down a tree, you will be put in jail. They take their green space seriously, and have one of the oldest forests in the world still in tact.

 

They offer free transportation (pink buses) in the city and have a nice monorail and subway system. English is the country's second language, and many students come there to learn English.

Malaysia​

(December 2014)

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 The government is somewhat traditional, with a king and sultan as figurehead, and a prime minister who holds the power. The government offers free housing and benefits to people who make less than 4000 ringgit ($1147) per month, and they offer extra incentives for those families to have more than 2 children. Incredibly, the government offers free education until a PhD, and medical care (any kind) costs citizens only 1 ringgit ($0.28). 

 

How can the government afford these benefits? Their exports. They are the largest exporters of palm oil in the world. They also produce a huge quantity of tea, and electrical goods comprise the majority of their industry. The east side of Malaysia has oil and gas. The prominent Petronas, or Twin, towers show off their wealth in the oil industry. The Twin Towers have the deepest foundation in the world (the soil is very soft where they were built); 50,000 cars fit in its basement; and there are 1,000 elevators. 

 

Batik is their traditional design, and it is a symbol of life, made using colors from plants. It is said that a baby is born with a white blanket, but, as he grows, the parents and child add color (the flowery, colorful Batik designs) to their lives. 

 

Malaysian people are taught to be tolerant of all religions and celebrate each other's holidays. The largest religious population is Muslim, but many other religions are strongly represented and celebrated. Malay culture is a mix of Malay, Indian, and Chinese, and religions from India and China have strong representation. 

 

Our tour guide explained that happiness is of utmost importance to the Malay people, not being wealthy. They would rather their children be happy than rich. He also explained that in their culture, numbers are very important to a person's luck and future.

 

-By Jaclyn Smalley

 

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Melaka

Day 2: Melaka & KL

 

Today we drove with our tour guide for 1.5 hours from KL to Melaka. It is the 3rd smallest of Malaysia's 13 states, and it was established in the year 1435 by an Indonesian princess. 

 

Before reaching Melaka, we stopped at a rest area, which is the only place a person is allowed to smoke in that region. If caught smoking in Melaka, a person can be given a steep fine. We didn't use the stop for a smoke break, but rather, we tried some delicious (and not so delicious) fruits. Our tour guide bought us some bags of fruit filled with watermelon, mango, papaya, water apple (good), and rambutan (YUM!). We also were given a taste of the king of all fruits--durian. It is known to "smell like hell, but taste like heaven," or, as our tour guide noted, "it is like eating ice cream from the toilet." Well, I gagged a little piece down; I couldn't get past the smell to enjoy the taste. Josh ate a big creamy chunk and actually liked the taste. 

 

At the entrance of Melaka, we had our picture taken in front of three, uniquely designed minarets, representing the blend of the three dominant cultures in Malaysia--Malay, Indian, and Chinese. 

 

 

 

In Melaka, our first stop was at St. Paul's church built hundreds of years ago. The stained glass in the windows was colorful and beautiful. The manicans and figurines were somewhat creepy. I think they represented biblical characters, but sometimes it was hard to tell which ones. Outside the church was a huge, modern art representation of Peter walking on water.  Cool!

 

Next, we ate lunch at a Chinese/Malay restaurant. The best dish was the tempura fried fish in a light sweet and sour vegetable mix. We have not been disappointed by the food in Malaysia yet!

 

After a satisfying lunch, we walked around the city streets, and our tour guide bought us dessert just as it started to rain. Josh went with a durian puff, and I tried a yogurt puff pastry. Our tour guide also bought us a traditional dessert with shaved ice, sweet beans, green noodle-like things, and brown sugar syrup. It helped beat the heat. The rain had stopped 20 minutes after it started, and we were then given an hour by ourselves to shop and explore. 

 

We made two other stops after that, and the highlight was getting a tour inside a local person's home, in a small village that has been preserved with traditional houses. The families who live there open their homes to visitors every day from 9am-6pm. The elderly man who lived there gave us a thorough tour and snapshot of their history. In the home, I even got to make a wish and bang a gong that is at least 3 times older than me (see video below)! Some people have returned to thank him after their wishes came true.

 

It was hard to stay awake on the ride back to KL. We asked our tour guide to drop us off in Brickfield, or "Little India" so we could eat some curry off banana leaf. We found just the right spot, and we ate the best curry we have ever tasted! We ate it with our hands, and scooped up remaining sauces with delicious naan bread. YUM! Our stomachs were full (bursting), yet happy as we figured out how to get back to our hotel using the monorail. 

