Gunung Murud 19-24 Aug 2007

Our adventure to Gunung Murud started with an initial prolonged 3 hours bumpy ride on the muddy logging trail from Buduk Nur, Ba’ Kelalan (Elevation: 925m) to Lepo Bunga (1685m). Due to the continuous rain the night before, we started late at 9 a.m. hoping that the logging trail would be drier for vehicles to pass. Nonetheless, our 4WD stalled a couple of times enroute to Lepo Bunga.

After 40 minutes of ascent from Lepo Bunga, which included climbing up several step logs (ladders) we arrived at a small clearing (2030m). From here, it was supposed to be an easy gentle walk along the plank walkway which runs approximately 3 km. The wet weather had made the walk tedious because the planks were slippery and some, rotten. We took about 80 mins to complete the plank walk which ends at the foothill (2153m) of Batu Linanit. The Church camp is located right behind the hill. One has the option of taking a 20 min trek around the hill or scale up and down the Batu Linanit hill to reach the Church Camp. We opted to scale up Batu Linanit (2211m) hill with the hope of getting a great view of the Batu Lawi and others. Unfortunately, it started to rain and we were forced to make a quick exit downhill to the Church camp (2072m). We took 30 minutes to trek uphill and 35 minutes downhill.

The following morning, we trekked in the rain for 4 hours to reach the Rock Garden (Batu Kebun) and another 30 mins to reach the Summit (2423m) at 12.55 p.m. The trail initially descended downhill to 1915m before ascending to 2285m at Rock Garden. The trail was muddy and filled with pools of water trapped by rotting roots. The scenery to the Batu Kebun was stunning with bonsai trees interspersed with huge boulders and colourful shrubs.

After a quick meal, we started our return trek at 1.45p.m. The river which we had trekked up earlier had swollen and the river boulders were no longer visible for us to trek on as they were covered by gushing water. Here our 3 guides cum porters (Kading, Jimmy and Paulous), displayed extraordinary agility in helping us to navigate across and down the riverbank. We hurried our way back and managed to reach Church Camp at 4.40 p.m. cutting down the time taken to 3 hours. The following day, we made another trip up Batu Linanit hill given a clear morning before descending down to Lepo Bunga. The trail was so fresh and alive from the rain the night before. Today we get to take photographs of wild flowers and Nepenthes. From Lepo Bunga we trekked 45 minutes down the logging trail to meet up with our late 4WD (because it had earlier stuck in mud for 3 hours).

Tips: Wear Kampong Adidas and avoid using walking stick because it takes a lot of energy to pull up the stick from the soggy ground after each step: thereby slowing down the pace.

For the photographs, please refer to http://happytrekker.shutterfly.com/pictures/1361.

Gunung Angsi 5 Aug 2007

Went up to Gunung Angsi Summit via Bukit Putus and return via Ulu Bendol. This third hike to the Summit was made most special by the variety of mushrooms sighted in terms of shapes, sizes and colours. There were blue, pink, orange, brown, yellow, white. It must be mushroom season. Needless to say we spent time to take the best shots and thus took longer than usual to reach the Summit and return. It turned out to be a photography trek.

For the photographs, please refer to http://happytrekker.shutterfly.com/pictures/1173.

Kuala Selangor Nature Park 28-29 Jul 2007

Kuala Selangor Nature Park - Great place for bird watching as well as to see silver leaf monkey. Of course not forgetting the famous Ijok beggar chicken nearby.

For the photographs, please refer to http://happytrekker.shutterfly.com/pictures/1078.

Phnom Kulen & Beng Melea 14 Jul 2007

Continued from: http://happyotrekker.blogspot.com/2007/07/kbal-spean-13-july-2007_22.html

Phnom Kulen is the original capital of the Khmer Empire before Angkor Wat. It is 50 km from Siem Reap and is only acessable by motor vehicle (not tuk-tuk). Before the construction of road, the people used to hike up the hill to pray to Buddha located at the top of the hill (360m). Our proposal to hike up the hill was ditched when told that it would take 3 hours to hike up the trail. At the hilltop, there are hundreds of linga stands in the Seim Reap River, a waterfall and a pagoda. Entrance fee to Phnom Kulen is steep at USD20 pax.

