What's All The Hullabaloo About Mt. Kinabalu?

Lervely cypress trees on the hike up to our lodge. One of my few looks up, because the steps were wet and rocky.

Not feeling very "freshy" but hey, the sign proves I made it. Up since 2am, having climbed in the dark, burnt-out head lamp, lost my hat to the wind, but I tried my best to plaster on a smile.

This peak, seen from the summit of Low's Peak, is called the Gorilla's Head. Can you see why?

My first summit glimpse of the sun as it rose
behind roiling clouds.

Just moments after sunrise.

Due to a lack of nitrogen in the soil from water

constantly running down its slopes, some of the mountain's flowers get it by trapping bugs in pools of digestive goo, like these pitcher plants.

This is a B&W photo of the forest as I descended. The mood depicted was about how I felt. Until I got down, rode a 2 hour bus to town, showered, ate, and napped for a solid 3 hours.

Now I am in Semporna, Sabah, Borneo Malaysia. I will scuba dive the next two days. Today it poured rain so I have been resting my legs, reading a great mystery called The Eight by Katherine Neville - esp. good if you are a chess fan, and writing postcards. On July 29, I fly back to Thailand to make my way to the meditation retreat. I will be incommunicado for 10 days as it is a silent retreat. That's August 1-10. This will be my third time and I am looking forward to it. Check it out here if you are interested:

www.suanmokkh.org