Mulu Day 4 - Camp 5 - Kuala Berar - Kuala Litut

Saturday, 15th Jan 2011
Camp 5 - Kuala Berar - Kuala Litut


Alhamdullillah, mission completed. So, today we had to continue our journey back to Mulupark. Again...we had to walk 8 km through Kuala Berar Rainforest. Sakit kaki panjat Pinnacle semalam pun tak reda lagi...hari ni kena jalan lagi. Anyway, it's OK...to me good exercise. Alhamdulillah juga cos kaki aku tak lebam2 and still strong to walk again...maybe not today tha pain. Usually, you will only feel the pain after 2 or 3 days. So, I guest by time aku return KL lah kot baru nak start sengal2....whatever.

Before start of our trip back to Kuala Litut

On the way back to Mulupark, our Guide Bagli did not accompany us. His reason... because tomorrow He had another group to be guided. So what? We had paid you to guide us....and you are supposed to complete the trip with us. Kalu tak sampai Mulupark pun at least sampai Kuala Litut lah....sampai naik Bot. Aku malas nak bertekak dengan pakcik nie sebab dia macam layan tak layan je masa aku cakap dengan dia....emmhhh. So, the night before, masa kita orang dinner kita orang sempat pesan kat Mr Burong (the Chinese guide) yang kita orang nak follow dia orang on the way balik. Dia pun OK jer.

Mr Burong nie memang kelakar and very sporting. Suka benar layan kita orang. Dari turun naik Pinnacle, masak-masak n sampai lah dinner....macam-macam dia citer. Kan Best kalu dapat guide macam nie. Rupa-rupa nyer, Burong ni pun dulu pernah keje dengan Mulupark tapi tak lama cos dia tak suka dengan system kt Mulupark....conton nyer...like what had happened to us.

His very informative and rupa nyer dia nie buat macam-macam keje juga...not only freelance guide tapi juga Part time lecturer kat Unimas and currently pursuing PhD. Fuhh....hebat sungguh.

We started our journey around 7.30 a.m. Aku saing skali with Mr Burong, Julie n Adeq while others still lenggang Mak Limah kat belakang. But, still bila kita orang tak nampak dah orang kat belakang, Burong will stop and wait for us while let his group to go first. Caring sungguh. Banyak juga lah borak2 dengan Burong ni sepanjang jalan balik... sempat juga dia bagi tahu tips on how to get help if lost, nak kasi tau location kat mana & the best way how to call your fren while in the jungle....not to call your fren's name ya. But, use whistle to get attention. Aku memang bawa pun cuma tak tahu bila lah nak guna...now I know how to use it. Not only used when you're lost but also to let your fren now your status or location.

On the way back to you will be amazed by the beautiful view inside the rainforest.

Indah nyer

Hutan Hujan Tropika

so many small bridges you have to cross

Beautiful leaves

Aku jumpa pokok I luv u nie on the way back

Getting help

After the second bridge... I think already 6km, we had been left by Burong.... maybe dia rase at this km is OK for us to walk without guide. It's OK lagi pun dah dekat pun so since dia dah jauh kita orang pun tunggu our other frens... Kay, Fad, Yat, Huzz n T-rah. And then rehat2 dulu makan n minum n then continue balik our journey.

Another small bridge

At certain point you may find this walking track

Bamboo trees

Walaupun nampak kukuh tapi bleh tahan juga goyang dia

Lega rase nyer dah lepas brigde nie

Air kolam kecik nie sangat cantik....crystal clear

Kami dah sampai pun....nak naik boat dah

We reached Kuala Litut around 11.30 a.m macam tu. That time, our porters and abang2 Penan Boat tengah tunggu kami...hahaha. Lama juga kita orang jalan balik....4 hours juga lah. But, still we can catch the afternoon activities.

Kuala Litut...see you on next trip

To be continued.

