Kota Kinabalu 040705a: Kinabalu National Park

Today I get myself a rental car and barely 2 hrs later, find myself at Kinabalu National Park, the first Malaysian World Heritage Site. For details see:
http://tinyurl.com/7d3un

What a proud moment it is for me - at last I get to visit my own country's World Heritage Site! Btw, the other World Heritage Site in Malaysia is Gunung Mulu National Park. Both awarded in 2000.

#1: Mount Kinabalu looms over KK, well sort of. That's 140km away and 2 hours by car, and the peak is 4,095m in the sky.

#2: Timpohon Gate, one of the two entrances to the long trek to the top. At 1,600m, this is as far as I go today. From here it's another 8.72km to the peak of Mt Kinabalu. Forgot to bring my toothbrush, so...ummm... I'll summit some other time lah. :-)

#3: Two routes to the top. I am at bottom left. Seems that every 500m there's a place to rest and relax. Click pic for better read.

#4: A weary mountaineer arrives back. I can't believe there's Mt Kinabalu down there!

Kota Kinabalu 030705d: Sunset

Sunset at last, and it is worth the wait.

#1: The trio sandwiched between three layers of hues.

#2: The sun sets. 

#3: As the sun finally sinks... 

#4: ...a lone fisherman awaits the last nibble.

Kota Kinabalu 030705c: The sea

It's quite a nice spot. Really.

#1: View from the 5th floor room. Left to right: Islands of Sulug, Mamutik and Manukan. The water is always choppy.

#2: Rocks everywhere. Gaya Island in the background. 

Kota Kinabalu 030705b: Accommodation

Just 15mins after clearing immigration I find myself at the Sutera Harbour Resort, nicely located between the airport and downtown Kota Kinabalu (KK). It is a posh, well-maintained place, and seems to be popular with foreigners with oodles of USD!

Anyway, it faces the South China Sea to the west, and I'm all set for a glorious sunset!

#1: Three nights here? I think I can manage . :-)

#2: Not a bad waterfront, but no beach - just boulders and huge rocks piled right into the water.

#3: And the compound is full of black-headed munias (burung pipit rawa), a common pest in the ricefields - they gobble up the ripening paddy grains.

Kota Kinabalu 030705a: Arrival at BKI

Fine day for flying today. It's on a day like this that I wish I am an airman too. Great weather all the way from Kuala Lumpur International (KUL) and the 2.5 hrs flight time to Kota Kinabalu (BKI) soon passes, but we are 30 minutes late!

A long queue at immigration, but they graciously allow me stay in their country for 3 full months. Thank you Sir, and I promise I won't find a job while I'm here. :-)

#1: Actual flight path (yellow) as plane leaves the peninsular - tracked by my trusty GPS. It crosses the coastline just 12 km southeast of Pekan town. (Map courtesy of www.malsingmaps.com - thanks, guys!)

#2: The spoilers on the wing are raised, thus interupting the airflow over the wing to increase drag. The plane shudders and drops. A sure way to reduce height! Approaching Kota Kinabalu Airport from the south, over the South China Sea.