Things I have learned.....

[RVF500]

Having taken a 'taster' trip up to Malaysia's national park (Taman Negara) I decided to take a more serious visit and planned a 3 day trek. This is what I learned from that:

In the jungle:

Leeches are disgusting but harmless, the more tired you are the more you get used to them.

If you stop to pull a leech off your boot, 5 of his mates will sneak up on you.

Leeches move faster than you think.

Trees, big trees, fall down with no warning for no apparent reason.

Monkeys are just small hairy pikeys.

If you think you are at the top of the hill, you're wrong.

If you think it can't get any harder, you're wrong.

If you think you don't have any leeches, your wrong.

If it looks like it wont support you, it won't.

Long trousers and a silly hat keep napa palm spikes at bay, mostly.

It's a rainforest. You're gonna get wet, either from sweat or rain. Accept this and move on.

I hate the taste of water purification tablets. Ever tasted a swimming pool?

You can never carry enough water, even if it does taste like the local baths.

The body can sweat out over 1 litre per hour. Which is the rate I was drinking at. I said you'd get wet.

Dehydration sucks! As do the body cramps that come with it (see point about sweating).

On the way back:

You never knew you could smell that bad, until you take a shower.

Changing a wheel with cramps in arms, legs, back, stomach and even hands, really p*sses you off (especially if it starts to rain while you are doing it).

Malaysian drivers have the sphere of awareness the size of a golf ball.

You get funny looks at the petrol station whilst trying to ease cramps that are preventing you from breathing.

Even McDonalds tastes good!

In summary:

I’d go back tomorrow, provided I could stop walking like I’ve wet myself

If I can figure it out I'll post some photos.

[RVF500]

I guess it would be a similar environment pyle. Hot, humid and generally hostile. But well worth the effort to go there.

What are doing up at this time on a Sunday? At least it's 2pm here. What's your excuse, or haven't yo been to bed yet?

[0iD]

Can't say I've done anything that bad, sounds good tho. The Grand Canyon on foot & horseback is about as extreem as i've done. That was hot, but not humid. Pretty spectacular tho.

[RVF500]

Actually, it was good, in a bad way if you get my drift. Definitely a challenge. I'll be going back but looking at my preparation in more detail. I'll be adding gaiters to my list to help keep the leeches at bay. I need to figure out why I suffered so badly from cramps. I think my early pace was too fast as the going was quite good so when it started to get tough I'd already pushed too hard. Which wasn't too smart. So I think I'll put in more scheduled stops and make sure I eat more along the way to keep my body salt level up.

The environment just works against you. The climate and terrain added to the fact that you are constantly climbing over obstacles. But it's a place well worth a visit if you can ever get out there.

Also, I have to remember I'm a 43 year old network engineer now. Not the 23 year old paratrooper I was 20 years ago. But you know how the saying goes. You can take the man out of the army.....you can't take the army out of the man. Besides, I'm not ready to hang my boots up just yet.

If I can figure out how to get some pics up I will do. Unless anyone has some space I can 'borrow'. I'll e-mail some so they can be put up.

[RVF500]

Pyle mate, you gotta chill out. If your foot is injured, it's injured. Losing sleep won't make it better. Stress is a bitch. But you'll heal up better if you can relax a bit.

I had the same issue this weekend. Go overland when I was less than 100% or take the river route back where there are more people and I could get to the river and hail a boat if I got into difficulty. I lost a day of trekking but it was the right choice. No point being the most macho bug meal in the jungle.

[iranu]

I went to Taman Negara in '97 and it was awesome. W went up river for about 3 hours to get to the non-touristy bit.

I saw the biggest dragonfly imaginable up there. it had a wingspan of about 20cm and the body was about 15cm long. It made a sound like a chinook.

I was walking back from a bat cave with a mate when all of a sudden we heard this almighty roar. The first thing we thought was that it was a gorilla it was that loud. But obviously they don't populate that area. We quickly picked up some staves and started sharpening the points cos this thing was really close. I was were expecting something to come rushing out the bush. So we edged slowly along the trail and we could hear the rustling in the jungle and this thing seemed to be following us.

Anyway after about fifteen minutes we passed a group of 3 girls who must have wondered wtf we were doing tiptoeing along the trail with weapons at the ready!

Later we were told that wild boars roam about and that they can be quite dangerous if startled.

Which reminds me - if you ever get the chance to go to Mersing there's a restaraunt called elo - we ate curried wild boar there and it was delicious.

