Kuala Besut

My last entry was on Friday 23rd Mac 2012......about 17 months ago! I almost forgot about this blog until my 11 years old daughter told me through the phone some months ago that she came across my blog. How she found it i do not know. After a bit of story telling between us she then asked my, 'why stop writing?'....she never got an answer from me...until now. 

I started photography about 8 years ago. Just as a hobby and nothing more. After many years of snapping pictures along with few colleagues i finally had in my possession countless numbers of photos stored in a external hard disk. Most of the shot were in Kuala Lumpur along with friends such as Prof Hakimi, Teddy, and Zamri. We shared tips along the way and also lenses since some of are using Canon. For some reason the snapping came to a halt in early 2010 until recently especially when looking at photos of Prof Hassan, Khairul Hasbullah. 'the birdman' Johaidi, Ahmad Harun, Hamdan Ahmad, and many more. Looking at their photos my fingers suddenly produces some sort of sensational energy that pulls them to my worn out Canon 400D. So i went back to the room at the back to dig for the hard disk. Browsing thro' the photos a few days ago gave me the inspiration to start writing again and also to share some of my 'syiok sendiri' photos. 

These photos of Kuala Besut, Terengganu were captured on the morning of 3/6/2007. I like shooting jetties....cant explain why but there are lots of them. This is the place where you can find boats, slow and fast, that can ferry you to Pulau Perhentian. You can walk around and point your lens to so many interesting things.....the old buildings, fishermans, worn down coffee shops, local food....to name a few...and not forgetting 'anak dara makcik' ..... hehehe....there are countless activities on and off the boats and the boatman are ever ready to post the most friendly smiles just when you are about to reach for your shutter. If you have time you can step on the docking boat, have a chit chat with them, and can also try to roll tobacco into the nipah leaves. 

view from the bridge 

the photograper

'The Bulb Eye View'

This is one of my favorite among the so many photos that i managed to grab after making my rounds at the jetty. I did not realize that the image of me and the jetty appeared in the bulb. During this time of the year most of the boats will be equipped with plenty of light bulbs about double the size of fist of an adult. The idea is that when they are at sea during the night the squid will be attracted to the amount of light coming from the boat. You can find squid jigging here http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PVy9UneQbxY.

Perhaps now i can call tell my daughter that dad will continue writing......

signing off at 12.44pm, Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia

NASIK

Sekarang pukoi 7.42 pagi. Aku dah kat opis dah ni. Trafik pagi ni kurang tu yang samapai awai tu. Tapi yang aku observe memang pagi jumaat jalan clear tak tau pasaipa. Majoriti mangkit lambat kot. Sebelum aku lupa, result SPM dah kluaq. Tahniah kepada yang berjaya dan kepada yang korang sikit tu dont worry its not the end of the world. Congrat pd anak Dr Hakimi yang dapat 10A+....den banggo ngan ekau.
Alhamdulillah kita semua dapat jumpa lagi hari jumaat yang mulia ni. Kesihatan pun boleh kata generally baik cuma pagi ni pinggang lak rasa sakit sikit. Ni kesan pi swimming aritu la ni, sebulan lepas. Masa swimming tak ingat dah. Backstroke la, butterfly la, duck la, penguin la....bila dah sakit ni dah jadi terbaring ja cam style ikan paus yang naik darat....pusin sini tak kena, pusin sana tak kena. Kalu dulu aku dok rajin pi solat jumaat kat Masjid Wilayah ngan kimi. Dewan solat masjid tu luas tak payah nak rebut-rebut, air-con lagi. Parking pun senang. Lunch yang paling best kat situ ialah nasik kukus ayam berempah. Pergghhhhh....memang syiok. Bak kata orang kelantan 'memang menyangkut'. Makan kat gerai situ ayaq dia free. Nak minum sirap tu berapa gelen pun dia tak charge. Kalu geng-geng penang mai ka patut aku bawak depa pi pekena nasik tu tengok ada boleh lawan nasik kandaq kassim ka, nasik kandaq kapitan ka....nindia nasik kukus beratoq masjid wilayah punya, boleh ka lawan nasik kandaq baratoq penang punya.

