The fist time I climb Mount Kinabalu was in 1990 and the second time was in 1994. On the first attempt, I manage to reach the summit. But on the second climb, I experienced major muscle cramps on both legs… calf and thigh muscles… having cramps on 4 places on your legs is horrible… virtually I was crawling to Panar Laban… the overnight stop over in the middle of the 4,095 metres or 13,435 feet high mount.

Anyways, this year there are two opportunities to climb… organize by the office. But it is not on 11.11.11 but somewhere in July and September. And I don’t think I can get myself ready for the July climb… maybe the September is possible.

To climb mount, a lot of fitness preparations are required… especially to those who are not active… like me… And must buy light and thick clothing… the thick or winter clothing must be waterproof too coz the temperature during the summit climb at 3 am is very low and wet… but no worries, these stuff are easily available nowadays from the outdoor or camping store.

If I really want to go for the September climb, then I must get myself fit from now…

A friend was asking me to join him at the new gym at City Mall. The gym is actually as old as the City Mall itself… was it like one year? Anyway, the previous owner some how ‘cheated’ a lot of members, so it went ‘bankrupt’. Early this year the gym was taken over by a new management. Membership is not that cheap… like RM1,200 a year or so… but don’t want to join yet… I want to do ‘walk-in’ first… pay every time go there.

But I don’t have proper apparel for gym… shoes, pants, shirts… so I keep on avoiding my friend’s invitation. I only have my Crocs shoe, the Crocs Mens Santa Cruz which I love so much… it’s really a multi purpose shoe. Probably I can use that for gym too Imagine, I’ve used the shoe to climb the Bukit Padang hill twice and it’s so comfortable… no legs or back pain.

But it looks weird wearing that shoe coz it’s too casual, but it’s very comfortable… very light and soft. I’m still thinking whether to buy a new shoe suitable for gym or just use my crocs.

How about shirt?… OK, when I see people wearing shirt with big number like 3, 5 etc. on their chest or arm… I think it has something to do with horse… maybe equestrian apparel… no, I don’t mean clothing for the horse but probably the Polo game or something likes that… If I’m going to get those shirts, maybe time for me to change hobby and get a horse at the same time?… No lah, I don’t think I have time to take care horse… I’m only interested with the shirt. Well my standard shirt is golf shirt… golf shirts have lots XXL sizes, probably too many fat golfers So it should be OK for gym. Pants? Can wear anything lah as long it feels comfortable…

I reach at the park’s parking area around 5pm but it was so crowded with cars… even spilled out to the main road… some parked at the road islands at the main road. My friends are also still looking for parking space on another car.

Well this is common in this area they said… parking spaces are not enough and so many people want to jog, climb the hill and eat at the restaurants and stalls. Maybe the relevant authorities should look into this problem. Further more this is a good place… a good park… even has a small water theme park.

Anyway, after we parked, we walk around the park, the same path I took last Sunday for the Borneo Downhill Challenge 2009. But, instead of using the path with steps I took last Sunday, our friend brought us into a small trail… which is more challenging to me coz there is no steps. And it also a bit dark coz it’s really going into the jungle. If you don’t have personal insurance, maybe it’s good to have term life insurance quotes first before doing this hiking… for first timer, I’m sure this is creepy… wild animal, insects, fall…

And I was followed by a bee… one bee… I don’t know why it keeps following me by hovering on my right hand… I really can feel the cold air caused by its wings. I tried my best to chase it away by not shocking it… scared it might sting me if it gets shocked… but it just doesn’t want to go away… I chased it twice… I even talked to the ‘jungle’ to leave me alone coz I just want to pass the area… and I wash my hand with the mineral water I carried and the bee suddenly disappear.

My friends was already far ahead. When I almost caught them, they said… R U OK? U looks so pale… I did not tell them anything, I just said I’m OK. I don’t what to tell them yet coz I don’t want the ‘jungle’ to hear me.

Once we reach the peak where there are many people enjoying the scenery, after getting my breath back, I told them about the incident… they did not say much. We must respect the…

Anyway the view is spectacular from here… this is really a good place to enjoy the sunset. I purposely bring my small camera… and manage to get some snaps