Jungle and highlands

The return of the Perhentians to Kota Bahru went very wet and bumpy. The captain of our boat has done his best not to miss some golf and then after an hour we were bouncing on the waves to wet. Then we went into a bus to Kota Bahru and our driver was very similar to a kamikaze pilot. Still wet and damp but now also sick we arrived at our hotel in Kota Bahru. In the hotel begins that afternoon just a conference or course and the hip bags and suitcases are piled high in the lobby and we struggle through the crowd around us to the counter. Because our room is not ready yet but we first take an espresso and ask for a moment whether it is necessary for a day before all tickets for the jungle train to Taman Negara to buy that OMN 5.30 am the next morning going. Well, that was so necessary because after several phone calls revealed that there was no more room in the train the next morning. Strange that you do just go to an airport can go here and buy a ticket and an hour later but rises for the train that you need to plan well ahead and book .....

Marijes parents decide after lunch to walk into town but we have more good sense to read a book and the pictures of the past few days on the web site. We will meet each other at around 20 pm on the night market in the town and visit nice to eat at the many stalls. Unfortunately, the night market as Marije who remembered from 5 years ago (and in all travel guides state) no longer exist. The location where the market was turned into a big pit and further there is not much to do in the city. We drink anything but decide on a terrace than a luxury buffet in the hotel preferable to eat on the street in this very dirty city. The buffet, especially the dessert buffet is excellent in taste. Juriaan really enjoy all kinds of desserts and cakes, especially those where chocolate in it.

The next morning after breakfast we depart by bus to Taman Negara, the Malaysian national park that consists of millions of years old rainforest. Every day there are 2 boats from Kuala Tembeling to Kuala Tahan, the starting point of the various trekking through Taman Negara. We pick up after a drive of nearly 5 hours of 14 o'clock precisely the boat and now need another 3 hours upstream. We sail in a Sampang, a low narrow boat where 18 people can, with its 2-juxtaposed, and where all the luggage is stacked on the point. After an hour comes another boat alongside the rear and 2 passengers, 2 guys from London, need to switch to the other boat. The captain of our boat gets off the bench where the boys sat on and starts the excess water from the boat to create. After 10 minutes the boys bailing steps again and we set sail. Another hour later we see a small Sampang lie along the river and we impose, the 2 guys know what time it is moving away from the very unstable boat. The captain begins to bailing while other passengers wobbly boat trying to hold our boat so well lying still and not by the strong currents in the river drift. Unfortunately someone in front of the boat to watch and let go so we drift London and the 2 boys with a frightened face behind the small boat. After a few minutes our captain bailing start the engine and sail back to the small boat, the 2 boys step back and we'll sail through. Eventually we put after about 3 hours of sailing at a floating restaurant at the beginning of the village of Kuala Tahan. We must get our luggage from here on the rocks along the banks of the river and then lugging a staircase of 80 steps and up there is a van that brings us to our hotel, 2 minutes drive away. We are stiff from the long car trip and sweaty and the traipsing so we take a long shower!

In the evening we walk in a minute of 10 of our hotel to the floating restaurants on the river. Along the way we went was startled by a snake in front of us crossing the road. Juriaan, snakes and spiders as avid hater, has to swallow and is happy that there are only 2 nights stay .

The next morning we take a boat to the other side of the river and go towards the Canopy Walkway, a 450 meter long bridge at 25 to 40 meters between the treetops. After a walk of half an hour we arrive at the beginning of the canopy walk and have to wait for a busload of Dutch and has climbed up into groups of 4 are admitted to the suspension bridges. After a minute or 20, we may with four upwards. It is very happy with the heights of Juriaan Marijes and mother at 40 meters above the ground on a rope bridge. The bridges go from tree to tree still a small little platform was built. On each platform a maximum of 4 people standing and there is soon a file which we regularly minutes to wait on a platform or on the bridges themselves.

