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| Version | User | Scope of changes |
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| Nov 24 2006, 3:37 AM EST (current) | abrnadzrah | |
| Nov 24 2006, 3:36 AM EST | abrnadzrah | 61 words deleted |
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 | Thursday November 23, 2006 Bonding at the peak By HARBAN SINGH GUNUNG Tahan at 2,187m is the highest mountain in the peninsula and local trekkers dream of conquering it. I too have similar dreams but with a difference. I wanted to scale the mountain with my 15-year-old daughter. As a nature enthusiast myself, I wanted to use this opportunity not only to cultivate greater interest in our country’s rich biodiversity but also to build a stronger bond with my daughter. And so it was that after my daughter, Karen, finished her PMR exams last month, we set out on this adventure of a lifetime. The four-night five-day trip to Gunung Tahan in Pahang entailed an 88km journey from base camp in the park headquarters at Taman Negara Merapoh, Pahang. We took the night train from Johor Baru; it was another 10 hours before we reached Merapoh via the Gua Musang railway station. Day One It rained heavily, making the river-crossing treacherous. Leeches had a field day. We had at least two dozen leech bites between us. As this was “tiger territory” with one of Malaysia’s highest concentration of tigers, we were vigilant but there were no traces of wildlife except footprints and elephant dung. Hornbills flying low were a sight to behold, especially the large Rhinoceros hornbills which made loud noises. Karen was awed by the vibrancy of the tropical rainforest. Camp Kor, the first camp site, had one of the cleanest rivers around. All throughout the five-day journey, we drank water straight from the stream. The water tasted so good! On the first day, we were so tired that we slept for 14 hours to compensate for the lack of sleep on the train. Day Two Karen had a tough ascent as the terrain was steep and very ragged at certain patches due to erosion and the uprooted trees. A heavy four-hour downpour had wiped out our tent. The limited camp spots at Kubang campsite further dampened our spirit. We both cried in our hearts. It was a nightmare but I had to portray a situation of hope even though it was so cold relocating to a new site. I was all drenched. This was the fifth time I was climbing Gunung Tahan. I have trekked parts of the Himalayas and the Karakoram mountains in my younger days. For Karen the hike opened up a new world. To date she had only trekked Gunung Ledang and other lower mountains.
Day Three We woke up to the sounds of barbets and cicadas, and knew that it would be our most challenging day. Another seven to eight hours of hiking and we would reach the peak. In fact, the peak would be in sight after two hours of trekking. Our tired legs were going to get a reprieve soon. The trek was tricky as the muddy paths and thorns, especially after the Belumut camp site, hampered progress. The previous night’s rain created water cascades along the paths and movement was difficult. At the Bukit Botak camp site, which was an hour’s hike to the peak, the strong chilly winds almost proved too much for Karen. She was nearly overcome by exhaustion. Thankfully she held on, and after a short rest and a warm drink, she recovered quickly, much to the delight of our guide Mohd Darek, or better known as Mat. My prayers were answered. Guides, incidentally, are compulsory for all Gunung Tahan ascents. We reached the peak on Friday, Oct 13. It was almost 7pm. The view was scenic though the haze was apparent. We camped at Bukit Botak, which had an elevation of 1,943 meters. Anticipating cold temperatures at night, we wore layers and layers of clothing. We had a perfect night’s sleep, which was interrupted only by the wind and some rats outside the tent. Most trekkers now scale Gunung Tahan from the north via Merapoh town as opposed to Kuala Tahan in the South in Pahang.
Day Four It was a beautiful morning. Clear blue skies greeted us. Karen was still in a daze wondering if she had really conquered Gunung Tahan. The descent was exciting as we trekked to Camp Kor, guided by our torch. It was 8.30pm when we reached the camp site. This was the moment of truth that revealed Karen’s character – cool, calm and collected. I knew all our efforts over the years to help her develop into a well-balanced person had borne fruit. She was adaptable and ever ready to render service whenever required. She was generous in sharing her favourite food and chocolates with the guide and her dad. A good indication of a team player. Playing mentor and coach to my 15-year-old daughter on her maiden trek up Gunung Tahan was intriguing. She passed with flying colours despite taking several falls, getting wet several times and almost falling sick. I was overjoyed that leeches hardly bothered her following several orientation trips to Taman Negara Kuala Tahan and Endau Rompin. It is through such activities that I formed a strong bond with Karen. We appreciated the need to support and help one another to reach our destination. I especially enjoyed inculcating life-long trekking and management skills (making decisions, planning and logistics) to Karen. Now that I am in my early fifties, my ascent is slower when we come to steep gradients. Karen is very understanding of my slower pace, while I fully comprehend her initial resistance to steep downhill climbs which were taxing to her young legs. Often, though very tired during trekking, she would ask, “Are you okay, daddy?” I would reciprocate too. These are precious moments which I cherish. Day Five A sad day as our expedition in learning, building bonds and experiencing adventure in the world’s oldest rainforest is coming to an end. We took lots of photographs and constantly looked back at the steep gradients and wandered how we ever made it to Gunung Tahan safely. Blisters were beginning to appear and the abrasions were made worse by the earlier leech bites. We trudged along wearily but proud in the knowledge that we had made it to the top together. The call of the distant gibbon echoed my sense of gratitude and accomplishment. Looking back, it was a very fruitful expedition which exceeded our expectations. I don’t think there will be a sixth trip to Gunung Tahan unless my younger daughter Nirel insists. She was sitting her examinations when we scaled Gunung Tahan. As we boarded the train from Gua Musang to Johor Baru, I reflected on our little adventure. It was a holiday as well as a learning session where I managed to instill the love of nature in my daughter and heighten her appreciation of the environment. For Karen it was a “magical Tahan trek” which honed her leadership skills. Karen too taught me some valuable lessons: patience is a greater asset than speed up in the mountains. I climbed Gunung Ledang (1,276 meters) when I was 16 years old, but Karen conquered Gunung Tahan (2,187 meters) at 15. Wow! Isn’t this progress? I believe that as parents we should inculcate the values and skills that our forefathers nurtured and pass them on to our kids in a structured way. There are many ways to teach our children and the hiking expedition proved to be a perfect channel to strengthen the bond between my daughter and I, and for me to impart my skills to her in a fun and enriching way. We have gained so much over five days, building more than just a bond and a relationship. It was an experience of a lifetime which united the hearts of two passionate nature lovers. This is bonding at its peak. |
