Let's just say that I got caught with the bug because my sister, Karen, is a regular hiker and despite her schedule (working and studying), she finds the time to go trekking and hiking every Sunday. Then another blogger, Winnie, (who happens to be my ex-colleague) is also a regular hiker. Never thought she would be one. So, I kena (got) sucked into this whole hiking thing. And then one find day, the opportunity came and I suggested, 'Aiya, let's take the kids walking lah' and turns out, everyone wanted to go as well wor! OK-lah. At least, if I turn up dead, there's somebody to carry my dead body home.
Joshua bug-eyed early in the morning. Jared checking to see how many inches of dirt he managed to scrap off that orange/yellow fence. Grandma checking if her shoes are still there.
The last time I came face-to-face with nature, let me say this with a very solemn face, was when I was still in high school....some merentas desa (cross- country) thing that I didn't like. And it was also then that I encountered, for the first time in my life, leeches!
This time....the destination? FRIM.
It wasn't easy for me to give up sleeping in late on a Sunday, trust me, I am over-protective of my weekends because weekdays have to wake up at 6-something. But I managed to crawl out of bed and reach FRIM by nine-ish. Summore got enough time to sit down and lim teh (drink tea).
Frankly, I was surprised that so many people thought hiking was cool. I thought it would be deserted because every Malaysian I know would rather sleep in on a Sunday morning, not meh? The turnout was darn good...and I'm surprised. And maybe coz I am so much of an online person that I no longer know that there are trees outside and that some people actually wake up early to exercise wan.
The trail isn't quite as bad as I thought it was going to be...AT FIRST. I know it's not those with paved pathways and all that and was prepared for THAT. So, the beginning part was easy lah. There were some in the group who were a little more gung-ho than others...they started RUNNING wor.
Woy!! There's a long way more leh....slow lah. This out-of-shape snail cannot catch-up leh!! Even my kids were jogging way ahead of me liao. Me and my bag heavy because of the water tumblers, handphone, book (like I am gonna sit there and read to the mozzies lidat) and a couple of other stuffs.
From beginning, it was OK-lah, slopping upwards, have to slouch to walk up. Then reach halfway, a little out of breath liao lor. Midway, they have this 'option' whereby you can choose to climb the hill....or NOT. I voted not but was outvoted by a very enthusiastic bunch of people.
Right in front of us was this ah-pek with a walking stick.
Aiyah....if ah-pek can climb, why not me lah? The kids were very, very INTO it. In the above picture, the kids were trying to OVERTAKE the ah-pek. They did....VERY QUICKLY like F1 maneuver. I have to keep shouting for them to slow down...wait for this chiky to catch up lah!! By this time, it was me who was in grave need of a walking stick myself.
As you can see, the hill is very steep and at one point in time, I got a little bit scared because the kids were way faster than me. I willed myself and trudged on....have to catch up with them because I know uphill may be taxing for the legs, you don't play with gravity when going downhill.
The view was phenomenal...for me lah (I don't see anything beyond the computer screen, the piano sheet and also the traffic outside my condo), I don't get out very much but who's got time to look at the scenery when one is fighting for every breath that she gets to inhale?
Luckily, in between, they have quite a lot of rest areas. So, we took a break every once in a while to catch our breath. My mother-in-law's legs were starting to creak so she got herself a cane....hahahaha.....GOT HERSELF because she just grabbed a really huge branch, broke part of it off and used it to support herself when walking.
FRIM is surprisingly well-kept, well-maintained and well-managed. But there were some tiny issues that may have escaped their radar. Like this....
And then we also found some condom wrappers along the way. Apparently, it's kinky to do it in the forest. My hats off to these people for their sense of adventure and inability to control their libido.
After the short reprive, we were ready to tackle the rest of the trail. I was just eager to get it over and done with. I want to see the slope heading downwards and also flat lands. All that climbing was starting to eat into my muscles. A lot of times, we had to hold onto the rocks, boulders and tree branches when going down. Maybe it was just me but I thought the path down was rather precarious. Like wanna fall down, trip or out-of-balance all the time. But then again...it could have been just me.