 

-By Jaclyn Smalley

Malaysia: part 1 (Kuala Lumpur & Melaka)

Malaysia: part 2 (Perak, Malaysia)

 

My Gopeng Resort!

Ipoh, Perak Malaysia

Day 3: My Gopeng Resort

Our van driver was early to pick us up from KL and take us 2 hours to Gopeng. I listened to my mp3 and dozed most of the way. I was wide awake as we took the narrow, twisting road that led to the eco friendly My Gopeng Resort. Drivers have to continually honk their horn as they approach corners. 

 

Once we arrived, we were greeted by Mr. Lee, and he gave a quick overview of the schedule, had us sign waivers, and gave us the key and air con remote for our room. Our room accommodations were modest, and just what we needed. No hot water or WiFi, but it was good to unplug and explore the beautiful nature around us. 

 

We ate a huge, delicious lunch after unpacking. The food was mildly seasoned and tasted fresh and healthy. Our favorite was the small, whole fried fish. 

 

Next, we met up with our guides, Ambros and Andy, to do some abseiling. They drove us about 10 minutes to the waterfall, got set up, and gave us a safety briefing. They let us go down the waterfall three times each, and it was AMAZING! We both only slipped once; Josh's split knee and my rope burns were well earned and worth it!

After abseiling, we enjoyed a "tea break" back at camp. Their tea time consists of yummy goodness that will always have a special place in my pallet. They served us a pitcher of hot, rich cocoa, curry puffs/bites, and banana bread. Wow! I love tea time in Malaysia. 

 

We walked off our tea time stomachs by visiting the pet monkeys near Andy and Ambros's bunks, watching the chickens and cats roam freely, and enjoying the ponds and vegetation around camp. Then we took a nap. 

 

Our final events of the day included eating a delish dinner, then taking a jungle night walk. Before going out in the jungle, we slathered bug spray all over ourselves. It has replaced our perfume, and we use it morning to night. We brought our head lamps and camera, and met Ambros and a group of ladies to start the hike. The noise of the jungle is intoxicating, but we didn't really see any of its creatures. We did see many animal droppings, or big piles of "shit" according to the talkative group of ladies on the hike. They kept saying "there shit everywhere." At the end of the hike we turned off our lights and saw some fireflies light up the night. The eventful moment was when I pulled a leech from my stomach. Not exactly sure how it got there, but I was checking myself for leeches every 5 seconds after that. 

 

Day 4: My Gopeng

 

The sleep felt so great, it was hard to get up! Thinking about the caving and rafting we would do today got me going. 

 

We ate a quick, yummy breakfast--eggs, fried rice with sardines, soft bread with apple jam. It was the first time we could not finish all the dishes they brought us. Eating a big meal did not sound too good before crawling in tight spaces in a cave. 

 

At 9:30, we left for Gua Temporang cave with Andy and Ambros. We had to make a stop for apple cakes, and for Andy to say hi to one of his girlfriends (joke between him and Ambros) along the way. 

 

We explored the caves for almost 2 hours. The first part involved trekking up stairs to reach the top of the massive cave. Andy helped us use our imagination to see designs and creatures in the cave walls. He and Ambros would call back and forth to each other with whistles and hollers. On the way back down, it got fun. We slid down muddy rocks, maneuvered through small openings, and swam like crocodiles through the cave depths. It felt incredible!

 

Back at camp, we ate a huge lunch and were given fresh coconuts to drink from. After lunch, we walked around, and Josh decided to join the monkeys in their cage. The monkeys were playing with some kittens, and picking bugs off them. It was pretty cute. 

 

Our next adventure was whitewater rafting. After a short safety briefing we helped Andy and Ambros carry the raft 3 minutes to the river, right next to camp. While it was not the most intense rapids we've done (class 2), Andy and Ambros made sure we got our fill of excitement and face plants in the water. We capsized three times, and each time was spectacular. We taught them "Pura Vida!" from our Costa Rica rafting trips. Along the way, we stopped for a swim. We jumped off a huge rock, and lounged around in the cool water. Before the last rapid, we saw a huge monitor lizard basking on a rock. Upon reaching our stopping point, we walked up to a large truck waiting for us. We sat in the back with the raft and reflected on our amazing adventures during the bumpy, breezy ride back to camp. 