[RVF500]

Iranu, I think I know the cave you mean. It's at Gua Telinga. Next trip up I may go there. My mate at work wants to take a visit. His fitness level is lower than mine so a shorter trip might be an idea. My son also wants to come over and visit. It is an awesome place and if anyone has the chance to go they should take it. The wild pigs actually come into the resort. But if you leave them alone they do likewise. However, people have been attacked by them in the past. So a wide berth is advised. Loud roar? You know there are elephant and tiger in the park and they have been known to come right up to the villages? I think there are also sun bears.

I've been to Mersing but just for the ferry across to Tioman. So I didn't stop long enough for dinner. It's rainy season now so the ferries will stop and it's a 3 hour drive from KL so it's unlikely I'll go back. Pity I never posted before the Tioman trip.

[RVF500]

One hairy pikey



The rapids at Latah Berkoh about 8 km (4 hours trek) upstream from the resort area.



Looking downstream from the rapids



You have to get there in the afternoon as the boats bring the tourists up and cadge a lift across.



It's not much but it's home....more importantly it's light to carry.



Trust me. Go in here and you will get some bloodsucking friends. Guaranteed.



Easy way. Taken on the first trip



Start of the canopy walk which is 500 metres long. A must if you ever get to visit.



Legend has it that there is a path here.



I didn't take the easy way on the second trip. I'm having fun.......honest

[killkoy]

cool pics
i also like the outdoors but tend to go hiking/climbing/skiing in much colder places

[RVF500]

Well I dont want to miss out on this oppurtunity, I'm already about 6 months behind where I want to be, and I dont want them deciding to drop me as my foots screwed.

Mate, I might sound like an old fogey but friends of mine on pre-para pushed too hard on injuries and after all their effort were told that not only had they failed through injury but also they could not come back ever due to the way that the injury had been affected by not allowing it to repair properly.

We've all done it though. I went through P Coy on a mix of painkillers to get through a ligament strain in my knee. It gave me gip for years after but seem sto have gone away now.

All I'm saying is be careful, no point screwing your body up especially if it's avoidable. Good luck though all the same.

[Stewart]

RVF - you star. Best post on here for a long time. Those pictures are great... makes me want to fly off to some far flung place for some major flunging.

The tips you gave in the first post are less of a thrill, and living in Birmingham, they all apply to me anyway.

You must of had the time of your life mate. I can see why you'd go again, even if there are many issues to get used to.

Top man.

EDIT - Of course, there is the slight issue that I am scared of flying and have never so much as got within 100 yards of a plane, and you are an ex-paratrooper, and therefore, Joe Hardknock. Ah well... as much as I'd like to go, I very much like keeping my feet firmly on the old terra firma.

I suppose with the strange noises, unbearable stench, leeches, suspicious locals and disgusting food on offer, I could get a similar experience in France...

[RVF500]

I suppose with the strange noises, unbearable stench, leeches, suspicious locals and disgusting food on offer, I could get a similar experience in France...

Plus the added advantage of being able to get there by train. You have a very valid point mate

Yes I am going back. I have 2 trips planned. 1 with a workmate (city boy) who wants to have the experience while he has the chance. Plus someone crazy enough to go with him. Another with my son who is saving up half the airfare (other half is bank of mum and dad) to come out. A few changes to my approach are needed and things should be smoother.

[RVF500]

The humidity in the forest is a killer. After it rains the place turns into a steam bath. You don't even have to move to sweat heavily. When it rains it's nice and cool. Unfortunately for me it rained all night (which was nice cuz I could sleep) but didn't all day so I was left walking through a bit of a pressure cooker. There is little or no breeze under the jungle canopy however on the river banks it's much nicer. You can't camp there though due to the risk of flash floods.

In short...it's wet.

I was in Para Sigs from '83 to '91. Might have been in the same time as your uncle. Surprising how many guys from that kinda background go totally the opposite way on the outside.

[RVF500]

In that case we will have missed each other as I didn't join until '80 (Signals). Went airborne after 2 1/2 years in Germany (Minden). Came out in '91 and after a couple of years stagnating went back in the TA and joined a Signal Squadron with an airborne role. Stayed with them until '98. My last jump was at the end of '97.

[Stewart]

My last jump was at the end of '97.

You must have nads like water-melons.

EDIT - Mind you, so would all of us, if we hadn't had sex in 8 years.

EDIT2 - Only joking. You are a braver man than me...

[RVF500]

More like prunes stew.....nothing like a bit of abject terror to shrivel the old nether regions