In Malaysia

I realized I was somewhere extra special when the stewardess welcomed us to Malaysia, and reminded all the passengers that trafficking drugs carries the mandatory death sentence.

I arrived in Malaysia at the beginning of April. First stop was the capital, Kuala Lumpur, otherwise known to the locals, and those that travel there simply as KL. KL is a gem of Malaysia, the center of commerce and Malaysian culture. The city is state of art, and perhaps the most modern city in the world. KL boasts having the one of the largest towers in the world, Petronas Towers, as well as a sophisticated network of modern monorails, 6 lane streets, futuristic skyscrapers, mega shopping centers, and gigantic mosques. The mosques are a subtle reminder that Malaysia is primarily a Muslim country. Pork is impossible to find, and alcohol is more expensive as compared to the rest of Asia.

Aside from excellent food, and shopping, there is not much to do in KL. I left a few days later for the pristine sands of the Perhentian Islands, 450km northeast of KL. The Perhentian Islands are a group of beautiful, coral-fringed islands not far from the Thai border. According to the Lonely Planet, the beaches of the Perhentian Islands are among the most beautiful in the SE Asia. I would have to agree with them. The sand is bright white. The water is clear blue, the kind of water that makes you want you to jump in, and never leave. I planned to meet up with some friends that I met in Cambodia, and Vietnam on the islands. Along with some people I befriended in KL, we all had a great time here.

After the Perhentian Islands, I headed to back to KL by plane, then flew onward to Miri/Mulu on Malaysian Borneo. Near Brunei, Malaysian Borneo is world famous for its scenery, wildlife, and adventurous lifestyle. I travelled straight to Gunung Mulu National Park for my first adventure on Borneo.

The Pinnacles is a collection of pinetree shaped rock formations at the top of Mt. Api in Gunung Mulu National Park. The 3-day journey to the Pinnacles is the first time on this trip I have exerted any serious physical effort. Accompanied by five fellow hikers, and a guide, the journey to the Pinnacles started with a 1hr boat ride to the start of the trail to Camp 5. The 8km trail to Camp 5 was garnished with tree roots, jungle, rock and plenty of mud. Within the first hour, we were treated to a relentless downpour that made the hike to Camp 5 unbearable. When we finally reached camp, we were soaked in water, and covered in mud. Early the next morning we started the 2.4km hike up Mt. Api. The hike to the Pinnacles is hard, and very techincal. Before we left Mulu, we were told 70% of the people who attempt to climb the Pinnacles never make it. After of three hours of climbing, and heavy breathing, three of us emeraged at the top of Mt Api, above 1100m sea level, with our guide. We admired the Pinnacles for a next half hour, and started our journey down the mountain after lunch. The journey down the mountain was far worse than the hike up. In total, the descent took over four hours. I was stressed, and overly cautious; making sure I didn’t fall. The rocks lining the steep trail were slippery, and razor sharp. The guide warned us that majority of serious accidents have occurred while descending from the top of Mt Api. The next day we hiked back to the start of the trail, then caught a plane back to Miri.

I initially planned to stay a night in Miri, but flew the same day to Kota Kinabulu (KK) in the next state, Sabah. Weh from Sydney, who I met on the Pinnacles, was also on his way to KK to meet some friends, and he kindly invited me to come along. When we both arrived, we met Weh’s friends, and had ourselves a night out in KK ending in the wee hours of the morning.

KK is Sabah’s largest city due to its promixity to Mt. Kinabulu, the highest peak in SE Asia. Mt Kinabulu is the mountain I’ve been aspiring to climb since I left home in January. I was mentally and physically ready for the climb when I arrived. There was only one problem. Accomodation on Mt Kinabulu is booked solid for the next week and half. After spending a day begging for accomodation on the mountain, I secured a dorm on the mountain on Thursday the 20th.

Since we were both waiting to climb, Weh and I decided to fly down to Sandakan last weekend Sandakan is located southeast of KK. In Sandakan, we visited a Uncle Tan’s wilderness camp for next 3 days and 2 nights before coming back to KK. Uncle Tan’s is known for its jungle safaris. There were five safaris included in the package I purchased. Unfortunately, I made it to 4 of the safaris. I was sick from dehydration, and flu when I was there.

This brings me to today. Today is the 18th. I’m in KK, and I’m still waiting to climb.