Many times, we heard some sort of screeching up in the trees. My kids ask me, "Mom, what's the sound? What kind of animal izzit?" This mommy went....????????
Talking about animals, when going down, I almost ter-pegang (touched) ONE marder-fooking big centipede!!! It was a bloody huge one....almost like a snake!! OK, I exagerated but it was huge enough! Luckily it didn't shock me enough to cause me to catapult downhill! That's nature for you....
Honestly, I made a very big mistake when coming down. I got a little anxious about going down that I held hands with my younger son all the way down sideways....which means that I have to use one leg to go down most of the time. I forgot to change side and end up, one leg is massively tortured!
The walk down was almost endless and finally, we reach the end of it. Flat lands again!!!!!!
After the hill, everything was pretty much just....walking. But it got a little bit dangerous because there were this bunch of cyclists going at super sonic high speed. Whenever you can hear gravel scrunching behind you, it's them and you either make way or end up with tire marks all over you. We made sure the kids stayed to the side of the path....just in case one of those buggers came speeding from behind without ringing their bloody bells.
After all that walk, we spotted a small but very nice stream. The water isn't blue. I am sorely disappointed with that - but hey, it's a stream for crissakes. You don't find natural streams anywhere near where we live. Monsoon drain got lah....but streams? Nah....
So the kids couldn't resist taking off their shoes and going in. The water was cold but beautifully so. Did I go in? Why the hell would I want to end up having to clean all the sand from my shoes later on? No lah....I didn't go in. Instead, I sat to the side taking pictures and warning the kids about the slippery rocks....and asking them if they caught any fishes.
They saw a cat fish, they said. I didn't see no nothing. Not even a tadpole.
Anyway, it was an absolutely fun outing that I consider an eye-opener. The first thing I did was call my sister to tell her that I actually tackled a trail! What a revelation! Tackle a gym, can. A trail? That's huge. She's never been to FRIM before so, she said next week she's going. I am thinking of going with them...but thinking of not bringing the kids along this time.
Well, we'll see.....
I have been doing this pose, part of Cosmic Dance (a type of yoga, I am assuming), called Stargazer pose without knowing it is called Stargazer's pose a lot in the past. You see, sometimes, I don't follow the rules and come up with my own stretches and poses. It is fun. I have on some music, nice, soothing music or just anything I can click on. Then I go with the flow, letting my hair down. Just moving to the music...and that is when I come up with the above Stargazer's pose. This pose really stretches your sides. Keep your eyes on the outstretched hand if you are keeping it pointed to the top, as if you are waving or connecting to a higher energy from the Universe. Your arms will ache a little but hey, toned arms, here you come! :-) For those who want a bigger stretch, it is safe to slowly and gently move the lifted hand towards your back...don't overdo it, listen to your body's complaints and respect it. You don't have to prove anything to anyone, reme
Comments
anyways, thanks for dropping by my blog. cheers.....
Never been there before but I have the perception it's an easy one.
Perhaps you can give Nuang a try next time. Betcha you'll learn alot from there and definitely improve your vocabulary.
Or you're a little more adventuresome, you can go for something easier like whitewater rafting at Gopeng and then do a waterfall abseiling too. Good fun, I tell ya!
angie ng, AND you think hiking is my thing??? heylow...i sorta got sucked into it, man! and yes, man! I SURVIVED!!!
kok yee, why visiting Nuang will improve my vocab pulak? foul language vocab? as for rafting ah....erm, wait until i a little bit fitter, then i MIGHT CONSIDER. :-)
winnie, isn't it amazing???? I din die!!!! I am still alive here. That's the thing....my sister, you, my cousin, maya...these people infect me lor. so, have to try it at least once and see. lucky I survive, man!