tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-47858219612371095322023-11-26T17:18:35.690+08:00THE QUANTUM SINGULARITYA journey through the life of a contemporary human on this good Earth... ;)Eddie Tuenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07105702091987045194noreply@blogger.comBlogger70125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4785821961237109532.post-68914062502110608382019-01-08T17:24:00.000+08:002019-10-20T10:18:20.998+08:00Paddling with the KL Barbarians Dragon Boat Team - Putrajaya<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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<span lang="EN-US" style="mso-ansi-language: EN-US;">The year 2019 is upon us and after all that partying towards the end of last year, it’s probably time to look at those resolutions to get fit and healthy once again.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span lang="EN-US" style="mso-ansi-language: EN-US;">So here I am, sharing a little bit of my 2 year experience journeying as a member of a well-established dragon boat team paddling out of Putrajaya, Malaysia. The team name? None other than the KL Barbarians ;)<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span lang="EN-US" style="mso-ansi-language: EN-US;">Dragon boating is gaining popularity, my participation started via an Introductory Workshop almost two years ago. Back then, I was invited by a friend who was an active member of the team. I agreed to join her just to ‘test the water’.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="font-size: 12.8px;"><b>Paddlers come in various shapes, ages, sizes, creeds and what have you :)</b></td></tr>
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<span lang="EN-US" style="mso-ansi-language: EN-US;">I quickly found a group of like-minded friends and from that point onwards it was lots of training and many races to participate.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="font-size: 12.8px;"><b>Racing in the Sarawak River, Kuching. Can you spot me? ;) I have the nicest arm. ;)</b></td></tr>
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A regular training day usually falls on a weekend with Putrajaya Lake offering the best place to paddle, both the Lake Club Putrajaya and Marina Putrajaya have dragon boats for the public to rent for training.</div>
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<span lang="EN-US" style="mso-ansi-language: EN-US;">The training day starts early in the morning like about 7.45am. Although we love the sun, we also cannot take too much of sun as well, so we hope to finish the training session by 10.00am before it really gets too toasty. </span></div>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="font-size: 12.8px;"><b>What do you do every weekend? You wake up early and do warm ups by the beautiful Putrajaya Lake of course... and then Dragon Boating! ;)</b></td></tr>
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<span lang="EN-US" style="mso-ansi-language: EN-US;">Warm ups on land will be required prior to getting into our line ups for the day. Once that is sorted out, then we’ll get into the boat.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span lang="EN-US" style="mso-ansi-language: EN-US;">The dragon boat paddling crew is generally divided into three groups:<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: "symbol"; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-bidi-font-family: Symbol; mso-fareast-font-family: Symbol;"><span style="mso-list: Ignore;">·<span style="font-family: "times new roman"; font-size: 7pt; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal;"> </span></span></span><b>The pacers</b><span lang="EN-US" style="mso-ansi-language: EN-US;"> – a group of paddlers in the boat that literally sets the paddling pace for the rest of the crew. They sit at the front of the boat and usually occupy the first 3 rows of benches from the prow in a 22 member configuration<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: "symbol"; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-bidi-font-family: Symbol; mso-fareast-font-family: Symbol;"><span style="mso-list: Ignore;">·<span style="font-family: "times new roman"; font-size: 7pt; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal;"> </span></span></span><b>The rockets</b><span lang="EN-US" style="mso-ansi-language: EN-US;"> – they occupy the last 3 bench. Slimmer and lighter than the engines, they provide the last needed push for the boat to pick up speed and as the water is already quite ‘light’ from the engine’s push, the rockets would have to be agile enough to reach further in front, pull and recover in sync with the rest of the boat.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span lang="EN-US" style="mso-ansi-language: EN-US;">To complete the 22 member configuration, we have a steerer and a drummer, but during training the drummer will be replaced with the coach who will run the crew through a set of predetermined training drills meant to increase strength and improve endurance.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="font-size: 12.8px;"><b>Paddling Positions in the Dragon Boat. Where do you think you'd be seated based on the criteria discussed? </b></td></tr>
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The ultimate test of our training is the races which we participate throughout the year – locally and internationally.</div>
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<span lang="EN-US" style="mso-ansi-language: EN-US;">The KL Barbarians team had participated in races held internationally such as in Boracay, Incheon, Adelaide and even Inner Mongolia!<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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I am not kidding on the Inner Mongolia part, except that instead of paddling on water, we paddled on ice, hence the event being called International Ice Dragon Boat Series ;) In some of the examples mentioned above, the organizers of the races would even sponsor hotel and food to participants in an effort to boost sign ups. So, how about that? Free lodging and food and you also get to visit nice places to paddle.</div>
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<span lang="EN-US" style="mso-ansi-language: EN-US;">Now, aside from making many new friends, going to exotic places to paddle and getting to know even more exotic new friends, what other benefit is there to dragon boating?<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="font-size: 12.8px;"><b>Oh yeah! Team work is what gets the boat moving! Look at the determination! </b></td></tr>
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Well, it’s undoubtedly the health and mental benefits of course! You will certainly be burning off your gut due to the fact that the sport requires a good amount of cardiovascular effort, about 350~450 calories per hour!</div>
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<span lang="EN-US" style="mso-ansi-language: EN-US;">A lot of our training requires physical effort to move the boat through the water and that means 2 hours of resistance training - you’re going to gain hard solid muscle, lean and mean ;)<o:p></o:p></span><br />
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<span lang="EN-US" style="mso-ansi-language: EN-US;">There is also the mental aspect. Dragon Boating is a team sport. To borrow a quote from our Team Captain, "unlike other team sports like football, rugby or basketball, there are no superstars in a dragon boat crew". Everyone has to put in effort to get the boat pass the finish line and everyone is depending upon the other to meet this common goal. And this is team work. We motivate each other, we want the other to succeed because being on the literal same boat, if one fails, everyone else will too.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>So no prima donnas, just us!<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span lang="EN-US" style="mso-ansi-language: EN-US;"><br /></span><span lang="EN-US" style="mso-ansi-language: EN-US;">So why not consider taking up dragon boating as a sport this new year 2019 and fulfill that nagging resolution to get fit and healthy? My team is currently recruiting new members for the coming season. Open to all ages, both genders, cultures and varying levels of physical fitness. Come and literally test water at the Putrajaya Lake Club every weekend in the month of January 2019. Details below:-<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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Eddie Tuenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07105702091987045194noreply@blogger.com1Putrajaya, Malaysia2.926361 101.696445000000042.7994975 101.53508350000004 3.0532245 101.85780650000004tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4785821961237109532.post-86241228695547914272016-09-25T23:00:00.002+08:002016-09-26T11:57:07.605+08:00Hike up to Pisang Waterfalls - Gombak<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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Sunday morning sees myself hurtling once more down the KESAS highway to meet up with a group of mostly first time hikers gathering at TTDI's Hero Market at 7am in the morning. The destination for today's hike will be the famous Pisang Waterfalls in Gombak by the Karak highway. Easily accessible offering a nice mixture of a challenge for a beginner as well as being not too taxing but satisfying to a seasoned hiker, Pisang Waterfall was chosen as a destination for another reason as well. It was chosen to be a site of an impromptu birthday surprise for one of our hikers today. :)<br />
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Blindfolded by his newly wed wife, he was brought along in the car thinking that he was going to have a dip at an Olympic sized swimming pool at the end of the trip. Little did he know that at the end of the approximately 45 minute drive, he found himself surrounded by jungle greenery, a cool running stream and eager friends in it on the scheme.<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhOsnMlOqA6EJd2OO4D-EYrdbB-F5YfuFRjvEbr4cd9fz0g09DhGxkr_H5lkdD0Vu3qRFeh-4AAF_exBfWTDwSOVFQMjp5bGcT6e5LG3anDXMW7QTgX1FZxmTG3H2vM1VGv8SPt142pAf09/s1600/20160925_071120.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhOsnMlOqA6EJd2OO4D-EYrdbB-F5YfuFRjvEbr4cd9fz0g09DhGxkr_H5lkdD0Vu3qRFeh-4AAF_exBfWTDwSOVFQMjp5bGcT6e5LG3anDXMW7QTgX1FZxmTG3H2vM1VGv8SPt142pAf09/s320/20160925_071120.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><i><b>Tim being blindfolded. Still thinks he is going to be swimming in an 'Olympic sized' swimming pool. ;)</b></i></td></tr>
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Our start point for the hike is at the small parking lot in front of the Jungle Lodge Alang Sedayu off Jalan Gombak, a side road that will actually lead you all the way to Janda Baik, passing by the major R&R at Genting Sempah. A small and occasionally narrow road that zig zags up through the Titiwangsa range, it offers an alternative to the Karak highway in case it gets congested during the festive seasons or if there was a major accident that blocks that major artery between the West and East Coast of Peninsular Malaysia (as I discovered recently when a tour bus overturned, blocking all lanes on the highway and causing a 8km jam from a little bit down Genting Sempah all the way to Janda Baik! Unlighted and lonely when it gets dark, watch out for the cyclists that uses the road to challenge themselves as they pedal up to Janda Baik or the occasional large lorry that for some reason used this non-tolled road to cross the mountain range.<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjG-kxX-cOONZ8jtS9XQS8lhxuuoyn1-uAjyo4ezayHMt-X7VvxsqGcqHs_08Scs4c3Ez0UgN55dHWC-Ehbad_CMdH2rDxwYSD4Db_36DJiR5hlDhHvZ9OqZmELIwqcnuMVUj80G2doXv96/s1600/20160831_180258.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjG-kxX-cOONZ8jtS9XQS8lhxuuoyn1-uAjyo4ezayHMt-X7VvxsqGcqHs_08Scs4c3Ez0UgN55dHWC-Ehbad_CMdH2rDxwYSD4Db_36DJiR5hlDhHvZ9OqZmELIwqcnuMVUj80G2doXv96/s320/20160831_180258.jpg" width="240" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><b><i>Jalan Gombak. Road less travelled, unless there is another major accident on Karak :p</i></b> </td></tr>
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As mentioned before, the parking lot in front of the Jungle Lodge Alang Sedayu is very small. At most, perhaps you could get a little bit more than 10~12 cars into the small piece of tarred road.<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhVtUnDp1ZtDbrHW9JbNvHnNiyZYTGlZ5pvNl64ez6zgZZBSmzhp_7OjasWxeBfxAiB5zGKmgYqZyWsmJwVdHMsE6FkiRXLoSEP9nXBI4_QkyaWpFD8L_vsiBaZT2uSQsBKFhjpE16UAi2q/s1600/20160925_082053.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhVtUnDp1ZtDbrHW9JbNvHnNiyZYTGlZ5pvNl64ez6zgZZBSmzhp_7OjasWxeBfxAiB5zGKmgYqZyWsmJwVdHMsE6FkiRXLoSEP9nXBI4_QkyaWpFD8L_vsiBaZT2uSQsBKFhjpE16UAi2q/s320/20160925_082053.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><b><i>Parking in front of Jungle Lodge. RM5 for us. How much for you? :p ;) Remember, don't pay ANYONE else!</i></b></td></tr>
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The small road leading out from Jalan Gombak is narrow with room enough for a single medium sized car (Civic, Altis) to pass through. Today, the parking 'fee' at the lot was RM5. I have read from some blogs from a few years back that some hikers paid RM3. I challenged the guy collecting the fee in front of the establishment on the fee, but he justified it by saying that the fee also allowed us to use their 'toilet' located on a small mound overlooking the parking lot where what looked like a office shed is built. Okla I guess what with GST and all the price hikes recently. :p It was rudimentary at best with our hikers taking turns to use it.<br />
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Having made the necessary introductions and securing our cars, we proceed down the road on foot. There is another small parking lot further down and over here there is also another person collecting parking 'fees'. BEWARE of being conned! While I am OK about paying a token fee to put our vehicles on someone else's land, there are people here that would ask money for the most whimsical excuses. In this case, somehow some of our group stopped to chat with the man and came off RM10 poorer paying for 'entrance fees'!<br />
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Beyond this second 'parking lot' the road leads straight to a dead end, stopping inside a pump house manned by someone dressed in an Auxiliary Police officer's uniform. I know that because the moment our small group walked pass the boom gate (with a large restricted sign) and toward what last I thought was the way down from the road to the river, he came out and told us to head slightly back down the road, away from the restricted area to find the point of descent. The one I was looking for, where the trek follows the perimeter fencing is already barbed wired off.<br />
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It was no problem looking for a trail down to the river, there were many. There was an even slightly serviceable stone stairway a bit back. The difference is just how long you want to get your feet dry, because the moment we are down, we had to wade into the shallow river to find the crossing point in front of the pumphouse. The point to look out for is a small opening in the bushes overlooking the cement barrier that spanned the small river where two large valves are installed,<br />
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After climbing out of the river, over a rather slippery rock, you will find a small trail cutting through lalang scrubs flanking your left and right. Follow it until you see a large monsoon run-off on your left. The river would be flowing beneath you on your right with the sounds of passing traffic coming ahead from the Karak Highway in front.<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEib0LZpgZDkMbInAnYFMOp53-nK9_0nK4U_q6T0WdFri_PEmMOas8KVwml6bcaM0_9vNpUPLVHF_B8anKo2bT1JLIsH9wEx4DfJ3myUOXYLuPydxL_n1_vm500Dkoza_m1Xqr674wF8LfFx/s1600/20160925_083415.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEib0LZpgZDkMbInAnYFMOp53-nK9_0nK4U_q6T0WdFri_PEmMOas8KVwml6bcaM0_9vNpUPLVHF_B8anKo2bT1JLIsH9wEx4DfJ3myUOXYLuPydxL_n1_vm500Dkoza_m1Xqr674wF8LfFx/s320/20160925_083415.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><i><b>Hiking along the side of the river. Watch out for the stepped monsoon run off (drain) on your left on the way to the tunnel</b></i> </td></tr>
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Climb up the steps of the run-off and you will find yourself facing the abutment where the Karak highway passes over. Turn right, and follow along the length of the abutment where you will find this unique feature of this hike, the twin tunnels where Sungai Pisang, passes under the highway.<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj8NJ2z46Y5wgtZAh3sFn28kg9PXkkY_xEG4RLn58pMvFGgCfLInHzU0_7bw8uZwE1rliKqbRDh3AII6WWKrQFTe_W08cHDCGrtCg-pCaIDcHRPP5XVDbm9x_t4Ks0gf3TnJVA3ZlKxIMrE/s1600/20160925_084137.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj8NJ2z46Y5wgtZAh3sFn28kg9PXkkY_xEG4RLn58pMvFGgCfLInHzU0_7bw8uZwE1rliKqbRDh3AII6WWKrQFTe_W08cHDCGrtCg-pCaIDcHRPP5XVDbm9x_t4Ks0gf3TnJVA3ZlKxIMrE/s320/20160925_084137.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><i><b>Reaching this hike's unique landmark. Big trees, large boulders... no other hike has a trail that runs through not one tunnel but two! :)</b></i> </td></tr>
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Again, be prepared to get your shoes wet as you would need to walk inside the tunnel to the other side, from which the jungle trek really starts.<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhdapHAJwdQdnnVGH8bes3HNkdkr8ob6mxqq84efqn97gMzHfkJiDWl4Jwdzo1J8g1RPg2MTknKtW5dGKGRtnetf-DGHlL0r5LP34w_lVUkl0VSuTJBf7ZcHx0vStoI719_wKF1UZtRTLdS/s1600/20160925_084300.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhdapHAJwdQdnnVGH8bes3HNkdkr8ob6mxqq84efqn97gMzHfkJiDWl4Jwdzo1J8g1RPg2MTknKtW5dGKGRtnetf-DGHlL0r5LP34w_lVUkl0VSuTJBf7ZcHx0vStoI719_wKF1UZtRTLdS/s320/20160925_084300.jpg" width="240" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><i><b>Wading into the darkness.</b></i></td></tr>
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Now, depending on the weather and your luck, you may encounter leeches as you pass through this part of the hike. Personally, this hiker had not encountered any although other writers had reported leeches here. If yes, I would suspect they are few and far between.<br />
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From here, its about another 30~40 minutes walk to the falls and the general rule is to always keep on the right side of the river. This may be easier said than done as in some occasions, you'd need to cross to the other side or wade in the river itself when the path is blocked by large rocks, tree trunks or simply thick jungle.<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiGrcVHzpir3jCjCVhVCYHVtpcf4O3cf-mBElqyFF53rS9_FHPu8XE7uH1udv6_AOUr7PnTHKOYNN-ESBkXBv3ujyHQVKO6syPIa0kYIuRoq8dj2PayDCLLnldfOtdf3QFzP1VUEXyBT6kU/s1600/20160925_091026.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiGrcVHzpir3jCjCVhVCYHVtpcf4O3cf-mBElqyFF53rS9_FHPu8XE7uH1udv6_AOUr7PnTHKOYNN-ESBkXBv3ujyHQVKO6syPIa0kYIuRoq8dj2PayDCLLnldfOtdf3QFzP1VUEXyBT6kU/s320/20160925_091026.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><b><i>After the tunnel, always try to keep to the right hand bank of the river (otherwise you may end up at Gunung Buah Bunga, if you are stubborn enough ;))</i></b></td></tr>
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But where possible, always keep right and if there is a path, stick to it. This is important as you will meet a confluence further up. This confluence is not particularly clear to see for a first timer and many a hiker including this one missed it when he failed to follow that general rule. In any case, always look out for signs of someone else's passing through this well transversed track. Look out for footprints in the sand, pieces of colored plastic tied around trees or even (sadly) rubbish. If in doubt, never hesitate to backtrack until you find these markings.<br />
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It is also that this confluence that you'd find a jungle track that runs parallel to the river branch on the right side. Following it would be a lot easier than 'conveniently' sticking to wading in the river as our team discovered on the way back. There were a few giant trees that fell across the river rendering it difficult to continue forward although as yet, not impossible.<br />
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Not far along the trek on the right side of the river you'd meet the next reference milestone. The 'big tree'. You'd not mistake it for anything else, it is literally a rather big tree, with a trunk as wide as probably 5 to 6 people standing full abreast.<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjP-v6T9DvWUoawC9K5-RDWUSc9UDPGO3SFbrDCv7YkzRGhjcA8xcOvW-Fj0Sm22VAwWeUZIT7ornnnOU9ih1fvnkqL3CmV1CaqX9f1URbkGbUPkTs2bOaAqy2W1da2ZGjIdnqhogFOr5d0/s1600/20160925_090903.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjP-v6T9DvWUoawC9K5-RDWUSc9UDPGO3SFbrDCv7YkzRGhjcA8xcOvW-Fj0Sm22VAwWeUZIT7ornnnOU9ih1fvnkqL3CmV1CaqX9f1URbkGbUPkTs2bOaAqy2W1da2ZGjIdnqhogFOr5d0/s320/20160925_090903.jpg" width="240" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><i><b>In front of the big tree! :D </b></i></td></tr>
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Keeping to the trek, you'd walked pass a fallen titan, this time a very large tree that almost completely block the river path. We had stuck on the river trek on the way in and seeing this giant sprawled across the river was daunting and a real challenge to get across, with large branches and thick foliage strewn with stinging black ants as well as a few strands of thorny vines to tend to. We have had some help with another group of people that caught up with us. They sort of helped us across although after that we saw them lead their group on the overhead path I had been talking about before! ;) Hmmm... perhaps they discovered it after they got us through the thick branches and ants? 'Sangka Baik'... ;)<br />
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In any case, I brought my team up to follow them along the path and soon we found the next checkpoint, the 'split rock'. Well, it's not exactly a rock that was split open but more like two large boulders with the path running between it.<br />
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At this point it's barely 5~10 minutes away from the falls. As you get closer, you'll probably have to wade down the river again. Be careful because some of the rocks are rather slippery!<br />
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Before long, you'd see the waterfall and it's approximately 20 meter cascade.<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh6XXIZ9HBt4qeUjuWvBvF0YCtzqiNIvTf3OXtFYEl5t_yvogmdn2JkqbPu_4-VPcv45M2fdKJMXqHbHM-R1uwzdhUT7Z219cdunNwFH5pIGxVZajWJwxo85Fzkp8BpTcVN3hf36tDxJJ3P/s1600/20160925_094154.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh6XXIZ9HBt4qeUjuWvBvF0YCtzqiNIvTf3OXtFYEl5t_yvogmdn2JkqbPu_4-VPcv45M2fdKJMXqHbHM-R1uwzdhUT7Z219cdunNwFH5pIGxVZajWJwxo85Fzkp8BpTcVN3hf36tDxJJ3P/s320/20160925_094154.jpg" width="240" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><i><b>Our destination at last! :D</b></i></td></tr>
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It's more than likely you'll see other people there as well (very likely during the weekends), as there is a large campsite located at the top of the falls, accessible via a steep but manageable climb along a path directly on the opposite side of the waterfall.<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhFv0bJiJyzrb-8sRiQTeO8dT977uaiTs3ScWdsUW8iCd-pdLu47MYAFwAai0nJWuIQJzajQdlfbjWY2TWbX157WDnK_R3fDRfSdyKVB5SPxMekHpQo0ey5rgx_6J2Xi7tFIs6MSN8DxJpj/s1600/P9250435.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhFv0bJiJyzrb-8sRiQTeO8dT977uaiTs3ScWdsUW8iCd-pdLu47MYAFwAai0nJWuIQJzajQdlfbjWY2TWbX157WDnK_R3fDRfSdyKVB5SPxMekHpQo0ey5rgx_6J2Xi7tFIs6MSN8DxJpj/s320/P9250435.JPG" width="240" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><i><b>A nice cascade, powerful flow and a small shallow pool to swim in. :) Watch out for the abseilers though.</b></i> </td></tr>
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The pool at the bottom is swimmable and with waters reaching up to chest level (depending on the season). There are also fish in the waters giving hikers the sensation of a fish spa as they nibble off the dead skin from the soles of your feet.<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi19hhUlPsq_X4GLONoz_fN7vRT94k4FOxyv7R-33f4tVv8km9ZO0a_MnCdj4gc3jszO3kqvSV8pu3gpwzlNwQc4iOV4vwCO7wfQ0eY2J14kGPjUyDQGnylm3uQ6wrG35xbZ1zIcsePK09D/s1600/P9250436.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi19hhUlPsq_X4GLONoz_fN7vRT94k4FOxyv7R-33f4tVv8km9ZO0a_MnCdj4gc3jszO3kqvSV8pu3gpwzlNwQc4iOV4vwCO7wfQ0eY2J14kGPjUyDQGnylm3uQ6wrG35xbZ1zIcsePK09D/s320/P9250436.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><i><b>Can you see the fishies? :)</b></i></td></tr>
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It is worth noting that an adventure company had installed some cables and ropes in the area for people to do abseiling, I am not sure whether they will be around every day of the week but should you find these when no one is around, please don't use it on your own as it can be very dangerous without proper equipment.<br />
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At the top of the waterfalls, you'll find a few small depressions for you to dip yourself inside, not swimmable. Again, do be careful when stepping near the edge of the falls as the stones are slippery.<br />
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Overall, this trip was nice in that I get to once again meet an old 'friend'. :) The feeling of cold clean mountain water splashing over your back was a refreshing sensation after this relatively easy hike. :)<br />
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<br />Eddie Tuenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07105702091987045194noreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4785821961237109532.post-89824144573912408082015-05-04T16:45:00.000+08:002015-05-04T17:14:10.576+08:00Apeh Hill Climb - 'Mystery Resolved!' <div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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I was seriously confused between Saga Hill and Apeh Hill. Only up until recently did someone point out in one of <a href="http://thequantumsingularity.blogspot.com/2011/06/kuala-lumpurs-hidden-fall-apeh-hill.html" target="_blank">my blog postings</a> that the hill I had climbed from Taman Saga to access the waterfall beyond was actually Saga Hill! Like duh... Taman Saga + Jalan Saga. ;) Ah well, so when one of my friends decided to show us the REAL Apeh Hill, I decided to make sure I fall in behind his team and dispel the mystery.<br />
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Now, the entrance to the trail that leads to Apeh Hill is located at the end of Jalan Awana 23 in Taman Cheras Awana, a little bit of the road from the Cheras-Kajang Highway. Waze-ing your way there is the most easiest but in case you still need to look at the map, here it the location below. <iframe frameborder="0" height="450" src="https://www.google.com/maps/embed?pb=!1m14!1m8!1m3!1d7968.028965022209!2d101.77111755005798!3d3.090803281932439!3m2!1i1024!2i768!4f13.1!3m3!1m2!1s0x31cc34464a42e087%3A0x557d11ddf2d830f6!2sJalan+Awana+23%2C+Taman+Cheras+Awana%2C+43200+Cheras%2C+Selangor%2C+Malaysia!5e0!3m2!1sen!2s!4v1430667906835" style="border: 0;" width="600"></iframe><br />
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Now depending on the season, parking may be a little difficult as this hill is rather popular. Most people park along Persiaran Awana, close to the entrance to the One Legenda bungalows. The road is pretty long and wide and appears rarely used.<br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Y<b><i>ou really want to get to this road to know that you are at the right place. Oh yeah, I also obscured the Ah Long phone number. :s</i></b></td></tr>
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After parking your car, it's then a short walk through the double story houses along Jalan Awana 23 before you see the TNB Sub-Station at the end of the road. Here is where you'll find a small trail that runs pass a tarpaulin shed on the left. Voila! You're on your way up Apeh Hill. :)<br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><b><i>The end of Jalan Awana 23, TNB substation on your left, tarpaulin shed selling fruits and drinks in front.</i></b></td></tr>
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The trail itself is well marked and well developed, at times with ropes stretched between tree trunks to aid hikers along more steeper paths. Not long after starting, the trail splits into two. Either one would lead you to the top of Apeh Hill but most people will take the trail on the left which will then lead you to Hill Station Number One. This is the first of five on the Apeh Hill Circuit.<br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><i><b>Hill Station Number One. Sheds, benches and monkey bars!</b></i></td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><b><i>Weeeee...</i></b></td></tr>
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Like Saga Hill, the residents here must have maintained the place nicely, erecting benches, sheds, monkey bars and even placing concrete mini dumb bells for visitors to use! A small stream runs at the edge of Hill Station Number One, small cement path span over it to lead hikers up the next section of the trail to Hill Station Number Two.<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjgOFcTlRiNaNcKCqDtnRlS0rYbdSy91Q6ApCQGI29P1CnD2i0SSZqArDwRIxyxe2R7xC0bi-07PJGAv7_UNi-cNokwW5UfgTjxn9_Z4YftICmgFLMpOt4Hj1rZjNJWe2_tGEXak7nNkiRu/s1600/P7060257.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjgOFcTlRiNaNcKCqDtnRlS0rYbdSy91Q6ApCQGI29P1CnD2i0SSZqArDwRIxyxe2R7xC0bi-07PJGAv7_UNi-cNokwW5UfgTjxn9_Z4YftICmgFLMpOt4Hj1rZjNJWe2_tGEXak7nNkiRu/s400/P7060257.JPG" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><i><b>Crossing over the small stream. Nice place to freshen up both going or coming down from the summit. :)</b></i></td></tr>
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A few meters down the path and it starts getting a bit tricky. ;) This is where the path starts to test the hiker's endurance as it angle upwards, looking a little bit like what it would be like climbing Saga Hill.<br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><i><b>Uphill Climb begins...</b></i></td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><b><i>A little bit more before Hill Station Number Two... add oil! </i></b></td></tr>
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Thankfully there were a few ropes stretched down to help hikers and after a about 20 minutes negotiating up the incline, you'd reach a small resting spot where a Chinese shrine has been built. This is Hill Station Number Two, housing perhaps the local 'Dato'. ;) If your sensitivity allows, do feel free to light up a few joss-sticks for the Dato and ask for his blessing to make your trip a safe and happy one. ;)<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhPw9-gjlSRJrIH3V_O7VCVMXu7LSGaHEQm6fEal86oRTUi8ffnoRVewIkgE40Pf-o1cl_zTeDpd0Sz4ieL-vk1qJ11_1OHTcaL6B1ViMtkIfdSuOX-hRswBxrNmu5poTTpk480zZ1-CRnD/s1600/P7060271.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhPw9-gjlSRJrIH3V_O7VCVMXu7LSGaHEQm6fEal86oRTUi8ffnoRVewIkgE40Pf-o1cl_zTeDpd0Sz4ieL-vk1qJ11_1OHTcaL6B1ViMtkIfdSuOX-hRswBxrNmu5poTTpk480zZ1-CRnD/s1600/P7060271.JPG" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><b><i>The small resting space at Hill Station Number Two. The Dato shrine is on the right. </i></b></td></tr>
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There is really not much space here for more than a brief stop as often times more hikers would be piling in from below. so it's time to move on.<br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><b><i>Another round of steep climbing before reaching the next station. </i></b></td></tr>
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After a while, the trail levels back down and soon you'll find yourself at Hill Station Number Three. Nothing much to see here except for more places to rest than at the previous Hill Station. A large signboard announcing this station is nailed onto a rather large tree.<br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><b><i>Yes, it's Hill Station Number 3. :) </i></b></td></tr>
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Moving on, you'll reach Hill Station Three-A. ;) 4 being a most inauspicious number among the Chinese (cause it sounds similar to the word 'death' brrrrr...), the people at this place has renamed it 3A instead.<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi9NdyaY3Rae3wi12wRP4aHw0T6cpawDevj2e_ny31P5lAilVRyUMUFvlbNHivO4vb4kEIv3QD_dUavohJUDvs7CW1tJyQigpRUMQUEJXiyS-WvUlxs2MEtfXA9h53PI9V4gVoy8V_TmvwA/s1600/P7060282.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi9NdyaY3Rae3wi12wRP4aHw0T6cpawDevj2e_ny31P5lAilVRyUMUFvlbNHivO4vb4kEIv3QD_dUavohJUDvs7CW1tJyQigpRUMQUEJXiyS-WvUlxs2MEtfXA9h53PI9V4gVoy8V_TmvwA/s1600/P7060282.JPG" width="300" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><i><b>3A and not 4? Hehehe, don't worry, the next Station is Number 5. we Chinese then to shun away from the 'death' number, hence the 3A instead. :) </b></i></td></tr>
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By now, the trail is now almost level and there are plenty of places to lounge around this Hill Station. The concrete dumb bells now make a return and together with a sturdy pipe anchored between two strong branches for your chin ups, you've got an open air gym up in the hills!<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhCk-OFuy5BFSx-BI1ODdT-GlBAUmWk4ET4LdkCstNsyK8DFYZydjkNAz-HxP62Eclrv7lXhmbEK2UbsZMBYTeR0ZICLK0miEO53T3nNapz4A6Rb7cs6sNXeoWwV4wuZ6mUoxfAusMSAirH/s1600/P7060296.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhCk-OFuy5BFSx-BI1ODdT-GlBAUmWk4ET4LdkCstNsyK8DFYZydjkNAz-HxP62Eclrv7lXhmbEK2UbsZMBYTeR0ZICLK0miEO53T3nNapz4A6Rb7cs6sNXeoWwV4wuZ6mUoxfAusMSAirH/s1600/P7060296.JPG" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">N<b><i>ow, going hiking is no longer an excuse not to forgo your regular weight training sessions...</i></b></td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><i><b>Wanna get your 'wings'? Do more chin ups... </b></i></td></tr>
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Hill Station Number 5 is pretty small, with only one tarpaulin available and a few plastic chairs.<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj_-uqVrNKfr00yaPSs5tWRRROcoLidr-BGOrx8LU5xP-unvazGPF6lwQESQCa_MMZhdK98MaB3gCW5z7tzpA-hQH0BGhXZUEDk8oSy48Rk3FKyxsPaSrtpayAhev8Of03GA_QtjFtuXE_j/s1600/P7060301.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj_-uqVrNKfr00yaPSs5tWRRROcoLidr-BGOrx8LU5xP-unvazGPF6lwQESQCa_MMZhdK98MaB3gCW5z7tzpA-hQH0BGhXZUEDk8oSy48Rk3FKyxsPaSrtpayAhev8Of03GA_QtjFtuXE_j/s400/P7060301.JPG" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><b><i>Hill Station Number 5. A small place to pause and catch your breath. It's also where the trail branches off away from the summit track to Apeh Hill Waterfall. </i></b></td></tr>
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From here you have two choices. Either go 'x-treme' by taking the trail to the Apeh Hill Waterfall before continuing on towards Saga Hill or head to Hill Station Number 6 which is the summit of Apeh Hill. The hike from the Apeh Hill waterfall to Saga Hill and out to the entrance at Taman Saga would easily take about 1.5 to 2 hours at a brisk pace, the time to trek between Apeh Hill to the waterfall I am not really sure as this time, our team was focused on going up to the summit and then returning to the car park.<br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="font-size: 12.8000001907349px;"><b><i>Cool and refreshing, I gave the waterfall a miss this time around. </i></b></td></tr>
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At the summit, Hill Station Number 6, you'll find more benches, tarpaulin tents, monkey bars and more dumb bells! It took us about 45 minutes to reach the top, inclusive of the stops at the Hill Stations. :) There's even a mineral water dispenser located under a tent with the chinese wording for tea, harking back to those TVB kungfu serials where travelers would pause to take their fill of food and fluids before bandits suddenly turn up and you'd have a wushu fighting scene to watch. Well, there are no bandits here but many friendly yet tired faces up here instead.<br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><b><i>The Tea Shed, notice the mineral water dispenser... :) I wonder what does that poster above mean? Hmmm...</i></b></td></tr>
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There is also a large Malaysian flag spread out nearby, a good place to take a selfie and show your patriotism... Malaysia Boleh! :D<br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><b><i>Gosh, I looked like a 'giant'... but then it's because I was standing on higher ground... ;)</i></b></td></tr>
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For the journey back, we took the 'alternate' route, which turns out to be a much faster and 'easier' way as well! Hardly any steep hills or slopes to negotiate.<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgnjg1Gf45IYE9LiZK74RZsyZC8fpEfFAq7vQ1Z8jvanEF9tEPodT0gS7pPXUEW3Q-yN1O2gy2YIqkYtUIfcF4pP0hH6W3BoTuuUJA3ThcOq3okKo-4gpin1QW9E30Qva94LM8avf6j5JtA/s1600/P7060316.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgnjg1Gf45IYE9LiZK74RZsyZC8fpEfFAq7vQ1Z8jvanEF9tEPodT0gS7pPXUEW3Q-yN1O2gy2YIqkYtUIfcF4pP0hH6W3BoTuuUJA3ThcOq3okKo-4gpin1QW9E30Qva94LM8avf6j5JtA/s400/P7060316.JPG" width="300" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><i><b>Heading back down the 'Alternate' Route to Jalan Awana 23.</b></i></td></tr>
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We soon realized that our guide, Mr. Justin, deliberately took us along the harder more scenic route to Apeh Hill... hehehe. Or maybe perhaps we were going downhill so the journey was much easier. Well good for him, because most of us needed the exercise and I needed a blog entry to write.<br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><b><i>This stream looks familiar, yet different. </i></b></td></tr>
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We soon reached a point where the stream passing along Hill Station Number One coursed in front of us. Here too was a cement pathway leading us across and a more wider one at that. We didn't tarry long here because we were starting to get hungry. :)<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi9jfRz_zk1wS1p3gElCbz_emcTkJZSMUU0DnNoOgpD2rzOt8WZBmt11OKX9JWgiXnvbYX5Px4dznN6MXyfNaf00Q6gFwO_qZ1RA2R0j8vAwfY2oax685Rg6cr-Nf9gv027V6XGr-_w6hFM/s1600/How+to+Treat+Your+Parents.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi9jfRz_zk1wS1p3gElCbz_emcTkJZSMUU0DnNoOgpD2rzOt8WZBmt11OKX9JWgiXnvbYX5Px4dznN6MXyfNaf00Q6gFwO_qZ1RA2R0j8vAwfY2oax685Rg6cr-Nf9gv027V6XGr-_w6hFM/s400/How+to+Treat+Your+Parents.jpg" width="348" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><b><i>Moral Guidance on the road - "How to Treat Your Parents"...</i></b></td></tr>
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A short while later we reached the branch on the road. While pausing to catch our breath, we noticed an interesting printout nailed to one of the tree trunks, its apparently a Guide on How to Treat Your Parents! Hehehe... well, good reminders are always welcomed.<br />
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Less than 45 minutes after leaving the summit we are back!<br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><b><i>The Fruit and Refreshment Stall is already opened and in full swing...</i></b></td></tr>
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By now the earlier tarpaulin tent hosts a fruit and drinks stall catering to tired hikers coming down the hill. They also serve an interesting looking fruit which at that time, I didn't manage to try. Hmmm, perhaps I will it the next time. :)<br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><b><i>Interesting looking fruit for sale.</i></b></td></tr>
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For now, we proceeded to our cars and drove off to our breakfast spot, which is Mama and Son Pan Mee. It's supposed to be famous, or so our guide Mr. Justin told us. :) I'll leave it to you to judge if you try.<br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><b><i>Mama and Son's Famous Pan Mee. </i></b></td></tr>
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Overall, the hike up to Apeh Hill was fun and mildly challenging, a good place for a beginner hiker to start before proceeding to other more 'challenging' hikes. It's easily accessible and like Saga Hill is filled with friendly people and tough 'Aunties & Uncles' who I guess live nearby and go up and down the hill for their morning exercise. For 'veterans' maybe you can try heading towards the Apeh Hill Water Fall from Hill Station Number Five and if you really want to challenge yourself, proceed towards Saga Hill from there. That entire hike may pretty take much more than half a day so be prepared.<br />
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For now it's time to head home.<br />
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<br />Eddie Tuenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07105702091987045194noreply@blogger.com0Jalan Awana 23, Taman Cheras Awana, 43200 Cheras, Selangor, Malaysia3.0891588 101.765034300000023.0881678 101.76377380000002 3.0901498 101.76629480000003tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4785821961237109532.post-19088149082068439592015-05-02T23:24:00.001+08:002015-05-03T13:14:49.269+08:00Singing with the Young KL Singers (YKLS)! <div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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<i><b>The sound of the audience chattering as they settle down into their seats filter back to the crossover, where you and your fellow performers await for the performance to start. Tonight it's going to be a full house and the audience seats are slowly being filled to the brim. One of your friend looks at you and gives a thumbs up, "Break a Leg", she whispers and the gesture and that often cited word of encouragement echo down among your other members. The lights dim, the chattering subsides and then the standard pre-recorded announcement begins, "Ladies and Gentlemen..." before ending with "and now, sit back, relax... and enjoy the performance..." followed by a GONG to signify the start of the traditional 'buka panggung' performance. Some of your friends move out through the wings, sitting under the spotlight to do the dance, then as soon as it begins, it was over and those friends that were on stage stand together in a circle motionless as they wait the next queue. A loud thump of the drum, and its time for me to step in... "Wuuuuuu-uh!" I sung as a hundred pair of eyes tracked us as we file into formation... </b></i><br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><b><i>The Circle of Light</i></b></td></tr>
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And thus begins my first ever stage performance with the Young KL Singers (YKLS) that was titled Incantations, held at Damansara Performing Arts Center (DPAC) back in October 2014. Nearly 10 months of rehearsals have led to this climax.<br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><b><i>Musings in full tribal 'war paint'... ;)</i></b></td></tr>
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How did I find myself on stage with this wacky, fun and interesting people? Well, it all started off with a performance by the YKLS in the preceding year at KUASH Theatre in TTDI. That performance was given the (rather odd) titled 'Period'. Hehehe... (The conductor later explained that 'Period' was chosen for the type of songs sung which were mainly from the Classical and Baroque eras of music).<br />
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A friend of mine was already with the choir and invited me and a group of friends to watch. I have to say that I was really impressed by the choreography, especially when you have to move around, settle in formations, all the while making sure you are hitting the correct notes! The lighting and costumes really do make it look like its a quality performance, very professional. :) While watching, I had thought well, 'I have always been watching a performance from the audience seat all this while and loved musicals... I wonder how it would be like to be on the other side?' ;) I asked one of my friend who watched with me whether he would be interested to join the choir together with me but he declined. That put the plan on the backburner a bit. At the same time, the YKLS went into a hiatus as the year ended as it prepares for next year's performance. I did manage to bump into them again at Publika singing Christmas Carols, again very nicely done.<br />
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It was not until Chinese New Year came back in 2014 when my friend who was a choir member asked whether anyone in my group of friends would be interested to audition for the next intake. Throwing caution into the wind, I decided to go and in the middle of February 2014, I was singing my first scale to the 'boss' of Young Choral Academy (YCA) and what I later found out to be a very notable figure in the choir/singing world as well, Ms. Susanna Saw. ;) Judged to be a Baritone, I then took my position in the choir singing the Bass 1 parts.<br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><b><i>Rehearsal at YCA. Spot the Maestro... ;)</i></b></td></tr>
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From then on, there was no looking back as we rehearsed firstly once a week, then twice and by August three times a week, conducted (most of the time) by our most gifted Conductor, the famous Mak Chi Hoe. ;) ;) In August, we are introduced to our production manager, Ian Chow and choreographer Cikgu Lex. Both work with KLPac and are highly skilled and motivated. ;) The introduction of Cikgu Lex was quite interesting as a week before I had watched a performance of a show called a 'Street Car Named Desire' at KLPac, entirely done without any script with only music and dance to tell the story. Choreography for that show was by Cikgu Lex and boy was I excited to find out that *he* will be teaching us some 'moves' as well for Incantations! :) For Stage Props and Costumes, we have Adrien, a former YKLS member himself providing us with innovative ways to spruce up the stage with visually stunning and yet cost effective options.<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEipyzgEx1GB5agEc2icH48w-B3GSe5-HnQE6lKVeCeVgqb4YRpX-I6hsInmlOuD2U3Mtqj6QRYjIW5zrMr-5vH4GQyZF0PpxknzhD7tFlg_qTAJJhe3x4KpDePILCkk37SwM4FoJIA_8dM1/s1600/PB060230.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEipyzgEx1GB5agEc2icH48w-B3GSe5-HnQE6lKVeCeVgqb4YRpX-I6hsInmlOuD2U3Mtqj6QRYjIW5zrMr-5vH4GQyZF0PpxknzhD7tFlg_qTAJJhe3x4KpDePILCkk37SwM4FoJIA_8dM1/s1600/PB060230.JPG" height="400" width="300" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><b><i>If you haven't figured it out, it's toilet paper hung from the ceiling. ;) </i></b></td></tr>
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What went on after that was a grueling fast paced series of vocal rehearsals complete with choreography that let to our final 'graduation' performance in October. There was sweat and no small amount of tears shed as well as we rushed to perfect our presentation but in the end the performance was met with three nights of sold out crowds! :)<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjnPHTuVhBNMBgWtOXy5h_cSaBz2arm3BD5FhbP0WBbc4VtKxaa1ouQkVLcafvormJWnIdD6mgmWy9GIAI5kAcckkZjvQgZxyZYgrQmPjc3u2-jUSFyRsi57yCImgGlX1D238On1PvIFjJ5/s1600/IMG_63866597524741.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjnPHTuVhBNMBgWtOXy5h_cSaBz2arm3BD5FhbP0WBbc4VtKxaa1ouQkVLcafvormJWnIdD6mgmWy9GIAI5kAcckkZjvQgZxyZYgrQmPjc3u2-jUSFyRsi57yCImgGlX1D238On1PvIFjJ5/s1600/IMG_63866597524741.jpeg" height="266" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><b><i>Jubiaba with our high priestess at the centerstage.</i></b></td></tr>
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But it was the journey to this final goal that I truly enjoyed. Contrary to popular belief, you don't need to be a full time musician or performer to be in the choir. While some members are indeed performers and music teachers, the majority of the group come from a wide variety of professions, from stiff, conservative Engineers (like me ;)), to stiff, conservative bankers, interior designers, business owners, auditors, students, nurses, aesthetic consultants and house wives. ;) Each bring with them a cornucopia of flavors to the group, making it a vibrant and sometimes explosive mix to the scene... ;) I have made a lot of friends and outside of rehearsals, we go for coffee breaks, play boardgames and go on road trips. :) I've heard, quite a number of members found their 'one-true-love' in the choir as well.<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgqxItZSiFs3kMEzW3tYyq2MAkuqTorH2cnyc79jCKdWAUVTRk472GTMjIdoXjFZz1mxjY1rxngFL4YAsaqKiCh5y8Te79vtiCcDLXtKG6bpZznjGKSQiOuVDvFHdPoou2hTzyyEQlVgz5d/s1600/PA240026.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgqxItZSiFs3kMEzW3tYyq2MAkuqTorH2cnyc79jCKdWAUVTRk472GTMjIdoXjFZz1mxjY1rxngFL4YAsaqKiCh5y8Te79vtiCcDLXtKG6bpZznjGKSQiOuVDvFHdPoou2hTzyyEQlVgz5d/s1600/PA240026.JPG" height="300" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><i><b>Playing Boardgame... you may occasionally catch me and some of my mates at the <a href="http://www.allaboardcgc.com/" target="_blank">All Aboard Gaming Community Center</a> at Damansara Jaya on Friday evenings. </b></i></td></tr>
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Now the qualification to join... nothing, save you are not tone deaf. ;) hehehehe...<br />
<br />
After the performance at DPAC, the troupe went on to perform a repeat in Penang's PenangPAC before going on a hiatus until early this year. For Christmas, we did a gig for 1Utama, singing Christmas Carols at the Old Wing and New Wing.<br />
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<b><i><span style="font-size: x-small;">Check our choir member's Zhen's Vlog documenting our crazy adventure in Penang for our performance! :) (Incidentally, he is also the brader of famous local celebrity, guess who? ;))</span></i></b></div>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgQM4pQnumIEDy7vso-XklDN1avNr1fZYXgHzHkS44hJTTAyG9KnwQXa3L1d4T-W1O8MgtncdOTAYcXtnRABx9lU39pNoAajbSI_YIrFNYp0HEFRZpI0ak2Y2FwM9U1Dv3xLR0C0eDEJpUV/s1600/PB070339.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgQM4pQnumIEDy7vso-XklDN1avNr1fZYXgHzHkS44hJTTAyG9KnwQXa3L1d4T-W1O8MgtncdOTAYcXtnRABx9lU39pNoAajbSI_YIrFNYp0HEFRZpI0ak2Y2FwM9U1Dv3xLR0C0eDEJpUV/s1600/PB070339.JPG" height="300" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><b><i>Backstage craziness at PenangPac... :p ;)</i></b></td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh8Rx8N4ydztWBv4Vxw82v70klTXP8HkeFvMTRxO-mxjKaCvP8_oqN-ubwmUsSINNwSze9U9GL3lgcZZUKJKjkIKniNlKZ4DQL3lZo_Wy8L7ESvVGrCoqUKlU8F10r6uIxrcvzYNMzlsg_G/s1600/20141228_151146_65596.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh8Rx8N4ydztWBv4Vxw82v70klTXP8HkeFvMTRxO-mxjKaCvP8_oqN-ubwmUsSINNwSze9U9GL3lgcZZUKJKjkIKniNlKZ4DQL3lZo_Wy8L7ESvVGrCoqUKlU8F10r6uIxrcvzYNMzlsg_G/s1600/20141228_151146_65596.jpg" height="225" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><b><i>Singing in a Christmas Wonderland... YKLS at 1Utama 2014! :D</i></b></td></tr>
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In March this year, we were given the opportunity to sing together with the Malaysian Philharmonic Orchestra (MPO) for Danny Elfman's Music from Tim Burton's Movies. It was a truly great experience as I was literally standing on the stage along with my fellow performing friends in the presence of the MPO! Marvelous! :) <br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgBdcMKeqQPalwiPqQ-JJJottms-U6MC7IfSOMMHXIgC2DoKpKnEwL-QGeDy2LOSymGkgFyOc5OvH8kK719TMU94BOmPrfo9-3GZgoryQcPi2ukeLdo71lFNszg7RHuIkuL5j9eBog-GX85/s1600/FB_IMG_1425569651555.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgBdcMKeqQPalwiPqQ-JJJottms-U6MC7IfSOMMHXIgC2DoKpKnEwL-QGeDy2LOSymGkgFyOc5OvH8kK719TMU94BOmPrfo9-3GZgoryQcPi2ukeLdo71lFNszg7RHuIkuL5j9eBog-GX85/s1600/FB_IMG_1425569651555.jpg" height="182" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><b><i>I am the MPO! Heheh can you spot me? :) Yes, I am the greenish 'Hulk' with the number 3 on my er... arm. ;) </i></b></td></tr>
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<i>Coming this year is our next performance at KLPac, titled Illuminations. In contrast to last year's 'tribal' theme in Incantations with rich colors, traditional dance and native looking costume, this year's performance will be held almost entirely in the dark, with only the sounds of vocals and music and the occasional 'illuminating' lights to dazzle the audience. It's going to be an almost magical experience as the audience feels like they are lying down on a countryside grassy hill overlooking a moon lit river in the middle of the night, staring at the Milky Way as the hymm of the universe is brought forth by the winds into the ears, recalling past life melodies. ;)</i><br />
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Well, catch our performance in August or perhaps even join us as part of our troupe. We are always in need of Basses, Tenors and Altos... ;)<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjIjb-z_ocXQL0UFQrodWLdZNpoGqF7yXS3v5FEwJHpSjfY6ux-hb0sflNqHMlvP8qSXNw41jyZZEJ9zU4YwHB-EhDvqDYKzgWQY774lW1Erxz0bhxb1DZI-2KwFwAJ12IQov6fVUX1nWux/s1600/10557031_10152500088544103_301908128272591469_o.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjIjb-z_ocXQL0UFQrodWLdZNpoGqF7yXS3v5FEwJHpSjfY6ux-hb0sflNqHMlvP8qSXNw41jyZZEJ9zU4YwHB-EhDvqDYKzgWQY774lW1Erxz0bhxb1DZI-2KwFwAJ12IQov6fVUX1nWux/s1600/10557031_10152500088544103_301908128272591469_o.jpg" height="266" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><b><i>Bass 1s... Baritones... we rock! :D</i></b></td></tr>
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One last thing to take note though, for those intending to join, this is a 'community' choir and like our very much famous cousin in the United States, the Mormon Tabernacle... we literally pay to sing. ;) The payment is actually tuition fees to YCA in exchange for the top notch guidance from our conductors. So if you intend to 'cari makan' singing, you can learn at YCA to 'cari makan' at other gigs. ;) For most of us, the joy of singing in harmony is what brings us back for every rehearsal, performance after performance. In fact to me, the experience is also very therapeutic, considering the stress we get at work. And no, unlike the general conception on choirs, we don't sing religious songs (although I am not counting our Christmas gigs ;), participation for that is optional for members). We sing choir songs composed by talented composers from all cultures.<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjtpadnARA7MJnRrwZEtC9P0zAn-BzReniAK-Tc7mPmMiosUwVT7oJVX1ikuPeiDm0TqqD9HUQZX_-LbZScrjBh5YgAmVYc5UQwpB38qS39BlC1fLcWCP3Q0YLJc3kYc4Ag-1zuNCljcQPO/s1600/10714141_10152500087129103_6577886901622218293_o.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjtpadnARA7MJnRrwZEtC9P0zAn-BzReniAK-Tc7mPmMiosUwVT7oJVX1ikuPeiDm0TqqD9HUQZX_-LbZScrjBh5YgAmVYc5UQwpB38qS39BlC1fLcWCP3Q0YLJc3kYc4Ag-1zuNCljcQPO/s1600/10714141_10152500087129103_6577886901622218293_o.jpg" height="266" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><b><i>Do Re Mi Fa So La Ti Do!</i></b></td></tr>
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So, once again, if you have some spare time (and a little bit of money ;)), come join us, sing with us and make new friends while getting the experience to be literally in the limelight. :) Otherwise, come watch our performance in August 2015 at KLPac.<br />
<br />
OUR website:-<br />
<a href="http://www.youngklsingers.com/">http://www.youngklsingers.com/</a><br />
<br />
To join, come to:-<br />
<br />
<a href="http://www.youngchoral.my/" target="_blank">Young Choral Academy</a> (TTDI)<br />
114A, Jalan Burhanuddin Helmi,<br />
Taman Tun Dr Ismail, 60000 Kuala Lumpur.
+6014-624 2733<br />
+603-7733 4691<br />
youngchoral@gmail.com (TTDI)
<br />
<br />
Auditions are usually at the beginning of January to about end of March every year.
