Monday 27 December 2010

Life Without Limits

A good book:

人要够自信才能真正地谦卑,要够坚强才能真正地柔软。- Life Without Limits

Friday 10 December 2010

Going Deep...

Haven't been writing for awhile. Where have I been? I'm enjoying sun's sparkle in the deep sea!

I went for advance diving course just last month, got myself certified as Advance Open Water diver. Now allow to dive more than 20m, which is nice! Can see more marine lives in deeper depth. Saw blue spotted ray, yellow seahorse, nudibranch, lion fish, etc, etc, etc!

During the course has been tough cause need to study, while doing all sort of skill dives. In the end is still worth it! Looking forward to the next diving trip!

Some photos to share:

Beautiful sunset...

View from the dive center, so serene...

Dive center's jetty

View from hotel

Monday 19 July 2010

New "first time" experience...

Many people have a lot of "first time" experience in a lot of ways. 3 weeks ago I have mine on flying with Business Class, and on 1 of the flights, got upgraded to First Class.


I can be considered lucky that I have the chance to fly business class in the first place. Never thought that I could have the chance to see what is in the first class! It just blows me off.

But then, being in the first class cabin, I sort of notice most people are more arrogant (ie. thinking themselves better than others). I have this experience while boarding, when counter announce first/business class people to board first, people starts to queue and I happened to queue up there as well. Suddenly a man and a woman jumped the queue, cut in front of me and pretend nothing happened. I gave the lady a puzzle look then only she realized something's wrong. She asked "oh, you're on business class?". I nodded, then only they go back to the queue. See, they don't even asked before they go forward, and just make assumption.

Some people gave me the looks, like "Are you in the wrong cabin?" expression when I walked in with t-shirt and 3-quarter pants. Oh, their looks fascinate me, like I'm coming from a different planet! Nice...

Anyway, the good part on being in the first or business class is you get to sleep! I have my own bed, and the assistant will help do the bed when I'm ready to sleep. Superb! Nice food, nice drinks, they give us travel kits as well which the products are from high-end brand. I like it.

Met with some interesting people too. That's the fun part I guess out of all these flying trips. :)

Friday 18 June 2010

I love my job!

Dawn came, the view attracted me to pick up my camera to snap a few photos. While doing that, a question came into my mind. Why can't I said from the bottom of my heard that "I love my job"? Each time when I read people writing or saying "I love my job!", I will be wondering how did they get there? I mean doing what they like! How how how? I tried liking what I'm doing but it doesn't work for a long long time. Change job? That doesn't work either. 

I suppose now it's time to sit back and hit the "pause" button for awhile to reflect what I really want to do. Something to ask myself:
1) What do you enjoy doing?
2) What makes you happy?

It'll be a quest to find answer for the above questions...
Good night.

Sunday 23 May 2010

Another dream achieved...

The feeling of "not-believe" that I've done that still surged through my mind. Maybe it's not a big deal to a lot of people, but it's a dream of mine. A dream to climb Mount Kinabalu at least once in my life time even my knee condition doesn't seems to allow that.

However, however, I did that just weeks ago, 9 May 2010. A memorable day, I reached Mount Kinabalu summit at 7am!

When I was up there, I couldn't help myself but hugged the summit rock, at the same time, asking myself "what are you doing up here?!". Irony, isn't it? The thing is I don't know exactly if I am really into mountaineering. It's just something out of curiosity to want to know what's it's like to sit on the Mount Kinabalu peak.

It takes hard work, lots of hard work to have that curiosity filled! :)

Let me share abit on the process, something to remind myself in case I have chance to go back there for the second time!

Mount Kinabalu is within Kinabalu Park, which is Malaysia's first World Heritage designated by UNESCO in December 2000. This granite massif stands at 4,095.2m (13,435ft) tall, is the highest mountain between the Himalayans and the Snow Mountains of Papau Barat (New Guinea Island).

There are 2 trails to go up the summit. The Summit Trail (from Timpohon Gate) and Mesilau Route. The 2 trails meet at Layang-Layang (KM 4 from Timpohon Gate), then is all the way up up and up.

Mesilau Route is approximately 2km longer than The Summit Trail. I took Mesilau Route up and descend via the Summit Trail to Timpohon gate. Me and the hiking group started the journey around 9:30am. The first part of the journey at Mesilau is ascend about 2km then descend for 2km! When it starts to descend, I just couldn't help to think "you must be joking!", for the height of the steps down! During the journey, it has lots of plants, views, unfortunately, I'm too concentrate on the trail that I didn't stop much to appreciate the nature. However, when some plants attracted my vision, I'll play with some macro shots. 

Finally reached Layang-Layang, legs and knees are started trembling, tired. One thing I've learned here is to bring enough finger food that can help boost energy. I got hungry very fast, and all I have is chocolate. I ate too much chocolate until I feel like vomitting. Hehe... next round, must prepare other type of energy booster snacks! (Like raisin, banana, apple? Any others to suggest?). Deep heat cream to release muscle ache is very helpful as well.


Ohh.. it takes 9 hours for me to reach Laban Rata at 6:30pm! I met with rains, wind before I reached Laban Rata, where I'll be resting before the summit climb. There's an area which is very challenging to my shoe, the area is full of rocks! (Somewhere near Pondok Villosa area). I slipped quite a few times there. The soil and vegetation changed at different heights. When it's near the hut, the plant becomes shorter and much more open, like below.

When I started to see Laban Rata's roof, I sprint towards it with all my energy! It's all dark outside. I feel relief when I stepped into the hut, smell food! But too tired to have appetite to eat anything. I rested around 10pm, but couldn't sleep. Body over-exhausted? I do have doubts whether to go on the next day. Friend encourage me to go for it. I get up at 1am instead and prepared myself for the summit challenge.

Put on my winter jacket, hat, gloves, head lamp, started the journey at 3am. Heading towards Sayat-Sayat hut. After 700m of stair case climb, I reached what they called, the "Dangerous Zone". The area which using rope to climb alongside the cliff. Too dark to see anything, just trust the guide to help us up towards that cliff.


After registered myself at the Sayat-Sayat hut, the ascend just getting more and more intense. Using rope all the way up. I started to feel breathless around 7.5km. Again, thinking to quit, but friend keep encourage me to go on. Very thankful to this friend.

Sun started to rise! (Some of the photos below are courtesy of a hiking friend, Fara)


This is the summit! The last 500m is killing, where I no longer has energy to use my arm to pull myself up. 

But hey, there's a nice guide who's willing to help me up, and he pulled me all the way to the summit. Wala.. I'm up the summit at 7am! That is approx. 4 hours climb.
Admire the view from the peak. Resting and busy photo shooting up there. Started to descend 15mins later. And another 3 hours back to Laban Rata, then 7 hours down to the bottom - Timpohon gate. 

~ 23 hours walk for approx. 18kms, ended my 2 days 1 night Mount KK challenge!

If you asked me whether I'll do that again? My answer is Yes! So, I guess I'm into mountaineering after all. :)