Faery Land

Faery Land is what this place looks like with the soft lights flooding the walls and ceilings of the cavern. Standing from where i am this place looks like a mythical palace. We all stood in awe of it's magnificence. I suppose if we believed enough we might have seen faeries flying about.

Reaching this point took about a 30 to 45mins from the stream where we were washing ourselves. We began ascending from the stream bed and made our way on wet steel steps constructed within the chamber all the way up to apex of the cavern. The steps were very wet and slippery and if one was not careful one would plunge into the abyss and break the beautiful speleotherms...cave structures and add to the debris that is found on the cavern floors...sad to say. Again people tend to litter wherever they go...even in here. Shame on us M'sians.

At this point it was rather humid and air was thick with moisture but we were none too concerned as we took in the beauty that we were confronted with.

One satisfied spelunker.

Two satisfied spelunker.

One 800 year old stalagmite and one 5 year old reliable and trusty waist pouch.

One quick shower for a very satisfied Team Sap Sam Teng and one hell of a quick drive out of Gopeng and into Ipoh for One Helluva Good Lunch!

Light at the end...

Finally we saw light...not from our torches but from the sun itself. There was a sigh of relief from some quarters. We have been trekking for 3/4 of the time in darkness, after all a bat would be excited to have some light too...and then maybe not.

This was just a breather checkpoint as there is another hour to go before we exit the cave system. Coming into the light was like seeing it for the first time. We were all happy and delighted. I guess it is for everyone. Imagine being in darkness for the longest time and to see light again...

Happy to be washing the soil of her posterior or is she doing something else?

Ah Sei as usual...up to his monkey business.

Some washing away the soil and what not and some just pondering...what's next?

Bent Over

Walking like Quasimodo is rather taxing on the back and neck. We had to watch our backs as well as look ahead so as not to walk smack into a stalactite as ah sei found out with a gash half inch gash on his head. As a precaution it is also advisable not eat any spicy stuff especially laced with petai before spelunking. All that climbing and crawling would create quite a bit of gas and with the potent ingredient added it could prove to be rather lethal at such close quarters. Anyone lets it rip...it'll be phooey...

After much bending one would tend to naturally stand like so.

Marble inspectors at work. One wondering how pretty it would look in her house and the other wondering how to maintain it. What beauties these smooth and white calcerous stones.

A phallic like structure standing to attention and more incredible structures reaching for the heavens.

In a dark and damp world of the caves we found more than just a weekend trip. We found the treasures of mother earth, a bit of local history and cool, wet fun!

Writings on the Wall

June 16, 1959 the author of this rock face mentioned something about the water rising up to this level...which was pretty high up the cave chamber. What do i know, i belong to the group of caveman affectionately known as keng cheo lang. Anyway that's what i think it is, cos being sweepers we miss the guide's explanations and stories.

Here are some irresponsible spelunkers leaving graffiti behind. Sad to say most of these are left by our Malaysian public who have no respect for preservation.

Much of this cave ceiling is also filled with graffiti amidts the stalactites.

Nutty Nat had the privilege of reading a pledge written on the cave wall by communist insurgents during the insurgency. Apparently Chin Peng's right-hand man, the late Rashid Mydin made this chamber his command post, fighting the Japs, the British and plotting the fall of Malaya.

We walked right through history...

Slip & Slide

Spelunking is not for the faint of heart. Be prepare to get wet, dirty, muddy, sweaty and be ready to slip & slide...in the dark.

We had waded & crawled in underground streams and we were ascending gradually in the dark to the higher chambers on slippery and sometimes loose dust-like ground. Eventually what goes up must and will come down. We came to a ledge in the cave. There were no ropes or rocks to hold on to. The surface was very mud-like and because of the dampness it was slippery. The ledge was also very steep standing at an angle of approximately 110 degrees and it was about a metre plus high. Only way down...was on the skin of our ass. We had to slide down the face of the ledge and carefully too cos one slip and we could break something. And i'm pretty sure the cave surface is harder than any part of our body, no matter how much milk you drink.

Slipin' & slidin' down the ledge...reminds me of the big slide in Taiping Lake Gardens...wheee...

Tok Janggut waiting for us below the hole in the ground to safely bring his charges down. Happy, spent and still happy spelunkers. We always happy.

PT getting ready to descend into the tiny hole in the ground. The hole is tiny but she is tinier as the following picture shows. So one should not head to Ipoh town and eat the whole town before spelunking. Hmm...now i know what the expression "stuck like a pig" looks like.