<br />
<br />
To watch and buy tickets:-<br />
<br />
<a href="http://www.klpac.org/" target="_blank">Kuala Lumpur Performing Arts Center (KLPac)</a><br />
Tel: 4047 9000<br />
<br />
TicketPro Online Ticketing<br />
<a href="http://www.ticketpro.com.my/">www.ticketpro.com.my</a><br />
<br />
At the time of writing this blog (2nd May 2015) tickets for Illuminations (the vocal one) have not yet been opened for sale. Check KLPac site again maybe back in late June or July. ;)<br />
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<br />Eddie Tuenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07105702091987045194noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4785821961237109532.post-12500107933916326282015-05-02T18:04:00.003+08:002015-05-02T21:15:32.206+08:00Piato Restaurant, Kampala: Happy Birthday to me!<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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Now, for my Malaysian readers, in off-hand chance you do find yourself in Uganda with an appetite for perhaps some international food, perhaps you might want to try this restaurant in Kampala, Uganda. ;)<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhI3jy8McnZsTsoyGi__keBrf4U8abmOHTIPl4NvCXvQ19fDhXAgC57UxJjgbU0EdUEoJ6ITZCW4vzetEhoukzH7874s6vmRK7pGhNPlDp7MSf4TwCI4F5PinvN_AIuk72mSTNBRGaBrcF4/s1600/DSC_0235+%25282%2529.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhI3jy8McnZsTsoyGi__keBrf4U8abmOHTIPl4NvCXvQ19fDhXAgC57UxJjgbU0EdUEoJ6ITZCW4vzetEhoukzH7874s6vmRK7pGhNPlDp7MSf4TwCI4F5PinvN_AIuk72mSTNBRGaBrcF4/s320/DSC_0235+%25282%2529.JPG" height="265" nea="true" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><b><i>Outside the Restaurant and our host, Madame Alice and husband</i></b></td></tr>
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Named 'Piato', it is run by a very successful businesswoman whose husband is a prominent lecturer at a local university.<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgeFFj-tlw820wzPlWUttQ6GLZzbZbNLIIxadkjHkvtq_4sZOeytymZKtM8gtRHcHLUSjzUENls-xoHW-aHX43a4RrbjgTFU3AxtwfvjloeExS1urM4f86r-F1I8mDdH71ewxS393X_m6q7/s1600/P8221061.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgeFFj-tlw820wzPlWUttQ6GLZzbZbNLIIxadkjHkvtq_4sZOeytymZKtM8gtRHcHLUSjzUENls-xoHW-aHX43a4RrbjgTFU3AxtwfvjloeExS1urM4f86r-F1I8mDdH71ewxS393X_m6q7/s320/P8221061.JPG" height="300" nea="true" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><b><i>The signboard to Piato Restaurant in Kampala</i></b></td></tr>
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Credit should be given to Valerie who had made some preliminary groundwork back in Malaysia, hooking herself up with the lady who owns the restaurant, Madame Alice, by performing some legal work for her here. On telling her that she would be joining me for an expedition into East Africa, Madame Alice extended her invitation for us to visit her restaurant in Kampala when we were here, thus as soon as we found ourselves in the Ugandan capital, Valerie immediately made arrangements for us to drop by.<br />
<br />
Grabbing a taxi (and our Japanese buddy ;)) from where we stayed at the outskirts, we headed into the city center, the initially described 'Indian' restaurant turning out to be a rather posh, well presented restaurant!<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhrRGuaBC2Q0Uhn6dc0uVDSNs74vgcnarwMQ5tF_vm1bqnH_euIFJ3a9M2F72tup7bHgb0CGcYnopRuZGTkOCZFJCRSfMU2pppQTqUemMRi6LoPVJZMoHqE_QzUNbTTbf296j_ZxKEavRJO/s1600/DSC_0221+%25282%2529.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhrRGuaBC2Q0Uhn6dc0uVDSNs74vgcnarwMQ5tF_vm1bqnH_euIFJ3a9M2F72tup7bHgb0CGcYnopRuZGTkOCZFJCRSfMU2pppQTqUemMRi6LoPVJZMoHqE_QzUNbTTbf296j_ZxKEavRJO/s320/DSC_0221+%25282%2529.JPG" height="265" nea="true" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><b><i>A posh restaurant that can rival any similar ones in KL. :) </i></b></td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiXxqBZ9PaV8Z5RWEt5cInUjGQlcETHloTDVWrRShnROEQzuI4zIQoKJ5w70GF_aCV-eXyvYb7xyLiSvvkQOltC8s92rZTq1DCIi5yetXMSsZONdG9yvc_hySZWF_pWzeroVLA7OC3vnHBn/s1600/P8221059.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiXxqBZ9PaV8Z5RWEt5cInUjGQlcETHloTDVWrRShnROEQzuI4zIQoKJ5w70GF_aCV-eXyvYb7xyLiSvvkQOltC8s92rZTq1DCIi5yetXMSsZONdG9yvc_hySZWF_pWzeroVLA7OC3vnHBn/s320/P8221059.JPG" height="300" nea="true" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><b><i>Miss (now Ms.) Valerie, who recommended us this nice break from er... camp food. :) </i></b></td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhlaUDYNTIp8-w43vo9NT6Qry8_pmqgqg0AUDs1jt9fYRN9cKt3xSLPg_JPjzs_N4WR7VLuFBvNAmGfs3gQoD9IcCWYZ7fdxEnm5584g0vtkhBI5L9kaz_Cv3OTOVn4xysO32R_vwYUq0uj/s1600/P8221060.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhlaUDYNTIp8-w43vo9NT6Qry8_pmqgqg0AUDs1jt9fYRN9cKt3xSLPg_JPjzs_N4WR7VLuFBvNAmGfs3gQoD9IcCWYZ7fdxEnm5584g0vtkhBI5L9kaz_Cv3OTOVn4xysO32R_vwYUq0uj/s320/P8221060.JPG" height="300" nea="true" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><b><i>Me and my fellow traveller, Vit Ping aka Ping. :)</i></b></td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjuImFkSXW_XF-95-wN-IYi0mCsAE6QGwnYfROrC3ppFE-aFkAheYi_A7XL8RvXg3XYWqNg_ny-xN8ZkM6Dw0YF1DU2hkh3omZYlXcu8XlJj_OWP5wFibv72FLtSCSekXPIgwIQ4TeXYcSK/s1600/P8221062.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjuImFkSXW_XF-95-wN-IYi0mCsAE6QGwnYfROrC3ppFE-aFkAheYi_A7XL8RvXg3XYWqNg_ny-xN8ZkM6Dw0YF1DU2hkh3omZYlXcu8XlJj_OWP5wFibv72FLtSCSekXPIgwIQ4TeXYcSK/s320/P8221062.JPG" height="300" nea="true" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><b><i>Our Nihonjin Friend... Masanobu Noda</i></b></td></tr>
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Once there, we were met by Madame Alice who then asked a waiter to present us with a menu. Offering a cornucopia of selections from across the globe, we settled upon an international choice. :) Valerie ordered baked fish seasoned in spices, Vit Ping ordered roasted ribs, Wai Wai ordered sizzling prawns on hotplate while Nobu and I ordered Chicken Tikka Masala with rice. :) </div>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhvmKlmHwlvRcbWMgTw7deqPPiFtG-PVUkcsgWUT5bC8b0lrZIPtPtumrJEvzLZswJceygUJtLVbP6xSWT7tAeCsUYAexzjR-W_KesaOBhHmFCAXQUEAQlFO3Pepym7OsX0rzjOi5Kd8PbS/s1600/P8221070.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="font-size: medium; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhvmKlmHwlvRcbWMgTw7deqPPiFtG-PVUkcsgWUT5bC8b0lrZIPtPtumrJEvzLZswJceygUJtLVbP6xSWT7tAeCsUYAexzjR-W_KesaOBhHmFCAXQUEAQlFO3Pepym7OsX0rzjOi5Kd8PbS/s320/P8221070.JPG" height="300" nea="true" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><b><i>Wai Wai's selection of sizzling prawns on Hot Plate.</i></b></td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjK1_AFbtoLeaF6rbnPbf0DqynkIe7-l87Lh0NeNwyNViuDcObWJx6bfPQZuxwiEI3nRk1hGYtXgdN2jHcZ-Ly2tFWuQjWhb_8LkHtXoXcfK4y9xBWy9TPT_yLBM_cJYRrkz-r06CIPc5at/s1600/P8221066.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjK1_AFbtoLeaF6rbnPbf0DqynkIe7-l87Lh0NeNwyNViuDcObWJx6bfPQZuxwiEI3nRk1hGYtXgdN2jHcZ-Ly2tFWuQjWhb_8LkHtXoXcfK4y9xBWy9TPT_yLBM_cJYRrkz-r06CIPc5at/s320/P8221066.JPG" height="300" nea="true" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><b><i>Valerie's Selection: Baked Fish seasoned with spice and sauce. </i></b></td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjuGbgjenj4z9xayKKbBvgNL9CEmV21Lhw5xPSDPDgq8fF4ejB80DlUIFdSwKE-26efYhhaXCLZCcQcKFikB4asQWR_stf9_yChpn117bPEWMIoNrWoi7EIFKdcEk41_R6-Q3v_PAvnV6U7/s1600/P8221065.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjuGbgjenj4z9xayKKbBvgNL9CEmV21Lhw5xPSDPDgq8fF4ejB80DlUIFdSwKE-26efYhhaXCLZCcQcKFikB4asQWR_stf9_yChpn117bPEWMIoNrWoi7EIFKdcEk41_R6-Q3v_PAvnV6U7/s320/P8221065.JPG" height="300" nea="true" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><b><i>Vit Ping's choice of Roasted Ribs</i></b></td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgehNDSICrnhxvAZGQWXhBim2se88HMKSNxzhNdJXRHEKzhoMBHgDrblSYtiuuwjgPAO4pH8TPrINTRbsP_MPc2RTPC0mEfzMIHx0aKLCR978jbfIBI6RIFIOEdyCa6nkrJ_Hun4oH7x0FI/s1600/P8221068.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgehNDSICrnhxvAZGQWXhBim2se88HMKSNxzhNdJXRHEKzhoMBHgDrblSYtiuuwjgPAO4pH8TPrINTRbsP_MPc2RTPC0mEfzMIHx0aKLCR978jbfIBI6RIFIOEdyCa6nkrJ_Hun4oH7x0FI/s320/P8221068.JPG" height="300" nea="true" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><i><b>And my and Nobu's choice of Chicken Tikka Masala... hey, it's famous all over the world! :D</b></i></td></tr>
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For desert, surprise surprise, I was offered a Birthday Cake by the host and restaurant owner! :D Yup, it's the 23rd of August and it's my birthday! :D</div>
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<tr><td><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiRjyJ32Millc40elp3dLZUlDrQufhctUzfRje9dvYz-1-DMz-nSXZ3vjYy82Gr2pW1EBoW3Aodsa4nK2WXnWxlgFTOdasPADuCDuunO8tvQcKhomZPA9Mf0MwfQAH4jJZzaALB1hNF0EtM/s1600/P8231084.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiRjyJ32Millc40elp3dLZUlDrQufhctUzfRje9dvYz-1-DMz-nSXZ3vjYy82Gr2pW1EBoW3Aodsa4nK2WXnWxlgFTOdasPADuCDuunO8tvQcKhomZPA9Mf0MwfQAH4jJZzaALB1hNF0EtM/s320/P8231084.JPG" height="300" nea="true" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="font-size: 12.8000001907349px;"><b><i>Happy Birthday to me! :D</i></b></td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg6bZd2R2izCZBX1yXaTNTrAkVmUghGt3PqPwCyjbd1zF0IYHCtrMc03tiR42s9W-29zxS6TP7toO9bSs_5rWPpcFyF0z_KLIJSbp91Fi_2sXaCNsCgzOq4e8Fe2CrYJi_A0YvgUQpDdcg5/s1600/P8231089.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg6bZd2R2izCZBX1yXaTNTrAkVmUghGt3PqPwCyjbd1zF0IYHCtrMc03tiR42s9W-29zxS6TP7toO9bSs_5rWPpcFyF0z_KLIJSbp91Fi_2sXaCNsCgzOq4e8Fe2CrYJi_A0YvgUQpDdcg5/s320/P8231089.JPG" height="300" nea="true" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><i><b>Serving the cake firstly to our gracious hosts.</b></i></td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhDT43CeICwjigKgjxFM9WwfnWQ23QsprSqDl-J3orsKth-K7Ad2_6ijobOo4R-1u9HxxRcJ32eYNGz3o1EJTZdPX9xZzNDrMztbomiXbQ_J6wwPLMf8C4elrWLI-NqcwUr1OnYfrFeIpa9/s1600/P8231090.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhDT43CeICwjigKgjxFM9WwfnWQ23QsprSqDl-J3orsKth-K7Ad2_6ijobOo4R-1u9HxxRcJ32eYNGz3o1EJTZdPX9xZzNDrMztbomiXbQ_J6wwPLMf8C4elrWLI-NqcwUr1OnYfrFeIpa9/s320/P8231090.JPG" height="300" nea="true" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><b><i>Chocolate Mud Cake Africa Style! :D </i></b></td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhXQ0EIyIDQ1ZK2rw78ch0XYMwAFNw1888NXnzId7gwhXeyA0kSV9zfv9O01D7dza_79Iq4oPXsQT8epHrH1XjAt52Xuxp46HyVCw9mkhODLOOrWUNEZ_e4VBz6iYWsgI6bDviwC28jY3wJ/s1600/P8231082.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhXQ0EIyIDQ1ZK2rw78ch0XYMwAFNw1888NXnzId7gwhXeyA0kSV9zfv9O01D7dza_79Iq4oPXsQT8epHrH1XjAt52Xuxp46HyVCw9mkhODLOOrWUNEZ_e4VBz6iYWsgI6bDviwC28jY3wJ/s320/P8231082.JPG" height="300" nea="true" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><i><b>Madame Alice and her husband together with myself, Nobu and Valerie. :) </b></i></td></tr>
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The cake tasted very good... as good as Secret Recipe here in Malaysia. And best of all, it is ready to be ordered from the Restaurant, so if there is someone's birthday to celebrate in far off Kampala, don't forget to celebrate it here! </div>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgmWrJ1obCT06QSUCZR2uWuxfgpmnNAh4yEeXvgMAmfi5NefWENDEaDIRjPWZRtCEb2iQVHwnossT5XR9NTNgRE5J-noojTkCY8myVpyh9nrBt4nf_lRkq40mZMX3PkxH0Wb9JOsvOp6eLZ/s1600/P8231091.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><i><b><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgmWrJ1obCT06QSUCZR2uWuxfgpmnNAh4yEeXvgMAmfi5NefWENDEaDIRjPWZRtCEb2iQVHwnossT5XR9NTNgRE5J-noojTkCY8myVpyh9nrBt4nf_lRkq40mZMX3PkxH0Wb9JOsvOp6eLZ/s320/P8231091.JPG" height="300" nea="true" width="400" /></b></i></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><i><b>A great dinner and even greater hosts! Thanks Madame Alice and Valerie! :)</b></i></td></tr>
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Overall we had a great time at Piato. Prices here are rather reasonable and comparable to what you'd get from a fancy restaurant in Kuala Lumpur. There is also a club and a conference center at the restaurant as well so check it out.<br />
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Hehe, this blog posting has taken more than 2 years in the making and I really wish to express my thanks to Valerie for organising this unexpected birthday party in faraway Kampala. It was a welcomed break from the regular camp food we were eating, hehehe... (if anything, I lost more than 10kgs throughout the 2 week trip in West Africa). Hope to one day come here again.<br />
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For those in the vicinity, do drop by at:-<br />
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<div style="background-color: #f6f6ee; color: #555555; font-family: Georgia, serif; font-size: 12px; line-height: 18px; margin-bottom: 0.5em; margin-top: 0.5em; overflow: hidden; padding: 3px;">
<strong>Piato restaurant & Café</strong><br />
<strong>Plot 20 Lumumba Avenue, </strong><br />
<strong>Nakasero, Kampala</strong></div>
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<em>(Next to French Embassy)</em></div>
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<strong>T </strong>(+256)-312-516388</div>
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Monday - Friday: 7:00 am - 11:00 pm</div>
<div style="background-color: #f6f6ee; color: #555555; font-family: Georgia, serif; font-size: 12px; line-height: 18px; margin-bottom: 0.5em; margin-top: 0.5em; overflow: hidden; padding: 3px;">
Saturday: 8:00 am - 12:00 pm<br />
Sunday: OPEN</div>
You can also check out their website at <a href="http://www.piatokampala.com/">http://www.piatokampala.com/</a><br />
Until then... kwaheri! :D<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhr9QnyvVQzX6TOkI9TNGlcP8ZkeNWuP76ms2TZjbVLeniPQ6eUHmziIc1CkA3LkqWj6bwRZZMQTxKXveMAdM80B5nPrCEKBhMzz_KJcJ6OmQV84OTPhJAcHmjszbFT_aOdhws0H7MxjtcO/s1600/P8231079.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhr9QnyvVQzX6TOkI9TNGlcP8ZkeNWuP76ms2TZjbVLeniPQ6eUHmziIc1CkA3LkqWj6bwRZZMQTxKXveMAdM80B5nPrCEKBhMzz_KJcJ6OmQV84OTPhJAcHmjszbFT_aOdhws0H7MxjtcO/s320/P8231079.JPG" height="300" nea="true" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><b><i>A very happy Birthday boy in Africa. :) </i></b></td></tr>
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Eddie Tuenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07105702091987045194noreply@blogger.com0Kampala, Uganda0.3136111 32.58111110.1865836 32.423182600000004 0.4406386 32.7390396tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4785821961237109532.post-35463822061981841652015-05-02T17:34:00.000+08:002015-05-02T21:14:44.910+08:00Eddie's Penang Food Circuit<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgB6CqwUWusoFEXTlMyEGfHrD5PsfqfjFPNMYewSa6rfTTagkUtK9AeGZA6t8sLZZGETspUCW5NCUEdfggBrY7OdSQNp6zigk8iVIt7aBb4p7xhxBTSgEEa1IUPLryDE8BYbOBkDGvMIqUy/s1600/P6290514.JPG" imageanchor="1"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgB6CqwUWusoFEXTlMyEGfHrD5PsfqfjFPNMYewSa6rfTTagkUtK9AeGZA6t8sLZZGETspUCW5NCUEdfggBrY7OdSQNp6zigk8iVIt7aBb4p7xhxBTSgEEa1IUPLryDE8BYbOBkDGvMIqUy/s1600/P6290514.JPG" height="300" width="400" /></a></div>
A friend has asked me to write up a brief list of 'makan' places when in Penang, an island located on the northern tip of the Malaysian Peninsular. Slightly larger than Singapore, it has an urbanized northern and eastern portion, with the southern and hilly western part relatively less developed and hectic. It is to most Malaysians, a food paradise and at every turn and corner you can find some delicious hawker food some way or another. :)<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgs5-4IAjLXxyLmjjC_jcM7d_03RrGKxhjFB9kuXNb4xljlUjenA5lx7kkoGtkhOtI3DijmkVgYk1uhL6qkbFL1tlL0HAOzU3eML9-YAgQDiuRo873KeUq_mQNeyAgj3UyJ7HtKzPmOLwTe/s1600/P6280370.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgs5-4IAjLXxyLmjjC_jcM7d_03RrGKxhjFB9kuXNb4xljlUjenA5lx7kkoGtkhOtI3DijmkVgYk1uhL6qkbFL1tlL0HAOzU3eML9-YAgQDiuRo873KeUq_mQNeyAgj3UyJ7HtKzPmOLwTe/s1600/P6280370.JPG" height="300" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><i><b>We're heading to Food Heaven! :D</b></i></td></tr>
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So to start off, with only 2 days and 1 night (that means a weekend) to spend where would *I* go for my dosage of Penang food? Well, I'd start of with my afternoon arrival on the island after an almost 4 hour drive from my hometown in Klang to the capital of Penang state, Georgetown.<br />
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My favorite place to live remains the <a href="http://www.swhotelgeorgetown-penang.com/" target="_blank">Sunway Hotel</a>, located on New Lane off Macalister Road.<br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><b><i>Home away from home... hmmm, that's a big advertisment of Hotlink. No commission from them huh...</i></b></td></tr>
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Why Sunway Hotel? Well, because right under its shadow and just under 5 minutes walk is the famous <b>New Lane Hawker Center</b>, which in my opinion gives you almost all the choices of Penang food you can find! Of course, coming at this time of the day, the Hawker Center is still not yet in it's full swing, but nevertheless, the hawker stalls outside the <b>Sin Yin Nam Cafe</b> is still worth checking out. In particular, I would try the Chee Cheong Fun there.<br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><b><i>Chee Cheong Fun at Sin Yin Nam Cafe, first taste of Penang! :)</i></b></td></tr>
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I don't think there is a particular fancy name to identify the stall, only that it is run by a very nice aunty, who always seem to detect that my efforts to adopt a Penang accent to my Hokkien isn't really working, responding in to my conversation with Cantonese and Mandarin. :p If you find the Chee Cheong Fun to your liking, you can of course 'tapao' and bring it back home. I usually do that just before heading home back to Klang Valley but for now it's just time to savor the delicious chee cheong fun topped with Penang's unique prawn paste (hair koh). :) For those who like pork trotters and other 'spare parts', you are invited to try the Chee Cheong Chok, literally translated as <b>Pork Intestine Porridge</b>.<br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><b><i>A cornucopia of Penang Food in one place. :) </i></b></td></tr>
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The stall is also located right outside the Sin Yin Nam cafe and nowadays appear to open much earlier than before a few years back in the evenings. The Char Kueh Teow stall in the shop is also worth checking out.<br />
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After a refreshing lunch, why not cool down with some coconuts? Drop by <b>Anba's Coconut at Lorong Abu Siti </b>for another round of refreshments. It's not really that far from Sin Yin Nam cafe (well, everything is really not that far from anywhere in Penang really). :) Fresh coconuts are opened in front of your eyes and you can ask them to open them up even more to access the soft coconut 'flesh' inside.<br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><i><b>Minuman penuh refreshing! Fresh Coconuts at Anba's Coconut, Abu Siti Lane. :) </b></i></td></tr>
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If Coconuts is not your style then why not try some ice cream on jelly? This you will find at <b>Kek Seng Kopitiam on Penang Road</b>. Judging by the newspaper cuttings on the wall, it has been around for ages. They serve Penang's signature loh bak there to complement your serving of ice cream jelly. You may also want to check out their Ice Cream Soda drink. ;)<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhXkJqzP1u07BvTn7GoYAFQpCd2bx16ZqFX5gLplC2r6giW2F2Cq7g1RanMI1pQXoepCg9g8Y0skc54kyMLYtyEkiawCtvlY4ebw5AbHT8SmKhsp8CgcXLv6wjTF4fX5Z_NK6tZ-BsER7x_/s1600/PB100563.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhXkJqzP1u07BvTn7GoYAFQpCd2bx16ZqFX5gLplC2r6giW2F2Cq7g1RanMI1pQXoepCg9g8Y0skc54kyMLYtyEkiawCtvlY4ebw5AbHT8SmKhsp8CgcXLv6wjTF4fX5Z_NK6tZ-BsER7x_/s1600/PB100563.JPG" height="400" width="300" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><b><i>Kek Seng's signature ice cream with jelly, dinikmati sejak turun temurun. :) </i></b></td></tr>
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<span id="goog_514517698"></span><span id="goog_514517699"></span>So, you finished your jalan-jalan around Lebuh Chulia and Armenian, took many selfies and posed with 3D arts, now you feel kinda hungry. Well, alot of people may head towards Batu Ferringhi for dinner and the pasar malam, but how about trying something different?<br />
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Check out <b>Leisure Park Restaurant on Bukit Genting, Balik Pulau</b>. Do go before sunset because that's really the main reason you are going there after all, to watch the sun set over the Andaman Sea, absolutely beautiful! After snapping photos and all that, you can sit and chow down on the Thai Cuisine offered at the Restaurant. A note of warning, park your car AT the restaurant and not outside along the way. Many an innocent foodie has been berated by a certain owner of a nearby house, who apparently WATCHES and MONITORS the open space in front of his property.<br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><i><b>The Setting Sun over the Andaman Sea from Leisure Park Restaurant. Bukit Genting, Balik Pulau.</b></i></td></tr>
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Your bellies filled with Thai food, I guess you can take the coastal road back up to Batu Ferringhi, visit the nice markets and maybe get a good foot massage. :) You may also drop by the Hard Rock Cafe Hotel for a taste of live band music.<br />
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Alright. that pretty much covers one whole day of makan-makan. Where next to go in the morning? Well, make sure you get up early because there are alot of options! :)<br />
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First off, try heading to <b>Sin Seow Fong Lye Koitiam at Macalister Lane</b>. There you'll find arguably the best chee cheong fun (imho) in the whole of Georgetown! :D For me, tasting it once is not enough, this stall requires repeated visits! :)<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEimEU9zs6t2P4FsQ93Hvq2EnpaLjqxKeNCBwHQ3QbhFj0x6ughP9dsDP_gVYacCeOT_P4dYSU_-D_NTTfNvvYUxKLBZQ_DHh99NVgF27p4B2qtH-mePh8AuX4RjiE4Ayt4keVdrOwBRlE2O/s1600/PB100539.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEimEU9zs6t2P4FsQ93Hvq2EnpaLjqxKeNCBwHQ3QbhFj0x6ughP9dsDP_gVYacCeOT_P4dYSU_-D_NTTfNvvYUxKLBZQ_DHh99NVgF27p4B2qtH-mePh8AuX4RjiE4Ayt4keVdrOwBRlE2O/s1600/PB100539.JPG" height="300" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><i><b>Mouth Watering Chee Cheong Fun at Sin Seow Fong Lye on Macalister Lane. It's so good, I have to do this publicity stunt for them. :) </b></i></td></tr>
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This Kopitiam, I have been here for ages. Aside from their most mouth watering chee cheong fun, try the Fried Carrot Cake (char kueh kak) from the stall nearby as well. Guarantee up to your satisfaction. Yums...<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhf10_OE7tW5YWtXpFnn2ju1NwNvNprsbHv4Imk_9YINn2BIS0bZj8EXVluX1spdyRBdMqT-xp_WCsZrdDpzkxH0uqiHJrGRzgRJVwL4OGr0ataGgnqsurJKNaeWkB57PJLulZKEG_f6yye/s1600/PB070272.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><b><i><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhf10_OE7tW5YWtXpFnn2ju1NwNvNprsbHv4Imk_9YINn2BIS0bZj8EXVluX1spdyRBdMqT-xp_WCsZrdDpzkxH0uqiHJrGRzgRJVwL4OGr0ataGgnqsurJKNaeWkB57PJLulZKEG_f6yye/s1600/PB070272.JPG" height="300" width="400" /></i></b></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><b><i>Char Kueh Kak (Fried Carrot Cake) at Sin Seow Fong Lye. Mmmm... lazat! :D</i></b></td></tr>
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The kopitiam also serves some western breakfast as well. You may call for it if you feel these two signatures are not enough. But hold on a second, don't burst your belly here... because there is another place you should go for er... 'mid-morning breakfast'? :)<br />
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Hop in your car and drive down Gurney drive because you have to check out the <b>Bangkok Lane Mamak Mee Goreng! </b>It's located in another Chinese kopitiam on Bangkok Lane. Try the famous mee goreng. I am told that the stall selling Kueh Teow Soup in the same kopitiam is also good but I was too full to stuff in anything more.<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjPg6jDZlJLnANOoDki07JfCCqksvMm2OZuy3f9__1sjN-cADqgcyprUBjHc_t0CmzYi5WHdO8qV-iQgxHJ9r8cnFSSNvtP4s2MCedFNUH3ytZ2F2-i0bnCZgymMndCnTxi3weN4NOUZBP-/s1600/PB080352.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjPg6jDZlJLnANOoDki07JfCCqksvMm2OZuy3f9__1sjN-cADqgcyprUBjHc_t0CmzYi5WHdO8qV-iQgxHJ9r8cnFSSNvtP4s2MCedFNUH3ytZ2F2-i0bnCZgymMndCnTxi3weN4NOUZBP-/s1600/PB080352.JPG" height="300" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><b><i>Bangkok Lane Mee Goreng, yummy! :D</i></b></td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjZCDaAQpSX3a2TWI8wXcZTfjoNvYNBzjG-7w9uM2bycKiS2a82bsEZTKqVPcCqGqBEzrKDU6Cwr5E7w77DyC8bjXVhyphenhyphenCQvczvzIlmMAux5P33NPu8QdNeF01LkM8RSQmUX-gAdLNi8DNYA/s1600/PB080345.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjZCDaAQpSX3a2TWI8wXcZTfjoNvYNBzjG-7w9uM2bycKiS2a82bsEZTKqVPcCqGqBEzrKDU6Cwr5E7w77DyC8bjXVhyphenhyphenCQvczvzIlmMAux5P33NPu8QdNeF01LkM8RSQmUX-gAdLNi8DNYA/s1600/PB080345.JPG" height="300" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><b><i>And here is the Mee Goreng itself! </i></b></td></tr>
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But wait, don't go driving off into the sunrise yet. Not known to many people, there is another lesser known pearl located in Bangkok Lane as well. It comes in the form of a bicycle propelled <b>Chinese Satay Stall. </b><br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjdk3rS42oFW_r6YEJtPWhYyUolHdlhw968HUa4IVaeFm6rm0UkWsqRAeGnaI2vhgJdne1HWX2GOVPfX9uE-fn1eSWrvSoj2URVkg0qXkgJXKzMpw-1H2aI5MNeVRVdukRdRKEmJGc8qkCs/s1600/PB080354.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjdk3rS42oFW_r6YEJtPWhYyUolHdlhw968HUa4IVaeFm6rm0UkWsqRAeGnaI2vhgJdne1HWX2GOVPfX9uE-fn1eSWrvSoj2URVkg0qXkgJXKzMpw-1H2aI5MNeVRVdukRdRKEmJGc8qkCs/s1600/PB080354.JPG" height="300" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><b><i>An inconspicuous looking stall that offered superbly done 'pork' satay. Hehehe, sorry tidak ditanggung halal. :p</i></b></td></tr>
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The crowds were the giveaway and on that time when we went over to check the stall out, there was an old Chinese uncle ordering 100 sticks of pork satay in one go! Well, that made my friends and I even more intrigued and we chose to wait for our turn. Boy, did we not regret it. The satay was really very good! :)<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhHP0yS-9Cacn5MOB5lbDpz_k48vBI0_6TqPRYosjKDcLP5JnGFpW9oO28si9gG3Ws8yu_wkemlFhwzFxWwtsfckOtR3RQm9smQ0y0jTa4htrs1tnM7zoFCzLQVNjtP3-TQModzEz4YO5gQ/s1600/PB080360.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhHP0yS-9Cacn5MOB5lbDpz_k48vBI0_6TqPRYosjKDcLP5JnGFpW9oO28si9gG3Ws8yu_wkemlFhwzFxWwtsfckOtR3RQm9smQ0y0jTa4htrs1tnM7zoFCzLQVNjtP3-TQModzEz4YO5gQ/s1600/PB080360.JPG" height="300" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><b><i>Fancy some pork satay anyone? :) </i></b></td></tr>
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Too bad we were pretty stuffed by our visit to Sin Seow Fong Lye and the Bangkok Lane Mamak Stall, otherwise we'd eat MORE! Rawr!<br />
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Ok, by now it's another round of spending out that store of food you've just eaten. Go ahead and visit the Burmese and Siamese temples nearby, or take a stroll around Gurney Drive, maybe head back to Georgetown for look-see at the Chowrasta market. Once you're ready, you can go to the next stop. <b><i>Beef Ball Soup on the junction between Lebuh Chulia and Lebuh Pantai opposite the Fire Station.</i></b> The shop really doesn't have any name, just simply Beef Soup Koay Teow, but its reputation has spread far and wide.<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhcIhGQDXpXcA9GLG1ylDDaGR9NakIJOd-2Gq2fV8bvdipywIvlsN9g5BCApz8t54O1w2QCSYYAqaStVCf9qY4jB0V8YU4ONAhvIn6lG4X9BEJMcjhB1XvZM-ut9tayxE-V42KWg3pNu6pJ/s1600/PB070317.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhcIhGQDXpXcA9GLG1ylDDaGR9NakIJOd-2Gq2fV8bvdipywIvlsN9g5BCApz8t54O1w2QCSYYAqaStVCf9qY4jB0V8YU4ONAhvIn6lG4X9BEJMcjhB1XvZM-ut9tayxE-V42KWg3pNu6pJ/s1600/PB070317.JPG" height="300" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><b><i>Lebuh Pantai Fire Station Beef Ball Soup... slurps</i></b></td></tr>
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Alright, it's approaching mid-day and you gotta check out from the hotel to head back for a Monday of work work work. :p Before you leave Penang, why not choose to use the ferry for a 'romantic cruise' across the North Channel and give yourself one final excuse to drop by for this last food stop. <b><i>The famous Goreng Pisang (and other goreng goreng stuff) at Tan Jetty</i></b>.<br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><b><i>Goreng Pisang in the hot afternoon sun... but hey, it tastes good and I couldn't help but follow up my friend's recommendation. :) </i></b></td></tr>
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Most people tapao and head on their way but if your group is large enough and you order sufficiently enough, you may access the 'secret cow-level' of getting to sit at the back of the shop (which essentially is the owner's house), with a view of the jetty and channel! Now, no guarantees here, you probably have to ask the stall owner nicely to get access.<br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><b><i>The view from behind the goreng pisang shop owner's house. :)</i></b> </td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><b><i>Sedap and lazat... although do provide yourself with generous amounts of water to quench your thirst from all those fried food...</i></b></td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgUo_xynGmrXS3RLi27n__wh6Nf5WURsawlC5VxMYHxjTaydvxWkPBWc8940l2thoZ0UdpvE7ZhxdLSulf2-MlYnh8kW4U7h73PWX9GAHyA_RR5VvlpOmDVNTX4vDcIIwo1foFC0vnJkyVf/s1600/PB100594.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgUo_xynGmrXS3RLi27n__wh6Nf5WURsawlC5VxMYHxjTaydvxWkPBWc8940l2thoZ0UdpvE7ZhxdLSulf2-MlYnh8kW4U7h73PWX9GAHyA_RR5VvlpOmDVNTX4vDcIIwo1foFC0vnJkyVf/s1600/PB100594.JPG" height="300" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><b><i>A 'sufficiently' large group... ;) Or it's just my friend's (the leng lui in black singlet) charm. :) </i></b></td></tr>
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Alright, it's time to head home and dream of the next food outing. This blog is dedicated to the two people who asked me recently on my Penang food circuit (but didn't decide to bring the guide along) *wink wink*.<br />
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For readers, these places are merely suggestions on the OTHER places to eat in Penang based on my experience. I have chosen to omit out the outright famous places like the Laksa at Kek Lok Si (still the best I guess) and the Penang Teochew Chendol on Penang Road (over-rated, I think) from this blog post as you'd probably be thinking of going there already. You may not complete everything on this list in a 2 day weekend for which I encourage you to stay another day longer on this beautiful island. Now, time to head off to the gym. LOL!<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhotVh67NaRCMXFh94ttjCNb6keXtx7EVPpJdwIyfPS5BZn49SWzhIQv0hUmPZ0fkhtre9irwlGW4WsrFfahMz8xNkC7Ad59b5rYmkHk1dRLrZYuyYC84d_HtpHGo_u0w1k-yxF5CCr-Jcu/s1600/PB070309.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhotVh67NaRCMXFh94ttjCNb6keXtx7EVPpJdwIyfPS5BZn49SWzhIQv0hUmPZ0fkhtre9irwlGW4WsrFfahMz8xNkC7Ad59b5rYmkHk1dRLrZYuyYC84d_HtpHGo_u0w1k-yxF5CCr-Jcu/s1600/PB070309.JPG" height="300" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><b><i>Cat-Shock at Lebuh Armenian... ;) See you next time! :D</i></b></td></tr>
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Eddie Tuenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07105702091987045194noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4785821961237109532.post-50893826584075249852014-06-09T01:57:00.001+08:002014-06-09T19:13:52.517+08:00Chilling at Chiling Waterfall <div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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This is actually not my first time to this waterfall in the wilderness of Kuala Kubu Baru, but it certainly has been a while since I have been here. It's the first time I am writing about my visit here though, partly to fulfill a special request, partly to record down yet another visit to another waterfall in this Valley I live in, Klang Valley that is. :)<br />
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This place is well established, popular and rather well kept. It is officially a fish sanctuary and run by the government of the state of Selangor. The waterfall itself has two significant 'steps', a third one barely seen from below. There is a deep pool immediately at the bottom most step where it is possible to dive from the top of the rocks close to the first step. It is not open everyday, but it is conveniently opened during the weekends, so that is a relief! ;)<br />
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<i><b>Make sure you come when the park is open to avoid disappointment... ;)</b></i></div>
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The drive from Kuala Lumpur to Kuala Kubu Baru, which is the nearest 'big' town to the Sungai Chilling Waterfall Park would probably take about a little more than an hour, with a significant part of the journey taking you off our network of highways and into the small rural single carriage roads. For this trip, I had used the 'standard' way of going in, exiting the North South Highway at Bukit Beruntung, heading towards Rasa and into Kuala Kubu Baru before taking the road to Fraser's Hill to reach the <a href="https://www.google.com.my/maps/place/Sungai+Chiling+Waterfalls/@3.599075,101.737363,17z/data=!3m1!4b1!4m2!3m1!1s0x31cc0b6eefc1407b:0x6729b866e975b2fc" target="_blank">Sungai Chilling Waterfall </a>entrance.<br />
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The organisation of this trip actually revolves around the visit of my friend from Sarawak, aptly named, Ah Hu (Tiger), whom I had known from a recent project to build gravity feedwater systems for the natives there.<br />
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<i>Our 'eccentric' looking Mr. Ah Hu from Sarawak. ;)</i></div>
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Together with other Peninsular bound friends from the project as well as a fair representation from my recently joined choir, we formed a new posse for them (at least) to explore this waterfall. None of them has been here before so its kinda refreshing. For me, it has been a while since I've been here, probably between 3 to 4 years, so coming back to this place was quite interesting as well. Like 'old friends' it is nice to visit one of those waterfalls again to sort of 'catch up' once in a while.<br />
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My journey starts with a drop-by at USJ to pick up Ah Hu from his sister's. From there, we head off to the group meeting point at the famous Sungai Buloh R&R on the North South Highway. There we linked up with our fellow 'Warrior-teers', Sun, Ong and Chai with the accompaniment of our sweet 'Altos', Yen Peng and Serene from YKLS (Young Kuala Lumpur Singers). ;) After exchanging our good mornings, it is off along the North South highway towards Kuala Kubu Baru. With the advent of Garmin and Waze, it is quite hard to get 'lost' (save if your handphone or device suddenly runs out of battery @_@'') by getting 'lost', rather it is now about getting 'lost' by taking you in directions that sometimes kinda defies good 'sense'. But in any case, I kinda lost Sun who was travelling in his trusty Toyota Avanza along the way, his Garmin system telling him to exit at Rawang instead of Bukit Beruntung where my Waze was directing me to go. Yen Peng, who was driving a very hardy Proton Iswara (from the age of the dinosaurs) managed to stick to my trail (or more rightly my dust trail, hehehe), us meeting up again at the Bukit Beruntung toll exit to get our bearings.<br />
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After confirming Sun was safely heading towards Kuala Kubu Baru, Yen Peng and I set off along our path, passing by the dilapidated shop lots that are kind of a landmark for this part of Selangor (in any case, for any movie directors reading this, if you are looking for dilapidated post apocalyptic scenes of ruined and abandoned shop lots, overgrown with vines and lalang, this is the place to be... no need to pay for movie lot rentals, I guess it's free :p ;)), stark remnants of that once bright dream of having our current International Airport located in this part of Northern Selangor to service Tanjung Malim.<br />
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It took about another 40 minutes before we reached Kuala Kubu Baru, passing by the small industrial town of Rasa. Considering that the nearest highway exit from Rasa is about 20-30 minutes away, it still surprises me to look at the number of small industries in the area. For one, I used to frequent this place in my visits to one of my contractors providing Air Cooled Heat Exchangers back when I worked as a Project Engineer for that Dubai based O&G company.<br />
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Breakfast was found at Restoran Fazlina Maju, a notable landmark in this sleepy town of Kuala Kubu Baru, famed for its nasi kandar, which was a little bit too heavy for me in the morning. I had ordered instead, a roti telur and teh tarik set, finding out in the process of it being served, that it is called 'Prata Telur' in Singapore, when it was called out by Ong and confirmed by Serene (a bona fide Singaporean) ;).<br />
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<b><i>All good hikes must always start with a good session of breakfast. Not only does it fills the body with energy reserves, it also acts as a great ice breaker... hehehe... </i></b></div>
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After having fueled up, it was back on the road, specifically the Fraser's Hill - Kuala Kubu Baru road. This road takes you pass the Sungai Selangor dam and it's man made lake. While the view of the lake is spectacular, the view of how high the water in the lake was relative to the measuring tower holds more significance for us Klang Valley folks recently relieved from a bout of water rationing a couple of months before this blog was written. Distressingly, it still looks like there is a good way to go before it reaches the 'high mark', the daily rainfalls in our area apparently not really helping to replenish the supply of fresh water in the lake. @_@' There is also an Information Center close to the dam. For those interested to get more 'educated' on this engineering feature, the are usually open on the weekends, feel free to drop by.<br />
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<b><i>Oh no! You mean we have to go through another round of water rationing again?!</i></b></div>
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The entrance to the Sungai Chiling Fish Sanctuary itself is marked by a large number of cars parked haphazardly along the side of the narrow road. Tread carefully when in the area because you wouldn't know that there might be small children darting out from behind cars or people suddenly swinging their doors open in your path. Fortunately, the park's operating hours prevents this phenomenon (haphazard parking) from happening in the darkened hours of night. Large tour buses do ply this road and it would be extremely dangerous for these behemoths to navigate through the narrowed roads when occasionally oncoming traffic has to squeeze to the side to allow it to move through.<br />
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I parked a little bit further down the road from the entrance, knowing the definite high cost in repairing 'Excella's paint job. ;) Finally alighting from our cars, all of us went over to the park entrance to gather for a customary pre-trip group photo. ;)<br />
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<b><i>Customary Group Photo before every hike... I don't expect much to change for this trip. </i></b></div>
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From the entrance, it takes a fair amount of walking before we actually reach the park per-se so do not be deterred if you think you are walking on a path to 'no-where'. The path will lead you to the park. Have faith. ;) hehehe...<br />
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You'll have to register when you arrive, a token fee of RM1 is charged per person, essentially for the park's 'upkeep'. Immediately outside the park office is a rough diagram of the route to the waterfall.<br />
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<b><i>The diagram showing the route to the falls, not to scale of course, but it does tell you how many times you're gonna get your feet wet!</i></b></div>
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Oh, did I tell you that there are 6 river crossings to do to get to the falls? ;) Yes, do not expect this trip to be dry, so get ready to have your shoes wet and your socks soaked, otherwise you could probably wear a very good pair of sandals. (I never recommend wearing slippers on hikes, not enough grip and it never protects from sharp rocks and leeches... ;))<br />
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The surrounding area around the park office is also a good place to set up camp if you are keen. There are toilets nearby although there aren't really an 'actual' shower. For guys, there is just a pipe and a shower head at the back of the toilets. Yes, it's OUTDOORS. For ladies, there is ONE in the toilets, I'm told. For those not keen on hiking or camping, there is an option to 'picnic' by the Chiling river that flows nearby. There were many families with kids frolicking along the river banks and in the river as we arrive.<br />
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The hike officially commences when we cross the nicely built cable bridge that spans the small Chiling river.<br />
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<b><i>Sun, marching confidently across the bridge to our destination! Orsum! :D</i></b></div>
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<span style="text-align: start;">From here on, it's a good 40-45 minute hike to reach the falls on average speed. It takes about 15-20 minutes of walking before you reach the first crossing. Again another test of faith, don't be dismayed if your feet aren't wet after the first 15 minute walk. For this first part of the hike, you'd find yourself crossing through a trail flanked by a thick growth of jungle ferns and climb over a large tree trunk. </span></div>
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<span style="text-align: start;"><b><i>Wading through a forest of jungle ferns. Watch your eyes, lest they get poked. </i></b></span></div>
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The 1st crossing was a simple wade across the river, water reaching at max up to mid shin height.<br />
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<b><i>Easy Peasy says Eddie... ;)</i></b></div>
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Watch out for the signs saying 'Lintas 1,2,3' and so on to know when to cross the stream. Also look out for those big signboards on the opposite bank. For some crossings, the signboards might not be so easily located, for this trip I noticed yellow plastic bags hung on nearby trees on the opposite bank the more prominent feature for these places.<br />
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The 2nd crossing comes immediately after the first, the path taking up over a high ledge before descending immediately after to the river bank.<br />
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<b><i>2nd crossing... </i></b></div>
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There was a short walk before we reached the third crossing, which was another wade through shallow waters like the first.<br />
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The fourth crossing was a little confusing, courtesy of a displaced sign that pointed straight along the path instead of pointing across the stream where I noticed a small yellow plastic bag hung among the trees. Following the wrong signage, we continued up the path that leads us further up the stream and ending at a pile of boulders on the bank. We crossed here nevertheless, my eyes catching footprints on the opposite sandy bank. It was deeper and for people of 'shorter' stature like Chai, it proved a small challenge to cross without getting the underside of her bag wet. ;)<br />
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We crossed the last two crossings without incident. At that time, there were many people leaving the waterfalls, so it was not difficult to follow the path where they came from.<br />
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At the 6th crossing, we finally caught a glimpse of our destination!<br />
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<b><i>Chiling Waterfall in sight!</i></b></div>
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And yes, there is quite a large number of people with this place being popular and all. But aside from the people, there appears to be this rather recent phenomenon of BEEs flying around as well. Not one or two, but swarms of them! It was the same at Lepok waterfall as well in my recent visit there. Previously, I have not known of this 'problem' but I guess for the more popular waterfalls, the presence of these pests is essentially of our own doing via the rubbish that some unscrupulous and selfish campers leave near the falls. And to prove my point, there was indeed a huge pile of rubbish here as well.<br />
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The lady at the park office did warn us about the bees, attributing it to now being the 'season' for its population explosion. I am more inclined towards my previous assumption, no rubbish, no bees setting up nests near convenient sources of sugary foods! Oh and mind you, they DO STING! So be careful when you swat them away. Best remedy is to get into the water as soon as possible to wash off the sweat which these insects are attracted to. If possible, wash your sweat drenched shirts in the process to prevent it being a magnet for the swarm.<br />
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Some people have resorted to lighting small bonfires to create smoke that chases away the bees. Its becoming something like a 'survival' technique nowadays. It works to some extent, except if you decide to hide inside, it stings your eyes as well. :p ;) And forget about 'insect' repellents. The ones I bought from some well known pharmacies don't apparently work.<br />
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As mentioned at the start of the page, Chiling waterfall is essentially two tier, with a third high up seemingly inaccessible from the bottom. There might be a way up along the rocky and heavily jungled sides to reach the upper tiers but for this writer, he is pretty much comfortable to stay below. ;)<br />
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<b><i>A 'social' gathering at the falls. Well, I did say it is 'popular'. </i></b></div>
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<b><i>The waterfall's 2nd tier.</i></b></div>
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There is a large shallow wading area further out from the fall. Here, I can see small children swimming. Closer to the fall, the water gets much deeper, deep enough to submerge a fully grown adult. Fortunately, the currents moving out from the fall is quite strong, preventing adventurous small children from reaching the deeper parts. However it is still good practice to watch over small children anywhere near water, no matter how shallow it is.<br />
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<b><i>Sun (pronounced as 'Soon'), immersing himself in the cool waters to escape from the blazing heat from his apparent namesake... ;)</i></b></div>
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For adults, especially the younger ones, the deeper section of the pool provides an added avenue for amusement. It is a good place for you to imagine yourself as a 'circus' nay... Olympic diver ;). A small slippery ledge on the same level as the first tier offers a good platform for various kinds of somersaults, the surrounding people eager spectators. If your somersault is impressive enough, you might get an appreciative applause and for ladies, well... you need not do somersaults to get appreciative hoots from the guys watching. ;) ;)<br />
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<b><i>Muscleman about to jump into the water... </i></b></div>
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<b><i>Ladies, no need fancy somersaults to get the attention of an appreciative audience... ;)</i></b></div>
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Other activities around the falls appears to be 'cooking' as well. For this visit, there appears to be a small setup of a soup pot over a small bonfire, the 'cook' dishing out strands of kangkung. Are they eating yong tau foo???<br />
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<b><i>The gang enjoying a nice splash of water... </i></b></div>
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Our group lingered around the falls for approximately 45 minutes. By now the afternoon sun was at its zenith and if you don't immerse yourself in the cooling waters, you're very much likely going to get a good sun burn. <br />
Around 1230pm, we decided to pack our bags, don our water logged socks and shoes, shoo away the bees and head back to the park office. Despite the late hour, there still was a significant number of people heading towards the waterfall, blond haired Caucasian tourists included. We had to stop a couple of times to let people through or wait till a large, multi-generational family unit finished crossing a stream on the way back, such was the popularity and easy accessibility to this place. <br />
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<b><i>Just your weekly afternoon 'stroll'? One of the catch word here is that it's popular... ;)</i></b></div>
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Reaching the park office, I took the opportunity to indulge myself with a nice burger accompanied by an ice chilled serving of sugar cane water from a nearby stall, manned surprisingly by the same lady who 'work'ed at the park office when I first signed in.<br />
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<i><b>When you are hungry, everything tastes good. :)</b></i></div>
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This was while the others peruse themselves of the toiletry facilities. ;) For this instance, I decided not to take a shower, the lack of a proper shower booth and more importantly the sheer distance I had to walk to my car and back to bring out a spare change of clothes making it rather impractical. This decision was also somewhat influenced by the fact that I was told that there were a set of public toilets to 'take bath' in back in Kuala Kubu Baru town by the park office personnel as I signed the group off on the visitor's book. Little did I know at that time that they were usually closed during the weekends!</div>
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Now... what's a hiking trip without a round of good lunch? ;)</div>
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Lunch was back in Kuala Kubu Baru town, the item on the menu today was Hainanese style Chicken Chop! Recommended by FourSquare, Sun Sun Nam Cheong Kedai Hailam reputedly serves the best Hainanese Chicken Chop in town. </div>
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<b><i>Located on Jalan Mat Kilau in Kuala Kubu Baru</i></b></div>
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There is somewhat of a catch though. We sort of have to put up against the rather erm... 'rushy-rushy' attitude of the lady boss taking the order, so if you can tolerate that, then you should be 'ok'. </div>
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<b><i>Kuala Kubu Baru's best Hainanese Chicken Chop! Don't forget to order the freshly squeezed orange OR Hainanese Coffee... in fact, why not order both? ;)</i></b></div>
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The food itself was great, that is as far as the Hainanese Chicken Chop is concerned. It is relatively hard to find properly prepared chicken chop of this style nowadays with the ones prepared by the more commercial 'kopitiams' either too sweat or leaving the impression that something is 'missing'. This one, is complete! :D Mmmmmm....</div>
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<b><i>Thumbs up for a GOOD meal! :D</i></b></div>
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Oh, there is a small bit of trivia to this shop. Apparently, it was graced by none other than our Prime Minister, Ah Jib Kor. The evidence is proudly displayed in a set of old kopitiam coffee mug and saucer engraved with the photo of him partaking in a round of chicken chop. :p ;)</div>
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So with lunch complete, now it's time to literally, 'say goodbye', especially to our towel headed friend, Ah Hu, who will be leaving in the next few months to further his studies in the good ol' United States of America. All the best and good luck in finding a job as a 'diplomat'... ;) ;) ;) </div>
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Also to Ah Chai and 'Posy' Ong, a hopefully brief farewell as you return to Malacca and Johore respectively, looking forward to your next visit here and possibly my next visit 'there'. ;) </div>
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<b><i>'Sarawak Dream' project... ;) Sun, myself, future diplomat Ah Hu and 'Dr' Chai. 'Posy' Ong was holding the camera so cannot be seen here... heheheh</i></b></div>
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For my choir sirens, see you in our next weekly practice and to Sun, hehehe I am still waiting for that elusive session of 'Escape Room'. </div>
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<b><i>Me and my choir mates (Serene and Yen Peng). Well, not the full orchestra (I am a Bass 1 and they are both Altos) but at least can still carry makan if we sang 'Roundelay'... my part is just 'vei-vei-vei'... ;) But then again, no one would understand us here... </i></b></div>
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Lastly, hope this 'return' to blogging is not going to be my last in a while. Looking foward to Rinjani next month. Till then, over and out! :D</div>
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<b><i>Post hike photo... none the worse for wear. Overall, an easy hike! :D</i></b></div>
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Eddie Tuenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07105702091987045194noreply@blogger.com2Sungai Chiling Waterfalls, 44000 Kuala Kubu Baru, Selangor, Malaysia3.599075 101.73736299999996-67.1302165 -63.497012000000041 74.3283665 -93.028262000000041tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4785821961237109532.post-74523119327239613882012-10-11T14:06:00.003+08:002012-10-11T14:41:17.254+08:00Rwanda: Journey to the Land of a Thousand Hills<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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Rwanda, also known as the Land of a Thousand Hills, ‘Des Mille Collines’ in the language of the Belgian colonists that ruled the country for more than half a century and the French that came to influence much of its direction after that until… until the catastrophic genocides of the 90s. <br />
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A small country, located close to the heart of the African continent. A hilly country with hardly any flat land, hence its name.<br />
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It is not really surprising that prior to the 90s, no one really knew of this country, until the genocides put it firmly onto the world physce. The award winning film, ‘Hotel Rwanda’, which portrayed the actions of the hotel’s manager, Paul Rusesabagina, in trying to save the genocide victims, did in no small part, to spread the word of what happened in this small central African country called Rwanda to the world. <br />
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For the chance to visit this legendary hotel alone, Hotel Des Mille Collines, did I volunteer to join Linus’s side trip into Rwanda. At least it was better than hanging around Lake Bunyonyi in neighboring Uganda with nothing to do for the day while our other (more well heeled) members are looking for gorillas in the Ugandan foothills.<br />
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There is however, a catch. Unlike Kenya and Uganda, Rwanda requires Malaysians to apply for a visa AND they do not offer visa application facilities at the border (strangely, Singaporeans are exempted from getting a visa). Rather, you’d have to apply a <a href="https://www.migration.gov.rw/singleform.php" target="_blank">visa online</a> at their immigration website where you’ll be issued with a number which you will quote when arriving at their border outpost. We did not do that.<br />
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Thus, with generous doses of optimism as well as the reassurance from our Africa Travel Co. guide, John, that we’ll surely get through despite our ‘handicap’, we paid our USD50/each to cover the cost of having a driver take us into Rwanda in his car. <br />
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We departed from the Lake Bunyonyi campsite at 730am, hopping into the car driven my John’s contact, Mike. <br />
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When we reached the nearby town of Kibale, Mike switched with another guy called Milton whom we found out is going to be our ‘guide’ for the day. Mike apparently owns the car, Milton works for him. <br />
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From Kibale, it’s just a short 15 minute drive through single carriage roads to the Uganda-Rwanda border. As in previous border crossings, you’ll know you are close to the border when you see a logjam of lorries on the road. <br />
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Getting out from Uganda is easy. It’s getting into Rwanda that now proves hard. <br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><strong><em>The Rwandan entry card, for us the start of a lengthy process to get in...</em></strong> </td></tr>
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Walking across no-man’s land from the Uganda border office, we ended up at its Rwandan counterpart. Here, there are noticeably more people leaving Rwanda than entering, so the counter is remarkably ‘empty’.<br />
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Initially, the immigration officer refused to issue us a pass for us to enter Rwanda, seemingly laying to rest any hopes of us entering the country. However, that was before Linus worked his ‘magic’ and managed to convince her to reconsider (perhaps that’s the reason why I always seem to include this artistic blokes in my trips ;)). <br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><strong><em>Rwanda's National Community Service Day (Umuganda) falls </em></strong><br />
<strong><em>on every </em></strong><strong><em>last </em></strong><strong><em>Saturday of the month. </em></strong><strong><em>It's their version of </em></strong><br />
<strong><em>our own </em></strong><strong><em>'Gotong Royong' minus the </em></strong><strong><em>armed guards... o_O</em></strong></td></tr>
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The immigration officer relented and asked for our passports. From here, it’s a wait of almost 2 hours, while the officer made a number of phone calls as she flipped through our passports. We were called into the office to meet her superior after that.<br />
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Despite John’s, our guide back in Lake Bunyonyi, offer to speak the immigration officers to explain the situation on our behalf, none of them were interested to listen or even hold on to the phone to talk to him. It looks like it was left to us to get ourselves across.</div>
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The immigration officer’s superior casually asked us our purpose of visit as well as our professions and when he is satisfied, finally instructed his subordinate to issue us a ONE DAY pass, expiring at the stroke of midnight. </div>
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We thank the man before trotting out of his office to start the application. </div>
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Paying the standard USD30, we got our stamps and hopped into the car to head for the capital city, Kigali.</div>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><strong><em>Nearing Kigali, more modern buildings in sight.</em></strong></td></tr>
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It was a 1 ½ hour drive from the border to the capital, along the way we saw some very interesting sights. It was apparently Umuganda (National Community Service Day) in Rwanda and it is held EVERY last Saturday of the month. Participation is compulsory for Rwandans and on this day, shops close until about 1pm in the afternoon when the cleaning activities are completed. You can see people sweeping the roads and surroundings under the watchful eyes of the army and police. I guess it’s an apparent social experiment to foster integration among the people after decades of inter-tribal hostility. </div>
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I am told that it is even against the law to identify oneself by tribal affiliation anymore. There are no more ‘Hutu’ or ‘Tutsi’ but rather, everyone identifies themselves as Rwandan. Hmm, perhaps there is something to learn here… </div>
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In fact, a lot of East Africans I spoke to seems to hold Rwanda in very high regard. Almost everyone was praising the current government's social engineering works. It is also worth noting that it's economy is improving as well.<br />
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We arrived in Kigali at about 1pm, heading straight to the Genocide Museum to find it CLOSED! <br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><strong><em>Outside the Kigali Genocide Memorial. It's closed when we arrived</em></strong></td></tr>
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It appears that not only did we arrive on Umuganda, we arrived on the same day the top brass of the East African Community’s police force have decided to drop by at the museum for an official visit! <br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><em><strong>Operating Hours for the Kigali Genocide Memorial</strong></em></td></tr>
