TQVM for the prompt reply and the hard work you have done. YOU ARE GREAT! Hoping that this mail will go to your Board of Directors. We do appreciate your fast and good service. KEEP IT UP!!!!
Warm Regards,
Datin Marie
Hi Len,
This is a delayed note to just say thank you for a fantastic trip to Borneo. We absolutely loved it!!! Everything about our trip was good, we loved the guides, they were all brilliant! Thanks also for the pressies, we loved them too!!! A close friend of mine, Margaret Brand, is planning on taking her family to Borneo this year and is very interested to communicate with you. We totally recommended your company, and I have in fact sent her a copy of our brief itinery and your contact details, We assured her you would all look after her. Thanks again for everything.
Regards,
Jude Bade-Boon
Dear Michela,
Many thanks for organising our trip which all went very well. We both really enjoyed our tours in Sabah and Sarawak.
You were a great source of advice and organised this all really well. I was also very pleased with the high standard of the guides at Mt Kinabulu, Mulu and Kinabatangan and all the accommodation etc.
Many thanks,
Best wishes,
Mark
Anne and the Mountain Torq Team,
I can't say enough about Anthony and rest of the team that helped me summit Mt. Kinabalu last week. They are amazing professional and expert guides, trainers, ecologists, and truly wonderful human beings. Anthony knows people and knew just what I needed, as well as what the mountain needed as he cleaned up after other hikers who had left wrappers and other trash on the trail.
Be assured that I will be telling all my friends about this experience and the 5 Star treatment that I received all along the way.
I have attached four photos that I think capture the best of the best moments while I was on the mountain. Please pass them (and the compliments) along.
Clint
Dear Sarah,
Let me thank you for the wonderful time we had in KK. The tours went without any hitches. We truly enjoyed the sites and also the food. My biggest appreciation would be to Shem, our tour guide. He is an excellent guide and was very helpful to us, most particularly to our 84-yeard old mother. He truly is an asset to your group.
Rest assured that I would recommend you to my friends who are interested in going to KK.
Again, many thanks.
Dr. Cecilia C. Carlos
Dear Anne,
Thanks for all your help. We had a nice and enjoying trip to Mt. Kinabalu.
Hope to get same support from you in future. Thanks.
Kind regards,
Rajat
Dear Michela,
We have just arrived home after a great holiday. We toured Indonesia for another 2 weeks after Sabah. The best part was the Durum valley and Mataking island where we were the only guests on the island for the 3 days (ony 16 guests and all went diving).
Many thanks for the arrangements. If any of my friends want to visit Sabah we will recommend you.
Very best regards
Leonard
Anne,
Thank you. I received the travel vouchers before I left Abu Dhabi and was able to print them. I'm at my friend's house in Kuala Lumpur now and will be heading off to bed soon. My flight is tomorrow to KK, which I'm very excited about. If I have time, I would like to thank you in person for handling my travel arrangements but I don't know if I'll have time before my return flight to KL on Tuesday. If I don't get the chance to see you in person, thank you so much for all of the help, patience, and advice. You've been great.
Clint
Hi Len,
My friends and I had a great trip atop Kinabalu. Very good arrangements, everything went very smoothly. We particularly enjoyed the via ferreta. The guides for the via ferreta (John and gang) were very professional. They were very friendly and simply, a great bunch of guys. The porters and mountain guides (Anthonious) assigned to us as well. The river lodge was Poring was impressive as well.
Thank you for everything and I will like to recommend my friend, Yihan, who I cc-ed in this mail, your package. Hope you can give him the best rates!
Regards,
Douglas and Colin
Ciao Michela!
Oggi ho trovato la nota su quella che mi hai dato il tuo indirizzo.
Quella sera volevamo chiamarti, ma non siamo riusciti a trovare il pessattino di carta!,
A realtà volevo solo ringraziarti per la tu gentilezza e la simpatia quella giorno al lodge.
In particolare mi sonno inamoratto di Kota e Borneo in generale.
....Chi potrebbe essere fortunato ad essere lì come te!
Sai che qui a Barcellona, se avete bisogno di qualcosa mi¡e lo dice. ok!
Vi lascio con un grande abbraccio
Miki
Saluti da Dolors anche
Hi Jessica,
How are you?
I've came back to Singapore already a week but still thinking of the Sabah trip that I booked through your Company. I would like to say my friend and I could enjoy the tour very much even there were some changes to itinerary due to bad weather and not able to climb to the summit of Mt. Kinabalu because of the strong wind. I guess we will go back there again some time again soon.