By lunchtime, we are quite sweaty by the warmth and geklim in the jungle back to the river. We have lunch with four and Juriaan and Marije decisions afternoon just relax in the hotel while Marijes parents back across the river to go for a walk of about 3 hours to a beautiful lookout over the jungle. If Marijes parents compared with 18 hours back in the hotel they have seen wonderful things but they are also covered in mud, after a strong storm during the walk had been, and among the places of the leeches. We did have anti-leech socks bought in Sandakan in Borneo when we went to the jungle tour but we forget to give them ..... After another fine meal with soup, noodles, fried rice, pancakes and banana cholade shakes to go back to our hotel where the children who all afternoon running around (and even our room inkwamen then they physically had to be removed) still were still awake ;-(

The next morning our boat back to Kuala Tembeling at 9 o'clock. If we note 8.30 am arriving at the floating restaurant where we leave that night that the water in the river has risen sharply due to heavy rain upstream. The water is already coming down but during the high water there are 2 logs below the floating restaurant where we should be driven and when the water subsided, the restaurant is on 1 side of the trunks lie and is totally skewed. The owner of the restaurant picks up a chainsaw and tries to saw through the huge tree trunks. The other men in the neighborhood pick up a chair, go on their haunches and smoking a cigarette while watching the owner in his own right tries to impose his restaurant again. Unfortunately, the chainsaw need more than that can be cut so if we leave after half an hour they are still no progress with the small gain or removal of the tree trunks.

Once on the river also shows that a lot of our outboard motor maintenance. After an hour the engine shuts down and the captain is doing to him fifteen minutes to disassemble, clean and put back together before he does it again. Meanwhile, we drive slowly with current. A half hour later the engine again and this time it will take half an hour before the lot of the weather. After almost 3 hours we see the jetty in the distance but then the engine again. After fifteen minutes they see us on the jetty and there is another boat sent us the last bit dragging. The trip downstream that would last only 2 hours ultimately lasted almost 3 hours when we build. There is a 4-wheel drive for us to take us to the Cameron Highlands to bring. The ride will take about 5 hours the last 2 hours considerably mountain, hence the 4-wheel drive. It's pretty tight back down and we are happy to go occasionally to stretch my legs at a gas station or a Malaysian roadhouse where all buses from Kuala Lumpur to Kota Bahru stop. If after a quick lunch on the last part of the journey begin flows from the rain. Along the way are very deep troughs where the red water (by the massive erosion that is also very visible) through swirls. If there is a bend in the gutter is, there is a stone in a hanging tree branch in running straight across the street under the red rainwater.

It is more or less dried up when we arrive at our hotel: Ye Old Smokehouse. A fairytale English colonial hotel dating from 1937 that almost completely original condition. We take a long bath and quickly ordered beer and wine, as we could in Kota Bahru and Taman Negara not get so we are already 3 days "dry"

Sunday morning we go golfing. Our hotel is located next to the only golf course in the Cameron Highlands. We rent sets and trolleys and start. There is no driving range so do we strike a bit just on the first hole. Juriaan waves are regularly in the Netherlands but Marije has more than one year and not done Marijes parents 5 years ago the last time a clinic half a day. It is getting used to in the beginning but eventually we all have a few holes where we have played good at. We have lunch late in the garden of our hotel for the evening, we first look at the Monaco Grand Prix in the bar and then, so at 21.30, only at the table. Unfortunately, the race proceeds slower than expected and is the kitchen of the restaurant closed at 21.30 so 10 laps vo0r the end, we called that our appetizer served. Juriaan runs after starter go back to the bar and see the last lap of the race just yet.

This morning we have the limousine service from the hotel used to go to Kuala Lumpur to bring Marijes parents stay for 5 days in the Cameron Highlands before they fly back to the Netherlands on Saturday. We have over 5 weeks by Malaysia drawn and we found it (again) delicious! Tomorrow morning we fly to Chang Mai in Thailand and then on to Bangkok.