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We waited for almost an hour, chatting with some of the surprisingly international visitors waiting outside with us before the top brass left and we were allowed in. <br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><strong><em>Loitering around the front entrance...</em></strong> </td></tr>
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Entrance to the museum is free. However, a fee is required if you intend to take photographs. You can also hire a physical guide or settle for an audio ‘guide’ to rent. Donations are most welcomed.<br />
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We did not pay for the photos nor hired a guide. ;) We did however, put in some token donations.<br />
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Stepping into the museum, one would be immediately struck by the darkness. I guess the lack of light is to enhance the experience reading about this dark part of Rwandan history. And ‘reading’ is generally what you will be spending most of your time doing. There are many nicely done panels of narratives detailing the background of the genocide. There are a lot of references to Rwandan politicians although to a neophyte like us, one might find it a little bit confusing to keep track if you do not already have a background of the genocide. Rwandan names seem to be generously peppered throughout without first introducing them to the reader who they were and what role did they play. I won't be detailing the Genocide here in this blog. There are many better sources to gleam information of it, I'd refer you to <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Rwanda_genocide" target="_blank">wikipedia</a> for now. ;)<br />
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There were a few audio visual stations, playing pictures of the massacre along the way but what was a disappointment for me was the lack of much physical exhibits. Aside from the narrative panels, I count one old rifle and 3 machetes as display items. <br />
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Also, I sort of have this sense of ‘history being written by the victors’ as I read through the narratives. Maybe it’s not surprising because the current President, Paul Kagame, was also the rebel leader that commanded the army that swept through Rwanda that eventually ended the genocide. <br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhZTlZeXF8_Rp494QyMVUKoeycoHdUr9YWr5Pu54-wD_aHUOptmWWTWWMCDUiMnqlgv7-llOnsfW3WWs_2uLDWSYDryZY4pL9K3WduuFKFjUW5VAGbP1aXUPU-qA6-h-dwfcrjbF87QSHPM/s1600/P8251245.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="400" nea="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhZTlZeXF8_Rp494QyMVUKoeycoHdUr9YWr5Pu54-wD_aHUOptmWWTWWMCDUiMnqlgv7-llOnsfW3WWs_2uLDWSYDryZY4pL9K3WduuFKFjUW5VAGbP1aXUPU-qA6-h-dwfcrjbF87QSHPM/s400/P8251245.JPG" width="300" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><strong><em>The current President of Rwanda, Paul Kagame</em></strong></td></tr>
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Blame was placed on the Belgian colonials for creating the ‘Hutu/Tutsi’ separation while the French were blamed for aiding the discriminatory governments after Rwanda’s independence. Maybe this is one reason the present government is trying to change their present national language from French to English, or so I am told!<br />
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The second floor of the museum was divided into two segments: one, an exhibit of panels showcasing pictures of children that had been murdered in the Rwandan genocide and the other section, a general presentation of other genocides that had occurred throughout the world. Aside from the Holocaust, the Killing Fields, the Balkan Wars of the 90s and even the turn of the century massacre of Armenians in the Caucasus, I was surprised that I didn’t know anything about the <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Herero_and_Namaqua_Genocide" target="_blank">Namibian Genocide/Herero Genocide</a> perpetuated by German colonists also in the early 20th century under the command of General Lothar Von Trotha.<br />
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It took more than an hour before we finally stepped out into the outdoor courtyard of the museum. There is a genocide archive, a wifi equipped café, a souvenir shop and a memorial housing 250,000 victims of the genocide.<br />
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The archive was closed and I was looking forward to having lunch at our next stop, so I paused by the memorial to give my respects to the dead. Symbolic coffins draped in the Rwandan flag were laid in a pit beneath a glass panel. I guess the remains of the dead were buried beneath the concrete bottom of the pit that housed the coffin further below. <br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh6fjQgOxB-uBx_8h3HXzMRInlMDdyY2wYSa7diajEfHoxyUidmD406Fb7yanVLx2-hlKqT5vIPK18lAb_lOYS9noFGt7OGetAXMDnDlfmP0QPO4UqJ3OSzVJpJD1-hvo8Ib_OKMBTUWxzo/s1600/P8251235.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="300" nea="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh6fjQgOxB-uBx_8h3HXzMRInlMDdyY2wYSa7diajEfHoxyUidmD406Fb7yanVLx2-hlKqT5vIPK18lAb_lOYS9noFGt7OGetAXMDnDlfmP0QPO4UqJ3OSzVJpJD1-hvo8Ib_OKMBTUWxzo/s400/P8251235.JPG" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><strong><em>One of the Burial Pits housing part of 250,000 victims of the Rwandan Genocide</em></strong></td></tr>
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I dropped by the souvenir shop next, for the first time in this Africa trip seeing rather ‘reasonable’ prices. This was before Nakuru, I didn’t know I could get things cheaper, but then again, proceeds from the sales of the souvenirs would go to the running of the museum. <br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjy66A-W-xre3m0eyqY_i8g-nsJI7OqP7OzlUpRejtKASfoiklGdNErld39Qcz3mpiKXfBjlhQxNxJs_YO-UuxXDnear7Vfbm376w0QB36_WGtC8horeMmJidkWD3fZqIuCKMynuonHgTF4/s1600/P8251234.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="300" nea="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjy66A-W-xre3m0eyqY_i8g-nsJI7OqP7OzlUpRejtKASfoiklGdNErld39Qcz3mpiKXfBjlhQxNxJs_YO-UuxXDnear7Vfbm376w0QB36_WGtC8horeMmJidkWD3fZqIuCKMynuonHgTF4/s400/P8251234.JPG" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><strong><em>A closer look at the tomb.</em></strong></td></tr>
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I bought a wooden carving of an antelope for USD7, USD8 for a bead necklace, USD3 for a miniature Rwandan drum and USD1 for a number of Jesus figurines.<br />
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Thus, ends our visit to the museum and onwards to our next destination, the ‘in’famous Hotel Rwanda!<br />
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But first, we have to locate our driver. <br />
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Calling our driver, we were told he was conducting ‘business’ in town so we needed to ‘wait’ for him to get back for another 30 minutes. <br />
Seeing as we have nothing else to do, we descended alongside the road leading to the museum and wandered into a local supermarket. <br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhOac2f4aPChZ1vxH63i24S1dFODv5C-cd4HJ7GPd_2FBLmBeI2NpqxCBoEOEsOMFwySFUCI197ez54KrAhpSweWuD-LnuMFWckmwxzsrpihZv5suc0FAvyKtQ6sYFWaptc3xVeOojFpFmZ/s1600/P8251244.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="300" nea="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhOac2f4aPChZ1vxH63i24S1dFODv5C-cd4HJ7GPd_2FBLmBeI2NpqxCBoEOEsOMFwySFUCI197ez54KrAhpSweWuD-LnuMFWckmwxzsrpihZv5suc0FAvyKtQ6sYFWaptc3xVeOojFpFmZ/s400/P8251244.JPG" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><strong><em>Happy Shopkeepers... we left a little bit of 'Malaysia' here...</em></strong></td></tr>
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As we walked, we were greeted by stares from the locals, intrigued perhaps at our East Asian features. :) We wandered into a local supermarket at the bottom of the hill that housed the museum and bought bottles of Coca Cola to quench our thirst. Linus managed to flip out a RM1 note to hand to a grateful shopkeeper before we were whisked by our driver to Hotel Rwanda.<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhkjmseJ98SDWLtpne1jTkTqUPkRihEdil9-wszXOvtlLSMUw7JMrr1Au-xwaKAdiplDuyVFFKwzkL2Fg8vHOT_C0VU5Mm982VRTvcYabvzhh_3Zcd6xt7Pajs-VWlilAI7eLV2bGFSF99E/s1600/P8251267.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="300" nea="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhkjmseJ98SDWLtpne1jTkTqUPkRihEdil9-wszXOvtlLSMUw7JMrr1Au-xwaKAdiplDuyVFFKwzkL2Fg8vHOT_C0VU5Mm982VRTvcYabvzhh_3Zcd6xt7Pajs-VWlilAI7eLV2bGFSF99E/s400/P8251267.JPG" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><strong><em>Outside Hotel 'Rwanda' </em></strong><br />
<strong><em>(Des Mille Collines is actually a more romantised French name for the country as well, </em></strong><strong><em>so in effect, Hotel 'Rwanda' is correct translation).</em></strong></td></tr>
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Kigali, the capital, is built on a hill. There are hardly any flat stretches of road and the buildings are terraced in layers one on top of the other.<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiQnQoQeQuQRZ6ze_6cEDcfuFh_9R931BA2Ml8pzfYAgMzFOijnfdH8VVvS5v0x66UPbQzJvpUYe4miXUYnvZJmD_TPQfk8PdrKJHMn35qDZO7sBefQU6NDCWN9Rhb-yWmXl1L4KWbJtbzD/s1600/DSC_0284+%25282%2529.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><strong><em><img border="0" height="265" nea="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiQnQoQeQuQRZ6ze_6cEDcfuFh_9R931BA2Ml8pzfYAgMzFOijnfdH8VVvS5v0x66UPbQzJvpUYe4miXUYnvZJmD_TPQfk8PdrKJHMn35qDZO7sBefQU6NDCWN9Rhb-yWmXl1L4KWbJtbzD/s400/DSC_0284+%25282%2529.JPG" width="400" /></em></strong></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><strong><em>Kigali is at the background... (You know la, we being Malaysians, we HAVE to be in the picture to proof we were there, otherwise you'd think I took some picture of Kigali from the web and wrote about it... ;))</em></strong></td></tr>
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<tr><td style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhP9gDFjuDE2CH34VQNQH_bTkCsIvV3S9MYqAt1fIkVpbqPpRIiLIeP6c2Nmwq1TWdqpRN6395ccJ5tBWA6hp0rnDI7arY2L_wkqtPbgVW3Bt8RrUxjM8BeXjEE75JCWr1RK1w0mQZedY5G/s1600/P8251215.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="300" nea="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhP9gDFjuDE2CH34VQNQH_bTkCsIvV3S9MYqAt1fIkVpbqPpRIiLIeP6c2Nmwq1TWdqpRN6395ccJ5tBWA6hp0rnDI7arY2L_wkqtPbgVW3Bt8RrUxjM8BeXjEE75JCWr1RK1w0mQZedY5G/s400/P8251215.JPG" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none; text-align: center;"><strong><em>The City of Kigali, Rwanda is built on a</em></strong> <strong><em>hill...</em></strong> </td></tr>
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiM1QKnUR4kXweFjZvizzPrAwZm0btXACX3dNhHXMdMoCzIpmaSJMvJpCLUXpuFTi5w6ZCTH1ukW6sVaZdlcmJzwVvk1dpU7zHNDMLZJdPXdrBylhwn-RrFgJkb3NWDrR7VgA_FBhUY6QHz/s1600/DSC_0294+%25282%2529.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="265" nea="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiM1QKnUR4kXweFjZvizzPrAwZm0btXACX3dNhHXMdMoCzIpmaSJMvJpCLUXpuFTi5w6ZCTH1ukW6sVaZdlcmJzwVvk1dpU7zHNDMLZJdPXdrBylhwn-RrFgJkb3NWDrR7VgA_FBhUY6QHz/s400/DSC_0294+%25282%2529.JPG" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><strong><em>Houses are terraced up to cover the whole hill</em></strong></td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgEkiacScEDDZMEqY-WWUr0TjJvY59nL0LdbcoA5QOuuTZsuteQW6j8UR5KjRFN_yffmyGn6IVr5D2DEHCne7RRE565uXQbRnea1uOZ-ivTfzY_xTY8HgB5jmM3Hjz9G0rcEP5nU196yMVD/s1600/P8251210.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="300" nea="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgEkiacScEDDZMEqY-WWUr0TjJvY59nL0LdbcoA5QOuuTZsuteQW6j8UR5KjRFN_yffmyGn6IVr5D2DEHCne7RRE565uXQbRnea1uOZ-ivTfzY_xTY8HgB5jmM3Hjz9G0rcEP5nU196yMVD/s400/P8251210.JPG" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><strong><em>Rwandan Public Toilet. Don't ask me why I took a picture of it, ask Linus! He has some 'fascination' with it. ;p Did someone say that, "The state of a nation's public toilet reflects the mentality of it's people"?</em></strong></td></tr>
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Hotel ‘Rwanda’ or more accurately, <a href="http://www.millecollines.net/" target="_blank">Hotel Des Mille Collines</a>, is a 4 star hotel located in a rather posh section of the city. For room rates and booking, please follow the link above.</div>
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If you are thinking of relating the hotel you saw in the movie Hotel Rwanda to the real thing, you are in for a disappointment. The film was not shot in the real hotel for some reason but actually in South Africa. The real hotel has chosen to distance itself from the genocide, so you’d not see anything that would make reference to it. It looks like it is marketing itself as just ‘any other hotel’.</div>
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Passing through a metal detector, we headed to the famous swimming pool where there is a restaurant. </div>
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The menu does not appear to be very extensive in terms of entrees so Linus, his girlfriend, Ping and myself have to make do with what that is available. Admittedly, this would be the 1st time we’d be eating decent food in the almost 2 weeks of travelling. <br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhOXdJShza_y2zNsrIOPDj4IODLBo7i3aCQXDvapbuuq3sn7jWOQYTIhNrJoGGaUa_42x2WcgPpwdQIjs9TzPKNE219gBRGPG29sQxCq3IGjjIGCRkDYrgV1h15erxUXwY4JCQLNYYoigea/s1600/P8251250.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="300" nea="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhOXdJShza_y2zNsrIOPDj4IODLBo7i3aCQXDvapbuuq3sn7jWOQYTIhNrJoGGaUa_42x2WcgPpwdQIjs9TzPKNE219gBRGPG29sQxCq3IGjjIGCRkDYrgV1h15erxUXwY4JCQLNYYoigea/s400/P8251250.JPG" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><strong><em>The Menu at Des Mille Collines. Not many entrees. Click on the picture to zoom in.</em></strong> </td></tr>
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I ordered the ‘cannot go wrong’ Spaghetti Bolognese, Ping ordered Chicken Burger while Linus and girlfriend shared the Beef Burger. Prices were not prohibitively expensive, almost on the same level as Kuala Lumpur. The waiter however spoke French, with a smattering of English. ;) <br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgcJCoti72d_SQV-8WxVQN5Q72_RSxnKXSXY5HQuAza2HbWW88fQg0mdt5XXQ8Wwrf5ob5ulfPoFuHfX8LDnYWzbVywmYEk0JNESeBfaUk6pC7GOXN9Wm-mGM7sTNC4JHA-LhUmHR6eRgz2/s1600/P8251255.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="300" nea="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgcJCoti72d_SQV-8WxVQN5Q72_RSxnKXSXY5HQuAza2HbWW88fQg0mdt5XXQ8Wwrf5ob5ulfPoFuHfX8LDnYWzbVywmYEk0JNESeBfaUk6pC7GOXN9Wm-mGM7sTNC4JHA-LhUmHR6eRgz2/s400/P8251255.JPG" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><strong><em>My order of Spaghetti Bolognese, it feels good to eat 'proper' food... ;)</em></strong></td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg_UohGFxNpklPt_qLAExBNYz8YA8BhM5cq_8Yv8oblurP1aM-rs1v6PtwqxmvB-8Hk-kLa5visUMsmWn3wPnRJvtLNr-9pWg07xPEzNg-C2N-R8q1dxm6WvLmhJMqUTOiL_RM3_ITGdL7J/s1600/P8251256.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="300" nea="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg_UohGFxNpklPt_qLAExBNYz8YA8BhM5cq_8Yv8oblurP1aM-rs1v6PtwqxmvB-8Hk-kLa5visUMsmWn3wPnRJvtLNr-9pWg07xPEzNg-C2N-R8q1dxm6WvLmhJMqUTOiL_RM3_ITGdL7J/s400/P8251256.JPG" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><strong><em>Ping's order of Chicken Burger. Linus and Girlfriend's is the same except for the Beef Patty.</em></strong></td></tr>
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Around us were groups of mostly Europeans and one what looked like an Indian family. They might have been tourist from India but then again, there is quite a sizable community of Indians in Africa that have settled here for hundreds of years. <br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhH_M0sjIj3yd8zVwLfVQ7cAU9zkEUQujdl0wcCmF18RVSEAoOWXbmhjt19QOe8tleW94ofoIuztX7P6aAa-GRHP3M75GNpm8FoPn_XcI1NJwIbRHlq8Xv9E52v7d4emMlPjsqdFCTeIHkV/s1600/P8251249.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="300" nea="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhH_M0sjIj3yd8zVwLfVQ7cAU9zkEUQujdl0wcCmF18RVSEAoOWXbmhjt19QOe8tleW94ofoIuztX7P6aAa-GRHP3M75GNpm8FoPn_XcI1NJwIbRHlq8Xv9E52v7d4emMlPjsqdFCTeIHkV/s400/P8251249.JPG" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><strong><em>Indian family at Des Mille Collines</em></strong></td></tr>
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Now what peeked my eyebrow was that large group of Koreans that I happen to bump in the Genocide Museum though. Rwanda seems like to me, a place off the beaten trail, unless you are truly interested about the genocide.<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj6SbtofajG6bSFzaAf4XmUMsIii4FQiIHD0DoKbysTn21iQobmAmBCqQTF9RmkciHV2PMvG5pRVzCEZTOAspWHLN9nq6RRJ3RX2fuVh5YYN18NjvhcVzjLoGMYV2gJCcwyU-ycBPZtCoHZ/s1600/P8251259.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" nea="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj6SbtofajG6bSFzaAf4XmUMsIii4FQiIHD0DoKbysTn21iQobmAmBCqQTF9RmkciHV2PMvG5pRVzCEZTOAspWHLN9nq6RRJ3RX2fuVh5YYN18NjvhcVzjLoGMYV2gJCcwyU-ycBPZtCoHZ/s320/P8251259.JPG" width="240" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><strong><em>Time to chow down...</em></strong></td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhH3vVsMkvHXMew4_qeIigcbqpxkdh2IShfJkpFPen62vanEw_utKFvBNOgBjgWcLysM6y2x4X5E9TZhXj9pn9JUBD-ukzjbojH4iqt9ylB1itkvULmYsF4fkZ6elsmgx0ZwEpulybeYXaQ/s1600/P8251260.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" nea="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhH3vVsMkvHXMew4_qeIigcbqpxkdh2IShfJkpFPen62vanEw_utKFvBNOgBjgWcLysM6y2x4X5E9TZhXj9pn9JUBD-ukzjbojH4iqt9ylB1itkvULmYsF4fkZ6elsmgx0ZwEpulybeYXaQ/s320/P8251260.JPG" width="240" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><em><strong>This here is some VERY HOT chili!</strong></em> <strong><em>I want more! :D</em></strong></td></tr>
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Having had our fill, we called the waiter over for the bill. I paid in US dollars and belatedly realized my error when I ended up with a stack of Rwandan Francs. Considering that we don’t intend to stay here, that was some money I need to unnecessarily spend! <br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Rwandan Francs, about RWF650 = USD1 (Aug 2012)</td></tr>
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We moved to the shops just outside the main lobby, finding ourselves in one offering gorilla treks in Rwanda. Looking at the prices, it appears that it is more expensive than what you’d find in Uganda. It cost USD750 per head here compared to the stated USD500 in Uganda (not inclusive transport and tipping). <br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Gorilla Trek in Rwanda anyone?</td></tr>
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The sun was about to set but Linus still had just this one last place to visit before we head home. After talking to the driver, he managed to yoke out a trip to the Caplaki souvenir center in Kigali. <br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><strong><em>Outside the souvenir center. Bargaining expected, IF you know where to start...</em></strong></td></tr>
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We drove to the center and found the prices quite fitting for muzungus. :p After walking through a few shops, the driver came a calling, urging us to leave before it gets really dark. Considering the roads in Africa mostly without streetlamps, this is a understandable concern. <br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgl7noCikjMsmY8Kx3AvAUlitGOS7WWpyNzrPO2Ll8bKz_IdZD91ir4klUUpmHPqkzYHU0O2Z5q31O6M0uqZLkQ8NQuueJlwHMWsT5dRmYzsDBK-vcN7QEb0bhTwmM5wP1TiAjm5p1wxzxV/s1600/DSC_0323+%25282%2529.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="265" nea="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgl7noCikjMsmY8Kx3AvAUlitGOS7WWpyNzrPO2Ll8bKz_IdZD91ir4klUUpmHPqkzYHU0O2Z5q31O6M0uqZLkQ8NQuueJlwHMWsT5dRmYzsDBK-vcN7QEb0bhTwmM5wP1TiAjm5p1wxzxV/s400/DSC_0323+%25282%2529.JPG" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><strong><em>Sunset! Time to head home...</em></strong></td></tr>
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We therefore jumped back into the car and head back to the border. <br />
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Compared to the chilly reception we got from the Rwandans, we got an additional 2 days stamped on our passports when we asked for a 5 day visa. All this for free. Well, at least Wisma Putra seems to be doing some good. <br />
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After this is back to our camp in Lake Bunyonyi and a good night’s sleep!<br />
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Eddie Tuenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07105702091987045194noreply@blogger.com1Kigali, Rwanda-1.950106 30.058769-2.0770619999999997 29.9008405 -1.8231499999999998 30.216697500000002tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4785821961237109532.post-74245984942096853382012-10-10T14:01:00.000+08:002012-10-10T14:01:38.440+08:00Hell's Gate National Park: A Malaysian's Tale<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjxRx9LBVB8dx6ezUzk1ZaURIgcccZ-zXqia9oSV_TzQuuXg1vqxClUCf4fuKqPDW8pDqIgRPXUQQH_Rifnyeqbn4ULrz90N7wxH1ZkMkT5TQqYPK9jwjZfWipJid2r-iBU60v3Q1PWtpCT/s1600/P8310959.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjxRx9LBVB8dx6ezUzk1ZaURIgcccZ-zXqia9oSV_TzQuuXg1vqxClUCf4fuKqPDW8pDqIgRPXUQQH_Rifnyeqbn4ULrz90N7wxH1ZkMkT5TQqYPK9jwjZfWipJid2r-iBU60v3Q1PWtpCT/s400/P8310959.JPG" width="400" /></a></div>
Looking at the name of this National Park in Kenya, one would easily mistake the place to be dotted with cauldrons of molten lava spewing forth from the bowels of the Earth. Perhaps it was like this millions of years ago, but today it is somewhat geologically stable, it’s volcanic past evident but no longer threatening.<br />
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Hell’s Gate National Park is one of the smallest national parks in Kenya. Located 90km from Nairobi, it is in the Nakuru District near the shores of Lake Navaisha.<br />
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The unique thing about this place is that one can take a bicycle and ride out into the bush, without having the worry of ‘putting the pedal to the metal’ should a lion, leopard or a cheetah decides to divert from the regular menu of antelopes, gazelles and buffaloes and go after you. That’s because in this park, the big predators are caught at the borders and sent back to stalk in the Maara, providing a ‘sanctuary’ for the prey animals and adventurous bikers to roam the vast countryside. You might see some hyenas but only in the very early mornings and more likely hear them during the night, should you opt to camp there.</div>
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The experience of riding a bicycle thru the park, at close proximity to the wildlife is at once liberating and exhilarating. You no longer feel cooped up in one of those safari bus, jeeps or vans, rather you can actually feel now what the animals are feeling, the gusts of wind blowing at your face, the warmth of the afternoon sun and the soft crunch of tall grass beneath your feet (watch out for the stray animal poo though). You can try to get as close as you can to the wildlife as they allow you to, but don’t make sudden movements or do anything threatening lest you start a stampede. <br />
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The rental for the bicycle, guide and accompanying park fees cost me USD50 through arrangement by Africa Travel Co. Separately, the fees (accurate as per 2012) are broken down as…<br />
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a) Adult Non Resident Pass - USD25<br />
b) Cycling Pass - KSH100 ~ USD1<br />
c) Bicycle Rental - USD15<br />
d) Guide Fee - USD9
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><strong><em>Tickets to enter the park... visitor pass and bike entry pass</em></strong></td></tr>
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It’s the last day of my sojourn through Africa and many of us were tired (and perhaps running out of cash), so for this biking outing into the bush, 3 others from our group decided to go; the Linus couple, Ping and myself. The rest decided to stay back in camp. <br />
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The bike ride started at 8:00am just outside the camp we were staying for the night, Crayfish Camp, located on the shores of Lake Navaisha. Here, we met our guide, Peter, a young man 24 years of age.<br />
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The place we were staying, Crayfish Camp, offers rather decent housing with the option of camping out on the field as I did the night before. For this last night of the trip, I am planning to stay in one of the twin bed chalets for about KSH3,200 (USD40). <br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><strong><em>The Twin Bed Chalet at Crayfish Camp, I must say it is pretty good... ;)</em></strong></td></tr>
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The bike ride to the park from the start point took about 20 minutes, a short stint on the main road (watch out for the cars and matutus) before a right turn at the junction leading to a gravel road that connects to the park entrance. </div>
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At the junction there appears to be some shops offering more bicycle rentals as well as guides for hire. If you had not done so already, perhaps it is a good place to check out prices.<br />
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We stopped at the park entrance for our guide to do the proper formalities. Large signboards displaying park instructions and maps are placed strategically around for the idle biker to browse. <br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><i><b>Front office for the Hell's Gate National Park, please register here... ;)</b></i></td></tr>
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After a brief rest of about 15 minutes, it’s back on the road into the park proper. <br />
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The first major land feature we encountered was the tall rock spire known as ‘Fisher’s Tower’. Formed by cooled magma millions of years ago, it is actually the stack that we see today after it's volcanic sides eroded away ages ago. As to it's namesake, legend has it that a certain Englishmen named Fisher, climbed this ‘tower’ after one of his encounters with the native Maasai. Today and at the time of visit, it is still being climbed by ‘muzungus’ for a decent fee (USD15) of course. Ropes, cables and harnesses are provided. We paused here to catch our breath before continuing down the road towards the next office inside the park.</div>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><i><b>Fisher's Tower... watch out for crawling 'muzungus'... ;)</b></i></td></tr>
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High rock cliffs flank the left and right side of the road as we move in. At the same time, animals such as zebra, Thompson gazelle and wilderbeast along with the occasional wild boar make an appearance. I am told by our guide, that during World War II, Kenyan soldiers were made to climb the rock cliffs as part of combat training, today it is the home for vultures and eagles, centuries of bird droppings forming patches of white on the limestone walls. <br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><em><strong>Pausing by the road to view the limestone cliffs.</strong></em> </td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><em><strong>A giraffe up close!</strong></em></td></tr>
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We paused a few times, stepping onto the side of the road and walking into the bush to get close to the animals to grab some pictures. At least you get to be in the same picture frame as the animals.</div>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none; text-align: center;"><i><b>Zebras!</b></i></td></tr>
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However, there are times that you do need to stop by the side of the road but this time not to take photos of the wild life but rather to avoid being run over by those huge tractors that seem to ply the dirt roads in the mornings. Judging by the big ploughs attached to the underbellies of these metallic monsters, I would surmise that they are for leveling the roads.<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiAXPiybLwnrAw34scnq35mfhEd-GuGv2Y9XrgvN5mcLP4xt13077bFUw5qmxbwEK_PH4AzH28DjJqjzpdGrSDwgA98AD8pzT9mjKwdxL1SiOuB-Vz_R-M-qC0wmfPDrKYrzwwDPiOGrcla/s1600/P8310977.JPG" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiAXPiybLwnrAw34scnq35mfhEd-GuGv2Y9XrgvN5mcLP4xt13077bFUw5qmxbwEK_PH4AzH28DjJqjzpdGrSDwgA98AD8pzT9mjKwdxL1SiOuB-Vz_R-M-qC0wmfPDrKYrzwwDPiOGrcla/s400/P8310977.JPG" width="400" /></a></div>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none; text-align: center;"><i><b>There be large tractors plying the roads... beware lest you get run over!</b></i></td></tr>
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Also, you have to watch out for the one or two land rovers driven by muzungu tourists… looks cool and all but, the fact that they drive on the other side of the road in their home countries requires one to be a little bit cautious.</div>
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The view around is spectacular. The classical view of Africa, that lone acacia tree, growing by the dirt road in the savannah flanked by tall cliffs is HERE! Not for the first time, the sight of it knocked the sense back into me that I am really in AFRICA! :D <br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none; text-align: center;"><b><i>The iconic acacia tree, the hills, the dirt road, the grasslands and my bicycle... This is truly AFRICA! :D</i></b></td></tr>
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Along the way we were joined by this girl from Canada. I thought it was a ‘passing’ phenomenon but Linus, being the chatty person that he is, invited her to ‘join’ us, conveniently leaving out the fact that our guide was PAID by us. The girl tagged along, firing questions at our seemingly friendly guide.<br />
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The park is also home to a Geothermal Power Station, we passed by a branch on the road leading to it. <br />
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At length, we arrived at the other office within the park where we have to leave our bicycles. This is where we commence our next section of the journey, the hike into Hell’s Gate Gorge. Of course formalities need to be observed and Peter did the necessary by identifying us to the rangers stationed at the office. <br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><em><strong>The Ranger's Office</strong></em></td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><strong><em>Group photo at the Ranger's Office close to the start of hiking trail. Our Canadian tag-along in green.</em></strong></td></tr>
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The rangers are very friendly. One of them introduced himself as Jackson. Sadly, he has only a vauge idea of where my beloved country, Malaysia, is on the world map. :)<br />
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There is a decent looking toilet located outside the office and I took the liberty to peruse it finding it not bad by African standards. </div>
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With necessary arrangements complete, the guide motioned us to follow him, although I was initially puzzled as to why we were diverting from the noticeably obvious arch that should signify the start of the trail. Instead we plunged into a creek, negotiating between tall grass and rocks in the process. When asked, I was told by the guide that this is the ‘start’ of the trail and the one with the arch was the ‘end’. Well, he is the guide after all.<br />
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<i><b>The arch that I thought was the entrance, turns out we made it into the exit... ;)</b></i></div>
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We followed him soon finding ourselves flanked by high rock walls on both sides.<br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none; text-align: center;"><i><b>Millions of years of geological data can be found here in them walls... </b></i></td></tr>
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If the scenes here look somewhat familiar, it is because these are the inspiration for the artists that drew the gorge in the Lion King, where the villain Mufasa gets trampled by a horde of wilderbeast fleeing from a flood (so I am told). :p <br />
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<i><b>Tis here is where Mufasa was trampled... ;)</b></i></div>
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And mind you, the threat of drowning in a sudden surge of water is very real, despite the seemingly dry surroundings. Peter told us that a few years ago, a couple of children drowned within the gorge when rain water further up suddenly flooded it, the children having no ability to scale up the high rock walls. </div>
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Halfway into the side gorge, we saw what was labeled as a ‘volcanic plug’ which is really solidified magma that has formed in the shape of the shaft that contained it. Over millions of years, the surrounding crust that formed the shaft eroded away, leaving only a long ‘thin’ cylinder-like shape that is now the volcanic plug. A smiliar process is what formed Fisher's Tower as well.<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhwB_fCXpgKMTptBoMuYPlChxjZFhMf9ofnkozJRyLGr-5Zm7zR0xxe6nRIt-GBQQLymQM1noPx2ShKMPR_zcyMXAnrKDviGgy3kC5Rw0wyJ0ZRuLPmkH1Vbm_AINRgx7nn29Zejocg8BGt/s1600/P8311056.JPG" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhwB_fCXpgKMTptBoMuYPlChxjZFhMf9ofnkozJRyLGr-5Zm7zR0xxe6nRIt-GBQQLymQM1noPx2ShKMPR_zcyMXAnrKDviGgy3kC5Rw0wyJ0ZRuLPmkH1Vbm_AINRgx7nn29Zejocg8BGt/s400/P8311056.JPG" width="300" /></a></div>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none; text-align: center;"><i><b>The Volcanic Plug... </b></i></td></tr>
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It is somewhere around this area that Ping, lugging his two HUGE DSLR cameras somehow lost his footing and scratched himself on his knee while miraculously protecting his very expensive cameras from damage. After expressing concerns that he ‘might not be able to walk(?)’ or ‘pedal(?)’, his wounds were administered by none other than our provocateur director, Linus, in which after a generous application of H2O2, we continued on the journey to the Devil’s Bedroom at the end of this side gorge.</div>
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The Devil’s Bedroom was basically a dead end. Surrounded on all three sides by high rock walls and shaded by the sun, it appeared as a rather nice place to take a rest. At least until the flood waters come and there is nowhere else to escape. Perhaps that’s why the ‘bedroom’ earned the word ‘Devil’s’. There is however this conspicuously looking rope dangling by the side of a rock wall when we arrived. Peter said, it is possible to climb up over the rock wall but from my reckoning it you'd really have to be EXTREMELY FIT and AGILE to do that. Linus had that glint in his eye that told me he was very tempted to do just that, fortunately for us, that glint 'faded' almost immediately. :) </div>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><strong><em>Sleeping in the Devil's Bedroom, hope the 'host' is not home...</em></strong></td></tr>
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We lingered around taking some pictures not missing the prominent signage proclaiming the place’s name before we head back to the main gorge. <br />
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We returned to the volcanic plug where we paused to take pictures of the ‘Central Rock’, now somewhat prominently featured on the return journey. <br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><strong><em>The impressive looking Central Rock</em></strong></td></tr>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgvEEhOdwx2i87dDr_JJ87gkObgDzgNIbprJToM-KXvqcJdH8Q1H2IjsjUe1IZX5Mivuz1XlHbzo-6uYYSLdmCCt-VwoWFVu2WRCUyjjKPC8fOHc1PVTqFVuzT-U7TYwnzAbwyewBJDA1JA/s1600/P8311067.JPG" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgvEEhOdwx2i87dDr_JJ87gkObgDzgNIbprJToM-KXvqcJdH8Q1H2IjsjUe1IZX5Mivuz1XlHbzo-6uYYSLdmCCt-VwoWFVu2WRCUyjjKPC8fOHc1PVTqFVuzT-U7TYwnzAbwyewBJDA1JA/s400/P8311067.JPG" width="300" /></a></div>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none; text-align: center;"><i><b>Yes, it's a somewhat 'bent' sun warrior... ;)</b></i></td></tr>
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As we trekked back, the wind brought whispers of a language I have not heard since I left Malaysia almost 2 weeks ago, CANTONESE! Three middle aged Chinese women, along with their guide were negotiating their way through a small gap in the rocks and reflexively, I greeted them ‘Zou San’ (Good Morning in Cantonese). ;)</div>
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<i><b>Negotiating thru the small 'gap' in the rocks... and no, that's not the 'aunties' from Hong Kong, It's Ping. :)</b></i></div>
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Hearing a familiar greeting made them light up and I paused for a while to chat with the ladies who are on a holiday from Hong Kong. On hearing that they’d be going to the Maasai Mara next, I gave them a friendly heads up, that is to watch out for the ‘souvenir selling segment’ of the Maasai Village visit. That’s where they will separate us into the different huts and then ram down our throats VERY EXPENSIVE trinkets (opening price up to USD50/each) for us to buy on pain of ‘insulting’ the hospitality of our hosts. Well, it's really up you but if I want to do a 'donation' at least, I'd prefer to do it sincerely, instead of being coerced. :p</div>
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Bidding them goodbye, I joined the rest at the intersection between the side gorge and the main gorge. <br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><strong><em>The view of the main gorge... hot water flows under our feet...</em></strong></td></tr>
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Here, sulphur laced hot water flowed from between stones, heated by volcanic magma deep beneath the earth. </div>
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<i><b>Feeling the hot water... and yes, I couldn't resist the temptation to wash my face with it... ;) </b></i></div>
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A herd of goats skirted along the sides to avoid the afternoon sun. We paused for pictures before Peter urged us to move on.<br />
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A little ways down the gorge, Peter motioned us to move to the side, climbing up one of the ‘emergency’ escapes to the top of a rocky outcrop. </div>
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The view up here was stunning. A good section of the park can be viewed along with the gorge below. Another tower of rock loomed in the distance and Peter pointed out the outlines of a ‘cave’ on a far distant rock face. Apparently, that cave can also be visited although it would take a few more hours to trek from the place we stood to the cave and back. </div>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><strong><em>Stunning view of the gorge</em></strong></td></tr>
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The sun was already at its zenith and the heat was starting to build up. The locals have somewhat anticipated the regular arrival of tourists at this viewing point and have set up makeshift stalls to sell trinkets and Africa’s favorite drink, Coca Cola.
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><b><i>Finally! Coca Cola, Africa and ME! ;) </i></b></td></tr>
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Giving up to the urge to quench my thirst, I resorted to getting me a bottle. Having bought my souvenirs earlier on in Nakuru, I skipped the trinkets. </div>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><em><strong>Going 'native' at one of the trinket shops, after the locals have left.</strong></em> </td></tr>
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After taking our fill of the view as well as the photos, Linus forwarded a rather halfhearted case to proceed to the cave at the far end of the valley. Feeling a little tired from the heat I suggested we skip that in which he surprisingly agreed. He however, descended back down to the gorge floor along with his girlfriend and our Canadian tag-along. Our guide, Peter followed while Ping and I remained up at the outcrop.</div>
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A short while later, our Canadian friend suddenly returned, hastily bidding us goodbye and saying that she is heading back by herself. I was somewhat surprised until Linus returned to tell us that the guide asked her for some money for what she thought must be a ‘free’ tag-along. Her abrupt haste meant she refused to give any. </div>
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From this point, we headed back but not before Linus decided to ‘paint’ my face with some ochre which he found at the base of the gorge. </div>
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On this day, the 31st of August 2012, is the 55th anniversary of Malaysia’s national day, and Linus and girlfriend did not miss the chance to make a political statement. Selamat Hari Merdeka! :D<br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none; text-align: center;"><i><b>Selamat Hari Merdeka! </b></i></td></tr>
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The walk back took us to that arch which I had thought was the start of the trek. We skipped moving through the gorge and walked along a dirt road back to the ranger’s office. Along the way, I picked up some obsidian stones, that were scattered conveniently all over the place. </div>
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I took the opportunity to bite into some cheese I had brought from the plane as we stopped at the park to catch our breath. We also decided to give our guide a USD3/each tip for services rendered. </div>
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After this, we reclaimed our bicycles and rode into the grasslands. </div>
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If you want to get a tan, now is the best time. All along the way there is nary any shade and the bicycle ride took us about 45 minutes to reach the front office, inclusive of time pausing again to take pictures of the animal herds that dot the landscape. Thankfully, those menacing tractors that plied the roads in the morning were now gone although there were still a dogged group of muzungus clambering up Fisher’s Tower in the fierce afternoon sun, seemingly oblivious of the heat.</div>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><strong><em>Laying in the grass on the vast plains of Africa! What a dream!</em></strong></td></tr>
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The front office has a souvenir shop which we visited, finding once again very expensive souvenirs. Postcards here costed KSH50 while T-shirt prices range from KSH600-KSH1000. We did not buy any but instead settled for another round of drinks again. I avoided Coca-Cola, settling for a pack of Lucozade (KSH50) instead. Linus had another swig of Coca Cola and Ping had Africa's own Tangawizi for KSH50/each.</div>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><strong><em>Need Buffalo?</em></strong></td></tr>
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Outside there was this huge skull of a buffalo mounted on the wall. I took a picture of it before heading out back to Crayfish camp and the promise of a warm, cozy bed for the night! </div>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><strong><em>Sitting outside the verandah after a long bike ride... now this is the life... :)</em></strong></td></tr>
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Overall the trip to Hell’s Gate National Park was wonderful! It was a great experience finally freeing oneself from the confines of the safari bus. The bike ride through the park makes it all the more unique and for me, wading through the tall grass, feeling the rush of wind in through my hair, makes this African experience all the more REAL. A definite recommend for anyone visiting Kenya! :D The relatively short distance (90km) from Nairobi also makes it easily accessible as well. </div>
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Until next time, Safari Njema! ;) <br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none; text-align: center;"><strong><em>A Bike Safari is definitely a recommend! :D</em></strong></td></tr>
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Eddie Tuenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07105702091987045194noreply@blogger.com0Hell's Gate National Park, Olkaria Route, Kenya-0.8761727 36.3172993-0.9396802 36.2383353 -0.81266520000000009 36.3962633tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4785821961237109532.post-81687016009166264992012-06-29T11:54:00.002+08:002012-07-01T01:30:14.362+08:00Walking the Torq on Gunung Kinabalu Via Ferrata<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiJX7RuOVh4-SFuhe2FisLTj268PiorX-2Vsy_HpWNlMeor8BpHrDakEu0po03FR-HMbAAeMab_sPSwOsSzc6o63uB7z8bygKwXaUac6m3qi9UNYRH-XYtBTEIZPDfyxR7ji0ay21p7AhzT/s1600/Mountain+Torq.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="235" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiJX7RuOVh4-SFuhe2FisLTj268PiorX-2Vsy_HpWNlMeor8BpHrDakEu0po03FR-HMbAAeMab_sPSwOsSzc6o63uB7z8bygKwXaUac6m3qi9UNYRH-XYtBTEIZPDfyxR7ji0ay21p7AhzT/s400/Mountain+Torq.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
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9th June 2012, my second time standing on the summit of Mount Kinabalu, world heritage site and arguably the highest mountain this side of South East Asia at 4095m above sea level. My hike up from the base camp at Laban Rata, about 2.7km away and 3270m above sea level took about 3 ½ hours, the lower levels of oxygen and pitch darkness not helping. <br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><i><b>Sunrise on Kinabalu...</b></i></td></tr>
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By 5:30am, we can already see the first haloes of light that preceded the rising sun, such as it is here in the most Easternmost state of the Federation of Malaysia with clocks generally set to the same time zone as the federal capital, Kuala Lumpur, 1679km away over the South China Sea. I was halfway up the final outcrop of rock to Low’s Peak then, huffing and puffing in the thin air. <br />
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But this blog entry isn’t about my hike to the summit of Kinabalu, rather it is going to be about the trail down or more accurately the DETOUR down VIA FERRATA. :)<br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><b><i>Conquering Kinabalu for the 2nd time! :D</i></b></td></tr>
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Touted as the highest cable and rope trek at 3776m above sea level, the two circuits on Kinabalu currently available at the time of writing is managed by a company called <a href="http://www.mountaintorq.com/">Mountain Torq</a>. <br />
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These circuits are the lengthy 'Low’s Peak Circuit' at 1.2km and the relatively shorter 'Walk the Torq Circuit' at about 430m. Mountain Torq has an office down at the Kinabalu Sanctuary Lodge Main Office area although walk-in requests to join a tour can be quite impossible judging by the trek’s increasing popularity. It is best that you make a reservation 6 months in advance.<br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><i><b>The circuits offered for Via Ferrata. We took the long orang line, Low's Peak Circuit. The green represents the shorter Walk the Torq circuit while the blue is the 'traditional' route up and down the summit of Kinabalu.</b></i></td></tr>
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For this trip, my friend Yee Wei booked us with a tour agent in Kota Kinabalu that arranged for a 3D2N package. Total cost for the whole thing is about RM1179 (not inclusive of flight) and heavy up front payment (>70% in my case, 6 months before the trip) is required for confirmation.<br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><b><i>Price List displayed for the Circuits as well as some souvenirs ;) (Correct at time of visit, please call to confirm) ;)</i></b></td></tr>
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The cost seems a far cry from the RM500+ I paid 5 years ago in my first attempt at Kinabalu. However there was no Mountain Torq then although my package did include Padas River and Poring Hot Spring Visit aside from the compulsory Kinabalu climb (Mesilau and Timpohon routes). Admitedly, prices for Kinabalu packages have skyrocketed in recent years for a host of reasons. :p<br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><i><b>Mountain Torq's office at the Sanctuary Lodge, Kinabalu. </b></i></td></tr>
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For adventurers already booked with their package, lodging is provided by Mountain Torq's very own Pendant Hut hostel in Laban Rata. Spartanly arranged, expect to sleep on bunks with thin mattresses with thermal sleeping bags to keep you warm (surprisingly very effective!). <br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><b><i>Spartan trappings for the night, sleep tight and hope no one snores... ;)</i></b></td></tr>
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The electric heaters for showers works intermittently and are not very reliable, bathing in icy cold water is a distinct probability. Also, the hostel seems ‘unheated’ (indoor temperatures around 9oC) so bring some sweaters and warm clothing, just to sit in the mess hall.<br />
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<span style="font-size: x-small;"><i><b>Inside the Pendant Hut. Notice the strong wind and rain outside... Brrrrr....</b></i></span></div>
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Dinner is provided at Laban Rata, which requires a walk down wooden steps from the Hut in the open freezing air to get there. If it rains, good luck! :D Bring a poncho with you on the way up just in case (an umbrella wouldn't work due to the very strong winds).<br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><i><b>Dinner at Laban Rata, after walking through driving FREEZING rain!</b></i></td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><i><b>To their credit, the food at Laban Rata Restaurant has improved VASTLY! :D Other necessities can be obtained at their convenience store located in one corner of the restaurant (at slightly higher prices of course!)</b></i></td></tr>
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Breakfast and Lunch will be at the Pendant Hut and features baked beans, sausages and toasted bread accompanied with some peanut butter and fruit jam.<br />
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Timetables are followed very strictly when it comes to the initial course briefing as well as the beginning of the actual trek. Participants are warned that their trek can be easily forfeited should they fail to attend the course briefing held at around 3pm the day before the trek or if they are late arriving at the start point of the mountain circuit the next day. No refunds are apparently given. Penalties will be charged if you are late checking out. <br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><b><i>Briefing at Pendant Hut conducted by your friendly neighbourhood guide... Don't miss it!</i></b></td></tr>
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Thus as I basked at the ‘triumph’ of conquering Kinabalu once again, half of my mind was already thinking that it was time to hurry down before we missed the boat.<br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><i><b>The start point for Low's Peak Circuit</b></i></td></tr>
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By the time I got down to the start point from the summit, about 1.2km away, it was already 7:15am in the morning. At this point in time, I was still recovering from the early morning hike. 2 other friends (Eu Jin and Terence) were with me out of our initial team of 11 that summitted Kinabalu early in the morning. The rest were either still struggling up the final stretch, sitting at the top taking photos or descending the summit somewhere behind.<br />
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By 730am, we were joined by two others, the trip organizer, Yee Wei and his friend. :)<br />
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We suited up, myself following what I have learnt from the briefing session the day before, although the guides were quite helpful in tightening up all those straps and making sure everything is properly mounted. <br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><b><i>Yes, it's safe... :D (Unless if you are some </i></b><br />
<b><i>suicidal crazy)</i></b></td></tr>
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There are three fail-safes. Aside from the two carabiners attached securely on the worn harness which will be attached to a steel cable later on, there is an additional sturdy climbing rope also tied on to the harnesses of all participants. This rope will be looped around the steel rings (pre-)rammed into the solid granite wall of the mountain. So, if someone is to be so absent minded as to not hook the two carabiners onto the steel cable and fell, there is this still last length of rope tied to the group which will arrest their fall. Of course, at least one member of the group should have their carabiners similarly hooked onto the cable for the formula to work. Unless everyone (including the guide) is high on something and all didn’t do the needful, then the result would be a great red smear on the bottom of the mountain. :p <br />
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We were split into two groups. One consisting of Yee Wei and his friend, while my group consisted of Eu Jin, Terence and myself. Each group has a guide acting as the ‘anchor’. <br />
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We had to nominate a ‘leader’ for each group, whose responsibility aside from defying ‘death’ is to be the first in our train and therefore responsible to loop the rope around the series of steel rings running the length of the circuit at spaces of approximately 3 meters.<br />
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Having finally strapped on our helmets and taking the necessary pictures, we then moved to the edge.<br />
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The start of the Low’s Peak Circuit is dramatic, a 600m drop welcoming us just a few meters from the start point. It was so dramatic, that one of my group, Terence, loss heart and requested to be ‘relieved’ of his harness and gear. He opted to return back to Laban Rata the traditional way. That left Eu Jin, myself and our ‘anchor’ Ah Liow (he is Kadazan Dusun (I think) by the way).<br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><b><i>Yee Wei and friend going over the 'edge'. Notice the steel rings for footholds. ;)</i></b></td></tr>
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Two other members of our group arrived just as Terence got himself out of his gear. It was pass the 730am start time and although his withdrawal necessitated a minor reformation of the community rope and group arrangement, pleas from the two to join Eu Jin and I were flatly refused, the guide citing 'policy'.<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhbypEu_6uOe5ekmlITPCa175w3Upqtnh5cXk40i01Nw2p-oz_BTsMlG_hJ3kYZ5grnIagjqGgXABe968_bq1dJk6g93V3rxhANnAOjuH9p6PTckrHfEppmHxqt08xZAIQkhG1ttca3Dj37/s1600/IMG_0026.JPG" style="clear: left; cssfloat: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhbypEu_6uOe5ekmlITPCa175w3Upqtnh5cXk40i01Nw2p-oz_BTsMlG_hJ3kYZ5grnIagjqGgXABe968_bq1dJk6g93V3rxhANnAOjuH9p6PTckrHfEppmHxqt08xZAIQkhG1ttca3Dj37/s400/IMG_0026.JPG" width="300" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">He'll be climbing down the mountain when he comes... :)</td></tr>
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Eu Jin and I soldiered on, the other group consisting of Yee Wei and friend already moving down the vertical wall of the mountain. At first it was indeed daunting. I was thinking it was going to be some abseiling thing all the way down the 600m vertical wall until to my relief, I saw metal footholds also hammered in on strategic points. But mind you, they are not there ALL the time. At certain points, it will be literally the bare rock wall against the sole of your shoe so make you have a GOOD shoe for the descent. Slippers/sandals are NOT ALLOWED (You’ll never make it pass the guide anyway). I also emphasized the ‘GOOD’ in the shoe as you don’t want your sole peeling off halfway down. You’d really going to suffer if it happens as the leverage would then have to go to your arms and shoulders for support. Also, despite the brochure saying that you should be above 1.3m tall to do the circuits, I felt the spacing of the footholds might be tad bit wide, requiring a 5'10" guy like me to still do an occasional little bit of yogic 'stretching' to reach the next foothold.<br />
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After a while, the initially complex process of looping the guide rope around the steel rings, transferring each carabiner over the ring by unhooking it from the steel cable and the rehooking it on the same cable on the other side of the steel ring becomes second nature. You’d have plenty of practice because on the entire length of the circuit there would probably be hundreds of times to do this.<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhVUCYZP2SPDCGQLW-OKBYT_0Ysuzr4V-QqoYzKf5Cz2PMMoSWyHloLnnLPcqxJbIwDp1REoj5MqlrTMha1V_JnpcTO0eWJZtF8G7oFKr-u2QS6XGOt1MFzcuspayjwGa_RnjdTDTz5Xyjp/s1600/IMG_0018.JPG" style="clear: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhVUCYZP2SPDCGQLW-OKBYT_0Ysuzr4V-QqoYzKf5Cz2PMMoSWyHloLnnLPcqxJbIwDp1REoj5MqlrTMha1V_JnpcTO0eWJZtF8G7oFKr-u2QS6XGOt1MFzcuspayjwGa_RnjdTDTz5Xyjp/s320/IMG_0018.JPG" width="240" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Horizontal movement...</td></tr>
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The view is of course breath-taking. At this height, Laban Rata lodge would be the size of your handphone if not hidden by the occasional cloud that rises from the ground below. On a good day, the valley beyond Kinabalu can also be seen (the town of Ranau and Keningau) as well as distant Kota Kinabalu. Of course, a clear unobstructed view also means no shade or protection from the blazing sun.<br />
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You will be sun burnt and you will get dehydrated as the rising sun directly shines on this side of the mountain. Sun tan lotion is recommended while bringing at least enough water via either a hydration pack or a small container is a necessity. A small 500ml bottle might just be enough for the first segment before reaching a small pool lower down to replenish it with mountain ‘dew’… er water. ;)<br />
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After the first ‘plummet’ of 600m, the trek changes direction to skirt horizontally around the side of the mountain. It then resumes the drop, ending under the shade of a mountain ‘forest’ located on a ledge. There were perhaps a couple spots on the trail (which is nothing more than a ledge on the mountain side) for real rest but when it does come, it’s a welcome relief and a good opportunity to sip some water. <br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><i><b>Taking a break by a ledge. Time to whip out the camera...</b></i></td></tr>
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There is of course two lengths of ‘bridges’ to contend with before reaching the forested shelter. The first was fashioned from steel ropes and a wooden plank, it is way easier to cross than the second one which is similar to one on the Walk the Torq circuit. :p That one consists of 3 steel cables. Two at shoulder level, one at the bottom for foot travel. ;) <br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiBF7otSDraavut4deCExzXQIaNUtA0GyeXQaKOcRrrEdNwnoH9jAEaufseCb1StDN525QQ60a5XuUY6LbPkNhNQD2tUMiHKbbekiPeBGOrpleeBTBZIIM2IeNDgukPuARpwRYFwghB81MG/s320/IMG_0023.JPG" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;" width="240" /></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><b><i>Crossing a 'bridge'... this was the EASY one</i></b></td></tr>
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It took us almost 3 hours to finish the first segment of the Low’s Peak Circuit, which is literally the climb down from the start point to the mountain forest below. In retrospec, my thought was that the first segment was a tad bit too long prior to a break. <br />
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The mid morning sun was already high and the thin air combined with the rising heat can take it’s toll on already tired bodies. We took a brief 30 min break before trekking thru the forest, rope removed, carabiners stowed away and harness still worn. Our destination, another length of cables and rings, the link to ‘Walk the Torq’ circuit. There are no ‘escape routes’ if you want to ‘skip’ this section. Apparently, once you go down the path, you are committed to finish it, all the way. :p ;)</div>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhAJE8ywjycRwgAP9iy8Ju8A6bX1nVzTeNvsI-Z_O6DXZ0k-avQ-jSL6wh01y9Bw6Ss3cdXhfv4qhfAuo20NdCSfnE08Y6IXBRvaatVujBW8x_8SRRoOJ0OfsAG_OdAiv6NMvYHR3gFhOVo/s1600/IMG_0027.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhAJE8ywjycRwgAP9iy8Ju8A6bX1nVzTeNvsI-Z_O6DXZ0k-avQ-jSL6wh01y9Bw6Ss3cdXhfv4qhfAuo20NdCSfnE08Y6IXBRvaatVujBW8x_8SRRoOJ0OfsAG_OdAiv6NMvYHR3gFhOVo/s400/IMG_0027.JPG" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><b><i>Vertical Limit: Tranversing over a flimsy cable of the 2nd 'bridge'.</i></b></td></tr>
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Trekking through the forest isn’t really your walk in Gasing Hill Park either. In fact you’d have to contend with low hanging tree branches, entangling roots and loose boulders as you literally scramble down the mountain. Crouching, crawling, balancing and squeezing through tight spots would take up most of the ‘trekking’ than mere ‘walking’.<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhsqrgI52LNEp7Hz_NHmq0-PF1IUAkOJ6DShgEEFwmHwe6fM46d28Tty_qyZ68yAwrdJ9byWc9SRp3sdq_DZmSWw2b8wLdoB6S-UtcyVIyWJfUIdfo2krBgT6bggV5JSu7QNhsgh2lwMLsI/s1600/P1010752.JPG" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhsqrgI52LNEp7Hz_NHmq0-PF1IUAkOJ6DShgEEFwmHwe6fM46d28Tty_qyZ68yAwrdJ9byWc9SRp3sdq_DZmSWw2b8wLdoB6S-UtcyVIyWJfUIdfo2krBgT6bggV5JSu7QNhsgh2lwMLsI/s320/P1010752.JPG" width="240" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><i><b>'Jungle Trek'?! More like Commando crawl!</b></i></td></tr>
