I have to tell this story before I forget the details of it.
Before Friday, the highest mountain (or hill) that I ever climb was Penang Hill. Friends in Penang would know that I like hiking, and every now and then, would ask them, especially those who like outdoor activities, to accompany me for my hiking trips.
This weekend, I went to Malaysia (at Rembau, N Sembilan) for a trekking trip, up Gunung Datuk. It was the craziest (and highest) trekking experience I ever had.
We set off from Kranji, taking the SBS bus 170 to reach there. I am yet again thankful for my dual status in Singapore and Malaysia, with the lack of form-filling routine and the easy access of the autogate with only 2 steps on the Singapore side.
I sign up for this trip alone, and met other new friends on the way. I have always wanted to do this, to go on a trekking trip with SMUX, and since this is my last semester, it's either now or never.
After arriving at the mall in JB, City Square, we had McD then boarded the bus to Gunung Datuk.
The drive there was very long, longer than the trek itself. It took approximately 4.5 hours to reach Gunung Datuk, as there was a bike race mid way which caused one of the roads leading to Gunung Datuk to be blocked.
A little about the Gunung: it's around 800m tall, and supposely will take 2, maximum 3 hours to reach the peak. The peak is supposedly chilly, and we were told to bring a windbreaker. The climb is steep at first, but will become much better after that.
When we reach Gunung Datuk, it was about 4 pm. The team leaders were pondering whether to ascend, but the camp site officer in charge said that there were already 40 people at the peak camping overnight, so it would be better if we stay at the base and hike up early in the morning.
And so, we stayed at the base camp for the night. We brought pots, canisters, Bunsen burners, hot dog, teriyaki chicken, (fish, pork, chicken) balls, eggs, etc, and had steamboat! Lol. It was a fun experience, eating and cooking. Okay, I didn't cook at all cus the guys in my group were very good at cooking, and were enough of gentlemen to cook the meals without the girls and the exchange student to do much work (we had a Finnish exchange student in our group;)).
We learnt that Finnish people also had to go for NS, cus they had Russia an immediate military threat. And our Finnish friend, Pontus, is quad-lingual. I tell you, knowing 3 languages is just not enough when you mix around with people all over the world. His first language is Swedish, as he belongs to the minority of Finnish people who speaks Swedish as their first language. And of course he knows Finnish. English is his third, and they are required to take another foreign language in university, and he took French.
The other exchange student, a German, Simon, ironically didn't go for NS. He is the youngest son of three boys, at such, it is a law in Germany that if there is more than one male in the same generation in a family, the youngest one can be excluded from serving NS. But now he says that Germany is transiting into voluntary military service. I wonder why.
Throughout the day, most of us were kinda wet, cus we went exploring a little and got caught in the rain. Not to mention walking here and there to get the necessary equipments for cooking. It wasn't a nice feeling wearing damp clothes.
Anyway, after that, we washed up and went to sleep. The sleep wasn't good, as it was raining. We were to wake up at 2am, (yes, 2am) to start trekking up. If it were still raining heavily, then we wouldn't go up. I think I slept in total around 3 hours only.
After waking up, everyone gathered and we start the trek. Now the party begins.
It was pitch black, no lights anywhere on the way up the trek. Most of us had a torchlight, and so that was our saviour for the trek. Each person in the group is to bring a bag to store our important belongings and the necessary stuff. Again, I didn't have to do anything, cus the guys in my group were very helpful.
And so, we started our trek. Thankfully, it wasn't raining when we started the trek. We had to be very careful for the first half, as it was pretty steep, with boulders, roots and trees to go through. It was a little slippery, cus it was raining the day before. I had many "almost slipped" moments, as always.
The hike up the second half was okay, but as we have been hiking for more than an hour, I was getting tired. Thankfully, it wasn't a very long way more up, and it was relatively horizontal as compared to the first half.
When we reach the peak, it was around 5am. It was still pitch black. We had to climb up ladders to reach the summit. There were no trees hindering the view, so we could see the lights of the city, whichever city it was. Probably Melacca. It was windy, and thankfully I had my windbreaker.
After everyone manage to reach the summit, not long after that, we started to feel droplets of rain. Oh no. We wanted to reach the summit in time for sunrise, but I guess we were too early.
Ah. everyone had to climb down the scary ladders, pitchblack, and go into hiding in between boulders, something like a cave.
The wind was howling on the summit. I'm not joking. Plus it was raining. Wind coupling with the rain, it was getting colder and colder. We were cold, wet and hungry. Not to mention tired too. I'm going ot be 23 already, I'm not up for all these adventures. Hurhurhur.
The rain persisted, and became a little heavier. I didn't care about seeing the sunrise as much alerady, and wanted to trek down. I guess at this point of life I have seen enough and experience enough that things like seeing the sunrise on top of the mountain isn't my priority in life anymore. Lol.
Out of the 24 people on this trek, 9 of us were desperate enough for warmth that we trekked down first. Again, it was pitch black. Thankfully, those who went down with me had a torchlight. Mine didn't work, probably cus it got wet along the way.
Half way through, the rain became even heavier. I forgot how it felt like being dry already. It has almost been a full day of being in wet clothes. My shoes were drenched, and so were my clothes. Some of my friends had leeches on their feet, inside their shoes. Eww. My trek pants was getting heavier due to the rain, and my clothes were so dirty. What the heck. Now I don't care whether my clothes were dirty or clean, I just wanted to get to flat ground and get sheltered.
The trek down the horizontal path was longer than it felt. Probably because we were desperate to feel dry. Along the way, the sun started coming up, and there was light! Yay! We didn't need our torchlights anymore.
When we reached the crosspoint between the horizontal and steep part, I heaved a sigh of relief. Finally, more than half way down!!! A little more to go! But yes, the steep part was crazy. I was sliding down some places, as the mud was wet enough to do so. But we had to be extremely careful, with the rain still coming down on us and the path being so slippery. My shoes were not good shoes to go hiking, and again, I slipped, here and there.
I was soooo grateful to reach flat ground that I let out a scream of joy. Thank God, I reach flat ground, and thank God I had no leech bites (I think). The girls went to shower, whereas the boys just used the public tap to wash themselves up. Not long after that, the other people from the summit came down too. They didn't manage to catch the sunrise, at it was raining and cloudy, so the clouds blocked the rain.
Ahhh...I was dry. Finally. Now this was how it felt to feel dry! I had so many small granites in my hair, body, wherever! It was a cold shower, but what the heck, a wash is beter than none.
After that, I had a little bit of breakfast before boarding the bus back.
Throughout the whole day (and even up to now), it has continued to rain. Yes, not just in Rembau, but in JB and Singapore too. The rain has not stopped. I thank God that I'm back home already, and got a proper shower.
Zi Hui, the girl in my group asked me "how was your trek experience?"
I replied "one of a kind", and she aptly continued "and never again". ;)
So much for an adventure up a mountain!
Happy CNY to all who celebrates it. ;)