The thick forest becomes a canopy shielding us from the hot sun and light rain.
I shouldn't have taken nasi lemak for breakfast. The sambal was really nice but it's giving me heartburn during my climb. I slept at 3 a.m. for two days in a row. I hope this will not affect me in any way. After about 100 meters or so, those with better stamina got far ahead and the path was not as crowded anymore. Gunung Datuk is a relatively easy climb for most people but very, very difficult for me. What do I expect? It's not like I have been keeping myself fit. I envy watching those more senior than I am so nimble on the track.
It's cloudy so we probably couldn't see a good view on top of the mountain.
We were among the last in the group and everyone gave each other encouragements to keep going. Every time we see a bright skyline, we thought we're there already but after climbing up some more, we saw more trees and more trail. When are we ever going to reach the 884m peak? Thick dense and dark forest, bright skyline, thick dense and dark forest, bright skyline... felt like we're on the journey of the never-ending steep trail. Half way up, the trail wasn't as steep anymore and the climb gets easier.
Waiting for my turn to climb up in the mist.
My buddy commented that I should have taken a better care of my health. Working so hard for the company for what? Sometimes I couldn't go on some trips with her because I have weekend training or traveling outstation on Sunday. She said my company should compensate me for taking away my social life hehehe... How I wish they’d do that. She also give useful advice on how I can choose to retire maybe at 40 or 45 and then just do whatever I want to do. She's hoping I can go travel to Europe with her but I told her economically, I'm not there yet. For now, it'll be Cuti-cuti Malaysia for me. Nearby Asian countries may be but since she has traveled to most of the places, I have to wait for when Ben can go with me.
In the mist, I can only see nearby boulders and trees.
People say this is Hang Tuah's foot print. The other side is at Tanjung Tuan.
The weather was cloudy from KL all the way to Rembau so we probably wouldn't see very far when we reach the top. It drizzled for a few minutes as we're about to reach the top and then it stopped. That brings the mist down. We finally reached the top at 15 minutes to two and since we're the last to arrive, quickly eat our lunch and climb the big boulder to see whatever we can see on top which was nothing. My buddy decided not to climb up further. Watching some people having difficulty climbing up and down the ladder, I felt very proud of myself for being able to climb the steep ladder up and down without much problem. We have to celebrate our every little personal victory and be thankful that we're capable of doing things that we'd otherwise take for granted.
Waiting for my turn to climb down. Lucky for me, my feet and hand were not shaking throughout the journey.
Immediately after I get down from the boulder, my buddy is ready to make a move. It drizzled again on our way down but the thick forest canopy protects us from the rain. Going down was very much easier especially half way from top since the trek is not so steep. At times, I felt like speed walking down the mountain. A group of youngsters managed to catch up with us and we let them pass. I was also annoyed because they're listening to music probably from the handphone because the quality of the sound is like the AM/FM radio without a good speaker. I go into the jungle to get peace and quiet and listen to the natural sound but ended up having to listen to their music. I think using a headphone would be more considerate if they want to listen to music.
The misty jungle.
Anyway, not long after they passed us, the rain gets heavier. I wear my poncho but I wish I had worn my hat inside. With just the poncho covering my head, my face and spec gets wet. This is one of those time I felt wearing a spec is such a nuisance. Earlier, it slipped all the time due to my sweaty face and now I need a wiper to see clearly in the rain.
After raining for a while, I felt like we're walking down a muddy river. All the water flows down on the trek and in some places, we have to use the rope a la commando to get down because the trek get so slippery. Even though my poncho is long, I still get wet pants down because in some places I have to sit and slide down carefully. This time I get ahead of my buddy and I have to keep on moving before I get any muscle cramp or worse, asthma attack. I know she's safe with the sweeper's help since once of the sweeper advised me to keep moving.
The mountain has a 45 degree steepness. The trail looks like the trail that never ends. Imagine muddy water going down all these natural steps like a river and we have to use the same way to go down the mountain. I dare not take out my camera once it started raining heavily.
Towards the end of the trail, I was walking alone and has to stop many times to ensure I'm on the right trail, looking for those red and white plastic tied to some branches as a guide. At one point I really couldn't see that plastic and waited for the sweeper but luckily a few people climb up in the rain so I go down the way they came. It is nice meeting people on the way, sometimes we just say Hi and sometimes we stopped to chitchat for a while.
On our way up, the famous question when we meet people on the way down is how much further. Distance is very relative actually and some say 15 minutes, another would say half an hour and some other would say 'jauh lagi'. Aduhaiii... It is easier coming down anyway and on my way down, if people ask the same question, I couldn't really tell also. Anyway, on my way down I just smile at them and say Hi and Bye to some. Nobody asked how much further. Quite a number of people wanted to camp on top of the mountain even in the rain.
After I reached the base camp, I waited for my buddy. Not that I can do anything without her because I car-pool in her car and she's keeping the key. My spare clothes were in the car. More and more people come out from the jungle and still I couldn't see her. She's the last one to come out and our sweeper-coordinator is with her. She said she got stiff knee but still can drive back. There's a toilet for us to take bath and this is the second consecutive weekend already I took a bath in a public toilet :) Lucky for me there’s no leeches on me. My buddy has 1 still stuck on her leg and another bloody spot where the leech was gone. Our coordinator said we got our money's worth since we went into the rainforest and get the rain and the forest hehehe...
By the way, I was using a new shoe that I bought more than a year ago but never wear them. The shoe from my caving adventure is still in the pail. Even though it is a muddy trail down but my shoe is not very dirty. Just wet. Probably because the muddy water is flowing and not a thick, stagnant mud like in the cave. Now I have two dirty shoes instead of one. Sigh! That is one thing I dislike about trips like this. All the wet and dirty clothes.
My body aches all over the places and I rub on deep heating rub before I drive back. It would be nice to have a hot tom yam soup after being in the rain but wearing my hotel slipper again, I'm too lazy to come down. I ended up having McD chicken porridge for dinner because there's a drive-thru counter. I went for my massage session this morning. All my veins are tight, I’d scream if the lady massage too hard. She didn’t dare force it too. I’m walking like an old lady right now. It would probably take two to three days before I feel OK.
Somebody has taken a video on top of the mountain, you can view it here. I found a blog with photos on top of the mountain when it is not misty here. Maybe one day I'd climb this mountain again and hopefully I can get clear view as far as my eyes can see.
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