Kampung Adidas

Saturday, 29 Jan 2011
Kedai Kasut Furong,
Bandar Baru Ampang


Lupakan sebentar citer Mulu….nak tukar topic pasal kasut kejap.

Memandang kan next week aku nak gi Camping kt Jelawang...hiking lagi lah, aku pun berusaha lah nak cari kasut getah or nama komersial nyer "Kampung Adidas". Tak usaha mana pun since Fad ajak gi beli sama2 dengan dia...aku pun ON je lah. Lagipun yang aku ade sekarang boleh masuk 3 jari lagi kt dalam kasut tu....walaupun kt situ dia tulis size 4....the smallest.

So, Petang tadi after work aku follow Fad gi jalan2 ke Bandar Baru Ampang cari Rubber Shoe. Aku bleh je pesan kt dia tolong beli kan tapi takut nanti salah beli lagi….so, the best way kita gi lah sama-sama. Lepas OT pun…semenjak dua menjak ni lah aku baru nampak Fad ni rajin OT….sabtu pun datang. Baru start busy agak nyer….lambat nyer start busy yea….aku dah lama dah tak cuti hari Sabtu. Now, Saturday become my working day also.

Sepeti yang dijanjikan aku pun dibawa oleh keter Fad n Adeq yg kebetulan ade masa tu juga pergi cari Kedai yang ade jual kasut tu. Nama kedai ni "FU RONG"

Kedai tu memang kedai kasut pun…masa aku tanye promoter dia mana kasut getah….nun jauh kt belakang skali. Haah…nampak sangat tak popular kasut nie. Maybe para pendaki diluar sana masih tak tahu kelebihan kasut Getah ni. Orrr...maybe tak tahu pun kedai ni ade jual kasut getah nie. Aku pun memandai sendiri lah cari kasut tu kt belakang with Fad....banyak stok + so many sizes. Size yg lagi kecik dari kaki aku pun ade. Siap pinjam stokin Fad test pakai jap dengan kasut....hahaha....kelakar betul. Ketawa promoter tengok kita orang....muka ayu2 akak ni tapi datang cari kasut getah jer. Hairan agak nyer yea....nak buat apa ntah.

Pilih punye pilih last2 aku amik size yg mcm Fad beli mula2 tue...b’cos yg lagi kecik dari tu just nice dengan kaki aku but takut nanti bila pakai socks lagi ketat. Tak pasal2 nanti melecet lagi. Better aku amik yang sedang-sedang saja (mcm lagu Iwan plak). Price dia RM8.90....tapi lepas tawar kami depat beli dengan RM8 sahaja. OK lah tu.

Cuma kasut nie takde spike lah macam kasut Spark a.k.a Azli Salih.

Ni lah kasut nyer...size 38 (utk sape2 yg pakai size 5)


Jenama Bowling yea

Mulu Day 3 - Spectacular Pinnacle

Friday, 14th Jan 2011
Gunung Api, Pinnacle's view


Seawal 4.30pg aku dikejutkan oleh alarm clock handphone aku. Today the real journey is going to begin. Aku terus proceed to bathroom...buat apa yang patut and then, solat Subuh... begitu juga dengan yang lain ikut giliran. Lepas tu, kami pun proceed ke dapur nak cook for our breakfast. We have to make it fast since our Pinnacle's trip will begin at 6.30 a.m. Our breakfast menu for today... roti, baked beans & nasi goreng special. Ok lah tu, buat alas perut kejap lagi dah nak mendaki. Tapi aku masih tak lalu sangat nak makan. Maybe, my sore throat still not ok.

Our packed lunch... Roti + butter, boiled eggs, Nasi Impit & serunding and plus 3L plain water. Kita orang distribute makanan sama rata & semua pun kena carry sorang skit.

Before beginning of our climb to Gunung Api...pics with our guide Bagli

Altogether, there were 3 groups for the Pinnacle's climbing today. My group, the Chinese group and the Mat Salleh group. Tapi kami yang gerak dulu masuk Hutan.

