IBM Java 5 (non-beta) now available!

IBM's Java 5 SDK has just moved out of beta* for AIX, Linux and z/OS:

http://www-128.ibm.com/developerworks/java/jdk/index.html

(* this is why I haven't blogged since I returned from Malaysia...)

The descent

It can be daunting, standing at the summit wondering how on earth you're going to get down, but thankfully help is at hand from the many guides - and even the most wobbly climbers (ie. me) start to enjoy the descent...

Donkey's Ears Peak

Pin the tail on that donkey!

Hurrah!

That's me in the red anorak, next to my sayang (proudly sporting her Sime Darby Systems top) and my younger brother (who is more used to climbing mountains ;)

Race to the summit!

OK, for some people it's a race and they'll happily sweep past while you're desperately clinging to the rock face - as I tend to do, suffering from mild vertigo. Thankfully they also offer lots of encouragement to the less agile :)

Our day had begun with an early start at Laban Rata, sharing an "all-you-can-eat" plate between the three of us (no-one was that hungry). Once we stepped onto the first ladder, we became a small thread of a continuous ribbon of climbers that stretched from Laban Rata to the Sayat-sayat hut, the final checkpoint before the summit.

After a while a white rope appeared, which can be a blessing and a curse - I really welcome having something solid to help pull myself up (ps. head-torches are cool!), but you can rely on it too much and end up in situations where it would have been better to just stand up and take a different route. (My sense of balance can be dodgy, so I really had to will myself to stand straight and let go of the rope at times, especially on the slippery granite slabs.)

Eventually, the darkness gave way to the grey fingers of dawn, and we redoubled our efforts to reach the summit before the sun rose. I really wasn't sure I'd make it at times, but my prayers were answered and I found a new burst of energy once Low's peak was in sight.

Laban Rata Resthouse

The endless steps gradually turned from wood to stone, as the humid rainforest gave way to dry scrub and sayat-sayat trees. Around 1:30pm we saw the first glimpse of the buildings that surround the Laban Rata Resthouse - and peaking out from behind the clouds, the infamous Donkey's Ears peak...

Timpohon gate

Back to the Park HQ in the morning to register for the climb and meet our local guide, Cornelius. Then it was off in the minivan to the start of the summit trail [Timpohon gate @ 8:30am]. To my surprise, the first part of the trail went downhill quite a way before it settled into a series of stepped and level sections - all well maintained.

Best advice? Keep to a steady pace, and avoid the temptation to rush ahead - otherwise you find yourself taking longer and longer breaks, getting overtaken by porters carrying unbelievable amounts of tins and soft drinks. (This also makes you feel really guilty when you buy stuff at Laban Rata, realising how much effort went into getting the food there, only to be guzzled down by a hungry tourist.)

Speaking of guzzling, the local squirrel population seems to be addicted to chocolate:

This one found an M&M that was lying on the ground near one of the rest huts.

Kinabalu National Park

Checked out of the hotel first thing this morning and jumped on a coach headed for Kinabalu National Park. After a really long-and-winding road, accompanied by a VCD of various Malay singers enthusing about their livers (hati), we arrived at Park Headquarters.

Spent most of the day getting aclimatized and trying out the various walks around the park...

Had a steamboat supper at the park restaurant after the climbing talk, very nice - it's where you have a selection of raw fish, meat and veg and a couple of boiling sauces to cook the food in. Kinda like asian style fondue, without the cheese.

Kopivosian Sabah!

These posts are being added retrospectively as I was having too much fun to sit in front of a computer :)

First day of our Borneo trip and we (me, my younger brother and my fiancee) have just arrived in Kota Kinabalu courtesy of Air Lat. KK has a really good outdoor market by the waterfront, the barbecued fish got a big thumbs up from my brother - just remember to use some anti-moz spray to avoid getting bitten!

Job search

I'm currently looking around at software jobs in Malaysia, as I hope to settle down here with my fiancee (who is Malay) in the near future - check out my resume for an overview of my skills, a more detailed career history is available on request...

Selamat datang!

Actually I've been here a while - arrived in Kuala Lumpur a month ago, it's just taken that long to adjust to the climate :) Seriously though, the heat isn't as bad as I thought - hardly use the aircon, just rely on the old ceiling fan and a couple of cold showers a day ... that and a trip to KLCC if it's really hot.

I'm currently on a leave of absence from IBM, where I spent most my time in the Java department working on the IBM Java Virtual Machine. My fiancee (who also worked at IBM*) moved to Malaysia last year, and we've been romancing each other long-distance since then. Now at last I can see my sayang in person, and save some phone bills ;)

(*) we met at the bus stop ... it's not often you want a bus to be late.