The whole idea of attending a jungle survival course in Malaysia sends chill down my spine. Why? Because so far…I have not heard a single concrete feedback from friends about such courses. Most are conducted  by ex-military personals and from what I hear, you are guranteed to [...]]]>

Attended my first ever jungle survival course recently

The whole idea of attending a jungle survival course in Malaysia sends chill down my spine. Why? Because so far…I have not heard a single concrete feedback from friends about such courses. Most are conducted  by ex-military personals and from what I hear, you are guranteed to loose a few kilos after a 5 days course. As scary as it sounds, in March this year…I attended my first ever jungle survival course.

The course was initiated by a friend. We had to gather a minimum of 15 participants to make the course a go. Amazing how much a ‘Jungle Survival Course’ can get people to pay up and join.

The 5 instructors were either ex-army rangers or army personal that is still serving. They have a combined experience of no less than 50 years. First two days were mostly sit downs with theory. We built our own hammocks/ tents on a privately owned camp ground in Gombak and did some basic hands on after watching demonstrations. We did not have much food (we were restricted to a few fistful, packets of noodles and cans of food).

The first 2 days were mostly theory sessions

So,…what did we cover over the first 2 days? Mainly jungle shelter, signaling, different types of plants and a little bit about how to start fire. Each topic was covered by different instructors and we have a Q&S session after. I’d say the session on plants (eatable, poisonous & usefulness) probably is interesting but because it was rather ‘glance through’, it is kind of hard to remember and identify each plant accurately. It takes practice.

Some plants collected for show, some to eat, some poisonous and some for its usefulness

To an untrained eyes (like mine), this is just another jungle plant. It is Serai Hutan, edible.

Most of us brought our own shelter. Most were hammocks obviously. We had a session on jungle shelter and had a few hours making one (in groups). Honestly, they look pretty simple to build but involves a lot of work. At the end of the day, I think everyone retreated to their hammocks for comfort reasons.

Who wants to stay here? When you can stay…

Here! Its so much better in terms of comfort

No jungle survival course would be complete without covering fire and trap making I suppose. These two topics were also covered during the first two days. A variety of traps were already built on the camp ground. We had a tour and in depth explanation on how they work. This is probably my favorite topic. Not that I want to trap animals but I am very curious about the mechanism used to trigger traps. I find them to be ingeniously smart.

One of the many triggers used on a trap

Jeff hitting a piece of steel with a hard rock to create sparks

With fire of course came cooking food in the jungle The usual bamboo is the prime suspect. The instructors were kind enough to have some chicken slowly cooking over the fire and in the bamboo. When the cooked food is shared among all, it was a welcome break from the cans of sardines, noodles and plain rice.

A whole chicken ‘brewing’ over fire

Everyone digging in

I think I ended day 2 with a sigh of relief. It was a bit boring and all the classroom sessions were beginning to remind me of my school days in boring chemistry classes. We are moving in the jungle, an opportunity to put into practice some of the things we have learn so far in this jungle survival course.  That I think was what everyone in this jungle survival course was looking forward to.

Sometimes it is nice to just hike with friends to a river for a relaxing dip and not having to drive too far away from Kuala Lumpur. It is one of those trips one can do without much thinking and planning. Just [...]]]>

A short, nice trip to a river close to KL with good company

Sometimes it is nice to just hike with friends to a river for a relaxing dip and not having to drive too far away from Kuala Lumpur. It is one of those trips one can do without much thinking and planning. Just grab the day kit, pack some food and off you go to explore a river.

We did not have a plan. Just an idea. The idea was to explore this particular river near Gombak, find a nice spot to rest and just relax. Its good that the 3 of us had the same interest and hobby, so this ‘aimless’ walk is just what we like to do.

Well, the river is beautiful. The further we walk upstream, the narrower it became and the scenery around it stunning. With little (or perhaps none) human activity in the area, the sides of the river is littered with plants with roots that crawls all over the ground.