 

Back at camp, we enjoyed our tea time once again, then rested in our room when the thunderstorms started. 

 

Later that evening, we enjoyed another great meal, and we got to spend time talking with Ambros and getting to know him better. He is 23 years old and has worked at the resort for five years. He grew up in a village in Borneo, and is third of ten brothers and sisters. He speaks Malay, his native Borneo dialect, English, and a little Japanese. His uncle used to work at the resort too. Many of his brothers and uncles are river guides like him. He hasn't ever left Malaysia, but one day he hopes to go to Japan, where he knows some people and where there are many rivers. One of his passions is kayaking, and he has taught himself tricks and flips by watching videos, then going out and trying them. We traded contact info at the end of our conversation and felt really great after talking with him.

 

-By Jaclyn Smalley

 

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Penang, Malaysia

George Town

Day 5: Penang

 

Today was mostly a day of travel and leisure. We were picked up early from Gopeng and drove 2+ hours to Penang. At our hotel, we dropped everything off and learned how to add money to our SIM card. Then we walked around and found some yummy Indian food and WiFi. 

 

It had started to rain non-stop, and we headed back to our hotel for the evening. I took a much needed hot shower, then skyped with my mom. I miss her! She would be up for doing many of these adventures with us. I am thrilled to be in Malaysia now, but I do miss family especially during the holidays. Wishing I could spend Christmas with them.

 

I am taking advantage of the WiFi for the next couple days, as I realize we won't have it for the next 4 after that. After blogging, the night's activities include hand washing clothes in the sink, then getting some SLEEP!

 

 

 

 

Day 6: Penang/Georgetown

 

We heard a knock on our hotel room door. I had just woken up, and was a little disoriented as I opened it to a man looking at me expectantly. He said, "Hello, you have a tour at 9am." I apologized, saying I didn't realize we had a morning tour, then asked for a little time to get ready. He nodded and said he'd wait in the lobby. It was the first day I decided to sleep in, as our itinerary was not clear about us having an actual guide in the morning. We were simply encouraged to go enjoy the Kek Lok Si Temple after breakfast (which is served until 10). Nevertheless, we got ready in 15 minutes to meet our guide at the lobby. 

 

The morning tour included the breathtaking, Chinese Kek Lok Si Buddhist Temple in Penang. The temple is huge and houses a gigantic bronze statue that was sent in pieces from China. We climbed many stairs to reach the pagoda, which offered a beautiful view of the city and coastline. On our way down, we listened to hundreds of monks chanting during prayer time.

 

We learned that Penang was the first colony inhabited by the British in the Far East. Today, over half the population is Chinese, but there is a mix of many other cultures as well, especially Indian and Malay. We saw many Caucasian people in the region, and our guide told us it is a popular place for British and Australian people to have their holiday. Leaning is known as Silicon Island because they are the largest electronic manufacturers in Asia. 

 

Our tour guide was very knowledgeable and talkative. He has strong beliefs about how the media, especially mainstream media, is overly biased and distorts people's perspectives. It was interesting to listen to his take on how Asia views their history and the world.

 

For lunch, we ate delicious curry with our fingers off a banana leaf--again! We have decided that we could eat this way for breakfast lunch and dinner. 

 

Our guide dropped us at our hotel, so that another tour guide could show us around Georgetown, a smaller city within Penang. It's history is strongly linked to the British, and to this day many of the buildings and hotels reflect British design and architecture. We saw a museum filled with all kinds of historical artifacts. Unfortunately, we were getting tired of city tours, and museums our not our idea of a fun afternoon. So, I do not remember much of what I read and saw. 

 

Our day ended with one of the best rewards for walking around all day--a foot massage! Josh got a combination foot and body massage, while I just stuck to the full on foot massage. For a two hour massage, we paid $53 for both of us. So worth it!

 

-By Jaclyn Smalley

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Malaysia: part 3 (Penang)

Malaysia: part 4 (Bario)

 

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Sarawalk, Bario, Pa' Lungan, Pa' Umur (Orang Ulu People)

Days 7-11: Travel 

 

Today was mostly a day of travel--two flights to reach Bario. We landed in Miri (Island of Borneo--eastern Malaysia), and found a few things to do in the evening before going to bed. Josh got his haircut "Malay style," and I think it looks pretty great. We found a nice open air restaurant, where I got two mojitos for the price of one. Yum! I'm pretty sure they were the cheapest mojitos I've had, but they tasted great. 

