Gonong Arong

Wow... Yea wow... It has actually been one-and-a-half weeks since I went down to Gonong Arong. And here I am now, finally writing about my experience albeit, one-and-a-half weeks late. I've been busy. I've been busy spending money that is. Well I am sure there is nothing wrong with indulging in the art of money-splurging once in a while. Fingers-crossed, I hereby solemnly swear to God(if there is even one at all) that I shall stop my shopping spree.

Anyway, back to my trekking experience, my friend whos is in ODAC called me at night before the actual day to ask me if I was interested in going down to recce with them. Apparently one of her recce team members couldn't make it. I thought, 'sure, sounds cool!' and that is what started my short trip to Malaysia.

I will have to say that the travelling time on its own is more tiring than the actual trek. Ok, I am exaggerating, but you know, it was a 3 hour trip from the immigration centre in JB to wherever we were trekking back then. So to and fro, that was a total of 6 hours. Hell man, boredom stretches your patience and I am no patient man. To top it up, the bus ride there was in a bus with air conditioning that works like a heater. Yes, we were sweating crazy before we even started the trek.

To cut long story short though, we eventually reached the house of our tour guide, not before getting scammed by some crafty old taxi driver. Yes, to cut the long story short, I wouldn't elaborate on that sly trickster. We met the nice lady who provided us with two young escorts as our guides and we are off on our way!

First thing that I noticed as we began our ascent up the Gonong(I've no idea why they spell it gonong instead of gunung as they do in Indonesia) is the sheer steepness of the slope that we have to climb. You have got to wear something with good traction lest you want to risk hurting yourself there. What is even better though, is that there is only one single walkable route that is at times surrounded by trees and at other times by nothing save for a long jump down to the ground beneath. 'So what ?' you might think but as we reach up above some ten twenty metres, you realise that you are walking on a solitary path and there is no going back, only forward. A wrong step to your right or left will throw you off balance and if you are unfortunate enough, it will be 'sayonara my friend, I'll see you at the bottom of the hill.'

It took us about an hour to reach the peak. We had a good workout, working out quite some amount of sweat but the scenery was in all honesty, worth the trek up. Standing at the peak of Gonong Arong looking down at the beach and nearby islands, that was a breathtaking scene. All along you went up the hill surrounded by endless rows of trees and suddenly there was a clearing and you are able to have a good view around. That experience was fulfiling. it was wonderful. You will feel the satisfaction of having gone so far to immerse yourself in mother nature, to feel her arms close around you in a warm welcoming hug.

And so the time came for the trek down. The thing with everyone is this - when you have tasted sweetness, there is no way you will want to go back and invite that bitter taste to your tongue. Same thing here, the trek down was as treacherous as it was arduous, the main obstacle being the unpredictable terrain as well as the steep slope downwards. You can instantly lose your footing and fall down. Trust me, if accidents happen at all, they will happen more on the trek down rather than up the hill. A few of us fell. Nothing serious though. After another hour, we were all exhausted and the thing that kept us going was the thought of reaching the end point and finally back home. We came out by the beach and it was alright. Quite neat, quite cool.

Phew! And that is it! We finished our trek!

And once again, to cut the long story short, suffice to say that we eventually managed to reach singapore at about an hour or so before midnight, effectively missing the finale of the English Premier League.

Just a short summary of what went on in between though, another money-sucking taxi driver and an uncomfortable 3 hour ride back to customs, a bunch of kiasu people rushing to get back home pushing and squeezing each other in the customs as well as bus and of course, missing the last train home.

For all that it is worth though, I had fun back then. It was a great trek and a good recce.

A Trip to the Wilderness

Here comes Day 2:

Where we went I had already forgotten. Anyway though on the 2nd day I had the company of my brother as my tour guide. Basically, we went to an area that is an hour's drive away from the residential areas. As secluded as it is, its the perfect place to grow fruits. Yes we were actually visiting farms. Just a pity that the current winter season is not the time for harvesting. As shown in the pictures, the trees are stripped bare. No trace of leaves at all. The usual harvesting season is between March or April till the end of June. What do they grow? Quite a number of fruits. Persimmons, pears, apples etc..







The visit though, was just an additional stop to the true destination. After the brief visit, we continued further to the Wungong suburb to see the Wungong reservoir.

If you look at the pictures, well, its a picture of our lunch. We had a fantastic lunch outing out in the open by the reservoir amid the freezing gale. I have tried BBQ in Hong Kong, Singapore and now Perth. I must say though this is by far the most special one of all. The pits here are free for all to use and what is better is that the grill is heated by LPG, so there is no need to build a fire using a mountain of charcoal pieces. In a few minutes, the food were getting heated and we kept close to the pit, which doubly acts as a pit and also as a heater. BBQ-ing out there in the afternoon in the middle of winter is cool really. Its not romantic, but hey couples out there, try BBQ-ing out on your own. Just the 2 of you. Its going to be special.