Part of the river, the further we explore, the more stunning it became

It wasn’t long before we found a perfect spot. A place with a small  rapid, a flat spot of land where we can set up a shelter. An experience trekker, JC was quick to et-up his flysheet. And this is no ordinary flysheet, this is the flysheet from Hennessy Hammock. Within minutes, the tarp is up and we are all set to enjoy the place.

The simple yet effective jungle shelter JC put up within minutes

We thoroughly enjoyed the river. Shirley getting ready to take pic for JC

Lunch was a fairly easy affair for us. Packed lunch, some hot drinks and of course a little bit of something to go over the fire is always good.

There were plenty of resources to keep the fire going

Plenty of semi-dry bamboo to use for fire

It is amazing some of the pristine places that one can find near to Kuala Lumpur. With awesome friends, an easy day walk like this is a gem of a trip. Its relaxing and easy walking and most of all, it’s a super river adventure with friends.

Our campsite for the night during our kayak trip down Perak river is a small little island on the river itself. Day 1 was excellent paddling, though a bit tired after a long day of road driving and then paddling. It took us little time to [...]]]>

Our kayaks high above water line on the island

Our campsite for the night during our kayak trip down Perak river is a small little island on the river itself. Day 1 was excellent paddling, though a bit tired after a long day of road driving and then paddling. It took us little time to set up of shelters and dinner was nothing of a simple affair.

As usual, I am a hammock camper. Lucky me, there were big enough trees and Chadel took on the flysheet-groundsheet challenge. I think it tookj us both less than 30 minutes to get that part sorted. It was then onto our dinner.

Chadel's setup

My humble shelter for the night

It was pasta for the both of us that night. We brought all the drinking water we needed with us. Would not trust the water from the river for drinking…cleaning and washing maybe.

Chadel preparing dinner

We made a small fire to smoke the campsite off mossies

The following morning, I made bannock. Made some extra for the river as well. While packing up the hammock and flysheet, I notice a Loki (Amorphophallus Paeoniifolius) plant. The one I spotted seems to be flowering. I walked closer, only to realise there were quiet a number of Loki scatered all around the campsite. Strange….I have never seen so many Loki plants in one area.

The Loki

Another Loki

A closer look at the flower

Starting on our day 2 of perak river kayaking

I can only decribe day 2 of our kayaking trip as hot with a generous splash of surprises. We saw less and less trees. There were obviously less islands on the river as well. What it lacked was made up with opportunities for us to see wildlife…lots of it.

On one of the few islands we paddled by, we spotted what looked like christmas lights deco on the trees. I had to stop for a slower looked. We pulled ashore and went over for a closer look. Turns out they are are nests belonging to the weaver birds

So many trees with so many birds nest

Another tree with numerous nests

A closer look at one of the nests

Well, the weaver birds weren’t the only birds that surprised us. On broad daylight, we pass by numerous herons and amazingly, an Owl. Because the current was quite swift that particular spot, we did not have time to take out the camera for a pic. We paddled upstream rigirously but by the time we manage to get close, the owl decided to flee these two strange water creatures approaching it.

Chadel in form on day 2 down Perak river

A scene from my kayak on day 2

Well, birds were our constant audience alkong the river. Then we came to this bent on the river. From a distance, we saw what seems to be floating logs. As we got closer, the logs started rising out of the water. Turns out they are water buffalos. As much as we are surprised (and surely a bit worried) seeing them, the bufalos started to huddle together, some decided to get onto the shore.

The water bufalos taking a dip in Perak River

Some of the bufalos decided to get out of the water as we approached loser (but not that close)

After a good 4 hours of paddling, we were almost at our exit point. It was a long hot day. I would feel the heat on the front deck of my kayak. At several spots along the river, we saw local folks taking a cool dip in the river. One of the local kids gave us a shock when he started running out towards us. It was not a worried shock or a scared shock but more of a WTF shock. We were in the middle of the Perak river and the kid was running closer and closer to us. We had no idea the river was so shallow!