Nindia Masjid Wilayah siap dok atas ayaq lagi. Ruang bawah ramai yang duduk relax sebab ada wifi. Ramai la budak muda2 yang bawak keluaq handphone agaknya nak bagi tau kat awek depa yang depa dah ada kat masjid. Aku tak buat dah camtu....masa dolu-dolu time aku bercintan mana ada handphone pun. So siapa-siapa yang mai KL singgah la masjid ni sebab dia dekat ja ngan toll Jalan Duta. Keluaq toll dan pi ke kompleks pejabat kerajaan jalan duta yang la ni dah jadi pejabat LHDN. oooopppsssss.....income tax belum submit!

Esok sabtu......cuti. Mem pun cuti. Pagi tadi mem dah sound dia kata kalu pi pekena nasik kandaq Lawood pun best jugak ni. First time aku pekena nasik ni agaknya 2 tahun dulu. First suap tu tangkap nangis lah bak kata budak-budak rock. Kena ngan taste aku la kan, orang lain aku tak tau. Tapi kalu dah pukoi 3 petang pun ada orang dok beratoq lagi maka sendiri mau ingat la. Dia punya kuah lain macam punya mai. Teringat aku nasik kantin penang free school dulu. Selepas 33 tahun dapat balik taste yang camtu.
Aku boh gambaq ni bukan pasai nak promote kedai dia....bukannya dapat komision ka atau makan free ka. Nak tau dia punya kick tu aku dapat tau sorang kawan aku ni pi oversea seminggu kot. Landing ja kat KLIA dia teruih pi Lawood pahtu baru balik rumah. Dan dia bukan orang utara pun.....orang johor....geng gua lu. Kat signboard tu dia tulis nombor talipon sikit punya besaq ka. So kalu nak pi weekend cuba-cuba la talipon dulu sebab depa tutup dua minggu sekali. Kalu dah sampai sana dan kedai tu tutup maka boleh la pi cari kari kepala ikan liat....yang bab kepala ikan ni kalu nak cerita memang panjang....next change kita cerita.
Aku cerita bab makan-makan ni bukan la makna aku ni kaki makan walau pun dari rumah aku ke sana lebih kurang 60-70km kot, pi balik dah berapa km.....nak kena bayaq toll lagi. Ada geng aku lagi hardcore. Depa ni siap organise trip JJCM....Jalan Jalan Cari Makan.....seminggu dua punya planning siap ngan trip itinerary lagi. Depa travel day trip beratus-ratus kilometer dengan satu common goal.....cari makan. Pantang dengaq ada makan best. Aku belum la pernah dapat ikut depa tapi kalu tengok gambaq depa kalu....perghhhh takuttttt....kulit ketam ja dah setengah meja.....tu baru kulit ketam....tapi depa ok aku tau sebab depa sentiasa beringat-ingat. Depa makan apa pun mesti depa semua dah standby ubat. Sebabnya depa ni lebih korang umoq aku jugak dan masing-masing ada penyakit.....penyakit sikit-sikit la cam aku jugak la. Oooppsssss....dah time jugak untuk aku makan ubat....chow dulu.....mana nak p cari nasik ni....breakfast bro!

signing off 0837......

Notes : awai pulak boss aku sampai arini.....biasanya kalu jumaat pukoi 12tghari.