The guide, Mr. Alex was friendly and helpful for us throughout the trip, so is the driver (Mr. Eddy) who sent us off to the airport for departure. My friend lost her cellphone and he helped us to speak through phone to the other party but and unfortunately, we still won't be able to get back the cellphone. In any case, "Thanks" to all for their kindness and help.
A big "THANK YOU" in many ways!
With rgds,
Karen
Dear Anne,
Our family arrived home last week after a wonderful holiday in Borneo. Without doubt the highlight of our trip was the unforgettable tour down the Kinabatangan River staying in lodges, meeting the local villagers and spotting the wild life.
Thank you for your help in organising this tour. You and the company you represent were professional, courteous and helpful. Even when there was a slight glitch about airline tickets being booked to Sandakan, you were quick to rectify the situation.
Thank you very much for your help in making our holiday so enjoyable. It was a pleasure dealing with you. Our family thoroughly recommends your company to anyone who wishes to visit your beautiful country.
Kind regards,
Kate Porter
I am writing to acknowledge the outstanding service I have received from your company while planning a climb of Mount Kinabalu. I have been making arrangements for this with Anne Dsilva who has been brilliant. We have had to make short notice changes to our plans, due to illness of my partner. On two occasions she was able to rearrange our booking for us with no delay. We found her to be friendly, courteous and professional.
Andrew Robinson
Dear Anne,
Hi : ) We're back from our wonderful Mt Kinabalu trip with loads of fun memories.
We survived the 2 times ascend and managed to summit on the first climb to see the spectacular sunrise. On the 2nd day, our ascend to 7.5KM for via-ferrata activity was a breeze. Many thanks to you for arranging a very experience guide, Anthony Gunting who has been so, so helpful. The via-ferrata acitivity thru Low's Peak circuit was very exciting and adventurous. Roland, our via-ferrata guide was so cool and patient. He took a number of great photographs of us whilst we're busy "hooking & looping".
We've enjoyed ourselves very much and hope to return with more friends next year.
Best rgds,
Miss Tan
Hi Len,
Hope you are well.
Just wanted to give you back some feedback from my trip. I truly had a wonderful, unforgettable, exhilarating time.
My Mountain Guide (Francis Suanti, unsure of spelling) was polite, calm and genuinely friendly. My Via Ferrata Guide (unsure of name, I think it was Subleen, but I was the only person signed up to do Low's Peak Circuit on July 3 with them and they were professional and conscientious as well as fun. Mount Kinabalu and the Via Ferrata were the best experiences I have had in a long, long, long time.
Booking with you was very easy and it was very proactive of you to suggest a trip that matched the time off I had. It was a lovely touch to include the certificate (for climbing to the summit) as well as a welcome note with Anne's contact details if I needed any assistance.
I would certainely consider using your travel services again, the only thing that might be worth keeping an eye on is the pick-up/ drop-off service though. My pick-up was an hour late. And my drop-off was going to take me to the wrong hotel (I over-heard them mention the hotel I had been picked up at). Also, not a problem, but is it normal for other passengers who have not booked a tour with you to be picked up as well?
Anyway, many thanks again for the most excellent itinerary and customer service.
Regards,
Sophia.
Hi Len & Anne,
We are back now and I just thought I'd send you a short email to pass on our thanks for helping us organise the climb. All three of us thoroughly enjoyed it and we have got the bug now, so were looking for a new challenge for next year. I took millions of photo's + a few video's, one of which I put on You Tube last night (of us reaching the summit).
Unfortunately, due to weather conditions, the previous nights climbers were turned back, and it looked like it was going to be similar on our night ascent. The other 2 guys with me were also a little uncomfortable with heights and didn't like the thought of the via ferrata. So, to give us a better chance of reaching the summit (due to better weather in the mornings), we all decided to go up to the summit around 9am. As it turned out, it was a great decision because we were the only ones above the last checkpoint and we spent an hour sat on the summit, which gave us a chance to really enjoy it and soak up the views, without being stuck in a queue in the dark & cold :-D
Here's a weblink for our video clip
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NhuP06b5JTY&feature=channel_page
Thanks again for all your help, it is really appreciated and everything went perfectly. I will definitely recommend the climb, and your services to all of my friends.
With kind regards,
Ralph
Dear Len
cc. Allen
Just a status report now from Sandakan - and 2 photos of your clients!
Our trip is going very well, indeed. Allen can give you a rundown on all our sweat in Maliau. And the one attached photo, taken by ranger Lawrence, shows me removing some of that sweat - after a swim at Maliau Falls. The other is taken by Allen of Anne-Marie and me - and a whole tree of pitcher plants.