The boy was literally standing in the middle of Perak river...less than knee deep!

Well…a good two days paddling trip down Perak river was refreshingly good for me. Chadel did all the planning and I am happy that I went with him. We arrived at the resort a little bit after lunch hour. But by the time we got all our gear sorted, packed onto the car, ready to go, lunch was way overdue. So, to the nearest coffeee shop we went.

Note the plate of rice Char koew teow was round two!

It was a short trip this time around. Knowing Chadel, he will be planning yet another kayak trip on Perak river again. Its a matter of time before we are back for more kayaking.

In August 2011, I decided to join Chadel (www.learning-adventures.com) to paddle a small stretch on Perak River, north of Peninsula Malaysia. It really was Chadel’s idea and as usual I am more than happy to tag along. A 2D1N downriver paddle, the both of us were [...]]]>

Under one of the big bridges on Sungai Perak

In August 2011, I decided to join Chadel (www.learning-adventures.com) to paddle a small stretch on Perak River, north of Peninsula Malaysia. It really was Chadel’s idea and as usual I am more than happy to tag along. A 2D1N downriver paddle, the both of us were self sufficient, short for the few stops for food (what else?)

It was an early morning affair. We drove two vehicles. One we left at the end point while the other ferried the kayaks to the drop in point. Now, we knew exactly where we will be exiting (which is the Pasir Salak resort) but weren’t all that sure where would be a good place to drop in. Chadel had an idea based on his tedious research on Google Earth. We made a few detours here and there to look for a suitable drop in and finally decided to approach a Malay kampung house.  Naturally, the kampung folks are really friendly. They agreed to help keep an eye on our cars and we hurried on to get our gear sorted out.

The house owner came out to watch us

The Mak Ciks too came out and chatted with us...a friendly bunch they are

Our gear packed and ready to hit the water

Very soon, we were paddling our kayaks down Perak river. It was an awesome weather, not too hot and sunny. Within 5 minutes, we came to our first bridge. For a change, we are ‘under’ the bridge. We did a quick survey of the bottom of the bridge before deciding to paddle through. Just to make sure there are no entrapment below.

We did a quick survey under all bridges before going under them

One cannot miss the Perak river. Travelling on the North South highway, near Ipoh you will pass the Ipoh R&R. The huge bridge there connects the two sides of the Perak river. It is a long and rather wide river.

One of the only pictures I manage to take of birds on the trees along perak river

It was the first day of paddling and this stretch of the river really has a lot of interesting things for me to see. One thing I noticed was the amount of birds that frequents the trees along the river. I did not have time to reach into my dry bag to grab the camera. By the time we got close enough, most of the birds have fled.  Below are some highlights along the river on day 1 which I thought was nice. Not too far from our drop in point, we paddled by this interesting house by the river. Though it looked abandoned, the walls of the house seems to be made of some weaved materials, probably bamboo or Bertam fronds. Something which I’d say is extremely rare these days.

The lovely house...shame that it looks abandoned

We still had a long way to go. It was close to 2pm that we started to feel really hungry. We pass by the seond bridge which seems quite busy with traffic. We decided to stop and I went up to the shore to get lunch. I was away a good 30 minutes…but when I get back, Chadel was all smiles as I have with me two packs of nice ‘chap-fan’ and ice cool 100plus.

Nice place for a lunch

Needless to say, our lunch consist of some yummy 'char-siu'

With lunch done…we were soon back in the water paddling. Our aim is a particular island on the river, which Chadel think is a possible site for a campsite. It is surprising to see quite a number of small islands on the river.

On the Perak river looking for campsite

Chadel taking it easy and letting the current take us down the river

I think we paddled a good 20km on day 1. It was an easy paddle. The funny thing about the river is that it is extremely shallow in the middle of the river at some parts! So shallow that I actually got my kayak stuck on sandbanks right in the middle of the river! Silting? No clue but there were sure signs of river banks collapsing all along the river.

