Page 111 - Buletin JSKM 2021

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FROM HILLS TO MOUNTAINS IN ELEVEN MONTHS (SERIES-1)
NOR HANIM ABD. RAHMAN (~drhar)

Life starts at forty, so they say …

Somehow, it was true for me as my hiking life started when I was forty-six. This is my
bittersweet journey from hills to the highest mountain in Southeast Asia within eleven months.
Sports? Nay! Not me! I never was a sporty-kind girl when I was in my primary and junior high
schools, not even into the simplest form of sports such as sukaneka - LOL! However, as I went
into my senior high and lived in a hostel, I was somehow forced to adapt to the new cultures.
Occasionally, I forced myself to be involved in badminton and silat and held some positions in
Clubs and other activities. The new me were being moulded, unintentionally. Thirty years have
passed since then … today, in 2021, getting together with old friends from past schools are
effortless with everything at our fingertips. I realized the importance and the positive impacts
of social media in our social lives. It was never too late to start new hobbies. Hobbies that I
never thought I would be hooked into it.

So, the new chapter begins. It was in late 2017 when I forcefully decided to commit myself
with seventeen other members to the ‘Gunung Kinabalu Hike’ Expedition that was planned on
th
rd
the fixed date, 23 to 24 September 2018. I am not sure how I ended up giving them my
name as one of the expedition participants in September 2017. I blamed my best friend for this!
Hahaha! There was no turning back, except to move forward with high enthusiasm and
determination!

Hiking started in November 2017…

A new beginning! It was early November 2017 when I started hiking with a close friend of
mine. It was a last-minute decision to hike The Cherok Tok Kun, Bukit Mertajam Hill.
Unfortunately, the area was closed for maintenance reasons. Unsure what to do next left me
wandering around the area to find other options. Luckily, we bumped into a Chinese group of
hikers and decided to join them by using an alternative hiking trail nearby. The guy even
warned us that this trail was not really for newcomers … “Oh noooo! Can I make it” but my
friend convinced the guy that I would be okay. This new trail not only passed through a private
orchard or dusun, nonstop steep slopes, and small streams, it also consisted of a small waterfall,
where all of us rest, took pictures and “tea-time”. It was such a lovely day that was. The
trekking took us about three hours up and down the hill. Well, this was the first experience of
hiking after ages. Of course, the great experience came with great muscle strains as well.
Ouchhhh! It took me about a week to overcome those strains. I owe my close friend for helping
me went through the hassles with great patience. During this hike, we gained new experiences.
Most importantly we also gained new friends! More plans were then made with high hopes and
optimism that we can and will conquer! Insha’Allah…