For Pinnacle, All you need to bring...

• Small back pack
• Energy snacks / lunch (Self prepared kt Camp 5)
• 2 Water bottles, 1.5L each (1 is left at the halfway point for you to use on the return journey, the other is taken to the top)

Seawal 6.30pg kami memulakan perjalanan kami. Rupa-rupanya lalu kat laluan kami menuju ke Camp 5, cumanya, kalau dari camp 5, kami kena belok ke kiri, masa tu still gelap lagi, so, use your headlamp. After about 10 min walk inside the forest, we reached our first rocky trail...which was the beginning of our hiking trill. It was just beginning....but I already felt like, fuhhh... serious mencabar...dah kena panjat batu-batu dah ke...so, aku dapat membayangkan the next trail will be much harder. Tapi yang aku agak pelik guide kami bleh buat derrrkkk jer jalan kt depan dulu....ahead all of us. Apa lah gunanya ade ade guide kalau dari mula trip till the end tak membantu apa-apa sangat, pada aku lah. ..tak tahu plak geng yang lain. So, yang ketinggalan agak kebelakang skit memang pandai-pandai lah sendiri.

Mula-mula tu aku memang rase semangat sangat & gerak agak laju juga saing dengan my guide Bagli. Aku memang follow jer dia dari belakang tapi kat certain tempat bila aku nampak orang lain dah sayup-sayup tak nampak aku suruh dia tunggu kejap, kalu tak kasi warning mahu laju je dia nie. Mayde dia ingat kita orang ni makan angin je kot. Tapi aku rasa, Bagli ni dah biase guide Mat Salleh kot that's why bila ade orang Melayu dia rase janggal skit, lagi-lagi perempuan macam kami ni. Aku akui Mat Salleh ni energy dia tak sama macam Asian people, that's why dia orang takde guide pun takpe, boleh survive. Tapi disebabkan syarat nak naik Pinnacle ni mesti ade guide, so, hebat mana pun you still need a guide to bring you, walaupun guide tak membantu apa-apa sangat pun.

On the way tu, kami dipintas oleh group Mat Salleh & Chinese group. Panjang betul langkah Mat Salleh ni. Aku fikir kalu macam ni 2 jam pun dah bleh sampai atas. Dah lah yang mula-mula start daki tadi kami, pastu siap kena pintas dengan dia orang yang start pukul 7am. Hebat, macam tak penat lansung dia orang ni, siap sengih-sengih kat kita orang lagi. Ni memang dah betul-betul fit enough lah ni.

Antara trek yang agak mencabar

We reached Mini Pinnacle around 7.30 a.m macam tu, kira OK lah tu. Meet the target. Mase ni dah 900m asl, meaning, we have another 1500m to reach. Masa ni kami diberi 15min break by Bagli. Apa lagi, sesi bergambar lah, macam-macam aksi. Masa tu, Chinese group yang pintas kami tadi tengah rehat-rehat... maybe dia orang pun baru sampai. Aku cuma rehat sekejap, makan coklat & minum air dari 1.5L bottle yang bakal aku tinggal kan kt situ nanti. Meaning the other 1.5L, I will bring all the way up to Pinnacle's viewpoint.

Mini Pinnacle... you need to reach here in within one hour

Selesai saja, we proceeded our journey, tak bleh buang masa sebab seperti yang diberitahu kami kena sampai the first ladder before 11 a.m or else we need to return back, baliklah makne nyer. Kita orang pun berusaha keras sendiri lah nak sampai ke tangga yang pertama dengan gigih nyer. Again, the Chinese group tadi pintas kami lagi but this time only two of them, their guide, Richard Burong & one of the Chinese guy. I did asked them, where the other 2? He said, the lady already vomitted and cannot proceed anymore. So, her boyfriend needs to accompany her descending. OK...noted. But, I told the Chinese guy you should tell your friend that we're already halfway, then He said, "I did telling the same thing too". Dah tak larat kan nak buat macam mana, karang paksa lain plak ceritanya. Alhamdulillah, kami semua masih OK pada masa tu.