Beng Melea is a sprawling jungle temple over 1 sq km. It is located 63 km from Seim Reap and it takes over 1 hr to reach there by car. The temple is overrun by vegetation thus giving it a 'lost temple ' feel. A nice place to photograph trees growing from the broken towers and galleries. Wooden planks and ladders have been put up to assist tourists to climb over the ruins. A local showed us the right trail through the ruins - which involved lots of risky climbing and scrambling over stacks of tumbled granite blocks, some as high as 20m and ducking through openings. It was fun... a nice departure from the standard temple fare. Our taxi driver Mr Chhon Chhoub (+855012822128 hp) is a very informative person well versed in world affairs also.








For more photographs, please refer to http://happytrekker.shutterfly.com/pictures/798.

Kbal Spean 13 Jul 2007

Continued from: http://happyotrekker.blogspot.com/2007/07/siem-reap-july-2007.html

Aka 'The river of 1000 lingas' is situated in Phnom Kulen National Park outside Seim Reap. It takes about 2 hours to travel by tuk-tuk from Siem Reap. The last 45 minutes is on laterite road filled with pot holes. From the parking area, one needs to trek 45 minutes uphill through the woods to reach there. The trail is wide and clear. Along the way, we see very 'ancient' trees with thick long vines twisted into many shapes. There are also carvings of Buddha and Buddhist images in the riverbed and rocks.

For the photographs, please refer to http://happytrekker.shutterfly.com/pictures/770.

Next: http://happyotrekker.blogspot.com/2007/07/phnom-kulen-beng-melea-14-july-2007.html

Siem Reap 10 Jul 2007

Spent 7 days in Siem Reap and find that it a highly touristy place and USD is the king currency. Siem Reap Angkor Visitors Guide book which is available freely in hotels is a very comprehensive and accurate book. Surprisingly, it is well written in good English. Visited 17 temples and nearly got “templed out”. Luckily, our itinerary included interesting hiking trips to Phnom Bakheng and Kbal Spean as well as an outstation trip to Phnom Kulen and Beng Melea. In my opinion, the best temples are Angkor Thom, Angkor Wat and Ta Phrom.

I like to highlight a frightening experience with the Lolei temple (part of the Roluos Gp) comprising 4 brick towers on a double laterite platform. While taking a snapshot of a brick tower against the sky I experienced a weird feeling of bricks moving and collapsing on me. This was also experienced by my friend. Later, we comforted ourselves and attributed the optical illusion to the white clouds moving fast backwards against the blue sky.

For the photographs, please refer to http://happytrekker.shutterfly.com/pictures/797.

Next: http://happyotrekker.blogspot.com/2007/07/kbal-spean-13-july-2007_22.html

Sungai Lembing 2-3 Jun 2007

Arrived at Sg Lembing late at 10 p.m. Stayed at Sungei Lembing Resthouse located along the Main Street. The rooms are air-conditioned with clean sheets and beds. Woke up early the following morning and started off at 6.15 a.m. in a 4WD to the head trail of the Rainbow waterfall. The bumpy ride along the logging trail took 11/2 hour to reach a riverbank. Crossing the river was a task because of the strong current and slippery riverbed. From here, we took another 1 hour to trek to the Rainbow waterfall.

The trail took us through a couple of river crossing and jungle trails to avoid certain stretches of steep river gradients. Luck was not with us for we saw a faint rainbow due to the weak sunlight. Our driver took us back using a different route via a riverbed crossing and through Sungei Mas aborigine settlement. That night, after a seafood dinner at the famous Muhibbah Restaurant in Kuantan, we went shopping for the famous Mui Heong Ham Yee.

The following morning we trekked up the Panorama Hill at 5.45 a.m. Reached the summit at 6.04 a.m. This time luck was with us as we saw the sun rising beautifully over the horizon at 6.52 a.m. The sun resembled a dark yolk of the salted egg. The view from the summit was simply breath-taking; we had an orangey sky on the East and a fading moon high above magnificent floating clouds on the opposite side.

After breakfast we visited the Charas Cave and Pandan Waterfall on our way home.

For the photographs, please refer to http://happytrekker.shutterfly.com/pictures/965.