barbs blog: School Holidays

Barbs's Big Bike RIde

This year I have decided to stay and enjoy an English Spring. It has been a long time coming but at last it is here and I am off to explore my own back yard. Well actually travelling up the UK mainland as far north as possible before 21st June and see how close I can get to the Midnight Sun.

After my travels along the Camino de Santiago across northern Spain last September on my trusty old iron donkey, I have bought a lighter bike in the hope that I can get up a few more hills and by going from Lands End to John o Groats (LEJOG) I can avoid the killing headwinds of the Spanish meseta.

So here she is, we had a jolly naming ceremony on Saturday and hopefully the good friends, food and weather I enjoyed will carry me through to the farthest northern climes. Thank you all for a great send off, admirably topped off with one too many pints The Village Bike listening to Mojo Triangle.

And she is called Eleanor, isn't she beautiful, I hope I still have such tender feelings after 6 hours in the saddle, but probably only in the nether regions I fear.

The map link on the right will show a rough itinerary and route and I will try try to update with my actual route, if I can work out how and where I am as I go along, you know there will be little correlation but I will get there or somewhere in the end!

If you want an email update, submit your address in the box also on right and hopefully it will find its way through the ether to you.

Saturday, 24 March 2012

School Holidays

I decided to try to climb Mt Kinabalu even though I hadn't booked accommodation and it was school holidays.

So I was disappointed that all mountain beds were taken and although permits for a one day climb was available I didn't think I needed the pain of raising through 4100m in 24 hours. So I hired a guide to see how far I could get. Wow was I glad I didn't try for the top, they don't go for contouring here it is just straight up and up and up.

I did manage a view of the top before 8am but them the cloud was down and so I knew I wouldn't miss the view, which are apparently amazing on a clear day all the way to Kota Kinabalu and beyond.

And then the heavens opened, this is supposed to be the driest part of Sabah and I hadn't expected it and ended up crouched over my camera and phone etc, I thought it would pass but was eventually rescued by some passing British Council teachers, thank goodness for the school holidays, but my camera didn't survive, even in in its 'waterproof' case,

I think it would have needed a diving pouch in that down pour. I can still take pictures but the screen is dead so it is very interesting to see what I have taken on my computer. So watch out for some interesting shots

I also managed to experience the change in vegetation and see some orchids and the pitcher plants.

My knees were very grateful I didn't do the whole trip.

I had then planned to go to Kudat towards the tip of Borneo and then fall off the edge to Banggi Island. Public transport is not so easy here, and away from the main routes you are dependant on shared taxis in which you can wait all day to fill or pay for the empty seats to get going.

I didn't managed to get much further than Kota Belud and then get a taxi and boat to a beach to chill for a night or actually two as it was called Manana as it is so difficult to leave.

I again tried to get to Kudat and failed to find transport until I fell into an unofficial taxi only to be unable to contact any accommodation on Banggi so I found a fabulous longhouse retreat close to the actual Tip of Borneo, run by an expat brit.