A common scene along the river banks of Perak river

A pile of tree roots and other debris right in the middle of the river

While, we finally arrived at the ‘designated’ island. No one seems to be on the island but there is an existing…well at least it looks like an old cow shed. No cows seen around. So…we wasted no time. Pulled our kayaks up onto the island and started setting camp. The first night camping on a river kayaking trip down Perak river.

Almost everyone I know claim to love camping or at the very least ‘the great outdoors’. But experience proves that only a handful would really share and respect each others way of approaching this hobby. While I started ‘camping’ more of a job rather [...]]]>

Learning to camp in the jungle comfortably is an ongoing process

Almost everyone I know claim to love camping or at the very least ‘the great outdoors’. But experience proves that only a handful would really share and respect each others way of approaching this hobby. While I started ‘camping’ more of a job rather than a hobby, I have come to realize that everyone has their own ‘version’ of camping and there is always something to learn from each other. When the opportunity to go jungle camping with like-minded friends, there is no way to refuse!

When close friend Jan invited me to join him on a camping trip in another one of his quest to look for a waterfall, I just couldn’t resist. Knowing Jan, I know exactly who to invite to come along and with the final list out, it is jungle camping trip that just can’t go wrong. A group of friends who is out to enjoy the very little essence of camping without the need to proof a point or oneself. A group that I would describe as ‘mature’ enough to not worry about.

We took breaks walking in...stopping often to rehydrate ourselves

Our plan was to walk in as far as we could. We expected to walk for about 3 hours before setting up camp. Jan and his friend Rani is out here to look for a waterfall. Myself, Vincent, Jim & his son is there just because we enjoy camping. The walk in was mostly climbing of small hills. It was  gloomy day and even with rain looming over all of us, I an see that everyone doesn’t seem much bothered at all.

It was pouting rain when we arrived at almost the end of the trail. While the rest rested, myself and Jim when in to look for a suitable campsite. The entire place was hilly and littered with big rocks, not a place for tents for sure. Lucky that all of us are hammock campers. So, finding an area with trees is not a difficult task really.

We got our campsite up and going in no time at all

Depsite the pouring rain, all of us went into camp set-up in auto mode. Everyone knew exactly what needed to be done and it was like clockwork. In less than an hour, almost all our shelters are up. Not bad for an area that is not yet previously camped and the fact that we were working in the rain.

Despite the rain, we manage to get a fire going and naturally everyone gathered around it. Fire is always good for morale and the smoke and heat is much welcome in this kind of weather.

Jim's signature pot on the fire for a warm brew of tea

I personally learnt a lot on this camping trip (besides realizing how unfit I am compared to my 60+ year old friend!) All my friends on this trip are self sufficient. They are individuals who have studied, tried and tested their knowledge and skills out in the bush one day or the other.

Jan’s friend Rani obviously is not new to camping in the jungle. An educator with many (real life) experience climbing mountains in Malaysia, he shared some interesting information about jungle plants with me. But on top of it all, I would have to say that his ‘hammock stretcher’ shelter set up is something that I have not seen for a long time.

Rani's simple yet effective hammock stretcher setup

I have a similar stretcher hammock and have tried it previously (read here) but have not tried it in this setup. Much simpler, though it looks a bit tipsy but definitely less wood chopping.

Keeping shoes and boots off the ground is important in jungle camping. It keeps your shoes from creepy crawlies as well as helps to keep it dry. Vincent’s jungle boot rest setup is an effective way.

Vincent's jungle boots rest setup

For short trips, sometimes it makes sense to go back to basics. Rani and Jan each took turns to prepare meals. Rani’s solid fuel and mess tin setup brought back memories. Though some may shunt away from solid fuels, they are really handy, cheap and best of all there is less and less to carry as the day goes by!

Enough of jungle skills stuff. Back to the camp. Jan’s aim was to look for the waterfall. My aim was just to enjoy the jungle camping. Bit fo course I did not just sit and do nothing. I did try out fishing using a technique I have seen used by the Ibans in Borneo….and it worked!