Mai mana la nyamuk ni....ada sekoq terbang mai lalu kat depan screen monitor aku ni. Ngeri la aku sbb dah 3 orang opis mate aku kena denggi. Last week baru discharge sorang dari KLGH. Dia kata tak best balik rumah sebab staff nurse kat sana muda-muda dan cun-cun. So aku kata kat dia kalu nak jumpa lagi staff nurse pi la tidoq kat carpark dogiang-dogiang. Nanti kena kenduri ngan nyamuk aedes sure masuk wad lagi. Tiap2 minggu DBKL mai buat fogging kat area opis aku ni tapi nyamuk selamba ja dok pi mai pi mai. Ni aku la yang kena hurung ni sebab aku ja yang ada kat opis la ni. Tapi pagi ni puas hati la jugak sebab baru lepas pekena nasik lemak sambai power punya. Beli kat Taman Melati masa nak mai opis tadi. Sambai dia ngam ngam ja pedas. Sparring pulak ngan teloq mata kerbau...teloq kuning dia cayaq cayaq sikit...perghhhhh.....urppppppp...sedawa la pulak. Pah breakfast kena makan ubat la pulak...yg kecik sebijik, yg besaq sikit setengah bijik....aku pun dah lupa ubat untuk apa sebab semua mem aku yang uruskan. Celik celik mata pagi2 pukoi 5.45 dia dah huloq sebijik pil ngan ayaq. Mata pun baru bukak separuh teruih telan ubat sekali ngan ayaq liork basi...heheh.
Semalam aku kata ada earthquake nak berlaku minggu ni. Tum tum dah jadi dah pun. Mexico City kena dah. Malam tadi kot. 7.4 pada skala Richter. Kalu kita ukoq Mexico City ke pantai California jauhnya lebih korang 2,000km saja. Bukannya jauh pun. Kalu hangpa drive dari Bukit Kayu Hitam ke Skudai ikut PLUS highway jarak dia dah 800km dah. Aku sebut pasai California ni sebab kat situ ada San Andreas fault. TU gambaq yang ada tu la dia. Rekahan panjang sepanjang coast of California yang selari dengan pantai. Kalu hangpa browse thro kat internet depa cerita yang kat rekahan ni selalu sangat-sangatlah berlaku gegaran. Gegaran yang kecik2 anak tu biasalah tiap-tiap hari ada. Kalu hangpa drive dari Los Angeles ke Nevada ke Arizona nanti hangpa nampak tiang letrik tepi jalan banyak yang condong ke arah laut. Tu sebab pergerakan tanah tak penah berhenti. Tapi yang aku nak cerita ni pasai major earthquake yang berlaku di California setiap 22 tahun. Bukan aku yang kata tapi expert2 depa yang dok kira. Last sekali berlaku pada tahun 1988 dan kalu hangpa campoq 22tahun akan jadi 2010. Tapi belum berlaku kan? Jaga-jaga sebab dah overdue dah.....Dan yang minor earthquake pulak berlaku setiap 3 tahun. Dan kalu kira yang 3 tahun ni dia akan berlaku 2012. So yang aku dok pikiaq-pikiaq ni aku rasa depa akan kena major quake ni tahun ni jugak la....maybe dec 2012...kah kah kah. Tu la pasai yang depa dok hingaq pasai dec 2012 dan buat filem 2012 yang tunjuk california coast tenggelam ke laut sebab earthquake. Ada satu report pulak kata dalam 30 tahun ni California kan kena quake yang besaq punya sampai jadi national disaster la kot....Bukan 30 tahun kot....disember ni kot. Kalu kita tengok quake yang berlaku all the way dari Argentina januari 2011, naik ke Chile pd 2011, pahtu naik ke Peru pada Jan 2012 dan naik ke Mexico City pada Mac 2012. Kalu ikut dia punya desire line tu dia akan teruih naik ke California yang mana 2000km ja dari Mexico City. So rasa aku toksah la pi sana....kata omputih tu avoid at all cost.
Aku bukan la nak mintak depa kena quake besaq tu tapi kalu depa kena jugak kira bala besaq la tu. Kalu orang yang biase pi sana depa tau la camna budaya dan kehidupan orang kat sana. Cun-cun, pakai belah-belah, dedah-dedah. Juling mata tengok. Yang bikini kat pantai tu tak payah cerita lah kan. Takkan hangpa tak ingat dulu-dulu kita dok nganga depan TV tengok Pamela Anderson dalam Baywatch......Sana ada Hollywood, tempat artist2 yang cun-cun. Skandal sex sana skaldal sex sini. Kalau kita sampai Vegas pulak, kat tepi-tepi jalan ada tong-tong setinggi pinggang. Dalam tong tu ada mcm2 magazine. Boleh ambik free. Bila bukak dalam tu ada foto awek-awek yang cun-cun siap dengan nombor talipon. Kataloq la tu. Pilih dan talipon saja. Kat San Francisco pulak ada sex shop. Depa jual mcm2....CD, spanish fly, 'alat2' yang jantan pun ada yang pompuan pun adaaaaaa......Lama aku dok tenung yang pompuan punya. Bukan la pasai aku syiok tapi terkejut yang benda camtu pun ada. Boleh mampuih. Masa aku masuk tengok-tengok tu depa tengah pasang video gay....geli geleman aku. Tapi yang aku tak boleh lupa sampai la ni tu masa masuk tengok peep show kat San Francisco. Benda tak pernah jumpa so nak tau la jugak camna menatang tu. Sorang cuma boleh masuk satu pintu jadi aku masuk satu pintu dan kawan aku masuk satu pintu. Bilik tu muat-muat untuk sorang ja. Sebelum masuk tu kena tukaq duit syiling dulu sebab kat dalam kena masuk duit cam juke box tu. Bila masuk ja syiling tingkap kecik pun terbukak la. Tingkap yu kecik ja lebih korang 4" x 2" tinggi cukup-cukup untuk mengintai.....bila bukak ja tingkap tu punya la terkejut aku lebih dari berok terkejut. Untuk sekeping syiling tu tingkap tu bukak 10 saat ja kot. Bila abih ja 5 keping syiling aku pun keluaq la. Kawan aku dah ada kat luaq dah. Aku tanya dia pasai apa dia keluaq cepat sangat pada hal kami sama-sama bawak 5 keping syiling. Dia kata bila tingkap bukak ja dia punya terkejut sampai terlepas syiling dari gengam. Nak cari tak nampak sebab bilik gelap. Bila dia raba-raba atas lantai tangan dia tersentuh ayaq pekat-pekat atas lantai. Aku punya gelak kat dia...dia pun gelak kat aku pasai kami dua-dua mana penah tengok awek mat salleh cun menari telanjang bulat. Awek tu cuma pakai kasut high heel saja. Hunjung tahun 2012 ni aku cuti panjang....dua minggu.........kalu pi San Francisco pun best jugakkkkk.