Most of the rocks here are sharp

So, sepanjang pendakian aku, memang 100% percent aku berusaha sendiri without Bagli's help. Cuma masa time nak turun dari Pinnacles tu memang kena ade orang guide nak turun because there are certain rocky trail that need you to climb almost 90 deg. Luckily, we had Richard Burong to guide us. Burong ni actually guide kepada Chinese group but since 2 orang dah give up mase kat Mini Pinnacle, so, cuma ade sorang ahli saja lah yang dia bawa. So, dia ada banyak masa tolong kami masa nak turun. Thanks Mr Burong....you're really really helpful.

Another trail

Ratu-ratu gunung

Trail akar-akar kayu

The track is getting tougher

Pokok Zirafah....sempat kami abadikan kenangan lagi

You need rope at certain steep climb

We reached the first ladder around 10.20am... kira OK lah tu. Alhamdulillah, semua pun selamat sampai. Masa ni the real rock climbing is going to begin. Haaa...excited.

The first ladder we need to climb...

you must reach here before 11a.m or else you need to return

Altogether, there are 15 ladders you need to climb to the peak

Amacam...ade brani

The real rock climbing... if you had done rock climbing before... this is much tougher & harder but I like

Masa nie nak sampai peak dah....still mencabar juga

Beautiful view you could find on the way to the top

Finally, we reached the top. Alhamdulillah, macam tak percaya jer, kami semua berjaya. I was fascinated by the beautiful formation of the Pinnacles and forgot to ask the guide about the behind story of the Pinnacle because I was too busy taking photos and looking the surrounding area, really beautiful and unbelievable. God has made them in a very beautiful and fantastic pinnacle form.

Subhanallah, Inilah yang aku nantikan... Pinnacle

Alhamdulillah... Finally berjaya

Betullah kata orang, kalau niat kita baik semua pun akan dapat keredaan dariNya. Thanks Allah for giving me an opportunity to witness one of your wonderful and fantastic creation.

All of us... successfully made it

Pinnacle's view from the other side

Macam tak percaya jer selama ni tengok gambar orang lain jer kt sini

Mase dekat atas peak tu aku sempat capture a few type of pitcher plant and few others not so familiar floras. Cantik sangat.

We spend only about half & hour up there since we arrived late. So, around 12pm, dengan sangat berat hati kami terpaksa turun... end of our Pinnacle's view on top. Tak puas hati sangat sebab tak dapat lama. Maybe sebab kita orang dah amik masa yg banyak on the way to the top. That's why, 12pm we have to return back or else we had to walk in the dark on the way down. OK...we follow.

So many species of pitcher plant u could see

One of the pitcher plant species

Glow in the dark

So, if u think you're already good enough conquering Mount Kinabalu then you should try this. Pinnacle is much harder and tougher compare to Mount Kinabalu.

Anyway, to ALL Geng Gunung, congrats for all of your hardworking & determination to successfully reach up to this point. Korang memang terbaik lah.

Wish I could have another chance to be here again. And masa tu, aku nak make sure juga aku sampai ke Gunung Mulu. InsyAllah.

To be continued...

Mulu Day 2 - Camp 5

Camp 5, Mulu
13-15th Jan 2011


Finally after 8km walking through Kuala Berar rainforest, kami pun selamat sampai...Alhamdulillah. Aku, Julie n Adeq sampai dulu n followed by the others. Sampai2 sempat terus kami gerak ke tepi sungai yang terletak just in front of Camp 5. Tak sabar nyer aku nak mandi....aku ni pantang skit nampak air...tak kira lah air terjun ke...air kat swmming pool ke...air sungai ke....arghhh lagi lah kalu dikelilingi pokok-pokok yang indah kat hutan tropika ni memang memukau lah....opppsss atau lebih tepat lagi memang aku tergoda lah nak mandi.

