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It was
a very special adventure experience that I ever had. After having
lunch in a Chinese restaurant, we parked our car nicely at Kahang
town (RM5 per night), got on the first Malaysian 4WD coach and our
journey began. It was a wet season, flooding news everywhere from
Johore, Pahang, Terengganu and Kelantan. The water level has cross
the river bank and the bridge surface. We have to get off and walk
when the coach arrived bridges or slope ramp , to reduce the weight
and to guarantee the safety of all passengers. The red soil becomes
muddy and very slippy in rainy season. At the beginning we think
that we may save RM60 (the return transportation fee between Kahang
and Kampung Peta) if we drive our own car to the destination. Until
then we just realize that it was impossible because even if you
have your own 4WD jeep, unless you are a trained, experienced and
expert 4WD driver, or you will get stuck deep into the mud, or worse,
you have to throw away your lovely car. The journey takes 3-4 hours
depends on the weather and the road conditions.
Once we
arrived the Endau Rompin Safari Camp, it's indeed a very nice camp,
the camp owner Mr Yusof's family has already prepared some cookies
and drinks for us. We have bonus welcome fruits:- durians and rambutans,
since it was local fruits season. You can see durians and rambutans
everywhere and you can also smell it in the air. We are accommodated
in a fan chalet which has 3 beds, not big but clean and neat. Hanging
around before having dinner, there is a fish pool and a very cute
and tiny monkey in the backyard. A generator hut located 50 meters
away from our chalet which will light up our room at night time
but doesn't make too much of noise. You can see the river just behind
the generator hut and according to Mr. Yusof, the river water looks
very clear that you can also see the stone on the riverbed during
dry season. The wind blew stronger and stronger and finally it brought
the rain, we have had our dinner and watching Astro's HBO channel
program - The Deep Blue Sea. It's pretty cool to watch such a movie
in this kind of weather condition. I feel comfortable but a little
bit cold because wore only a t-shirt and short pants.
Our adventure began in the second day morning. Due
to the wet season, the water level is higher than ever and the stream
flows rapidly, we were to wear the life jacket to avoid unexpected
incident. After travelled along the Endau River on a longboat to
the trekking staging point at Kuala Jasin, we walk in a drizzle
and we saw a fresh footprints of a young, male tiger. We try to
track the tiger but we were not the lucky one. Mr Yusof told us
that we just have to keep quite and stay tuned when youfacing with
the tiger.
We arrived
at Jasin River and took a little break there. The rope which tied
across the river was hit by the stream and rebounding rhythmically.
In normal condition we should wade across the river by holding the
rope, but we don't do so in this strong rapid current. After crossing
the river, Mr Yusof sprayed "Bygon" on our shoes to avoid leeches
before starting trekking into the jungle. Leeches become very active
in a damp condition. Fighting the leeches all way long in the jungle,
I am not afraid of those little blood sucking creature anymore.
Buy and wear leech socks for only RM3/pair if you really feel panic
about the leeches bite. On the half way, Mr Yusof showed us the
nepenthes plant that grows naturally in the tropical rain forest.
I am wondering where can I buy this plant so that I can plant it
at home to 'eat' mosquitoes.
We were waiting for the lunch time while Mr Yusof and his workers were preparing lunch for us at Kuala Marong. Kuala Marong is a camp site and there are toilets and showers over there. After lunch we visited small waterfall at Upeh Guling and the bluetinted waters of Tasik Air Biru. The water at Tasik Air Biru was very clear though it was a rainy day. We swam there for about half an hours and back to Kuala Marong, preparing for paddling canoe down the Jasin River. If you like white water rafting, you might enjoy this activity, too. Canoeing ended at Kuala Jasin and we got on a 4WD to the longboat that waiting for us at Endau River. On the way back to the base camp, we smelt durians and stopped at a durian farm, some of us followed Mr Yusof to pick some durians. Then we ate some durians there. According to Mr Yusof, durian is more delicious if you have it in the farm. Anyway it was a special experience for me.
Back to the base camp at Kuala Peta, I was shocked when I saw my shoes was bleeding. It seemed that someone has been a blood donor and I have stepped on a leech. Dead, revenged. We were not tired at all, dislike the Kuala Tahan National Park, it was really exhaustive. The night jungle trekking has been cancelled due to such a bad weather condition. I conscious that we are not as clever as Orang Asli when I try to puzzle out the string from a bow-like puzzler. I learned about 4 type of puzzlers there.
On the last day, we
explored the Park headquarters and there are lots of herbal medicine,
and a small zoo. You can easily differentiate the wild chickens
and poultry chickens once you have been there. We bought some puzzler
handicrafts as souvenirs at Orang Asli settlement and it doesn't
cost us too much. Though their life is simple, they are very modern
since most of them are using solar energy as their power supply.
By
Rail By Road
by Cupid, CUTI reporter |
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A Journal of Taman Negara Endau Rompin