One of the fishes I caught in the river close by

A beautiful fish indeed

And of course I released the fish after taking pics

And the scenes from this jungle camping trip is simply amazing. Satisfaction guaranteed so to speak.

One of the lower waterfalls further down the campsite

First time I see this flower in the jungle

Jungle camping to me is about walking slow, observing and making note of the things around me. The jungle is an amazingly beautiful place if we accept it as it is. It is a great place to trek, camp and spend time in. But most of all, it is a place that will have you coming back for more if you enter it with friends who enjoys nature.

I have walked and camped my fair share of jungles but this trip with MYCAT was one of the few rare occasions where a jungle experience is stretched a few notches up. An absolutely satisfying experience with a sigh of relief at the end of it [...]]]>

Hammocks are the way to go in the jungle

I have walked and camped my fair share of jungles but this trip with MYCAT was one of the few rare occasions where a jungle experience is stretched a few notches up. An absolutely satisfying experience with a sigh of relief at the end of it all.

This is real primary jungle. It is an area in the Taman Negara jungle that has neither been logged nor seen much human activity. A place inhabited by flora and fauna of all shapes and sizes. Where humans are probably the aliens and misfits. The sort of place that stretches your comfort zone and tests your ability to mentally overcome challenges. This is the place where once inside, there is no turning back. As exotic and postcard it may look and sound, this is not a place to be taken lightly.

Big towering and magnificent trees

Droppings of our ‘BIG’ friends is a common sight

This caterpillar gave one of us a nasty sting through clothing!

See if you can spot the kungfu master in the picture

There are just no certainties. After days of walking, having a fire not only helps to warm our bodies, dry our clothes but it also helps to lift the human spirit. Hammock camping makes sense due to the lack of flat ground for tents. Even with the scarcity of trees, one can always be creative and build an apartment of hammocks.

When there's lack of suitable trees, think apartment!

Fire is a matter of survival and in this case, it helps to dry our equipment, keep us warm and lift our spirits

My hammock partially setup on uneven ground

The terrain we walked on was mostly hilly terrain. They are not mountains by any means but the fact that it rained during the nights of the first few days made walking difficult. We were slipping down our bums, tumbling down river banks and walking cautiously on tree trunks that links us to the other side of the river bank. Each step we took is a calculated risk. Lower one’s guard and one may find oneself hurt very badly. Having parangs worn at the side of our waists makes such accidents even more dangerous.

It may not seem dangerous but that piece of stick was the only thing keeping us from the deep mud and steep ravine on both sides

Finding a good campsite beside a river is a blessing. It provides ample water for consumption as well as for cleaning up. After days of walking, we are practically drenched in our own sweat. Our sweaty bodies attract a host of insects; particularly sweat bees which can be really annoying. At our river campsite, we took every possible opportunity to clean up. After having worn the same sweaty shirt for days of walking, a well rinsed shirt is very much welcomed, even if it was worn wet. At least it smelled better.

Wee Siong taking the opportunity to rinse clothes in the river

It is a great relief being able to clean-up in the jungle river

Take every opportunity possible to rinse and dry your daily worn clothes

Camping in real primary jungle can be a challenge but not impossible with common sense and mental strength. There may be more seasoned and experienced campers around you but if you know what you are doing and doing it safe, you will be okay. The key to jungle camping, as a mentor of mine used to say is to be humble and respect the things around you. You are after all just a passer by. And as Benjamin Whichcote saying, ” None are so empty as those who are full of themselves.”

Okay, we were literally walking into restricted areas of Taman Negara, inaccessible to the general public. All we had was a map (with some pencil lines drawn on it) and two units of GPS to help guide us. Once inside, we have limited communications to the outside world. 10 minutes in [...]]]>

Large pig mud holes

Okay, we were literally walking into restricted areas of Taman Negara, inaccessible to the general public. All we had was a map (with some pencil lines drawn on it) and two units of GPS to help guide us. Once inside, we have limited communications to the outside world. 10 minutes in and already the jungle starts to reveal itself.