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The good news is that there is a water hole on the trek, just before the start of the next segment. Resembling some Eastern <span style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 12pt;">Mediterranean oasis, it is a welcomed relief.</span> Here, you can refill your canteen, water container or hydration pack with mountain water if you are not adverse to drinking the untreated stuff. :p ;) If you are, prepare to bring MORE when you start.</div>
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I was actually moaning at having to do another circuit when I saw the sun baked side of the mountain that we have to negotiate before the finish line. I had taken off my heavy leather jacket when a gust of chilly wind blew up clouds of mist from the valley dropping the temperature down again significantly. I put my jacket back on, knowing that once strapped, it will be neigh impossible to take it off (safely).<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiR_eixKOUYQNxQaKjuZgIFA4VAFFXSqejFNtvrf8-x1qjdz9yNeb3mYSvQrNb7OBE9fyzjnpTZ2YL6l9FAIkKofnQu-wziDaTMtZLBWnzptWSr8EnWDpSr1UBMdvLg56IlXAglKhNC-Byj/s1600/P1010753.JPG" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiR_eixKOUYQNxQaKjuZgIFA4VAFFXSqejFNtvrf8-x1qjdz9yNeb3mYSvQrNb7OBE9fyzjnpTZ2YL6l9FAIkKofnQu-wziDaTMtZLBWnzptWSr8EnWDpSr1UBMdvLg56IlXAglKhNC-Byj/s400/P1010753.JPG" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><i><b>Clearing the forest section of the circuit and viewing the 'Walk the Torq' segment...</b></i></td></tr>
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For the next segment, I took the lead from Eu Jin on the recommendation of the guide. Not sure if it’s lack of oxygen or the loss of a sole from one of his boots, but he has been fumbling with the ropes a little earlier on. ;)<br />
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We moved, the prospect of seeing our journey’s end spurring us on. On this trek, there were a few branches that led back up the mountain. Those are for the people taking the ‘Walk the Torq’ circuit exclusively, the way up for us was the way down for them on the main trek. I believe their start point was an hour later from ours around 830am. The guide pointed us to continue the right way. <br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi81jMV5T5b-618Y8AAOtDrguRmiU__YDYHID0g2AdD_N_rlJtImDo7rNFMCxn5NybuW56t-7uOxFF_uvOqSZXPKc9j7s6zOjDEVDLpuKrIiH2Dnu-MFBknAxsPQrGrzxG6BkvmxVm5jn3g/s1600/IMG_0012.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; cssfloat: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi81jMV5T5b-618Y8AAOtDrguRmiU__YDYHID0g2AdD_N_rlJtImDo7rNFMCxn5NybuW56t-7uOxFF_uvOqSZXPKc9j7s6zOjDEVDLpuKrIiH2Dnu-MFBknAxsPQrGrzxG6BkvmxVm5jn3g/s320/IMG_0012.JPG" width="240" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><b><i>Yee Wei skirting around the mountain</i></b></td></tr>
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Once more we skirted around the mountain horizontally. There appears to be more ‘aids’ here than on the previous segment, long hand bars making an appearance on the mountain wall. Ah Liow taught us a method of hanging back and letting the harness shoulder the weight of our bodies instead of pasting ourselves to the rock wall, greatly aiding our movement. <br />
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By the time we reached the ‘bridge’ on this trek, I was dog tired. :p<br />
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As mentioned above, it consisted of just three steel cables, one on each side at chest level and a single one for footing. It was not easy to cross. In fact I was supporting myself with my arms and shoulders so as not to slip off the single tightrope. <br />
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The end of the trail was in sight a short while later, almost 5 hours from the start of hike. It actually connects with the traditional way up the summit at the point where wooden staircases led up from the huts and lodges of Laban Rata. <br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjgObhAXC6ERx8NZdqL17CET1hNCq4BXp_9BPRi5JWwc-psqjePFgm4QRGoIVvDXbQFOZfN3MkQ49qqtP-IdsM6MfoTLu-Bvmv30taCg4dqPYbtYmP-LgMNiDBsAR-3J6My6APDIMehR5ug/s1600/IMG_0033.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjgObhAXC6ERx8NZdqL17CET1hNCq4BXp_9BPRi5JWwc-psqjePFgm4QRGoIVvDXbQFOZfN3MkQ49qqtP-IdsM6MfoTLu-Bvmv30taCg4dqPYbtYmP-LgMNiDBsAR-3J6My6APDIMehR5ug/s400/IMG_0033.JPG" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><i><b>Yee Wei and friend at the exit...</b></i> </td></tr>
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Eu Jin and I finished the trek, reaching the welcomed shelter of trees from the beating warmth of the afternoon sun. We removed the ropes and handed it to Ah Liow, although we had to bring our harness, carabiners and helmet back to Pendant Hut on our own.<br />
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By the time we reached Pendant Hut, the others that couldn’t make it to the Low’s Peak Circuit (losing a few hundred bucks in the process) was gone, already moving down the mountain to meet up with the van that will ferry us all to Kota Kinabalu for the night. There is a checkout time for the hut, failing which there will be penalties paid for every hour stuff are left behind in the room. Ours, because we took the longer route was 11:30am, but even with that additional ‘allowance’ we returned to the hut only at 2:00pm. Fortunately, our friends have helped us packed up and moved our bags to the mess hall.<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi-FZ-KD7YzI57Jkj98_21Om2Zf7WjHUnIOBN8kgsa0zkCId8ahUN05D7ImQmTIJgpQWmbnwqRvsb7RrYYUciUhBeOhywsIKr7Tik-vVMvLXrSR-Z2PrCS_LbFdxs7IXxWMVUhNw1d7L6Od/s1600/P1010667.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi-FZ-KD7YzI57Jkj98_21Om2Zf7WjHUnIOBN8kgsa0zkCId8ahUN05D7ImQmTIJgpQWmbnwqRvsb7RrYYUciUhBeOhywsIKr7Tik-vVMvLXrSR-Z2PrCS_LbFdxs7IXxWMVUhNw1d7L6Od/s400/P1010667.JPG" width="300" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><b><i>Resting in the mess hall after a strenous climb... :) "Boss! Teh tarik satu?"</i></b></td></tr>
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We wolved down our lunch of toasted bread, sausages and baked beans. By 3pm it was time to push off, a little late really to leave Laban Rata for Timpohon Gate since sunset arrives earlier here at 6:00pm. It was a race to the bottom not only to beat the sun but for me exclusively to also catch the flight back to Kuala Lumpur at 10:45pm. Unlike the others, I will not be staying the night in Kota Kinabalu.<br />
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Leaving my bag to the porter and carrying a small bag, I literally flew down the mountain to arrive at Timpohon Gate at 5:45pm. From there it is an additional 2 hour drive through a single carriageway to the airport. <br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgNS6MZVwiczc8uK7XaDVXxLoYQ6ayaNFTm36yw0NsyPqEyjy26eLA-WsSPrraMd7A1_WJ-QfpJ6qGH0tuCDcP1XfvWMaz7loS8qB8ndRWOFMD5aLkrZ4oGLbWNKZOiCSXW6VEyANrIKwuz/s1600/IMG-20120610-WA0001.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgNS6MZVwiczc8uK7XaDVXxLoYQ6ayaNFTm36yw0NsyPqEyjy26eLA-WsSPrraMd7A1_WJ-QfpJ6qGH0tuCDcP1XfvWMaz7loS8qB8ndRWOFMD5aLkrZ4oGLbWNKZOiCSXW6VEyANrIKwuz/s320/IMG-20120610-WA0001.jpg" width="240" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><i><b>The Reward for all the HARD</b></i> <i><b>WORK!</b></i></td></tr>
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Now back to Via Ferrata :). <br />
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Unless you are in really good shape, I would consider adding an additional night in Laban Rata, either to do the summit trail and Via Ferrata on the same day and rest a night before descending OR doing the summit trail and Via Ferrata separately in two days, the last day descending back to base camp. <br />
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Doing the summit trail and via ferrata together might be risky though, testament to the 7 other friends of mine who could not make it on time to the start point at 730am for the Low’s Peak Circuit. They were of course of various fitness levels ranging from didn’t train in any significant way prior to our trip to somewhat regular weekend jungle trekking (Apeh Hill) in the last few months. Even if all of us made it to the trek, a single person with a muscle cramp on the Low’s Peak Circuit will significantly delay the rest as most of us would be tethered to one another. Time will be at a premium especially if failing to meet the schedule might incur hefty penalties or cancellation of subsequent plans. Keep in mind, guides do charge ‘overtime’ fees if they have to spend time with you after the sun sets on the trail out.<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhtdOrj7iWR8i2staFdI49b2vxDVUnDpcvnmPVD88zAOJ57sMKl6hs2THm-9MHvpG6v8PBUXybHIu_0U08g__Ugco-IgXFKMAm7e5OEAsns7zQQnFYy-fajNdaF0e_Np1RceMw0owESg2oO/s1600/P1010565.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhtdOrj7iWR8i2staFdI49b2vxDVUnDpcvnmPVD88zAOJ57sMKl6hs2THm-9MHvpG6v8PBUXybHIu_0U08g__Ugco-IgXFKMAm7e5OEAsns7zQQnFYy-fajNdaF0e_Np1RceMw0owESg2oO/s400/P1010565.JPG" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><i><b>Nothing beats eating Maggee Curry in the cold weather! :D Yummm...</b></i></td></tr>
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Overall, it was a very interesting and exciting detour from the usual hum drum of the trek down the summit. It is however, extremely challenging especially if you intend to complete the summit trail and then go down to the base camp on the same day! A healthy awareness of one’s physical as well as mental health is important. This is NOT skytrek (in Shah Alam). ;)<br />
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Until next time... "Selamat Mendaki!" ;)<br />
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</div>Eddie Tuenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07105702091987045194noreply@blogger.com1Mt Kinabalu, Kota Belud, Sabah, Malaysia6.074544 116.562725.948228 116.4047915 6.2008600000000005 116.7206485tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4785821961237109532.post-38641469802191644672012-03-24T21:39:00.025+08:002012-03-27T17:13:43.458+08:00Lata Kedondong 2012: The Return<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiPrvrD3hGkXgi1BNbwEaiCY_YXp5DgnePZ8jahxn5YH1EOnRU0yQmmwh89CPV6eRsKkqDgFLe6aXoXuHIPNDG635yGkCsZ88ygdqKjR1s-fkH-x5TX4GccnberEyw5gk-z8jOHq0QEcnA3/s1600/P1000884.JPG"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 400px; height: 300px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiPrvrD3hGkXgi1BNbwEaiCY_YXp5DgnePZ8jahxn5YH1EOnRU0yQmmwh89CPV6eRsKkqDgFLe6aXoXuHIPNDG635yGkCsZ88ygdqKjR1s-fkH-x5TX4GccnberEyw5gk-z8jOHq0QEcnA3/s400/P1000884.JPG" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5723473249096129682" /></a>Yes, we returned to Lata Kedongdong once more, first time in 2012, after quite a while. :) <br /><br />Gathering a posse of 17 people, we congregated at Devi's Corner TTDI to pay 'homage' to it's roti canai, roti telur, telur setengah masak (most of the time) and teh tarik, filling up our energy stores before the commencing hike. <br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiNCsc1scrcUtj7pYngACLpJD90Fzqj7qLa4gNRn1hxe_TjvHxDqZhSdaH97u9GPEhCFQEG2rzHvOqeAqDyUceOlOh43kGM2-HB9YhpFdw01JEiEFtnSZR2W57JLPGdeI6Ff8NP1dDzit6I/s1600/P1000838.JPG"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 400px; height: 300px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiNCsc1scrcUtj7pYngACLpJD90Fzqj7qLa4gNRn1hxe_TjvHxDqZhSdaH97u9GPEhCFQEG2rzHvOqeAqDyUceOlOh43kGM2-HB9YhpFdw01JEiEFtnSZR2W57JLPGdeI6Ff8NP1dDzit6I/s400/P1000838.JPG" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5723475431920743218" /></a><div align="center"><em>Breakfast at Devi's Corner, TTDI</em></div><br />Taking off after our 'expert' commando navigator, Dennis Teh, arrived 30 minutes AFTER our scheduled departure, we head off first to Desapark City, doing a few merry go-round turns before finding our 'Princess' Wai Wai standing at a different guardhouse from the one we thought we would find. :p ;)<br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEizQLPwTwvr4tBwnPb_3-c171QCDrdyWhrXISLv3uHivL_RxHho3talp065nwGhEwRdzjsHVuOv35-V_e85TCRygSg1o683nZVlGde3NTfO7etOaWpDloo-3U46XoaFsf46kAOVdQwnrrE8/s1600/P1000867.JPG"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 300px; height: 400px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEizQLPwTwvr4tBwnPb_3-c171QCDrdyWhrXISLv3uHivL_RxHho3talp065nwGhEwRdzjsHVuOv35-V_e85TCRygSg1o683nZVlGde3NTfO7etOaWpDloo-3U46XoaFsf46kAOVdQwnrrE8/s400/P1000867.JPG" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5723489059973619298" /></a><div align="center"><em>Princess Leia, er... Wai Wai ;)</em></div><br />Needless to say, our FIVE car convoy couldn't maintain 'shield' integrity and so we ended up separated into three groups, all heading in the general direction of Ulu Yam. Offhand, I would like to thank my very patient participants, because despite the round and round turns, they have the supreme patience not to complain about it when we finally arrived at the destination (well, at least not in front of me of course)... ;) Haha!<br /><br />Taking the MRR2 road with Vit Ping the only person skillfully steering his steed behind me, passing over the flyover at Kepong roundabout in the direction of the Batu Caves temple, we took a left turn just before the temple at a junction with the words 'Ulu Yam' printed (Route B22). We linked up with Teoh san's Honda Accord in the town on the road to Empangan Batu (Route B23). We are starting to gather 'lost sheep'... ;)<br /><br />We passed Empangan Batu (Batu Dam on Route B23 -> B57), intermittent phone coverage granting us a brief opportunity to locate the other two cars in our earlier FIVE car convoy. They were behind us in Batu Caves town when were were passing by the Empangan Batu's romantic blue lake. :)<br /><br />We reached Ulu Yam Baru town about 20 minutes later, following signboards to Batang Kali (Route B57) from there. Once we exited the town, it didn't take long before we found the signboard pointing towards Genting, about 6km from Batang Kali. We turned into the road (Route 66).<br /><br />Caution is advised when travelling on this road. It is winding and there are many blind spots. And like it's famous cousin in the US, it is also famous for those people with a need TO speed. FAST cars (ie: Ferraris, BMWs etc) and Mat Rempit convoys ply up and down the route, the winding roads a 'test' to hone their skills on the highways of Malaysia (to the detriment of us all citizen drivers) :p. Of course our navigator, Mr. Dennis still have fond <a href="http://thequantumsingularity.blogspot.com/2009/05/deja-vu-impak-maxima.html">memories</a> of this stretch of road... ;)<br /><br />We reached the parking lot of a recreation park located about 20.5 km from Genting. Time check: 1030am. ;) The park is very well managed and clean, the toilets suitable for post trip baths and apparently now maintained by a keeper who would appreciate a 'contribution' of RM0.30 for upkeep of the toilets. :)<br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh4ygaX6gsxJLDwuCrjsrHZKJ0xNbuyCQOBoxuV1m5zlKvYeNSSu_sAiPCUonoaMGsVRSfGpaF8jVZikZsRgBzeWRYu_68hUI5MyLabvPFrzp777YvVQu-mAIkaTm6HZyQurQR8BZ7gsOKl/s1600/P1000843.JPG"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 400px; height: 300px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh4ygaX6gsxJLDwuCrjsrHZKJ0xNbuyCQOBoxuV1m5zlKvYeNSSu_sAiPCUonoaMGsVRSfGpaF8jVZikZsRgBzeWRYu_68hUI5MyLabvPFrzp777YvVQu-mAIkaTm6HZyQurQR8BZ7gsOKl/s400/P1000843.JPG" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5723478960880369970" /></a><div align="center"><em>At the Car Park, waiting for cars #4 and #5... :)</em></div><br />After docking our three trusty 'steeds' at the car park, it was time to catch up with the two other cars. Informed that they went ahead to Batang Kali for a petrol stop, they finally linked up with us at the car park at 11am. Well, I guess it's still morning. <br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEid7BuU2Y40LtWTw5o6IvCR2jPIALkfW99c1KXtH23wvXEHgnoTyvvgtlbxNv8z2FyGLUbNW1jumOnxG5O1GwEC4freTCU03xkmL9cLNMVGrKhFPIm4OnzcbskXD0AUe8CffAxO7KaBzcsI/s1600/P1000846.JPG"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 400px; height: 300px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEid7BuU2Y40LtWTw5o6IvCR2jPIALkfW99c1KXtH23wvXEHgnoTyvvgtlbxNv8z2FyGLUbNW1jumOnxG5O1GwEC4freTCU03xkmL9cLNMVGrKhFPIm4OnzcbskXD0AUe8CffAxO7KaBzcsI/s400/P1000846.JPG" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5723473268041514674" /></a><div align="center"><em>A large gathering... :) Definitely the biggest group I have brought to Lata Kedongdong... :)</em></div><br />After a customary group photo, we heaved anchor and cast off, in search of the staircase located at edge of the park that led to the jungle track and Lata Kedongdong beyond! <br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhyqoXFkWm19E-fEgd1rs6nS3w_d_pJBS-_OnZXcZnJrElu7YOI7f_5gxdZV8TpBY_QYeGsvpZOWA8g1HefkZC73iwzZwdPUdFT-f1Pw5_cfttxwDQspuS-zzqmSn5I32q8SO0H-MbdmME9/s1600/P1000847.JPG"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 400px; height: 300px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhyqoXFkWm19E-fEgd1rs6nS3w_d_pJBS-_OnZXcZnJrElu7YOI7f_5gxdZV8TpBY_QYeGsvpZOWA8g1HefkZC73iwzZwdPUdFT-f1Pw5_cfttxwDQspuS-zzqmSn5I32q8SO0H-MbdmME9/s400/P1000847.JPG" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5723475438962192370" /></a><div align="center"><em>And we are off! :)</em></div><br />As before, the staircase and cement trail only went about a few meters before petering out to jungle track. And again, if you are not really observant, it would seem like there are seemingly a few 'tracks' heading in generally the same direction. Well, one rule of thumb when tracking on this trail, keep the stream and the road between you and you will never go wrong. ;)<br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjcML4pvbw7bBifi9B9Pd2UY5OtUrXJtfMmF6pY5bY4mdSvWIvvUrHU_p69tUafzCNjXCjWo94Dx_QrO8GyO91reFxZBZiXwj1nMHyh5DtLECADg9XzWe2mktXF2de2MZpOHKQzFW5z8bjE/s1600/P1000850.JPG"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 400px; height: 300px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjcML4pvbw7bBifi9B9Pd2UY5OtUrXJtfMmF6pY5bY4mdSvWIvvUrHU_p69tUafzCNjXCjWo94Dx_QrO8GyO91reFxZBZiXwj1nMHyh5DtLECADg9XzWe2mktXF2de2MZpOHKQzFW5z8bjE/s400/P1000850.JPG" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5723478976268236866" /></a><div align="center"><em>The stream that links with Sungai Batang Kali</em></div><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjxUhkLxElNP-Z2Rk5aiduXA3mTUKolcfef7tNU-IXkN5gspSp4wykiGiYw8Zfn3AT_oX6-NhzzKjuB-EdyhsX3lfpmqZaFFghHLUPJudPmjVI_IzZY9bW2_K3YlvXpTpWfREAyk2MGwdrD/s1600/P1000849.JPG"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 400px; height: 300px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjxUhkLxElNP-Z2Rk5aiduXA3mTUKolcfef7tNU-IXkN5gspSp4wykiGiYw8Zfn3AT_oX6-NhzzKjuB-EdyhsX3lfpmqZaFFghHLUPJudPmjVI_IzZY9bW2_K3YlvXpTpWfREAyk2MGwdrD/s400/P1000849.JPG" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5723475447609150674" /></a><div align="center"><em>The jungle trek begins...</em></div><br />You can choose to do a 'river track' but I haven't done it before myself, although I have heard others do. However, judging by the size of some boulders in the stream, I would presume it to be a little 'tough' to scramble over them boulders. <br /><br />At length, we reached a point where we had to negotiate up the side of a boulder close to the falls. Protruding tree roots offer good foot and hand holds although Dennis's boy scout rope was a welcomed relief for those not so 'initiated' in the art of jungle trekking. ;) The alternative over climbing up this 'high point', is to circle around it in a slightly longer and rather branch entangled route. Not really recommended. :p<br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiILWDdUR3V8qDvjOx0ucOoMcU-aDDeOfLFS23x7lW1QVExZmUiQVUKVivtlN4clJ6Lh8tRuKVSgUbTe-hU-42WzF-oBLgQlGJtJkDc2Yywuyk0tY1rsVsvIwcTuYaVIGvwLHuxyW2HJpxN/s1600/P1000893.JPG"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 300px; height: 400px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiILWDdUR3V8qDvjOx0ucOoMcU-aDDeOfLFS23x7lW1QVExZmUiQVUKVivtlN4clJ6Lh8tRuKVSgUbTe-hU-42WzF-oBLgQlGJtJkDc2Yywuyk0tY1rsVsvIwcTuYaVIGvwLHuxyW2HJpxN/s400/P1000893.JPG" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5723473260082341682" /></a><div align="center"><em>For the 'uninitiated', a good sturdy rope is always better than trying to climb slippery rock (or in this case, boulder) faces... :)</em></div><br />We arrived at Lata Kedongdong approximately 30 minutes after leaving the car park. I almost couldn't recognize it this time around. :p<br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEieehjJqUoJhxSTCwIrQp7-CNFgGMwUbryFo3RQ5Acxsdy-IpucN2ZayuHsrdy-S6zOlDAhgPNuPLhGu_fQgYrFa0TjZL2cTzW-u59ilFQnPmaRyNZfTXWuzNAIyK9rcJ6MrjPSGr742dui/s1600/P1000859.JPG"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 400px; height: 300px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEieehjJqUoJhxSTCwIrQp7-CNFgGMwUbryFo3RQ5Acxsdy-IpucN2ZayuHsrdy-S6zOlDAhgPNuPLhGu_fQgYrFa0TjZL2cTzW-u59ilFQnPmaRyNZfTXWuzNAIyK9rcJ6MrjPSGr742dui/s400/P1000859.JPG" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5723478987905469874" /></a><div align="center"><em>Arrival at Lata Kedongdong, 2012</em></div><br />For one, there is this huge tumble of bamboo spread across the outflow of the pool fed by the waterfall, inadvertently raising the water level of the pool and making the water look 'greener'. <br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhRU68abXyidIRRLou1C-i0TfceYQowU_7KsUta4STpr7yr7bbx6a0dmsMZ_4o7bVHUCeMM1o5r-AmP76T3cqOgcnPDj-rSbYCXR0D5OAEInCwgkcydLS7XLvaXB2IbUS6fbs7cr-nigahB/s1600/P1000883.JPG"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 400px; height: 300px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhRU68abXyidIRRLou1C-i0TfceYQowU_7KsUta4STpr7yr7bbx6a0dmsMZ_4o7bVHUCeMM1o5r-AmP76T3cqOgcnPDj-rSbYCXR0D5OAEInCwgkcydLS7XLvaXB2IbUS6fbs7cr-nigahB/s400/P1000883.JPG" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5723481274631787474" /></a><div align="center"><em>The bamboo tumble covering the pool outflow, 2012. Water is slightly greener... :p</em></div><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhu93Q3AeKBJoW6kNDO9J5UtTuUHxPt-uGBYsfD6HZmrpzSajvS-meHwYbpFvT1BXbpev6n8LHxZlCovfjWGYcAW8ns1H_qnsz9w5wCnWzltHycaPcipZfLRGPxL-9ZxC96_sxBw-RE8IGe/s1600/P5170128.JPG"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 400px; height: 300px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhu93Q3AeKBJoW6kNDO9J5UtTuUHxPt-uGBYsfD6HZmrpzSajvS-meHwYbpFvT1BXbpev6n8LHxZlCovfjWGYcAW8ns1H_qnsz9w5wCnWzltHycaPcipZfLRGPxL-9ZxC96_sxBw-RE8IGe/s400/P5170128.JPG" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5723481285050599602" /></a><div align="center"><em>The clearer, 'cleaner' version we discovered in 2009</em></div><br />Despite it being almost noon, the area was still cool and the air pretty crisp. <br /><br />There is also some form of bamboo 'shelter' located close to the track when we came in, no doubt set up by people with the intention to spend a night here without the hassle of carrying a tent. :p<br /><br />We dropped our bags and head to the cool waters of the pool. The initial plunge was met by still 'icy' cold water although as our bodies adjusted to the temperature, swimming in it becomes bearable. ;) <br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjkZ46Lfs6zHcxxSvAKZtIGzmJHCQWKVO_JGMaoGZ5XymsDd42fyk1syDpjMrqtOQ22xapqehQTjAGMhfe0ccTmAJboXsgcrOmOHHgz8ghMVlEfeZpWf21JNIICmPEhe94fvB2ZfY8d9tkN/s1600/413550_10150886003743986_803018985_12824214_727941360_o.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 400px; height: 241px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjkZ46Lfs6zHcxxSvAKZtIGzmJHCQWKVO_JGMaoGZ5XymsDd42fyk1syDpjMrqtOQ22xapqehQTjAGMhfe0ccTmAJboXsgcrOmOHHgz8ghMVlEfeZpWf21JNIICmPEhe94fvB2ZfY8d9tkN/s400/413550_10150886003743986_803018985_12824214_727941360_o.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5723485601456117938" /></a><div align="center"><em>Wading into the pool :). That's what we came here for isn't it? :)</em></div><br />As mentioned before, the raised water levels has deepened the pool at its center and although there is no detectable current there, it is more than 2.5 meter deep. Caution is strongly advised when swimming. Closer to the waterfall and towards the outflow, the current becomes stronger and now with the fallen bamboo tumble 'shrouding' the point where the water tumbles down from the pool, the seemingly stable waters just before the tumble might hide an underwater 'vortex' that can potentially suck a swimmer under and trap them between the boulders underneath. Keep away from the outflow! :p<br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh0yZrgkRLL7ZE-W15IeIVmGcT_qqc72x6gFpTB5XABWzWfUmJ2eU5StdDnbsFQGDM2AOw5aZkMMEQ-hjHB8JhVzDOrCJUvKxj_uGpVoNgmBC4H4EpxToJ4H6zVBahY_rhq_67bC2ey1mLz/s1600/P1000886.JPG"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 400px; height: 300px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh0yZrgkRLL7ZE-W15IeIVmGcT_qqc72x6gFpTB5XABWzWfUmJ2eU5StdDnbsFQGDM2AOw5aZkMMEQ-hjHB8JhVzDOrCJUvKxj_uGpVoNgmBC4H4EpxToJ4H6zVBahY_rhq_67bC2ey1mLz/s400/P1000886.JPG" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5723485607327804594" /></a><div align="center"><em>The piles of boulders below the pool...</em></div><br />Once more, Dennis and Aaron explored the area above Lata Kedongdong, skirting along the slippery rock incline next to the falling waters. Again as before, there really isn't much aside from a small pool and a minor cascade. They lingered there for a moments before joining the rest of the group below.<br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhG3n9pBiPIqPLByRMbV92C0m01QDCHQ8Bl37DEPdwyw-XtoNe2sRtxn1-jSzIEIHwSFfW2jQESZlN4zOwOo_0BZEJ6AaObntIiAJPTThj6oS1klM-hN3CR1ou_SIWZMoeXgSn2bZMJNIrL/s1600/P1000875.JPG"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 400px; height: 300px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhG3n9pBiPIqPLByRMbV92C0m01QDCHQ8Bl37DEPdwyw-XtoNe2sRtxn1-jSzIEIHwSFfW2jQESZlN4zOwOo_0BZEJ6AaObntIiAJPTThj6oS1klM-hN3CR1ou_SIWZMoeXgSn2bZMJNIrL/s400/P1000875.JPG" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5723487225215106994" /></a><div align="center"><em>A new yoga pose from Aaron? Must be back breaking! :p</em></div><br />Some of us didn't join in the 'fun' of swimming, preferring to keep their clothes firmly on their backs. ;) Questions as to 'why' they don't want to indulge in our little habit elicited a rather 'coy' answer in the guise of, "Oh, I didn't read the part about bringing spare clothing" and "Ah... next time." :) Ah well, as the saying goes, "Render upon Caeser..." ;)<br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgGbwITIAhBp2sb_qz77xOWSWGyo1M44V4okV5rGGORkaLZCxMpU7d882H2mVN9fUzfYHH-V2IClYiJ6-98HQ5tdPzRv8HpkYisTnFhpHtAJ42isgpuhPPvFASvhlkyYZGnr8rxGD9kquqs/s1600/P1000864.JPG"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 400px; height: 300px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgGbwITIAhBp2sb_qz77xOWSWGyo1M44V4okV5rGGORkaLZCxMpU7d882H2mVN9fUzfYHH-V2IClYiJ6-98HQ5tdPzRv8HpkYisTnFhpHtAJ42isgpuhPPvFASvhlkyYZGnr8rxGD9kquqs/s400/P1000864.JPG" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5723484090421247218" /></a><div align="center"><em>Presenting: The Non Waterfall Bathers (NWBs). :)</em></div><br />After spending 1 hour and 15 minutes at the falls, it was time to head home and to look for lunch! ;)<br /><br />We packed our stuff, taking time for one more group photo. <br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjBPsHU5ovmZk_T_NjCyrelTC3Pog-RtAgUxz9n7uTuV31T7Ect9-WzZM-kuzhialpwiCEW49TbrnJQGC2Q93jyj13xkGREmodIXr21vAjqc7X7TI2uObrSLfcuahxf-2uCx_ipeTItRgrw/s1600/P1000888.JPG"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 400px; height: 300px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjBPsHU5ovmZk_T_NjCyrelTC3Pog-RtAgUxz9n7uTuV31T7Ect9-WzZM-kuzhialpwiCEW49TbrnJQGC2Q93jyj13xkGREmodIXr21vAjqc7X7TI2uObrSLfcuahxf-2uCx_ipeTItRgrw/s400/P1000888.JPG" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5723484104908630210" /></a><div align="center"><em>Group photo before we leave...</em></div><br />After that its a short trek back to the car park, a brief shower before going over to Ulu Yam for a taste of its famous Loh Mee! :D<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh2qNA_BqyN0FHJsBd6ZjIG4Ge64TP7AyoufSuX34fSXttrt4jZ5gQhuz0wRWK7T-Dyjv_kThclk6OCeNKRfMs9xrHlM0X0EM4BuiEADIYsziUL4nMuwHNWhCVbaCmVlKcRPrJ2F5MdgA_n/s1600/P1000915.JPG"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 400px; height: 300px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh2qNA_BqyN0FHJsBd6ZjIG4Ge64TP7AyoufSuX34fSXttrt4jZ5gQhuz0wRWK7T-Dyjv_kThclk6OCeNKRfMs9xrHlM0X0EM4BuiEADIYsziUL4nMuwHNWhCVbaCmVlKcRPrJ2F5MdgA_n/s400/P1000915.JPG" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5723487216816826898" /></a><div align="center"><em>One of Ulu Yam Lama's famous loh mee... Mmmm... ;)</em></div><br />Overall, Lata Kedongdong is still a nice place to swim, albeit one has to be a little bit more careful this time. A short relatively easy hike from the car park and a nice cooling dip awaits. Well worth the LOOOOONNNNGGGGG drive from civilization... ;) Till the next adventure! ;)<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg0kzALgGz36lOqVvJ3-os88cC7D8TzHsduL8oEf0_gJKUhXG2K_NA_vZ6gRuVA5XxDUPiaKAcwCard3zLJSv2uG1wToGInDwGKAVumtwVmaad9rTW3GX_GocIRCd1Mzio178B2pIzY_Eru/s1600/P1000903.JPG"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 400px; height: 300px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg0kzALgGz36lOqVvJ3-os88cC7D8TzHsduL8oEf0_gJKUhXG2K_NA_vZ6gRuVA5XxDUPiaKAcwCard3zLJSv2uG1wToGInDwGKAVumtwVmaad9rTW3GX_GocIRCd1Mzio178B2pIzY_Eru/s400/P1000903.JPG" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5723485613586590898" /></a>You're welcomed to read my last documented visit of Lata Kedongdong <a href="http://thequantumsingularity.blogspot.com/2009/05/lata-kedondong-hidden-treasure.html">here</a>. ;)<br /><br />The car park on km20.5 Ulu Yam -> Genting can be referred for below, ah the perks of modern technology... :)<div align ="center"><iframe width="425" height="350" frameborder="0" scrolling="no" marginheight="0" marginwidth="0" src="http://maps.google.com/maps/ms?msa=0&msid=200228859698631150311.0004bbff468b50d834a12&ie=UTF8&t=m&z=17&output=embed"></iframe><br /><small>View <a href="http://maps.google.com/maps/ms?msa=0&msid=200228859698631150311.0004bbff468b50d834a12&ie=UTF8&t=m&z=17&source=embed" style="color:#0000FF;text-align:left">Car Park and Start Point to Lata Kedongdong Falls</a> in a larger map</small></div>Eddie Tuenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07105702091987045194noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4785821961237109532.post-92224175097505296412012-03-19T14:26:00.017+08:002015-05-03T22:48:42.753+08:00City Square Shooting Gallery: My Date with Smith & Wesson<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjemva6KOZetqwGSmv6CkQ3ifbxBHO5Yx8D25jM7aynceRAJ6D5fwJ0PaFdfpIy3W-zQpBi7WAAODtcHXKjrwN5ZKVJV_IcGtbSgF_PnST0OBvNPW4NdWuVxcknLGXffAD-YwoI3s0JPS8W/s1600/160320121317.jpg"><img alt="" border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjemva6KOZetqwGSmv6CkQ3ifbxBHO5Yx8D25jM7aynceRAJ6D5fwJ0PaFdfpIy3W-zQpBi7WAAODtcHXKjrwN5ZKVJV_IcGtbSgF_PnST0OBvNPW4NdWuVxcknLGXffAD-YwoI3s0JPS8W/s400/160320121317.jpg" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5721491674823610322" style="cursor: hand; cursor: pointer; display: block; height: 300px; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; width: 400px;" /></a>What do you do on a Friday night?<br />
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Well, while others are favoring the drinking holes and clubs in and around KL, I chose to do something a tad bit different this time.<br />
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It’s my 2nd half day Friday since my company (now Aker Solutions ;)), started the 4 ½ day program and I took the opportunity to make a beeline from Pavillion Towers located at the heart of KL to Segambut before the hordes of KL-ites head to their cars and clog its myriad roads!<br />
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Now, what am I doing in Segambut? <br />
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Well, I am off to City Square Shooting Gallery! :) <a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiZyeC4NqlSxVVBZEMjhjs0KJ6ulDIWtO4AefMZZA6VE3AT3uqecL0m-aQY3OYvkFkceO0k3eV_zuU0wf5up7RXtF56G3cL2ifPUqHGR4YzTMoHZsO_t-Kvd-Gh46K7GXPUoRIVqAhjETxZ/s1600/160320121306.jpg"><img alt="" border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiZyeC4NqlSxVVBZEMjhjs0KJ6ulDIWtO4AefMZZA6VE3AT3uqecL0m-aQY3OYvkFkceO0k3eV_zuU0wf5up7RXtF56G3cL2ifPUqHGR4YzTMoHZsO_t-Kvd-Gh46K7GXPUoRIVqAhjETxZ/s400/160320121306.jpg" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5721491657660531602" style="cursor: hand; cursor: pointer; display: block; height: 300px; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; width: 400px;" /></a><br />
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<em>The main lobby at the shooting gallery</em></div>
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Now, this shooting gallery isn’t the same thing as you would find in some circus booth firing those spring loaded shooters that spew out lame rubber plugs, this is the REAL thing, that is REAL guns and REAL ammo. <br />
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Unlike the US, where they have the 2nd Amendment to the Constitution that legalizes the ‘right to bear arms’, in Malaysia, it is completely illegal to own a firearm without a license on pain of imprisonment (max 14 years), whipping (not less than 6 strokes) (Firearms (Increased Penalties) Act, 1971, Section 8) or even (gulp) DEATH (Internal Security Act 1960, Section 57)!<br />
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So with these types of punishments in mind, it’s no wonder shooting galleries here are a rarity if not completely unheard of. <br />
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Therefore it was quite a bit of luck that I stumbled upon this Groupon that offered a one session of Handgun Training for Two Persons (50 rounds) for a rather reasonable price of RM225. Having seen a few people putting up facebook photos of themselves firing handguns at other shooting galleries, I have asked and been told that you need to get a ‘membership’ to do so. And mind you, memberships don’t come cheap. I was informed by someone (namely Sharon Choong :p) that it could easily cost RM10,000+ to be a member at a certain shooting range in Subang and another hefty sum to maintain the membership annually. So for RM225 to get a ‘feel’ of shooting a handgun, I think it’s quite a steal!<br />
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Aside from the Groupon offer, City Square Shooting Gallery does offer ‘walk-in’ as well as ‘membership rates’. Member prices are about 40% cheaper than walk-in rates although you’d have to pay an initial RM2,000 membership application and RM600 annual fee (2012) first. For a walk-in session, the price would be around RM450, counting gun rental, booth rental, ammo and the expertise of an instructor. In all cases (including using the Groupon), you’d still need to have your background checked AND cleared by the Royal Malaysian Police (PDRM) before they allow you to hold a firearm. Expect 2-3 weeks for that to happen.<br />
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After contacting the gallery and stating my intention to redeem the Groupon, I was given an application form to fill as well as required information to submit for the background check (namely a Photostat copy of your identification card (I.C.)).<br />
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I was also asked to state my preferred time slot to do the shooting although you do have to take into account the 2-3 weeks vetting process when you want to choose your date with the Smith & Wesson. ;) City Square Shooting Gallery is open everyday except Tuesdays and Public Holidays. <a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgJ0PdebVifOqlrfq8qBZO9Nn4UqEGSHVUb7o8-WahYyzffUAUeE2o0MrjyfY3iiHazzpQy7cHGscDMrqCxckApKUuK5yDhEYMI_yMmedcXlIqIyzrmYL4C49Y_n-Ichyphenhyphengr-8zm_y6L-8pw/s1600/160320121307.jpg"><img alt="" border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgJ0PdebVifOqlrfq8qBZO9Nn4UqEGSHVUb7o8-WahYyzffUAUeE2o0MrjyfY3iiHazzpQy7cHGscDMrqCxckApKUuK5yDhEYMI_yMmedcXlIqIyzrmYL4C49Y_n-Ichyphenhyphengr-8zm_y6L-8pw/s400/160320121307.jpg" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5721493106913654818" style="cursor: hand; cursor: pointer; display: block; height: 400px; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; width: 300px;" /></a><br />
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<em>City Square Shooting Gallery's Operating Hours</em></div>
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After a two week wait, I was contacted by the Shooting Gallery and our date is set. :)<br />
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Arriving at the gallery for the 6:30pm appointment, I was met by their friendly staff (who incidentally works as a bodyguard) who passed me another form to fill prior to the start of training. You’d have to pass your IC to them to verify you are whom the Police have cleared from being some kind of criminal or Al Qaeda terrorist. :p<br />
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiut53RirLCCnX0Cvkovz_pvQq7p0o8ES3I6msRdh79DBEm6eGJrHUe4aBv_MXpq8lmKz48ETruRTeI_WRP1NWDe_grv8fJ09G250gdZ2mM75sT_RcWI-4JbMqY_p1z6jrlvjRFow5-V-pn/s1600/160320121312.jpg"><img alt="" border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiut53RirLCCnX0Cvkovz_pvQq7p0o8ES3I6msRdh79DBEm6eGJrHUe4aBv_MXpq8lmKz48ETruRTeI_WRP1NWDe_grv8fJ09G250gdZ2mM75sT_RcWI-4JbMqY_p1z6jrlvjRFow5-V-pn/s400/160320121312.jpg" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5721491664685086546" style="cursor: hand; cursor: pointer; display: block; height: 400px; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; width: 300px;" /></a><br />
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<em>Some video footage of firearms training in the US to wet your appetite while you wait for your partner. If reading is more of your forte, racks filled with Gun Magazines are available as well... ;)</em></div>
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When my pard’ner arrived (Janice Khoo), it’s off to the training room for our briefing on how to properly use a firearm. <br />
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For our Friday session, we were joined by 3 other people making a rather cosy group of 5. I am told however, for weekends, the sessions could be filled to the brim especially when some companies choose to spend their annual ‘Family Day’ allocations on sending their staff for firearms training instead of the traditional picnic and egg on spoon balancing telematch in Lake Titiwangsa (don’t ask me why, I am figuring it out myself)! That would be in the area of about 20-30 people per session.<br />
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The initial briefing session was conducted by Mr. Von (that’s actually his ‘middle’ name), who gave us detailed instructions on the proper ways to hold, aim and fire a weapon. Emphasis is placed on safety of course, where we are repeatedly told NEVER to treat a firearm, even an unloaded one as a toy and point around people other than your intended target. <br />
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After the oral training session is complete and sufficient questions answered, it’s time for the REAL deal… life fire exercise! :)<br />
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhVPmRscS-cSk0GnW4Tm1Oqcghy-5rUy2QakubgUEwv6q0ip3eII4a9foWUVdK78W_4S-3xRPOy1XQRhQ2z-PBlyxDjigF87p-1Wf8rNdV1ynPuqL9koAGE18JZrHRIKkSfQCOoXnKRRW6a/s1600/160320121323.jpg"><img alt="" border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhVPmRscS-cSk0GnW4Tm1Oqcghy-5rUy2QakubgUEwv6q0ip3eII4a9foWUVdK78W_4S-3xRPOy1XQRhQ2z-PBlyxDjigF87p-1Wf8rNdV1ynPuqL9koAGE18JZrHRIKkSfQCOoXnKRRW6a/s400/160320121323.jpg" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5721492567305410610" style="cursor: hand; cursor: pointer; display: block; height: 400px; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; width: 300px;" /></a><br />
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<em>The moment we have all been waiting for! :D</em></div>
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For beginners, discharging your weapon is done in a shooting booth under the supervision and guidance of an instructor. Mr. Clemen assisted us on this part of the exercise, while Mr. Von watched over the other group of 3.<br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<iframe allowfullscreen='allowfullscreen' webkitallowfullscreen='webkitallowfullscreen' mozallowfullscreen='mozallowfullscreen' width='320' height='266' src='https://www.blogger.com/video.g?token=AD6v5dwyvfoI7_rzKPXwUN4Ub_ozc6qm4Gw6FXGlN2KV21Vz38aCyeEY5YY5mVSqRbW5aIYRcU_qGffxFgIMaC_a' class='b-hbp-video b-uploaded' frameborder='0'></iframe></div>
<em>The REAL thing... ;)</em></div>
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We were provided with a <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Smith_%26_Wesson_M%26P">Smith & Wesson M&P9L</a> which fires 9 x 19mm Parabellum rounds. Other models of firearms are available such as the Glock 17 and the CZ competition models, although you don’t have the luxury to choose if you are using your Groupon. :p <a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjeM2ENF6elwtTenjzTCn7rIgrcracHGLNI0vpU3_onv83jtCDLTHTxrYKELdlkwdeMkyj64fQt6dB9UPqNQ8MJtMD3sLw1CYXb1MkKQYDo1q51Nlnv28LtPbPPZVdmRYx_ybPAMGe5Ec6G/s1600/160320121346.jpg"><img alt="" border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjeM2ENF6elwtTenjzTCn7rIgrcracHGLNI0vpU3_onv83jtCDLTHTxrYKELdlkwdeMkyj64fQt6dB9UPqNQ8MJtMD3sLw1CYXb1MkKQYDo1q51Nlnv28LtPbPPZVdmRYx_ybPAMGe5Ec6G/s400/160320121346.jpg" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5721493080248363106" style="cursor: hand; cursor: pointer; display: block; height: 300px; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; width: 400px;" /></a><br />
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<em>My 'date' for the night: Smith & Wesson M&P9L</em></div>
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Contrary to my expectations, I found the S&W lighter than I expected. But that does not mean firing it would be easy. As a matter of fact, I was told the heavier your firearm, the less the effect of recoil. <br />
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The 50 rounds shared between Janice and myself is more than adequate for me. Don’t dream about going ‘Rambo’ because firing a gun is tiring business! This is because aside from having to manage the recoil, you’d also be straining your muscles just trying to maintain the proper stance and aim to get a good shot. Of course with enough practice (and generous amounts of money), you’d be discharging shots like those guys in Discovery’s ‘Top Shot’. :p ;) For now, being a beginner, I’d advise that you guys TAKE YOUR TIME to discharge your weapon, those ‘angry’ looking soldier targets with em’ brandished bayonets ain’t reaching you anytime soon. <a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhOwKo-vQ1-JYsnJHzlI8JUdrdWbKVnm5VfcYWmgoKsKCAEMha8h9Zk5CiOrO8x4Ub5Z0626od4rcBwQ-GsgQQsNidBX10B8n0NnK9BMiZjBl1KYS4i96bnBX4-BeUSlJSaqrSIl7Ptrj8h/s1600/160320121361.jpg"><img alt="" border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhOwKo-vQ1-JYsnJHzlI8JUdrdWbKVnm5VfcYWmgoKsKCAEMha8h9Zk5CiOrO8x4Ub5Z0626od4rcBwQ-GsgQQsNidBX10B8n0NnK9BMiZjBl1KYS4i96bnBX4-BeUSlJSaqrSIl7Ptrj8h/s400/160320121361.jpg" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5721499768079168690" style="cursor: hand; cursor: pointer; display: block; height: 300px; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; width: 400px;" /></a><br />
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<em>Charge! The angry looking soldier whom you're gonna pepper him with 9mm lead... :p ;)</em></div>
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A note on the shooter’s physical size for those ‘concerned’ ;). You don’t need to be a ‘hulk’ like <a href="http://www.history.com/shows/top-shot/bios/george-reinas">George Reinas</a> from Top Shot Season 2 fame to shoot accurately. Despite concerns on the force from the recoil of the weapon, I was informed that small children are also able to handle the S&W. My partner, Janice shot better than me despite only weighing about 40kgs. ;)<br />
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiL3uwlimAHnVEXq5tlazji6EPZUdlp54F4SJmN170Ek3_UinVueoPBdtt_55srAS2HeFKwjhOFDJnLgpyKyoVqPPbrMHvPZk7jf2w_M63dRrkK8iGxo_UoV4QhtgJSdQKm_p3EiI8tnld0/s1600/160320121352.jpg"><img alt="" border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiL3uwlimAHnVEXq5tlazji6EPZUdlp54F4SJmN170Ek3_UinVueoPBdtt_55srAS2HeFKwjhOFDJnLgpyKyoVqPPbrMHvPZk7jf2w_M63dRrkK8iGxo_UoV4QhtgJSdQKm_p3EiI8tnld0/s400/160320121352.jpg" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5721493792969735794" style="cursor: hand; cursor: pointer; display: block; height: 300px; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; width: 400px;" /></a><br />
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<em>Don't let her dimunitive frame fool you, she is quite a mean shot!</em></div>
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Firing is done at ranges of 5 meters, 10 meters and 13 meters on stationery paper targets with ten rounds each spent on the 5 meter and 10 meter ranges and the last 5 rounds used for the 13 meter distance. <br />
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At the end of each range session, the target is taken down and marked by the instructor before putting it up again for the next range. Needless to say it gets harder to hit your target as the range increases. <br />
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Wearing ear muffs and eye glasses are mandatory. The ear muffs were obviously provided to protect your ears from the loud noise of a discharging weapon but the eye glasses were an initial enigma to me until one of the spent cartridges leapt out of the breech and struck it when I was firing a round! Whew!<br />
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The sound of a discharging firearm is also quite different from what you’d hear in the movies, more of a ‘snap’ than a ‘boom’. Maybe it’s because I am using a lower caliber weapon? <br />
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With one final whiff of cordite, my shooting session finally ended when I fired my last 9mm round at the 13m target. Thereafter, it was time for a few customary group photos with my instructors and another one with my ‘poor’ target. And yes, you can bring your multiply punctured target home for you to do whatever you want. :)<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg07NvNOGzBO6MpgRoNgjkcFHl4ZL1BPoOzyeLNNp8wSBGb7FCkOAdo4ksNBuo2sU6Vw0Uaiibt77zR8pliqRSbtEkF9jh9_RYeDVWhd3kCXJ_dza5dSvoLAzg1yEB0WSmAD8ZAucucM71N/s1600/160320121357.jpg"><img alt="" border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg07NvNOGzBO6MpgRoNgjkcFHl4ZL1BPoOzyeLNNp8wSBGb7FCkOAdo4ksNBuo2sU6Vw0Uaiibt77zR8pliqRSbtEkF9jh9_RYeDVWhd3kCXJ_dza5dSvoLAzg1yEB0WSmAD8ZAucucM71N/s400/160320121357.jpg" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5721493762296501618" style="cursor: hand; cursor: pointer; display: block; height: 300px; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; width: 400px;" /></a><br />
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<em>Group photo, Mr. Clemen is 2nd from right... :)</em></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhogmWLykxD0aYqM9GjNiNiWX1SusKownnWTrpi3BGOlheNrbZWgGToY8pjyh5vGQgKhvKgZdoY4xJSL3eO0LBLldmg7-XEq1r0aSChe2cHLq54ZPhWm-M2TUTbtV3S2lFYsQsSz_eAKuru/s1600/160320121363.jpg"><img alt="" border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhogmWLykxD0aYqM9GjNiNiWX1SusKownnWTrpi3BGOlheNrbZWgGToY8pjyh5vGQgKhvKgZdoY4xJSL3eO0LBLldmg7-XEq1r0aSChe2cHLq54ZPhWm-M2TUTbtV3S2lFYsQsSz_eAKuru/s400/160320121363.jpg" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5721493101653737138" style="cursor: hand; cursor: pointer; display: block; height: 300px; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; width: 400px;" /></a><br />
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<em>With Mr. Von, the instructor that gave us our oral briefing...</em></div>
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What you better not bring back are the bullet casings that might be littering the floor between your feet. Spent casings they may be, they are still against Malaysian law to possess it and you can get into very big trouble if the authorities catch you with it. :p<br />
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi3rhqYWagl9OyIBppryYwB4OhOwjvJ7Ysnw5NgTT5r-1GZ93k6HnSOVTXK_cfRdYosyLSgZDQm-n_baWO7ZQHWQFAxP1rRZqQImC7ftTIB7cW-nPAGqnO-sphGqzm-jqXlxzAcIZTBzpS1/s1600/160320121328.jpg"><img alt="" border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi3rhqYWagl9OyIBppryYwB4OhOwjvJ7Ysnw5NgTT5r-1GZ93k6HnSOVTXK_cfRdYosyLSgZDQm-n_baWO7ZQHWQFAxP1rRZqQImC7ftTIB7cW-nPAGqnO-sphGqzm-jqXlxzAcIZTBzpS1/s400/160320121328.jpg" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5721497215412687986" style="cursor: hand; cursor: pointer; display: block; height: 300px; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; width: 400px;" /></a><br />
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<em>Spent Casings... make sure you are not tempted to bring them home... :p</em></div>
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On leaving, we had one final briefing, that on membership and other avenues to further explore the sport of competition shooting from the owner of the gallery, Kelvin Lee, who himself is a professional shooter and lead instructor.<br />
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Apparently, there are competitions here in Malaysia, mostly participated by members of the armed forces (Army, Navy and Air Force) and PDRM as well as a few private citizens. Don’t expect BIG prizes to recoup your about RM600 – RM1000 participation fee (which covers gun rental, ammo, equipment, lodging and such); I am told by Mr. Lee that the only prize you get is the ‘satisfaction’ of beating PASKAL, PASKAU, UTK or Commando members at their own game. ;)<br />
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi7BSTuzQv3utsWjRJo96ajVNGih7igDMXK62dhniRRSpsdBijkC9j1U6eaTG7rZm2vj88WmgWntcjDjo8zvSpudH91-NsujDOjDSK23kTIB-BeKrpC4E3Op9WvI1Ogf-3oBsLMUZ6J2dC6/s1600/160320121360.jpg"><img alt="" border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi7BSTuzQv3utsWjRJo96ajVNGih7igDMXK62dhniRRSpsdBijkC9j1U6eaTG7rZm2vj88WmgWntcjDjo8zvSpudH91-NsujDOjDSK23kTIB-BeKrpC4E3Op9WvI1Ogf-3oBsLMUZ6J2dC6/s400/160320121360.jpg" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5721493775797496818" style="cursor: hand; cursor: pointer; display: block; height: 300px; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; width: 400px;" /></a><br />
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<em>The PRO, firing the S&W with one hand...</em></div>
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And so, ends one more otherwise regular Friday night for this ‘quantum singularity’. ;) Having so much fun, this will definitely not be my last time visiting City Square Shooting Gallery, as what our friend and former California Governor (Arnold Schwarzenegger) would say… “I’ll be back!”. :)<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEivGztCN654kNSGeShc2QlG9cPvKK3F3AJMLJjSsQemj2t4kr3OHCDPkjLJKhd8-ldEvjlRILdxufF-UUxEgIF7kNTOmK1rohOULrjRJIP0W3Yl4JBpqrjNxJNVR_AAbWnVMRzI3wX7A-Li/s1600/160320121335.jpg"><img alt="" border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEivGztCN654kNSGeShc2QlG9cPvKK3F3AJMLJjSsQemj2t4kr3OHCDPkjLJKhd8-ldEvjlRILdxufF-UUxEgIF7kNTOmK1rohOULrjRJIP0W3Yl4JBpqrjNxJNVR_AAbWnVMRzI3wX7A-Li/s400/160320121335.jpg" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5721492589423024594" style="cursor: hand; cursor: pointer; display: block; height: 400px; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; width: 300px;" /></a><br />
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<em>The next Top Shot? ;) Hahaha! Lots more practice required!</em></div>
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For more information, you may contact the City Square Shooting Gallery at:-<br />
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City Square Shooting Gallery<br />
9th Floor, Menara TKSS<br />
206, Jalan Segambut<br />
51200 Kuala Lumpur<br />
Wilayah Persekutuan<br />
Tel- 603 - 6257 8975<br />
Fax-603 - 6257 7890<br />
GPS coordinates - N03° 10' 56.6" E101° 40' 35.9"<br />
<br />
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Eddie Tuenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07105702091987045194noreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4785821961237109532.post-52371729220581892782012-02-22T16:05:00.011+08:002012-02-22T17:10:18.952+08:00Ayer Hitam Forest Reserve and The Forbidden Waterfall, Puchong<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi6VPHKo6pwn8VTRj6xV8O7OG6sZEo_bPT3coMIW3lWCY-Bp5l3Fm4jE97X3c-5bAO4z-JueBj_G8fvKuhiS0d0bn4wcN_W8n8LgqJ77_wnGUpOlOLzwXMjJ9kN7iXcpG3gwQpQSvtoTxnB/s1600/P1000608.JPG"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 400px; height: 300px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi6VPHKo6pwn8VTRj6xV8O7OG6sZEo_bPT3coMIW3lWCY-Bp5l3Fm4jE97X3c-5bAO4z-JueBj_G8fvKuhiS0d0bn4wcN_W8n8LgqJ77_wnGUpOlOLzwXMjJ9kN7iXcpG3gwQpQSvtoTxnB/s400/P1000608.JPG" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5711870349743509490" /></a>First REAL hike for the year 2012 and boy was it an experience!<br /><br />The past few months of rain has sort of placed a dampener to my hiking activities but with the end of the rainy season, it’s now time to dust off my good old hiking boots and gear up for more adventure in the wilds! <br /><br />Initially, I had thought of inaugurating my 2012 hiking itinerary by paying a visit to my somewhat regular haunt, Lata Kedongdong, but a suggestion from Dennis to spend the Sunday exploring this new place called Ayer Itam Forest Reserve diverted me there instead. <br /><br />Ayer Itam Forest Reserve? Where is it you might ask… Judging from the name, one might expect it to be somewhere far north on the island of Penang. In reality, it is rather surprising that it is located in Puchong, Selangor, right smack center in one of the busiest housing development, Klang Valley has to offer! And to think that this place harbors a waterfall as well, makes me wonder, how did we all miss such a place?<br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEixEV31xO7cClGDkaKrvjdO32SX-Fk9eqtYEWlrt8-EWaebqClrsW_TkDA8UIIhera6M_cKb8pX4K0aXgxb1yaW_x33E8Aei25AAsbBHAIq1siALHcG3X7OexqAC-l3EgElIlW9LMSDZBf4/s1600/P1000604.JPG"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 300px; height: 400px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEixEV31xO7cClGDkaKrvjdO32SX-Fk9eqtYEWlrt8-EWaebqClrsW_TkDA8UIIhera6M_cKb8pX4K0aXgxb1yaW_x33E8Aei25AAsbBHAIq1siALHcG3X7OexqAC-l3EgElIlW9LMSDZBf4/s400/P1000604.JPG" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5711872965128212354" /></a><div align="center"><em>The lure of a cool running stream always gets me ;)</em></div><br />Well, there is a catch though. This place is OFFICIALLY DILARANG (RESTRICTED) and anybody that goes in is ‘technically’ trespassing. :p However, this has not really stopped the hordes of local residents plying through its jungle tracks as we discovered when we were on the track. <br /><br /><em><strong>Getting There</strong></em><br /><br />After a quick breakfast at Kayu Nasi Kandar in Pusat Bandar Puchong, we head off down Lebuh Puri towards Columbia Asia Hospital. At the first traffic light after the hospital, we turned left. Moving down Persiaran Puteri a little bit, we turned left again into Laman Puteri 1. Driving pass a row of apartments, we turned right into Persiaran Bukit, where you’ll find two rows of shop houses on your left and more low cost apartments on your right. If you come during the weekends, you should find a lot of cars parked along the side of the road, the starting point is just behind the apartment blocks pass a large monsoon drain. <br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj3OtxeBRQ0y67vH76iAdvX10geaiZ0sU2FqoTfGH5awegv80J3pn6beUT9k6i1MJcFImMKljjWnF7XzY9CCCIOa1p7ckIuGtfkPZl3fJnuOsOVEXJSkL83IE2sIa0LpSGr-nkGAhwumr44/s1600/P1000561.JPG"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 400px; height: 300px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj3OtxeBRQ0y67vH76iAdvX10geaiZ0sU2FqoTfGH5awegv80J3pn6beUT9k6i1MJcFImMKljjWnF7XzY9CCCIOa1p7ckIuGtfkPZl3fJnuOsOVEXJSkL83IE2sIa0LpSGr-nkGAhwumr44/s400/P1000561.JPG" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5711870362591674402" /></a><div align="center"><em>Group photo! Just before the start of the hike! ;)</em></div><br /><em><strong>The Hike</strong></em><br /><br />Walking up the trail, you’ll find lots of local people plying up and down, families, kids, young people, uncles and aunties. Most of them are very courteous, greeting you ‘good morning’ as you pass them. The trail is pretty well marked, certain sections strewn with those familiar ‘hazard’ red and white striped ribbons and the occasional pieces of white paper strips along the side. If you are still doubtful though, just follow the crowd. ;)<br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhSzJo7EtKqx7o2jQmz3WSG_N2sntTuljZYIo_8jOtWNCeVe8fwPIf_ppi66YphvGPDmH1J_-qWeD4vj3pWP1jCGO3nkzymkuwkA5B8RD3XEP1-ZY3UtaHgr_p1NzjxKL8eXyKlzbkyLp20/s1600/P1000564.JPG"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 400px; height: 300px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhSzJo7EtKqx7o2jQmz3WSG_N2sntTuljZYIo_8jOtWNCeVe8fwPIf_ppi66YphvGPDmH1J_-qWeD4vj3pWP1jCGO3nkzymkuwkA5B8RD3XEP1-ZY3UtaHgr_p1NzjxKL8eXyKlzbkyLp20/s400/P1000564.JPG" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5711870382721903186" /></a><div align="center"><em>Climbing up to the first clearing, the people here are all very courteous... :D</em></div><br />After about 5 minutes of hiking up a slope, we reached an open area where you can find a good view of the housing developments around the area. It could be pretty hot up here in the mid morning as there are no trees around to provide shade. Here is also where the trail branches a bit although if you take either way, it will bring you full circle to this very same place. <br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEitCDZ0qUpedtfc3IfrWNFuX0LRQ09L1JoksuqpbBvfPiclX13XUHay7yxv08cFWn9iAsRnxNPpMSo5aegeJd9FEEwYEY-jTi99zl_ZqByEMd3FRvdC40o9-FwGiMMGu1zOenHUNWTFLwpT/s1600/P1000567.JPG"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 400px; height: 300px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEitCDZ0qUpedtfc3IfrWNFuX0LRQ09L1JoksuqpbBvfPiclX13XUHay7yxv08cFWn9iAsRnxNPpMSo5aegeJd9FEEwYEY-jTi99zl_ZqByEMd3FRvdC40o9-FwGiMMGu1zOenHUNWTFLwpT/s400/P1000567.JPG" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5711871170856889506" /></a><div align="center"><em>Waypoint. This clearing can really be very hot in the afternoon...</em></div><br />We followed the majority of the hikers, turning left, taking in the cool relief of jungle shade. There were a few other branches on the main trail, deceptively luring first timers away, but if you were to follow the markings and the crowd, you should be on the right track.<br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiHguXL-tesE9mXKa_qOAvlHA-XmVjZhGFWkG_xUteRbrFIaP-9E3d4pTaW-oJSRhpmQU1pLTr4_eG6QFmABzfunMZ5LXd0L0ynXQK_zXPcI7Fk21IY3_AZpPVmPIE_BIrDB6kEQFR1uI7o/s1600/P1000576.JPG"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 400px; height: 300px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiHguXL-tesE9mXKa_qOAvlHA-XmVjZhGFWkG_xUteRbrFIaP-9E3d4pTaW-oJSRhpmQU1pLTr4_eG6QFmABzfunMZ5LXd0L0ynXQK_zXPcI7Fk21IY3_AZpPVmPIE_BIrDB6kEQFR1uI7o/s400/P1000576.JPG" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5711871179766277362" /></a><div align="center"><em>Not all 'trash' are bad. This one is intended to 'guide' you onto the right track...</em></div><br />At length we reached another clearing, although this time with much welcomed shade. It took about half an hour to reach here from the starting point. It seems to be also a significant resting point, as a lot of other hikers were congregating here when we arrived. <br /><br />Now here is the tricky part. Around the edge of the clearing, at the time of this writing, we could see this track that had twigs, branches and ribbons placed across. This is the trail to the much talked about waterfall with the blue pool. It is also the entrance into FORBIDDEN land because you are more likely going to bump into UPM students and guards who aren’t going to be in a welcoming mood when they see you. <br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi0Hmuju5zGy6RqprmqcEsuyvRfo_C7QmfiiHwrRwFNU-KXQLlUXqg2OzBYz7_UNQiy4NL9UfAWzbw91Ipo0hNuN9Oxr6rP9k3F4WBrycM7dBRh4a76z3aCFiAKqxC9sE5sf_vpxxOt2eGA/s1600/P1000581.JPG"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 400px; height: 300px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi0Hmuju5zGy6RqprmqcEsuyvRfo_C7QmfiiHwrRwFNU-KXQLlUXqg2OzBYz7_UNQiy4NL9UfAWzbw91Ipo0hNuN9Oxr6rP9k3F4WBrycM7dBRh4a76z3aCFiAKqxC9sE5sf_vpxxOt2eGA/s400/P1000581.JPG" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5711871196144535858" /></a><div align="center"><em>This path beyond leads you to a land of guards and unhappy students, enter at your own risk!</em></div><br />Considering the stressful reception we got at the waterfall, I would at this point in time not recommend the reader to venture beyond this line. To do so would be at your own risk. :p<br /><br />Nevertheless, for the benefit of the readers, I would relate what happened next as we circumvent the obstruction and went down the trail. <br /><br /><em><strong>The FORBIDDEN Trail</strong></em><br /><br />The trail started descending almost immediately and continued doing so until we hit what looked like a dirt road. Overall it took another 25-30 minutes to reach the road from the start of the trail. Along the way, we found ourselves walking alongside cool forest-like ferns and even crossed over a rather large fallen log with the deceptively welcoming words ‘WATERFALL’ spray painted along its length.<br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgDLWRaIzQUQAA1p3Xrz1KHxb2arq6Bq3FgDBK5u9YnLirLJAKwoy1QIKkc9u36C19NmYFfRH4-lY9Oc1dguMJxYfb6X7SJYwN3li5fyPII7PR141vYO-Tz7oAzn12p0Y2nzETjTBCRjCW9/s1600/P1000586.JPG"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 400px; height: 300px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgDLWRaIzQUQAA1p3Xrz1KHxb2arq6Bq3FgDBK5u9YnLirLJAKwoy1QIKkc9u36C19NmYFfRH4-lY9Oc1dguMJxYfb6X7SJYwN3li5fyPII7PR141vYO-Tz7oAzn12p0Y2nzETjTBCRjCW9/s400/P1000586.JPG" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5711872073198313458" /></a><div align="center"><em>Interesting to find cold weather ferns on the trail...</em></div> <br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhLo1OvP5kqzb2T-SHdy2qzzBjuhWifdYy71LKCJyzFlIwoBGXAHw1cWjRqz-Iu7PKmWf8G1MO7nG3UvYEa1XhzES8ofVNzY_j2KnHdGBG6_Gdk9xgR0WEkeQqBPFaJfdgEfLM1Od9WBTWN/s1600/P1000587.JPG"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 400px; height: 300px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhLo1OvP5kqzb2T-SHdy2qzzBjuhWifdYy71LKCJyzFlIwoBGXAHw1cWjRqz-Iu7PKmWf8G1MO7nG3UvYEa1XhzES8ofVNzY_j2KnHdGBG6_Gdk9xgR0WEkeQqBPFaJfdgEfLM1Od9WBTWN/s400/P1000587.JPG" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5711872105062021058" /></a><div align="center"><em>A deceptively 'welcoming' sign on a fallen log...