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Published: August 5th 2007
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I just felt compelled to put that on my Ipod as we were cruising down the river in our boat on the way into the jungle, felt very 'Full Metal Jacket'.
Anyways, lie in on the first day, only up at 6am to check out and catch the bus over to the Tembling Jetty where we were to take the boat to the Taman Negara National Park. Quick fact though, Taman Negara translates as 'National Park/Garden'...so good they nemed it twice???
Anyway, arriving at the jetty the scene that greeted us was like something out of a movie, dense jungle as far as the eye could see with a wide brown river flowing through it. It really is as cool as it looks if not much better than on TV! We all clambered into the long boat (about 10 people fit into each one). The journey took around three hours which after a while did get a bit uncomfortable. We saw loads of wildlife though like water buffalo and Kingfishers on the river banks. We also had to pull over at one point when torrential rain arrived and the bags were uncovered on the front of the boat. After
The tallest tree in SE Asia!!!
Not that one in particular, just that species... they had a rain sheet put on we set of agian.
Arriving in Kuala Tembling out of the jungle along each bank, several huts began to appear, all floating on the edge of the river, gang planks leading up to them from a pebbly beach. Our accomodation was just at the top of a small hill behind these huts and looked out over the river. That night we signed up for a night safari which basically consisted of 8 people crammed into the back of a 4x4 pick up truck. Was great fun though and we saw more kingfishers, wart hogs with babies, leopard cats and a mouse snake and a small monkey thing aswell. It lasted around two hours and went around the local rubber plantations and Durian farms.
To get into the park propper the next day you had to take a boat across the river costing 1 ringit. We walked over to the canopy walkway 'the longest in the world' we were repeatedly told. Suspended about 40m off the floor and over 500m long, it is basically a ladder with planks over it hung up by ropes. The ladder twisted and rocked as you took each step but it was thoroughly enjoyable and gave amazing views down the river and across the jungle canopy. Nearby the walkway is a mountain called Bukit Teresek which we walked up afterwards. At times it was almost vertical steps set into the jungle track and it was very hot and tiring but the sense of achievement was worth it when you get to the top. Its npot the highest thing in the world, but in that heat, its much harder than you'd think. This is backed up by the small group of sweaty people we found at the top!
On the third day we opted to go on a cave exploration. Expecting just to walk into a big cave and say 'oooohhh' and 'aaahhh', we were sorely mistaken! We took a boat a short distance down the river with another couple and our guide and then hiked the half hour into the jungle to the cave. On the way hearing a woodpecker somewhere around and also something else which did seem to worry the guide as he had no idea what it was. We made it there safe though to Gua Telinga or 'ear cave' where we found our suprise. Armed with torches we had to clamber down the hole into the cave and it got worse (and more fun) after that. The best I can convey it is kind of one step away from pot holing. We clambered around and over rocks and slid down rock faces all the time with hundreds and hundreds of bats flying around and occasionally bouncing off you. We also saw a snake hanging off one wall of the cave attempting to pluck bats from the air with no luck whilst we were watching
...(will have to remember the rest anbother time, this is all that was recovered after the blog crash!)
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ziserlover139
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