ni la kampung aku....Bukit Mertajam
macam2 ada

Harini selasa 20hb mac 2012. Rupanya aku punya last posting dah 3 tahun apa ka....tahun 2009 dulu. Well well well dah 3 tahun dah banyak benda yang berlaku....sat sajaaaa nooo. Tapi yang lawaknya bila aku nak masuk blog ni aku pun dah lupa password...kah kah kah...
Sebelum aku lupa kalu ikut prediction yang aku tengok dalam youtube minggu ni akan berlaku satu major earthquake pada skala richter 7.0 tapi depa pun tak tau la kat mana. Sebabnya ialah orang yang dok monitor earthquake ni cakap ia berlaku every 180 hari. Jadi minggu ni avoid la pi tepi pantai, nanti mai tsunami letih la nak berenang.
Posting dulu aku dok cerita pasai scuba ngan cycling.....rasanya dah dua tahun dah aku tak pi cycling sebab lutut kanan aku sakit. Bila dok rumah saja maka Mr Belly pun start la menonjoi. Geng2 yg nak p camping kat Tenggol dok sibuk order t-shirt. Depa dok bagi saiz xl la xxl la tapi aku tak reti nak order sebab baju saiz xl tapi perut saiz xxl pulak....ada ka baju yang macam tu. Camping pun lama dah tak pi.....bukannya pasai bini tak bagi pi tapi atas some personal reason aku avoid leaving town. Bini aku dok suruh sangat-sangat pi Tenggol ni. Pelik jugak kalu orang lain dengaq pasai selalunya payah bini nak bagi pi sana sini....Ada jugak bini yang bagi bukan tak ada tapi bak kata kawan aku dato jenal yang ni bagai dapat lesen kapai kontena....nak pi mana pun pi la...nak balik pagi pun tak pa...tapi permit ni tak cover nak kawin sorang lagi. kah kah kah....ni mesti ada yang tak percaya ni...ada yang jeles ni.
Other than the perut nothing much yang dah berubah la pasai aku ni except for the hair lah....makin banyak dah jadi putih....mula putih tu turun ke misai pahtu ke janggut pulak dah. Tu yang kat luaq, kat dalam pulak bila buat bloodtest asyik kena perli ja pasai kolesterol dok maintainnnnn ja....maintain tinggi. Payah betoi la camna nak buat mamat ni turun...makan punya la jaga, exercise tak tinggai......yang last sekali ni sugar level pulak yang gatai gatai nak naik.....payah payah. Nak buat camna kan, umoq bukannya 15 tapi dah jadi terbalik....dah 51....cepatnya masa berlalu. Bertambah cepat bila kawan aku Dr Hakimi tu pi pulak boh gambaq-gambaq masa kami anak dara dulu...gambaq tahun 1979 kot. Kalu ada mesin time travel kan best, boleh travel balik pi tengok Puteri Hang Li Po ka....pi tengok Hitler ka...
Kawan aku teddy din pun dah lama tak jumpa. Dengaq cerita kata hakimi bisnis din la ni dah bertambah naik....ok la tu. Tapi aku sampai la ni dok taram dia pasai kes tarik fin aku. Selagi aku tak cabut fin dia selagi tu la dendam kesumat aku ni takkan hilang...kah kah kah....agaknya dia lebih buncit apa ka dari aku la ni.....apa taknya...bbq makan bbq mkn. Tapi kalu hangpa ada function apa-apa dan nak best bbq in town boleh la hangpa panggil dia. Charge dia pun very reasonable.
So kena stop la writing aku ni sebab dah dekat pukoi 9....start time kerja. La ni aku sampai opis 7.50 ke 8 pagi sebab hantaq bini masuk kerja pukoi 8. Dia kerja kat PPUM sebelah federal highway sana....ois aku sebelah highway sini, 4 minit ja dengan kereta. Dia physiotherapist kat situ....tu yang untungnya.....sakit pinggang ka sakit betih ka sakit bahu ka.....urut free. Aku pun seorang suami yang bersikap adil jugak....Aku pun urut dia jugak.....chao dulu

