One humbling aspect of climbing Borneo’s Mount Kinabalu is that the rest houses on the mountain are supplied by indigenous Kadazan-Dusun porters who use the same trails as recreational hikers.
Hence, while Kiki and I were climbing the mountain in waterproof hiking apparel and light backpacks, we regularly ran into local guys wearing t-shirts and sneakers, toting up barrels of cooking oil, construction beams, and — as we see here — a bunk bed mattress.
Indeed, as I point out in a Vagabond’s Way chapter entitled “One Person’s ‘Adventure’ is Another’s Vocational Duty,” it’s wise to keep in mind, even as we post our “adventure” photos on social media, that these experiences are made safe and enjoyable by true adventurers—namely, the people who actually know and live (and carry our gear) in those places.
Note: “Dispatches” are short vignettes, profiles, and mini-essays written and posted from the road, often in tandem with my Instagram account. I don’t host a “comments” section, but I’m happy to hear your thoughts via my Contact page.
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