 

Day 8: Bario (Borneo)

 

Anticipation was killing me as we left for the airport at 7am. We left behind some extra luggage and just had our carry on backpacks with us. This was the part of our trip I knew I would always remember--staying with the Kelabit people for Christmas. It took under an hour to get to their village o our twin otter plane. The airport was smaller than most dentist offices in America. 

 

In his 4WD truck, one of the villagers brought us to our homestay.

Scott, or Apoi (his Kelabit name that means "fire" and I'm sure I misspelled), hosted us in his beautiful home our first and third night in Bario. When we arrived, he had a delicious veal, rice, and vegetable lunch prepared for us. 

 

After lunch, Scott told us a little more about the Kelabit people. We learned that there are only a few thousand Kelabits left, scattered in small villages throughout Bario. Each group that lives in a different village has their own name and dialect, even though they are collectively know as the Kelabits. The way of life is very simple, yet the people are very smart and communal (my interpretation). They use electricity a couple hours each day after the sun sets. 

 

Later, we met "Auntie" Connie, who gave us a tour of the village longhouses, school, and nature. The longhouse we walked through was amazing. Pictures, old and new, were posted outside each of the rooms, to show what family that section of the house belonged to. We met Connie's childhood friend, who was very chatty and wanted to say all the words in English that she could remember. She also gave us tea and crackers, and had a great time catching up with Connie. Often, Connie would stop and translate. Her friend seemed full of life and personality. We found out that she has stayed in Bario her entire life, and she is "rich" because of the rice patty fields she owns. Her brother is a doctor, and he lives somewhere else in Malaysia, but sometimes visits. We noticed that she also kept her ears the traditional way (long, stretched), even though many ladies have opted to get them cut in the past decade or so. 

After meeting Connie's childhood friend, we met an elderly woman who lives in the longhouse. She did not speak and English, but she was very warm and friendly, and wanted us to sit and talk. We noticed she had tattoos up and down her arms and legs. We asked about them, and found out that she had to get them when she was a teenager, in order to be married. It was one of their traditions. We also learned from Connie that, while this lady is not a picture of health, she has a great memory and a beautiful singing voice. We were able to get a picture with her before we left. 

 

We rested in the afternoon, then went to a neighbor's house for dinner and a community meeting/prayer service. An elder in the village just passed away, and we went to his family's house for a big meal (including the famous Bario rice wrapped in a banana leaf) and a song/prayer service. The service lasted a LONG time, and at the end, many people seemed to be sharing about the elder who died, and there were many tears and some laughter. The elder's wife was the last to share, and Connie helped to translate 

what she said. She thanked the community for all of their support and love. With tears, she expressed both how thankful and sad she was. There were many women near her hugging her.

 

Scott told us later that community meals are very common, and the families take turns hosting. They just have to communicate everything with the village leader in advance. Lots of hands are needed for preparation, and they start cooking in the morning and cook and bake all day.

 

Day 9: Pa' Lungan (Bario)

 

Scott fed us another amazing meal for breakfast, then we were off to meet our next host/ jungle guide (David) and trek 3-4 hours through the jungle. We walked to the next village to meet David. He was late, so we were invited into a nearby house and given coffee and cookies (another sign of amazing hospitality). 

 

David finally arrived, and we learned that it took him less than 2 hours to reach us through the jungle (we think he ran). We were very happy to see him. Later we found out that he had only got a couple hours sleep that night, because his family is visitng, and his brother in law brought 40 liters of whisky from Miri. They were up drinking 2-3 liters til five in the morning. He offered to share his whisky, and I happily said I would try some.

