Challenge No. 91 – King of the Swingers (Mountain Climb)
Location – Borneo
Home to the wild orang utans, we're off to climb Gunung Kinabalu (the highest mountain in Malaysia at 4095 meters tall.) Since it gets quite chilly up there we're going to journey up the mountain whilst wearing orang utan costumes. Naturally, as many references as possible will be made to the Jungle Book!
Challenge suggested by Paul Russel
Location – Borneo
Home to the wild orang utans, we're off to climb Gunung Kinabalu (the highest mountain in Malaysia at 4095 meters tall.) Since it gets quite chilly up there we're going to journey up the mountain whilst wearing orang utan costumes. Naturally, as many references as possible will be made to the Jungle Book!
Challenge suggested by Paul Russel
Blog
May 14th 2008
Yesterday morning, after spending the night 100 metres above sea level in the foothills beside Mount Kinabula in Borneo, we woke up looking like we needed an almighty shave. This however was not the case. We were in fact wearing orang-utan costumes for the King of the Swinger Challenge.
May 14th 2008
Yesterday morning, after spending the night 100 metres above sea level in the foothills beside Mount Kinabula in Borneo, we woke up looking like we needed an almighty shave. This however was not the case. We were in fact wearing orang-utan costumes for the King of the Swinger Challenge.
Our fellow climbers were amused at us wearing our ancestral outfits and a few did ask why. Lee advised them that on the internet it said to wear climbing gear and so that's what we were doing and said they were stupid for only wearing thermals and fleeces.
And so, setting out with Sir Hillary Edmund in our thoughts, we reached the base of the "hill" with our guide Pinget and 2 porters (Sherpa's). We pulled down our masks and adopted our roles as orang-utans and started to monkey around excited at being home again.
After hitting around about the 2500 metre high mark, we entered the clouds and instantly the temperature dropped. The winds picked up dramatically and roared and whistled all around us. We still had some way to go and it looked like rain was on its way so we decided to hurry.
We reached the overnight rest area and celebrated with a beer. Around 4 minutes after reaching this place the weather got even worse. The wind was trying its best to rip the roof off and came shooting through every gap that the poorly made building had. The rain battered the place and we were convinced if the wind didn't get the building then it was only a matter of time before we and the building went white water rafting down the "mountain" as a knackered Lindsay was now calling it.
When darkness fell and people started to hit the sack we were informed that our residence for the night was actually in a different building - a further 7 minutes walk up the mountain. If this was any other country in the world we would not have been allowed on the mountain in the first place and as inadequately prepared as we were, we'd never be allowed or even expected to undertake the journey to our beds.
Thankfully we made it without a scratch - a complete and utter miracle really. We didn’t even get wet - well apart from our shoes and socks but luckily there was a gas stove so ingenious Lindsay boiled them dry in a pot – great ingenuity but the subsequent stench throughout the chalet was horrendous.
This day, despite all the dangers, stupidity and coldness - was immense. We loved every minute of it and can only recommend you come to Borneo with your orang-utan costume and climb Mount Kinabalu.
The rest of the tale remains a secret for now, that's telly darlings. Needless to say we are down, alive and despite our legs being in absolute agony, we're looking forward to our cockles warming and growing again!