By the way, Sandakan has much more charm - for a Westerner - than Tawau. We have enjoyed this afternoon in Sandakan - including scones at the English Tea Garden.
Our transfer by Remli was very pleasant - he gave us alot of local history and nature descriptions. The pick-up by SI tours this morning was also perfect.
And by the way, you have a good man in Allen - he is the perfect host! Attentive and informing.
Probably more later.
Regards,
Stephen - and Anne-Marie
Hi Anne & Len,
I just got back from KK just now and boy am I tired. I summited Mt Kinabalu and then rushed over to do Low's Peak Circuit. And it was amazing!!!! What an experience to behold trying out Via Ferrata. The best part was it was just me and the Mt Torq trainer (Joe)because the other two participants wanted to do Walk The Torq instead of Low's Peak Circuit after they completely exhausted themselves going for the summit. Joe was amazing. He knew which areas to photograph me and was very professional and really made me enjoy Via Ferrata rather than letting me think the safety of it all. I let myself loose on Via Ferrata and had some amazing pictures in my Facebook.
I'll put it in my blog in a couple of days time.
Looks like ABC Tours have struck a perfect chord with me. That's great because when all goes well, I will always continue use you guys as my preferred agent in East Malaysia just like how I always use my Perhentian agent for more than 6 years now. Anyway, thanks Anne , for the Mesilau, Pendant Hut and Via Ferrata arrangement. You did great.
As for my April 2010 Sipadan trip, I know it's a long way to go but I've already bought my KL-Tawau-KL tickets (Apr 21-Apr 25 2010) already for RM70.00.
Can you provide me with the options available so I can plan in advance? Like how much is per dive, rental of equipment, staying in Kapalai,Mabul or Semporna ( I once stayed in Dragon Inn for 2 weeks a couple of years ago), etc. Take your time in providing these info.
Last but not least, thanks again guys.
Teoh Yew Aun
Dear Michela,
back home in the UK I just wanted to say thank you very much for arranging a fab trip for us in Borneo. Everything worked out well, everyone was friendly and we had an amazing time. We especially enjoyed having Patrick as our guide - please thank him on our behalf. We also loved the long house, it's rare to meet such a hospitality as the one we were greeted with there.
We'll recommend you to friends going in the summer. So once again, thank you very much.
Best regards,
Henriette
Len,
Please excuse my late reply to your e-mail.
Had difficulty with the Internet the day before I left for KK.
I really enjoyed my hike of Mt. Kinabalu - we were pretty lucky with the weather; the rain didn't hit until after I had made if back to Pendant Hut.
Your driver and my guide were excellent.
Thanks for all of your assistance organizing this trip.
Sincerely,
Jonathan
Dear Len,
We just returned home from our holiday in Malaysia. We really enjoyed our visit to Mount Kinabalu and climb to the Low's Peak and Via Ferrata. It was really beatiful and all the Mountain Torq services were very well organised. We will for sure recommend the trip to others.
Would it be possible for you to email me the receipt of our payment? I paid with credit card upon reservation.
With best regards,
Jussi Juutinen
Dear Michela,
First of all, happy new year!
I hope you did enjoy your stay in Italy and had a great time with your family and friends.
We have arrived in the cold but sunny Tokyo two days ago but it is difficult to go back to our normal life and a part of our mind still remains in Borneo.
Michela, we would like to thank you for all the arrangements you have made for us. Everything went smoothly and we could enjoy every minute of our vacation. We have seen so many fantastic things and the nature of Sabah is breathtaking. We had a lot of fun in Mabul Island and we were fortunate and got two times the permission to go diving in Sipadan and had so the chance to see sharks, countless turtles and the big school of barracudas.
Also, the experience to see our distantly relatives the Urang Utans in Sepilok and all the wildlife in Danum Valley and Sukau was amazing and we will keep a lot of great memories and impressions.
I have attached some pictures of our trip but it was difficult to choose because we’ve seen so much and took so many photographs. But if you are interested to see more my friend Stefanie posted some pictures on her side of Facebook. May be you are a member of Facebook, too?
Say hi to your co-workers we’ve met in your office in Kota Kinabalu.
Cheers,
Anke & Stefanie
Hello Len
I want to thank you on behalf of myself and my family for the excellent arrangements you made, we had a great holiday and particularly fell in love with Mataking!
thanks again for making this a memorable holiday.
have a terrific 2009!