</em></div> <br />At the dirt road, we turned left, walking a few meters before we see two LARGE signs on the right. Underlining the ‘forbiddeness’ of the place we are in, they blared out the penalties of aside from trespassing, illegal logging, fish bombing, hunting and what not, along with the various jail terms and fines imposed for each act. <br /><br />These two signs are also the landmark for the trail that will lead you directly to the blue pool and waterfall, located not less than 5 minutes down. :p <br /><br />On arrival, we saw 3 other people swimming in its clear waters, a group of 5 exiting the way we came in. If we thought we were in luck having avoided the guards so far, think again. Not even 5 minutes after laying our bags down, I noticed 2 uniformed UPM guards pointing digital cameras in our general direction, obviously taking photos.<br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhdBazHOCjyWsbzI0F3h6jr30sMaoeBVbjRoHAET8RVPldpmOOZgQY0JBBVsOY_ugIXqxbyt-e8McqtMuHt6wcG1mGAmZgjjcmAtcGKEr2KkAkvWbJFsfKQyEoAi30ZnkXsVcdT1AK5iwR7/s1600/P1000597.JPG"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 400px; height: 300px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhdBazHOCjyWsbzI0F3h6jr30sMaoeBVbjRoHAET8RVPldpmOOZgQY0JBBVsOY_ugIXqxbyt-e8McqtMuHt6wcG1mGAmZgjjcmAtcGKEr2KkAkvWbJFsfKQyEoAi30ZnkXsVcdT1AK5iwR7/s400/P1000597.JPG" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5711872121231013138" /></a><div align="center"><em>Beautiful yet forbidding (sounds like a girl I once tried to date)... :p</em></div><br />One of them then approached us and despite my best keeping the lowest profile possible, chose to talk to me! Rats! :p<br /><br />Not surprisingly, he explained that we were trespassing government property and said we shouldn’t be here. After a bit of haggling, he then produced a piece of paper with an aptly titled, ‘Senarai Nama Orang Yang Memasuki Kawasan Tanpa Permit’ (List of Names of People Entering the Area without a Permit), and told us to put in our names and identification card number. <br /><br />Despite me bargaining with them that we’d gladly leave immediately, he still insisted on us filling up the form, giving the very well rehearsed excuse that he is only doing ‘his job’.<br /><br />After doing the necessary, we were told to group together for a rather unwelcomed group photo before they left. <br /><br />Having already given our names and left alone, we thought we could at least still take a dip in the pool. That was when 3 students suddenly appeared and again, not more than 5 minutes after the guards left! They berated one of my friends closest to them, my ears catching the words, ‘trespassing’, ‘doing research’ and quite distressingly ‘polis’ a number of times. If it is not clear enough already, it is surely clear now. WE ARE NOT WELCOMED HERE.<br /><br />The students left, seemingly without doing anything else other than to nag at us. Considering the timing, it was quite likely that they were somehow either waiting of expecting people to be at the pool ready to pounce. :p (Also the fact that it’s a weekend morning, sort of narrows down the timing when these ‘predators’ can catch us unwelcomed ‘prey’ at their watering hole. :p)<br /><br />So without waiting to see whether an air strike will be called down on us, we packed our stuff and leave, heading back the way we came in. <br /><br />We bumped into another group, one of whom was an unexpected friend I met in a party the year before. A local resident and frequent visitor to the trail (and the waterfall), he too told me that since the beginning of the year (2012), enforcement of the ‘forbiddenness’ has increased and he too was intercepted by guards at the pool asking him to provide his particulars as well the last time he was there.<br /><br />At length, we reached the shaded clearing where we started our little ‘misadventure’, greeted by another group of tired hikers, whom from the looks of it appear to be mostly local residents. Met by queries, we told them basically the track to the waterfall was ‘FORBIDDEN’ and that guards are there waiting for us if you try. <br /><br /><em><strong>Return</strong></em><br /><br />We rested for a few minutes, continuing down the trail we left off earlier. After descending down a slope, we reached a nice quiet little stream with clear water, where we took another pause to freshen up. By this time, the sun was reaching its zenith, although the heat couldn’t quite reach us in the cooling shade. <br /><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgV4Ar4990DZ78YVY9Z9pv2ltl19_UlKANmFh8JEseapkDTyVrOzveNhHGr5lc97jO9oFJL24cawLQUsUtnwUUvDsDKeZikDwG1n0JQSoQGsyuHT5Ai1nx28qmvx_yTRVo26J4CICYer4lH/s1600/P1000602.JPG"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 400px; height: 300px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgV4Ar4990DZ78YVY9Z9pv2ltl19_UlKANmFh8JEseapkDTyVrOzveNhHGr5lc97jO9oFJL24cawLQUsUtnwUUvDsDKeZikDwG1n0JQSoQGsyuHT5Ai1nx28qmvx_yTRVo26J4CICYer4lH/s400/P1000602.JPG" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5711872952728394674" /></a><div align="center"><em>A beautiful stream, a good place to rest and take a breather to enjoy the surroundings...</em></div><br />We moved on, passing another LARGE signboard with cartoons showing all those illegal things we should not be doing in here. There was also this fallen concrete post with the name of the place, ‘Ayer Hitam Forest Reserve’ etched on it, the first in this place I’ve seen.<br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiCq4oRi10b4MTzLNfBIfEHLC0FIkWXfuLBEAoWuuOffElpIUfJfgCGOU2cZ6b5r_VCsoq96LQVP1qk2XEPK7p4H1oVXBREoNKO6iFRgH_m0VDK0wjXf2nWJKxvh3blg6QV2pa2Nv2S9xOK/s1600/P1000606.JPG"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 400px; height: 300px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiCq4oRi10b4MTzLNfBIfEHLC0FIkWXfuLBEAoWuuOffElpIUfJfgCGOU2cZ6b5r_VCsoq96LQVP1qk2XEPK7p4H1oVXBREoNKO6iFRgH_m0VDK0wjXf2nWJKxvh3blg6QV2pa2Nv2S9xOK/s400/P1000606.JPG" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5711872980927884546" /></a><div align="center"><em>A highway of ants rushing over a fallen log...</em></div><br />Just beyond it was another dirt road. We turned left with the knowledge that we’ll be heading back to the earlier open clearing close to the trail head. <br /><br />The heat of the afternoon sun bored down on us as we arrived back at the clearing, despite the presence of a slight breeze. We thus, did not tarry long here, quickly heading back to the car park. <br /><br />On reaching the car park, we had one more chance to meet another local predator of the more venomous kind, a black COBRA! Fortunately it was lurking a good distance away in the monsoon drain in front of the apartments. We left it alone and by the look of it’s extended hood, we better. <br /><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjds6AsBEiUOeqPkodB1oS3mxw-rLCZie6rTWYvCtx3fdaxV9PuwVJSX9LZ5a7VgV89w-tNl__pOa6XbU7X434myUvv-es_yNprTqqJ2es968c1n5hwpx-xZdm2kH2Tk3dj5sIaOnPpHRyH/s1600/P1000621.JPG"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 400px; height: 300px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjds6AsBEiUOeqPkodB1oS3mxw-rLCZie6rTWYvCtx3fdaxV9PuwVJSX9LZ5a7VgV89w-tNl__pOa6XbU7X434myUvv-es_yNprTqqJ2es968c1n5hwpx-xZdm2kH2Tk3dj5sIaOnPpHRyH/s400/P1000621.JPG" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5711874603313405586" /></a><div align="center"><em>Ssssss... watch out, unlike the other 'predators', this one can kill you in one bite! :p</em></div><br />Customary post trip group photo done, we moved on to fill our bellies! <br /><br />In conclusion, the circuit itself (minus the hike to the waterfall) is rather pleasant with a mixture of ascending and descending tracks. Not very challenging as what you’d find in Apeh Hill but good enough for a new hiker to experience the various terrains of a typical hike. There are rumours that UPM might finally take action and totally forbid the local residents from even going on this trail altogether, which would be a great shame, because like Apeh Hill, this place serves as a good place for the people around to exercise and experience nature, not that the people here don’t behave. In fact, throughout the hike, the place is rather clean and pristine with hardly a hint of rubbish.<br /><br />As for the waterfall hike itself, I’d recommend you miss this one. The stress of being harassed by hidden guards waiting in ambush and berating students is not worth it considering there are other places that offer similar if not better swims, hikes or views. This is not to mention on the very real threat that some smart guy at the UPM office deciding to ‘generate’ the university some additional income by actually USING those ICs and names to impose the RM10,000 fine for trespassing. <br /><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgWKM5VgaBEqW9NNbS-5ejTgS_hLAQhMxWFUBhUPD07GkTDue3RrWsp1wyFfYvGZ1wQNOqC0ch0EZGG7foAJBUk82uoZcv9AzUoGMytu7VCb0I7g1MkYY4ghulDrMR7fgW-zynfX-WuNm-X/s1600/P1000596.JPG"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 400px; height: 300px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgWKM5VgaBEqW9NNbS-5ejTgS_hLAQhMxWFUBhUPD07GkTDue3RrWsp1wyFfYvGZ1wQNOqC0ch0EZGG7foAJBUk82uoZcv9AzUoGMytu7VCb0I7g1MkYY4ghulDrMR7fgW-zynfX-WuNm-X/s400/P1000596.JPG" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5711874591878720994" /></a><div align="center"><em>What a shame... :(</em></div><br />It is still a shame though; that this waterfall is cordoned off by the authorities for it is really a very welcomed relief from the monotony of the concrete jungle we so daily face. Well as the saying goes, ‘so near and yet so far’… until next time, Happy New Year! :D<br /><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhxzsd5a-ynOuxuH6OAVfMCWDk3Sbpb54Wv-dKzK1XHNB9Xaux_WM1rt9x0JKsoJ9zCVhVIXCaaI8VP25Xk9I4-F5kYi7Pq8ozAlza4M8XIYfMfGOPOKwZiqvjj9t2aZlxWtvtENdx0MJmp/s1600/P1000625.JPG"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 400px; height: 300px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhxzsd5a-ynOuxuH6OAVfMCWDk3Sbpb54Wv-dKzK1XHNB9Xaux_WM1rt9x0JKsoJ9zCVhVIXCaaI8VP25Xk9I4-F5kYi7Pq8ozAlza4M8XIYfMfGOPOKwZiqvjj9t2aZlxWtvtENdx0MJmp/s400/P1000625.JPG" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5711874615630734418" /></a>Eddie Tuenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07105702091987045194noreply@blogger.com20tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4785821961237109532.post-70948547942118209302011-10-04T12:07:00.035+08:002011-10-09T09:43:01.937+08:00Gua Kota Gelanggi, Day 2: Gua Penyu, Gua Ular, Gua Kelawar, Gua Hijau and Tangga 99<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiX5C9DlNKRCNt7V9FAsb_LnZJLOAocs1K1zBrbJAtkU8BvO9KkYJTeUlvzI_iI73RP3R0FLQlSxAe3Uqa8jDfmUFS-kYWvFBvjhR1-QRqi0uxTdWAaj5kq_GdDVOfx6F6SYsSiQfEGwdY7/s1600/DSC_0361.JPG"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 266px; height: 400px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiX5C9DlNKRCNt7V9FAsb_LnZJLOAocs1K1zBrbJAtkU8BvO9KkYJTeUlvzI_iI73RP3R0FLQlSxAe3Uqa8jDfmUFS-kYWvFBvjhR1-QRqi0uxTdWAaj5kq_GdDVOfx6F6SYsSiQfEGwdY7/s400/DSC_0361.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5659489226976622754" border="0"></a>Day 2 of our trip to Gua Kota Gelanggi begins with breakfast at the Tekam Resort’s café. Surprisingly, a buffet was prepared for us with refills of coffee and orange juice aside from servings of mamak mee goreng, curry puffs and bread. Midway through our meal, the guide assigned for our trip to Gua Kelawar met us at the cafe, informing us to meet up with him at the Gua Kota Gelanggi Park’s car park located just outside Gua Balai which we have gone the day before.<br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgx5PR5pszN8qkEw7LcPer8WMZ80aHguE_GUgcqDex0B0to6nGu8-cme5UeY24vEIdC4hmGa0WAktfmq9ehNEvM3rda601mCIDETU76G-cgBtfeYbhldZuWCy7S79I1MZasE6lTrFUBSq5A/s1600/DSC_0305.JPG"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 400px; height: 266px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgx5PR5pszN8qkEw7LcPer8WMZ80aHguE_GUgcqDex0B0to6nGu8-cme5UeY24vEIdC4hmGa0WAktfmq9ehNEvM3rda601mCIDETU76G-cgBtfeYbhldZuWCy7S79I1MZasE6lTrFUBSq5A/s400/DSC_0305.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5661012285747635826" border="0"></a><div align="center"><em>A good morning greeted by a flock of horn bills perched atop the water tank close to our dorm... :)</em></div><br />After having our fill, we packed up and moved out, myself stopping by at the resort office to extend our stay till 3pm so that we may freshen up prior to heading home. This, the resort management approved perhaps seeing that there was really no one else to take the dorms after us.<br /><br />We drove out and met our guide at the car park outside Gua Balai in earnest.<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgdCTnLxDcHkYX4Sc0N4ilLPR9HRDIfaQvybAKHEqKrO3L6P-1xK6OD2fvFJdpZllB1dbfJf2lvIjDI5av_u_OhSO_ruYA3ut0QJkSmZ5FZrpNdzQPifDmyJ-Ey3Yt4ycasPMC_TgpjvMLI/s1600/DSC_0517.JPG"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 400px; height: 266px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgdCTnLxDcHkYX4Sc0N4ilLPR9HRDIfaQvybAKHEqKrO3L6P-1xK6OD2fvFJdpZllB1dbfJf2lvIjDI5av_u_OhSO_ruYA3ut0QJkSmZ5FZrpNdzQPifDmyJ-Ey3Yt4ycasPMC_TgpjvMLI/s400/DSC_0517.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5661015217845277346" border="0"></a><div align="center"><em>Back to the parking lot close to Gua Balai</em></div><br />Unlike the previous day’s guide, this one was more professional and gave us a briefing of what to expect from the caves as well as some safety tips. For the most part, we were told that it would be a short walk through the jungle to the mouth of the first cave, Gua Penyu (Turtle Cave). Then we will proceed to Gua Ular (Snake Cave), thru Gua Kelawar (Bat Cave) before heading to Gua Hijau (Green Cave), finally exiting via Tangga 99 (99 Steps).<br /><br />Our guide gave us a few moments to prepare our stuff. Once everyone is ready, we started our hike, skirting to the left around Gua Balai thru a jungle trek. After a few minutes of walking, we arrived at this narrow ledge flanked on one side by a shallow stream and another by solid rock before we reached Gua Penyu, the first cave prior to our three cave combo.<br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhjPhUH8b6WFAKxb2FkV1iy6RsdBMMyITcLdaKKH4seV8nXEwYLHl_34AgYNE7LyD_QCNfZj-9BZChEjzR1nWrqRBLIIFI8G5KnAy8eNqBK_vOyEQQbFt9LkzWnwevv0SMeKwmSE0JqC3wE/s1600/DSC_0310.JPG"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 400px; height: 266px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhjPhUH8b6WFAKxb2FkV1iy6RsdBMMyITcLdaKKH4seV8nXEwYLHl_34AgYNE7LyD_QCNfZj-9BZChEjzR1nWrqRBLIIFI8G5KnAy8eNqBK_vOyEQQbFt9LkzWnwevv0SMeKwmSE0JqC3wE/s400/DSC_0310.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5661012277262221682" border="0"></a><div align="center"><em>Journey begins, walking pass Gua Penyu...</em></div><br />Gua Penyu is named after a certain rock formation which resembles a sea turtle, whose ‘head’ has been apparently lobbed off. :p Hmmm… maybe they should renamed it Gua Penyu Dipancung (Decapitated Turtle Cave?) ;)<br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiUWViDLY8od76MBi6cgt4TYr2IixY5_uv2o-OQZiw-9jKixyxU6Y-xXfQdV9e-vukv5pLKimnuRHTkvgqmuhqEQNBo_3MLe-11IsMWYyWW66ZsH4ZxFzyQTP-IOIJkbbFatuBAq0Zmz3Sd/s1600/DSC_0066.JPG"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 400px; height: 266px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiUWViDLY8od76MBi6cgt4TYr2IixY5_uv2o-OQZiw-9jKixyxU6Y-xXfQdV9e-vukv5pLKimnuRHTkvgqmuhqEQNBo_3MLe-11IsMWYyWW66ZsH4ZxFzyQTP-IOIJkbbFatuBAq0Zmz3Sd/s400/DSC_0066.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5661045186142780450" border="0"></a><div align="center"><em>The rock whose name the cave earned... ;) I have to say it really looks like a turtle... minus the head of course :p</em></div><br />For the moment, we didn’t dally around the cave, rather we pass it on the same jungle path until we encountered our first obstacle, an almost vertical climb up a vine tangled rock face just outside Gua Ular.<br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjWlq7yvj-ffiFI-5uaP6PdwYF747jae4OLARbERQUF7p7gTHp0SVCbFeu9APi2Cbvmr2KHJijmxKRI3DMZ36yAAzWWO7MLv4DjBfOwZ59OdvfbB6utFhpVSqDVtoOWMyMPzJqJDfLqCdmk/s1600/DSC_0310.JPG"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 400px; height: 266px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjWlq7yvj-ffiFI-5uaP6PdwYF747jae4OLARbERQUF7p7gTHp0SVCbFeu9APi2Cbvmr2KHJijmxKRI3DMZ36yAAzWWO7MLv4DjBfOwZ59OdvfbB6utFhpVSqDVtoOWMyMPzJqJDfLqCdmk/s400/DSC_0310.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5659486337370799458" border="0"></a><div align="center"><em>Clambering up a vertical rockface is no easy task... :p Fortunately there were vines and roots of trees to assist us!</em></div><br />Moving up on all fours, we scaled the roughly 6m high rock face, before finding ourselves at the mouth of Gua Ular. We paused for the rest of the team to gather before proceeding into the gloom.<br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgnqM5S0lZYEyHWzTsnMH0bftOVy3YzGzCVm5foY5Cx8xN0_oHiWVMfIKZ8Z41DcXycgBiio625p6OZ8plv9GW8OwiBKfkbWhrxDpxiiXKDsIEvWX8rhxQZ-bfuLk9iWJivKempchTAtoTR/s1600/DSC_0320.JPG"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 400px; height: 266px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgnqM5S0lZYEyHWzTsnMH0bftOVy3YzGzCVm5foY5Cx8xN0_oHiWVMfIKZ8Z41DcXycgBiio625p6OZ8plv9GW8OwiBKfkbWhrxDpxiiXKDsIEvWX8rhxQZ-bfuLk9iWJivKempchTAtoTR/s400/DSC_0320.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5659486348081695506" border="0"></a><div align="center"><em>Arriving at the mouth of Gua Ular...</em></div><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjc1QmHIGEDBLmnKkCUHejenfw_H-iLSKNc1ZIEVuI-FTfCHnYykTUjgmi8iqWdwXFY-lQX6yUxBpDPK5dN4fIBB9rQXaRX9m7O6NVKZHQcWTZoCU0jrDEs41rxa_8KOjHge94U5bmiV38v/s1600/DSC_0314.JPG"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 400px; height: 266px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjc1QmHIGEDBLmnKkCUHejenfw_H-iLSKNc1ZIEVuI-FTfCHnYykTUjgmi8iqWdwXFY-lQX6yUxBpDPK5dN4fIBB9rQXaRX9m7O6NVKZHQcWTZoCU0jrDEs41rxa_8KOjHge94U5bmiV38v/s400/DSC_0314.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5659486344745174178" border="0"></a><div align="center"><em>Gathering outside Gua Ular... Snakes? Nah!</em></div><br />If I am not mistaken, Gua Ular resembles a small ‘ante-chamber’ prior to reaching the ‘Bat Cave’ which is adorned with a few stalagmites crowned with crystal deposits. Fortunately, or perhaps UNfortunately for some of us, there were no snakes in sight. <br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEip4CZXcBtz-u6TByGA8yE262VKcCkUEJSRvW3Z9-z1jvCn03ytArk3E7NaDNvaQEI2Y1bhf3l4JLMI_AniT4VH0kz8GJwVv8DyOGSpVaP9-F9bd0k0ndC-zwLMWVDfuPUmUO_fXOqy6Wdc/s1600/IMG_0032.JPG"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 300px; height: 400px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEip4CZXcBtz-u6TByGA8yE262VKcCkUEJSRvW3Z9-z1jvCn03ytArk3E7NaDNvaQEI2Y1bhf3l4JLMI_AniT4VH0kz8GJwVv8DyOGSpVaP9-F9bd0k0ndC-zwLMWVDfuPUmUO_fXOqy6Wdc/s400/IMG_0032.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5661042554625217218" border="0"></a><div align="center"><em>Crystal deposits, for the benefit of future explorers, please do not touch! :)</em></div><br />The smell of bat guano ushers us through a small portal where we found ourselves in this very large chamber filled with bats.<br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg09djMZKsLy_0A1KdRJwWiUd-Szq_eGMBCZc9purOH5_PJMfO1qDNHo-UdMMOjdztPxty8S6AEVY50N5Ch5kmwnEpdJNXOwvCxOnvld4sf9xj8Qw1Qqy4JMkVfIjYKeLE1W4fT5-KjyF1o/s1600/DSC_0338.JPG"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 400px; height: 266px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg09djMZKsLy_0A1KdRJwWiUd-Szq_eGMBCZc9purOH5_PJMfO1qDNHo-UdMMOjdztPxty8S6AEVY50N5Ch5kmwnEpdJNXOwvCxOnvld4sf9xj8Qw1Qqy4JMkVfIjYKeLE1W4fT5-KjyF1o/s400/DSC_0338.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5659489216871263634" border="0"></a><div align="center"><em>The high interior of Gua Kelawar. Bats flying everywhere!</em></div><br />It really isn’t as bad as I had expected. I was previously told to expect knee deep guano and a cave floor alive with cockroaches crawling all over. Instead, the guano was barely inches thick while the cockroaches and insects that feed on it were tiny and not as numerous as you would expect in a swarm. :p Hmmm… perhaps it’s not the season?<br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjwiqnqw0TeVt69WvNLJSikWvvd8JXlQafzUK9J2uy6qaesbbGzSwey95S3_EoGgDnnBtKDkYLc53ArBypFjnRfOkNv6KRr9wakk9MzrROj1A5FGg6SZ2wRduqR8VcYoZzhl1_h5KhlyD_i/s1600/DSC_0336.JPG"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 400px; height: 266px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjwiqnqw0TeVt69WvNLJSikWvvd8JXlQafzUK9J2uy6qaesbbGzSwey95S3_EoGgDnnBtKDkYLc53ArBypFjnRfOkNv6KRr9wakk9MzrROj1A5FGg6SZ2wRduqR8VcYoZzhl1_h5KhlyD_i/s400/DSC_0336.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5659486358487215666" border="0"></a><div align="center"><em>It's very dark and only the illumination of the flash from the DSLR camera managed to reveal the group in all it's startled glory ;)</em></div><br />It is still pretty dark and scans of our flash lights revealed an abandoned industry of harvesting guano for fertilizer, evidence of which can be seen littered around the chamber in the form of rotting wooden trolleys and other structures.<br /><br />We took a few photos, the more insect loving members of our group squatting to observe the creepy crawlies scurrying around our feet.<br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi8drK1UeSy0YCYRQpwizw2jyJ-8ACot3O-giwP87X0eWPHhm_nNT51j89OGqe2sP7YK2WqtaRu_3kwQLTs6aMHzyJV5adU6vQ7Et4De3m9G8PnjZU6czRB5RgcV8XJiejLGcyjsesKaGcn/s1600/DSC_0339.JPG"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 400px; height: 266px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi8drK1UeSy0YCYRQpwizw2jyJ-8ACot3O-giwP87X0eWPHhm_nNT51j89OGqe2sP7YK2WqtaRu_3kwQLTs6aMHzyJV5adU6vQ7Et4De3m9G8PnjZU6czRB5RgcV8XJiejLGcyjsesKaGcn/s400/DSC_0339.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5659486361408132066" border="0"></a><div align="center"><em>Bug Lovers... Hmmm what do you call them in a more 'academic' kind of way? Ah yes! Entomologists! :p</em></div><br />Fortunately, the expected ‘aerial bombardment’ wasn’t as heavy either, in fact it was more of a ‘powdery sprinkle’ than a torrent. Something like ‘fairey dust’? ;)<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj8yb3Pt61pME5Tm_g7zDOM8adNVN8wcmONRIAuQKp4IJ1Br8N_amXBGMQ77zdk3uRYkU3EScIHtBYnWQcgrhBrqWXH7ivwbLkdcLhWKHF24g8GCddL7XtLd-6jNWRd7lpzU3zV50PGmkiX/s1600/IMG_0041.JPG"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 400px; height: 300px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj8yb3Pt61pME5Tm_g7zDOM8adNVN8wcmONRIAuQKp4IJ1Br8N_amXBGMQ77zdk3uRYkU3EScIHtBYnWQcgrhBrqWXH7ivwbLkdcLhWKHF24g8GCddL7XtLd-6jNWRd7lpzU3zV50PGmkiX/s400/IMG_0041.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5661022002785357890" border="0"></a><div align="center"><em>Ashes to ashes, dust to dust... the remains of a bat 'returned' to the ground...</em></div><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiZX4ny9zaJr1g0nC7sk3y50VBcjBiBCVRaUS6RQC5KLrDmewZ96rPhlGbG1Q9KlR4rrdNGmsg9vMBVBM4FeIkkpjgJ-LZ0uIwOCc81bXICMNxCBwNTxdOy_LabwZIhdqCKXqILBH9lepj0/s1600/spider.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 400px; height: 300px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiZX4ny9zaJr1g0nC7sk3y50VBcjBiBCVRaUS6RQC5KLrDmewZ96rPhlGbG1Q9KlR4rrdNGmsg9vMBVBM4FeIkkpjgJ-LZ0uIwOCc81bXICMNxCBwNTxdOy_LabwZIhdqCKXqILBH9lepj0/s400/spider.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5661080822913074018" border="0"></a><div align="center"><em>A nasty looking spider! :p</em></div><br /><div align="center"><iframe allowfullscreen='allowfullscreen' webkitallowfullscreen='webkitallowfullscreen' mozallowfullscreen='mozallowfullscreen' width='320' height='266' src='https://www.blogger.com/video.g?token=AD6v5dyD_aNI1S7nYGhsbmfOsUoGeCgNG_UZ0-nNitknYSETqSDQ2_S0ivK8wXjEalrG5-XAYsuWBJ7Kzi5FMNIKyQ' class='b-hbp-video b-uploaded' frameborder='0'></iframe></div><div align="center"><em>Creepy crawlies on the cave floor... :p</em></div><br />Having lingered there for about 20 minutes, we were urged to move on to our next cave, Gua Hijau, via a portal from Gua Kelawar.<br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEirTrdcFxFIYJZBk_6gDhMMaHb7HpR6PIoQkaFEGeH7T5ePYWitEzE_1pVD22ngJF3ModDJtZW8emr1bWQRKfwYZxTANjNwhoU0tPOviX3hOxz4iTf0TK_Q59qSu2qbO6FUa0bIlOPy67Yq/s1600/DSC_0357.JPG"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 266px; height: 400px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEirTrdcFxFIYJZBk_6gDhMMaHb7HpR6PIoQkaFEGeH7T5ePYWitEzE_1pVD22ngJF3ModDJtZW8emr1bWQRKfwYZxTANjNwhoU0tPOviX3hOxz4iTf0TK_Q59qSu2qbO6FUa0bIlOPy67Yq/s400/DSC_0357.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5659489222016645138" border="0"></a><div align="center"><em>Entering Gua Hijau, with it's high ceiling and monolithic looking walls...</em></div><br />Patches of green moss line certain portions of the cave wall, giving the cave its namesake. On emerging through the Gua Kelawar portal, we found ourselves standing atop a high natural promenade, overlooking the cave floor located about 10 meters below, accessible through a small meandering rocky path. A few large boulders litter the bottom of the cave with one feature being a deep hole at one corner with its bottom too far down for our lights to pierce through and another feature, a 'skylight' revealing a peek of the jungle beyond.<br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgW-fxdiZoOPh-SzTejuClsQ-Qbnh2JTCO25ICRAVng1OVWz3WLcbzsizoNXXUzyM_B39sJu2C0kwYKEy6PhDyTob7GxrAL1nXwmz8NByeQW9CDj9RjAMeSlV3fma4HlutmayQPqQwz184h/s1600/DSC_0397.JPG"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 266px; height: 400px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgW-fxdiZoOPh-SzTejuClsQ-Qbnh2JTCO25ICRAVng1OVWz3WLcbzsizoNXXUzyM_B39sJu2C0kwYKEy6PhDyTob7GxrAL1nXwmz8NByeQW9CDj9RjAMeSlV3fma4HlutmayQPqQwz184h/s400/DSC_0397.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5659489245284567298" border="0"></a><div align="center"><em>The cave's 'skylight'...</em></div><br />The ‘green’ of the moss appears to be the color of jade, giving the impression that the cave wall is lined with seams of this precious mineral.<br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjrw9Y9KAxGdzekxDa1mMO3bXB9bYGCo77LP1xfZ_3-FNkpbPyDFhka9NNxythmAbTM9_wz6o11Jz-x6zbdLubJaNeGm7wxBmwqVtkF9vvYwZUPzf5xFpfKhF4Hyr_9Ndf7uNbRBLlFGLNB/s1600/DSC_0439k.JPG"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 400px; height: 266px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjrw9Y9KAxGdzekxDa1mMO3bXB9bYGCo77LP1xfZ_3-FNkpbPyDFhka9NNxythmAbTM9_wz6o11Jz-x6zbdLubJaNeGm7wxBmwqVtkF9vvYwZUPzf5xFpfKhF4Hyr_9Ndf7uNbRBLlFGLNB/s400/DSC_0439k.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5661042558174186434" border="0"></a><div align="center"><em>Your's truly, squatting to take pictures of the cave...</em></div><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj1I4paTzEOmjH0KogLgwDogbarcLi4d51dp-SDA1UaBlGGwTGI8fT2onYGSzh8t95vbLKDPN29e9coCiOM986ucmd-Rnny9iIJQS0001gwTAZ4B5IhJRcGM6DjiqQDXzQHCMMcTh1UWsqK/s1600/DSC_0465.JPG"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 400px; height: 266px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj1I4paTzEOmjH0KogLgwDogbarcLi4d51dp-SDA1UaBlGGwTGI8fT2onYGSzh8t95vbLKDPN29e9coCiOM986ucmd-Rnny9iIJQS0001gwTAZ4B5IhJRcGM6DjiqQDXzQHCMMcTh1UWsqK/s400/DSC_0465.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5661015203500582306" border="0"></a><div align="center"><em>The greenish hue of the moss that line the walls of the cave giving it's name... :)</em></div><br />We paused to take photos, the more restless among us attempted to clamber up a very steep and slippery rock face to reach a small 'cave' within the chamber which they surprisingly manage!<br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiWHLUr2xNWYWqWWwEGIRfAsvqM455mPen_t6snXMEbzlJBVHjFscOJ_t3mkYJJ6ttQRzXy18qkMm0z0jvGNSm7iHWqH8R-44iJ1mI0Hzp0Rg00697NzORhNqmz7bXN5riXz-jvU9eyxIuq/s1600/DSC_0054.JPG"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 266px; height: 400px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiWHLUr2xNWYWqWWwEGIRfAsvqM455mPen_t6snXMEbzlJBVHjFscOJ_t3mkYJJ6ttQRzXy18qkMm0z0jvGNSm7iHWqH8R-44iJ1mI0Hzp0Rg00697NzORhNqmz7bXN5riXz-jvU9eyxIuq/s400/DSC_0054.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5661184969077875122" border="0"></a><div align="center"><em>No rest for the 'wicked'? ;) Diverging from the main route to seek adventure... sadly, the Ali Baba cave did not hide Yamashita's treasure... ;)</em></div><br />However, if they had expected to find General Yamashita's hidden stash of gold, there wasn't any because it was empty and also led to a dead end. :p Good effort nonetheless! :)<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjUpg2UDMPKY2kQo0Y8NIKa-AQuPPxaZxurEOcs0NCK5QzYKFSvkre1A4bVIDWNTyphuoVCRtWvKZ9W4T8OiqagBYumB7q0EsHbchHhEG9IsPizFXZAfQ0J83mbxEeWY1WN_CjOTX7LTnDD/s1600/DSC_0040.JPG"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 266px; height: 400px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjUpg2UDMPKY2kQo0Y8NIKa-AQuPPxaZxurEOcs0NCK5QzYKFSvkre1A4bVIDWNTyphuoVCRtWvKZ9W4T8OiqagBYumB7q0EsHbchHhEG9IsPizFXZAfQ0J83mbxEeWY1WN_CjOTX7LTnDD/s400/DSC_0040.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5661022007801670946" border="0"></a><div align="center"><em>Group Photo, Gua Hijau... Yeah! :D</em></div><br />Soon it was time to move and the guide informed us to proceed to Tangga 99. Expecting it to be a natural rock staircase, I found in its place, rungs of steel ladders leading all the way down from the cave mouth to the jungle floor below, a long rusting metal chute its companion.<br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg82m3-5cSeexOXRzJe0cZVeeRonqeyUq2_WbEXkNyXdxzHDiBCbMPyID19bHOOlMwdlRTUIc9A1LNGljbr_LxC6jygOp2iEP5KGGNpbWq2SU7ZjA1Z53DYr0pGbJ_td_e1EBOyyyLaVks3/s1600/DSC_0057.JPG"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 400px; height: 266px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg82m3-5cSeexOXRzJe0cZVeeRonqeyUq2_WbEXkNyXdxzHDiBCbMPyID19bHOOlMwdlRTUIc9A1LNGljbr_LxC6jygOp2iEP5KGGNpbWq2SU7ZjA1Z53DYr0pGbJ_td_e1EBOyyyLaVks3/s400/DSC_0057.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5661045183884682738" border="0"></a><div align="center"><em>The rusty ladder that constitutes part of Tangga 99</em></div><br />Deceptively though, there is indeed a short flight of wooden stairs just before the cave opening where the ladder starts.<br /><div align="center"><iframe allowfullscreen='allowfullscreen' webkitallowfullscreen='webkitallowfullscreen' mozallowfullscreen='mozallowfullscreen' width='320' height='266' src='https://www.blogger.com/video.g?token=AD6v5dzisTDWpPKsJrNGlcfQA6GMGKNH88T-rtNW7Y1i8fmjzBqpfNP-BpaN5r2T3CgJOkMNNBSEBvBi53cqQ_Zh5A' class='b-hbp-video b-uploaded' frameborder='0'></iframe></div><div align="center"><em>The exit of Gua Hijau leading to Tangga 99. Notice the wooden stairs close to the top...</em></div><br />Here is where I found my first documented leech attack for this whole caving trip, though thankfully not on myself! :p ;) Apparently, Janice had unknowingly brought along a hitchhiker, who had comfortable grew fat sucking the blood off her while we were doing all that climbing and walking. We only noticed the presence of her hitch hiker by the growing stain of arterial red spreading across the back of her shirt. :p Huge (it was almost 3cm long), fat and filled with her vitae, the leech plopped nicely on the ground as Moon shook it loose from Janice’s shirt.<br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi6TcDqHCy4aNs3rUL3A5BpJMBVZa9AbV9WU_1uxfxVGXG-dbrea6JFsgz9Y4NkRnTDAov7i2n_cLQVBPGw94poP3zMse6OUhk35aEgpapCt9C5oxqC-I9Ml1LdqahpIIJI8yY2pHf1Sovs/s1600/DSC_0059.JPG"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 266px; height: 400px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi6TcDqHCy4aNs3rUL3A5BpJMBVZa9AbV9WU_1uxfxVGXG-dbrea6JFsgz9Y4NkRnTDAov7i2n_cLQVBPGw94poP3zMse6OUhk35aEgpapCt9C5oxqC-I9Ml1LdqahpIIJI8yY2pHf1Sovs/s400/DSC_0059.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5661175294765912386" border="0"></a><div align="center"><em>Waiting our turn to descend down the ladder, one by one please... ;) It is here that Janice found her 'companion'... :p</em></div> <br />Taking from a scene out of some B-grade science fiction movie, Janice, like some alien ‘queen mother’ unexpectedly pleaded for the it’s life, citing the ‘bond’ they now shared through the DNA coursing through the sightless wormlike parasite’s slimy orifices. Yucks! :p<br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiL3iaFL6E_cVNgHgkfgfmtecWopUlsxyMsNhTbJs7gVCGat9Z3yZ_COaDwICc4VC8KXYqIvsdeOw-v0PJhwZGWMsGqidS9rEXUyBugXDmwvGsNKfofIgOma6JfyqzC2d0jd-5SBHeYD7Hp/s1600/LEACH.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 400px; height: 266px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiL3iaFL6E_cVNgHgkfgfmtecWopUlsxyMsNhTbJs7gVCGat9Z3yZ_COaDwICc4VC8KXYqIvsdeOw-v0PJhwZGWMsGqidS9rEXUyBugXDmwvGsNKfofIgOma6JfyqzC2d0jd-5SBHeYD7Hp/s400/LEACH.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5661175303381614626" border="0"></a><div align="center"><em>Janice's alien 'offspring'! :p</em></div> <br />Her pleadings were so heartfelt that we had to no choice but to reluctantly leave it for another chance for it to prey on nary an unwary traveller in the near future (Sorry guys, we were more afraid of Janice sprouting claws and fangs attacking us if we ‘harmed’ her ‘alien’ offspring, hahaha). :p <br /><br />Despite this, I climbed down the ladder quickly, more than pleased to keep as wide a distance between myself and the blood sucking critter as I can. At the foot of the steps on the jungle floor, I met up with Mr. Lee who offered me a morsel of information.<br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh7pw2jiEYGCaalIUJE1xOeFnIa_F2R_5E57Ucbk4momJnkdT5WHLEjief4deG_HJ3r7JwfTuLuDJEngvSTAGhmsZnBqFk1g3QS0lsG5iQ5WS3azym0ayHecvzizt4TD0iLb7HWOQNcRdlx/s1600/DSC_0411.JPG"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 266px; height: 400px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh7pw2jiEYGCaalIUJE1xOeFnIa_F2R_5E57Ucbk4momJnkdT5WHLEjief4deG_HJ3r7JwfTuLuDJEngvSTAGhmsZnBqFk1g3QS0lsG5iQ5WS3azym0ayHecvzizt4TD0iLb7HWOQNcRdlx/s400/DSC_0411.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5661176669513008994" border="0"></a><div align="center"><em>Close to the foot of tangga 99, shortly before discovering there wasn't 99 steps after all!</em></div> <br />Apparently, ‘Tangga 99’ didn’t really have 99 steps after all. It was actually short by about 10. :p I suppose the ‘99’ is more for glamour sake than actual fact.<br /><br />Once everyone had gotten down the ladder safely, we proceeded to make our way back, retracing our steps back to Gua Penyu.<br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhttlpQjwXLs5vdM_IwauWhaUzEZEP4xJNiU4QfTl9MK6w6glRaIZSL93FvfWxCwzUcAJfvclEDQONbff1606Rr8Cwpct5qhQRk_MaWpBrcH1uXdGLxDcHc7SVl548PBlT6tPwhKM2MEBNY/s1600/DSC_0483.JPG"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 400px; height: 266px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhttlpQjwXLs5vdM_IwauWhaUzEZEP4xJNiU4QfTl9MK6w6glRaIZSL93FvfWxCwzUcAJfvclEDQONbff1606Rr8Cwpct5qhQRk_MaWpBrcH1uXdGLxDcHc7SVl548PBlT6tPwhKM2MEBNY/s400/DSC_0483.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5661076892564455666" border="0"></a><div align="center"><em>Returning to the jungle trek heading back to Gua Penyu</em></div><br />This time, we proceeded to venture into the cave which in actuality, was really a large natural corridor leading to… a dead end. :)<br /><br />Along the way, evidence of what was supposed to be the posts for a chain railing can be seen at certain intervals. Perhaps it was a show cave once? At the end of the corridor, were pools of water filled with tadpoles and other swimming insects.<br /><br />Like most cave expeditions, we were ordered to switch off the lights to experience the pitch darkness. Squels of “Preciousssss…” echoed in the dark confines as Gollum made his appearance... ;)<br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjC7kjScNOgRgDGpQ09sATvZ3taqUek7IUUOv-NmAcn3UEOJbMdA-BvZlKhDteMAtiocB-4g9yoa8iJxYQoZCid5BGk0jrYWKR1L8q7m8V6hyphenhyphenhBrnkoqdOL87CmbYGwmx4R8sRI9xRA2rxL/s1600/DSC_0490.JPG"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 400px; height: 266px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjC7kjScNOgRgDGpQ09sATvZ3taqUek7IUUOv-NmAcn3UEOJbMdA-BvZlKhDteMAtiocB-4g9yoa8iJxYQoZCid5BGk0jrYWKR1L8q7m8V6hyphenhyphenhBrnkoqdOL87CmbYGwmx4R8sRI9xRA2rxL/s400/DSC_0490.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5661076897207156690" border="0"></a><div align="center"><em>Entering Gua Penyu, a long corridor with the ceiling descending until it was about 2m high at the end</em></div><br />As the lights were turned on back again, some of us squatted down to observe the insects and tadpoles, others idled around looking at the cave walls while I focused my attention on the rocks above, paying particular attention to the dripping water off a stone stuck to the cave ceiling, which was really only about 2 meters from the cave floor.<br /><br />Trying to catch that ‘moment in time’ when the drop of water was just about to leave the stone, I was almost left behind in the gloom when the rest of the party slowly pulled out of the cave.<br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh4KhuEQZzvhZb9xMFH5VPa8_2109V1X96o28yN7CQbPegAFX_iSid3Ntyabvr1cTyjMi4YjkGZEsCIVgxDh1yXS_cY0jySnSwy-_SEIF9rbPLX87KtVC1uiwWfKgPJMMJPLA4Qfo2XXXW6/s1600/Moment+in+time.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 400px; height: 380px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh4KhuEQZzvhZb9xMFH5VPa8_2109V1X96o28yN7CQbPegAFX_iSid3Ntyabvr1cTyjMi4YjkGZEsCIVgxDh1yXS_cY0jySnSwy-_SEIF9rbPLX87KtVC1uiwWfKgPJMMJPLA4Qfo2XXXW6/s400/Moment+in+time.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5661177816390083314" border="0"></a><div align="center"><em>Trying to catch that 'moment in time'... 1,2,3! 1,2,3! ;)</em></div><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjhaxCnxHuH7POimOabEU_aLicy-mt2cI4QfXweeOsEBLT4UGeiPscdJMvv8tjZKgzUMvt-QRvEPtMn4u5-ea-vTbTiYfF8vmJ7_NBVc5McPRvJaILS_qgjsZrjtCwgFT7Y0tWLL_HrFnwl/s1600/DSC_0422.JPG"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 400px; height: 266px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjhaxCnxHuH7POimOabEU_aLicy-mt2cI4QfXweeOsEBLT4UGeiPscdJMvv8tjZKgzUMvt-QRvEPtMn4u5-ea-vTbTiYfF8vmJ7_NBVc5McPRvJaILS_qgjsZrjtCwgFT7Y0tWLL_HrFnwl/s400/DSC_0422.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5661177246594828002" border="0"></a><div align="center"><em>The result... :) A drop of water just about to fall of the tip of a rock... hahaha!</em></div> <br />Fortunately, I wasn’t that addled and managed to follow the group out into the light.<br /><br />From the exit of Gua Ular, we made our way back to the parking lot thus ending our expedition for the morning.<br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjx1aqr8SEdYmRF4t6N7l87lu588nSjYAVRXBKt1hI-qNDk7ElnsEbCwjXISMQ_BiudsOKKrVp1loMvhcT8W4sHmvGX4maCwpFiZ-kCwijRlTcraZ4iCcJ_ntiwmSCUdDlh6OUOabVPQoQ7/s1600/DSC_0509.JPG"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 400px; height: 266px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjx1aqr8SEdYmRF4t6N7l87lu588nSjYAVRXBKt1hI-qNDk7ElnsEbCwjXISMQ_BiudsOKKrVp1loMvhcT8W4sHmvGX4maCwpFiZ-kCwijRlTcraZ4iCcJ_ntiwmSCUdDlh6OUOabVPQoQ7/s400/DSC_0509.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5661015211617545890" border="0"></a><div align="center"><em>Adventure over! Now to return to the car park and to the resort for a cleansing shower! :)</em></div><br />It was almost 2pm by the time we finished.<br /><br />The guide passed us his business card, suggesting us to find him for future destinations into Taman Negara before we parted ways. We moved back to the resort, take our very much needed showers before we checked out.<br /><br />At this point, we parted ways with Chelsina and her group. They taking the more ‘scenic’ route back to Kuantan while we KL people moving south towards the East Coast highway with the riverside town of Temerloh as our destination. Contrary to its famous reputation as the ‘Patin’ Capital of Malaysia, we could hardly find an open decent restaurant in town, a repeat of previous misadventures to this small town. :p Hmmm… maybe somebody can suggest a good restaurant for us to drop by next time?<br /><br />Thereafter, we went for our tried and true option, none other than Restaurant 126 close to Kampung Bukit Tinggi on the Karak highway. We had to ‘starve’ a little but when we arrived there we were rewarded with a good selection of food which included once more their famous pork bellies (trotters!). Eschewing the ‘seafood’, we ordered more terrestrial dishes such as sweet sour pork, tofu and vegetables, the bill coming up to a paltry RM8/head! :) A very good deal indeed! :)<br /><br />And so once more comes the ends our expedition. As I drive into the sunset back to the city lights of Kuala Lumpur, I dream (and plot) for the next adventure… ;)<br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh30hHMuikVEYdjnlMdIFMYVN5NyVL2tvwxmDGyfiXruYbNuMa3qwmh9KzEwH0ctF-FAGp-zFVpzowU_8R7LiV9A6wVx5mcvFUhsydBUN9qDPTciUqmiq3fut8Q2jKdVF37iw7SEj5nnJzH/s1600/DSC_0033.JPG"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 400px; height: 266px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh30hHMuikVEYdjnlMdIFMYVN5NyVL2tvwxmDGyfiXruYbNuMa3qwmh9KzEwH0ctF-FAGp-zFVpzowU_8R7LiV9A6wVx5mcvFUhsydBUN9qDPTciUqmiq3fut8Q2jKdVF37iw7SEj5nnJzH/s400/DSC_0033.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5661175300004719586" border="0"></a>Eddie Tuenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07105702091987045194noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4785821961237109532.post-34244082282126746652011-09-07T17:04:00.028+08:002012-08-07T10:07:36.753+08:00Gua Kota Gelanggi, Day 1: Tekam Resort, Gua Sanding and Gua Terang Bulan<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiOIrL6Plb4O_OkRfVPXX-8WpE0iqdRdtVZOBg5E4IX0vtkKpIQS_67FPhDrc7_rCjQfORnE6PXHRlmMqh8GLhjEbuTNY0B-hpgMuwgdEVYJlai8l3tHah0XeLmNG-Xjq8d__HI-3rRFOqd/s1600/DSC_0163.JPG" onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}"><img alt="" border="0" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5651124216303708082" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiOIrL6Plb4O_OkRfVPXX-8WpE0iqdRdtVZOBg5E4IX0vtkKpIQS_67FPhDrc7_rCjQfORnE6PXHRlmMqh8GLhjEbuTNY0B-hpgMuwgdEVYJlai8l3tHah0XeLmNG-Xjq8d__HI-3rRFOqd/s400/DSC_0163.JPG" style="cursor: pointer; display: block; height: 266px; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; width: 400px;" /></a><br />
The hinterlands of northern Pahang hide a network of caves if not discovered by intrepid explorers and pioneers would never be known to the peoples of the cities. ;) The limestone hills housing these caves could be just a hundred meters away but you probably won’t see it because of the thick jungle foliage hiding it from plain sight! <br />
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This round, we are off to the fabled Gua Kota Gelanggi, located near the FELDA plantations of Tekam, Pahang. Loosely translated, Gua Kota Gelanggi is malay for City of Gelanggi Caves. Why City? Well, there is a myth that speaks of an ancient civilization that made the network of caves its home. One day, a sorcerer happens to come by and curse its inhabitants, turning them into stone, thus explaining the various rock formations in the cave. Another myth refers to a creature called ‘Sang Kelembai’, some gorgon/medusa-like beast that lives in the area with the ability to transform things it touches into stone.<br />
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Well, leaving the fables and legends behind, the Gua Kota Gelanggi network of caves is really an interesting place to visit for those not looking at too extreme an adventure. <br />
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgcP1rhpWZzVofi0C9BWy0YIoY16HQIqPXtUdsqL0reZvFYU9E9OHs7btStJ_og4ycAsALAm1UoOjgHGMXlFOiySaUA7CaXX7vrrWX0QiGQd1XFOOt6JiXzxXUlC5Z91rmNWJCt1wfflcHU/s1600/DSC_0020.JPG" onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}"><img alt="" border="0" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5651102866766991538" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgcP1rhpWZzVofi0C9BWy0YIoY16HQIqPXtUdsqL0reZvFYU9E9OHs7btStJ_og4ycAsALAm1UoOjgHGMXlFOiySaUA7CaXX7vrrWX0QiGQd1XFOOt6JiXzxXUlC5Z91rmNWJCt1wfflcHU/s400/DSC_0020.JPG" style="cursor: pointer; display: block; height: 400px; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; width: 266px;" /></a><br />
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<em>Taman Gua Kota Gelanggi, a map to all the caves in the park... click on it for a bigger (clearer) picture... ;)</em></div>
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Introduced by a friend who had been there before, the caves are located within the Felda Plantation of Tekam, the nearest reasonable town being Jerantut, about 20 minutes drive away.<br />
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Booking the package is rather easy. All you need to do is to visit the Felda Tekam Resort website <a href="http://www.feldatravel.com.my/index.php?option=com_content&view=section&layout=blog&id=11&Itemid=96&phpMyAdmin=ESWZf0hMnztUSZCLqYtr04BXyB0" target="_blank">here</a> and click your way to the contact tab to get in touch with the staff for reservations. You could book your rooms online should you wish but I prefer the more, ‘human touch’.<br />
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Taking the advice from my friend, I chose to go for a 2D1N package which covers a visit thru Gua Sanding and Gua Kelawar with an overnight stay at Felda Tekam’s dormitory that includes a serving of breakfast. I also threw in a serving of dinner for our first night’s stay. Overall cost? About RM90/head! Cheap, cheap! :D<br />
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Departing from our meeting point in TTDI, we headed first for breakfast at Kampung Bukit Tinggi at the foothills of the Genting Highlands. <br />
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEizr7fDvEhXE7qTQwdL4_alCv1eZSXybd76k1YTTgoOly1njRwuLSrzNW3xh_tLOGhXZGcr8Vd-PILX_Htzv43t7idhzf-J99OA7blE3G4sASkiAdrWJ64TldR94n2_mEEl9MgP-yGjyZ-W/s1600/DSC_0239.JPG" onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}"><img alt="" border="0" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5651104613770960370" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEizr7fDvEhXE7qTQwdL4_alCv1eZSXybd76k1YTTgoOly1njRwuLSrzNW3xh_tLOGhXZGcr8Vd-PILX_Htzv43t7idhzf-J99OA7blE3G4sASkiAdrWJ64TldR94n2_mEEl9MgP-yGjyZ-W/s400/DSC_0239.JPG" style="cursor: pointer; display: block; height: 266px; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; width: 400px;" /></a><br />
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<em>At Kampung Bukit Tinggi. Although the siew yoke/char siew seller has been proven elusive, we still kept our spirits high... :)</em></div>
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Looking for its famous ‘char siew’ and ‘siew yoke’ to eat, we were left disappointed when told by the local stall owners that the ‘uncle’ who sells those succulent meats have a habit of now only dropping by at the place only once in two weeks, the week we were there being the week he is not coming :p. We had to settle for a dish of wan tan mee mixed with a dash of yong tau foo, while we waited for a member whom we had left behind on account of not being contactable and oversleeping way beyond our departure time! :p ;) He paid an ‘idiot’ tax of RM50 for the taxi ride to meet us at Kampung Bukit Tinggi. <br />
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh5p2GBEcdxQTigRyr8rihdiCytkogKujG4WLM4tUZaGPaJZy9t6vqL9DcZixu-pWl59g6vwf6UpIohoJvlswX5NtudWHiNdg5IvXKvrYsiJhd5rzm00-0B0RDtfjV-wSDzvzQ4pFxTnoWa/s1600/DSC_0223.JPG" onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}"><img alt="" border="0" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5652227870407301586" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh5p2GBEcdxQTigRyr8rihdiCytkogKujG4WLM4tUZaGPaJZy9t6vqL9DcZixu-pWl59g6vwf6UpIohoJvlswX5NtudWHiNdg5IvXKvrYsiJhd5rzm00-0B0RDtfjV-wSDzvzQ4pFxTnoWa/s400/DSC_0223.JPG" style="cursor: pointer; display: block; height: 266px; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; width: 400px;" /></a><br />
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<em>Presenting... the payer of his own 'idiot tax'!</em></div>
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With our stomachs filled and our crew complement completed, we headed to Jerantut, on a rendezvous with another group of friends coming in from Kuantan.<br />
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<span style="font-style: italic;">Note: Along the way, do take care to slow down between the stretch right after the Karak toll and the toll leading to the East Coast highway. A static and very CONSTANT speed trap camera is located somewhere within the vicinity and more often than not have ‘generated income’ for the local polis in speeding fines! The speed limit in this area is 90kph and the camera doesn’t really care if the roads are completely empty. :p</span><br />
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2 hours later, we gathered at Jerantut’s famous Man Fook Lau restaurant for lunch. ;)<br />
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhkRQ7w0tLRyAM9jRqCOxLQqaxE65IF2pqNVtZrvL7KtcLlR4ewodf4J1n0iF0cB1-CeM8Ue-2-bBSZrIlxaWTq96e1VZNaA6TS96tQansEWp_BvMqvqTBF7b0gGdWShpjDCD2uQKE67ybr/s1600/DSC_0275.JPG" onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}"><img alt="" border="0" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5651104619283868498" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhkRQ7w0tLRyAM9jRqCOxLQqaxE65IF2pqNVtZrvL7KtcLlR4ewodf4J1n0iF0cB1-CeM8Ue-2-bBSZrIlxaWTq96e1VZNaA6TS96tQansEWp_BvMqvqTBF7b0gGdWShpjDCD2uQKE67ybr/s400/DSC_0275.JPG" style="cursor: pointer; display: block; height: 266px; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; width: 400px;" /></a><br />
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<em>Jerantut's Man Fook Lau Restaurant</em></div>
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Getting to Jerantut from the East Coast Highway requires you to make a turn at the Temerloh exit. From there follow the signboards to Jerantut. The drive will take about an hour over a single carriageway flanked by mostly palm oil estates and an occasional kampong or two.<br />
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Recommended by Chelsina (the leader of our Kuantan friends) through a blog (<a href="http://thule-food-quest.blogspot.com/2010/01/man-fook-lau-taman-jerantut-jerantut.html">http://thule-food-quest.blogspot.com/2010/01/man-fook-lau-taman-jerantut-jerantut.html</a>), this place offers some surprisingly unique presentations of food for a small town in the hinterlands of Pahang, at a price. ;)<br />
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjZgFds6nTG4Ya6lsL0SGSEY93zKw83-APEZcV1VbLIZmpMQ8bN7gEF6RLpycrjyk6QONJhrHQ6-F5RwwN21H_C2_hX-l6eW1FxE24BHgKdTHuFT1GBu0KL096aOsNYSr2sKotSHgC4aXx0/s1600/DSC_0242.JPG" onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}"><img alt="" border="0" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5651107467670498194" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjZgFds6nTG4Ya6lsL0SGSEY93zKw83-APEZcV1VbLIZmpMQ8bN7gEF6RLpycrjyk6QONJhrHQ6-F5RwwN21H_C2_hX-l6eW1FxE24BHgKdTHuFT1GBu0KL096aOsNYSr2sKotSHgC4aXx0/s400/DSC_0242.JPG" style="cursor: pointer; display: block; height: 266px; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; width: 400px;" /></a><br />
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<em>The ever adventurous Chelsina (left) and her husband, Kenn (right) ;)</em></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhVNTMnpym1U_yH0JPbXVRdvY6kaqQhUElvpUSOipGNWCXbpCYijjuO-pf6TJOc75nOgAAne84kXFdYnFTmLt4wQ2uPIWA7PbZVyBPcKNj3jo2FFRWOhnGY8qcfmo9kqlVSZ1-L0Pm43cKM/s1600/DSC_0263.JPG" onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}"><img alt="" border="0" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5651105655819672482" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhVNTMnpym1U_yH0JPbXVRdvY6kaqQhUElvpUSOipGNWCXbpCYijjuO-pf6TJOc75nOgAAne84kXFdYnFTmLt4wQ2uPIWA7PbZVyBPcKNj3jo2FFRWOhnGY8qcfmo9kqlVSZ1-L0Pm43cKM/s400/DSC_0263.JPG" style="cursor: pointer; display: block; height: 266px; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; width: 400px;" /></a><br />
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<em>Ordering Man Fook Lau's signature dishes! (From left: Kwei Fei Chicken, Steam Patin Fish, Yam Pork and a serving of vegetable tou foo)</em></div>
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The taste? Well, really depends on the person. I found it not bad really although some of our crew would not agree. ;) I have to admit that the price is rather steep though. :p We paid RM32 per head.<br />
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiqZ_Gsjky4uN2VYxGMB94RxltWhS85IInty5XEoLGD5ud0Of-PPbdHjmYFcm2erfQhzEjs_hLxrrmHwqJitvvsVUNLpwdtOVnInwi15Daf1-GmVwpNmbIAf0ivtk8MAUivdsffunxdkYYk/s1600/DSC_0251.JPG" onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}"><img alt="" border="0" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5651105651341133490" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiqZ_Gsjky4uN2VYxGMB94RxltWhS85IInty5XEoLGD5ud0Of-PPbdHjmYFcm2erfQhzEjs_hLxrrmHwqJitvvsVUNLpwdtOVnInwi15Daf1-GmVwpNmbIAf0ivtk8MAUivdsffunxdkYYk/s400/DSC_0251.JPG" style="cursor: pointer; display: block; height: 400px; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; width: 266px;" /></a><br />
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<em>A closer look at their unique Kwei Fei Chicken, consisting of fish, pork and chicken layered together!</em></div>
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Now with our tanks filled with even MORE fuel, it’s time to do a bit of exercise! However, we have to first check in at our abode in the Felda Tekam Plantation and for this, we need to drive out of Jerantut, heading north. Soon, you’d find signs leading you to the Felda Tekam estate. You’ll also pass by the entrance to the Gua Kota Gelanggi park as well.<br />
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgbwi_rnartvQeSFjqvfjHhtAm4bI2O-yVC644T48N3DK2_q6V7Gq79YIFXMcNqEPiE8F7ycQJzuszSsXzj9d6qM_47RWxyGwP-bX0HxqV3xicERIxQSowtDC2ICIj1cLrg1KQpWC_ZcUoN/s1600/tekam.jpg" onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}"><img alt="" border="0" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5652204871470365842" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgbwi_rnartvQeSFjqvfjHhtAm4bI2O-yVC644T48N3DK2_q6V7Gq79YIFXMcNqEPiE8F7ycQJzuszSsXzj9d6qM_47RWxyGwP-bX0HxqV3xicERIxQSowtDC2ICIj1cLrg1KQpWC_ZcUoN/s400/tekam.jpg" style="cursor: pointer; display: block; height: 347px; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; width: 300px;" /></a><br />
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<em>Took me a while to figure out the map but I now realize the curious 'box' is actually the Felda Resort itself! Not to scale of course!</em></div>
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The feeling of entering the Felda Tekam Estate itself is like entering a military base. A guardhouse manned by auxiliary polis is located at a rather elaborate gatehouse. On our trip, we didn’t really go through a very detailed check, all we need to do was inform the polis that we are heading towards the resort and they allowed us to pass. Perhaps in more ‘sensitive’ times (like during elections), security would stepped up a bit to prevent ‘unwanted’ elements from influencing the folks inside? :p <br />
<br />
It took another 20 minutes to negotiate through well paved roads before we finally reached the resort. More oil palm estates flanked the road in with various large FELDA administrative offices built in between. Signboards leading to the various communities as well as nearby amenities dot each junction. The place feels and is like some mini township!<br />
<br />
We arrived at the Felda resort front office around 1pm. Perhaps because it is Ramadhan, there aren’t many people around. In fact, it was very likely that we were the ONLY guest around for the period. <br />
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjOLAql7cYTf_LTsuQDxC8p6CIsVyAj2XJmVQYCFElpr_c1kQTmHa5gT9Pmb3gJ1REw2TIZ09e6t5HTiCvx8Vz7MYUBAnmLu3DJtWrRVPgAGPgrrvi5K21k2k33Eb6Y5MvPeaSycJyor5Z5/s1600/Felda+Tekam.jpg" onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}"><img alt="" border="0" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5652204223402394226" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjOLAql7cYTf_LTsuQDxC8p6CIsVyAj2XJmVQYCFElpr_c1kQTmHa5gT9Pmb3gJ1REw2TIZ09e6t5HTiCvx8Vz7MYUBAnmLu3DJtWrRVPgAGPgrrvi5K21k2k33Eb6Y5MvPeaSycJyor5Z5/s400/Felda+Tekam.jpg" style="cursor: pointer; display: block; height: 300px; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; width: 400px;" /></a><br />
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<em>The impressive front office of the Felda Tekam Resort</em></div>
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Presenting the print out of my reservation confirmation and paying what remained of our payment, we received the keys to our dorms which were located about 5 minutes away. Dinner and breakfast will be served in the coffeehouse at the main office. <br />
<br />
They do of course have more lavish accommodations for rent as well, some up to ‘hotel’ standard but because we are always aiming for ‘low cost’ trips, I had chosen the dorms as an option. The cheapest would of course be simply ‘camping’ in the premise. ;)<br />
<br />
We moved into our dorms, the guys and gals separating to their respective dorms. I am not sure whether gender separation thingy is enforced here although the lady at the counter did mention specifically a ‘male’ and ‘female’ dorm when handing over the keys. They did also want to know many guys and gals were in our party when I made the booking. Fortunately, there were no objections from either side of the gender gulf on our voluntary segregation. <br />
<br />
The dorms itself were rather clean though very spartan. There were about 10 double decker bunk beds in each room, more than enough space to accommodate our party with keys to two rooms.<br />
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjRudIQ0w1rXmFLdVx4zV1zD4MxNQlia67MwO6L4RSBctY5jaHdPETPXvYksbCz1pIKAvdhlNHxp5MQmAfF0RHqDy13o5y-OUIwUyMUopJ11AYmEQlbAQgyhfcglAemuQHzhgCLwTI2Hye1/s1600/Dorms.jpg" onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}"><img alt="" border="0" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5652204219003704002" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjRudIQ0w1rXmFLdVx4zV1zD4MxNQlia67MwO6L4RSBctY5jaHdPETPXvYksbCz1pIKAvdhlNHxp5MQmAfF0RHqDy13o5y-OUIwUyMUopJ11AYmEQlbAQgyhfcglAemuQHzhgCLwTI2Hye1/s400/Dorms.jpg" style="cursor: pointer; display: block; height: 266px; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; width: 400px;" /></a><br />
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<em>This pic was taken from their website. Needless to say, the presentation is always better there than the actual. Still, it's livable. ;)</em></div>
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Some cupboards had broken doors while you get a very thin piece of cloth as your bed sheet and blanket. Don’t expect to be using the blanket though because the dorm is not air conditioned and the fan is hardly able to stave off the tropical heat of the afternoon sun. <br />
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To do our toiletries, we had a centralized wash room complete with toilets and bathroom stalls. For those who are less ‘modest’ there is your typical terrazzo walled water tank where you can scoop out gouts of water to bathe in a more ‘communal’ atmosphere ala ‘kampung’. Don’t seem very practical if you are going to bathe with your clothes on though (even if you’re only clad with a ‘sarong’). <br />
<br />
Our guide met us shortly after we checked in and told us to prepare for our first outing to the caves. <br />
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Without wasting much time, we dumped most of our stuff in the dorms, strapped on our hiking gear and moved up to meet the guide at a closed ‘coffee’ shop right outside our dorm. Leading us back out the plantation via motorcycle, we drove back to the Gua Kota Gelanggi Park entrance we passed earlier to get to the resort. <br />
<br />
Here we realized that there is a token fee to be paid for visitors to enter the park but because we have already signed up for the package with the resort, we don’t need to pay any. <br />
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Driving in a little bit away from the guardhouse through a narrow road, we parked our cars at what looked like a natural limestone ‘arch’ named Gua Tongkat which means ‘Cane’ Cave in the Queen’s English. Don’t confused ‘Cane’ with Sugar Cane, because this cane means the stick which generally old people (and some young people) use to walk. :p ;) As with all our trips, it was time to take a group photo.<br />
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgfZWmnJZNlU5XTWIevmc5wj4K4V9Kofd6sgoKdERy0Jcb-qTmfwEliPEMp-r82uut2ufAimk03HBu7vl1RT1kFtPOasYVdI_TcP7ucbws4gnIcCWwUIBWorkXUIm9cqBN1yrChTixUEHSo/s1600/IMG_0002.JPG" onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}"><img alt="" border="0" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5651107479502893858" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgfZWmnJZNlU5XTWIevmc5wj4K4V9Kofd6sgoKdERy0Jcb-qTmfwEliPEMp-r82uut2ufAimk03HBu7vl1RT1kFtPOasYVdI_TcP7ucbws4gnIcCWwUIBWorkXUIm9cqBN1yrChTixUEHSo/s400/IMG_0002.JPG" style="cursor: pointer; display: block; height: 300px; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; width: 400px;" /></a><br />
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<em>Our customary group photo in front of Gua Tongkat! Huzzah!</em></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjEUFGbRi8U1uI8DpoJV2mo80i4ayarDIc-562Ur_P3KZCnzhZ7Al9dcm2HZnx9ELfsjup5MgZahvog50WFAfsB3LTaU1N-NVbiIonNaOx6q_30HETNVULJ455Xo3BLKGF7oIbk3Aw8s5TL/s1600/IMG_0005.JPG" onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}"><img alt="" border="0" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5651113968180191218" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjEUFGbRi8U1uI8DpoJV2mo80i4ayarDIc-562Ur_P3KZCnzhZ7Al9dcm2HZnx9ELfsjup5MgZahvog50WFAfsB3LTaU1N-NVbiIonNaOx6q_30HETNVULJ455Xo3BLKGF7oIbk3Aw8s5TL/s400/IMG_0005.JPG" style="cursor: pointer; display: block; height: 400px; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; width: 300px;" /></a><br />
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<em>... and a 'solo' one for the books... ;)</em></div>
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Having done that, it was time to venture into the first network of caves. Taking a cue from the guide, we followed him across a short trek of jungle, alongside a limestone face where we found dug out pits. <br />
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhSi6bjW5ABaSdjg2rEcOsSIVsnPNJncOs9ps7C9wxYdNf2nmrqJy_m_BR8UISR4DbqLto-xtFigPXRssrMZ3fvS4v8Wmh0b3T5dPBelnW5lyRZtLTpacybzXDS-3Eh1p-ZYTWrkQ__-Blj/s1600/DSC_0062.JPG" onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}"><img alt="" border="0" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5651121641491625186" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhSi6bjW5ABaSdjg2rEcOsSIVsnPNJncOs9ps7C9wxYdNf2nmrqJy_m_BR8UISR4DbqLto-xtFigPXRssrMZ3fvS4v8Wmh0b3T5dPBelnW5lyRZtLTpacybzXDS-3Eh1p-ZYTWrkQ__-Blj/s400/DSC_0062.JPG" style="cursor: pointer; display: block; height: 266px; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; width: 400px;" /></a><br />