 

Our jungle trek was both amazing and treacherous. It took us about 3 hours to reach David's village called Pa' Lungan. On the way, I took in the overwhelmingly loud yet peaceful sounds of the forest. The macaque calls, the birds singing, the frogs, the crickets, even the mosquitoes and bees buzzing made a grand symphony. When I looked down, I saw mixtures of rich, thick clay--brown, red, white, gray, and black. It was beautiful and sloppy all at the same time. Sometimes we walked through thick patches of grass, when we weren't under the canopy. A few times we trudged through small streams, and we couldn't see where our feet were going because of the mud and tall grass. We learned the hard way that the tall grass can be painful. We both had shorts on (not David), and the grass would latch on to our skin and cut us as we walked. I ended up with about 50 small cuts all over my legs, that became very itchy as we cleared the grass. I kept wondering if I should stop and check my shoes for leeches, as I saw many on the ground along the way. I caught two leeches crawling on the outside of my shoes when we stopped to eat lunch. I never did take my tennis shoes and socks all the way off to check until we reached the village--and I was thankful that my feet remained leech free! Josh wasn't as lucky. He wore his five finger sandals, and he pulled at least 4 leeches off his feet during the trek. One was so huge it looked like a giant slug! The others latched on and left a bloody trail when Josh pulled them off. Some cool plant and animal life we saw along the way included a macaque, leaf bug, pitcher (carnivorous) plants, and free-roaming water buffalo. I drank the water inside one of the pitcher plants, and it was refreshing. [CONTINUED BELOW VIDEOS]

Malayisa: part 5 (Bario, part II)

Pending

Malayisa: part 6 (Mt. Kinabalu)

 

When we reached Pa' Lungan, we were greeted with lots of hellos and smiling faces. Many children were running around and laughing, enjoying their time back in the village for their school holiday. This village does not have a school or medical clinic, so children and people must trek through the jungle like we did for school and medical needs. The children stay in a dormitory in the neighboring village and only come home for holidays or some weekends. 

 

At David's house, we met his wife, Jennifer, and his 3 children, as well as many other sisters and brothers and their children. David built his house, and it was very large and beautiful, with large open rooms and built on stilts. We were greeted with a feast of wild boar meat prepared 3 ways, chicken, chicken legs, Bario rice, cabbage salad, and the local porridge. 

 

Many of the children were taking naps when we got there, and we later learned it was so they could stay up late for the Christmas Eve festivities. We decided to roam around the village shortly after eating, and we were invited to play volleyball, which villagers, young and old, do every evening. Then the guys (40 of them?!) played soccer (football). We had a chance to talk to a few people in the village--most native people returning, and one other foreigner.

 

Later that evening, we went to a neighbor's house for dinner, then were asked to eat again back at David's. We had to decline, because we were so full. However, I did get to try a few shots of David's whiskey. It was very smooth--Label 5 Scottish Whiskey. 

 

Next thing I know, we hear the church bell and are all going off to church. They sang many familiar Christmas songs that were translated into their local dialect. We all got candles and lit them as we sang Silent Night. It we very memorable. Then, the pastor spoke, and everyone was very quiet, even the children. Many of the teens were on their phones. I guess some things surpass cultural differences. After a while of sitting on the hard wood bench and not understanding what was being said, my butt fell asleep and I was antsy. It was about 11pm when Josh and I skipped the end of service singing to head back to David's. It's a good thing we are heavy sleepers, because they were all up long after we went to bed.

 

Day 10: Bario

 

In the morning, we had tea and curry/egg noodle soup for breakfast. David even offered me more whiskey, but I declined. We said our goodbyes to David and his family, and met the village boatman who took us back a little ways through the jungle to the river. It had been raining and was pretty muddy. 

 

After an hour, we reached the river and washed our shoes and legs in the river. The boatman got the longboat (a everyone skinny boat made of wood that sits low to the water) and engine ready, and we hopped in. Along the way we saw colorful butterflies and dragonflies, and some of the biggest bamboo I've ever seen. Parts of the river were blocked with fallen bamboo and trees, but our guide just navigated over it. I thought we might tip twice, but we never did. At one part, the bamboo broke a propeller on the engine, so our guide paddled us to the side of the river and worked on it while we ate our lunch (fried meat and rice in a banana leaf). Amazingly he had it fixed and ready to go in 10-15 minutes. 

 

An hour or so later, we reached the village, where a random villager agreed to take us back to Scott's place. At Scott's, we showered and took a nice long nap. Before we napped, he prepared us a snack of minced pork meat and succulent pineapple (most as good as the pineapple we had in Costa Rica--and some of the best in Malaysia)

 

Later that evening, we went to Scott's longhouse (owned by many relatives and him), which is a two minute walk from his place. We met many of his cousins and uncles and other relatives. They offered us food and beer. They were laughing and singing and joking around, making us feel right at home. 

