The story of the annual Gunung Tahan trip (Episode 1)

WARNING: This blog contains language distinctively classified as broken English (dialeg used is Manglish) which should not be used as guide/copy in any attempt to converse/write in perfectly correct English.

Moral of the warning above: If u wanna read this blog....learn Manglish 1st lah n have respect for it....hehehehe
OK...proceed to the story. See below:


Some people think I 'gila" wan.....some think I "phycho" wan. Some even think I am addicted wan......but whatever they say, nothing is stoping me. Every year without fail.....there is 1 place which I will visit around March - June. This is a place of super duper torture to ur mental n physical fitness. Some go there liao....then come back become totally diff person liao. Well...the place is no other than Gunung Tahan....to all the kuai lou reading...it is known as Mt Tahan.

Some facts bout Gunung Tahan (from Wikipedia - Gunung Tahan):

• Height : 2,187m (7,175ft)


• Location : Tmn Negara Pahang


• Range : Tahan Range


• Coordinates : 4 degrees 38 minutes North, 102 degrees 14 minutes East

Below is the trail map for the 2 routes usually taken to climb Gunung Tahan.


Old/classical route via Kuala Tahan


New route via Merapoh

My 1st trip to this wonderful place is back in March 2003. I remember that time just only after final exam in college. There are around 7 of us in the trip.....if I am not wrong are Riza, Alissa, Shahrif, Chelva, Sameer, Anjela and finally me. I can say that all of us (except Shahrif) is quite new to mountain climbing. We are not really "very" prepared for the trip. Initially wanted to go up via Kuala Tahan....but later change the route to Merapoh coz of cost involved.....nasib baik.

1st day climb....so excited. Jalan jalan jalan for more than 6 hours....then finally realize that is not so fun anymore....hehehehe. My leg feel like jelly d coz very tired.....Chelva backpack (looks more like school bag) koyak.....n Angela n Sameer don't look so good too. Finally reach Camp Kor (1st campsite).....all of us tired like hell.

2nd din start well. Chelva is sick and can't proceed anymore. Sameer and Anjela is also very tired, hence they patah balik to Camp Kor. Finally only left Riza, Shahrif, Alissa and me. 2nd day is also very torturing. First of all coz its the 1st time I kena pass the 3.5kms Permatang - Kubang route....which to me is the more torture part of the whole journey. This section of the route requires us to continuingly climb steps and steps and steps of tree roots (nature ladders) non stop for 3.5kms. Towards the latter end of the 2nd day journey (going up Bkt Botak)...my leg is totally weak. I walk like a zombie....dragging my legs beneath me....forcing myself to move. My feets are also suffering from blisters...coz my shoe is not really suitable. I am mentally and physically exhausted. Finally make it to Bkt Botak bout 6pm.....sat down on the rocks....n took me a while before I can gather enuf strength to get up again...hehehehe.

At nite...it was freaking cold....well maybe coz we din bring enuf thick clothes. All 4 of us slept in an A-tent. We cook our own dinner....Shahrif share with Alissa while I share with Riza. Our guide manage to make nasi kunyit (yellow glutinous rice) and treat us all a meal. We were quite amazed how he is able to prepare such nice food with minimal "tools" n ingredients....but then again, everything taste nice when u r hungry, cold n weak...hehehehe. Din sleep well that nite.

3rd day...woke up very very early to hike another 2.5kms to the peak. This is the moment we are all waiting for......all the tiredness of hiking all the way..just for a short moment...to glimpse the beauty of the sun rising on Peninsula Msia highest mountain. The feeling is just indescribable. As people say..."beautiful things/moments cannot be described"....I felt and saw it at that moment.

After watching the sun rise...we made our way back to Bkt Botak for breakfast....then its all the way back down the way we came up, to Camp Kor. We reach Camp Kor around 5pm. It really feels nice to be able to dip into the clear, cold flowing water at the river beside the campsite. After bathing (we seriously deserve 1)....we cook dinner and chat the nite away. Finally all go tidur.

4th day....keluar hutan lor. Finally...back to civilization. It just took us 4 1/2 hours to come out of the jungle. My feets are full of blisters....all thanks to choosing the wrong pair of shoe for the trip. My shoulder is painful n tired.....result of carrying the heavy backpack for days. My stomach don feel nice....coz not been eating properly for the past 3 days.

Anyway....even after all the torture I been through in this trip, I still go back to Gunung Tahan (without fail) every year. I dunno what attracts me....maybe its the undescribable feeling of achievement, maybe its the sceneries...or maybe its just in my genes to climb mountains.

I still remember my guide asked me this question "Tahun depan nak datang lagi ? (in English: Coming again next year ?)" at the peak of Gunung Tahan....n I answered "Oh tidak (in English: NO)". Looking back.....I have now climbed Gunung Tahan 4 times....hehehehehe...funny lah, kenot explain y also.

Stories and photos (1st trip no digicam yet) from my 2nd trip will be in the "The story of the annual Gunung Tahan trip (Episode 2)" post. Dunno when I will blog it out...but definitely will do.....so look forward for it ya.......especially for the photos...hehehehe

...........to be continued...............