They weren’t kidding when they say we needed parangs for this trip. It soon became obvious that we are moving into an area of the jungle where it has not been ventured in by people for a long time. There are simply no trails at all. The only faint ones that we can identify are probably animal trails and may lead us away from where we are supposed to head to. Constant check on the GPS against the map was necessary to make sure that we are heading towards the right direction.

We had to stop often to compare the map against the gps to make sure we are heading the right direction

The deeper into the jungle we walk in, the darker it gets. This is the first ‘change’ I realize. There was little light on the jungle floor. The ground is covered with all sorts of plant matter, creepers, vines and rattan thorns that make our progress slow and at times extremely painful. We pushed on and on, bit by bit with the Perhilitan officer at the front slashing relentlessly to make a path for the rest of us to come through.

Some wild jungle fruits that has been partially eatan

A beautiful feather we spotted on the ground inside the jungle

Beautiful fruit that is accompanied with some serious thorns!

It wasn’t until a good few hours walk before we finally found the first Taman Negara plate. This is the first indication that we have reached the border. Our jubilation was short lived when we realized that it is the only tree marked. The direction of the border can be anyway!

It was already a long days walk and we were running out of water. We took every opportunity to fill up on water. Even the wines that were cut when making the path through the jungle looks tempting for drinking!

It was a long day, hot and humid. We filled our bottles anywhere we could. Used tablets to make water safe for drinking

Jungle vines is a source of drinking water but unless you know which one, best to stay away

They call the jungle rainforest and water is supposed to be abundant. But finding a clean water source at an area that is suited for camp can be a challenge.  Though the map indicates water sources, streams and even rivers, many have ‘disappeared’, some simply too doubtful (stagnant water) while others simply do not have enough flat land. Our group needed flat land because several of us using tents.

In desperation, we make do with a small stream for the first night. It was a small stream. Abang Mat (Perhilitan) was quick to work the stream by digging and damming it so that we have a pool of water to collect water for cooking and even washing. Whatever flat land was cleared for the tents while the hammock users picked their trees.

The small stream was an awesome relief after not being able to find any other more suitable sites

The first day was a tiring day. Resting in my hammock, I was amazed at how noisy the jungle is. I remembered the night well. It was about 8pm and just as I was about to doze off, a loud single burst of ‘uuung’ when off and this ‘call’ was responded by a similar call from opposite the river where my camp was situated. Seconds later, more such calls rang out in the jungle. They appeared to be frogs and they kept on ‘uuung-ing’ each other for the longest time. I came out of my hammock, reached for a piece of stick and try to disturb the ground, hoping that the frog near my camp would just move away. It did…for a few minutes that is. Soon it was back ‘uuung-ing’ away. Well, nothing much I can do. I lie in my hammock, thanking God for the good and safe journey and slowly drifted into my sleep.

Taman Negara Trailblazer jungle trip…here I come! It was a Wednesday morning and we all gathered at the Gombak LRT station. With all our fully loaded packs, we hopped onto the MYCAT Hilux and headed for Karak highway towards Merapoh. We only stopped for breakfast [...]]]>

On our way to the Merapoh entrance to Taman Negara

Taman Negara Trailblazer jungle trip…here I come! It was a Wednesday morning and we all gathered at the Gombak LRT station. With all our fully loaded packs, we hopped onto the MYCAT Hilux and headed for Karak highway towards Merapoh. We only stopped for breakfast and toilet breaks. Man, the only rep from MYCAT did most of the driving while the rest of us chatted about matters ranging from parangs to blood diamonds (it is a long drive).

By the time we arrived at Taman Negara Merapoh, the four of us had already started to ‘gel’ together. Well, for sure we have differences but like all things in life, we make the best of what’s on the table. Upon checking in and doing away with formalities, we went straight to work. Checking and dispensing gear. Food was a major issue to me personally. The moment I see the 15kg bag of rice and cans of sardines and chicken curry, I knew I am in trouble. Hey…I love food but lugging can food for days isn’t exactly my kind of adventure. But heck, here we are with the goods and I already agree to be ‘flexible’.

