My Irau experiance, Group 3

After 3 weeks of anticipation for the day you could try out the newly bought deuter Gobi and your karimor shoes, u might be wondering “what on earth you are trying to do? it is the weekend and I was suppose to spend some worthy time with Sean Kingston and Lady gaga sipping off from the bottle of black label !!! “ but then again, I glad that I made the decision.

First of all I would like to give applause to all the ODA Committee, Ang Bee Suan ( my team leader still single and available !!! ), Lao Shi ( Miss Lim with the big nasty hilux… ), Fu Yaw, Chian nii, Andy and the rest ( sooo sorry not so good in remembering names i will do my best in future ). It was really nice to have them around as was my first time to have a hiking trip apart trip organized by colleges or unis.

Everything was almost followed the schedule which I think it was pretty close, nice work. But you might have missed 1 small little point…Malaysian style always come late then being punctual. It is always good to plan another an hour earlier than the expected time of departure. It was ok to me as earlier I was told that we will be spending a night in a hotel before we start our hike to Gunung Irau…that is awesome, sufficient sleep and rest will ensure that your body could operate at the best performance !!!

After several hours at the free way and through the bending curve at Simpang Pulai….We finally reached our destination... Brinchang, I was gazing through the beauty of the hotels and start wondering it would be nice to have hot bath and warm blanket to sleep and prepare for tomorrow. Soon I realized that passes so many hotels and will be arriving to our sweet hotel. Eh? Jabatan Hutan Cameron Highland ? ? eaekkkkk...then I knew that the HOTEL = Home On Top the Earth…..Looser !! Nooooo where is my hot water ???

Nothing much you can do but to bring out the courage in you to be more adventurous. We parked our car and started to unload our back packs and head towards to our HOTEL. It was freezing cold my friend !!! No hot water ??? slowly the team leaders starts grouping up their team members and giving instruction on what is the next step.

Fu Yaw, our trip leader calling other ODA committee and introducing themselves to the rest of the people. Young, handsome and most importantly show a sense of leadership. From that point I knew our trip to Gunung Irau will be smooth as silk.

After a short section of explanation of our main objective and goal also some description of what we shall faced during the hike. Fu Yaw then start to name the group members that will be sleeping in the assigned tent. I was so pumped up to start setting up my home as it is bout time to sleep ( what at 11pm? This is the time I start heading towards to Lady gaga.)..

Things are a bit weird when you are with Mother Nature, slight breeze flowing through your cheek giving you little chilly feeling with an abundant of fresh air that you could hardly have time to grasp when you are in the city. Everything slowly take in to place, where my mind starts to calm down together with my breath and spiritually I can actually felt that I am starting to make peace with my soul.

Our team leader later call for all GROUP 3 members to gather around our bag station. Her voice gently raised “ ok, we will start cooking rice for the usage of tomorrow hiking trip, could you take out the rice please?”. Rice? Anyone mentioned about rice? Oh man, thanks to my ability to browse through the plan and schedule in a flash. I don’t want to starve to death!!! We started to search for rice from other teams and found out we are not only the one without any rice. Fortunately, permission was given to purchase rice from the nearest town which is only 5 minutes drive away.

I salute to all the ODA members that spend their time on ensuring the rice are cooked in time for the usage of tomorrow. They were cooking rice till late in the morning. I didn’t manage to stay up till late as I was driving entire way from KL to Brinchang ( excuses….) so I slowly tucked into my sleeping bag and doze away to dreamland.

Finally, hours before the climb, everyone slowly appeared from their tent. Some were packing their sleeping bag tugging it into their bag while some are preparing breakfast for those unfold their tents. I personally didn't get much sleep of cause thanks to the location of our tent declining with an angle of 30 degrees downwards !!! Not to mention that a cold climate was a bit "abusing " to a typical asian guy ( refereing to me) that stays in a warm climate through out the year.

After packed all the stuff into the back pack, I casually walked towards to our group where Loa Si with her light blue snow cap already sitting down there preparing breakfast for the late comers...pai sheh pai sheh ( the sleeping beauties are still brushing their teeth and probably putting some make up too....=p). Henry, our main cook starts to warm up the roti canai and the curry with a little cheeky smile on his face. he told me i need to eat as much as possible, else with will suffer later on. I quickly stuff myself with 3 or 4 roti canai just too hope that it wont explode later...Nevertheless, we hurried finish our roti canai and warm milo before start to clean the mess tin.

