Taman Negara

Taman Negara is Malaysian for national park, and it is a huge swathe of ancient rainforest the middle of the Malay Penninsula. After arriving from Jerantut in the evening I stayed the night in a dorm (actually the first dorm of my trip so far, though since I have often dormed, they're quite common in Malaysia). My plan was to spend the next night in the Kumbang Bumbun hide, a 6 hour 11km trek through the jungle, see some animals, and trek back the next day. I took over 4 litres of fluids and some food to get me through and set off from the park headquarters. On the way I went on the Canopy walk, the longest canopy walk in the world apparently (it's a walkway suspended between the trees at canopy level). I was the first on it that day, and thought this might afford me a better opportunity to see some animals, but all I got was the opportunity to walk through all the spiders webs from the night before. I then continued on my trek, passing a sign telling me I'd gone 3.5 km very quickly. At this rate I'll be there in no time, I thought, so I decided to take a diverision up a hill. This was not a wise idea as lugging my 4 litres of water and other stuff up the hill proved draining, as the hear and humidity were starting to get overpowering. Back on the main path for a bit I came to another sign that said I'd gone 3.5 kms. I was not pleased. By this time I was really soaking in my own sweat, and it seemed an age before I got to the 4 kms marker. By this point I was really starting to go through my water.

Well on with the trek, I got a bit slower, and hadn't seen any animals except perhaps a big squirrel and lots of ants and leeches. I did then meet a huge lizard, just sitting in the middle of the road, which wouldn't budge so I had to go around. It didn't seem to move, so it may have been stuffed for all I know. By 6 kms I was soaked with sweat, including the entire contents of my bag, and I'd drunk nearly half my water for the two days. My thoughts turned just to getting to the village marked on the map at 9kms, where I could maybe get a drink, or the boat back if it came to that (I was also was feeling a bit funny in my innards and had to rush of trail and bare my bum to the leeches!!). Eventually I settled in to a sustainable slower pace and made it to the village about 3 in the afternoon. Turns out the village was really just an abandoned resort with not a soul in it. I did however find Kat, my dorm mate, who I'd passed a few times on the trail waiting on the Jetty for a boat as she had walked one way and planned to just get the boat back to town, as the guide book listed one at 330pm. I felt pretty shitty at this point and was inclined to go back myself, especially as I only had about a litre of fluids left. Come 330 no boat stopped, indeed, a few boats passed later in the afternoon, but none stopped despite our waves and shouts! about 6pm it was clear that if we wanted to goto the hide before dark we'd have to leave soon. I managed to persuade Kat that it was not a good idea to risk spending the night alone on the jetty, or to swim down the river through the rapids and she'd be better of coming to the hide as well. I'd also found a burst pipe during a foray into the neighbouring native village (full of naked children and bare breasted women and men giving us very funny looks) to look for another jetty) and had refilled my bottles, though didn't know how trustworthy the water was. We got to the hide in time and found quite a few people already there. Darkness came and some people spent time watching out the window towards the salt-licks and watering hole where the animals should appear, though I was surprises that quite a few of us (there were 7 in the hide I think) just slept the whole night without really looking. I did a few long shifts watching and so no animals at all, nor did anyone in out hide, though everyone else I've met who'd been saw something. I did enjoy it though, watching the fireflies, the moon rising and seeing the tricks the brain plays in constantly convincing me that I could see something. I slept more than I thought I wood on the hard wooden bunk, and the next morning we returned to the jetty to try again for the boat (though the water seemed okay, I hadn't enjoyed the second half of the trek the day before, and the 2km trek to the jetty reminded me of the heat and humidity though it was still early then, so I'd be damned if I was going to walk back, especially with such a paucity of animals, except leeches and web-spinning spiders). A few boats passed without stopping, and we feared the worst, but about 11am one stopped and took us back for only 10 Rinngit apiece (less than 2 quid, I'd have paid much much more!). We'd never been so glad to see a boat pull up in our lives. Back at the town it was to the shower and a cold drink as soon as humanly possible!In the afternoon I got the boat to Jerantut, since I'd only got the minibus on the way. I Had the whole boat to myself, which was nice . It was around two hours downstream and there was a thunderstorm and downpour most of the way (the boat was covered, and I was even more glad I was not still trekking through the jungle then as the paths would have been treacherous!). I got to Jerantut early evening and checked into a guest house. It had certainly been an experience, but the lack of animal, and even exotic insect life was disappointing. I won't be doing any more jungle trekking as as after Laos I was worn out. Those paths in a cooler climate would be fine though!

Photos:

On the canopy walk.

Best not to grab the guide rope!

This guy wouldn't get out our way.