Sorting out food for 5 days in the jungle

Now…the plan is to cook for dinner and breakfast only. There is no time to stop and cook lunch, so packets of biscuits etc for lunch on the go is called for. We have Camping Gaz stoves with us. Each of us carried one full canister each. Thankfully, by the time we finish with food, there’s heaps of rice and other bits left behind.

The perhilitan truck that ferried us into the unknown

We were initially informed that our journey begins the following day. But just an hour after finish packing, a Perhilitan officer drives up to our cabin in a truck. We looked blankly at each other, realizing our hope to sleep comfortably in the cabin for the first night no longer exists. I heard a few exchanges of words between Man and the officer and the next thing I know, we were all on the back of the truck on the way to Kuala Yu outpost. Our ‘Trailblazer’ adventure has just gone into hyper mode.

I can feel my heart beating fast as we sat on the back of the (flying) truck. It took us a good 40 minutes to get to the Sg Yu outpost. 1001 things racing through my mind. Did I pack my shoes? Did I leave anything behind? Hope I have all the sardine cans. What on earth is going on??

The truck came to a complete stop right smack in the middle of an oil palm plantation. Alighting from the back of the truck, we were greeted by a suspended bridge over a river that separates this unsightly landscape with the Sg Yu Outpost. A tall structure that stands tall on what looks like a small hill.

A suspended bridge separates the outpost from the oil palm plantation

Looking down the suspended bridge, I see a beautiful river with steep sides on both sides. The river flows out into a arch of pristine jungle with some trees bowing towards the water, as if trying to take a sip of water from the flowing river. This to me is an epitome of what a jungle should look like.

A beautiful river at the side of the outpost

This outpost it seems will be our shelter for the night before the real ‘challenge’ the following day. We took every available moment to do final preparations. Its now or never.

Going through our maps

The structure was built tall to avoid elephants that may pass through the area!

Wee Siong doing final packing and checking on his gear

Nervous? Maybe. Excited? A little bit. Scared? Yes. But I have come this far and I have been longing to do this sort of trip into the ‘off the beaten’ trails of Taman Negara for a long time. Now is my chance.

Some months back, I received an email with an attachment on MYCAT ‘Trailblazer’ project. Being a member of Malaysian Nature Society, I am aware of MYCAT works but have not been able to get involved personally. This particular project seems interesting, with volunteers spending multiple nights in [...]]]>

Visit MyCat website by clicking the picture above

Some months back, I received an email with an attachment on MYCAT ‘Trailblazer’ project. Being a member of Malaysian Nature Society, I am aware of MYCAT works but have not been able to get involved personally. This particular project seems interesting, with volunteers spending multiple nights in the jungle with Perhilitan officers doing border clearing and patrols (though volunteer are not doing the actual partoling itself). But the email indicated that this would be the first trial run for the Trailblazer project. Trial runs usually mean uncertainties and this holds true as the days unfolds.
3 volunteers showed up for the pre-trip briefing two weeks ahead of the actual trip. The MYCAT team was there to brief us on expectations as well as preparations for the trip. After the meeting, few key words kept lingering in my mind, among them ‘be flexible’, ‘super fit’ and ‘cans of sardines’. I imagined myself an adventurer with a blank map with only two ‘X’ marked. Start and end.

So…we are going into an undetermined part of Taman Negara to do park border clearing as well as to keep an eye out for illegal activities. Parang action seems unavoidable, something which I am (happily) up for. We were told to start building up on our stamina…so that we will not ‘suffer’ too much on the actual trip. Last but not least, they also told us all that all pictures taken, GPS readings and any publish material must be screened through to ensure certain aspects of the project is not jeopardized. We even signed forms agreeing to all this. And this write up you are reading has definitely gone through MYCAT’s censorship board.

Plenty of opportunity to see amazing stuff!