Well after filing up the empty bottles with water from the clean river that near the campsite ( slightly yellowish though if you want to say is clean ). We then start to head to our transportation and place all the bags ready to head to the peak. It was like more then 10 years since my last visit to cameron highland, i could not recall anything at all bout cameron highlands. So it was quite nostagia to able to pass by all the tea plantation, an absolute nice scenary.

Moments before the climb, everyone are starting to gear up their stuff and shoes. I was warming up intensively as i knew i will need it. Just imagine you are carrying "STONES" on back, but thanks to my years of intensive exercise and sporting i am pretty sure this will not stop me.

Group by group head up to the staircase leading towards a jungle trail unknowing what we will face. Our group wasnt ready yet, as there are still "unsolved" (moment with the parang) issue yet. Once everyone were there, my heart starts beating so fast till i could hear it really loud. The anxiety is overwhelming !!! My shoulder is pain!!! My old legs starts showing symptoms of breaking down. Step by step i drag my self to the end of the staircase and suddenly something catched my sight...a spectacular view of the green and lush slopy hill spanning as far you can see.

Something you couldn't find it in the town and i think to myself, what a wonderful world ( by louis amstrong) !!! All my doubts and pain just gone......and from that moment, i knew i knew i will definitely able to reach the peak !!!

Well....after that, throughout the entire journey would be more like walking into a realm of the Goblin.....It looks like the lord of the ring trilogy!!! Dark green moss grow almost every single part of the trees. Unseen holes within the ground occasionally form out of no where. Tree roots aged more then hundred years old petruding from the ground like trying to grap hold on someone. But well is just abit over exegerating i guess. And then suddenly i heard noise from far above the tree...wondering whether is the Goblin wanted to share his pot of gold...!!! and what i saw is Lao Si sitting high above the tree trunk and looking down at us. We are not surprise to see that i was expecting more from the Lao Si, maybe hanging to one of the tree vines while asking the rest to navigate through the jungle....=p

The entire trail was okay for me, as i looked backed, the 2 Gals at my back start clinging from 1 tree to another panting heavily. I guess it might be too tough for them....or there isn't any rihana's Disturbia to motivates them...... but they never stop and gave up. Kept continue the journey with their "Yin Yong" gloves navigating through the muddy trail. Nevertheless, they were surprisingly durable...something i didnt expect from them. Amazing.

After 2 hours of trekking through the muddy trail, we finally reach Bukit Botak, where we start to have lunch. Refueling all the energy that lost during the hike. I was not that hungry though, took a few bites of the home made fried rice. Cant complain, there is no other option but to eat. We then continue to head up to G. Irau where i heard there is still like 30 minutes to go...yipeee... !!!

Immediately we continue our journey step by step and suddenly we are forced to enter a part of the trail where there is limited light. The trail is like walking through a tunnel where you only see nothing but scarry looking trees covered with moss. And then suddenly, mist slowly fills up the trail making me to have more imaginations. I walked slowly navigating through the thin mist around me and finally i see the light at the end of the road. Relieved. Finally !!!

It was moments away and i was so thrilled that i will be reaching the peak soon. My legs starting to show cramping effect, i dont care but continue to push them slowly and carefully knowing i will still need to come down tomorrow. Step by step and........YES.....i can feel the tears of happiness.....i can finally let go my "STONE" at last.

I would like to say, that it was really fun indeed. The satisfation of able to reach the top and return back to the starting point is an achievement to anyone who have participated in this expedition.

It has show me something different from my prespective point of view.

It is not about competivenes of who will reach the peak first. It is not about who has the best stamina or endurance. It is also not about whether you are a guy or a gurl.

It is about knowing your trueself in a situation where you have to entrust everyone. Believing yourself and others to work together. Also to reconnect with Mother Nature, where a lot of people take it for granted.

Well.....i hope i could share my experiance with you again in the near future. Thank You !!!

Saiyonara !!!