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~

I supposed the other 700 crows are talking about what happened DURING the trip, I shall talk about the pre- and the post- of the trip!

Like what crow 001 has introduced, the confirmed list of members only decided quite late (in fact, it’s VERY late), and thus there was none, totally no chance that the members come together and have training of any sorts. All went on separate trainings, some alone, some as a clusters, depends on the situation. For some that I’m aware of, crow 001, 002, 004 and the crow that dropped off did climb the Gunung Lambak located at Kluang for quite a few times. Crow 003 has her extensive training via jogging at Vietnam for a period of 1 month (and the –ahem- blossom ;p). Crow 001 also conquered Gunung Pulai at ? (the photos are available on FB at HERE). For me, I merely did ONE training – 10 laps at the fields beside Commonwealth station. Thinking back, I can understand why so many people think that we won’t be able to make it on top – it’s so NOT convincing, okie?!

And for me it’s the first time that I finally get to see the others after I’m back from the down-under land. Never meet for one year, and yet there is no ice-breaking time needed. I must say I’m glad!

by ziwei~

源起与800只乌鸦的诞生前奏

话说在亚航有零机票时，Annie来电问我要去旅行吗？我就说好呀！但是要去哪里呢？适逢经济不景气，经过一番删选后，我们觉得还是不要出国玩，把旅费减低省点钱，就选择国内旅游好了。而且Annie看过她的同事去沙巴的照片，觉得很美，所以我们俩就决定去沙巴KK，顺便刺激马来西亚的经济。当时我们都没想到这个旅程也不便宜，过后知道了就安慰自己说响应政府的Cuti-Cuti Malaysia, 刺激本地经济也是好的，最后证明Sabah游是很值得加好玩的！！

在订机票前，我们又在想两个人去，那不是很无聊吗？所以我们就打电话给朋友了。Shereen听到时说好呀，可以去爬神山呀。然后Annie来电说依晴和丽微也要去，我们就五个人安排订机票了。可是当初不是所有人都要去爬神山，但后来被一句话＂如果没去爬神山就不像去到KK＂＋＂小孩子也能爬上，我们当然也可以呀！难道要等到老了才去爬吗？＂等等而慢慢地被劝服。

后来又加多几个人，Peggy, Janice, Sim, Zi wei & John. So, 最初的团员已经敲定了，8女2男。

当5个月之前，我们才紧张的去问价钱。过后有听到我们要住半山的房位已经有限了，我们才紧紧张张的比较价钱。最终我们订了Shereen找的团。

但是，我们这次的团员到最后却有大变动。因为Sim先说不要去了，而Zi Wei当时在国外，很难联络到她，所以我们只订8个人的半山住宿，付订钱confirm位子。所以，我们的团员从10人变成8人了，7女1男。过后我们有时会去爬些小山训练体力。

大约4月时，丽微说不能去了，因为换工而需要去KL受巡最少2个月，而且医生也建议她不要去爬山。结果当时Zi Wei回来时又感兴趣，所以最后丽微的位置就换成Zi Wei了。

到4月尾五月头时，当要给完团费时，Shereen就被John告知他不能去了，因为请不到假，当时我们听到时都有点累，怎么我们的团员都一直在变，而有些朋友听到去爬神山想去却不能去，因为没山上床位了，而临时临急去找人也蛮难的，因为当初想去的人未必现在能去了。最终John的位置让我们的大姐Viola给顶上了。

我们的团员8位女生最终敲定了，这样过后也才能造就了我们800只乌鸦的诞生，详情就近请期待吧！

By Chin Chin