Tapi masa tu dah pukul 5.30ptg and soon aku rase nak gelap n hujan. So, aku pun batal kan niat aku dulu memandang kan ade benda lagi penting yang aku n the geng need to settle first. Makan...tempat tido kami n the most important preparation for tomorrow. Since, Bagli dah informed awal yang He will brief us for tomorrow Pinnacle's trip after Dinner so, terpaksa lah kita orang masak2 dulu nampak nyer. Takpe yea sungai...esok masih ade lagi.

Sampai2 kita orang dah nampak Chinese Group yang kita orang jumpa kat airport semalam. Dia dah sampai lebih awal rupa nyer and paling tak puas hati...siap cakap kat aku best giler mandi sungai. Geram.

Sungai yang terletak just in front of Camp 5

We've been given Room No. 3. Kat sini ade lebih kurang 4 bilik which is open air area and each room can accomodate up to 20 persons. Macam duk kat Hostel plak aku rase. And each room provided with sleeping mat located on raised platform for place to sleep. So, you only need to bring sleeping bag or if not you can bring blanket and inflatable pillow for more comfortable sleep. But to me the sleeping mat provided is thick and quite OK.

Masuk2 jer bilik aku dah nampak Mat Salleh...confirm kena share dengan dia nie. Memang agak kurang selesa to me. But since dia orang dah amik 4 mats yang kt depan pintu masuk so kita orang pun amik lah yang paling hujung skali. So ade lah dalam 4 sleeping mat yang memisah kan kami....safe skit. Camp 5 ni memang agak limited....at one time they can only fit in 50 persons at one time. Tapi that day aku rase....tak full mana pun camp 5. Ok lah... kalu ramai sangat kan tak best plak.

Lepas tu yang lain pun sampai. Kami pun terus keluar kan semua barang2 makan kami yang telah di bawa oleh Porter Penan kami....dia orang ni tak pandai sangat cakap melayu so terpaksa kita orang faham kan dia orang. Actually, aku dah buat menu for dinner, lunch and breakfast... So, takde lah pening kepala sangat nak pikir masak apa. Menu kami malam tu...Nasi, Sardin, Telur n Kari Ayam (menu ni takde sebenar nyer tp Cik T-rah sponsored). Sempat juga kita orang masak Nasi Impit... Bekal nak bawa for Pinnacle's trip esok.

Inilah Camp 5

Inilah tempat tido kami

The other side view from Camp 5...mula2 ingat nak naik Pinnacle kena lalu bridge tu

Syok plak masak ramai2 kat sini. Ade juga orang yang kagum dengan kami kat situ...The chinese group tu siap cakap kita orang ni dah macam professional plak... bukan apa dia nampak kita orang semua pompuan and everything pun macam dah pandai2 sendiri. Macam dah byk pengalaman lebih kurang macam tu lah...hehehe. Tapi kita orang memang antara grup yang paling besar kat situ lah compare to the other 2 groups....mat salleh (4 persons) and the chinese group (3 persons)....and kita orang juga lah yang paling bising kat situ....I guest.

Dinner time....after penat seharian berjalan... mase ni Julie takde plak....dia tengah mandi dengan kawan baru dia...hehehe

Ni lah dapur tempat kami main masak2....all the cooking utensils are provided

Dining Area

Finally, Sampai pun Camp 5

After dinner jer, kita orang semua returned to our room...bagli our guide nak bagi briefing untuk esok plak. Takde mende sangat pun dia cakap....nak takut2 kan kita orang lagi adelah. Dalam hati aku...guide ni macam tak caya je kita orang nak naik Pinnacle ni. Emmhhh... whatever. Apa yang aku tahu aku nak naik juga esok....I've been coming so far for this why shud I quit. Bagi aku apa yang dia cakap tu nak kasi bakar kita orang jer. Tapi dia tak tahu sebenar nyer kami ni nampak je ayu & jelita tapi...bila dah mengorak langkah, we will never looked back. Amacam...ade bran.

