It is not the mountain we conquer, but ourselves — Edmund Hillary

I learned two lessons while climbing Malaysia's highest peak; to keep moving forward, one step at a time and the best thing in life is indeed always obtained after a hard work.

So I went on my first mountain hike at the age of 31 and spoiler alert, I reached the summit of Mount Kinabalu on 20 March 2017 :). As cliché as it may sound, my story is not just about the destination but how someone like me who has never been an outdoor person was even able to watch the sunset at 3,272.7m above sea level. Well, where there's a will there's a way.



People say; anyone of reasonable fitness can complete this hike, but don't be fooled. It is NOT easy. AT ALL. Haha. However to be honest, I think Mount Kinabalu is accessible summit climbs for the average person. No technical mountaineering experience is necessary, just a proper hiking shoes, a warm jacket and the most important is a whole lot of perseverance. Hehe.








What an experience! The adventure of my first and maybe the last climb will be forever embedded in who I am. I went through all emotions and exhaustion that kept me from reaching the top. And it was a relief to FINALLY be on top of the mountain, alhamdullah. It was all worth it. The view was absolutely amazing and breathtaking :').