Kinabalu, what does that mean?

Photo: Old post office filled with graffiti at Kota Kinabalu - 12/12/10

Being rich with time, I was 'overstaying' in the city of Kota Kinabalu, so I've started asking around what means the word Kinabalu, used for both the City Kota Kinabalu and the mountain Kinabalu.

The first person was a father with who I was sharing my table at the bus-station restaurant during lunch, about 1 hour before the bus to which I bought a ticket,would be leaving, bringing me to the village of Ranau.
I had a conversation with him and he asked me many questions. He kept thinking I came from New Zealand, or maybe he kept saying I came from New Zealand, because I told him I am from Holland bur he didn't understand the name nor knew the country. So I wasn't surprised if he kept saying New Zealand not to be in the situation not knowing where I am from, or having to ask questions about my county in an awkward way without naming the name of the country. So he kept asking things about New Zealand, and I kept saying I couldn't answer his question as I had never been to New Zealand, "however in my country, in Holland, ...." is how I finished my response but he kept firing new questions about this country which actually carries a Dutch name.

Beaten by the weather of Mt. Kinabalu

Photo: While ascending to 3272mtrs, ¾ of Kinabalu - 10/12/10

The breakfast in the hostel would be starting at 7.00h, so the previous night I set my alarm to 6.45am. The next day I would be climbing the highest mountain of South-East Asia; Mount Kinabalu, on Sabah, Malaysia. A few minutes past 7.30am I found myself walking along the road to get to the entrance of National Park Kinabalu, another UNESCO world heritage. My way to the park was a 1.8km curving road slightly going uphill. I noticed the grey skies and I hoped that it would remain grey, and that they would take good care of keeping the rain within.

At the park there were a few papers to sign, arrange a mandatory guide, pick-up a packed lunch, a last toilet-break and go!go!go!
It is possible to hire a personal guide, or with a group so obviously it is much cheaper to spent the cost of the guide with other people. I read that it was normal for single hikers to to join other groups or other single hikers. I walked out, and straight away I spotted two foreigners who turned out to be from Southern England. I approached and asked if I could join them and share the guide. This was ok for them, and also for the guide, so I found myself a guide, and off we could go.

Riding a wheel chair at the hospital

Photo: All wrapped up on Borneo, Malaysia - 19/12/10

Since I did not make it to the top of Mount Kinabalu, and in meanwhile I returned to Kota Kinabalu from a trip to Kuching, in Sarawak, I thought I'll give it another go, and to be more sure of reaching the top, I thought to climb to mountain in one day up, to the top, and down again. Because during the night there is a bigger chance of rainfall, and I didn't want to catch the same unluckiness as the previous time...
Earlier I was planning to go to Sandakan, as my flight to Kuala Lumpur would be leaving from Sandakan about 5 days later. Mount Kinabalu is on the way to Sandakan anyway.

So I took the bus, and after about 30 minutes on the bus I realized that I forgot my charger for the photo camera batteries! What could I do? Get off and go back? But from the bus station it is another 30 minutes and two buses to get back to the hostel....I could perhaps go to the mountain and return to the hostel afterwards or the next day. Could I ask them to send to charger perhaps?
I decided to continue to the mountain and see if it is possible to climb the next day anyway. In meantime I send a text message to Jennifer and Will who I met on the way and who I joined the visit to Kuching, asking for the phone number of the hostel so I could give a ring for them to check on the charger and take it from the room before someone would steal it.
I found out that Jennifer and Will, who where planning on flying to the Philippines, were not allowed to board their plane because it´s required to have a return flight to visit the Philippines...and they were sooo looking forward to go!

In meanwhile I reached to mountain, and I walked up the stairs to the head quarter.