Clueless yet willing, I psyched myself for this rare opportunity to volunteer for a MYCAT Trailblazer trial run project at Taman Negara Merapoh…in support of the Malayan Tigers.

I doubt if I can get over the parangs used by the Ibans, jungle food and the long houses in Batang Ai. Just a couple of weeks after the trip and already I am thinking of going back. There is simply too [...]]]>

An Iban elder taking rest from the hot day in the long house

I doubt if I can get over the parangs used by the Ibans, jungle food and the long houses in Batang Ai. Just a couple of weeks after the trip and already I am thinking of going back. There is simply too many things I wanna see, learn and experience still. As brief as this trip may be…I think the group of us ‘visitors’ had a really good time, hosted by these lovely people.

One of the Candong parang from another long house we visited briefly

Okay…I love parangs. Not just any parangs but locally produced, if possible hand made parangs. I love them so much that I have another blog just talking about parang. Click here to find out more.  Meun understands and allows for that small room for my entire collection but some friends thinks it is over the top. My reason is simple. It is a artform that is slowly disappering. The least I can do is to record and promote it.

The parangs carried by our Iban guides on the trip in Batang Ai

To say that I was obsessed with the parangs owned by the Ibans in Batang Ai would probably be an understatement. I have made several trips to various locations in Borneo but this is the first time ever I see so many parangs in one place. The parangs are used for their farming work but there are also the more intricate and ‘old’ parangs. Blades that are obviously passed down through the family…some claimed to have taken lives.

This parang is estimated to be more than 60 years old and it has a small porcelain jar attached to it

Well, I will probably write more about the parang ‘experience’ on my other blog . I kept telling and begging the locals, never trade or sell their old parangs. They should always remain in the family as part of their history and legacy. This is my sincere hope.

To me, parang is part and parcel of the Iban’s way of life. They use it for farming, hunting and almost everything else. To see how they use the parang in the jungle is simply amazing. And it is also with the parang that the Iban guides (while we were visiting Gugu long house) used to working a Sago palm trunk for the infamous Sago grub.

The Iban guide working on the Sago trunk to look for the worms

Having a parang makes harvesting these crawlies so much easier

Vincent was the first one to had a go at them bulging grubs....

Gugu Longhouse is located near to where the longboats were left. There is this strange belonging that I feel as soon as I enter the longhouse grounds. It is a strange feeling and I just can’t point out what exactly. Perhaps it is the atmosphere, perhaps it is the sight of the long house itself. Or perhaps it is this connection that I feel with some of its residents.

I like Gugu long house

Cute buggers...yummy too!

Several piglets...all roaming free at Gugu longhouse. My kind of long house!

We chatted for quite a bit at Gugu long house, since the chief (Mr Siam) is around

There can never be a rush when one is at a long house. Danney told me this earlier but I couldn’t really make sense of it initially. After Mengiling and Gugu, I think I understand what he meant. Seating, sharing some tuak and chatting about the history of the long house, the people, their life, their recent hunt right up to who to vote for in the next general election. It was a lengthy chat…one that is necessary but absolutely impossible for me. Thankfully my friends were there to help.

The jungle experience with the Ibans was fantastic. I think all of my friends had their fair share of adventure as well. Before we head back to the Batang Ai jetty where our van would be waiting to transfer us back to Kuching, we made one last stop at Mengiling longhouse. To bid farewell as well as to thank them for their hospitality. By the time we got to the long house, everyone was around, eager to know how we did in the jungle. The stove in the kitchen started going, aroma of food filled the long house and us visitors took turn visiting the ‘throne’. While all these was going on, our friendly guide Isa continued his round with his bottle of ‘mineral water’.

Friend Jan enjoying some Langkau

Of all the trips I have done to Borneo, Batang Ai is probably the one place that has given me good real taste of Borneo. I am happy but not contended. I will be back to the Iban long houses of Batang Ai.

Thanks to Ming...this is a testament of how much Langkau-Tuak concoction I had for lunch