Tanjung Malim Off Road Cycling 1

PRE-TRIP AND TRAP ON TEDDY

I started cycling roughly about 5 months back. I bought a bike (proton t-blaze) after Doc kimi, a close friend of mine, suggested that i join him cycling. His mountain bike is Kona ( i always call it Miss Kona) which he bought many-many years ago. (And for many many years he rode alone). Immediately after, we cycled together to few places in the Klang Valley and at one time with another friend, Zamri, who owns a Polygon MTB. But this trip to Tanjung Malim with Teddy (his real name is Din) was one trip that makes us burst into laughter everytime one of us refresh our memories of the trip or whenever we look at photos posted in my Facebook.
This trip was planned in just few a days after I told Doc that I won't be joining the office-sponsored family trip to Tioman Island. He suggested that we go cycling since he too had to postponed his outing planned much earlier with his old college mates (UM). I said why not and asked him to get Teddy to come along. Doc later sent a message on Thursday telling me that Teddy might be joining us and that he will confirm later. We had been trying to get him to tag along during our previous few cycling trips but to no avail. He had his reasons and we always agreed with him. But not this time!. I called him and with a slighly pressing voice and without leaving him any room to bargain or negotiate I told him, "If you don't wan't to come with us than I will not go to Pulau Tinggi with the rest of you on the 13th of March". So on him it is already 'voluntary compulsory'! (Pulau Tinggi is their favourite scuba diving spot and its opening season). I immediately knew that he was already trapped when he asked me to confirm the time and rendezvous point. He just couldn't say no because we had been talking about how we really enjoyed our last trip together to Pulau Tinggi last year just before the season closes and had planned for this one for so many many months now. So going to Pulau Tinggi again without having me and grandpa (Zainal; another close friend) is like I believe eating 'sambal belacan' without the right amount of 'belacan'. Its just not it! In photo from left to right Teddy, me, grandpa, grandpa's sons, and Farouk the dive instructor. Taken by Doc during Pulau Tinggi trip last year.

THE TRIP

On the morning of Saturday the 7th, my handphone rang while I was about to end my morning prayer. On the screen taa daaaa....the name Teddy Din! 'Abang, I am on my way now...somewhere near Sungai Buloh'. Now! we are supposed to meet Doc at the Tanjung Malim Toll Plaza at 7.15am. It will take about half an hour driving early in the morning (without speed trap) to reach the place from Bukit Beruntung the place where I am supposed to meet Teddy. Oh my.......I can't imagine what time he have to wake up since he is coming from somewhere which is roughly 65km away. I reached Bukit Beruntung Toll at 6.45am and Teddy a minute later and both of us shoot to meet doc in separate cars. Whoooosh we went.....no speed trap!!! Doc was already there and after few minutes of greetings we're off headed for the starting point. In photo is Doc and Teddy at rear.

