When I get up at 2:00 I immediately take three paracetamol, lace my boots firmly and wrap up against the rain and cold. Our supper/breakfast consits of noodles or toast, but no one is very hungry. The first half of the 2.8km trail to the summit consists mostly of slippery wooden steps/ladders. I'm doing better than the day before, but still feel like throwing up. There are huge traffic jams and I manage to over-take some of the Korean package groups (all dressed in the latest fluorescent hiking gear), but Alex over takes more. Luckily we have joined up with two Brits, Hannah and Henry in a similar situation and I walk with Hannah of while Alex walks ahead with Henry.
The second half of the summit trail is sheer rock. If someone were to slip they would tumble a very long way and I'm quite glad its too dark to see the drop. A lot of the time we have to haul ourselves up on the ropes which had been strung between rocks and the odd shrub. Behind me I can see a line of head torches leading all the way down to Laban Rata. Further below that are the lights of the near by town and, even further, Kota Kinabalu.
Two hours later I reach the top and it is FREEZING. My limbs get pins and needles and I am tempted to not bother waiting for sunrise, but luckily the horizon is already turning pink. We get a couple of photos by the summit sign, then start descending. As it gets lighter we can see where we had been walking. It looks like the moon - rocky and barren, covered in craters and stacks of granite.
Walking down is much quicker than up and I slip only once, grazing my palms and knees, which is remarkable considering how steep it is. On some parts we have to walk down backwards whilst holding the rope as if were absailing. We reach Laban Rata in just an hour and have our second breakfast before setting off again. By the time the rocky path gets better (at Km 4) my legs feel heavy and walking down steps is agony, so the ease of the path is wasted on them.
Having not been in the mood for taking pictures on the way up, I told myself I would take more on the way down... I wasn't in the mood then either. The last kilometer seems to last for about three, and my ankles give way twice. Eventually we stumble into the restaurant at the park head quarters, which is cruely placed down a flight of steps, for our afternoon tea break (another noodle and fried rice buffet!).
My enjoyment at having finished is diminished by my disappointment in having struggled so much. Annapurna was tough but I enjoyed every minute of it. I felt like I didn't have time to enjoy Kinabalu - I kept my head down and took it one very difficult step at a time. I'm hoping that in a few days, when my legs have stopped aching, I will appreciate more and get a sense of achievement other than managing three servings at the buffets.
The second half of the summit trail is sheer rock. If someone were to slip they would tumble a very long way and I'm quite glad its too dark to see the drop. A lot of the time we have to haul ourselves up on the ropes which had been strung between rocks and the odd shrub. Behind me I can see a line of head torches leading all the way down to Laban Rata. Further below that are the lights of the near by town and, even further, Kota Kinabalu.
Two hours later I reach the top and it is FREEZING. My limbs get pins and needles and I am tempted to not bother waiting for sunrise, but luckily the horizon is already turning pink. We get a couple of photos by the summit sign, then start descending. As it gets lighter we can see where we had been walking. It looks like the moon - rocky and barren, covered in craters and stacks of granite.
Walking down is much quicker than up and I slip only once, grazing my palms and knees, which is remarkable considering how steep it is. On some parts we have to walk down backwards whilst holding the rope as if were absailing. We reach Laban Rata in just an hour and have our second breakfast before setting off again. By the time the rocky path gets better (at Km 4) my legs feel heavy and walking down steps is agony, so the ease of the path is wasted on them.
Having not been in the mood for taking pictures on the way up, I told myself I would take more on the way down... I wasn't in the mood then either. The last kilometer seems to last for about three, and my ankles give way twice. Eventually we stumble into the restaurant at the park head quarters, which is cruely placed down a flight of steps, for our afternoon tea break (another noodle and fried rice buffet!).
The finish - I'm too tired to jump very high
My enjoyment at having finished is diminished by my disappointment in having struggled so much. Annapurna was tough but I enjoyed every minute of it. I felt like I didn't have time to enjoy Kinabalu - I kept my head down and took it one very difficult step at a time. I'm hoping that in a few days, when my legs have stopped aching, I will appreciate more and get a sense of achievement other than managing three servings at the buffets.
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