 

Next, we went to the church (right next to the longhouse), to watch them stir the huge pots of porridge outside that had been started a few hours earlier. Later, in the church, we ate that porridge, as well as big skewers of pork meat and other side dishes. Everybody was given a bag of treats, and we sang Christmas songs (in Kalabit) and lit candles when singing "Silent Night." There were other song performances and some dances, then the pastor and other people took turns speaking. We didn't understand much of what was said, but everyone was very friendly and smiling. During the hand shaking time, I think I shook 50 hands. After the service, there were some fireworks, and people stood around mingling and talking. We headed back to Scott's around 11pm to go to bed.

 

Day 11: Travel--Bario to Sabah

 

In the morning, we got up early to catch fish from Scott's pond. We had arranged this the day prior. He had prepared the bait--flour mixed with fish feeder and a little water--and gave us each a bamboo fishing pole. We were given some instructions on what to do, and ended up catching about 10 small tilapia, which we ate for breakfast. David also prepared us a delicious noodle dish, pineapple, and passion fruit. Yum! 

 

Soon after breakfast, we left for the airport. Our flight was a little late to leave, but that is common there. We arrived at our next destination, Kota Kinabalu two stops and about 2 hours later. We almost made sure huge mistake by getting off at the second stop, but an airport employee must have seen our confusion and helped us get back on the plane. We didn't realize where we were or that the plane was making two stops before our destination.

 

Once in Kota Kinabalu, we were taken to our hotel to prepare for an early morning the next day. 

 

-By Jaclyn Smalley

Days 12-13: Kota Kinabalu

 

Before 7am, our van was waiting to take us to Mount Kinabalu. We rushed to get out, not sure about our climbing systems and how we packed. We were about to climb to the highest elevation we'd ever been. 

 

It took about an hour to get from our hotel to the starting point of our hike. We met our mountain guide, a local Malaysian man named Jason, who helped us get registered. We were given lanyards with our names and some numbers on them. Jason told us to keep them on us at all times. 

 

With our mp3s pounding tunes in our ears, we began our ascent up the mountain. And what an ascent! It was uphill right away, the whole way. All 6 kilometers. After the first kilometer, I tried to reassure myself that I was 1/6 of the way there. Each kilometer felt never-ending. As I saw the kilometer markers, I was disappointed that I had only gone one more kilometer and not two or three. Near the four kilometer mark, we stopped for lunch. Many other hikers were eating as well. Fat and bold little squirrels were running around picking up food scraps. It was fun to watch and nice to relax. 

Mt. Kinablau

Scattered rain showers greeted us throughout the hike, and every time I stopped for a break, I made myself gulp down water. It wasn't until passing the 5.5km mark that I started to feel a bit queasy. We were at about 3,000 meters, and I think I was just exhausted. Thankfully, I felt well enough to reach our hut at 3,200 meters. Once at our hut, we signed in and went to one of the rooms to pick our bunk beds. A couple from Japan had arrived earlier, and were resting in their bunks. They greeted us and we chatted about our work and travels. 

 

Soon after reaching the hut, we realized that we were not prepared with the right clothing. Our clothes were soaked with sweat from the hike. The hut did not have heat, making us extremely cold. Luckily, we had bought shirts at a stop on the way to the mountain that morning, not realizing they would be invaluable to us later. We changed into the dry shirts, and I had an extra fleece jacket with me. We also had dry hats and scarves. It was our wet pants that were miserable. All of our wet clothes were not even close to dry the following morning. Next time we hike this mountain, we will wear quick dry clothing and have some light, extra clothes with us!

 

After settling in, we had a safety briefing about the summit climb and the via ferrata. It was lighthearted and fun, and we were all required to practice with the gear, then fill out a double-sided waiver form. As always, my mom was our emergency contact, but I don't know how she could help us if something happened on that mountain?!

 

Our stomachs were growling by dinner time that evening. We walked to a nearby, larger hut to enjoy a delicious buffet of slow cooked meats, fresh steamed or fried veggies, and cake-like desserts. Yum! While eating, some college students from Singapore sat and talked with us. We talked mostly about travel, and some personal info. We exchanged contacts and learned that we would be taking the same flight to Singapore in a couple days!

 

Back at our hut, we rearranged our gear so we could leave some of the weight behind in order to summit in the morning. We would picked it back up after the via ferrata on our way back. 