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<em>A very short hike through the jungle... no sweat! ;)</em></div>
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The guide explained that the pits were the result of archeological work, the trinkets and bones found within displayed at the resort headquarters. No archeological work was going on when we came and from the looks of the condition of the pits, not in the recent past or for the foreseeable future. <br />
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjy-9_NRwzjMtgTRv2vFeyFAiJkJoJl6GQ6OmtjeWJyGxsykrrRR4L6hyphenhyphenHQhzPlYZ95HFDATdOEUQDHsYzYzx6_goKk52mt2ILBadLvmKYcXZheR3uX9MyK04YnoAxEOUiyowUWBPmhyphenhyphenecu/s1600/DSC_0070.JPG" onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}"><img alt="" border="0" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5651121645937597906" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjy-9_NRwzjMtgTRv2vFeyFAiJkJoJl6GQ6OmtjeWJyGxsykrrRR4L6hyphenhyphenHQhzPlYZ95HFDATdOEUQDHsYzYzx6_goKk52mt2ILBadLvmKYcXZheR3uX9MyK04YnoAxEOUiyowUWBPmhyphenhyphenecu/s400/DSC_0070.JPG" style="cursor: pointer; display: block; height: 266px; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; width: 400px;" /></a><br />
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<em>Pausing before the excavation pits... not sure how long since anyone worked on them...</em></div>
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We met a couple of Singaporeans huffing and puffing heading out from the caves, myself overhearing one of them saying that the trip to Gua Sanding being very ‘tiring’. That sounded most encouraging as I was preparing mind and body to ‘tire’ myself out.<br />
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We paused at a cave called Gua Angin (Wind Cave), aptly named for the cool breeze blowing into it from the outside. <br />
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiTl77sb21nd31xdARjoxq9_71hACnVbNUOP98iqX1ljRU_v0-5UuQiNRM3pBFXKuLX6ruRNUgaVkG92-nRrLgF5MDoxvAMljwPq5eJokOrd05xgpBrBF1guK8pUXEBTisu6yX2Y13baj02/s1600/DSC_0102.JPG" onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}"><img alt="" border="0" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5652210126014184834" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiTl77sb21nd31xdARjoxq9_71hACnVbNUOP98iqX1ljRU_v0-5UuQiNRM3pBFXKuLX6ruRNUgaVkG92-nRrLgF5MDoxvAMljwPq5eJokOrd05xgpBrBF1guK8pUXEBTisu6yX2Y13baj02/s400/DSC_0102.JPG" style="cursor: pointer; display: block; height: 266px; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; width: 400px;" /></a><br />
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<em>A look out towards the greenery of the jungle from Gua Angin...</em></div>
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And took a group photo... ;)<br />
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjo9zIymWF-H8oiEH9U8To-Hb2SWSmfeZNtWqgm9keDYlcPsGRQIyt5wlsOO7VShQtY0E6wZz4tD0vnixwWvlpORb4a9rv75yZLYai15gglgbVEPIuLcCFaGWyljW-fSBSzdI6uvjQ3rG91/s1600/IMG_0020.JPG" onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}"><img alt="" border="0" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5651113972010374770" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjo9zIymWF-H8oiEH9U8To-Hb2SWSmfeZNtWqgm9keDYlcPsGRQIyt5wlsOO7VShQtY0E6wZz4tD0vnixwWvlpORb4a9rv75yZLYai15gglgbVEPIuLcCFaGWyljW-fSBSzdI6uvjQ3rG91/s400/IMG_0020.JPG" style="cursor: pointer; display: block; height: 400px; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; width: 300px;" /></a><br />
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<em>Intrepid adventurers at Gua Angin! :)</em></div>
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Prior to this, we had to walk through a long passageway and having to squeeze through the customary small opening in between. It wasn’t really that bad and unless you are REALLY HUGE, most people shouldn’t have problems getting through.<br />
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgICKzXJ2a_DAaVg52jl-jfq5zkgRhGnzlkj45PvUgbaJ5YLNztVLC35WXEh8BdvQwsbtIO7MB5XA4ozUF9127AMkLwo287VjbkSrG8ijvIXw7HqIHRpcPqjQCow7uKeUBcCUcDFbrpq0_A/s1600/DSC_0052.JPG" onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}"><img alt="" border="0" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5651121636302286242" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgICKzXJ2a_DAaVg52jl-jfq5zkgRhGnzlkj45PvUgbaJ5YLNztVLC35WXEh8BdvQwsbtIO7MB5XA4ozUF9127AMkLwo287VjbkSrG8ijvIXw7HqIHRpcPqjQCow7uKeUBcCUcDFbrpq0_A/s400/DSC_0052.JPG" style="cursor: pointer; display: block; height: 400px; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; width: 266px;" /></a><br />
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<em>I felt this customary 'squeeze' in our caving adventures to be a lot easier to go through than the ones in Gua Tempurung and Batu Maloi... so don't worry about it! :)</em></div>
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From Gua Angin, we moved on to Gua Sanding (Marriage Cave). Compared to our hike to Gua Angin, the hike to Gua Sanding is really a very tame affair. No jagged rocks to clamber over nor were there any more nice holes to squeeze through. In fact some in our team was starting to get disappointed at the lack of a ‘challenge’. The chamber within Gua Sanding was huge, dominated by a large opening that showcased the verdant jungle outside. <br />
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh4zj7HzWmUh7orkmt9HYxu6WATD-KqQEGZ9XpX1KqQXKucMdwBRCJqoeDlhxRs2HUqnY3tCqXJgBMxPAzxzhivf4_H8uBAygTxxt04rH1uLptjFTadjMtOXRhrZveSCQFlvYQ4HzJNQTS1/s1600/IMG_0040.JPG" onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}"><img alt="" border="0" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5651114923503633842" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh4zj7HzWmUh7orkmt9HYxu6WATD-KqQEGZ9XpX1KqQXKucMdwBRCJqoeDlhxRs2HUqnY3tCqXJgBMxPAzxzhivf4_H8uBAygTxxt04rH1uLptjFTadjMtOXRhrZveSCQFlvYQ4HzJNQTS1/s400/IMG_0040.JPG" style="cursor: pointer; display: block; height: 400px; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; width: 300px;" /></a><br />
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<em>Gua Sanding!</em></div>
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The cave is so named because of a particular rock formation that is centered at the opening, two mounds of limestone one bigger than the other. They were supposed to resemble a man and a woman standing side by side (in holy matrimony?), with the women erm, about chest height to the man. :p ;) Hmmm…Perhaps she is ‘sitting’?<br />
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhikFS4opfzKG2RHw3tgWPly1nFXM73C3FE8e9xK7n2OKtJdIdiiF0RY2NBe4x5E-1sV2rbwufFjBZdPOPLtn2d-9D_4PnVrl9ihNXDPru1xlaFk0stZmdwI1f4X06gQMZ73P5V6v1TRBpW/s1600/DSC_0168.JPG" onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}"><img alt="" border="0" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5652211784169933042" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhikFS4opfzKG2RHw3tgWPly1nFXM73C3FE8e9xK7n2OKtJdIdiiF0RY2NBe4x5E-1sV2rbwufFjBZdPOPLtn2d-9D_4PnVrl9ihNXDPru1xlaFk0stZmdwI1f4X06gQMZ73P5V6v1TRBpW/s400/DSC_0168.JPG" style="cursor: pointer; display: block; height: 266px; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; width: 400px;" /></a><br />
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<em>The two stone 'pillar's that gives the cave it's name, resembling two people... one standing, one sitting(?)</em></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEioO38mPl2JMrk4tF2HRwqKKPf7V5O8a82kM3EG-q1ntLx6uoTm_pd6CC_N31u_gDErUt_lz3Rj-DBSpGNgP4rZSR04sR2ZQeN2as0xUqbLF3-FqkGz3skvqqA89spnA6InHWqElpgPxzeP/s1600/DSC_0179.JPG" onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}"><img alt="" border="0" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5651131567868537170" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEioO38mPl2JMrk4tF2HRwqKKPf7V5O8a82kM3EG-q1ntLx6uoTm_pd6CC_N31u_gDErUt_lz3Rj-DBSpGNgP4rZSR04sR2ZQeN2as0xUqbLF3-FqkGz3skvqqA89spnA6InHWqElpgPxzeP/s400/DSC_0179.JPG" style="cursor: pointer; display: block; height: 266px; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; width: 400px;" /></a><br />
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<em>Crystals on a nearby stone... do not touch please!</em></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEio6kHVJRvRamh7VucvniiG0nbtneCslMYiuu3Vs34wDWHbiTO4llEOaFUlIhPBCZBti4bU6L1fVIaThYat_Kd-86nSbuVf5GmzqEX6OISqwcBmSPsKVZppfb7yBLlaTWPwylOFBQCVB-ud/s1600/DSC_0171.JPG" onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}"><img alt="" border="0" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5652211785269965250" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEio6kHVJRvRamh7VucvniiG0nbtneCslMYiuu3Vs34wDWHbiTO4llEOaFUlIhPBCZBti4bU6L1fVIaThYat_Kd-86nSbuVf5GmzqEX6OISqwcBmSPsKVZppfb7yBLlaTWPwylOFBQCVB-ud/s400/DSC_0171.JPG" style="cursor: pointer; display: block; height: 266px; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; width: 400px;" /></a><br />
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<em>Hmmm... is it a 'dog' or a 'lion'? You decide... ;)</em></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhSSJinDMqWjrNwwJByS7lWqfRLG-pfzvbLGZwncx92Um4NG6t2R7RwE5W7XwuwTFJCvr0v4RLv5o-PFeQo0Xs1etpRQzzljtjVWK7Gpl83-pZUEIpMk2DFeeUbTvvbogpuQY8RJaxeQLPw/s1600/DSC_0118.JPG" onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}"><img alt="" border="0" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5652210133580688706" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhSSJinDMqWjrNwwJByS7lWqfRLG-pfzvbLGZwncx92Um4NG6t2R7RwE5W7XwuwTFJCvr0v4RLv5o-PFeQo0Xs1etpRQzzljtjVWK7Gpl83-pZUEIpMk2DFeeUbTvvbogpuQY8RJaxeQLPw/s400/DSC_0118.JPG" style="cursor: pointer; display: block; height: 266px; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; width: 400px;" /></a><br />
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<em>Undulating shapes on the cave floor formed by millions of years of water erosion...</em></div>
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At this point the guide says it’s the ‘end’ of the trip. It was barely an hour and a half since we left the resort and needless to say we were expecting A LOT MORE. We had been initially told that the caving for this day would last THREE hours with our hopes reinforced by those huffing and puffing Singaporeans! :p Guess not.<br />
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Nevertheless, we hung around a bit longer in Gua Sanding, taking more photos before we head out. <br />
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhBYtXzfSdbiz-HG1EW8jl0-Dxx-3ptycBQMHl6Hn31duO9739B2jOXB0FDuj55MkUscrAUNJrvW-zPGUBjHiadbv5PH7R6Cl1V4ZALjT8D-fqISDhNOSuoBAIM0goP6go-HCalCadi4f87/s1600/IMG_0035.JPG" onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}"><img alt="" border="0" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5652212715731310946" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhBYtXzfSdbiz-HG1EW8jl0-Dxx-3ptycBQMHl6Hn31duO9739B2jOXB0FDuj55MkUscrAUNJrvW-zPGUBjHiadbv5PH7R6Cl1V4ZALjT8D-fqISDhNOSuoBAIM0goP6go-HCalCadi4f87/s400/IMG_0035.JPG" style="cursor: pointer; display: block; height: 400px; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; width: 300px;" /></a><br />
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<em>Caves and spiders go together... this is one particularly 'large' specimen... :p</em></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj43R66CcIykmKLjpmhibsPAZLShT5OV9hOxm6VbYITNXSdpmd7qefRv3rDJ25k0lbiIJ0FGBDCtrPQBP3G98P3uRtcRvBUlMt5F9AG9kipifLAVchxVvvujw16nforLPpssM7-U2qXPEzy/s1600/IMG_0027.JPG" onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}"><img alt="" border="0" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5651113982132818866" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj43R66CcIykmKLjpmhibsPAZLShT5OV9hOxm6VbYITNXSdpmd7qefRv3rDJ25k0lbiIJ0FGBDCtrPQBP3G98P3uRtcRvBUlMt5F9AG9kipifLAVchxVvvujw16nforLPpssM7-U2qXPEzy/s400/IMG_0027.JPG" style="cursor: pointer; display: block; height: 400px; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; width: 300px;" /></a><br />
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<em>Posing by a stack of stones... definitely man made and definitely recent! :p ;) A whole bunch of them are located at Gua Sanding, probably the work of 'bored' visitors?</em></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhc8raEEy8-OWY5_yiY02xoSQ2-fPooHX_C6zSzV1bLyU-0fLb8bTADKkIQG9B0wkUULoM5RxgGE75IVG4DJq6ItLoF2wsjyetW39MXYxPZ9CLCk3Iw8xjPO7JhVSqo1xGNYF4UgrNE69zO/s1600/IMG_0022.JPG" onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}"><img alt="" border="0" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5651113984197919106" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhc8raEEy8-OWY5_yiY02xoSQ2-fPooHX_C6zSzV1bLyU-0fLb8bTADKkIQG9B0wkUULoM5RxgGE75IVG4DJq6ItLoF2wsjyetW39MXYxPZ9CLCk3Iw8xjPO7JhVSqo1xGNYF4UgrNE69zO/s400/IMG_0022.JPG" style="cursor: pointer; display: block; height: 400px; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; width: 300px;" /></a><br />
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<em>Haha... I am doing this pose way to often... ;)</em></div>
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At a small shelter close to Gua Tongkat, we asked the guide about the other caves. The guide told us not far away is a show cave called Gua Terang Bulan (Bright Moon Cave).<br />
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Seeing that we still have plenty of time to kill, we all took the 15 minute walk along the paved road to the cave. The stink of bat guano greeted us as we reached the mouth of the cave, discouraging some of the ladies from proceeding further. The rest of us mounted the flight of steps up to the mouth before entering through a grilled fence into the cave proper. <br />
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In its heyday, the cave might have resembled something you’d expect in the ‘dry’ tour section of Gua Tempurung, with electrified spotlights, cement walkways and white metal railings. <br />
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjB2wEgLHheRnGpda81_tcefyz6mtHQbmg4dt4fE2bH5uGfGjhJD1tLHETzJNXO-w4ZGzz58mqKSzn-p8t9AudoE63vvEzAzjxKrgZtQSlWJKrZn3pql-SIxBpiDv5VE9LXnSrzn2RR2lfY/s1600/DSC_0233.JPG" onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}"><img alt="" border="0" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5651127550420457826" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjB2wEgLHheRnGpda81_tcefyz6mtHQbmg4dt4fE2bH5uGfGjhJD1tLHETzJNXO-w4ZGzz58mqKSzn-p8t9AudoE63vvEzAzjxKrgZtQSlWJKrZn3pql-SIxBpiDv5VE9LXnSrzn2RR2lfY/s400/DSC_0233.JPG" style="cursor: pointer; display: block; height: 266px; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; width: 400px;" /></a><br />
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<em>Echoes of Gua Tempurung... except this place is a lot less maintained! The lights don't work...:p</em></div>
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Well, those days seemed to have passed (a long time since) because when we entered the cave, the lights were not working and the railings were crusted with bat guano and other ‘stuff’. :p Using our torchlights we ventured in, passing through a section where the railings were wooden instead of metal and a deep guano filled pool can been at the bottom of a large hole on the right. Overhead, we could hear and see the bats, the culprits that had layered the cement walkway and railings with their excrement. <br />
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgEJK0I6TUcTXj4yqPMVffgAsXiLuChhtUXGsO6N0ooA41DWNnWF8yn8Jx87eyan4M-zDXDasO-oe139npRbY7YsIZ1qpUhNF6ZjZhDCtRN0ql5ut7tjF2y1uyJMjAO3c6nhyphenhyphen2UwSMKazHC/s1600/DSC_0242k.JPG" onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}"><img alt="" border="0" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5651124219639257394" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgEJK0I6TUcTXj4yqPMVffgAsXiLuChhtUXGsO6N0ooA41DWNnWF8yn8Jx87eyan4M-zDXDasO-oe139npRbY7YsIZ1qpUhNF6ZjZhDCtRN0ql5ut7tjF2y1uyJMjAO3c6nhyphenhyphen2UwSMKazHC/s400/DSC_0242k.JPG" style="cursor: pointer; display: block; height: 266px; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; width: 400px;" /></a><br />
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<em>Slippery steps caused by falling water and bat 'doo doo'... watch out for the cave centipedes! Or at least that's what the guide said, we didn't see any...</em></div>
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We were told by the guide (who didn’t come with us) to watch out for cave centipedes, their sting reputedly to be particularly painful. Fortunately, we didn’t see any hiding between the railings of slithering on the ground but there were quite a large number of spiders milling about instead. <br />
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We left this part of the cave via another flight of steps, into a chamber with some flowing fresh air, a relief from the stench of bat doo doo. :p At the end of the walkway, we turned off our flashlights and as we would expect, the ‘moon’ appeared in the darkness formed by slivers of light channeled through a hole from the outside. A few more adventurous members of our party wanted to go beyond the walkway and negotiate up a slippery slope to check out whether Gua Terang Bulan has anything more to offer. They did not find anything because the next chamber was a dead end. :p ;)<br />
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Leaving Gua Terang Bulan, we still didn’t feel very much ‘fulfilled’. Therefore we asked the guide (who was waiting outside) for more caves for us to take a look see. We were told of a Gua Balai (Chamber Cave). Asked how far was it from where we were, the guide assured us that it would be about another 15-20 minute walk from Gua Terang Bulan.<br />
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This time, our enthusiasm is tainted by a little bit of er… ‘exhaustion’. Despite me being more than happy to make another walk, others weren’t so keen to take up the offer. And so, we got into our vehicles and drove to the next cave which is really where the road ends.<br />
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiy1MhcGEpLJYvLY6cVio063rLiH73CpWo1elIDZUzWYXKmWHDb2f3SgP6kymHTmDphe_AO6IdwcxFYtk9IbgB-jWWeot5G5p70G71Lktd40JghlLrIBnqkflzNzjHnUWezumY54oZy0Bnv/s1600/DSC_0516.JPG" onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}"><img alt="" border="0" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5652204219391025266" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiy1MhcGEpLJYvLY6cVio063rLiH73CpWo1elIDZUzWYXKmWHDb2f3SgP6kymHTmDphe_AO6IdwcxFYtk9IbgB-jWWeot5G5p70G71Lktd40JghlLrIBnqkflzNzjHnUWezumY54oZy0Bnv/s400/DSC_0516.JPG" style="cursor: pointer; display: block; height: 266px; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; width: 400px;" /></a><br />
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<em>Nice parking below the entrance to Gua Balai</em></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj9VP8YDCfvxddEfnjVt5MdJDwj4koSSxiPU8AYB87bI-PI01ZMD-BW_oKUxMrnVCCn8MDvIJ3YocBGTwrD9rljkaG05wRaMyjUJm8tW2AwiinPY_AXrq0HNSDCN3IifttJ8ug_Ts78XweE/s1600/DSC_0246k.JPG" onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}"><img alt="" border="0" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5651127550790470578" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj9VP8YDCfvxddEfnjVt5MdJDwj4koSSxiPU8AYB87bI-PI01ZMD-BW_oKUxMrnVCCn8MDvIJ3YocBGTwrD9rljkaG05wRaMyjUJm8tW2AwiinPY_AXrq0HNSDCN3IifttJ8ug_Ts78XweE/s400/DSC_0246k.JPG" style="cursor: pointer; display: block; height: 266px; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; width: 400px;" /></a><br />
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<em>Walking by the signboard...</em></div>
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A large, nice and proper car park welcomed us on arrival. Not far away is a communal toilet. Gua Balai was located a top flight of steps leading away from the car park.<br />
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhE_e-biD8EGhpoM4eswpsed3JRimwIRGvkYYP1xv4zsGx8EPhiS9T0EndgvCIlNLp1GoXL-ZFn6nSwUhYgR1BewLUDw9Lzumz8Sue8_hwIAmW2FThp3gNm0UVnQbyJakN4QZhWg8JiYrcG/s1600/DSC_0254k.JPG" onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}"><img alt="" border="0" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5651127546338329042" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhE_e-biD8EGhpoM4eswpsed3JRimwIRGvkYYP1xv4zsGx8EPhiS9T0EndgvCIlNLp1GoXL-ZFn6nSwUhYgR1BewLUDw9Lzumz8Sue8_hwIAmW2FThp3gNm0UVnQbyJakN4QZhWg8JiYrcG/s400/DSC_0254k.JPG" style="cursor: pointer; display: block; height: 266px; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; width: 400px;" /></a><br />
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<em>A view of Gua Balai's immense chamber! Definitely fitting it's name...</em></div>
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As its name suggests, the cave is literally one single massive chamber where visitors are invited to set up their tents within. Judging by its size, the space within could accommodate a full busload of campers if not more and with the convenience of the toilet outside, rather comfortably as well.<br />
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Aside from this, there is nothing else to see, save some graffiti on the cave walls declaring the staff of a mining company staying overnight at the cave way back in the 1970s! Another large pit can be seen in the cave, which I have initially suspected to be excavated for the containment of water. A large hole punctured on its side close to the bottom shot down that idea... Perhaps it's another excavation dig? Brrr... and to think that people might be sleeping in some ancient burial cave? <br />
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhBh4M48lKLLB5C60kmdOwBT6rhyAf1c69pbHvFK7c2UcocAVzyVpcImTePx7ecWWd9Cofs3ECvPtCnztj_Xf5jZhtGrYQd2Nk571JyHw9M0tB9i0WDUcB4W0OaCJZ_XMnDo_GsnLwjYd3z/s1600/DSC_0253k.JPG" onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}"><img alt="" border="0" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5651124222336744866" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhBh4M48lKLLB5C60kmdOwBT6rhyAf1c69pbHvFK7c2UcocAVzyVpcImTePx7ecWWd9Cofs3ECvPtCnztj_Xf5jZhtGrYQd2Nk571JyHw9M0tB9i0WDUcB4W0OaCJZ_XMnDo_GsnLwjYd3z/s400/DSC_0253k.JPG" style="cursor: pointer; display: block; height: 266px; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; width: 400px;" /></a><br />
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<em>Studying the 40 year old graffiti on the cave wall...</em></div>
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Finally exhausted, we headed back to our resort to wash up and replenish our stores with dinner. <br />
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The much touted Ramadhan buffet on their website is however non-existent, probably also because we WERE the only guest around. We dominated the coffee house, taking up two full tables. <br />
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Dinner itself consists of servings of typical Malay food, vegetables, ‘ulam’, fish, chicken stew and salted eggs, washed down with a jug of Tang-like orange juice. A few of us lamented that the portions were not enough but in the end they found out it was just right. ;) <br />
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgTyn-cH23ieU8jVELQiFSAoOGk9N4YiUJbHP_Eftbqh8QfbzXvq4AjvJtXbXConXJRdvDTfDr9D3qpANS_j8FWV85J6mpG4Pd59Y5tR1WsG-Z8Vy0NNZv0dviLbMR_MrY6btC6OipaUfXf/s1600/DSC_0292.JPG" onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}"><img alt="" border="0" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5652223380228089202" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgTyn-cH23ieU8jVELQiFSAoOGk9N4YiUJbHP_Eftbqh8QfbzXvq4AjvJtXbXConXJRdvDTfDr9D3qpANS_j8FWV85J6mpG4Pd59Y5tR1WsG-Z8Vy0NNZv0dviLbMR_MrY6btC6OipaUfXf/s400/DSC_0292.JPG" style="cursor: pointer; display: block; height: 266px; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; width: 400px;" /></a><br />
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<em>Dinner!</em></div>
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Fortunately, the orange juice can be ‘refilled’ although I found the second round ‘contaminated’ with some hair(?!) and ants! :p (Protein anyone?)<br />
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There was a bit of a ‘surprise’ thanks to Jady, and thanks to Valerie, I almost had my head buried in layers of cake! :p Fortunately, the unexpected ‘facial’ was avoided and everyone got a share of my birthday cake to eat… Happy Birthday to ME! <br />
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg6wx3jTjZ04a4MQNTXUqfr9FbDuA6v_6-wCVLj_kj6kELKZtqzJ8WrWxaPUqiKErXlINWRqNjGeE-zDjlloos2SRZcgsQcAv8U7Fp92YBAsByGf6aEpjabx4oss-j78NzhvQyPF9KiRew6/s1600/DSC_0028.JPG" onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}"><img alt="" border="0" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5651102861614734962" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg6wx3jTjZ04a4MQNTXUqfr9FbDuA6v_6-wCVLj_kj6kELKZtqzJ8WrWxaPUqiKErXlINWRqNjGeE-zDjlloos2SRZcgsQcAv8U7Fp92YBAsByGf6aEpjabx4oss-j78NzhvQyPF9KiRew6/s400/DSC_0028.JPG" style="cursor: pointer; display: block; height: 266px; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; width: 400px;" /></a><br />
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<em>Happy Birthday to me! :)</em></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgFnYYOsRxZXPBw5r5Y4wbPA8NZ3VE2-46xpFSxJ2Xs_Kgixeh_mEhoGSyyDpOyoYowtHBa5wpYDzmxkGR7Je0srH2Uuj1t3uT-ULqOR6OGQJgg1dl7x8UYBSTitPEkAORLCUfvgR8d6VVW/s1600/DSC_0292k.JPG" onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}"><img alt="" border="0" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5651131562978443042" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgFnYYOsRxZXPBw5r5Y4wbPA8NZ3VE2-46xpFSxJ2Xs_Kgixeh_mEhoGSyyDpOyoYowtHBa5wpYDzmxkGR7Je0srH2Uuj1t3uT-ULqOR6OGQJgg1dl7x8UYBSTitPEkAORLCUfvgR8d6VVW/s400/DSC_0292k.JPG" style="cursor: pointer; display: block; height: 266px; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; width: 400px;" /></a><br />
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<em>Ah... Valerie giving me a more 'personal' look of my cake... fortunately, the damage was 'minor', allowing everyone to have a piece of it to eat... :)</em></div>
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The night is capped off with a round of Monopoly, with yours truly ending up the property tycoon, much to the chagrin of a certain long haired person who swore revenge on our next outing. :p ;)<br />
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiYS5I4xfziq4vjJ3KXF7ajo3s1NmSFQTnKBt5bOVd17-hmlUUNxMxrSc5WrsvSL_xI-t3JQ7NUIdon2De_gwcoHSktVCrQCJe7oY4mPxDWi2JwEtAEIg__BIvi6G_IyHT1kgm-lZTM0At3/s1600/DSC_0305.JPG" onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}"><img alt="" border="0" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5651107473001156002" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiYS5I4xfziq4vjJ3KXF7ajo3s1NmSFQTnKBt5bOVd17-hmlUUNxMxrSc5WrsvSL_xI-t3JQ7NUIdon2De_gwcoHSktVCrQCJe7oY4mPxDWi2JwEtAEIg__BIvi6G_IyHT1kgm-lZTM0At3/s400/DSC_0305.JPG" style="cursor: pointer; display: block; height: 266px; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; width: 400px;" /></a><br />
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<em>M-O-N-O-P-O-L-Y... Monopoly, Monopoly!</em></div>Eddie Tuenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07105702091987045194noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4785821961237109532.post-81583956198818527912011-06-21T14:10:00.017+08:002011-06-21T23:46:33.167+08:00Kuala Lumpur's Hidden Fall: Apeh Hill Waterfall<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgLud2v-UGzrxLNQPSOL1udxhEBUxvU8ALs4H5pSmtywWhpCZm5Ycx7on_CiOnUyZktu4NQaziFllrn1hUcNDd7IFzG0cPOWMCRQq6gPq8yP_2jYMqPpb4BZChkVUQiTIrrwAyCQ8MNEoNQ/s1600/1.+Apeh+Hill+Waterfall.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 400px; height: 268px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgLud2v-UGzrxLNQPSOL1udxhEBUxvU8ALs4H5pSmtywWhpCZm5Ycx7on_CiOnUyZktu4NQaziFllrn1hUcNDd7IFzG0cPOWMCRQq6gPq8yP_2jYMqPpb4BZChkVUQiTIrrwAyCQ8MNEoNQ/s400/1.+Apeh+Hill+Waterfall.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5620559548029645778" border="0"></a>Apeh Hill, 4th June 2011, First time I have gone to this place famous for weekend hikers of all ages in Kuala Lumpur. Located within Taman Saga in Ampang, it apparently hides one of the closest waterfalls to Kuala Lumpur and true to its nature, the trail head itself can be quite difficult to find among the hive of housing estates if you are not a local yourself. :p<br /><br />If you are equipped with a GPS, look for Jalan Saga 28 in Ampang, this should lead you straight to a metal ladder taking you up to the trail that leads up to Saga Hill. If you are not equipped and need directions, then it gets pretty ‘messy’. ;) But here goes…<br /><br /><span style="font-style: italic;">Starting from the MRR2, take the exit out into Jalan Kuari. Road signs should be quite distinct as it is one of the main arteries leading into the Cheras ‘hive’. Drive along Jalan Kuari passing about 3 traffic lighted junctions before you reach the first roundabout. Take the 3 o’clock turn into Jalan Mawar 15. Proceed down the road until you reach the 2nd roundabout where you’ll have to take the turn at 12 o’clock going into Jalan Bunga Melati 8. Keep going until you reach a traffic lighted T-junction. Turn right and head down Jalan Teratai 1/2 until you see another traffic light not far away. Take a left and you’ll be on Jalan Teratai 1/1. You’ll have to go almost to the end of the road before you find the turning into Jalan Melur on your right. Take the next right and you’ll be on Jalan Saga 5. Drive all the way down the length of the road and it will connect with Jalan Saga 29. Turn right. Proceed down this road until you can make a left turn whereby you’ll now be on Jalan Saga 22. There will be a small mound on your right where you’ll see a kindergarten and play ground of some sort. Most visitors to the hike would park here and continue down the road on foot to the start point, otherwise you can drive straight down and you’ll finally hit Jalan Saga 28 with the metal ladder spanning a drain leading up the trail head.</span><br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEja_oXCg7apznZb37M4ol1QDK_MhPoz_HeA2ciHtCE26-gBO-mpR09i98DlRCyzBXg8Z5mvRNPUh2Y64fL_EilGrPUVu0U6HjSP8u5kVZvHUYe1NBTKlGOVSLr-x2WDxqUnAkbsa_HTdlIM/s1600/2.+Metal+Ladder+start+point.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 400px; height: 268px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEja_oXCg7apznZb37M4ol1QDK_MhPoz_HeA2ciHtCE26-gBO-mpR09i98DlRCyzBXg8Z5mvRNPUh2Y64fL_EilGrPUVu0U6HjSP8u5kVZvHUYe1NBTKlGOVSLr-x2WDxqUnAkbsa_HTdlIM/s400/2.+Metal+Ladder+start+point.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5620559554846763554" border="0"></a><div align = center><em>The metal ladder on Jalan Saga 28, marking the starting point of our hike to Apeh Hill Waterfall...</em></div> <br />We reached the start point after parking our cars in the surrounding housing estate at about 10am, a little bit late by most standards, no thanks to the maze we have to weave through to get to the site. As usual, we have had breakfast at a local mamak stall to charge up our batteries before we went. The ‘car park’ on the small mound by Jalan Saga 22 was filled to the brim and we could see groups of people already coming back from their early morning hike. Some of these people are surprisingly elderly, deceptively masking the actual difficulty of this particular hike!<br /><br />For this expedition, we have Aurelius leading the pack with our trusty trail blazer Dennis showing us the way. Our resident troublemaker and ‘renowned’ filmmaker, Linus Chung was on stage as well, although thankfully, we had Carol to temper his sometimes suicidal tendencies. Others in the group included veteran hikers Chris Kok and Sum as well as newcomers Tracy Loh, Pey Chern, Sean Shienrun, Jady Ong and Sum’s younger brother. We even have a ‘mat salleh’ tagging along courtesy of Mr. Linus Chung.<br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi3kPjE0j64UrUw1XTAnh2brZoRi8-6EplvkeZdw1-Kxqwg8t9Q-NNBsGtJCGI41pPy9wGZgxi6Ky1Fz_4QOR072MMQmyiNvHgv6tLTjj2zxmgncBL6OM4sOBaP0Rq84ZEb1e2JicPfWBaF/s1600/4.+The+jungle.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 268px; height: 400px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi3kPjE0j64UrUw1XTAnh2brZoRi8-6EplvkeZdw1-Kxqwg8t9Q-NNBsGtJCGI41pPy9wGZgxi6Ky1Fz_4QOR072MMQmyiNvHgv6tLTjj2zxmgncBL6OM4sOBaP0Rq84ZEb1e2JicPfWBaF/s400/4.+The+jungle.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5620559563802633074" border="0"></a><div align = center><em>The jungle canopy on the slopes of Saga Hill</em></div> <br />After the ladder, we passed some small shelters housing stalls set up by enterprising people selling drinks and refreshments to tired hikers. Just starting the hike, we skipped these for the time being, passing some large ponds on the right. Immediately, Saga Hill loomed overhead starting with a trail of cement steps to lead the way up.<br /><br />There are actually 3 trails going up to Saga Hill, labeled track A, B and C. Track B is the longest, followed by track C, while track A offers the most shortest and direct route up to Saga Hill. The trail branch can be reached shortly after the flight of cement steps end, there are plenty of signs posted on trees to show the way. Somehow, our group missed the signs and following Aurelius, we ended up on trail C. The hike up on this trail was surprisingly tough, the route rising at inclinations of between 30o to 45o!<br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjxMEoBc0qSsrlacJjiv8de30mD2Pevma6SGDgor-1DI8P1kEOF4AQ8cZswhkuEE17q4wvdTr9SG6-r3tH5oSR4iMTzsbsGD_eJEYim1qjbzkACfdS-yAwFGSc2MYBZkMvhWQZUgeiTPXPA/s1600/DSC_8971.JPG"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 400px; height: 268px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjxMEoBc0qSsrlacJjiv8de30mD2Pevma6SGDgor-1DI8P1kEOF4AQ8cZswhkuEE17q4wvdTr9SG6-r3tH5oSR4iMTzsbsGD_eJEYim1qjbzkACfdS-yAwFGSc2MYBZkMvhWQZUgeiTPXPA/s400/DSC_8971.JPG" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5620692307108655362" /></a><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgGhWf_0CKdDWfYrqlfmlwazeijMCrBt0N9Upl4O8GI6Z4CG5_EDyLVysdDLYHYUEA9LbhieXuSBgiyLm3u_GKtZofHE9gTyuL1MiYwE_Wtp88P89AfzISP4648HlhWsh74MOLFOSYVJyPD/s1600/3.+Climbing+up+Apeh+Hill.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 400px; height: 268px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgGhWf_0CKdDWfYrqlfmlwazeijMCrBt0N9Upl4O8GI6Z4CG5_EDyLVysdDLYHYUEA9LbhieXuSBgiyLm3u_GKtZofHE9gTyuL1MiYwE_Wtp88P89AfzISP4648HlhWsh74MOLFOSYVJyPD/s400/3.+Climbing+up+Apeh+Hill.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5620559562700543538" border="0"></a><div align = center><em>Certain parts of the climb requires the use of ropes... it's that steep!</em></div> <br />It was a real test of endurance which took its toll on Aurelius and a few others. We paused a few times for them to catch up. A little bit more than an hour later, we reached the summit of Saga Hill, crowned by the characteristic triangle constructed of metal sheets and surrounded by what looked like a camp site. <a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjP6RAhPgLBXAzanRrI4TxHom0QiEa9F4L1OQR0TDscLj_XqYQx40M64P6G_2uFX5sCJaFCWCOw4rcTPOXKSk8RVHL3rjvSgreyCXdi6qk016P2qErpqRnhL1kdJU_50DeHDdqMfI7LU8bn/s1600/5.+Saga+Hill+Rest+Area.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 400px; height: 268px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjP6RAhPgLBXAzanRrI4TxHom0QiEa9F4L1OQR0TDscLj_XqYQx40M64P6G_2uFX5sCJaFCWCOw4rcTPOXKSk8RVHL3rjvSgreyCXdi6qk016P2qErpqRnhL1kdJU_50DeHDdqMfI7LU8bn/s400/5.+Saga+Hill+Rest+Area.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5620559566516069474" border="0"></a><div align = center><em>The Saga Hill Camp Site...</em></div> <br />Surprisingly, there were a lot of people at this site and even more surprisingly, there were a few stone ‘bar-bells’ lying about!<br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg5w7egdwnLx9kOd5fwuFtjEvEwu4-BWuEoYToiuy6FmWAyWhKqA3GHQklcJhmFVxJb7w_ydNLsCria-W6Ft7gSxVqNO9Aa4xuLHTmHetDtcJTkICfBQWbjFP8jcSBXZFScTqkIVeWIy6CG/s1600/6.+Saga+Hill+Summit.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 400px; height: 268px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg5w7egdwnLx9kOd5fwuFtjEvEwu4-BWuEoYToiuy6FmWAyWhKqA3GHQklcJhmFVxJb7w_ydNLsCria-W6Ft7gSxVqNO9Aa4xuLHTmHetDtcJTkICfBQWbjFP8jcSBXZFScTqkIVeWIy6CG/s400/6.+Saga+Hill+Summit.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5620558788378361042" border="0"></a><div align = center><em>Hmmm... thinking... barbells on the floor... should I 'curl'? ;)</em></div> <br />We stayed here a while, admiring the view of the valley below and catching our breath. It was getting close to noon before we decide on our next move. Aurelius made the decision not to continue to the falls which was originally our destination for this expedition, citing time constraints for his subsequent activities. ;) Linus on the other hand was adamant on heading straight to the waterfall. Yours truly, who organized the trip chose to side Linus. And so the bulk of the group continued down the track from the Saga Hill summit following the clearly marked trail to the waterfall. Aurelius, Tracy and Chris went down the hill to ‘await’ our return. ;)<br /><br />The trail from Saga Hill to the waterfall was unexpectedly long. Told by some hikers to be about 45 minutes long it took almost another hour to get there! It started rather easy enough on a flat plane before the trail rises up to another hill, which I believe to be Apeh Hill. Then it goes down where we were unexpectedly attacked by stinging wasps from some hive close to the track! Sean, Sum and our resident mat Salleh were stung while the rest got away unscathed. We continued down, clambering over a couple of fallen tree trunks and passing yet another wasp hive (this time prominently placed on the base of a tree stump right on the track) before reaching the foot of the hill where a stream passes through.<br /><br />We were one hour into the hike from the hill and it looked very clearly that we will have difficulty returning back to the trail head where Aurelius was waiting for us. We didn’t know how far the waterfall was here and after all that hiking and dodging wasps, some of us were rather reluctant to just give up and turn back. Once again, Linus offered to scout ahead, telling us to give him 15 minutes for him to return with good news. In the meantime, Carol and Jady ‘attended’ to Sum who was groaning and moaning about the stinger embedded on his head by extracting it.<br /><br />15 minutes passed and there was no Linus in sight. Dennis and I started to get restless and told the others that we would go ahead to find him. It didn’t take long before we spotted the long haired dude balancing himself over a series of logs, heading back to us. Reassuringly, he told us the falls weren’t that far from where we were.<br /><br />Unfortunately, there was no hand phone signal at this point to contact our ‘kungfu’ panda waiting at the trail head. So we risked his ‘wrath’ by going ahead… balancing ourselves on the logs before getting our feet wet at another stream.<br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhgsBZS46e18Pymmnpk17EtUzBzr7vUtHwAvJIkbw3C6-u9kpU-wGBebU7bcC6jmg4zD-8LZfMJy6zj8cSOL9qhBcMLG2wSoB4Zmzzpxv4w5DPd2XmK8bU4TBStHMxNP22wToPd5eYXL05_/s1600/8.+Stream+before+the+fall.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 400px; height: 268px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhgsBZS46e18Pymmnpk17EtUzBzr7vUtHwAvJIkbw3C6-u9kpU-wGBebU7bcC6jmg4zD-8LZfMJy6zj8cSOL9qhBcMLG2wSoB4Zmzzpxv4w5DPd2XmK8bU4TBStHMxNP22wToPd5eYXL05_/s400/8.+Stream+before+the+fall.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5620558795763400978" border="0"></a><div align = center><em>Another stream to cross before we reach our goal!</em></div> <br />The elusive falls lay just beyond the stream over some flat ground at a small depression.<br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh-843Xf5YUGC1EEIEzDMHDhIfKveAXCNZTKtqwu2Ha6HMr1vabz_F3Lf8yh2pRxyAztFlus_aBLxRNCvJlM23SG2gz4jEA8GyHrJbFLA4Ff9U499vnQHmmmtQJVDptwncE5W55F6GQUUrE/s1600/9.+The+road+to+the+falls.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 400px; height: 268px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh-843Xf5YUGC1EEIEzDMHDhIfKveAXCNZTKtqwu2Ha6HMr1vabz_F3Lf8yh2pRxyAztFlus_aBLxRNCvJlM23SG2gz4jEA8GyHrJbFLA4Ff9U499vnQHmmmtQJVDptwncE5W55F6GQUUrE/s400/9.+The+road+to+the+falls.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5620558800772190738" border="0"></a><div align = center><em>The approach to Apeh Hill Waterfall...</em></div><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhBc6MP0ZiAp8J3Uh_ZzgZiPfBVehejp8lHmjvu2q_lBL7xvHgBZEINJXOI2sv0GcIqZYBrv99GXO65UiWTrdfFjBri3etFJljj1caRYe2e9234XcVVswNmoF_WRRb7wQYZXzsTIaXlHxrd/s1600/DSC_9033.JPG"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 400px; height: 268px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhBc6MP0ZiAp8J3Uh_ZzgZiPfBVehejp8lHmjvu2q_lBL7xvHgBZEINJXOI2sv0GcIqZYBrv99GXO65UiWTrdfFjBri3etFJljj1caRYe2e9234XcVVswNmoF_WRRb7wQYZXzsTIaXlHxrd/s400/DSC_9033.JPG" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5620692325443063874" /></a><div align = center><em>...with what looked like Genghis Khan's Mongol horde camped below... ;)</em></div> <br />The number of people there however took us by surprise. There were more than 30 people there setting up camp by the falls, a large number of them rather ‘elderly’, going about their business drying up clothing and cooking, no… FRYING of all things, YONG TAU FOO!<br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiHoCeg9kgtAyLKMz1sGBTAGYT4coQSssIWMbI6BiMaCIF2HJCpKC02EsbaJ0SH6DytJIiS6O0YX_TfbqOy0u1XX-Hm-Wee97fNSTvtisqn3nY3l7k4rr4zFrkxwHvuzTcJHUqwMV8UP57V/s1600/10.+Camp+cookout.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 400px; height: 268px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiHoCeg9kgtAyLKMz1sGBTAGYT4coQSssIWMbI6BiMaCIF2HJCpKC02EsbaJ0SH6DytJIiS6O0YX_TfbqOy0u1XX-Hm-Wee97fNSTvtisqn3nY3l7k4rr4zFrkxwHvuzTcJHUqwMV8UP57V/s400/10.+Camp+cookout.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5620558807479683842" border="0"></a><div align = center><em>Cooking YONG TAU FOO in the jungle?! I want one too! ;)</em></div> <br />Indeed, it looked like home away from home for these people with kids running around the place well. We doubted these people hauled up all their tents, stoves, cooking oil, sacks of rice and others via the way we went and suspected that they probably came from the other reputedly ‘closed’ route outside Jalan Wangsa 1/6.<br /><br />The falls itself consists of a wall of water tumbling over a precipice wide enough for 4 or 5 people to stand side by side.<br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgFF1gS7nbpmJrjc-NNhvzjtkudt0VY3X6jYyW5DWd4cY-K1icGOa4rvxKN9zrzOxoR-xygfThXPgyMNP8vo3mk_83ie79udUG54DtdQ9aqMNP_8nmH5FGStYtqKNnNfSD7iaTDubUgxtpr/s1600/12.+Bathing+in+the+falls.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 267px; height: 400px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgFF1gS7nbpmJrjc-NNhvzjtkudt0VY3X6jYyW5DWd4cY-K1icGOa4rvxKN9zrzOxoR-xygfThXPgyMNP8vo3mk_83ie79udUG54DtdQ9aqMNP_8nmH5FGStYtqKNnNfSD7iaTDubUgxtpr/s400/12.+Bathing+in+the+falls.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5620557492890831618" border="0"></a><div align = center><em>Searching for inner peace... ;)</em></div><br />The pool beneath wasn’t big or deep enough to swim in. The water was however, refreshingly cool and after waiting for the ‘residents’ to have their turn at the falls, it was time for us to move in.<br /><br />We took turns to enjoy the ‘rewards’ of our labors.<br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh3X9O6TCXWtpxxSBs2x3zHMxs2zPA_b-6AU639V0DC4OrJSUkQ7mZI5zX3N4DlrzyXySFu6xiR_aNwnhPWa8YCt6VAquNGSoleI-McnDnLTvr6MtXZ3S9zpxizLhrF7xh5IKtBTvVmn08I/s1600/11.+Pose.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 268px; height: 400px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh3X9O6TCXWtpxxSBs2x3zHMxs2zPA_b-6AU639V0DC4OrJSUkQ7mZI5zX3N4DlrzyXySFu6xiR_aNwnhPWa8YCt6VAquNGSoleI-McnDnLTvr6MtXZ3S9zpxizLhrF7xh5IKtBTvVmn08I/s400/11.+Pose.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5620558814265417314" border="0"></a><div align = center><em>Mat Salleh, Sum and myself... ;)</em></div> <br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjBN7jtSJGeKYef9gKgpl8wByIKX1bpnqQkBnovIBm5KefHsArza0QTYVJ9A-YBHAsnCYx3O311NlBPO2nx9exx5e7lOeoAQUQClpwv9JweYB6YlJpij8W_32Ttz23KNfm39dLFzVP-awFi/s1600/13.+Group+Photo.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 400px; height: 268px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjBN7jtSJGeKYef9gKgpl8wByIKX1bpnqQkBnovIBm5KefHsArza0QTYVJ9A-YBHAsnCYx3O311NlBPO2nx9exx5e7lOeoAQUQClpwv9JweYB6YlJpij8W_32Ttz23KNfm39dLFzVP-awFi/s400/13.+Group+Photo.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5620557497464387586" border="0"></a><div align = center><em>Group Photo at the Falls...</em></div><br />At length, some of us chatted with the camp people all the while stealing a ‘sniff’ at the tasty smell of fried yong tau foo.<br /><br />Around 2pm, we packed up and head back, moving quickly in the hope of avoiding the possible rain brought down by the threatening clouds overhead. We reached the trail head via track A only to be informed via sms that Aurelius, Chris and Tracy had gone home. ;)<br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiuFk1tYo7p70N951mY0xmJI7HypGehGFvZA228WV6-NdrumE714Gy79CcQoRI1VRqfeCUhMgjifOTFwPAu699K68hNbRF1mbamnHpjvkcPQUiVgeNLcqWDwaf7_f20tI29JeyPcyycjlIq/s1600/14.+Clambering+down+ropes.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 268px; height: 400px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiuFk1tYo7p70N951mY0xmJI7HypGehGFvZA228WV6-NdrumE714Gy79CcQoRI1VRqfeCUhMgjifOTFwPAu699K68hNbRF1mbamnHpjvkcPQUiVgeNLcqWDwaf7_f20tI29JeyPcyycjlIq/s400/14.+Clambering+down+ropes.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5620557504657522434" border="0"></a><div align = center><em>Clambering down the slope with ropes via track A, it's even more steeper than track C though definitely shorter...</em></div><br />Taking in Dennis into my car, we went to Ampang’s famous Yong Tau Foo for lunch, the lingering smell of the dish fried in the jungle imparting to us subliminally the destination to quench our hunger.<br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgXS4k1S8MFMa175ewlZ8PjeXleDsrIO51ZJyRW9JP26iNrrmLhlF7deiKtc9zBYLYuOncH5hoNF1xOghtOrKvZHWfKEiiVj3uVdvC1xB_hipvcQV5ZC1eEsEY2HSL38j34KU6R_qNlNJe1/s1600/DSC_9166.JPG"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 400px; height: 268px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgXS4k1S8MFMa175ewlZ8PjeXleDsrIO51ZJyRW9JP26iNrrmLhlF7deiKtc9zBYLYuOncH5hoNF1xOghtOrKvZHWfKEiiVj3uVdvC1xB_hipvcQV5ZC1eEsEY2HSL38j34KU6R_qNlNJe1/s400/DSC_9166.JPG" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5620683882233442226" /></a><div align = center><em>Subliminal message! Where else to get good Yong Tau Foo other than in Ampang? ;)</em></div><br />Overall, despite the surprising toughness of the trail and unexpected extension of time to the expedition, we generally enjoyed ourselves. Aurelius, despite fuming at our ‘tardiness’ still managed to participate in our next expedition and we all can safely notch off yet another waterfall conquered in yet another corner of Klang Valley! Onward! ;)<br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiu3clfuaTafcsdzlej4gFRXXz5u7LYd6cNKfP8LUng48jHGCVkpCPk3uZhwgsedkZjmcA9l01JH3GO_tUpUpQkKBGn5CcJ7LDXq6k9WhAzT7BwBEuS9H3EnfSQ2DLbc0VMpu5aHapfsyqW/s1600/16.+On+the+trail.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 268px; height: 400px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiu3clfuaTafcsdzlej4gFRXXz5u7LYd6cNKfP8LUng48jHGCVkpCPk3uZhwgsedkZjmcA9l01JH3GO_tUpUpQkKBGn5CcJ7LDXq6k9WhAzT7BwBEuS9H3EnfSQ2DLbc0VMpu5aHapfsyqW/s400/16.+On+the+trail.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5620557518420194194" border="0"></a>Eddie Tuenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07105702091987045194noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4785821961237109532.post-20866703196172562962011-06-20T12:17:00.015+08:002011-06-21T00:26:49.274+08:00Lepak at Lepok Waterfall, Ulu Langat<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgkvj5r-3xH6PWcXFTMxzL9cXHFMt0YfPdOdHeExGcykmnAJqEaf4Wi03QfOtkyil7x2dfQYSfr8k1whOfYKXdBJonw_iUegi9rzentX8KeWO9G442rPyIYC0u4M-CWxgaqYOsunXf1aNq1/s1600/Lepok.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 400px; height: 300px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgkvj5r-3xH6PWcXFTMxzL9cXHFMt0YfPdOdHeExGcykmnAJqEaf4Wi03QfOtkyil7x2dfQYSfr8k1whOfYKXdBJonw_iUegi9rzentX8KeWO9G442rPyIYC0u4M-CWxgaqYOsunXf1aNq1/s400/Lepok.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5620194913235198066" /></a>Saturday, 18th June 2011, Another day another hike to yet another fall in the pristine countryside! :D This round, we have chosen to revisit Lepok waterfall in Hulu Langat, although this is the first time I am blogging about it. ;)<br /> <br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi9e-ahIFGQqtkZVM1afrBoCzSCweDEcE4XWkxTkSitmPGzTk6fHH-USYyjsLELbkQQMbF1plt4n3zT4SOdTG6ag-dPwVYChMCl-EaRx_O_TxO-mREiUP2k-MYRAnYDXpKuHppWgQUbZwbU/s1600/At+Lepok+150810.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 300px; height: 400px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi9e-ahIFGQqtkZVM1afrBoCzSCweDEcE4XWkxTkSitmPGzTk6fHH-USYyjsLELbkQQMbF1plt4n3zT4SOdTG6ag-dPwVYChMCl-EaRx_O_TxO-mREiUP2k-MYRAnYDXpKuHppWgQUbZwbU/s400/At+Lepok+150810.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5620194234798303250" /></a><div align = center><em>My last trip to Lepok, 15th August 2010</em></div> <br />I have actually visited this waterfall a year before in 2010 on a previous expedition, finding this waterfall unique with it's fair sized ‘slide’ for you to zip down into a pool of water at the bottom. Of course, this is without neglecting the extra advantage of having a nicely paved road leading to a fairly reasonable car park at the start of the trail leaving me with hardly a worry about damaging my ‘ride’ which has become quite a concern for me these days if I end up having to provide 'transport' for our trips. ;) <br /><br />The team met up at 730am in TTDI’s Devi’s Corner for breakfast, 11 brave souls mustering for this expedition consisting of our courageous founder (and kungfu panda), Aurelius Teo, seasoned hikers; Aaron Chung, Carol, Eu Jin, Yee Wei, Cheah; newcomers; Shienrun, Pey Chern, Choy Foong, Clay and last but not least yours truly well. After loading up our carbohydrates, we set off for Ulu Langat, traveling along the network of highways that crisscross the Klang Valley to first reach Phoenix Plaza in Cheras. From there, we went through the toll leading towards Kajang, immediately veering to the left and following the signboards pointing to Kampung Batu 9 and Pangsun. Here is where the scene changes from the affluent neighborhoods of TTDI to the familiar kampung environs of rural Malaysia. <br /><br />A single carriage trunk road leads the way towards sleepy hamlet of Pangsun, unusually busy with large multi-axled lorries plying the route but also not without the characteristic SLOW drivers enjoying their Saturday morning drive in their clanky, old, battered, rusty Proton Iswaras, seemingly all too oblivious to the procession of vehicles trailing behind. Oh well... :p<br /><br />Fortunately, as we neared the fork that takes us away from the main road leading towards Pangsun, the traffic thins out significantly leaving us with clear roads ahead. At this point, the sound of the flowing river running alongside the road begins to fills the ears. In this rural paradise, crystal clear waters flow over polished river rocks, the sun’s gentle morning rays giving the water an added silver sparkle. Do yourself a favor by winding down the windows, allowing the fresh mist drenched air fills your lungs which is a mostly certainly refreshing experience! ;) <br /><br />About 3km from Pangsun, we found the fork, a signboard with the words ‘Asli Adventure Camp, Sungai Lepoh’ confirming the prompts from my ‘not-so-trusty’ GPS unit. ;) The narrow but otherwise very good conditioned paved road goes on for another 2km passing small wooden houses and other adventure camps before we finally arrived at the farthest point our cars can take us, a wide open space just beneath a large arch leading to the ‘Asli Adventure Camp’ itself. <br /><br />You can park your cars on the graveled sides here. Depending on ‘luck’ you might be approached by someone to pay a RM2 fee for parking. We paid for it the first time we were here, although this time there was no one in sight. We alighted our car and prepared to move on by foot but not before we witnessed this huge group of scouts marching in file in the general direction of our final destination! I called out to one of them to ask and was told that indeed, Lepok waterfall was going to be their destination although not before they head up to a ‘hill’ first. Looks like it’s not going to be lonely weekend hike for us after all, eh? ;) <br /><br />We set off after the scouts, right after we took our customary group photos. Unfortunately, we did not have any of our ‘professional’ DSLR wielding photographers in our group, and with Aurelius appearing to have long since retired from his usual role of being our chief ‘cam-whore’, we have to make do with Eu Jin’s IPhone and my trusty Nokia N97 to make up the shortfall instead. :p<br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhHm2AFGxoRO3yJnXot4rm87L_5JIITVL1Q80fvC9JQeqZ7tG-41dU36t6upinf0zHoM8a3xSyTKuIMKHiOKrpXnpZcnhCE34IZx-eRU3HxUQDCK65wE1-WbnXNY4Qlw31EpU8MShPRT2OJ/s1600/Lepok+Group+Photo.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 400px; height: 300px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhHm2AFGxoRO3yJnXot4rm87L_5JIITVL1Q80fvC9JQeqZ7tG-41dU36t6upinf0zHoM8a3xSyTKuIMKHiOKrpXnpZcnhCE34IZx-eRU3HxUQDCK65wE1-WbnXNY4Qlw31EpU8MShPRT2OJ/s400/Lepok+Group+Photo.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5620194579436929522" /></a><div align = center><em>Trail Tracker's Traditional Pre-trip Group Photo! :D</em></div> <br /><br />Leaving the car park at 9:50am, we moved down the track alongside the river having to cross a shallow stream almost immediately, in the process getting our feet wet. <br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgsTqgMWxGmIhJg-6RsCF2CikNBPkPBD0ZE9sQoXHcQQtdkz3jSCbx9pdUMOezYTG-JdqMozJaGbQUDDcyLm0DEL8va98uOnW3-HfNIHxiI_6NW3b9RT7ksHkFO0hyphenhyphenmQuJfcAqt1rOa4eWp/s1600/Crossing+stream+Lepok.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 400px; height: 300px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgsTqgMWxGmIhJg-6RsCF2CikNBPkPBD0ZE9sQoXHcQQtdkz3jSCbx9pdUMOezYTG-JdqMozJaGbQUDDcyLm0DEL8va98uOnW3-HfNIHxiI_6NW3b9RT7ksHkFO0hyphenhyphenmQuJfcAqt1rOa4eWp/s400/Crossing+stream+Lepok.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5620194271253418882" /></a><div align = center><em>Getting our feet wet...</em></div> <br />The 2km track to Lepok is oriented generally on a north-south axis so if you kept on heading ‘north’ you should be fine. The next stream was spanned by a rickety wooden bridge, which we reached after passing through an open area surrounded by tall ‘lalang’ grass, beyond which the jungle path truly commences. <br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiVOfplCn0UX6ZnzAQVEe0tAzoAzmoQ-7yvJQQit1qEwBkQ8YU6xPDtMqvx65AVRRwZ48wfPLKq1Rbt6fzr2zZrRNkM2F5BFO5ERXQzydpUWqkDzVSU-uQPJUSOuXG0iInEjbQqqjw09B82/s1600/Crossing+wooden+bridge+Lepok.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 300px; height: 400px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiVOfplCn0UX6ZnzAQVEe0tAzoAzmoQ-7yvJQQit1qEwBkQ8YU6xPDtMqvx65AVRRwZ48wfPLKq1Rbt6fzr2zZrRNkM2F5BFO5ERXQzydpUWqkDzVSU-uQPJUSOuXG0iInEjbQqqjw09B82/s400/Crossing+wooden+bridge+Lepok.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5620194276154282514" /></a><div align = center><em>Traversing over a rickety wooden bridge... march on!</em></div> <br />The trail inclines upwards for a few hundred meters, with deep gouges made by motorcycle tyres in the laterite soil ushering us onwards. <br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiYt7yati8buA92BblQiKYe72rNGy4qZyx7wI2_QWWceP9-Tv8UgzBuLzoQRxignTOYTNYTc45s9G3kfIUo9QUl1zae9jHkXVXVtPSuax0TFKox5-yZiMW5KUK33qpVIuJUAPalWKInRY2V/s1600/Lepok+first+rise.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 300px; height: 400px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiYt7yati8buA92BblQiKYe72rNGy4qZyx7wI2_QWWceP9-Tv8UgzBuLzoQRxignTOYTNYTc45s9G3kfIUo9QUl1zae9jHkXVXVtPSuax0TFKox5-yZiMW5KUK33qpVIuJUAPalWKInRY2V/s400/Lepok+first+rise.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5620194572053267842" /></a><div align = center><em>First rise of the trail... fairly decent ;)</em></div> <br />Durian orchards dot the left and the right of the trail after this incline, the place all these motorcycles have been plying up and down the trail from and to. We passed a small reed hut on the right along the way, a landmark to confirm that we were on the right track before reaching a clearing in the jungle where we met a fork in the trail.<br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjOfDFS_EO_1vc5q2VhyonFZ1PivnLXhyBZOSk2cwO1ukTXEFUZdZWV1dt79PZn6FIjFPnga1WH4fy9bMPNb3vXJm9cEzbLJc_pOAnkwZfX1k1-1GzpAq1A26kDe6EDTZzPN2bWbuL92KTR/s1600/18062011706.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 400px; height: 300px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjOfDFS_EO_1vc5q2VhyonFZ1PivnLXhyBZOSk2cwO1ukTXEFUZdZWV1dt79PZn6FIjFPnga1WH4fy9bMPNb3vXJm9cEzbLJc_pOAnkwZfX1k1-1GzpAq1A26kDe6EDTZzPN2bWbuL92KTR/s400/18062011706.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5620325319975770658" /></a><div align = center><em>The Hut in the middle of the durian farm... the last time I was here, there was a man selling durians by the 'longgok'... this time, nobody :p</em></div> <br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgvzGt8oYKc51lsONAwOMYagGEvKAJqUSdNk_RlfDmNz07cI2hSoWNhEPsRUh6l7eWW3co_P9VJW27CobRBYbWUFbJ1Yt3BWjdTDlkYkUSgaAMZPXSmeXj45rkbDPlSpmzW1aDClhPEcsww/s1600/18062011705.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 400px; height: 300px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgvzGt8oYKc51lsONAwOMYagGEvKAJqUSdNk_RlfDmNz07cI2hSoWNhEPsRUh6l7eWW3co_P9VJW27CobRBYbWUFbJ1Yt3BWjdTDlkYkUSgaAMZPXSmeXj45rkbDPlSpmzW1aDClhPEcsww/s400/18062011705.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5620325315207579922" /></a><div align = center><em>The clearing in the jungle. Watch for the familiar white and red striped ribbons. They lead the way to the falls...</em></div> <br />We took the trail to the right where those white and red striped ribbons now appear on the branches of surrounding trees. After this point comes the first and only ‘challenge’ of the trail, a long steep slope that we have to negotiate... <br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjl7FpU7LCKv2tw8ZdGk8MIoKDCn1ZEiFx6qQ9tWG5izOH436qIYm1miGe3QC4Yr6Fec_tIJQKU5KkBt40gUd4yo2gm82DI4TmllbwGunPghXyA0bcCaZfe6-IptxwkFYOaqJTazXIkjt6V/s1600/Lepok+Steep+Hill+climb.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 300px; height: 400px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjl7FpU7LCKv2tw8ZdGk8MIoKDCn1ZEiFx6qQ9tWG5izOH436qIYm1miGe3QC4Yr6Fec_tIJQKU5KkBt40gUd4yo2gm82DI4TmllbwGunPghXyA0bcCaZfe6-IptxwkFYOaqJTazXIkjt6V/s400/Lepok+Steep+Hill+climb.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5620194589710580466" /></a><div align = center><em>The most challenging part of the hike! The scramble up a long rather steep slope...</em></div> <br />The climb slowed our pace a little but overall we didn't encounter any problems although on the way back from the falls, we did encounter quite a number of hikers pausing for breath along the slope, the ‘challenge’ appearing to be too ‘much’ to bear for some… ;) <br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiLqYJiPL6UODeBVQO1AkRdE2yXJ2POjyjnrqehqb0G79QEBtpZT6Ip6SkZRGDUX8bn5hYFzpYp9ldXTHqKUJMBVt-fUOq40PseMW26_0vstSkhwX22yaVa3icD86G49WrV2_mlfJHnQS8k/s1600/Lepok+tree+trunk.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 300px; height: 400px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiLqYJiPL6UODeBVQO1AkRdE2yXJ2POjyjnrqehqb0G79QEBtpZT6Ip6SkZRGDUX8bn5hYFzpYp9ldXTHqKUJMBVt-fUOq40PseMW26_0vstSkhwX22yaVa3icD86G49WrV2_mlfJHnQS8k/s400/Lepok+tree+trunk.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5620194603254308738" /></a><div align = center><em>Along the slope, there were a few tree trunks that straddle across, requiring a little 'heave-ho' to clear...</em></div> <br />After clambering up the slope for about 30 minutes, a large metal pipe will appear on your left leading up to what appeared to be a disused ‘dam’, akin to what you might have encountered above Kem Lolo on the Nuang Trail, though in worse condition.<br /> <br />An abandoned 'house' can be seen just at the side of the ‘dam’, also reminding me of a similar construct at Kem Lolo Dam, making it another notable landmark on the trail.<br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjTRDa2KVjYg3M1Ni79zWP5F2qvNOsgkGzsuEmR36NUnMQfooEJ8oxhc9CwtHxuSKvZ-YXO1mVCHnf0lsA2alP2L9EsBljJpibpGCd5BxUnprBG10v_C3yo0DI4UIWaBPBObhfXuzlSgqBS/s1600/18062011703.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 300px; height: 400px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjTRDa2KVjYg3M1Ni79zWP5F2qvNOsgkGzsuEmR36NUnMQfooEJ8oxhc9CwtHxuSKvZ-YXO1mVCHnf0lsA2alP2L9EsBljJpibpGCd5BxUnprBG10v_C3yo0DI4UIWaBPBObhfXuzlSgqBS/s400/18062011703.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5620325311181256034" /></a><div align = center><em>Landmark! ;) An abandoned 'house' by the remains of a 'dam'... a rather (haunting) place to spend the night... :p</em></div> <br />We pressed on, skirting along the side of the river, clearing over some boulders along the way. By now, the din of cascading water can be heard through the sounds of the jungle; we are close. ;) 2 hours after we started, we finally arrived at Lepok to discover that it was JAM PACKED with over 30 people bathing in the waterfall! ;) <br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEimcPMUPOq5RMaCQRukb9Hsgvs_SMcmzAY2akNPfpaEgJnKN2AJExsX7Gcjn1_W5OJw63pOinB__yEq-wlt0kOdmvxHSQCPi-qAtD1zSSCQGAPglPbMU-RwVeKdUgkO81CLNvPE_RHSbVyU/s1600/Lepok+Waterfall+is+full.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 400px; height: 300px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEimcPMUPOq5RMaCQRukb9Hsgvs_SMcmzAY2akNPfpaEgJnKN2AJExsX7Gcjn1_W5OJw63pOinB__yEq-wlt0kOdmvxHSQCPi-qAtD1zSSCQGAPglPbMU-RwVeKdUgkO81CLNvPE_RHSbVyU/s400/Lepok+Waterfall+is+full.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5620194610828044994" /></a><div align = center><em>Civilization finding it's way into the jungle! The look of dismay on Aaron's face describes it all! ;)</em></div> <br />They were not the scouts we had encountered earlier but actually members from another group. A few small tents were also pitched at the side, the inhabitants of one burning a pile of twigs and dried leaves to create smoke, perhaps to chase off the irritating sweat bees that begin to buzz around us the moment we arrived. We placed our bags down and waited for about 15 minutes, long enough for the large group to take their leave. ;) <br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiNiGlvuaM0HD-cDxAR52n9qIklWN2L9rmsINvFYe46GEA3DtVSMKqCOZbiyL0ervQYrKqhhfl2UH4Hh8uExhbwkhn9EKkcP8AfSN5iHiUUvY6QIij0rMQVfWuRz3mkzt09z3m3EHJw3PEf/s1600/Lepok+Waterfall.