If you look at the top left of the picture, there's a white hut. We followed that route to go to the Dark Caves. It was somewhere at the 204th staircase of the Batu Caves.
One of the monkey greeting us as we climb up.
The entrance to the Dark Caves from inside.
We were first introduced to the food chain in the caves. Cockroaches seem to love the guano. Our guide picked up a handful of guano and we can see many small cockroaches in it. We also saw a few long-legged centipedes moving very fast along our path. We were warned to be careful as the centipede can bite. The guide told us it is long-legged because it was dark in the cave and they need their long legs to feel their way around. I can hear the sound of bats all around me.
One of the live stalagmites.
If you look carefully, you can see so many animals from this formation.
A small pool formed around the rock formation.
There are many interesting looking stalactites and stalagmites along the way. Now I know there are live and dead ones. The live rock formation is the stalactites and stalagmites that are still forming. If you have problem remembering which one is at the top and which one is at the bottom, look at the spelling. StalagMites have M in it, same as bottoM. Some formation even sparkled like diamonds.
Here's a stalactite that looks like fish fin.
Layers of fish fins
It took about 80 years to form 1 inch of straw. When it is still forming, the tip looks like glass.
We had a very interesting blind man experience when our guide asked everyone to switch off all light sources. It was pitch black we couldn't even see our hands in front of us. It is not the same when you close your eyes to pretend your blind. In this experience, no matter how wide we open our eyes we still couldn't see. And when everyone is quiet, we can hear the sound of water dripping very slowly. Just imagine if we're alone with no lights at all, I have no idea how we're going to get out from the cave.
We then gather at a place where I normally see in photographs of Batu Caves (see below). The pictures I took couldn't do justice to the real deal. You just have to go and see it for yourselves. The huge caves, the interesting looking formation and the whole experience. But please don't follow the guide available at the entrance. Their trip is really tame as compared to the one organized by MNS. That one is for tourist and most of them are not prepared for the real caving experience. I saw one tourist going in with a skirt. It is OK lah for them to have the first taste of the dark caves experience.
We have to leave most of our things here for the real adventure.
Fancy going in there?
We saw a big 3 feet snake as we're about to enter the area where the real caving experience begins. It was white with some interesting patterns on it. Really beautiful. I was only about 2 meters away from it. Somebody mentioned its name but I can't hear clearly. I wish I had brought my camera along.
The real adventure starts when we have to go down on all four to move in the cave and in some places, we have to be on our belly, moving by pushing with our toes or wiggling our body forward. I don't know what to expect so of all my trips, I have to wear my V-neck t-shirt this time. When we wiggle forward, our neckline will be pushed down and the mud will get in your body and your bra. We also have to remember to straighten our clothes when we reached a bigger place where we can crawl, sit or stand or everyone will enjoy the free show in the dark caves hehehe... No wonder they asked us to leave everything behind. Not even my pouch (hence no photo) and some participants even have to take off her belt or else she can't move. Our guides were wearing overalls.
Somebody has to mention he found glowworms when I'm on my belly and in water trying to wiggle my way through. Yikes!!! I later found out the glow worms is really tiny and attaches itself to the cave wall. It's not better but wasn't as scary as long as it is not in the water. The slithering and wiggling was really fun. The experience will be different if you don't know what you'll find at the other end of course. We're lucky to be here just to enjoy the experience. Then we have to climb (imagine doing rock climbing) and slide down, and climb some more. We were really, really dirty.
On our way out, we were told to be quiet by one of the tourist guide as the National Geographic is filming in the cave. We passed by the National Geographic group. What a coincidence as I did wonder how did the National Geographic and those doing nature documentaries bring all their equipment along the really, really narrow passages. We tried to be quite but the sound of our footsteps stomping on the ground really echoed in the cave. I guess they have to re-take after all.
I should have taken a before picture but I never thought about it. Anyway, this is my after picture. My pants original color is beige and the edge of my t-shirt is cream. All has turned to dirty muddy brown. I wonder whether it will turn back to its original color after soaking and washing. It was raining when we got out from the cave and since we're already dirty, we just walk down the staircase in the rain. But it is not heavy enough to wash off mud from our clothes and shoes.
I brought spare clothes in my car and we can bathe at the toilet below. There is no way I can drive back without dirtying my car if I didn't change. Everyone seeking shelter at the bottom looked at us curiously. Where on earth have we been too? We just smile at them. The guy taking care of the toilet will not let us in with our dirty shoes. Luckily I have changed to one of those hotel slippers, walking from my car across to the toilet as if I owned the place hehehe... I don't want to dirty my spare shoes. The road was wet with puddles of water everywhere.
The toilet is big and clean. I soaped twice, trying to get rid of the mud all over me. The cool water felt so refreshing I don't feel like going out but I got hungry already. It's about 3 p.m. when I shower and my last meal was breakfast at 10.00. Then I discover I forgot to bring towel. Oh shoot! Luckily I have tissue papers so dab dab dab with some tissue papers. I have to use lots and lots of tissue papers. Alaaa... lebih kurang jer lah and after wearing my clothes, I tried to wash the dirty clothes, get rid of the mud as much as I can. Tough luck.
Now all the dirty clothes are in the pail with lots of soap and some bleach. I hope it can be cleaned. The next time I go caving, I'll wear overalls and boots.
I then realize my feet felt like jelly and shaking. I sat in the car for a while before I started driving. I finally felt the after effect of all that climbing but I'm not going to change the experience for anything. I must put lots and lots of deep heating rub tonight before I go to sleep. Tomorrow I have to conduct half-day training. Luckily it's only half day.
One of the thing I wish is not there is the graffiti all over the wall. Even at places where you have to crawl on your belly and climb so high. Luckily now people are not allowed to enter the area without guide. You're also not supposed to touch the rock formation and you must mind your step so as not to disturb the natural environment in the cave. I hope more and more people will appreciate our natural heritage.
1 comment:
Wow. Interesting. I didn't know there was a dark cave there. My hubby used to go rockclimbing at the other side of the cave hill.
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