 

Soon enough, we were snuggled in our sleeping bags, trying to get some rest before our 1:30am wake up call. I'm not sure if it was excitement, nerves, or the loud snoring in the room that made it hard for me to fall asleep. Somehow, I drifted off intermittently. Big loud snores and gulps of air from a nearby bunkmate randomly woke me up. I remember someone trying to talk to the ferocious snorer, asking in a tired and concerned voice if he was okay. Poor guy, and poor us!

 

-By Jaclyn Smalley

Free, Final Day in Kota Kinablau

...and we'll leave you with this

Day 13: Mount Kinabalu

 

It was 1:30 a.m., and it was time to get ready for our summit climb and the via ferrata! We had anticipated this moment even before our trip began, and we hoped that the weather would allow us to see the sun rise at the top of Kinabalu. By 2:00 a.m., we were out the door, along with a swarm of other people, anxious to start climbing.

 

Giving us hope and serenity, the starry sky twinkled above us. We would climb nearly 2 kilometers until we reached the summit. It seemed highly possible after the 6 kilometers we climbed the day before. However, this morning, we would be crossing a more dangerous section--the rock face--where we would have to hold on to ropes at all times in order to climb safely. The consequences of slipping and not holding on to the rope could mean falling to our death. 

 

Right before reaching the rock face, it began to lightly rain. Our guide let us know that  we would have to turn around if it began raining heavily and if there were strong winds. We were hopeful that the rain would not get any worse; I mean, we had been climbing already for over an hour and were halfway to the summit!? Josh and I were stoked that we had already climbed to the highest elevation we had ever reached in our lives! 

 

The rain and wind grew stronger, but we kept pushing and climbing. The first section of the rock face was tricky and slippery. It was very scary, and I gripped the rope like my life depended on it; I was determined to summit, but I wasn't going to die for it. I slipped at one point, but I clung to the rope and forced myself back up. Many people started turning around, clearly because the weather was making an already intimidating climb even more intimidating. Josh and I told our guide we wanted to keep going. Rain blasted across our face and bodies, and our gloves and clothing were soaked. We wanted to summit!

 

After turning a corner, we saw that a few brave climbers above us had stopped. The wind was howling and channeling all its fury at us at this point. To our disappointment, the guides told us to turn around. It was not safe. We could not go any further. They tried to console us by saying that the weather would not allow us to have any kind of view or see the sunrise at the top. 

 

The main thought going through our heads as we climbed back down was that we would be coming back to climb Kinabalu. We had a small taste of the excitement and the challenge of summiting and doing the via ferrata; we would only be satisfied if we came back to finish it. Each grueling step down was a reminder that this was not the end. 

 

Back at our hut, it was still a little dark out, and we tried to curl up in our bunks and sleep off our disappointment. However, we were both wet and uncomfortable, so the nap time was short lived. At 7:00 a.m., we packed up and enjoyed a humble breakfast before our trek all the way down the mountain. 

 

At 7:40, we signed out and met our guide Jason for our final descent. It was slow going at first, as my knees were having a hard time adjusting to steep decline. Josh was helping to remind me that I needed to make it easier on myself by carefully choosing the rocks and tree roots I stepped on, picking the most gradual descent. My mind was not as sharp as I hoped, but I did not want to delay getting down the mountain. I did not want to stop for any breaks, and was only mildly irritated by the people who passed me, running down the mountain. Some of them were older than me! How were there knees and ankles not suffering?! 

 

After climbing 2/6 kilometers of the way down, it began to pour down rain. I didn't care. I just wanted to get down the mountain. So, we hiked without stopping. Rain was dripping from my scalp and eyelashes, drizzling down my face. Music from my mp3 was pounding in my ears, as I tried to dodge large mud puddles. Soon, I was pumped and ready to speed up. At some parts, I ran. The rain actually began to make me happy; I liked the way it cooled me off and stuck to my eyelashes. I smiled at some of the climbers who were on their way up. But, nothing felt better than reaching the bottom of the mountain, getting in our van, and heading back to the hotel. 

 

At our hotel, they were still cleaning our room, so we went to eat dinner. We had yummy, thick milkshakes and good food a restaurant called Little Italy. We even saw our Singapore friends that evening. We did not realize that they were staying in a hotel so near to ours! The hot shower and rest were very welcome that evening. Before falling asleep we discussed plans for our next trip to Kinabalu.

 

-By Jaclyn Smalley

 

 

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