Beginning the ascent...

Day 3 Monday 11th May

After a good breakfast and a pep talk, we were taken by coach to the gateway of Kinabalu and the mountain nature reserve. The forest was very thick and the humidity today was particulary uncomfortable. Our guide led us to the mountain path which was beatutiful everywhere you looked there were waterfalls, vines, pitcher plants (meat eaters) and flowers of all kinds. I was forced into a false sense of security that this was to be a breeze. As you can imagine, the higher we climbed the steeper it got and the terrain became less like paths and steps and more like climbing a mountain. After several hours we entered the cloud line and visibilty was a little limited, the temperature was beginning to become alot more pleasant, however the air was noticeably thinner and every step was a real effort. 7 hours later we finally arrived at our first night's mountain accomodation, Laban Rata - 3200m. After a buffet of Malaysian hot food we bedded down for a very early night ready for our 2am wake up call and the beginning of the final ascent!

The Mighty Kinabalu

Rose Cabin at the foot of Kinabalu and The Mighty Mountain herself!!

Day Two (Sunday 10th May 2009)

After an early start we ascended into the Crocker Range Mountains by minibus and up and up to the foot hills of Kinabalu. As we left steamy KK the clouds rolled in and tropical rain began to fall much to our delight. I had only spent a couple of hours in the sun the day before but even wearing factor 40 doesn't prepare the English skin for equatorial sun beams! We soon arrived at the beautiful Rose Kabin with a balcony view of the mountain and what tomorrow ad in store for us all. That night we ate a great Malaysian hot buffet and drank a Tiger beer as though it may be our last for some time. Sleeping didnt come that easy that night and i wasn't sure if it were the altitude or just the anxiety for the next morning?

We did it!

Well we all made it back in one piece, there were some ups and downs for some of us (including myself) but it was an amazing experience for all who took part! Unfortunately due to the remoteness of the majority of our locations and the basic or lack of internet access at any hotels we stayed in, I was unable to keep the blog updated as I had hoped, however read on as I will try and interpret some of my journal that I kept along the way, if anyone out there would like to do this challenge...read of to find out more!

Day One (Saturday 9th May 2009)

After a journey that lasted some 28 hours from London Heathrow via an 8 hour stop over in Brunei (where we had the opportunity for a 2 hour whistle stop tour of some of Brunei's highlights) Royal Brunei Airlines was an experience in itself, particularly for me as a nervous flyer (a dry airline!! need I say more?).

We arrived at our final destination (but first of many through Borneo), Kota Kinabalu the state capital of Sabah, Malaysian, Borneo. We had our briefing and generally got to know each other afterall we would be spending the next 10 days relying on each other. I have to say there was a real mix of ages in our group but I am proud to say we all got on brilliantly...

Only 4 days left to go!

Me and B at the Devils Coldron Perthshire Scotland

Feels like an age since I last signed in, and oh wow there are only 4 days left to go!! Scotland was amazing and I had some wonderful walking opportunities combined with some culinary opportunities too! I had imagined that this would be a de-tox week with walking and cycling top of the agenda, however walking and fresh air increases your appetite and thirst 100% and i've always been a sucker for trying new things (i'll be the same in Borneo i'm sure) although they probably won't serve up Wild Venison with a Sweet Red Berry Compote washed down with a taster of a fine local Single Malt!! Anyway... I realised that my walking boots are very comfortable and that I really am very excited by the whole prospect, I have also realised how wonderful my wife and children are for supporting me lately and allowing me to fullfill a life long ambition...I'm mentally prepared now and to me thats all that counts. I have some photos to post from my families Scottish adventure which i will try and post before i leave, they will act as the first half of my 'before and after' shots!! I've lost over one and a half stone now and hope that by the time I return i will have lost at least another half?

One more spinning class left between me and bruised buttocks!!

Scotland here we come!!

Just a quick catch up today,as today I am just packing my walking boots and poles for a family Easter Adventure in Scotland. Hopefully i'll get some walking and mountain biking in this week, so will keep you up to date with some photos at the end of the week. TTFN! x

Malvern today

As i was itching to walk in my new boots today, i decided that i should go to the nearest place to Birmingham that could be disguised as a mountain, and that of course is the Malvern Hills. Upon arrival i remembered how as a child with my parents i would run up and down these mini mountains, famous for their purifying water and catch up mith Mom and Dad about three hours later as their purple sweaty heads popped into my horizon! Today however, and much to my disgust it was I who dragged my pathetic body to the top. What a wonderful sight though and the boots werent that bad either...If they're good enough for Chris Moyles then they're good enough for me! Where can i go next then... any suggestions?

If Brian Blessed can do it....

I was once told by a leading health guru (well I actually read it in his book) that it is true that you can lose weight and have a drink or two at the weekends. Apparently there are three golden rules: 1. NO Wine or Beer. 2. Avoid sugary mixers and 3. Always drink alcohol that is clear! In my mind that means I could go to my friend’s house warming party on Saturday night and join in the jollification with vodka shots, I could even experiment with the flavoured type perhaps? The party got into full swing, there was even a Wii Sports challenge that became a sad excuse for immature drinking games. So whilst my fellow party goers chatted about their house being on the market for 3 years or the manager that had been sacked for eating at his desk, they all sipped at their yellow Chablis and as I gulped down more of my clear liquid I became the Tazmanian Devil and spent the latter part of my evening lying on an un-familiar bathroom floor counting down the hours until my Sunday morning ‘spinning’ class! Obviously I didn’t go and now think this so called ‘Guru’ is nothing but a liar and a fake. It’s true you can’t loose weight and drink at the same time, sorry Jo I take it all back! xx

I have just read an article in a newspapers travel supplement it followed our rather flamboyant ‘national treasure chest’ Brian Blessed as he was hauled up the heights of Mount Kinabalu! Temporarily my concern’s about drinking; altitude sickness and chaffing have all but faded away. Wow, now I know what all those pockets in wax jackets are for…god Bless you Brian!!