HISTORY AND BACKGROUND OF TANJUNG MALIM

Before I go further into the excitement of the journey lets take a look into Tanjung Malim itself. Below is excerpt taken from Wikipedia. For further reading the link is http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tanjung_Malim#Name

Name
An early settlement nearby Sungai Bernam is named Kampung Kubu (Fort Village). The Bugis community planted jambu fruit trees along the river bank. As population grew overtime, the area is referred to as Kampung Jambu. A mosque is also built to cater its Muslim community. During a visit by a British Straits of Settlements official, Sir List, the state officials headed by Raja Itam referred the area as Tanjong, as quoted by its local ulama Tuan Haji Mustafa bin Raja Kemala. However, it is also known locally as Kg.Kubu, Kg.Bugis, Kg.Jambu and Tg.Jambu. Hence, Sir List 'officially' named it as Tanjong Malim to avoid confusion. (Malim or mualim refers to the pious local Muslim community)

History
In the early AD1700, a Bugis settlement was established along the riverbank of Sungai Bernam, as part of Raja Kecil's plan to set up one of its kubu, fort along the river to fend off the northern Perak Sultanate threat. The plan fell apart with the fall of Raja Kecil in Johor Sultanate power struggle. Over the century, the small village known as Kampung Kubu/Bugis remained idle or rather isolated.
Around 1766, Perak Sultan Mahmud Shah crowned the Bugis prince Lumu as Sultan Salahuddin Shah to establish the Selangor Sultanate. Sungai Bernam is agreed as the natural border and this tiny village happens to be divided by it. Today, the Selangor side is known as Ulu Bernam while the Perak side is Tanjong Malim.

THE RIDE

We started off at around 8am after having breakfast. While preparing ourselves a 4WD passed by and parked nearby. At the back were 3 MTB. A man came out of the car and came towards us. He introduced himself as Nordin from Bangi and on his way to Kulim to join a 50km MTB Jamboree. This is something that i have been observing lately. Whenever cyclist meet they greet and make friends. We took his handphone number and started with our own jamboree. In photo Teddy with Le Run and Doc at rear.

The first few kilometers was on tarmac road which started to narrow as we go deep into the kampong and eventually into a rubber plantation where dirt track continues. This route is quite popular among 4WD enthusiast because they have to cross two rivers before reaching lubuk kawah where they camp for the night. Doc and Teddy were here few weeks before in one of a 4WD but when you are on bicycle you tend to pick-up more details because you are moving at a much slower speed so much so you can hear the words 'oooo so beautiful!' and started to plan for camping trips whenever the road came very close to riverbanks. Well you definitely can't compare the air of serenity and nice flowing rivers to the congesting traffics at the Federal Highway. Deep into the rubber plantation the air smell so fresh. The tree canopy touched together and provided nice shades and the morning breeze creates a feeling that is similar to when i was growing up in my kampong thirty to forty years ago. Our first check-point was at km 5. We waited for few minutes before Teddy finally arrived. Thats was when he learned his first lesson. Doc had earlier advised him not to bring anything unnecessary. But Teddy wouldn't listen. He brought with him his 450D Canon DSLR. To make things worst he got with him another 90-300mm zoom lens. Add the two together they weighed about 1kg. So after 5km and having burnt half of his energy the camera and lens must have weighed something like 5kg. When he reached us the first thing he did was to take off his helmet, sling bag where the camera was, and waist bag where he had his water bottle. He was breathing quite heavily. It suprised me because doc and me knew that he is training for a football tournament. When we ask him what happened thats when we confessed. " Me only goal keeper!" Aiiiiyaaaaaa no wonder la. I ask him to take the energy bar that I gave him and Doc at the starting point but he refused. After about 10 minutes we continued. Finaly the track took its tolls on Teddy at the 8th km. What happened to him. Doc was nowhere to be seen, infront of us. There is this funny feeling asking me to turn my head to look back. Thats when I saw Teddy lying across the track. After another 4km and burning more fuel the camera and all must have weight 1 ton! What about me? I had my lesson learned during cycling at Batu Dam with doc where I brought my 400D Canon DSLR and regretted it. After three quarter of the journey it felt as if I had a two-door freezer tied to my waist. Looking at the photo I must say that Teddy must have felt that he had a 1 ton lorry in his bag.