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 300px; height: 400px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiNiGlvuaM0HD-cDxAR52n9qIklWN2L9rmsINvFYe46GEA3DtVSMKqCOZbiyL0ervQYrKqhhfl2UH4Hh8uExhbwkhn9EKkcP8AfSN5iHiUUvY6QIij0rMQVfWuRz3mkzt09z3m3EHJw3PEf/s400/Lepok+Waterfall.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5620194911103829074" /></a><div align = center><em>The waterfall is ours! For now... ;)</em></div> <br />Once the coast was clear, most of us waded into the falls proper. Courtesy of having the back of my heel chewed off by an escalator one week before in Klang Bukit Tinggi’s Jaya Jusco, I had to reluctantly sit out this round of having a satisfying waterfall bath. :p :( Of those that went in, only Aaron decided to try his luck with the 'slide'. Yee Wei, who has previously did the same decide to sit the slide out. <br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgK2JCdUINXEsUzmlvxTjZfqFBIKiBhOn9XqHY3-zFnDBjX756vgfrx6Q9SM6DMxOZryEorhmTrtUPTvsbD7h-3-R7mqFCvm99QBvtWTtBX8MALBTck6XV_85wZCKWaYrytkmVwFTZunQuV/s1600/Carol+sitting+out+Lepok.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 300px; height: 400px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgK2JCdUINXEsUzmlvxTjZfqFBIKiBhOn9XqHY3-zFnDBjX756vgfrx6Q9SM6DMxOZryEorhmTrtUPTvsbD7h-3-R7mqFCvm99QBvtWTtBX8MALBTck6XV_85wZCKWaYrytkmVwFTZunQuV/s400/Carol+sitting+out+Lepok.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5620194261078424546" /></a><div align = center><em>Carol sitting out a chance to dip in the icy cool waters...</em></div><br />Not surprisingly, the water was icy cold. The depth was deep enough to swim while still low enough for a grown adult to stand on his feet to clear the water. The strength of the cascade at the foot of the fall was not overwhelming yet still good enough to give you a good 'massage' if you were to stand right under it. <br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgPhmE7hkpADquqYpdTIitv3oul7iuuEFTq-iYCq9ng4V8VXdqnKt3wDLCGsofQqPtF5PpPxuy3JMxUeaXqwqkTj8Ycj26I39ESm4-_vGlp0s7SCrX-uu46swcYOXBHrMjWQ-Uk9MtB6xMa/s1600/Wading+into+Lepok+waterfall.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 400px; height: 300px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgPhmE7hkpADquqYpdTIitv3oul7iuuEFTq-iYCq9ng4V8VXdqnKt3wDLCGsofQqPtF5PpPxuy3JMxUeaXqwqkTj8Ycj26I39ESm4-_vGlp0s7SCrX-uu46swcYOXBHrMjWQ-Uk9MtB6xMa/s400/Wading+into+Lepok+waterfall.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5620194933882262914" /></a><div align = center><em>City beauties wading into the pool... ;)</em></div> <br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEids2yXzE8ORL8lKRACX_qyj5KAJit9aDAYKiL3E_9RlP2CHaiwOgEvrUaRiI2VqTLcdpB18ZMEcLc8eIe7EaG91D6ZfB4hOOM5W4j2UxSIZEZM4q9PB_T3SEg-em8Rjt_Voc5N4Rzp954C/s1600/Waterfall+pic.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 300px; height: 400px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEids2yXzE8ORL8lKRACX_qyj5KAJit9aDAYKiL3E_9RlP2CHaiwOgEvrUaRiI2VqTLcdpB18ZMEcLc8eIe7EaG91D6ZfB4hOOM5W4j2UxSIZEZM4q9PB_T3SEg-em8Rjt_Voc5N4Rzp954C/s400/Waterfall+pic.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5620195290080168338" /></a><div align = center><em>A picture is never complete without a beautiful lady at your side... ;)</em></div> <br />We hung around the waterfall till 1245pm, the heat of the afternoon sun barely affecting us, shielded as we were from the overhead cloud cover and surrounding trees. It was our empty bellies that urged us to make tracks back to civilization. We returned to the car park by 2pm, as usual, the journey down a lot easier than the journey up. <br /><br />Some of us washed by the flowing stream near the car park while a rest went into the Asli Adventure Camp to ‘commandeer’ their more civilized facilities. It is still a private ownership however, so it is recommended for you to ‘ask’ when you use their facilities if you see anyone there. <br /><br />Our customary Trail Tracker lunch extravaganza was held at our regular haunt for trips to this area, Hulu Langat town’s famous Langat Seafood Restaurant and Beer Garden. Located within Hulu Langat town itself, it could be accessed by turning left at the traffic light junction at the center of town on the single road leading out from Pangsun into Jalan Sungai Tekali. From here, you’ll have to cross over a bridge before huge signboards of the restaurant can be seen on the right. Turn into the small road following the directions on the board and watch for the second one that shows the way to the restaurant itself. Do watch out for those menacing unmarked ‘bumps’ on the road especially for those cars with low clearances (mine included), otherwise be prepare for some heartbreaking thumps! :p <br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj1B49jXGUo12f7OMz0pgFTN7cMIuVLBabEuMewBsDsvOgP6x7-I7_LibtOraiY-H7s4lBgs5BR_dm4Tj2U3UKBQhiqz6i4g61WBIp1I27Wz6GXyV0pYbpH-GRMg4y-FBN-w24409zpcfja/s1600/Lunch+at+beer+garden.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 400px; height: 300px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj1B49jXGUo12f7OMz0pgFTN7cMIuVLBabEuMewBsDsvOgP6x7-I7_LibtOraiY-H7s4lBgs5BR_dm4Tj2U3UKBQhiqz6i4g61WBIp1I27Wz6GXyV0pYbpH-GRMg4y-FBN-w24409zpcfja/s400/Lunch+at+beer+garden.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5620194923180550594" /></a><div align = center><em>At the Ulu Langat Seafood Restaurant and Beer House... never try to disturb Yee Wei when he is eating his food... Grrrr... Woof! :p</em></div> <br />A satisfyingly filling meal of egg fu yong, kung po style mantis prawns, green vegetables, kampung chicken in herbal sauce, crowned by nothing less than their signature pork knuckles was served to satiate our hunger. <br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgPqKWXl-yHh1zZpUFfZc9VAMtFigrNx9nhq3nJzn7s96BteWDRbxUw9HO6T-sV76LE2uHBgZyUstf9TgXXqJXnM1Z5GtRhp1phwY6Hh7wARhdaj2iFiGwAiGiGrZ5N-OARyhxSIOedN3R0/s1600/Pork+Knuckles+at+Ulu+Langat+Beer+Garden.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 400px; height: 300px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgPqKWXl-yHh1zZpUFfZc9VAMtFigrNx9nhq3nJzn7s96BteWDRbxUw9HO6T-sV76LE2uHBgZyUstf9TgXXqJXnM1Z5GtRhp1phwY6Hh7wARhdaj2iFiGwAiGiGrZ5N-OARyhxSIOedN3R0/s400/Pork+Knuckles+at+Ulu+Langat+Beer+Garden.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5620194925820087026" /></a><div align = center><em>Their signature dish! Pork Knuckles! Yum...</em></div> <br />Once our tanks are ‘filled’, we commenced our final journey home… ending yet another memorable hike to one more of our pristine waterfalls in this quiet pocket of Selangor! :D Until then, this is Eddie Tuen, signing off... ;) <br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhGAhfIdVodVy4xGWhS1XtjRSyAs90v4jcbDZoy5TQISEwyRI6kSxn-P4sLyL8A1nuj4BFS1pztAM4SnmEDGQRp3P7TOUQZUIClJq2RsFK8Rq8uiBfdt97x0Tqxwxiv3jJvc_ZGiSV5zzk2/s1600/Yoga+master.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 300px; height: 400px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhGAhfIdVodVy4xGWhS1XtjRSyAs90v4jcbDZoy5TQISEwyRI6kSxn-P4sLyL8A1nuj4BFS1pztAM4SnmEDGQRp3P7TOUQZUIClJq2RsFK8Rq8uiBfdt97x0Tqxwxiv3jJvc_ZGiSV5zzk2/s400/Yoga+master.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5620195923351618034" /></a>Eddie Tuenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07105702091987045194noreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4785821961237109532.post-49239162257046372362011-04-15T11:39:00.030+08:002011-05-27T15:13:48.240+08:00Hike Down to Ijen Caldera, Indonesia<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg-q-WFRcnXsEHw5zx9Ry0bHCB9ziZrA8n6cgCgeJl2NFHFm1SuSZ7_-idrAeOMlySt1awnoYf10v_dcQr7zWXMcdzJJcpQIyr41T2LfPOuc2l1PCJ2H3PUa5amvDSIcYDMrzAqPO2hRVGd/s1600/Ijen_Mine_by_eddietwk.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 266px; height: 400px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg-q-WFRcnXsEHw5zx9Ry0bHCB9ziZrA8n6cgCgeJl2NFHFm1SuSZ7_-idrAeOMlySt1awnoYf10v_dcQr7zWXMcdzJJcpQIyr41T2LfPOuc2l1PCJ2H3PUa5amvDSIcYDMrzAqPO2hRVGd/s400/Ijen_Mine_by_eddietwk.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5611236956494257858" /></a>How would you fancy hiking down the caldera of an active volcano these days? :p Well, quite interesting actually, especially when you are going to be visiting one of the world's biggest manual sulfur mine in an active volcano! Yup, the place I am referring to is none other than Ijen Volcano (Gunung Berapi Ijen) on the eastern part of the Indonesian island of Java. A little far away from my common roaming grounds in Malaysia isn't it? <br /><br />About a mile away from the infamous Merapi volcano, (the last eruption was in 2010), Ijen is 'calmer' compared with its famous neighbor. No dramatic lakes of steel melting lava here, although it boasts an equally beautiful and reputedly highly acidic lake in it's caldera with a measured pH of 0.5!<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh0yoQPwtyPdxYTmNQXOVXS_X8Rz8eQKUpTf3WtYK1htbm5u_gyy5M_BFBaQXjiY8kB4fY5rtLRpBuMEawXvAobl-pefrywN-yHHH2Aud2WnxV4DR6PfrmWFZhPtWs8gD8KR2C7wYvRvrHX/s1600/IMG_0066.JPG"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 400px; height: 300px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh0yoQPwtyPdxYTmNQXOVXS_X8Rz8eQKUpTf3WtYK1htbm5u_gyy5M_BFBaQXjiY8kB4fY5rtLRpBuMEawXvAobl-pefrywN-yHHH2Aud2WnxV4DR6PfrmWFZhPtWs8gD8KR2C7wYvRvrHX/s400/IMG_0066.JPG" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5611240592782454162" /></a><div align = center><em>The pristine turquoise pool of water within Ijen's caldera...</em></div> <br />Arriving in Surabaya, the ride from there to Ijen will take approximately 8 hours by van courtesy of the mostly single carriage roads. <br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjCtCLXF2EPZ6duuTYVnYhsrjS4773tLoHod45gP4Ps_yHY4kWywD2mye-hR7W-HifO0gR-xq2dsZFh9LWKbiS-BvHutoheE0-mWS0Hd0WD6oYoQBfVAcdPxMjZh8NL8QxYbLQ5Pi0vP612/s1600/24032011530.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 400px; height: 300px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjCtCLXF2EPZ6duuTYVnYhsrjS4773tLoHod45gP4Ps_yHY4kWywD2mye-hR7W-HifO0gR-xq2dsZFh9LWKbiS-BvHutoheE0-mWS0Hd0WD6oYoQBfVAcdPxMjZh8NL8QxYbLQ5Pi0vP612/s400/24032011530.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5611251103194084514" /></a><div align = center><em>A 'familiar' looking face greeting us at the airport... too bad, Miss 'Olive' wasn't in our party! :p ;)</em></div> <br />Traffic culture here is a little different which makes the experience plying on Indonesian roads a little harrowing sometimes especially when you have a 10 ton lorry hurtling straight at you while you're in it's way. Yup, overtaking vehicles here is not a wait and see whether the coast is clear kinda thing. It's more of a hit and fade style with the vehicle jumping out on the opposite lane, driving as far you can before quickly slipping back into YOUR lane before the oncoming vehicle slams into you!<br /> <br />Road conditions can only get worse as you ascend the Ijen plateau with long stretches of it having the tar completely removed, leaving loose gravel and gigantic potholes for us to traverse upon. Also, due to the season in which we arrived (March), generous amounts of rain have inundated the slopes with evidence of land slides along the way.<br /><br />There are no hotels in the village nearest to Ijen. The best you'd probably find there are the homestays that cater to tourists like us. We stayed at the Catimore Homestay, which I guess was one of the 'best' there is in the area, judging by the amount of westerners there. Based on the comments I am reading from the web about this inn however, and with the benefit of hindsight, I confirm that this place leaves much to be desired. :p The toilets are indeed 'not so clean' (someone wrote in the blogs that there was even 'turd' inside, although I didn't see any ;)), and amenities minimal. <br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhUp1AzuijyFDcVhl8-PpNCVEft-uD10thIMYZepVxAp5mTalwennNJe3hFkF-04ljSJ0MdJJ8M1N-6CwQt1wZqhavoySthKcI0v73qxLDS_m_ixpFCaxCKY0J5CMkmOKf3kT87SzQ1nHwW/s1600/IMG_0003.JPG"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 400px; height: 300px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhUp1AzuijyFDcVhl8-PpNCVEft-uD10thIMYZepVxAp5mTalwennNJe3hFkF-04ljSJ0MdJJ8M1N-6CwQt1wZqhavoySthKcI0v73qxLDS_m_ixpFCaxCKY0J5CMkmOKf3kT87SzQ1nHwW/s400/IMG_0003.JPG" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5610870440937582354" /></a><div align = center><em>Catimore Inn's toilet... the brown stains, cobwebs... Ewwww, I can safely rate this place as slightly above 'filthy'! :p</em></div> <br />The toilet didn't look like they were washed daily, if not monthly! The bedroom is spartan with a rickety bed and one lonesome chair. Bedsheets are thin and rather er... dirty :p.<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgIsMNSf4XZKvqxIMvEzgI13RdUjj9sRHzNtwb9_muNHqs9AkYuIg4BsrC_TrWp-4fujYuUADLErQuGa2UTYrWHR3Z2lYP6A3PJ_SSb5Jp6EGa4AYjoPlnr4LvypRUBIghGgGsxRhKq2F-u/s1600/IMG_0001.JPG"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 400px; height: 300px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgIsMNSf4XZKvqxIMvEzgI13RdUjj9sRHzNtwb9_muNHqs9AkYuIg4BsrC_TrWp-4fujYuUADLErQuGa2UTYrWHR3Z2lYP6A3PJ_SSb5Jp6EGa4AYjoPlnr4LvypRUBIghGgGsxRhKq2F-u/s400/IMG_0001.JPG" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5610870434129876274" /></a><div align = center><em>A bed fit for a Spartan! :D :p</em></div> <br />We arrived a little pass 830pm in an area where darkness and fog easily overcomes what little light there is. Dinner was ready for us on arrival, although the fare offered to us was rather bland and tasteless consisting of some white rice, fried chicken, some varieties of stir fried vegetables and dried out bananas. <br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjvRxHiDtmN6DYz1pxozww2oBqMuF1Gm7TG_Rh1lwQx8sebg2bPDG5EyiZQ51HC_Hn2WWTGibl76ABlcL9kVXFVtIm_ivyQNIP7M4iR8rAO7aPsflUloB05tBHUmoOlOdaRNjaIWm02ZaAD/s1600/24032011550.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 400px; height: 300px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjvRxHiDtmN6DYz1pxozww2oBqMuF1Gm7TG_Rh1lwQx8sebg2bPDG5EyiZQ51HC_Hn2WWTGibl76ABlcL9kVXFVtIm_ivyQNIP7M4iR8rAO7aPsflUloB05tBHUmoOlOdaRNjaIWm02ZaAD/s400/24032011550.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5610870446608189954" /></a><div align = center><em>When you are as tired and cold as us... even not so tasty food is good enough! ;)</em></div> <br />After having our dinner and setting our bags into our spartan rooms, we roamed around the premises. A pool with geothermally heated water caught our attention, it's waters inviting except that in the cold of the night we were in, my mind reasoned that it would be better to decline it's warm embrace as the effect of the night's chill would have immediately asserted it's deathly hold the moment you step out of the water!<br /><br />We retired somewhat early, as we had to start hiking early in the morning. I couldn't sleep much though as the paper thin walls couldn't filter out the noisy chattering from one of our neighbors. :p <br /><br />We packed to leave in the morning, planning to head for our next destination immediately after the climb. Breakfast was nothing more than a few pieces of pastries and some locally brewed coffee, unfiltered. :p<br />Boarding the van, we made our way to the Ijen base camp taking about 30 minutes to reach there. The camp was surprisingly well equipped, with a clean toilet and bathroom, a small local food stall and an office. <br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj-7VqGUQOYCsQQUU7XKYAXNHuwJgw1znn3CvfwCITrf8MXzsUpzR7nsC-JgeXiU6TScA1V1uSWK6bZt-YXyeTyMsl00RXm7Gv5-ilA2CTgd_8dVoE_Lfnzpsj1cD1FDAkecdE3eeDLF7D8/s1600/IMG_0005.JPG"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 400px; height: 300px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj-7VqGUQOYCsQQUU7XKYAXNHuwJgw1znn3CvfwCITrf8MXzsUpzR7nsC-JgeXiU6TScA1V1uSWK6bZt-YXyeTyMsl00RXm7Gv5-ilA2CTgd_8dVoE_Lfnzpsj1cD1FDAkecdE3eeDLF7D8/s400/IMG_0005.JPG" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5610876144919054114" /></a><div align = center><em>Base camp at the foot of Mount Ijen...</em></div> <br />It is worth noting that the whole place is privately owned, visitors are charged a certain amount which in our case was already paid for by our guides. What was not paid for was our cameras and on noting that some of us were hanging some of the gadgets over our necks, one of the wardens informed our guide that we had to pay for that too (25,000 rupiahs each, tourist price no doubt!). We were told that they could be 'smuggled' in our bags through the base camp and then taken out later on the hike but that was after the guide was already 'stung' by the warden. :p As usual, we took a few group photos before the camp signboard before we set off!<br /> <br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgrT41RYyzINUBQgGBAUtP3QY3_jwDfZ8lbVAK3NJjxwY7XZsC8mJcXRX2DHx_7aexdJOSrhqjRNRD0M8-8K6W-s2OyGQZ10udcitIkX3d53scGFPZPG1dsutTYbvWV5K_otfFF3YhfTqQb/s1600/IMG_0006.JPG"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 300px; height: 400px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgrT41RYyzINUBQgGBAUtP3QY3_jwDfZ8lbVAK3NJjxwY7XZsC8mJcXRX2DHx_7aexdJOSrhqjRNRD0M8-8K6W-s2OyGQZ10udcitIkX3d53scGFPZPG1dsutTYbvWV5K_otfFF3YhfTqQb/s400/IMG_0006.JPG" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5610870450458973922" /></a><div align = center><em>Selamat datang ke Kawah Ijen! :D</em></div> <br />The climb was rather pleasant without much exertion required. This does not mean that its easy because endurance is required to last the 2 hour hike.<br /> <br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjYZlhvfFG5WaltkE_JWq0CU3jtEeQJ1Be-lCnuR7yR6vNxDrRXgLyy1OpSPLiZiezlTXlWje2kauPSuWnEy5oNN3KrO0w1y5ba0S1_mxoeytQjRgfyYcYbvGBRMCcMMrhyphenhyphenx4TE1FSMma5G/s1600/IMG_0010.JPG"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 400px; height: 300px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjYZlhvfFG5WaltkE_JWq0CU3jtEeQJ1Be-lCnuR7yR6vNxDrRXgLyy1OpSPLiZiezlTXlWje2kauPSuWnEy5oNN3KrO0w1y5ba0S1_mxoeytQjRgfyYcYbvGBRMCcMMrhyphenhyphenx4TE1FSMma5G/s400/IMG_0010.JPG" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5610876143639742722" /></a><div align = center><em>As the sign says, from the foot of the volcano to the caldera, it's about 3km... which is approximately about a 2 hour hike for most people... ;)</em></div> <br />Bring water because there is no where else to obtain them aside from the stall down at the base camp. As for the cold, well, after a few minutes walk, your body would have generate enough body heat to keep warm. Bring a light jacket if you wish.<br /> <br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEghBYCFmZUrsn-otj1ekKN-1GYSJ11LKyvqgN8By-Ehok_7Akb7BUThAKj3hzRryVlw1TPs9IuytWc_L-cDLrQ75HIzEpzogxKXNJKHyXN2Q3k2h8TYuaXk5VlCghKDpodZPw0XW97_A1Tk/s1600/IMG_0016.JPG"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 400px; height: 300px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEghBYCFmZUrsn-otj1ekKN-1GYSJ11LKyvqgN8By-Ehok_7Akb7BUThAKj3hzRryVlw1TPs9IuytWc_L-cDLrQ75HIzEpzogxKXNJKHyXN2Q3k2h8TYuaXk5VlCghKDpodZPw0XW97_A1Tk/s400/IMG_0016.JPG" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5610876138567526194" /></a><div align = center><em>The gang on the way up the volcano...</em></div> <br />Along the way, we bumped into the miners, some carrying lumps of sulfur in weaved baskets linked by a strip of sturdy rattan spread over their shoulders. Don't let their small frames fool you because these guys are super strong! The loads they were carrying over their backs range from 60kg to 100kg! And these guys had to do it like 4 to 5 times a day over a span of 6km one round trip! <br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj0RG76CisKNiJnaImbRakxKVP_Lm8V3-_8WydpQ1QestXhJhsdACfNl_6eoeIc_Ht76rMRKyDHgiWPECUhCIHMBb9Hh_Eb26-C2hyphenhyphen7IG0ai4vtIa4JC-yDk8VyeURooHNAMoJgg3PbZpF0/s1600/IMG_0031.JPG"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 300px; height: 400px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj0RG76CisKNiJnaImbRakxKVP_Lm8V3-_8WydpQ1QestXhJhsdACfNl_6eoeIc_Ht76rMRKyDHgiWPECUhCIHMBb9Hh_Eb26-C2hyphenhyphen7IG0ai4vtIa4JC-yDk8VyeURooHNAMoJgg3PbZpF0/s400/IMG_0031.JPG" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5610879147330549874" /></a><div align = center><em>Unless you are some 'power-weightlifter', mere mortals like myself are unable to duplicate the feat these miners do everyday!</em></div><br />Knowing that this place has become somewhat of a magnet for curious tourists, some of them would offer to sell carved pieces of sulfur in the shape of turtles and other animals for a fee. Watch out though because it might be a problem carrying this stuff on board a plane, sulfur being a primary component for explosives! There is a way station somewhere in the middle of the path up the caldera. Here is where the loads carried down by the miners are weighed and their wages calculated.<br /> <br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhiyjUPuESkYg9OORc9vAUkT8zIUABh9PO2czUj5a8gCy7DDStsva_84T2eX4rF5LI8OY2Op8dhTwW2sg4SlsjAl_hbxHRQWRB-yD8yNHZAghgskjH59Vz0hj2grKlnSRgpmyqZpu-C9ZUp/s1600/IMG_0034.JPG"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 400px; height: 300px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhiyjUPuESkYg9OORc9vAUkT8zIUABh9PO2czUj5a8gCy7DDStsva_84T2eX4rF5LI8OY2Op8dhTwW2sg4SlsjAl_hbxHRQWRB-yD8yNHZAghgskjH59Vz0hj2grKlnSRgpmyqZpu-C9ZUp/s400/IMG_0034.JPG" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5610879157726590674" /></a><div align = center><em>The waystation in the middle of the track up to Ijen...</em></div> <br />Rows and rows of baskets filled with lumps of sulfur can be seen right outside the way station. <br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi3RE5sy0q_Hk5CxbJ-dqhNB0-nhgfktvtyTV6kSXpmOI7rWnW0mHyaaS1QgWjhzzU8j-dKAI8MxmBTPVelh1F1xBZnmgvlX5H1BltLWv1Bccp8JvKJiG-2SuCfC9VGH1XWWdJjBGpoRRR-/s1600/Ijen_waystation_by_eddietwk.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 266px; height: 400px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi3RE5sy0q_Hk5CxbJ-dqhNB0-nhgfktvtyTV6kSXpmOI7rWnW0mHyaaS1QgWjhzzU8j-dKAI8MxmBTPVelh1F1xBZnmgvlX5H1BltLWv1Bccp8JvKJiG-2SuCfC9VGH1XWWdJjBGpoRRR-/s400/Ijen_waystation_by_eddietwk.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5610879161935291858" /></a><div align = center><em>Taking a photo with one of those 'super-human' miners!</em></div><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiAqha6ZoBGNkCnHlKPKcsWBFnRW6rzjCtSookQNIiGuKcoPHyhYuTxwK67mejcuReQWnT17q1TBo9OCwCMCixw_llreNblmUVIdHIGOX6uTDQ12sBzPKwrCRGAjvb7HRPTN2Bwvl0TWtWy/s1600/IMG_0036.JPG"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 300px; height: 400px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiAqha6ZoBGNkCnHlKPKcsWBFnRW6rzjCtSookQNIiGuKcoPHyhYuTxwK67mejcuReQWnT17q1TBo9OCwCMCixw_llreNblmUVIdHIGOX6uTDQ12sBzPKwrCRGAjvb7HRPTN2Bwvl0TWtWy/s400/IMG_0036.JPG" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5610879155376600210" /></a><div align = center><em>Tuhan Selamatkan Indonesia! ;)</em></div><br />Not tarrying long, we proceeded up to the lip of Ijen Caldera, taking about another half and hour to reach the top. Along the way, the surrounding countryside is revealed to us as we cleared the forest canopy. Distant volcanoes, tall mountains, tracts of forest and villages filled the view around. <br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiirqDqCcdCw8UpMfEGHSZKcgJA4w6QCg9u_6OAk3QhOUmtzenajKfCLRUH9WmWNTUcfXgTi51pSo-axl7eT1lq3KAS_tIsWaP7m_7c8L8mluK-CkWVUI5L3JhX9Z9xFf48e1iIXkp8fn-H/s1600/IMG_0022.JPG"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 400px; height: 300px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiirqDqCcdCw8UpMfEGHSZKcgJA4w6QCg9u_6OAk3QhOUmtzenajKfCLRUH9WmWNTUcfXgTi51pSo-axl7eT1lq3KAS_tIsWaP7m_7c8L8mluK-CkWVUI5L3JhX9Z9xFf48e1iIXkp8fn-H/s400/IMG_0022.JPG" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5610876150898533730" /></a><div align = center><em>A nearby mountain and judging by how geologically active this place is, possibly an extinct volcano?</em></div><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgK_kx4idGUn9V0xUYorwq2BA_7lj1ka-GUUKoxOAufx640qFpc1bUo01p8moWNWoHNcIMR6QqL5n9WXYNjJoylN79xHoxSbXixOJ7yVTnvcPpYFT7__fBcWhxkB-Xql3MDwtXIe5ADT8j-/s1600/205339_10150240503283079_818018078_9223277_5988320_n.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 400px; height: 268px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgK_kx4idGUn9V0xUYorwq2BA_7lj1ka-GUUKoxOAufx640qFpc1bUo01p8moWNWoHNcIMR6QqL5n9WXYNjJoylN79xHoxSbXixOJ7yVTnvcPpYFT7__fBcWhxkB-Xql3MDwtXIe5ADT8j-/s400/205339_10150240503283079_818018078_9223277_5988320_n.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5611257556447301810" /></a><div align = center><em>Peaceful, serene forest...</em></div><br />We can even see the island of Bali, located on the eastern edge of Java. Coniferous trees give way to rock the closer we get to the lip of the caldera.<br /> <br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjgL4qEMf9gDdO2cIwu3zl9g5ORzDugsIerhOwY3spbFV5GJMz9m309jesFNCeBipUPdsfDoqlQtCVpBiOeFWcT-nqFwRDRCed9GAgzR_G2zh0bTajAK-AYpfITg5-ehy_Wzin8bn6mPMrC/s1600/Ijen_Caldera_Lip_by_eddietwk.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 400px; height: 267px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjgL4qEMf9gDdO2cIwu3zl9g5ORzDugsIerhOwY3spbFV5GJMz9m309jesFNCeBipUPdsfDoqlQtCVpBiOeFWcT-nqFwRDRCed9GAgzR_G2zh0bTajAK-AYpfITg5-ehy_Wzin8bn6mPMrC/s400/Ijen_Caldera_Lip_by_eddietwk.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5611236824019892338" /></a><div align = center><em>Trees give way to boulders and rocks as approached the lip of the volcano...</em></div><br />At the top there are no more trees, although fortunately for us, the heat of the sun was moderated by the cool weather and thick cloud cover. We took a few pictures at the lip of the volcano. More rocks and the rising plume of sulfur from the mines dominated the view within the volcano, the famous mine itself a distance away down in the caldera.<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi2qbpLg9g8Mzg6hYKLeHrawx16UUSwFmbE1fc28HaYUO4F7fE7pkIaLa6vseiAeM3Wc32ubX1-2qxyUDNXD0pqe0j3inoRu8ZEW3Pq-ZPKYTfNpJo9l85ZyT61mm8Hq1SlFKoTEnUUktRL/s1600/IMG_0055.JPG"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 400px; height: 300px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi2qbpLg9g8Mzg6hYKLeHrawx16UUSwFmbE1fc28HaYUO4F7fE7pkIaLa6vseiAeM3Wc32ubX1-2qxyUDNXD0pqe0j3inoRu8ZEW3Pq-ZPKYTfNpJo9l85ZyT61mm8Hq1SlFKoTEnUUktRL/s400/IMG_0055.JPG" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5611238029151543282" /></a><div align = center><em>At the crater's edge...</em></div><br />There was no question on what I would want to do next. I didn't come all this way to Indonesia to stop at the lip so with our guide, four of us peeled off from the main group to descend into the mining area at the bottom of the caldera. A stone path, roughly cut by the miners themselves led the way down.<br /> <br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiPXILtgMTcc2cUTQMJLgdNUEtgQI1nvRKLGRXEbjEzcEtkY8fGIitp-Ue3vGoC10_2gzpB7ZWhkEcnt8dvSSfdLBnGv2O-H9LAiHXWyK2NKwMMOsHYalXig0oXsSgfj1kAvuMnrlN3T8QL/s1600/Way_down_to_Ijen_by_eddietwk.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 266px; height: 400px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiPXILtgMTcc2cUTQMJLgdNUEtgQI1nvRKLGRXEbjEzcEtkY8fGIitp-Ue3vGoC10_2gzpB7ZWhkEcnt8dvSSfdLBnGv2O-H9LAiHXWyK2NKwMMOsHYalXig0oXsSgfj1kAvuMnrlN3T8QL/s400/Way_down_to_Ijen_by_eddietwk.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5611236902739325122" /></a><div align = center><em>In the footsteps of Dante? ;)</em></div><br />A firm footing is required while negotiating this path as at certain places it is rather steep. Coupled to this was the fact that some of the stones along the path are rather loose and could be dislodged therefore some care is required lest you topple down into the stony depths below. The trek down into the caldera took another 30 minutes. We were fortunate today as the prevailing winds did not blow the choking sulfurous clouds from the mines into our path which we were told it sometimes does! That small concession gave us a clear view of the path and mines ahead of us. <br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhc4_fzxzeXyemhDDhZ_mEl4YsyY4f0IRjC5LxoboNSlzW_snyTS4IbzHtNQcx8xD2o_1UwkZMxdK_qJ-I6jxVIP6x7nASPBFLGutPFt7s9PnAwhE7QogPKxgcd8gB-_JH1_7xdStACoC9w/s1600/196383_10150240504688079_818018078_9223291_8203322_n.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 400px; height: 268px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhc4_fzxzeXyemhDDhZ_mEl4YsyY4f0IRjC5LxoboNSlzW_snyTS4IbzHtNQcx8xD2o_1UwkZMxdK_qJ-I6jxVIP6x7nASPBFLGutPFt7s9PnAwhE7QogPKxgcd8gB-_JH1_7xdStACoC9w/s400/196383_10150240504688079_818018078_9223291_8203322_n.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5611257557963277474" /></a><div align = center><em>The sulfur mines of Ijen beckons!</em></div><br />Arriving at the bottom, we were greeted by a busy scene of miners clad in rudimentary breathing masks milling about the pipes and barrels enshrouded in thick sulfurous smoke. <br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg78AQYUF3GuE-c5CJW-S4h3ti28NfwFpfJLI7mlVLpBzxj9lJ68JC2F05PaltfSvHzjeMweN2nr4yYll2KyOgwbjRzM4whYXKuu2ey2nsff5H5QOBzI4JofWkIkMRSAJo41GEedtZ9dP6y/s1600/IMG_0058.JPG"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 400px; height: 300px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg78AQYUF3GuE-c5CJW-S4h3ti28NfwFpfJLI7mlVLpBzxj9lJ68JC2F05PaltfSvHzjeMweN2nr4yYll2KyOgwbjRzM4whYXKuu2ey2nsff5H5QOBzI4JofWkIkMRSAJo41GEedtZ9dP6y/s400/IMG_0058.JPG" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5611238037564778066" /></a><div align = center><em>Arriving at the mines, enshrouded by sulfurous smoke...</em></div><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiavi7A6alrpfDatGy0ylFSZA6fg9IV3I6U3VHgLk66u5RAQXq7pWQOMvQzZnNLk0Ws3JJCSYEP1yCm6KOyI6CjGU6HMq2fHZ48TaWrrknTc5Hu_ei7YxZVllJ2VtPkOT4HRIyJ_txyxiOB/s1600/IMG_0067.JPG"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 400px; height: 300px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiavi7A6alrpfDatGy0ylFSZA6fg9IV3I6U3VHgLk66u5RAQXq7pWQOMvQzZnNLk0Ws3JJCSYEP1yCm6KOyI6CjGU6HMq2fHZ48TaWrrknTc5Hu_ei7YxZVllJ2VtPkOT4HRIyJ_txyxiOB/s400/IMG_0067.JPG" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5611240600788228210" /></a><div align = center><em>Not very healthy... :p</em></div><br />A large turquoise lake stretched beyond the mines. The lake is actually the volcanic cauldron and with this much sulfur around, there is no doubt that it is acidic. Curiosity clouding this fact for a moment, I ventured down to the lake's edge to 'feel' the water's temperature. <br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgzklpzywLzw4zNVu8h-thwy1-2-ihERwSRxEmk5ujH-9gO7Tm5b8GxqXh0QGKnFlW3_FqRToIuyg7RRdjkz3iqrs0dpVAwWZKcKPD7NfOivtMKyWMi_bIVKnyk0XadeOBKmQKW-rh49WuF/s1600/IMG_0069.JPG"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 400px; height: 300px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgzklpzywLzw4zNVu8h-thwy1-2-ihERwSRxEmk5ujH-9gO7Tm5b8GxqXh0QGKnFlW3_FqRToIuyg7RRdjkz3iqrs0dpVAwWZKcKPD7NfOivtMKyWMi_bIVKnyk0XadeOBKmQKW-rh49WuF/s400/IMG_0069.JPG" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5611251117532527330" /></a><div align = center><em>The waters of the caldera, reputedly pH 0.5 at the center...</em></div><br />Not surprisingly, it was a little warm with the slippery feeling of weak acid. ;) Hahah, mercifully there was no scene of flesh dripping off my bones here... maybe at the center of the lake would the pH drop even further. The mine and the surrounding lake offers a breathtaking sight!<br /> <br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEht5yFuGRab9VVpRdJ_VPiLO6EEMPLIsYwL1l73LwOTbMPVKc2B3CutzHg8yFCgqukgOeqzPUKNMWTlGL9duj73YnOUsqr00PxZIdBWEsI8drtkzxeP0RrqD1iVkxkPBPbBZVmr4nRIGQY9/s1600/205807_10150240505533079_818018078_9223302_2075856_n.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 400px; height: 268px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEht5yFuGRab9VVpRdJ_VPiLO6EEMPLIsYwL1l73LwOTbMPVKc2B3CutzHg8yFCgqukgOeqzPUKNMWTlGL9duj73YnOUsqr00PxZIdBWEsI8drtkzxeP0RrqD1iVkxkPBPbBZVmr4nRIGQY9/s400/205807_10150240505533079_818018078_9223302_2075856_n.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5611257566233398466" /></a><div align = center><em>Looks like movie set for some apocalyptic scene! ;)</em></div><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiqIfR01D12ZVIPkPtAwSs6mqk-X3fAI2ORm7NvKri2gKM4uVVoQl9yd6llMjMOqV3gxJKxo10gn8JQx12YTTRYVOuGt6JB_9pTVsOkxgDsK2n7AabkAeIrovPFCct3vt0TuU1ZmlE1HASy/s1600/IMG_0065small.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 400px; height: 300px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiqIfR01D12ZVIPkPtAwSs6mqk-X3fAI2ORm7NvKri2gKM4uVVoQl9yd6llMjMOqV3gxJKxo10gn8JQx12YTTRYVOuGt6JB_9pTVsOkxgDsK2n7AabkAeIrovPFCct3vt0TuU1ZmlE1HASy/s400/IMG_0065small.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5611239035888844242" /></a><div align = center><em>Truly amazing! Where can you find another place like this? ;)</em></div><br />From a certain perspective, the place reminds me of the Grand Canyon, with rocky walls rising all around. <br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhNR2RJxAIKaSUFw0xEQllqoIsWupxUnrOCIFfD-Sf0LN7ucXw-mL37J6flLRk58diHnTiYAfDDKvUbxZEvdzQMwCxBRqNcf5-Y2rUlHH4LB99JzNMcFhJvpraKoBOEwzN3VkH9q7L7pe72/s1600/IMG_0060.JPG"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 400px; height: 300px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhNR2RJxAIKaSUFw0xEQllqoIsWupxUnrOCIFfD-Sf0LN7ucXw-mL37J6flLRk58diHnTiYAfDDKvUbxZEvdzQMwCxBRqNcf5-Y2rUlHH4LB99JzNMcFhJvpraKoBOEwzN3VkH9q7L7pe72/s400/IMG_0060.JPG" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5611278061871804370" /></a><div align = center><em>Echoes of the Grand Canyon...</em></div><br />We stayed here for about 30 minutes taking pictures and observing the miners at their work before our guide called us to return to the lip and back to the van.<br /> <br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEif2crQAQ9vKY2nW7p0Hre-5-Q0LMK4sm-tAAnr_yexUQfKkf32fphHo-Xcj4ITSdS-27WwvAOy_3A3Gq09f3hQxBikl0w8Nd359ZYGMyjjy21Hel_gW536lVAodHn_mdNwzrxdl6OSG0qj/s1600/IMG_0068.JPG"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 300px; height: 400px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEif2crQAQ9vKY2nW7p0Hre-5-Q0LMK4sm-tAAnr_yexUQfKkf32fphHo-Xcj4ITSdS-27WwvAOy_3A3Gq09f3hQxBikl0w8Nd359ZYGMyjjy21Hel_gW536lVAodHn_mdNwzrxdl6OSG0qj/s400/IMG_0068.JPG" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5611251108051763794" /></a><div align = center><em>Miners work to harvest the sulfur...</em></div><br />Threatening rain clouds gathered overhead and the thought of being washed down by acid rain wasn't really enticing either. We quickly made a beat back to the base camp about an hour and a half later, a little tired but truly charmed by the sights offered at Ijen. We met an elderly German couple at the local food stall over a light snack consisting of local cakes and coffee provided by our tour organizer.<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhKkNlu1CtSU9splBCIuedvc9L4CQi9zcT8DlxcSEGQH0qQxCzSzZnm9B6rzAJgyUXuhcfh10OvOMhRxduX-N80UZexxW5SEEleFvBrTQdY8x_LPGiB3NsLrN3tHXoHZlBASvpkBlJuWEwf/s1600/206234_10150136940196556_627896555_6773283_723126_n.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 400px; height: 266px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhKkNlu1CtSU9splBCIuedvc9L4CQi9zcT8DlxcSEGQH0qQxCzSzZnm9B6rzAJgyUXuhcfh10OvOMhRxduX-N80UZexxW5SEEleFvBrTQdY8x_LPGiB3NsLrN3tHXoHZlBASvpkBlJuWEwf/s400/206234_10150136940196556_627896555_6773283_723126_n.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5611278062786071298" /></a><div align = center><em>The adventurous German couple that has transverse the wilderness of Central Asia, the wastelands of Siberia, the plains of Mongolia, to the cities of China down to the jungles of Malaysia... finally they are here in Indonesia! ;)</em></div><br />Turns out the couple has been traveling across Asia with their caravan and their most recent stop prior to this being Malaysia! We chatted with them for a while, allowing them to share their adventures before taking a peep at their rugged looking caravan. <br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiZbfoZUnRS8Mk5Dlpo-OkXmw6s83h3kCTpBv11WEL3Pj2c-WlVvXYfFPf9tGnVLn_U1gvqMSMYUK5Edh_FnumF82nPqozt6vjkWbQYgkSIbQ6DiXMZVvPaCflAAHycfd5GatdxyfbbRbZJ/s1600/IMG_0083.JPG"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 400px; height: 300px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiZbfoZUnRS8Mk5Dlpo-OkXmw6s83h3kCTpBv11WEL3Pj2c-WlVvXYfFPf9tGnVLn_U1gvqMSMYUK5Edh_FnumF82nPqozt6vjkWbQYgkSIbQ6DiXMZVvPaCflAAHycfd5GatdxyfbbRbZJ/s400/IMG_0083.JPG" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5611280361656631826" /></a><div align = center><em>The 'rugged' caravan that probably would have clocked more miles in a single trip than most cars in their lifetime!</em></div><br />A little bit pass 1pm, we were summoned by our guide to get on board our vehicle. "All aboard!" for it's time head to our next destination... Mount Bromo! ;)<br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiOezh_dEF0abeUJAd2HMFjUZUQQRWDb2vqYTNjFVy-wD03fH-RtvcX6rnwY77wzCgei6qTCpm-QwFw662Pfsy46BInU9QH7sStAJUjvQfpfilQMjtTkaVZ3fTL9t4V0pMWBrgfbYvDmKmi/s1600/IMG_0063.JPG"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 400px; height: 300px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiOezh_dEF0abeUJAd2HMFjUZUQQRWDb2vqYTNjFVy-wD03fH-RtvcX6rnwY77wzCgei6qTCpm-QwFw662Pfsy46BInU9QH7sStAJUjvQfpfilQMjtTkaVZ3fTL9t4V0pMWBrgfbYvDmKmi/s400/IMG_0063.JPG" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5611257567749473922" /></a><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEieRZrI-pDtPUvu8hZK9DgdsvH6VIAh5hyphenhyphenfbCxaGkAkhBtpUdFqhMYVoCzlPnpRwd0nWgbGOBczXQBl3cW8pFeqt5d3vsQLPl0V2YrsPlPOivE0c28ANLsK3m2MDIr4K7mj01ASAbK-aiSg/s1600/215124_10150163522434337_693234336_6294685_6051514_n.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 400px; height: 266px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEieRZrI-pDtPUvu8hZK9DgdsvH6VIAh5hyphenhyphenfbCxaGkAkhBtpUdFqhMYVoCzlPnpRwd0nWgbGOBczXQBl3cW8pFeqt5d3vsQLPl0V2YrsPlPOivE0c28ANLsK3m2MDIr4K7mj01ASAbK-aiSg/s400/215124_10150163522434337_693234336_6294685_6051514_n.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5611280647177034594" /></a>Eddie Tuenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07105702091987045194noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4785821961237109532.post-44935790363616871352011-02-22T15:07:00.007+08:002011-02-22T22:11:17.625+08:00Kota Damansara Community Forest Reserve: A walk in the Park<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEikHQJDqhm3Wjeaq_286x_gsimmKTb-80I_GHgAAjkolVSfSAtVth6RghM5OhV84SiyoZOoFWVnitbC4Dvt-JmYMWBFKqiEtuNMkXWtkgiA01gFT5lrO3kELfjpJ4MTtWRfSnVXHGSw92OP/s1600/Entrance.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 400px; height: 300px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEikHQJDqhm3Wjeaq_286x_gsimmKTb-80I_GHgAAjkolVSfSAtVth6RghM5OhV84SiyoZOoFWVnitbC4Dvt-JmYMWBFKqiEtuNMkXWtkgiA01gFT5lrO3kELfjpJ4MTtWRfSnVXHGSw92OP/s400/Entrance.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5576410430056151282" /></a>It’s been a while since my last hike, what with the rainy weather that is so common towards the end of the year in Malaysia. Trails become muddy and soggy, you get dirty and the hordes of leeches that seem to ‘bloom’ in conditions like these always a deterrent to this adventurer. <br /><br />The good news is that the weather has now moderated somewhat, with less occurrence of rain. So it’s time to slip back on my hiking boots. :D<br /><br />February 19th, 2011 saw my first foray into the jungle since the dawn of the New Year. The destination: Kota Damansara Community Forest Reserve. ;) Yup, right close to the heart of civilization! And yup again, it’s kind of a ‘sissy’ hike for me. :D<br /><br />You can’t really find the place on the GPS nor are there really signboards posted to lead you to the place from the main road. But I have recorded the GPS position via my phone, so if you are looking for it, key in the following coordinates: N 03o 10.162’ E101o 34.838’. That would put you right smack at the most official looking entrance to the park. You can also locate it by searching for the school opposite the entrance, the rather blandly named, Sekolah Menengah Sekysen 10 Kota Damansara. For those not ‘blessed’ with the latest Global Positioning technology, then you’ll have to rely on good old road directions.<br /> <br /><strong>Ye’Olde Road Directions</strong><br /><br /><em>Starting from the Curve behind you, travel along Persiaran Surian until you reach the traffic light junction to turn into Persiaran Mahogani. This junction is also where you’ll find Kota Damansara’s HOT Giza development on your right. If you miss this turn, Casa Indah Condominium will be immediately on your left after the traffic lights. On Persiaran Mahogani, drive pass the overpass spanning the Kota Damansara exit of the New Klang Valley Expressway (NKVE), pass the 1st traffic light with Carrefour on your right, pass a 2nd traffic light with a mosque on your left, pass a 3rd traffic light with 7-Eleven on your left before finally reaching the 4th traffic light. Take a right turn at the traffic light into Persiaran Bidara. Driving along this road will take you pass De Rozelle Condominium on your left before you reach the start point opposite the school.</em> <br /><br />I was introduced to this place by two of my friends, Cindy and Suk Yuen whom I had never thought would want to take up ‘jungle trekking’ as a hobby, ‘delicate’ beings they were ;). There was an offer of a ‘fish’ to bait me, but as my luck would have it, the ‘fish’ always somehow found something else to do at the last minute. :p (Not that the ‘fish’ is the main reason I joined this ‘sissy hike’ in the first place. :p ;) As I have repeatedly stressed, it’s the QUALITY TIME I get to spend with my friends that is more important! ;) Right?) So for this trip, it was Cindy, Suk Yuen, Hou Yong and myself.<br /><br />We started off on the trail at about 9:30am, after meeting up at Giza. The start point has a large permanent roofed structure close by, probably built as a resting spot or gathering point. <br /><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh8JdyoftRX_7jvXxpU5uPT-u7Ie1UIy-8KrcnBw-gTPw0QU8GEIr00AloTc9tIelxqlJhnX_pRCNSN5bC1p9-Vhxq0rPLG8ETANy0gNbTWwSnzIMGwO_YqNo_AbaMw85tQpd2LeJhEAXwM/s1600/signboard2.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 400px; height: 300px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh8JdyoftRX_7jvXxpU5uPT-u7Ie1UIy-8KrcnBw-gTPw0QU8GEIr00AloTc9tIelxqlJhnX_pRCNSN5bC1p9-Vhxq0rPLG8ETANy0gNbTWwSnzIMGwO_YqNo_AbaMw85tQpd2LeJhEAXwM/s400/signboard2.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5576410435942287010" /></a><div align = center><em>Signboards posted at the entrance to the park. Unfortunately, no camping allowed :p</em></div> <br />The trail is pretty well defined, with trees to the left and right labelled with the name of its genus and species. <br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiujMiNFNcCwBBgMtbtrAsDvnvSGuDUTFYOvjNDJPBFZ-mVwtP9_hY2w9AHlz0U42WHAkpeuGkBhUabh8qniMiX9DV0xFW32ItiHPyCHz5p2JGFoTpYRTwaYEfKAjFMRJmHnCRyPxoEYnry/s1600/19022011509.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 400px; height: 300px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiujMiNFNcCwBBgMtbtrAsDvnvSGuDUTFYOvjNDJPBFZ-mVwtP9_hY2w9AHlz0U42WHAkpeuGkBhUabh8qniMiX9DV0xFW32ItiHPyCHz5p2JGFoTpYRTwaYEfKAjFMRJmHnCRyPxoEYnry/s400/19022011509.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5576515290879393474" /></a><div align = center><em>As long as there are signs like these on nearby trees, you SHOULD not get lost... :p</em></div><br />As long as you keep seeing these labels, you know you will not get lost here (Not that you’d be far off from civilization anyway. Housing areas surround the park). It is also officially listed as a mountain biking trail as well, although on this Saturday we did not see any ‘macho’ mountain bikers that the ladies were touting. Perhaps it was pretty ‘late’ in the morning.<br /><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgcvy0Tyv08oZtENQMWdqhyyp0lP6JNASQoC90Rr2LYxOczzOrVqDM_VlRuPLdBuPHRYxIKUJdxl0jyEEduej-KjU1lnMsphCBnPq3oo5QDbvvSA2bJ71gh_I0JPbyBk7XHcZVTu-66sTlM/s1600/tired+cindy.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 400px; height: 300px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgcvy0Tyv08oZtENQMWdqhyyp0lP6JNASQoC90Rr2LYxOczzOrVqDM_VlRuPLdBuPHRYxIKUJdxl0jyEEduej-KjU1lnMsphCBnPq3oo5QDbvvSA2bJ71gh_I0JPbyBk7XHcZVTu-66sTlM/s400/tired+cindy.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5576410668817596450" /></a><div align = center><em>Cindy 'enjoying' the morning walk... ;)</em></div><br />After about 20 minutes slow walk, we encountered a fork in the road. Although the other three have been here before, none seem to recall which route to take. A paper trail with the word ‘BATU’ etched on it led us into one direction, which we decided to follow. At length, the trail was blocked by a fallen tree trunk at which the ‘BATU’ paper trail suddenly veered itself right into the jungle up an inclined slope.<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiBf2V0-lTzB6XjjtB9CCazH7t9f6Rbu2RpGtZ7vRt3SLqd7EnD_HXfHA_Nmxn_uHlJBC64zrN_3J7vOqzk4WjcGH06UwYQH1BWA0vxu9DGVTqJ42QbV95VSt75O48qf0JWQI0xex58IvVu/s1600/19022011501.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 400px; height: 300px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiBf2V0-lTzB6XjjtB9CCazH7t9f6Rbu2RpGtZ7vRt3SLqd7EnD_HXfHA_Nmxn_uHlJBC64zrN_3J7vOqzk4WjcGH06UwYQH1BWA0vxu9DGVTqJ42QbV95VSt75O48qf0JWQI0xex58IvVu/s400/19022011501.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5576515286220021346" /></a><div align = center><em>The 'notorious' BATU paper trail that led us to a DEAD END :p.</em></div><br />Not wanting to second guess these ‘BATU’ people who seemed to know what they were doing, we followed on, passing thorny ferns before ending up at a DEAD END! :p The ‘BATU’ trail just disappeared and after a 15 minute search of the perimeter with no further evidence of a trail, I advised we turn back and head towards the fork. Of course, the prospect of being on the next day’s newspaper headline cited with the distinction of being one of those clueless people that could actually get lost in a relatively meek forest reserve and had to be rescued by the fire department didn’t sound at all appealing to this ‘seasoned’ hiker’s mind. ;) :p<br /><br />The trail we took from here on was labelled the ‘Temuan’ trail. It was listed as officially being 4km long. There were a few other trails; the other I remembered was called ‘Scout’s Trail’ at a shorter distance.<br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhRAZNBx58EvQKtz7TZej8k76CToee3fPbX_CLKJe-zKDkg5qN1wJs0h7iilKW0AEtrow4tXs-0Z-PnU38mXS_xZlZtTFj7ZwxInsNPIQiNQxBkyd39crU6dTIKzMR195h5LAeg5bZNVINb/s1600/jungle+trekking.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 300px; height: 400px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhRAZNBx58EvQKtz7TZej8k76CToee3fPbX_CLKJe-zKDkg5qN1wJs0h7iilKW0AEtrow4tXs-0Z-PnU38mXS_xZlZtTFj7ZwxInsNPIQiNQxBkyd39crU6dTIKzMR195h5LAeg5bZNVINb/s400/jungle+trekking.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5576410431787766770" /></a><div align = center><em>Dainty ladies experiencing a hike...</em></div> <br />We met a bunch of other hikers at a fork on this trail. They were coming back from an unsuccessful search for some sort of ‘spring’. More likely, they have better luck searching for ‘El Dorado’, because I haven’t heard of a waterfall or spring in this area. :p ;)<br /><br />We left the hikers behind and headed down the trail. Strangely, the ‘BATU’ paper trail made an appearance again, ‘guiding’ us along the now obvious path. There were a lot of ‘exits’ to this trail that lead into the surrounding housing estates as you near it’s circuitous end but I would recommend you return to whence you start lest you get disorientated. :p<br /><br />Prior to discovering that the trail was circuitous however, I had asked the other three whether there was a ‘destination’ to this trail. Their answer was a surprising negative! :p<br /><br />So there you have it. After following the jungle trail for another 30 minutes, we finally ended up where we started. No waterfall, no summit, no viewing point, nada. :p Not that the place is all that bad. It’s a real good place for beginners and for arborists, you know, those people who study about… er… TREES! :p ;)<br />Still, the chance of spending time with friends (seriously! ;)) and stretching my hiking legs a bit is well worth the time.<br /><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEii4ICbSNddFCShLhxCzNKVmfyMUihtnWmKiDKu8qXknk7zmKyInWoq5PRz0gYpPGfMe15YRBz8Xy7y0UWY__JDrrKQpnogxxcuIq93MbbmVI2Ugph_6Vl1nR-pcmcjNiUQ1vAgB2_7C1jc/s1600/tired+hou+yong.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 400px; height: 300px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEii4ICbSNddFCShLhxCzNKVmfyMUihtnWmKiDKu8qXknk7zmKyInWoq5PRz0gYpPGfMe15YRBz8Xy7y0UWY__JDrrKQpnogxxcuIq93MbbmVI2Ugph_6Vl1nR-pcmcjNiUQ1vAgB2_7C1jc/s400/tired+hou+yong.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5576410674114816706" /></a><div align = center><em>Hou Yong negotiating a slope... seems like he is happy! ;)</em></div> <br />At 11:00am, we packed up, got into Hou Yong’s MyVi and headed to Giza for a ‘luxurious’ breakfast at Papa Rich. :)<br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgn7hf2ZQl_fKQ2Tw7TmJFAbgFAt_QdwdVq97fiOs_jslTQ5CiKRy9QJkkR7ar6UYI8jB-4h4xVyb8LnC8dGyYf6ToRU-5wjbSWoRrp252shoM3CnVTl8k5WYthcglpCp17Zw9TMbaAHoOe/s1600/Final.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 400px; height: 300px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgn7hf2ZQl_fKQ2Tw7TmJFAbgFAt_QdwdVq97fiOs_jslTQ5CiKRy9QJkkR7ar6UYI8jB-4h4xVyb8LnC8dGyYf6ToRU-5wjbSWoRrp252shoM3CnVTl8k5WYthcglpCp17Zw9TMbaAHoOe/s400/Final.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5576410427287919298" /></a>Eddie Tuenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07105702091987045194noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4785821961237109532.post-60940011513007294442011-02-22T11:16:00.006+08:002011-02-22T12:07:26.717+08:00Sisan Ice Kacang, Taiping<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgQKVEvDY-wWFuQQopuIzK5HLzyFCMjQ4llZLsZOD96ncqWJAwkAqDHsa-TH945vANjLWxm1Xh6kgkC0zvBtHMbu0uwTJkuwlUKkW2mDUpzmfQQojlxOfOEBPstz_9Zh8YcnhCNJoYIOtc0/s1600/27112010453.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 400px; height: 300px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgQKVEvDY-wWFuQQopuIzK5HLzyFCMjQ4llZLsZOD96ncqWJAwkAqDHsa-TH945vANjLWxm1Xh6kgkC0zvBtHMbu0uwTJkuwlUKkW2mDUpzmfQQojlxOfOEBPstz_9Zh8YcnhCNJoYIOtc0/s400/27112010453.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5576348562171592802" /></a><br />Sisan Ice Stall, Taiping, Perak.<br /> <br />Located in the sleepy town of Taiping in the state of Perak, it is one of the many stalls found at the local food court on Jalan Iskandar, close to the town center (Look out for the police beat base nearby). <br /><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh8gMmRP014epebtt19vBKBPBD5T1w0Kv28zjXrp4SWVPj38SuYq3jFkavoHeF0pD1oW507dgMAf6QjPb3_-3fvLbn67ynsP19fZbId_c8MoEH9O7eIYzqR_MZMP1vUgRHrWatC1kKrtGCt/s1600/27112010455.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 400px; height: 300px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh8gMmRP014epebtt19vBKBPBD5T1w0Kv28zjXrp4SWVPj38SuYq3jFkavoHeF0pD1oW507dgMAf6QjPb3_-3fvLbn67ynsP19fZbId_c8MoEH9O7eIYzqR_MZMP1vUgRHrWatC1kKrtGCt/s400/27112010455.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5576348563851130418" /></a><div align = center><em>The Police Beat Base next to the food court in Taiping on Jalan Iskandar, Sisan is nearby...</em></div><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhGiTGgi3jJD4JqTVu6wC5_KMuy9oJwt0sTrSSJkHWnu7BGE2LDp9b-lITrCcG1RJWzI33iJI9USIuMBj1iflPQauNSA4WfIzrNxFcY2bi0AmlX73UtA-7a3C_-pwnicm4uBzap_UznHJ1_/s1600/27112010451.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 400px; height: 300px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhGiTGgi3jJD4JqTVu6wC5_KMuy9oJwt0sTrSSJkHWnu7BGE2LDp9b-lITrCcG1RJWzI33iJI9USIuMBj1iflPQauNSA4WfIzrNxFcY2bi0AmlX73UtA-7a3C_-pwnicm4uBzap_UznHJ1_/s400/27112010451.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5576348571818003938" /></a><div align = center><em>The view opposite the police beat base. Old style Pre-war buildings abound in this once bustling tin mining town.</em></div><br />Other hawker fares abound but what really attracted me was the unique way they presented their ‘ice kacang’. ;)<br /><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEijZ4SSjCGHXC2c3fNC1r2bQxSkN-ZiOb-nLGmj6wsiAcdW6uddVhiSL3rzCvwTiGmDy38s63KZr6u99a4FuVonRDJj93tz7VJaDacrXAKde0Aq0nNOBWszaXuqlI652lh6kDeeY3pdBwoq/s1600/27112010447.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 400px; height: 300px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEijZ4SSjCGHXC2c3fNC1r2bQxSkN-ZiOb-nLGmj6wsiAcdW6uddVhiSL3rzCvwTiGmDy38s63KZr6u99a4FuVonRDJj93tz7VJaDacrXAKde0Aq0nNOBWszaXuqlI652lh6kDeeY3pdBwoq/s400/27112010447.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5576348583602344242" /></a><div align = center><em>Aside from ice kacang, Sisan offers other treats as well.</em></div><br />Perhaps it’s the influence of the many limestone hills that dot the Kinta Valley, but the shape of their ice kacang certainly resembles one of those hills! It might also relate back to the name of the store itself. ‘Sisan’ in Cantonese roughly translates to ‘Ice Mountain’. :)<br /><br />Eating the ice kacang itself requires some forehand knowledge. ;) ‘Undermining’ the base might result in the whole ‘mountain’ toppling over resulting in a rather wasted and messy predicament.<br /><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiNSvjlTRSaLaR_oV-zCJBHEWz1Qklxhb2on4FBoZrh6-ssmCWGIJCd2nl1GIAP_PFfaE3CrgoeCnnBA8K64Ph1ZFn8m9VMpOTp8dqbtP9WYH5a20efq6WLScTIqGaXAgkWHbTS_qpP_gZ8/s1600/27112010450.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 300px; height: 400px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiNSvjlTRSaLaR_oV-zCJBHEWz1Qklxhb2on4FBoZrh6-ssmCWGIJCd2nl1GIAP_PFfaE3CrgoeCnnBA8K64Ph1ZFn8m9VMpOTp8dqbtP9WYH5a20efq6WLScTIqGaXAgkWHbTS_qpP_gZ8/s400/27112010450.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5576348893131257938" /></a><div align = center><em>Ice Mountain!</em></div><br />The proper way to eat it is to ‘carve’ along the sides of the ‘mountain’, then eating from the ‘summit’ before going down to the base. At the ‘foot’ is a treasure trove of goodies with peanuts, cendol, red bean and corn among the choices for you to savour.<br /><br />You can further enhance this culinary experience by pairing this treat with some fruit rojak which is also offered at the stall. For me, however, eating the ‘ice mountain’ is sufficient experience in itself and for about RM1.30/bowl (2010 pricing), its a steal! :D<br /><br />So guys, do look out for it when in Taiping!<br /> <br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgfA8kk3RyWMLB1jtVxpg5yC0fXZHrFisjeVT8zkmcti6ST2ovV3agVeVLbUnp8s0PCsUxF3hoBg1mb53HAGbnF-EOPXhuLaR1d__rswoyRmRmsnTuIJ6wWuAui9PVlQ1jSUgZtsu1q0qSn/s1600/27112010449.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 300px; height: 400px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgfA8kk3RyWMLB1jtVxpg5yC0fXZHrFisjeVT8zkmcti6ST2ovV3agVeVLbUnp8s0PCsUxF3hoBg1mb53HAGbnF-EOPXhuLaR1d__rswoyRmRmsnTuIJ6wWuAui9PVlQ1jSUgZtsu1q0qSn/s400/27112010449.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5576348892229971618" /></a>Eddie Tuenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07105702091987045194noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4785821961237109532.post-27115856406962791032011-02-21T13:48:00.029+08:002012-03-19T10:38:34.143+08:00Conned in London!<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiQ_GOfmBprF6xKVyL50VFNAPlx5JSGSdH6WFpJAEBWRYLHPK4BFmzBLiQwrOCAHn9S2kNb20M8PFTD_G6mZOOYIy19NLTeN5HJQ_cOSxCO26vE8VLnoar4RM1sjlW2eY3p2krXfh7EK2Sq/s1600/IMG_2495.JPG"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 400px; height: 300px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiQ_GOfmBprF6xKVyL50VFNAPlx5JSGSdH6WFpJAEBWRYLHPK4BFmzBLiQwrOCAHn9S2kNb20M8PFTD_G6mZOOYIy19NLTeN5HJQ_cOSxCO26vE8VLnoar4RM1sjlW2eY3p2krXfh7EK2Sq/s400/IMG_2495.JPG" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5576033137696545522" /></a><br />I was robbed. :p No, I was conned. And I was conned right under the QUEEN’S nose! :p<br /><br />Since my return from my trip to London, I had been repeating this story over and over, so at the risk of making myself sound like a moron, I hereby post this blog about myself getting conned right under the Queen’s nose at Green Park, London. Hopefully, through my own experience, readers of this blog have one more thing to have themselves alert off in their trips overseas!<br /><br />First, a declaration.<br /> <br /><strong>“LONDON, PARIS, AMSTERDAM, ROME… if you think these places are safe, think NOT.”</strong> In fact, you'd probabably be even SAFER in New York, Los Angeles, Kuala Lumpur or even Siem Reap!<br /><br />These modern European cities, being popular destinations for tourists from all over the world are some of the BEST places for con artistes and criminals to prey on us. They know we love this places, that's why they linger there like flies attracted to a dead carcass. :p With snatch thieves and robbers, they are obvious. Scam and con artistes, now they are a different category of felons all together. :p<br /><br />These people prey on our relative ignorance of local customs and practices and exploit to extract our hard earned cash from us. And I label them ‘artiste’ because they are professionals, cool, methodological and confident. They are NOT AMATEURS. :p<br /><br />Now back to my story. How did it happen to me? Well, sit back and let me regale you of my tale. :p<br /><br />It was a chilly winter afternoon of the 22nd of January 2011. The venue, somewhere near Wellington’s Arch on a traffic island, east of Buckingham Palace and north of Green Park. I had just finished a conversation with my cousin on the phone when all of a sudden some guy just popped out of nowhere and asked me ‘where was the Big Ben’. And herein comes the first precaution when handling strangers in a foreign place.<br /><br /><strong>Precaution #1: Be wary of strangers that pop up immediately after a phone call. You have been distracted and disorientated. Chances are you have made an appointment with someone and need to get somewhere soon. Perfect for scam artistes to make a good getaway as you’d be too busy trying to get to your destination than have time to check whether you have just been conned.</strong> <br /><br />I looked at the guy. He was alone, dark and of slight build. He looked Southern European, maybe Italian. “The Big Ben? Oh it’s back over there,” I replied as I pointed in the general direction of Westminster Palace. I was right. It was the ‘wrong’ answer.<br /><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgKNiFMmEuMtfwJQH6uUY5eCn4hoq2lIu8VibtEvSSmJijyd-vLvFHY2QLwk33YuNGZY4XRWPjQwmgSzf9CY82JIM4isyjoKkM3o-ht1qZx7Rf7yavX8Uf1lRzajNvapNn6wwxZYExJ2_6f/s1600/IMG_2461.JPG"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 300px; height: 400px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgKNiFMmEuMtfwJQH6uUY5eCn4hoq2lIu8VibtEvSSmJijyd-vLvFHY2QLwk33YuNGZY4XRWPjQwmgSzf9CY82JIM4isyjoKkM3o-ht1qZx7Rf7yavX8Uf1lRzajNvapNn6wwxZYExJ2_6f/s400/IMG_2461.JPG" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5576031002093206594" /></a><div align = center><em>The famous BIG BEN...</em></div><br />The guy asked, “How far away is it?”<br /><br />I said, “About 20 minutes walk. Just follow the signs to get there.” Again, I was right and again it was the ‘wrong’ answer.<br /><br />“You seem familiar about this place, how do you know where it is?” The guy was trying, hard. :p<br /><br />“Oh, that’s because I just came from back there a moment ago,” I answered.<br /><br />The guy placed a hand behind his head and said sheepishly, “Thanks. I am actually new here. My name is Franco and I am an Italian tourist.”<br /><br />That was when I made my mistake. “Oh really? I AM A TOURIST TOO.” <br /><br />The guy had to make sure. So he asked one more question.<br /><br />“Your English is quite good. Are you a student here?”<br /><br />“Nah, I am not a student. I am a tourist. The reason my English is good is because I come from Malaysia. We speak English there,” I chirped.<br /> <br />At that, the guy must have given some kind of hand or eye signal. And just as suddenly as he appeared out of nowhere, two other guys popped up.<br /> <br /><strong>Precaution #2: Now what just happened? Did you notice the line of questioning? The ‘Italian tourist’ was shooting off questions to gage me to see whether I can be a potential victim. Unfamiliarity is something he was looking for. The fact that I answered the two questions correctly threw him off. I made the mistake when I admitted that I WAS A TOURIST too. But he made one final confirmation with the question on my English in which I affirmed I was a tourist again and not a student (whom might have spent a little bit longer a time here to know the ways of this place).</strong><br /><br />“Police!” one of the two guys yelled as they approached.<br /><br />Both of them were dressed in the same greyish jumpsuit similar to what most of the joggers were wearing this time of year. Both of them had beanies (hmmm… how come beanies are such a favourite among felons?) on their heads, again of the same colour. The whole thing was meant to show it was some kind of undercover ‘uniform’. :p<br /><br />When the two reached us, one of them flipped out his wallet to show his ‘warrant card’. I only had a fleeting image of a horizontally orientated card with a picture and some wordings written on it before he quickly flipped it back. The other guy did not do the same.<br /><br /><strong>Precaution #3: When undercover ‘police’ approaches you, make sure you make an additional effort to verify their identity in detail. Demand to look at their ‘<a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Warrant_card">warrant card</a>’. READ IT. Observe whether they immediately make a ‘report’ that they have stopped people via a walkie talkie or some kind of communication device. This should be procedure. Both of the officers MUST SHOW THEIR WARRANT CARD.(A note about London Police warrant card: The one that was eventually shown to me at the police station are longer vertically. The ID side has a picture of the officer in uniform and on the other side is a BIG BADGE. Strangely, though it is important for the general public to recognize a warrant card carried by a police officer, samples of it are notoriously hard to find on the web). For more information on what to expect when stopped by London Police, read <a href="http://www.met.police.uk/stopandsearch/what_is.htm">here</a>.</strong><br /> <br />“There have been a number of incidents whereby people have been tricking tourists by exchanging them money. We suspect you two of doing so,” began the bearded, taller of the two. “Do you know this guy?” he queried, indicating me as he looked at the ‘Italian tourist’.<br /><br />The ‘Italian Tourist’ said he did not know me.<br /><br />“How about you?” the ‘policeman’ asked, turning towards me.<br /><br />At that point I was rather struck by the un-English like accent the two ‘policemen’ were using. They did not look ‘English’ as well, again akin to Southern Europeans than natives of the British Isles. But at the same time, another part of mind was telling me, “Hey, this is the United Kingdom! All sorts of people come here. It shouldn’t be surprising to have two Southern European guys speaking in a non-English accent as police officers right?” I mean, how many times have you seen a British citizen of Indian origin?