On with the story, we continued surveying the reservoir, with my brother giving me lessons on structural foundations. I had to recall the physics that I lost 8 months ago and it was unthinkable that what I had learned can be put to use so practically in the structure of the dam.

Now that I've sort of an additional knowledge, reservoir has become a cool place, a place of structural and natural wonder.

Anyone wondering what kind of apple I have in my hand? That is actually an ice cream. Peach flavoured to be exact, with a crusty layer and an inner chocolate core which seems so realistically true. Bon apetite~

Swan Bells Tower

Now that I am in my last phase of my holiday in Perth and that I am at least able to post some pictures, let me just share the delights of my travel for the past one week since I've arrived here.

The house has apparently undergone some serious dilapidation due to a lack of care. To put it simply, the house looks more like a storehouse. However lets not delay my story.

Ok, so the weather here is comfy cold. I am not too sure how cold it is but last I heard its something like 16 degrees celsius, pretty much like when I went to Hong Kong last December. Good thing is, you'll never sweat, but its very dry around here.

Day 1 :
Pretty much spend the whole time in the city. Nothing much has changed since I last came 3 years ago. Shops still close early, and people are going about with their stuff in a semi-serious attitude.

With my sis as the tour guide, we made a visit to the Swan Bells Tower.
Why it got its name is pretty apparent I guess. I don't know about you people, but that brown coloured covering looks like the swan's wings to me and that light blue tower is the neck.

What is inside? A lesson about Perth's history and bells, a whole range of them and hence its name Swan Bells Tower.

Its only 6 storeys high actually, but once on top, believe me your head will be swimming. What got me when I stepped out of the lift wasn't the height but rather, the metal girdles that pave the floor which have spaces wide enough for a mobile phone to slip through. So, the rather 'holey' girdles you stand on six floors up is really a daunting sight, especially when you don't know how strong it is. The platform with the girdles is supported only by thick wires. Scary.

Nonetheless, once atop the platform, you command a breathtaking sight of the Swan River, the city, and the residential suburbs across the river. Its quite a scenery really, a city that is leisurely yet orderly on one side juxtaposed with the greeneries of lawns and trees of houses at the other end of the bank.

A nice place really, a good place to spend your time looking blankly around while letting your mind relax.

---> Me squinting against the bright afternoon sun atop the tower.

If anyone noticed at all, the picture on top is actually a reflection of the 2 of us and not a picture of real physical bodies. See, we had to zoom out so that we can take a picture of something other than our faces (like the pic to the left) and my arm is too short to provide for the distance. Thus the mirror gives a good image. =)

Puncak

Now,now. 2 posts a week as promised.

I've just returned from the puncak - the second big event of the week. Puncak is hill in english. Yes, the family went up to some hilltop and stayed over in some villa with dad's friend. Anyway it was a public holiday yesterday. One of those rare times when dad will actually take a break. What a miser (oops).

So the journey began on thursday, the eve of the holiday. Right after closing the shop, we rushed home, bathed, ate, did everything-else-that-needs-to-be-done before jumping into the car. The gruesome journey took 4 bloody hours. At this point of time, I have to announce to those who are unfamiliar with Indonesia that it has long been plagued by the perennial problem of traffic jams among other things. There are just too many cars walking the streets, literally and one has to wonder why people buy cars when walking actually does the job much faster. Even on the jalan tol or the expressway, all three lanes are occupied by vehicles of all shapes and sizes ranging from puny sedans to humungous trucks. I guess everyone is all too eager to enjoy the holiday and willing to brave the traffic jams to go out of the capital for a brief respite.

Anyway, after fighting off the lull of the ZzZ monster with the aid of food and also enduring the torturous climb up the hill, we managed to arrive at the villa. The difference is just so apparent. From the moment the door is open, the cool fresh air of the hill fills our lungs as opposed to the dust, grime, dirt and other toxins that we usually breathe in in badly polluted Jakarta. The visit makes it my second time there. The previous time I went up, I was with the same company as well (I mean my dad's friend). The only difference is that yesterday, we reached the villa almost close to midnight. This trip is quite retarded actually, considering that we have to check out the next day. It can be said that we spent 4 hours on the road just to sleep in some villa up some hill. Everyone exhausted from the journey, all there is for us to do is to sleep.

Next morning we woke up early, not by our choice, but its really cold up there. After breakfast, dad's friend and I went for a swim. It was bloody ice cold, but for the same reason, it is refreshing. Its one of those things you'll never get elsewhere. I mean, when and where do you get the chance to swim in water that makes you shiver but keep you awake and afresh? After the swim, we had just enough time to rest before checking out and leaving. So that marks the end of the one day holiday. It was late afternoon when we finally reached Jakarta again. All too seen it felt, that the holiday is over.

The puncak is one of those places that still remain undisturbed by the destructive nature of men. It is semi-rural and that is precisely the reason why its so appealing as a holiday retreat. Up over there, its as though you are in a haven. No worries, no duties. Just rest, relax and rejuvenate. The perfect place to de-stress and revitalize the worn and stressed soul.

My audience, you should try it out for yourself. Its worth the money. =)