Journey To The Land Below The Wind
I didn’t climb the mountain, okay!Just to be clear before I start telling my story. I stared at it every morning to see how she looked as the sun started to shine and the wind blew the clouds away. Magnificent. Stunning. What an awesome view and I just could not get enough of her.
Anyway, I started this journey in KK. After a nice flight with MAS, I landed in a windowless hotel room somewhere in town. I’m not complaining but what if the aircon did not work ?!.We chose the room but i’ve never really been in a windowless room. But how come a hotel can sell a room with no view. I guess to people like myself.We slept on it. Nothing bad happened alhamdulillah.
I needed my morning walk so found my way out of the building. The riverfront esplanade is just a few minutes away. I was excited; until I breathed the cold morning air. Unfortunately, the air filled with unpleasant smell as the place was near a wet market.I knew this stench; the one that has brought me back to my childhood playground in Pasar Pasir mas. I grew up with this stinking shit up my nose every day. Mom worked in the Pasar; and I tagged along whenever I felt like. Most of the time I was there staring at the big drain that carried everything in the world to the river nearby. The stench was unimaginable. But I was there cursing and yelling why the world is so stinking. I don’t want to smell the shit again.
I walked on pretending to be someone caught up with the beautiful river and the colorful fishing boats along the river bank. It was a long walk and felt like the smell followed me close behind. The drain was clogged with rubbish and what not like nobody gives a damn. I stepped on a dead fish (or something …) and the thing just squirted all over the place. My morning walk was getting interesting. The many cafes along the esplanade were deserted and they looked tired and abandoned. I guess the party ended late into the morning.
My walk ended at a kopitiam on Gaya Street. The place looked modern with a sass of old vintage . A perfect place for tik tokers… taking pictures of the food and telling the phone how good it looks. The whole rituals and mantras were delivered to the followers before taking the first bite. People dine differently nowadays, I suppose. My food seemed nowhere near me and I was getting agitated. The stinking fish has not left my nose yet and now my nasi lemak is missing. I looked around and people were filling up the place. My rage was getting to my head but I told myself not to explode and do something foolish early in the morning. By the time it arrived I’d lost my appetite. My first day in Sabah was not looking good. But I was optimistic that the rest of my journey will be awesome.
Kundasang
The Place For Flowers to Bloom
Kundasang is a small town along the ridge of Akinabalu.It still looks like a marketplace at a junction of the busy roads. People stopped by for souvenirs or mountain gears and moved on. The place was busy only on certain days of the week;while other times it was quiet. A few minutes walk there is a Klinik where my daughter works and lives for the past three years.
I still wonder how someone ended up here some time ago. Even nowadays it was a long winding drive to reach here, at the foot of this great mountain. What was like when we (the tourists) were not here. I could not even pinpoint this place on the map. Only mountain climbers made their ways here before the start of the climb. But now the tourists come in bus loads from God knows where. At the foot of this mountain,life lingers at the trails of difficult terrains. The people work the fields early in the morning. They grow mainly vegetables that go out by truck every morning to their destinations. That’s one special thing about Kundasang and the nearby villages— they produce amazing vegetables. The weather helps a lot I guess, plenty of sunshine in the morning and cool throughout the day. Rain was frequent but not so much as to damage the plants. The highland weather makes the crops healthier, juicier and delicious. I have started to appreciate the beauty of life on the edge of a high mountain.
I struggled to acclimate myself as a highlander but felt lucky to be introduced to a life far extraordinary than my own. Every morning I waited for the sunshine to peek over the mountain ridges and shower myself with the warmth that dazzles throughout. The moments were magical as the peaks of Akinabalu revealed itself. These rituals take place for a short duration of time and not everyday. Usually early until mid morning and when the clouds start to gather the curtains will go down and hide the mighty mountain for the rest of the day. So if you come for a day trip feel very lucky to get the views of the mountain .
Not everyone is a climber. I stopped when my knees gave up. So every time I see a mountain the frustration keeps pounding inside. The sense of incompleteness trails me until I leave this place.
The journey continues …..