<br /><br />“I don’t know who this guy is,” I answered, “We just met a few moments ago.”<br /><br />“Can I see your passport?” The ‘policeman’ asked the ‘Italian Tourist’.<br /><br />The ‘Italian Tourist’ handed over his passport to him. The ‘policeman’ flipped it open, looked at it a while then returned it back to the ‘Italian Tourist’. He then turned to me and asked for the same.<br /><br />Oh Great! I thought as I struggled to pull out my passport from my tight chest pocket. Finally managing to pull it free, I passed it to the ‘policeman’.<br /><br />He examined it. <br /><br />“Can you tell me your name?”<br /><br />“Eddie Tuen Wai Keong,” I instinctively replied, realizing quickly that ‘Eddie’ was never printed in any of my official identity documents. <br /><br />It apparently didn’t bother the ‘policeman’ as he closed my passport and handed it back to me. He then launched the standard 'immigration' questioning charade.<br /><br />“How long are you here in London?”<br /><br />“I have been here since yesterday.”<br /><br />"Where are you staying here in London?"<br /><br />"At the Raddison in Warren Street..."<br /><br />“You have to know that there have been a spate of illegal money changing going on here recently. For this reason, we have to check your wallet for any foreign currencies,” said the ‘policeman’. “Can you pass me your wallet?” again indicating the ‘Italian tourist’ first.<br /><br />The ‘tourist’ obidiently handed over his wallet. <br /><br />The ‘policeman’ opened it, lifted the notes within, put it back in and handed the wallet back.<br /><br />It was now my turn.<br /><br />I took out my wallet with British pounds and passed it to them as I had been subconsciously led by the ‘Italian tourist’. However, I kept my eye on the wallet as it was handled.<br /><br />The wallet was returned to me.<br /><br />It was now the 2nd ‘police officer’ to start his ‘performance’.<br /><br />“How long will you be staying here in London?” asked the clean shaven, shorter of the two.<br /><br />“I’m going to be here till Sunday, after that I will head back to Amsterdam.”<br /><br />“Amsterdam?” the ‘officer’ said with a slight tilt of one eyebrow. “Then you’d have Euros too! Do you have a 2nd wallet?” he asked.<br /><br />Drat. I had indeed a 2nd wallet with more of my money, although I had never the intention to carry all my cash with me :p. In fact, that very morning, I had the very clear urge to stash the 2nd wallet into the hotel safe but for a small fact that the safe wasn’t working! So, between risking keeping my wallet in the hotel room and having the cleaners swipe it or carrying it along with me but making sure it was securely buried in my backpack, I chose the latter. I didn’t know that I have to now ‘surrender’ it to people claiming they are ‘police officers’. :p<br /><br />Reluctantly, I said, “Yes…”<br /><br />“Can you pass it to us?” came the inevitable request.<br /><br />What was I to do? If I lied and they were indeed police officers then if they searched me and found my wallet, I would be in deep shit. As a matter of fact, if they were suspecting I was some illegal money changer, my 2nd wallet had all the evidence; 100 Malaysian Ringgits, 705 Euros and about 350 US Dollars. So, with a heavy heart I told them, ‘Ok’ and knelt down to open up my bag to retrieve my 2nd wallet.<br /><br />It was at this point that I made my biggest blunder.<br /><br /><strong>Precaution #4: ALWAYS KEEP YOUR EYE ON YOUR WALLET!</strong><br /><br />Knowing that the 1st time those guys handled my wallet and nothing happened, I had again subconsciously begun to ‘trust’ the two. When I handed my wallet to the ‘policemen’ I had initially kept an eye from where I knelt. I saw him did the same thing which was lifting my money out and putting it back in. Unfortunately, somehow, I turned away from it for a split second and that was when they made their move.<br /> <br />“Ok, everything is in order,” said the 2nd clean shaven ‘policeman’. “Please be aware that robberies and snatch theft happen quite often here in London. Make sure you secure your wallet properly,” he ‘advised’ with a slight grin.<br /><br />At that, the ‘policeman’ took my wallet and ‘helped’ shove it deep into my bag before piling it under the pair of mittens I had carried. <br /><br />Once I have zipped up my bag and stood up, the other ‘policeman’ gave out his hand and grinned even wider as he said, “Well, thank you for your cooperation, but we have to go now. Have a good trip here in London.”<br /><br />I grabbed the guy’s hand and shook it, all the while not realizing that the bastard must be thinking what a BIG SUCKER I was :p. <br /><br />With that concluded, the two ‘policemen’ coolly walked away towards Wellington’s Arch leaving a flustered looking ‘Italian tourist’ to cover their escape. In hindsight, it was more likely that the guy was to make sure I don't do anything as stupid as checking my wallet straight away while his accomplices walk away. :p<br /><br />I turned around, saw the man’s ‘flustered’ face and thought he was probably as ‘shaken’ as I was.<br /><br />“Well, this is really the 1st time such a thing has happened to be,” I started. “Never thought such a thing would happen here.”<br /><br />The ‘Italian tourist’ said nothing.<br /><br />“Anyway, I have to go. I have my cousin waiting for me at Chinatown. Hope you enjoy your stay here,” I said offering my hand.<br /><br />The felon took my hand shook it and left, probably satisfied on a ‘scam well done’. :p<br /><br />I watched with a slight degree of confusion as the guy went in the direction of Wellington Arch after his two accomplices instead of the Big Ben he had asked me earlier.<br /><br />But I didn’t have the ‘time’ to do anything else. I had an appointment to keep and I was late.<br /><br />Only when I arrived at Leicester Square, waited 15 minutes for my cousin, meeting him and being brought to a local Chinese restaurant did I opened up my bag again to check my wallet’s contents.<br /><br />And that was when I found I was 500 Euros and 200 US Dollars poorer. :p (The PROFESSIONALS picked out the big denomination notes and left the smaller ones in to maintain the wallet's volume. All this in a blink of an eye!)<br /><br />After that, I went to make a police report at the Holburn Police Station near my hotel on Warren Street. This was so that I can make a claim to my travel insurance agent. <br /><br />Ironically, at the same time I was asking the hotel concierge on the location of the nearest police station, there was another elderly hotel guest who was also doing the SAME! Apparently she too was robbed of all her belongings (money, credit card and identification)! She was travelling with a group of other ladies. And that is not all, as I walked to the police station, I met this family who was asking me for directions to the station. They say they had 'lost' one of their children, possibly kidnapped! I met all three parties at the station when I was making the report. Gosh!<br /><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi0oHc4I_o9cWzuniPS4VlFv6m0JZIcEsmUqLT4MF0DBJ38zzJYnov8wpcT_Iwg0pm4F0rPug4HXbBzCkqcmDgAPTtyMFgH1JFwZTAmljLiqbO66pJD4R1yi1FwWZFh4AjXrT4-RlD4sBCw/s1600/IMG_2581.JPG"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 400px; height: 300px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi0oHc4I_o9cWzuniPS4VlFv6m0JZIcEsmUqLT4MF0DBJ38zzJYnov8wpcT_Iwg0pm4F0rPug4HXbBzCkqcmDgAPTtyMFgH1JFwZTAmljLiqbO66pJD4R1yi1FwWZFh4AjXrT4-RlD4sBCw/s400/IMG_2581.JPG" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5576031011914968722" /></a><div align = center><em>Holborn Police Station, where I made the report. As the crime was committed in Westminster, my case was transfered there later...</em></div><br /><br /><strong>Precaution #5: ALWAYS BUY TRAVEL INSURANCE! This should not come as a surprise especially after my ‘adventure’ in Cambodia two years ago :p. Anyway, the maximum coverage is only 800 Malaysian Ringgit for theft, although it is still better than nothing. :p</strong><br /><br />You should note that in Britain, you don’t actually get a ‘report’. You get a ‘crime reference number’ instead. The British police claim that there are certain ‘sensitive’ information on the report which cannot be revealed to the general public. However, it is mandated by their Freedom of Information Act for the police to respond to any questions on the status of the report. Thus any queries from you should be entertained. <br /><br />Also, the British police do maintain a database of felons caught by their famous network of CCTVs installed throughout London. The database can be accessed <a href="http://www.met.police.uk/caught_on_camera/index.htm">here</a>.<br /><br />It is here that I found a picture of the ‘Italian Tourist’, dressed in the same brown jacket with the same mark on the bridge of his nose. :p From the site, it was shown that he had been active in the Westminster district since November 2010. <br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj-RbQf394XtiGMBTcnWSs2XBfHoN3RCOQ8A_3Q-o1Bm1qodBGfmgNeO9opqwPI8qkccepv9-SDcTyfiJmsyBYswoAZc1T-SPjGHJoHuKm6XTpVitdluXsY1qQtBVVCcjtr6fbwY43zudVN/s1600/31242_21_19jan.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 100px; height: 115px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj-RbQf394XtiGMBTcnWSs2XBfHoN3RCOQ8A_3Q-o1Bm1qodBGfmgNeO9opqwPI8qkccepv9-SDcTyfiJmsyBYswoAZc1T-SPjGHJoHuKm6XTpVitdluXsY1qQtBVVCcjtr6fbwY43zudVN/s400/31242_21_19jan.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5576357347901763826" /></a><div align = center><em>Suspect 31242, Wanted for Burglary (now as a scam artiste as well!). Watch out! Grrrrr...:p</em></div><br />Strange, because that district, with the British government offices, Westminster Abbey and Buckingham Palace was akin to the area around the National Mall, Capitol Hill and the White House in the United States! I mean, this place should be as secure as the Green Zone in Baghdad! :p And yet, from their own website, the police highlighted this area as an area with a high incidence of crime! :p<br /><br />Another thing to note was during my 3 days in Britain, I had hardly sighted the famous British Bobby on patrol. Whether it was the cold or their over-reliance on their CCTV system, I only saw them at two places: Tower Bridge and Trafalgar Square. In contrast, Amsterdam had police everywhere in threes and fours, on foot, mounted on motorcycles and also in patrol cars.<br /><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhsWC4QTrSzAn_m5wWCw_Iyes6nD-tlzUfODMQ4FdvvT0jvX5kdtZHujyPnVlw90uyaKdkisqNQhViMQPMUiZI0xkt2p3WfcstOvoXfNxt9XjJpH-om9Q6LMceacaGi9sIevyxKXj4Ycrpb/s1600/IMG_2652.JPG"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 400px; height: 300px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhsWC4QTrSzAn_m5wWCw_Iyes6nD-tlzUfODMQ4FdvvT0jvX5kdtZHujyPnVlw90uyaKdkisqNQhViMQPMUiZI0xkt2p3WfcstOvoXfNxt9XjJpH-om9Q6LMceacaGi9sIevyxKXj4Ycrpb/s400/IMG_2652.JPG" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5576031016358435362" /></a><div align = center><em>Finally, British Bobbies! Too bad I had already been robbed :p.</em></div><br />Finally, a surprise. :p This was neither the first nor the last time a con was executed on me during my two weeks in Europe. Watch out for these two scams:-<br /><br /><strong>Scam #1 ("For the BABIES!(?)")</strong><br /><br />At the Big Ben, watch out for this roving band of elderly ladies sticking ‘flowers’ into your pockets. They will ask for some ‘donation’. If you pause and start to take out some money, they will insist on hard paper notes. ‘They don’t take coins’ and don’t expect to get ‘change’ for your bigger notes. It’s for the ‘babies’. :p My advice is to FIRMLY decline and return the piece of grass if necessary (the grass is not even worth a pound!). :p<br /><br /><strong>Scam #2 ("Oh dear! I've lost all my belongings!" *Sob*)</strong><br /><br />This happened at Schiphol airport, Amsterdam. Before checking in for the flight home, I was arranging my bags on one of the benches as it was overloaded. Suddenly a lady appeared and told me that she was robbed of her belongings and money. She then asked whether I have any Euros to ‘spare’. This is a classic case of ‘fool me once, shame on you, fool me twice, shame on ME!’ :p I told her that since she was robbed, she should report to the police. She replied that she did but she still did not have any money. I then replied that it was ‘improbable’ for the police to leave her like that and offered her to find some policemen to assist her. To this, she immediately withdrew and went off to prey on other unsuspecting tourists. :p<br /><br /><strong>Precaution #6: Be extra wary when in places like airports. Prime real estate for con artiste and criminals to operate! </strong><br /><br />Alright, that’s all for today folks. I hope by sacrificing my dignity to air this on the internet, that you readers will learn a thing or two when you are travelling overseas. Never be fooled by this veneer of ‘civilization’. Often times, that is where all this kind of professional criminals fool us country bumpkins! Until next time…Eddie Tuenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07105702091987045194noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4785821961237109532.post-2538067791955101282010-11-24T11:42:00.013+08:002011-02-23T07:35:55.309+08:00A Visit to Restaurant Talipon (Jalan Kuchai Lama)<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhX2m28j_Lfh83TDvwMc5LcXCa5yGqmY2R0f6Da0Ft-HTtyEaGGWeslAG7CIRbGM2n-SayzLtq3aZN22KnnDnEW9jH1f6PvsM9GDTLsZDwpT4_nIalb80aKu3_-T7ZYFr0GYy8G1Jzu6Db6/s1600/telephone1.jpg"><img style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 400px; DISPLAY: block; HEIGHT: 262px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5543006381386282482" border="0" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhX2m28j_Lfh83TDvwMc5LcXCa5yGqmY2R0f6Da0Ft-HTtyEaGGWeslAG7CIRbGM2n-SayzLtq3aZN22KnnDnEW9jH1f6PvsM9GDTLsZDwpT4_nIalb80aKu3_-T7ZYFr0GYy8G1Jzu6Db6/s400/telephone1.jpg" /></a><br /><blockquote><span style="color:#ff0000;"><em>"...Can call all you want but there's no one home, you're not gonna reach my telephone. I out in the club and I'm sippin that bub, you're not gonna reach my telephone..."</em></span></blockquote><br />I don't know why but my mind has been busy buzzin Lady Gaga's 'Telephone' for the past few weeks as I extended invitation after invitation to very busy people for a visit to (where else?), Restaurant Talipon along Jalan Kuchai Lama.<br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjupDnEX43xys60Qpl8gQN1QF8_ZsjyVkeqm14HZ6_i7h8_h1Z9gmnOBDvJnpikaH4FkWNuCrUbEoaSAz8EtnWl4-0ZmVstDy3_tFOsuyldQzr_18EfT1YnacAUr1vlq6m5wQxyvTLvGejj/s1600/Talipon+signboard.jpg"><img style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 400px; DISPLAY: block; HEIGHT: 300px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5543005979310596562" border="0" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjupDnEX43xys60Qpl8gQN1QF8_ZsjyVkeqm14HZ6_i7h8_h1Z9gmnOBDvJnpikaH4FkWNuCrUbEoaSAz8EtnWl4-0ZmVstDy3_tFOsuyldQzr_18EfT1YnacAUr1vlq6m5wQxyvTLvGejj/s400/Talipon+signboard.jpg" /></a><div align = center><em>Restaurant Talipon. "Talipon" is the old Malay pronouciation of "Telephone". ;) Nowadays the proper spelling for "Telephone" in Malay is "Telefon". ;)(Is there someone rolling back their eyes back there?)</em></div><br />The usual reply were things like:- <br /><br />"Sorry, I've got wedding dinner this weekend"<br /><br />"No thanks, got other plans oledi"<br /><br />"Got to do household work today :-("<br /><br />"I can't join. Have dinner with friends later...", bla bla bla... (Yeah, and you know who you are! :p)<br /><br />Well, whether the overly negative responses to my invitations were an aversion to Lady Gaga's telephone (hmmm, maybe my constant redention of her song at the karaoke is scarring people off?), Restaurant Talipon's food itself (why????) or the SENDER himself, I leave it to the processing powers of others to fathom. :p <br /><br />In any case, I still managed to scrap together a small posse of three, consisting Kam Keong, Jady and myself for a visit to staunch my intense craving for BBQ Steamboat food! :p <br /><br />Once on Jalan Kuchai Lama, it is really quite hard to miss the restaurant along the side of the road. From Old Klang Road (Jalan Klang Lama), take the traffic light junction into Jalan Kuchai Lama. You'll have to go over a rather high slope, before finding a slip road running parallel called Jalan Indrahana 1.<br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiJHbhw0vSoJwMP7GhBtgupH9CGUlcGRy-IjcfHfwQX1OfM0PkoR7qxxHxZhkH5h6HEUhfKZy4_3613t4X7fYAtcbaIXSCPFQja-1OMZ0d6MAWbfgNJmHwxbp4emnx0R95svgMMkzxlzlUJ/s1600/Talipon+road.jpg"><img style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 400px; DISPLAY: block; HEIGHT: 300px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5543005147372770002" border="0" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiJHbhw0vSoJwMP7GhBtgupH9CGUlcGRy-IjcfHfwQX1OfM0PkoR7qxxHxZhkH5h6HEUhfKZy4_3613t4X7fYAtcbaIXSCPFQja-1OMZ0d6MAWbfgNJmHwxbp4emnx0R95svgMMkzxlzlUJ/s400/Talipon+road.jpg" /></a><div align = center><em>The name of the road parallel to Jalan Kuchai Lama where Restaurant Talipon is situated (complete with Ah Long stickers!)</em></div><br />Restaurant Talifon is right next to the signboard and across from an Air Asia advertisment promoting flights to Chengdu featuring two cute pandas(at least that's what the advertisment board was showing at the time of this writing) ;). For those with the benefit of GPS guidance (hey it's the 21st century! ;)), the coordinates for the restaurant is N 03 5.470', E101 40.842'. <br /><br />We arrived at Restaurant Talipon at about 7:45pm on a Sunday night. There were still quite a number of seats available, although after 8:00pm the restaurant was packed full. :p<br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiLvrBmYibtB-5iw0lbeQi3QitliwGdUSK_KyRh7p5KeSXy5VdmIkuVnwPUw2tilzKAvxxfrtZrpW6u8UGWLb7_xAVt4ye2oHHhQ52prgwiok4r2Bf0hO6-ZfmV-BEKjZZtm2vZJz0AsUke/s1600/Talipon+atmosphere+3.jpg"><img style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 400px; DISPLAY: block; HEIGHT: 300px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5543005966202554210" border="0" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiLvrBmYibtB-5iw0lbeQi3QitliwGdUSK_KyRh7p5KeSXy5VdmIkuVnwPUw2tilzKAvxxfrtZrpW6u8UGWLb7_xAVt4ye2oHHhQ52prgwiok4r2Bf0hO6-ZfmV-BEKjZZtm2vZJz0AsUke/s400/Talipon+atmosphere+3.jpg" /></a><div align = center><em>Almost full at 8pm...</em></div><br />What I like about the place is that it is one of the few steamboat restaurants that actually allows you to BBQ your food around the soupy steamboat pot. In fact, the relative size of the pot vs the area available for the BBQ seems to imply more of an emphasis on the BBQ than the traditional steamboat soup option.<br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj6DOHAZxm-VhO53KAh6mmimv5jIsPw0xyDAPBmNXsyKfuHWaXPnHk-oM5CtFl9l_N-pSYLpR8tjyW1Kh9oiE2kXk6Y7iY-TkjGSVRutQbwe7ksmv1HGEtH-AdHVpZN73cTnbTdZCC4EOPP/s1600/Talipon+steamboat.jpg"><img style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 400px; DISPLAY: block; HEIGHT: 300px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5543005160098906722" border="0" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj6DOHAZxm-VhO53KAh6mmimv5jIsPw0xyDAPBmNXsyKfuHWaXPnHk-oM5CtFl9l_N-pSYLpR8tjyW1Kh9oiE2kXk6Y7iY-TkjGSVRutQbwe7ksmv1HGEtH-AdHVpZN73cTnbTdZCC4EOPP/s400/Talipon+steamboat.jpg" /></a><div align = center><em>The steamboat pot and BBQ plate combination...</em></div><br />Settling down, I went over to the counter where the foods are arranged to be picked up by eager customers. Oh, and did I mention that tthe place is almost 100% self service? Chopsticks, plates, spoons, forks, bowls, sauces will have be brought back yourselves to your tables from a communal tray. <br /><br />To open up the taste buds, the restaurant offers a choice of fried wan tans, fried rice, curry chicken, fried chicken and below average sushi :p. I skipped all that and went straight for the main course. <br /><br />Choices for the BBQ range from black pepper marinated beef, chicken, pork, to curry powder covered fish, chicken marinated satay style and even pieces of sliced chinese sausage!<br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiCtuq6aNbj3csJZ_MwlqW5AVETIxdFq9swAqgK8BXl6ynt5JPra2TO6fGADyHWaYDdlZlzD9NCuekc0Z2EUYBPgZsV5BFizFlddVr9zIblafZ-NI8xZblIcIjBpqf-DGwxtChaZrpF7Iut/s1600/Talipon+choices.jpg"><img style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 400px; DISPLAY: block; HEIGHT: 300px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5543004709600807538" border="0" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiCtuq6aNbj3csJZ_MwlqW5AVETIxdFq9swAqgK8BXl6ynt5JPra2TO6fGADyHWaYDdlZlzD9NCuekc0Z2EUYBPgZsV5BFizFlddVr9zIblafZ-NI8xZblIcIjBpqf-DGwxtChaZrpF7Iut/s400/Talipon+choices.jpg" /></a><div align = center><em>The BBQ choices, notice the 'self service' sign...</em></div><br />For the soupy side, you'll have a choice of clams, lala, 'see-hum', mushrooms, pork intestines, meat balls, fish balls and lots of vegetables. <br /><br />When preparing the BBQ plate, don't forget to grab a few scoops of butter. They are the clumps of yellowish durian fruit looking stuff on a plastic sauce plate located on the table near the sauces. The butter is used to lubricate the BBQ plate as overtime, burnt pieces of skin and meat tend to stick to the BBQ surface rendering it eventually useless. :p<br /><br />For soups, I believe there is only one standard choice as the Bangladeshi looking workers there didn't present us with alternatives. So if your idea of having steamboat is to have varieties of soups for boiling your food (ie. asam soup, herbal soup etc.), this is probably not the place for you :p.<br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg80i7TKftN2ietdhuMouVuM8PgcZohYdzbQ-zU0XkulVTxAL5zg_fjVbqXLeG1zEOiNJLIlDdqUDzPAIi-TEXTxjljDCN6_1ZwojMt9DKkY8jkpwwhwKPP1lgOt1YNkgTkj3L7agsHN5Na/s1600/Talipon+start.jpg"><img style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 400px; DISPLAY: block; HEIGHT: 300px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5543005153077209890" border="0" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg80i7TKftN2ietdhuMouVuM8PgcZohYdzbQ-zU0XkulVTxAL5zg_fjVbqXLeG1zEOiNJLIlDdqUDzPAIi-TEXTxjljDCN6_1ZwojMt9DKkY8jkpwwhwKPP1lgOt1YNkgTkj3L7agsHN5Na/s400/Talipon+start.jpg" /></a><div align = center><em>Soup? Well there seems to be ONE choice...</em></div><br />Also, there is a 'no wastage' rule which is posted on boards located near the food pits. Apparently, 'every 100gm of food wastage you will be fined RM5'.... how much this is enforced I am not sure as a table of Thai speaking people sitting right next to us left 'unmolested' with I guess more than a few hundred grams of food left there unattended. :p<br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgTzhyVCvQQZvSpxSSmR6n5OHlrsxyOuT9WN7XTehldqoXGoVYYpDjxiGHocpygVOKXzU_EfwNGNOfBDoWt6etS_zRo5ITOrxljNLoWbqFtgPiYwqJbndI8xr9QUiqVKYstsp414S0X2HSm/s1600/Talipon+do+not+waste.jpg"><img style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 400px; DISPLAY: block; HEIGHT: 300px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5543004721237523906" border="0" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgTzhyVCvQQZvSpxSSmR6n5OHlrsxyOuT9WN7XTehldqoXGoVYYpDjxiGHocpygVOKXzU_EfwNGNOfBDoWt6etS_zRo5ITOrxljNLoWbqFtgPiYwqJbndI8xr9QUiqVKYstsp414S0X2HSm/s400/Talipon+do+not+waste.jpg" /></a><div align = center><em>NO WASTAGE!</em></div><br />Switching to 'buffet' eating mode, Jady, Kam Keong and myself ate slowly but steadily, going for a few rounds until we were stuffed. Fortunately I had already put in a 'deposit' at the gym before I came over. ;) <br /><br />For drinks, we had the standard chinese tea in a pot, although fruits juices and soft drinks are available for order. Ice creams, fruits and ice kacang are choices for dessert. The total cost per head? RM21.80 for adults and RM12.00 for children. Of course there is an extra charge for the drinks. <br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjFFBzFPP-gRa5EUxRabpQreSpHNsOiBBJOOUadYdeHtt0yqQWnkx6azHYfVlwg8IQ3m9x7H2s65r1DTIuyjrkjix4YCMAc58Y8Kwu4KBwNpj03lsgFdo_ToOOrNPhd_0sGcIxrpaIX9PpB/s1600/Talipon+atmosphere+4.jpg"><img style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 400px; DISPLAY: block; HEIGHT: 300px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5543004718700535474" border="0" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjFFBzFPP-gRa5EUxRabpQreSpHNsOiBBJOOUadYdeHtt0yqQWnkx6azHYfVlwg8IQ3m9x7H2s65r1DTIuyjrkjix4YCMAc58Y8Kwu4KBwNpj03lsgFdo_ToOOrNPhd_0sGcIxrpaIX9PpB/s400/Talipon+atmosphere+4.jpg" /></a><div align = center><em>Prices per head are advertised on the board behind... click the pic to enlarge. ;)</em></div><br />The crowds begin to thin after 10:30pm, the dessert table becoming more popular as people wind down from the main course.<br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjEvQmY24Zh7hZ4h7Zbpx1XJ5QzC_3t2JEJmkwAD6WZ8hdvR2g1z19CkiJJl-uCXc_kteqQmSNhVS6heiAUsVgwffDe9d6F5Ft9HtBgRJ-uQ-Q3l9LeMBx02Aw6xgWwYBXLwFsedSIk9gRJ/s1600/Talipon+atmosphere.jpg"><img style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 400px; DISPLAY: block; HEIGHT: 300px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5543005993979346882" border="0" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjEvQmY24Zh7hZ4h7Zbpx1XJ5QzC_3t2JEJmkwAD6WZ8hdvR2g1z19CkiJJl-uCXc_kteqQmSNhVS6heiAUsVgwffDe9d6F5Ft9HtBgRJ-uQ-Q3l9LeMBx02Aw6xgWwYBXLwFsedSIk9gRJ/s400/Talipon+atmosphere.jpg" /></a><div align = center><em>Empty tables begin to pop up here and there as the night progresed...</em></div><br />We stuck around for a quite a while as Jady and Kam Keong exchanged 'life experiences'... ;) Only after I have received a summon from Vincent and Eric to attend our weekend football gathering at Emak Nik did I *ahem*, drop a hint that it is time to perhaps go(?). ;) <br /><br />We left Restaurant Talipon at 11:00pm, stomaches full and Lady Gaga finally silenced (for a while at least). ;)<br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhVgBIe_S_Ir9mydaa4RnbJOSZ_r8W8v7d8FKwx7X8GyEaZ2Ighy5HTdDbI3VJvdUyqULzJThsviachDQumRyczBp5PDlnp21bAqYXJoUPQ6nUkJlgCYWLS_SZz57h5eQV7GAL-U6xKCjMk/s1600/Talipon+finish+dinner.jpg"><img style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 400px; DISPLAY: block; HEIGHT: 300px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5543006613970074610" border="0" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhVgBIe_S_Ir9mydaa4RnbJOSZ_r8W8v7d8FKwx7X8GyEaZ2Ighy5HTdDbI3VJvdUyqULzJThsviachDQumRyczBp5PDlnp21bAqYXJoUPQ6nUkJlgCYWLS_SZz57h5eQV7GAL-U6xKCjMk/s400/Talipon+finish+dinner.jpg" /></a>Eddie Tuenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07105702091987045194noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4785821961237109532.post-40971174554893941472010-11-05T12:30:00.000+08:002010-11-05T12:21:44.485+08:0048 Hour Film Project! Shooting and Death Scenes!<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiqNV80RgqffWCpCODpVgbn5CFxtAv6ux4JD8oB-KWnZCyicshEQ178yL_u7Ns3qeA-ddhlY9B6clVuKyvcKuGAvqr2GZGQlpZdge3CsHgXgxb0zxhNfU4iHA3hHup7rmjN-lqXu2_SDl4P/s1600/death+scene2.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 400px; height: 266px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiqNV80RgqffWCpCODpVgbn5CFxtAv6ux4JD8oB-KWnZCyicshEQ178yL_u7Ns3qeA-ddhlY9B6clVuKyvcKuGAvqr2GZGQlpZdge3CsHgXgxb0zxhNfU4iHA3hHup7rmjN-lqXu2_SDl4P/s400/death+scene2.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5535895584958228930" /></a>It’s always hard to wake up in the wee hours of the morning on a Saturday. The time is 6:30am and I am finding it hard to establish motor control over my body despite my alarm already hollering for the last 15 minutes :p. After doing the necessary morning rituals, I was back on the NKVE, hurtling towards TTDI to gather with the others at Linus's place. We had breakfast at our common haunt, Devi's Corner, before heading out to the 1st shooting stop, the bus stop along Jalan Dato' Sulaiman, TTDI. <a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhGRjR0ZFpPqwdR62FSd1lfJr81GQtyGFFgmC0TjV3mhPATVwHZwfQQPJ_BTf0vFuT_TVX6PKISbpIAw-CH2JawhPCSiFbse2HfbVQtAjrsNyXOyv4hm1K4hAPKUZLKqa9B_Da865Jy-jFM/s1600/Shooting.jpg"><img style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 400px; DISPLAY: block; HEIGHT: 300px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5535741452268712674" border="0" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhGRjR0ZFpPqwdR62FSd1lfJr81GQtyGFFgmC0TjV3mhPATVwHZwfQQPJ_BTf0vFuT_TVX6PKISbpIAw-CH2JawhPCSiFbse2HfbVQtAjrsNyXOyv4hm1K4hAPKUZLKqa9B_Da865Jy-jFM/s400/Shooting.jpg" /></a><div align="center"><em>On the set with the team...</em></div><br />For this shoot, most of the dialogue will be in good old, Bahasa Malaysia. ;) Therefore the expertise of our thespian, Mr. Faisal is needed for this task. While we filled our bellies, Faisal and Kay Lee were busy working and 'feeling' out the translated script. ;) The shoot started at about 9am, with Kay Lee and Nurafidah starring after their faces were generously doused with makeup by our artist, Lyana Dee ;). <br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEggaYeA3LePSL22g-j0G8ZFNOKAnOyHrR3GbJ3XUi82lWZx2SGW09qaJoEv393Qf-oGjglqgxy76MJHrlnjukyLMSYSQoCAAdq9XGKTNn0BbtzSBdKBBmsTGz88GHhPrd2pey1SykvemAFw/s1600/Makeup.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 266px; height: 400px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEggaYeA3LePSL22g-j0G8ZFNOKAnOyHrR3GbJ3XUi82lWZx2SGW09qaJoEv393Qf-oGjglqgxy76MJHrlnjukyLMSYSQoCAAdq9XGKTNn0BbtzSBdKBBmsTGz88GHhPrd2pey1SykvemAFw/s400/Makeup.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5535899438839568578" /></a><div align="center"><em>Lyana Dee (Daffy's makeup artiste) working her magic...</em></div><br />The weather was generally cooperative, the sun was up with little cloud cover, although the sound of passing traffic was quite a nuisance. Apparently, the people of TTDI with their better access to bigger and more powerful cars tend to create a larger amount of noise when they drive by, VROOOOMMMMM!!! ;) As we are filming at the bus stop, our activities also managed to attract a few people within passing buses (it is a bus stop after all ;)) although fortunately no crowds formed around the shooting area (I wonder if it was done in my hometown, Klang, what would happen?) ;). <br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiELkZBXqEwFGiegAKu3Db8gMEeC0EGdugtUIcR2tglVNjee51lP4-OAjipWkXI5Fuz5WhjIJsKC6SgZEqxiGL0VBoIRi_GIfvpz8xkIZV4mV0FUkSEqyxGbOHUQpmBbdvU6SKs0PrYuDqF/s1600/shoot.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 400px; height: 266px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiELkZBXqEwFGiegAKu3Db8gMEeC0EGdugtUIcR2tglVNjee51lP4-OAjipWkXI5Fuz5WhjIJsKC6SgZEqxiGL0VBoIRi_GIfvpz8xkIZV4mV0FUkSEqyxGbOHUQpmBbdvU6SKs0PrYuDqF/s400/shoot.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5535895573062426050" /></a><div align="center"><em>Filming at the bus stop. Surprisingly this outwardly 'mundane' looking public amenity is quite popular as a film set! :)</em></div><br />Prior to the shoot, my director gave me an active chance to contribute to the 'wellbeing' of the shoot. Calling out my name initially illicited a confused response because on this very fine day, there were two 'Eddie's' on the set, the other one being our Director of Photography (who also seems to have an affinity for red Mazdas :D). The 'task' our director reserved for 'Eddie' leaves no doubt as to which 'Eddie' he was calling out. It was to pick up rubbish around the bus stop so that the set don't look so dirty, something which I guess would have made the other 'Eddie' go bonkers. :p *Sigh* The things I do for my 15 secs of fame... :p ;).<br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi8znloV7uJ0vidRFXoSJ92AMJCMZlW-6xqH7fyqpPy8xO8tVvXjpNpzgbLnTTuX-EbTpgv8gvYM1g01ojIoWnrRm7Wlta2Ac3ZPEAVpkn1WQV_BG6WSPIMpxubP7fUX2poSeY1yoF0190o/s1600/Linus+hair.jpg"><img style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 400px; DISPLAY: block; HEIGHT: 266px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5535741468206187922" border="0" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi8znloV7uJ0vidRFXoSJ92AMJCMZlW-6xqH7fyqpPy8xO8tVvXjpNpzgbLnTTuX-EbTpgv8gvYM1g01ojIoWnrRm7Wlta2Ac3ZPEAVpkn1WQV_BG6WSPIMpxubP7fUX2poSeY1yoF0190o/s400/Linus+hair.jpg" /></a><div align="center"><em>The DIRECTOR! :D</em></div><br />After 3 hours of golf ball swirling in a glass jar and bizarre explanations of how someone could keep a love one forever at one's side, we finally took a break at about 1:00pm for lunch, a little bit behind schedule. <br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhfLWuJ46Hsxbhu7iQpZ8l-eewU4cicghSCAJYpZ5qHQM9CB_7lgP1SeY9vPPWCBS4Kv2ovdYSmUjnnO_TxFn_0DgwN_UiRzE0pv47BX-VspoDsFbO1e65H2AVSKNgNlrAuhAd6S9nGsFzT/s1600/ball+swirling.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 400px; height: 267px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhfLWuJ46Hsxbhu7iQpZ8l-eewU4cicghSCAJYpZ5qHQM9CB_7lgP1SeY9vPPWCBS4Kv2ovdYSmUjnnO_TxFn_0DgwN_UiRzE0pv47BX-VspoDsFbO1e65H2AVSKNgNlrAuhAd6S9nGsFzT/s400/ball+swirling.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5535896928853221394" /></a><div align="center"><em>Kay Lee must be thinking, "Little ball, little ball in a jar, who is the fairest of them all?" ;)</em></div><br />By now, I had a second task from our esteemed director and that is to ensure everyone gets fed their share of chicken rice. For 'halal' fare, Sum assisted me by getting the required foodstuff from Devi's. Meal time over, we went over to the next set, a motorcycle shop in Kayu Ara. There was a brief spell of rain which fortunately petered out rather quickly. No matter, we were 'safe' as the next shoot is held indoors. <br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjUtFaz0MctHAJdDbb_OM7DW3_xZ8MRkdmCNrqp6XuySya2lgqAwyfd6jJACeyyetaR05cdvA1KxHFdtG7-RVlpxQb1p9ifQPvV2rkZqBW_WgrcvVnL4gUZ-NnYyAi3aKdld98HJJ4Ckhc9/s1600/motor+sho%5B.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 266px; height: 400px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjUtFaz0MctHAJdDbb_OM7DW3_xZ8MRkdmCNrqp6XuySya2lgqAwyfd6jJACeyyetaR05cdvA1KxHFdtG7-RVlpxQb1p9ifQPvV2rkZqBW_WgrcvVnL4gUZ-NnYyAi3aKdld98HJJ4Ckhc9/s400/motor+sho%5B.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5535896933140350642" /></a><div align="center"><em>At the recently 'commandeered' motorcycle shop in Kayu Ara</em></div><br />Located close to where we shot House about a year ago, the motorcycle shop was 'commandeered' by our ever resourceful Mr. Dennis, for a small fee to the owner of course. Thankfully there were also no muscular thugs to harrass us like the last time. Guess now is the time I get to fulfill my '15 seconds of fame', posing as the protagonist's father's motorcycle riding friend ;). <br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiGCDdy0tma2wuXaRD75ZVxM3OMI5wsZ7f0mjTF-e96E_kyokHZEtx5wNLG2tyks6fcC6NsjGvUdX6TCwF8du_H5xcif_HEM-pUlUBqYFmEY_7QTclfGlccBmLDLPHCU-HOG3Ja20gfg2U6/s1600/shoot5.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 400px; height: 266px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiGCDdy0tma2wuXaRD75ZVxM3OMI5wsZ7f0mjTF-e96E_kyokHZEtx5wNLG2tyks6fcC6NsjGvUdX6TCwF8du_H5xcif_HEM-pUlUBqYFmEY_7QTclfGlccBmLDLPHCU-HOG3Ja20gfg2U6/s400/shoot5.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5535895580924565602" /></a><div align="center"><em>Ah... Director Linus giving pointers to a noob... :p ;)</em></div><br />Greeting Mr. Danial Mamat (Faisal), I was to exclaim about his new name tag, his mispelt name and then comment about his daughter as she passed by. The longest line I had was, 'Wah, tiap kali saya datang, anak you semakin membesar. Dahlah macam mak dia, Cantik pun macam mak dia'. That was however, reduced to 'Wah, anak you semakin membesar ya?". Why? Well, because we are shooting on celluloid, so if you mess up that's one length of unretrievable useless tape, oh as well as oh... one minor detail? I kept forgetting the extended line! :D<br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi3v7pN7eELYsi9I9MTPmkYu93GZvQOQh-9Tj6wwwk3vrCog7i8EDznjdUIyrcYR6a9a9wrUT51Og4WI7LpHcWq2sYzQGPVGSZhANoWsLkgg4cKMB6TK2CJQxb7quJkGDL_8m77ovh_z2Tr/s1600/eddie2.jpg"><img style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 266px; DISPLAY: block; HEIGHT: 400px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5535741458779310434" border="0" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi3v7pN7eELYsi9I9MTPmkYu93GZvQOQh-9Tj6wwwk3vrCog7i8EDznjdUIyrcYR6a9a9wrUT51Og4WI7LpHcWq2sYzQGPVGSZhANoWsLkgg4cKMB6TK2CJQxb7quJkGDL_8m77ovh_z2Tr/s400/eddie2.jpg" /></a><div align="center"><em>"Fuyoh! Ada name tag baruuuuuu!!!" ;)</em></div><br />Admittedly, I was rather pleased that the remark on my little star protagonist was mostly removed, the line did sound a little bit 'not right'. ;) At length, it was Faisal, who acted opposite me that had to babble a long string of stuff after my line. No sweat for our veteran thespian! :D <br /><br />I had to leave quickly after the motorcycle shop scene as I had appointments galore this day. Pretty unusual really, because my Saturdays are usually quite vacant for this 'quantum singularity' ;). After redoing the scene from different angles and almost being made to a 'tango' with Faisal, I had to reluctantly bid the crew goodbye. :( My phone was already buzzing with people waiting for me at the next destination. ;) <br /><br />At this point, I do have to mention one rather strange event that happened during the shoot though. It sort of happened while Carol was holding the clapper board in front of me and Faisal as we were made to do the near tango for the camera. She apparently saw 'someone' passed behind the both of us on the monitor that was hooked up with the camera. Eddie (the other one), who was behind the camera saw that 'someone' passing behind as well. Now this is where the 'strange' and a little 'bone chilling' part comes in.<br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjxG9C_AItKFJjcE09sBbVZtDvH17UgL6Z1RuT9sx9u84PrqEh59kgtQcWRKeBCwV7xd-nxLf3p-M8iUTM9C6DSdUMBpeCzN321FBWufjKI6Xqf3NYKgEJRcYcs1m_trFQAh2Bub3kUmu4O/s1600/evil+girl.jpg"><img style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 400px; DISPLAY: block; HEIGHT: 266px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5535741464402338322" border="0" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjxG9C_AItKFJjcE09sBbVZtDvH17UgL6Z1RuT9sx9u84PrqEh59kgtQcWRKeBCwV7xd-nxLf3p-M8iUTM9C6DSdUMBpeCzN321FBWufjKI6Xqf3NYKgEJRcYcs1m_trFQAh2Bub3kUmu4O/s400/evil+girl.jpg" /></a><div align="center"><em>Creepy... Brrr... :S</em></div><br />EVERYONE knew where they were and NOONE on the set saw ANYONE passing behind us at that point of time!!! :p We can't confirm anything at that time because the camera that we had cannot have the film rewound and replayed to show that scene on the display monitor. I'm told that length of film can only be replayed when it is being editted in the studio later on. Kinda ironic isn't it that our genre is er... 'HORROR'? :p<br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEilbstQ2_Oku7WEo42PBqUd4T1Cbzae0r0eRRdkqCxzQrANNs7eVQGtpHW1feetJFem24acEEhixwZPSgQBSYEf7KjTPiQ0Pg78McbbUQHo9GJpPgVP9Mt0dFNaQgnDa3le66Rl7O_vfwDz/s1600/group.jpg"><img style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 400px; DISPLAY: block; HEIGHT: 266px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5535741474060447314" border="0" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEilbstQ2_Oku7WEo42PBqUd4T1Cbzae0r0eRRdkqCxzQrANNs7eVQGtpHW1feetJFem24acEEhixwZPSgQBSYEf7KjTPiQ0Pg78McbbUQHo9GJpPgVP9Mt0dFNaQgnDa3le66Rl7O_vfwDz/s400/group.jpg" /></a><div align="center"><em>The team! :D</em></div><br />In any case, the whole experience was definately FUN! :D A lot different from what I would usually do as a mundane engineer, preparing datasheets and material handling studies, staring at numbers and tinkering with formulae all day :p. A breath of fresh air indeed! :D <br /><br />Experiences like this also provides me with a unique opportunity to get to know new people from professions on the very opposite side of the spectrum (science vs fine arts) like Kay Lee, Faisal, Lyana and Eddie (the other one ;)). <br /><br />My early departure did rob me of one very interesting experience though. Faisal's Death SCENE!<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh3rZU4vXbQqPHQfhDEqtKsxp62pyfGNaYs13bJIR9qPGxljyiAziUruNEtOb1yb0SnIWja511EsrNFrdQlZu5VsHT2TwdebqO17s62JWTfckPFNjBXSA6gV58mA-WjAMMldJPW-0Ios3Cy/s1600/forensic+or+makeup.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 400px; height: 266px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh3rZU4vXbQqPHQfhDEqtKsxp62pyfGNaYs13bJIR9qPGxljyiAziUruNEtOb1yb0SnIWja511EsrNFrdQlZu5VsHT2TwdebqO17s62JWTfckPFNjBXSA6gV58mA-WjAMMldJPW-0Ios3Cy/s400/forensic+or+makeup.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5535899434401987138" /></a><div align="center"><em>Hmm... Forensics team member or 'makeup artiste in her element? ;)</em></div><br />Ah... but then again, maybe we should wait patiently for the release of Linus's film and marvel at the movie magic, eh? <br /><br /><strong>Death by Power Tool anyone? ;)</strong><br /><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgwZzbH8JruFtKCssjoh77fcxmZDYZCmOSy6BiBkozg9fXGPbco3DeLXTmG5o3C0_QQLmaT_fY24MMN4roEc9N7nJchJkw6f2BQp-GIJrh9AKv36UiSnyq6aLOyJnerj1YWGqX3Lvadc8qt/s1600/death+scene3.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 400px; height: 266px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgwZzbH8JruFtKCssjoh77fcxmZDYZCmOSy6BiBkozg9fXGPbco3DeLXTmG5o3C0_QQLmaT_fY24MMN4roEc9N7nJchJkw6f2BQp-GIJrh9AKv36UiSnyq6aLOyJnerj1YWGqX3Lvadc8qt/s400/death+scene3.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5535899429581491634" /></a>Eddie Tuenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07105702091987045194noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4785821961237109532.post-44147978019701891542010-11-05T12:00:00.004+08:002010-11-05T12:32:59.495+08:0048 Hour Film Project! Between Hollywood and Deng Xiao Ping<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjZTtZl1a71H-r3x5Uh4Ad5DqW11E9r5SafSWIEmVPfdvGUlN9ozRO2Ni2G0S1W3UVVKk9ZhXkHorTn3NHaLcM32P6-azZw0ZSQvH8Vb16n_PhpYnwCwegFP2PjMYHhm5WipILO_MCuWyJp/s1600/48+hr+film+project.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 400px; height: 135px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjZTtZl1a71H-r3x5Uh4Ad5DqW11E9r5SafSWIEmVPfdvGUlN9ozRO2Ni2G0S1W3UVVKk9ZhXkHorTn3NHaLcM32P6-azZw0ZSQvH8Vb16n_PhpYnwCwegFP2PjMYHhm5WipILO_MCuWyJp/s400/48+hr+film+project.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5535908165213523026" /></a><br />Friday, 29th October 2010. I groaned as my eyes sweep in the sight of a sea of rear red hazard lamps lighted up like a Christmas tree over a snake like form that stretches from where I was just after the Subang Jaya toll down to the main artery of the NKVE. The usual Friday madness once more and I was going to be late (again)… ;)<br /><br />I was headed towards TTDI, towards Linus’s house exactly, for an 8:00pm meeting to discuss on a script for his latest foray into the limelight. Sponsored by FINAS, the <a href="http://www.48hourfilm.com/kualalumpur/">Kuala Lumpur 48 hour film challenge </a>as its name suggests, requires that we cover the entire film production process, from writing the script, to shooting, dubbing, all the way down to the submission of the finished product at FINAS on Sunday 7:30pm, 31st October 2010 in a mere 48 hours! <br /><br />I arrived just as the familiar figure of a pizza delivery guy was passing over boxes of goodies to yet another familiar looking long haired person over the gate. “I’ve arrived just in time, it seems!” I exclaimed as I greeted Linus. It was 8:30pm.<br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgqx-UR5PpLsdjrP1NJEeEQgiu2ku3kFdQxzc-688mJUBOD3nFgv5BCb2rke3p14FObnRYIir7D530sTT7EbnxbvAoWbUV6p-J6ugIs3S3OGvP3y2m6ubulQq969V15FV-Ze_vZQa24a3wf/s1600/dominospizza-800x449.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 400px; height: 224px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgqx-UR5PpLsdjrP1NJEeEQgiu2ku3kFdQxzc-688mJUBOD3nFgv5BCb2rke3p14FObnRYIir7D530sTT7EbnxbvAoWbUV6p-J6ugIs3S3OGvP3y2m6ubulQq969V15FV-Ze_vZQa24a3wf/s400/dominospizza-800x449.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5535908167703294514" /></a><div align="center"><em>Mouth Watering Pizza! Courtesy of our Director, Linus... :)</em></div><br />Entering his home, I was introduced to the other members of the ‘board’, consisting of 6 ‘artsy -(fartsy)’ members. First up was Chris, whom I was told is a sound effects master, followed by Faisal and Kay Lee, both of whom are theatre actors. The rest are the usual suspects, Carol whom aside from fulfilling her full time role as Linus’s girlfriend and sidekick, is functioning as the project manager for this outfit. Dennis; Linus’s Art Director, Tarantulla Tamer and Survival Man Extraordinaire; and last but definitely not the least, ‘Maestro’ Linus of course, movie director with a suicidal streak and a penchant of feeding nonconventional choices of food to his pet phyton. ;)<br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi8n5Gru2c-LHK-cK3A4IzyoGuri-UpPBJkGDQTmlFcSNnRc74zcl9nsmeiUW4hiUwJoRN6JiWO4bUfDGbWFXhObmiizL_cCxVRSgXZ4Pq9oMDPa2j2xSEQjFDXja9dgm3cP99-hcHzSF93/s1600/Linus.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 194px; height: 400px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi8n5Gru2c-LHK-cK3A4IzyoGuri-UpPBJkGDQTmlFcSNnRc74zcl9nsmeiUW4hiUwJoRN6JiWO4bUfDGbWFXhObmiizL_cCxVRSgXZ4Pq9oMDPa2j2xSEQjFDXja9dgm3cP99-hcHzSF93/s400/Linus.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5535908170419941042" /></a><div align="center"><em>The MAESTRO himself!</em></div><br />Most of the pizza had gone down the hatch when I was told of our genre we’ve got from a lucky draw held at FINAS earlier on. It was… HORROR! :D (something which our Director admitted he has little experience in doing). There were other choices, the least appealing of all was ‘MUSICAL’ which generated a round of applause to the lady that picked it off the ‘hat’ from the other participants at FINAS.<br /> <br />Aside from adhering to the genre, all participants also had to insert in a few specified plot elements. Ours was notably a golf ball as well as the name and profession of a character (Danial Mamat, salesman) including a specific line to be mentioned in the short film (“Okay, so what’s the problem now?”).<br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh41o8WgdkoN1s6hcbLGJV4fR1HatemFvKIdvOJ_g6_WBZtltpBAxr0rEiVdV112HaTIGfPHBcLMjhZXJV9OLQq4KKYFT3BZieUVFUQ8b9Vuw40ve8ljOUuOpr0xpWIaQXOwplodTKkgjxR/s1600/DSC_0016.JPG"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 266px; height: 400px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh41o8WgdkoN1s6hcbLGJV4fR1HatemFvKIdvOJ_g6_WBZtltpBAxr0rEiVdV112HaTIGfPHBcLMjhZXJV9OLQq4KKYFT3BZieUVFUQ8b9Vuw40ve8ljOUuOpr0xpWIaQXOwplodTKkgjxR/s400/DSC_0016.JPG" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5535910960560078002" /></a><div align="center"><em>The plot thickens...</em></div><br />At the end of a 2 hour brainstorming session, two ideas for the storyline has been hashed out. Initially, the top contender was Chris’s idea developed from the Malay belief of ‘Susuk’, which was proposed as a plot basis by Faisal. ‘Susuk’ was basically a practice of inserting an object beneath the skin into some part of the body, the object supposedly bestowing the wearer with certain desired characteristics albeit at a price. <br /><br />Certain taboos had to be maintained, the breaking of one might result in the wearer being cursed. Removing the curse, which was going to be the main basis of Chris’s story, would require the wearer to do ‘terrible, horrible’ things. ;)<br /><br />Most of us were receptive to Chris’s idea which promised visually stunning scenes and effects. <br /><br />Our Director had other ideas. ;)<br /><br />“Of course I wanted this to be fun for everyone and don’t want to be some dictator imposing my ideas on everyone,” said Linus in his monotone even as he coolly scribbled images on his storyboard while Chris continued to explain his idea to the others. Democracy, HOLLYWOOD style. ;)<br /><br />When his turn came, Linus proposed a more ‘practical’ plot, more on dialogue and less on effects and settings. It also involves children, which immediately sort of strikes me as a rather common plot device in Linus’s productions (House, Democracy, Prayer, all involved children). Hmmm… ;) To be fair of course, a lot of directors (including Linus’s mentor, the late Yasmine Ahmad, M. Night Shmalayan) ‘use’ children as a way to project ‘innocence and purity’. But then again, perhaps there might be OTHER ways to do the same WITHOUT using children? :p<br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjlykKCEw-5fy-qORuy7bY5Q7gquLS-7aOfe0gVZndr1v6HFsolhldR3qqioIQTd5fqOqZ17996whAiR-8rf-3owqUkScYbh-etg10r7AY6a_Uatg5g6JWtJEdOL7nElj3PPbC7xEdgdKW1/s1600/prayer.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 400px; height: 266px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjlykKCEw-5fy-qORuy7bY5Q7gquLS-7aOfe0gVZndr1v6HFsolhldR3qqioIQTd5fqOqZ17996whAiR-8rf-3owqUkScYbh-etg10r7AY6a_Uatg5g6JWtJEdOL7nElj3PPbC7xEdgdKW1/s400/prayer.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5535913079867973698" /></a><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjnBCVnhGUsy2inUl8Akhyx4I5LPFzMqb93sBzcwdcECsrUaS6icgK6gr80xM4d7y5XZyiQypVmi1ooZyfRLwGZ0Vak9vqx-qutrrnB-QFKZ_sNUHnK5uoB_LtGH8aPm4xS7gIFFE25HX6U/s1600/House.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 400px; height: 300px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjnBCVnhGUsy2inUl8Akhyx4I5LPFzMqb93sBzcwdcECsrUaS6icgK6gr80xM4d7y5XZyiQypVmi1ooZyfRLwGZ0Vak9vqx-qutrrnB-QFKZ_sNUHnK5uoB_LtGH8aPm4xS7gIFFE25HX6U/s400/House.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5535912243483130514" /></a><br />I have to admit though, that given the amount of time allocated for the project (48 hours!), Linus’s plan seems again to be more practical. For one, the inclusion of more mundane and easy to find settings saves us a lot of time that could have been spent shuttling from one set to another. Also, the minimizing of outdoor and the elimination of night time scenes removes the unpredictable element of weather (fog and rain) from our shoot.<br /> <br />Oh, and did I mention that Linus is planning to shoot everything on celluloid? ;) Rather ambitious actually, considering that once you shoot with film it’s gone forever and any retakes would just take additional lengths of celluloid. Loading the film into the camera itself also is quite a science actually, requiring the whole task to be done inside a bag in complete darkness. The slightest twinkle of light can likely ruin the whole rim of film which for 20 minutes costs about RM400.00. Needless to say this thing should be left to the professionals. ;)<br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh3ACv0FTMZqOond_Q5Yu4rTPowk0f7rPuonO-gdmp6YsSf6bJgLGNni-XHLHZ5-5ChzHjqKzE2vYH4lnVJecbFHjc-pNwVmV37EiAMzs1rYpDq4sWkRm3mAktwEBnftlrkgpfhgYhTzyYU/s1600/nipple+pinching.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 400px; height: 266px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh3ACv0FTMZqOond_Q5Yu4rTPowk0f7rPuonO-gdmp6YsSf6bJgLGNni-XHLHZ5-5ChzHjqKzE2vYH4lnVJecbFHjc-pNwVmV37EiAMzs1rYpDq4sWkRm3mAktwEBnftlrkgpfhgYhTzyYU/s400/nipple+pinching.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5535911667636363938" /></a><div align="center"><em>A professional has to also master the 'dodge' from those ever threatening nipple pinching fingers! :p</em></div><br />Doing what he does best, Linus eventually ‘lured’ the entire ‘board’ towards his idea. Well, he is the director after all and everyone knows that the director is always ‘right’! (even a square head engineer like me knows this hard and fast rule… ;)) <br /><br />He did put in a ‘veneer’ of ‘democracy’ by asking each one of us, ‘what did we think about his story and whether we agreed to it’… well, we know Linus (and Deng Xiao Ping, shortly before he sent in the tanks) of course. :p<br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjM6xh_-cwzgciEXS5iifzYJuGBSJgVqr1RRswCbDT9PbghG-BRRuEZ4zvVkU-NWMqcwb-PuBGby_Kwu1D2PoiYnP2zeosY9cWxzc11VIFLZMUwDRIYyqnS4TvW4TlhZl8cvdKjGLDt_4qu/s1600/DSC_0013.JPG"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 266px; height: 400px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjM6xh_-cwzgciEXS5iifzYJuGBSJgVqr1RRswCbDT9PbghG-BRRuEZ4zvVkU-NWMqcwb-PuBGby_Kwu1D2PoiYnP2zeosY9cWxzc11VIFLZMUwDRIYyqnS4TvW4TlhZl8cvdKjGLDt_4qu/s400/DSC_0013.JPG" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5535910952433868402" /></a><div align="center"><em>Linus turning the tables around... ;)</em></div><br />Seriously though, he does have ONE big advantage over Chris. HE IS THE DIRECTOR (did I say it again?) after all and everything that will be coming up is already playing in his mind’s eye (camera angles, atmosphere, desired lighting, etc). I would venture that imagining someone else’s idea would be a little bit more difficult perhaps if that vision wasn’t absorbed and captured fully enough. <br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjIQqHl974RUqimfUfFfKHVgdEHK7-cTGvHQasG22nV5wv7ey3MJO6YZ-2M1wsIE7Oqgmtqj_TiDDEhb8RibS7J-U-vF2CrwmTLpwJKIJjAnlUlxhMNKPUTe-I1dv3VkGhF1ENFC832eDJY/s1600/shoot8.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 400px; height: 266px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjIQqHl974RUqimfUfFfKHVgdEHK7-cTGvHQasG22nV5wv7ey3MJO6YZ-2M1wsIE7Oqgmtqj_TiDDEhb8RibS7J-U-vF2CrwmTLpwJKIJjAnlUlxhMNKPUTe-I1dv3VkGhF1ENFC832eDJY/s400/shoot8.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5535910968618483410" /></a><div align="center"><em>Visions of HORROR!</em></div><br />And so we got ourselves a plot and a storyline. All that is left is the scheduling for tommorow’s shoot. That took a few minutes and once it was agreed, it was time for most of us to head home to get some rest (our director spent the night with Carol to develop the story further by inserting dialogue and such).<br /> <br />At this point, I have to be thankful to our kind Director for giving me yet another opportunity to be a ‘keh leh feh’ (‘extra’ in the English parlance ;)). The last time I was a ‘keh leh feh’, it was in ‘House’, waving the tractor (handled by Dennis) that was about to smash poor Varma’s house to smithereens. You’d probably (definitely) missed me because I was there for 5 second fraction. Hahahah… This time however, I had LINES! Yipppeeee! ;) (Whether you’ll hear it or not, depends on the Director’s final cut! ;))<br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgEwErY2Dr5BwNewWssWeH9IX7MwtBxbgG0RLQJG1cyQ6yc8gv-IjcIcL4xjJsEfneyImUUFjzbUXvm_rIa9QCYM10SdHUNDmYoF9k1J3sfelDO1hGsGwcepo8RPm3jOKxAaSZvMuCXExmm/s1600/death+scene.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 300px; height: 400px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgEwErY2Dr5BwNewWssWeH9IX7MwtBxbgG0RLQJG1cyQ6yc8gv-IjcIcL4xjJsEfneyImUUFjzbUXvm_rIa9QCYM10SdHUNDmYoF9k1J3sfelDO1hGsGwcepo8RPm3jOKxAaSZvMuCXExmm/s400/death+scene.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5535910965530516594" /></a><a href="http://www.48hourfilm.com/kualalumpur/"></a>Eddie Tuenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07105702091987045194noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4785821961237109532.post-32781632195801899042010-10-07T15:39:00.022+08:002010-11-24T11:27:45.538+08:00Belum (Or Sudah?): Day 3: Kelah Pond and Home<A href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiwWkTVrXvvyBeLA4LhF2rSKsgchea0_tSx49fcgS10eYUEvLf3miZNscsb2wat8giGuBLaih4pzEAFNSsOHs5ZBdPEKs4-cy4pDxwDTdR1HtiI3JHiqNSHcYPaqw0Rr39BcSOmKIKjgfYF/s1600/Kelah+waterfall.bmp"><IMG style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 400px; DISPLAY: block; HEIGHT: 268px; CURSOR: hand" id=BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5542673819800076322 border=0 alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiwWkTVrXvvyBeLA4LhF2rSKsgchea0_tSx49fcgS10eYUEvLf3miZNscsb2wat8giGuBLaih4pzEAFNSsOHs5ZBdPEKs4-cy4pDxwDTdR1HtiI3JHiqNSHcYPaqw0Rr39BcSOmKIKjgfYF/s400/Kelah+waterfall.bmp"></A>Day 3, Belum. The last day's attraction was perhaps the best out of all we have visited so far. The previous day's excursion (the trek to nowhere) was a disappointment (especially when I don't get to swing around my ferocious parang at stray branches, vines (and maybe a leech or two) ;)) and I wasn't really having high hopes that today's destination would be getting any better. Fortunately I was wrong, because we were brought to this very nice waterfall whose flowing waters filled a pond swarming with Kelah fish! ;) This was after we have packed up our stuff and left Sungai Papan campsite one last time. From there, it took another 45 minute boat ride to reach the landing point with a large signboard proclaiming the place as 'Lata Kelah' and a 15 minute hike to arrive at the pond. <A href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhZ6ytFw2g9nbaYatlEH0NAjqe4Q618aipYdOYtGm5M6QjacXR21Gkw7S87wFA9PLzqtZWRPUOnxhjrtYF8RANaklgfHCdN8phw_zOp_UzRLrqD2C_Hu5H_dlA9Pe0Y6u7aM68b_fOl670I/s1600/Kelah+pond+entrance.bmp"><IMG style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 400px; DISPLAY: block; HEIGHT: 268px; CURSOR: hand" id=BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5542669862371707202 border=0 alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhZ6ytFw2g9nbaYatlEH0NAjqe4Q618aipYdOYtGm5M6QjacXR21Gkw7S87wFA9PLzqtZWRPUOnxhjrtYF8RANaklgfHCdN8phw_zOp_UzRLrqD2C_Hu5H_dlA9Pe0Y6u7aM68b_fOl670I/s400/Kelah+pond+entrance.bmp"></A><DIV align=center><EM>The landing point outside the Kelah filled lake...</EM></DIV><br />Fishing is allowed in the park for a fee (no fish bombing or trawling allowed though), but it is definately not allowed in this Kelah Sanctuary. We took to the water, swimming in it's cool waters. <A href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEilabxskhZDTo0U-2wqqcORzEK6OKu0-gDCaILixgoUps3vZ6VdQTNindtmMC_PqYxpnXvuf-w9w7pR9TkA5RfOgkQASrgFizEFQAcOaOFL1QFIDFstcIVc1kKBVWPKmpz6z5MMNU4mdVaE/s1600/waterfall+swim.bmp"><IMG style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 268px; DISPLAY: block; HEIGHT: 400px; CURSOR: hand" id=BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5542673828887179906 border=0 alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEilabxskhZDTo0U-2wqqcORzEK6OKu0-gDCaILixgoUps3vZ6VdQTNindtmMC_PqYxpnXvuf-w9w7pR9TkA5RfOgkQASrgFizEFQAcOaOFL1QFIDFstcIVc1kKBVWPKmpz6z5MMNU4mdVaE/s400/waterfall+swim.bmp"></A><DIV align=center><EM>Fish spa anyone? ;) Swimming with the fishies...</EM></DIV><br />The guide insisted that we wear our life jackets while we swam, although later on, one of us decided to roll the dice and swim without it (guess who?) ;). With nothing else to do, we spend almost an hour here, taking photos and generally having fun. <br /><div align = center><OBJECT id=BLOG_video-334db983ec3c1eb6 class=BLOG_video_class width=320 height=266 contentId="334db983ec3c1eb6"></OBJECT></div><div align = center><em>Frolicking around the Kelah Pond...</em></div><br />A few of us swam to the bottom of the falls at the far end of the pond, although midway the water could get a little deep. At lenght I got back onshore, only to discover that my shoes had become a haven to some insects, including a very large spider! :p Shooing them away, I got my foot wear back on, joining the rest of the group heading back to our boat. <A href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjgpQlx3H_HXFO2etjwHqiZD3QVM9Nsof9JbF6hTPUxEAdnb3SOhcMi_TMgHHgOLbqBHqUG_CVc7u6EzX0pj6ovUmtMiGpNtZlzlmyOdc0hFQ_QbZ1U_jUI8i8DrDKbCORGgvfRblAepU4j/s1600/Returning+home2.jpg"><IMG style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 400px; DISPLAY: block; HEIGHT: 232px; CURSOR: hand" id=BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5542669879404074098 border=0 alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjgpQlx3H_HXFO2etjwHqiZD3QVM9Nsof9JbF6hTPUxEAdnb3SOhcMi_TMgHHgOLbqBHqUG_CVc7u6EzX0pj6ovUmtMiGpNtZlzlmyOdc0hFQ_QbZ1U_jUI8i8DrDKbCORGgvfRblAepU4j/s400/Returning+home2.jpg"></A><DIV align=center><EM>Racing home! :)</EM></DIV><br />We returned to the army checkpoint to de-register ourselves. The sight of guns pointing at us no longer inspired much dread, especially after we passed a number of boats packed with soldiers heading into the reserve for which we waved and were waved back ;). We reached the jetty at close to noon, the sun beating the top of our boat's canopy, our stomachs grumbling for good and proper food! :D <A href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjN0AbgnIT0G7YIx3go3XW-QKP4UfAXIGJTV0Xt0punnWJUt8Ztn04RmcINebOFwxNOrEo_KJB7jmLuIXeeId2qgb7Gg2L4YIMX7xuKZpVaJg476dFpyTIn411xry1ic9WFbXbtxPXlzhNa/s1600/Returning+home.jpg"><IMG style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 400px; DISPLAY: block; HEIGHT: 266px; CURSOR: hand" id=BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5542669872265954962 border=0 alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjN0AbgnIT0G7YIx3go3XW-QKP4UfAXIGJTV0Xt0punnWJUt8Ztn04RmcINebOFwxNOrEo_KJB7jmLuIXeeId2qgb7Gg2L4YIMX7xuKZpVaJg476dFpyTIn411xry1ic9WFbXbtxPXlzhNa/s400/Returning+home.jpg"></A><DIV align=center><EM>Land Ho! The end of our Belum adventure?</EM></DIV><br />Bidding our guides goodbye, we moved on to Grik town, stopping at the Belum resort on Pulau Banding to take a look see on more luxurious accomodations. ;) Tarrying there for not more than our hungry stomachs can allow, we moved on, finding ourselves in a Chinese restaurant along the road having our typical post trip lunch! :D <A href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiC6-GKgFb3FDuoVFeQbqYmnADN0l_GA4_Vk2r0dBUacl0lzlkqneLPupc26BkD9F53PusSdnKEPotiBIu0ZPmHc-hapH3O0EOI4YvoYKajSS0iMcvQKcWDfv7GgmMZ8wv6rauiv75B3k4Z/s1600/Makan.bmp"><IMG style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 400px; DISPLAY: block; HEIGHT: 266px; CURSOR: hand" id=BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5542669866420660306 border=0 alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiC6-GKgFb3FDuoVFeQbqYmnADN0l_GA4_Vk2r0dBUacl0lzlkqneLPupc26BkD9F53PusSdnKEPotiBIu0ZPmHc-hapH3O0EOI4YvoYKajSS0iMcvQKcWDfv7GgmMZ8wv6rauiv75B3k4Z/s400/Makan.bmp"></A><DIV align=center><EM>Well not before our customary post trip meal! :D</EM></DIV><br />An order of fish, some meats and vegetables satisfied our hunger and soon we were joining the multitude of post holiday makers crowding the North South highway, all with one destination in mind... HOME! :D The verdict for this entire excursion?<br /><br /><EM>Overall, the trip was a little bit 'too easy' for me. Touted as a 'pristine virgin jungle', it was perhaps a little too 'civilized' for my liking. Maybe another round of hard hiking and camping ala Kenong Rimba or Teluk Batik might soothe the adventurer in me... but then, that's for another time. ;) </EM><br /><br />Till the next adventure, over and out! ;)<br /> <br /><A href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhr8MgFWwACGBlBKksB8sgSHwuj550LDZYynlexNB1to3AwN8_CeiBwhPgNSFFXhadgo99dVf7RopFsx-o6Sl9UzGbn6v53iTRAyDbsI1U26ypRwdZpkPbLdnGBINNq5bFU-gUPjDTXHQZL/s1600/Kelah+lake.bmp"><IMG style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 400px; DISPLAY: block; HEIGHT: 268px; CURSOR: hand" id=BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5542669831148366018 border=0 alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhr8MgFWwACGBlBKksB8sgSHwuj550LDZYynlexNB1to3AwN8_CeiBwhPgNSFFXhadgo99dVf7RopFsx-o6Sl9UzGbn6v53iTRAyDbsI1U26ypRwdZpkPbLdnGBINNq5bFU-gUPjDTXHQZL/s400/Kelah+lake.bmp"></A>Eddie Tuenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07105702091987045194noreply@blogger.com0