Thomas
Hi Len,
Just wanted to thank you once again and Janet as well as Alan for all
your services and hospitality. We enjoyed ourselves very much and had a very successful concert.
Rebecca Ang Lee
Tour Guide Knowledge:
Excellent, epecially Dennis & One (he did turtle island)
Accommodations:
Good
Itinerary Sights:
Excellent
Itinerary Schedule:
Excellent
Meal
Acceptable no choice as trying to please all
Hi Len,
I hope you are well and that your business is fluorescing!
We have finally received the payment from the insurance and everything has worked out.
Thank you very very much for your help in this matter, it has really been outstanding to have local support.
We will surely promote your company to everyone we can here, and don’t hesitate to contact us if you ever need any references.
Once again thank you and good luck with you business!
Thank you so very much for taking the time to write and find out about my experience in Borneo. It will be a true pleasure to contribute to your first Newsletter. Below my answers:
1. How would you describe your Mountain Torq experience?
To begin with, I had no idea what to expect. From many sources it said that Mount Kinabalu was the friendliest easiest mount to climb. However, the pictures shown were dramatic and I was not prepared to assimilate the beauty of the place. I have to say that I was much more focused on following the instructions rather than enjoying the views! It was fun and quite different from my day-to-day activities..
You also have to understand that Cancun (where I live) has no elevations (don't say mountains) and the nearest mount is about 1000K away...
2. What was the favorite part of your stay with Mountain Torq?
Overall- Was a great experience.. I would say that my favorite part was reaching the summit. It was much more challenging than I anticipated, but worth the effort. This is the kind of activity that fosters very productive thinking. Some people may say it's pure physical activity, but I lean more towards believing is all about thinking.
Pendant Hut-When they said I had to go to bed at 5.30pm or 6pm after lunch to wake up again at 1.30am in the morning I tought it was a joke. Afternoon was breezy and beautiful and I had no plans to go to bed.. However, I never considered how tired I may get. The team at the Hut was very good, flexible and ready to help. After my instruction, (they even gave me a room for myself!) I was ready to sleep.. With no doubt my favorite part of my stay was the starry skies at night. What an unbelievable sight! Climbing at night was also the highlight of the trip. It was amazing!
Via Ferrata. I didn´t know what to expect. >>From my window at the Hut the wall looked challenging and I remembered the pictures on the internet. And my training was fast and looked pretty basic.. Once you begin climbing down, you realise how easy it is and that was when I really enjoyed the views and the panorama!
3. Why did you choose to come to Mountain Torq for your holiday in Borneo?
A friend of mine, who is the Executive Chef at The Ritz-CArlton in Cancun, lived a number of years in Malaysia and told me to give it a try. He and his wife had a wonderful time and I tought that if they have found it easy and amusing, it must be the same for me (my mistake...) So, I began "training" for about 6 months...I can confidently say my holiday began at that time...
4. What tips will you like to share with customers who are planning their Mt Kinabalu trip?
Going down is far more difficult than climbing up... And never forget that! It comes to a point in which you are tired and your joints don't stop complaining.. It is insulting to see the "2hours and 9 minute" record for the Climb-athon when you are in pain... ha, ha,
How many days were you in Borneo?
5 Days and it was surely a short visit..
6. Any other toughts or feelings you'll like to share with the Mountain Torq readers on your entire Mountain Torq experience?
Be open to talk.. open to listen.. but most importantly be open to talk to yourself. Altough not as challenging as other moutains, Mount Kinabalu has something special to listen to minutes before you reach the summit...
7. Any feedback or comments on how we can improve our service/product offerings?
I would say improve the quality of the food...
Dear Luca (our foreign speaking guide),
Thank you for your translation and your excellent guide job.
Ci hai fatto innamorare a poco a poco di un paese a noi sconosciuto e con te abbiamo incontrato molti animali della giungla.
Grazie con tutto il cuore
I've came back to Singapore already a week but still thinking of the Sabah trip that I booked through your Company. I would like to say my friend and I could enjoy the tour very much even there were some changes to itinerary due to bad weather and not able to climb to the summit of Mt. Kinabalu because of the strong wind. I guess we will go back there again some time again soon.
Thank you so very much for taking the time to write and find out about my experience in Borneo. It will be a true pleasure to contribute to your first Newsletter. Below my answers:
TQVM for the prompt reply and the hard work you have done. YOU ARE GREAT! Hoping that this mail will go to your Board of Directors. We do appreciate your fast and good service. KEEP IT UP!!!!
Warm Regards,
Datin Marie