RUBBER TREES

I knew he was ok and just left him and headed towards the nearest rubber tree. A little bit about rubber trees. Correct me if I am wrong but the first rubber tree species that was brought into Malaysia around 1877 was Hevea braziliensis. The oldest tree can be found in Kuala Kangsar near the district office. Many years of research have produced new hybrids with better performance ; better yield and withstand pest. Can they do similar research on woman ; better performance! When we were small we created toys with rubber seeds and the hard casing. (photo of seed from http://www.mir.com.my/) You turn one casing the opposite way and just push the two together. It will attach and it will become like a propellar. Hold it in between your thumb and finger, blow it and it will turn round and round. Back then there was no X-box and PS3. I was told that now you are able to find fermented rubber seeds. Dare to try? With special treatment you can also turn rubber leaves into nice handycraft. (photo from http://www.emelaka.gov.my/). The leaf are treated with chemical and what will be left behind are veins. Soak into dye to get pleasing colors. Maybe I can show how it is done in my future posting. But what scared me most was when I peek into one of the cup that collected milk I saw it was filled with rain water. There was something moving. Bringing my eye closer to the cup I saw so many mosquito larvae. Big healthy ones ready to hunt for victims coming few days. Imagine there are thousands of rubber trees there. Without wasting no more seconds I shouted to Teddy that it was time to move on.

THE REWARD

We finally reach our destination i.e. the firstcamp site. I can tell you that after 14km it was really worth it. Looking at the flowing river quench us of our thirst, sweat, and pain (especially Teddy). There is sense of great rejoice. Although this is his second time he couldn't wait to take a dip. We get a warning from Doc asking us to cool our body first. The campsite is actually a rapid. The water that came down from Fraser Hill turned and twisted in between the rocks. The sound of water gushing is very soothing and relaxs your soul and mind. Matured green trees and shruberies lined the river bank turning the whole place into one perfect painting only it is alive. Once in a while birds greeted us as if welcoming us to their santuary. We placed our water bottles in the water took some photos. The water is soooooooo nice, sooooooo good, sooooooo relaxing when you lie down between the rocks. We were fortunate because there were no campers and had the place to ourselves. Its not that we don't like to meet people but its just that that day we didn't bring extra cloth! But its nice to do that. I call it 'harmonizing with nature'. Don't use your imagination too much though. I didn't get that far! The next trip is to cross the rapid to the 2nd campsite. And there is also plan for a camping trip. Cooking? what about it? No worry because Teddy is a chef!
After an hour or so and after taking a last glimpse at the rapid we headed for home. The first downhill was terryfying. A 50 meter dash on a 45% wet slope without brakes still left me thinking what on earth was I thinking at that particular moment. Doc ask me why I came down so fast. Actually the brakes failed! I was coming down so fast on the uneven slopes that my eyeballs actually shaked so much so I couldn't focus my eyes on the track. I only tried to control the bike and trying not to mow down Doc and Teddy who stopped three quarter way down the slope. First time in my life I was actually very very scared! It was really frightening!!!!
Afterwards we continue with our cycling and barely 5 minutes into it Teddy stopped and told me that there is something wrong with his front brake. I laid down my bike and bent down to look at it. The rim is black because maybe due to the steep rough slope Teddy brake too hard and now the rubber grip wouldn't let go. I called Doc and ask for his Swiss Army pen knife. I did some adjustment to his brake and while trying to help me he came near and thats when i heard him breathing heavily. The last time I heard that kind of breathing was during the last qurban that was when the cow was catching the last few breath! We stopped again at few places along the way and finally reach the starting point at about 12.30. Looked at the odometer and it read 28km. We congratulate Teddy because this is his first cycling and despite the beating that he got still manage to came back in one piece. We later packed our things and said bye bye.

POST TRIP

Next evening while looking through the photos I called Teddy and ask him how he was. I then told him that this morning I went for a 64km solo ride to Kuala Kubu Baru. Teddy scolded me, "How can you not ask me to come along". For a 64km ride? Well, what can I say! The man completed 28km on his maiden voyage. Yesterday before he left for Pulau Tinggi he called me. He sounded not too happy. Probably Doc must have told him that I will not be able to join them to Pulau Tinggi. To add to the damage grandpa too will not be there. He also knew that Doc and I is planning for another ride to Tanjung Malim. Before ending the phone conversation he told me to postpone the ride until he is available to join us. Will do Teddy. Well Doc before you know it Teddy will ask us to join him for the 50km MTB jamboree.

By the time I had this story posted, Teddy, Qi, Doc and family must have reached Pulau Tinggi. NJOY brother!

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