Preparation – purchasing and packing up for the trip.

Frankly, me myself only start panicking about what to buy and what to bring about 2 weeks before the trip, even though I got the initinery quite early from Crow 001 via MSN file transfer. Anyway, my experience in climbing Fox Glacial leads me into thinking of buying those super shoes with super gripping power. Not forgetting water-proof-ness so that it won’t soak wet in the case of raining. Turned out the normal walking/ jogging shoes work just fine (but please be sure of how old is your shoes, especially if the glue that holds the shoes parts still work well). Other items checked include raincoat, windbreaker, water-proof gloves, and head-gear light. So you think that is all the mountain-climbing gear, huh? Not exactly. What else needed? 1) Oh, so it’s high up there. The temperature? Could easily hit 4-6 degree if it rains. So winter clothing of some sort is needed (include thermal wear, thick jacket, snow hat etc) 2) Hmm, not sure on the condition of backpacker inn we booked at Laban Rata. Need to bring along flip-flop/ slipper. Can’t possibly bare your feet while bathing – and it might be very cold. 3) Toiletries. This doesn’t need elaboration. 4) High energy food like raisin and sweets and chocolates and cereal bar and biscuits. 5) Medication and first aid – the basic like minyak cap kapak, zambak, poh chai yuen, panadol, plasters. The less common like anti motion sickness, anti altitude sickness, anti-‘muntah’ (anti-vomit), menses-delay pill. The must need salon pass/ tiger brand bandage, counterpain/ tiger balm/ yoko yoko lotion, and insect repellent.

Now you think that is all? NO NO. We don’t just go for Mount Kinabalu. We’ll be going beach and island and there is city-sight-seeing. Swimsuit and normal clothing are needed. Pack all into the suitcase, too! And there is charger for mobile phone and camera, accessories needed (hey we are girls okie), contact lenses care product, laptop (Crow 003 brought that with her, okay! Thanks to her we got the complete sets of photos).

Done packing? Now we can go off! Oh, the end result of the whole pile of things needed for the trip?? Half of our 800 crows brought suitcase that seemingly for 2-week Europe tour. The tour guide who fetched us from the air-port had a hard time squeezing all luggage bags into the mini van he drives. LOL.

by ziwei~