The day for the new Pengarah to report for duty at the Keningau Teachers Training Institute finally came on 12 September 2008. I volunteered to act as her driver cum escort :).
Instead of using the old KK-Penampang-Tambunan-Keningau Highway that most of us are used to, we decided to try the new KK-Papar-Kimanis-Keningau Highway. This new road however is considered controversial due to its steep slope design. Some stretches are as steep as 18% when the recommended limit is only 12%. But after using it, I come to accept it as there seems to be not much of an alternative as the road needs to cross the mountainous Crocker Range. Of course, it could have been better if tunneling or more massive hill cutting or elevated highway was adopted. I guess, cost consideration overrode consideration for a more driver-friendly design! But then, this is still one fantastic road because of the spectacular views especially on the way back to KK - view of the Kimanis Bay, to name one! Driving along this road did evoke a lot of memories. Certain stretch reminded me of the Sydney-Newcastle drive, other stretch reminded me of the Great Ocean Drive and some landscape even reminded me of the driving to Agusta, Southwestern Australia.
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