Leaving behind the cold, dry air and upcoming winter of Central Asia, I caught a direct flight from Almaty, Kazakhstan to Kuala Lumpur in humid, 30+ degrees Malaysia. Here, I finally met up with Danni, my most trusted travel companion who is going to be keeping me company for the next two months or so. We spent a couple of days in the country's capital getting lost on the tangled streets walking beneath palm trees, red lanterns and modern skyscrapers. One day, we rode local trains to the edge of the city where we walked up rainbow-colored stairs to a Hindu temple located inside a mountain cave. We were accompanied by hundreds of monkeys on the lookout for food and water.
Walking the streets of Kuala Lumpur
Taking our shoes off in a Hindu temple
Staircase to Batu Caves
Inside Batu Caves
A thirsty monkey
From Kuala Lumpur, we caught a small bus and then a boat that took us up the Tembeling river as the rain was pouring down making a lot of noise hitting the metal ceiling. The monsoon has just arrived. After three hours on the river, we arrived at the small village of Kuala Tahan in Taman Negara National Park ("Taman Negara" means "National Park" in Malay so really, I just wrote "National Park National Park). This place is home to one of the oldest rainforests in the world as it is estimated to be more than 130 million years old.
Sailing on the Tembeling river
We spent two nights in Taman Negara. Luckily, the rain that had begun at 10 in the morning on the first day stopped (more or less) around 9 PM just in time for our Night Jungle Walk. We followed a wooden path through the jungle to the sound of water dripping from the treetops above and countless cicadas and grasshoppers singing below. We saw spiders, leeches, snakes and numerous insects I do not know the names of, only that they were freakishly big. Our guide also introduced us to the two scorpions, Lucy and Adam, that have been staying in the same spots for a few months.
This is Lucy
On the second day, we went jungle trekking (this time in daylight) where it was more about the flora rather than the fauna (though we did see another snake to Danni's excitement). In the afternoon, we took a boat upstream to a small settlement of the indigenous Batek tribe. The rain started again as we sat below a roof made of dried palm tree leaves being taught about the tribe's customs and ways of surviving. Then it was finally time for rapid shooting where Danni's new raincoat did not protect him from getting soaked as water came splashing in thanks to our guide tilting the boat.
Enjoying the view
Trekking in the jungle
Leaving Taman Negara, we headed for the cooler though no less rainy terrain of Cameron Highlands. As the name suggests, this landscape consists of what I call hills borderline mountains covered with either thick forest or endless tea plantations and strawberry fields. We spent a full day with a local guide who took us around the area showing us the plantations up close, the ancient mossy forests in the higher altitudes and plants that feed on insects (kinda like the ones in Super Mario though without the sharp teeth).
Cameron Valley Tea Plantation
Boh Tea Plantation
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It feels like tradition now to have a photo of Danni kicking his leg up
View over the highlands 2000 m above sea level
Our favorite moment of the day however was without a doubt when our guide took us to this lonely trail that only he knows about away from the crowds. The rain was beating down as we made our way up the winding, narrow trail. The rain made it particularly slippery and the moss-covered trees intersecting the path had us practically crawling sometimes. We were soaked after less than fifteen minutes but the views were incredible! From the rocky summit to the thick mossy forest that looked like it was taken out from the Harry Potter franchise! Our guide told us the sweetest story about an elderly couple he had brought there the day before. When they entered the thickest part of the forest, the woman started to cry. He asked her why she was crying and she answered that in all of her 63 years, she had never seen anything like it.
Our guide leading us to the summit
The rain cover did not help that much but it was solid type 2 fun!
Deep in the mossy forest
After these wonderful days in the thick jungle and the cool highlands, it is time to head for the ocean!
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