After a short briefing by Bagli kita orang tak trus tido....aku lupa plak, aku, T-rah, K n Huzz tak mandi lagi....so kita orang gi lah mandi dulu. Bathroom dia amat lah OK and taraf 3 bintang juga lah. Spacious and sangat bersih. Tapi bila mandi malam-malam kat dalam hutan nie....faham-faham jelah nasib ade T-rah teman aku mandi.

Lepas mandi, balik bilik, solat and start kemas barang2 utk esok. Since esok cuma day trip jer so, tak banyak mana pun barang kami nak bawa cuma air jelah yg maybe berat skit.

Lepas kemas-kemas...tak tido lagi tu....borak-borak dulu....pastu slowly semua pun start tido...aku tak lena sangat sebab aku memang tak sihat masa tu...batuk + selsema + sakit tekak yang amat sangat. Kesian kawan2 aku terpaksa dengar aku buat macam2 bunyi tengah2 malam especially Julie yg tido sebelah aku. Sorry girls.

Hopefully everything will be OK by tomorrow. No rain and no no no to all the negatives.

To be continued...

Mulu Day 2 - Kuala Litut, Kuala Berar to Camp 5

Thurs. 13th Jan 2011

Around 2pm

After clear water and wind cave tour, we proceeded our journey to Kuala Litut, a place where we will start our 8km walk through Kuala Berar Rainforest to Camp 5. The boat ride from the caves to Kuala Litut took about half an hour to reach. But, it still depends on your luck, if the water level is too low you need to assist the boat man to push the boat. Aku, T-rah, Kay n Huzz, we're just lucky since nobody ask us to help them although we found out that at certain area the water level was too low...but still no one asked us to push the boat...so we just keep quiet n senyum-senyum je lah. But honestly, me n the rest really hope and pray that they will give us a chance to push the boat...kenangan beb...not always you have this precious moment. Maybe, they're already enough man on the boat, so, they didn't ask us to do anything. But the truth was...we eagerly wanted to take photo pushing the boat...warghhhh.

Soooo jeolous with Julie, Fad n Adeq yang ade photo tengah tolak boat. Fad...aku percaya lah dia tolak boat tapi bab Julie n Adeq tu agak meragukan sikit lah. Cos aku tengok gambo dia...senyum yea lebih...sorry yea Julie.

Just arriving Kuala Litut...they will drop us here to start walking to Kuala Berar

We arrived Kuala Litut around 1.45pm and then straight away transfer our beg. We had lunch first before start walking to Kuala Berar. Around 2pm then, we started our journey walk into jungle.

Makan-makan dulu before start our next journey

On the way to Kuala Berar

From Kuala Litut to Kuala Berar was about half n hour walking but if you are too fit, perhaps, you can reach faster.

Dan sampai pun....mase nie baru je nak start 8km...Fuhh

As you reach Kuala Berar, you need to cross the suspension bridge to the next walk. Altogether, there were 2 suspension bridges. The first one at 8km....starting point at Kuala Berar...and the second one...can't remember at which km.

You have to cross this bridge first

The real trekking is begun

Guess what?

Nice and beautiful

On the way to camp 5 thru Kuala Berar rainforest you could see so many unique and beautiful plants and trees...in which you may not find in other rainforest, perhaps. Subhanallah...God has made it so beautiful and perfect.

Already 7km....1km more to go

My Geng Gunung yg sentiasa maintain...

You may found this tree with so many ergghhh

Passing thru Kuala Berar suspension bridge

Ni lah ulat gonggok yang kami jumpa tadi

Beautiful view on the way to Camp 5

We reached Camp 5 around 5.30pm after 3 hours walk. Alhamdulillah, macam tak caya jer...finally we've made it up to this level.

To be continued.