Downward and onward we went with only the lamps on our heads and the torches in our hands...and a heartful of adventure.

Into The Belly of The Beast...

With headlamps turned on and torches blazing...fuelled by energizer batts, we made our way into the belly of the beast.

It would be totally dark if not for our torches. There was about 30 odd people on the 1030 route. Personally I think it's too many to a guide. I still believe a guide should be responsible for no more than 8 people. There are many routes within the cavern and the point man, Tok Janggut is at the head of a tailend of about 30 odd peeps. There were no sweepers which I was not comfortable with. So Miao and I decided to to take the sweepers position after trekking for about an hour. It wouldn't be too much fun if we had spend time looking for a lost or injured spelunker. Darn...I should be a guide.

Wading through a narrow crevice.

Getting wet and lovin' it!

The lost tribe...

"my preciousssss....." says the unidentified creature lurking in the caves as captured on camera by amatuer spelunkers still squeeky clean and posin'. "We found the creature wandering about and searching for something he calls precious. We are just as baffled."

Who goes there? We lost too. Our man from Naples, not here for the food only but to get down and dirty with the rest of us. Not only are we getting wet from the underground stream but the air is pretty moist too and of course there is sweat.

Onward we move deeper into the belly of the beast. Into the abyss. Into the dark recesses of the cave system. Always watching out for the low ceiling and stalactite which could appear from nowhere and smack you in the face or a stalagmite which could rip your balls in two or give you sore nuts, either way it was in our best interest to have our eyes peeled and focus on the trail ahead.

Deeper and deeper we went...

Team Sap Sam Teng

Team KL & Team Ipoh joined up at Gua Tempurung and Team Sap Sam Teng was born.

Who are we? Just a crazy bunch of people who decide shopping isn't the only thing to do on a weekend. Our idea of a shopping mall this weekend is the limestones caves of Gua Tempurung in Ipoh...and of course there is the food.

This is my first trip to Gua Tempurung and I am of course excited. I have always passed the limestone hills on my way back to Taiping and I have many times wanted to make a trip here and this time I had the help of Ah Miao to arrange for us this particular trip.

The Crazy babes of the Team. Not all are regular trekkers but all had one thing in their minds...adventure and Ipoh's delicious food. Our trek-in time was 1030hrs and we had a briefing by one of the park officials before we were led in by a guide by the nick Tok Janggut on account of his goatie.

Tree at the entrance with white and green leaves. Getting acquainted with the cool crystaline waters of the stream running out from the cave.

Mucking around in the stream. There's a thing about water and boys. We seem to get excited by it and we just love mucking in it, with it and on it. Strangely though, as i recall we used to hate it when we were wee babes in our mother's arms. Screaming the bejeepers out of our lungs. Maybe we boys are just kwai lan. There stands the entrance of the cave via the stream...looks like a gated community.

Here...we go! It's spelunking time!

The Adventure Begins...

Jan 13, 2007 at 0630hrs...five members of Team KL (later known as Team Sap Sam Teng..Crazy 13) converged at Gino's Nasi Lemak stall for a hefty breakfast that is to last us till lunch while waiting for another 3 members. Sadly the fried chicken to die for is not ready cos we were too bloody early.

We were joined by 2 bus loads of uncles & aunties who were on their way to Genting to beat Uncle Lim's Gentings...idiotas, obviously they didn't watch Casino. Imagine they were all ready and excited about going up to donate generously to Uncle Lim. Talk about bringing a knife to a gunfight. Ok enough about them. This is about Team Sap Sam Teng!

We arrived in Gopeng at about 0930hrs and had our toilet break while waiting for Team Ipoh.

Backpack & Barait

One of the main things I delclared for myself this year is that 2007 will be an adventurous year for me. Try new things and see new places. I ended 2006 by kick starting the new declaration one month early.

Dec 2006 saw me invest in the Deuter Air-Contact 50+10. A big step in my declaration to discover Gunung Tahan. Set me back about RM400 plus. This backpack will take me accompany me on the Banjaran Titiwangsa from Merapoh in Kelantan to Kuala Tahan in Pahang an 8day 7night trail. A mega challenge for me. I haven't even tracked more than 2days in a row. Well I have declared and so it shall be done. My wow for 2007.

On my wonderful trip to Kota Belud last month i happen to set my eye on the barait a Dusun backpack if you will. It is meant to carry their bekal and parang when they go to the kebun or hutan. It should be able to carry 20litres if i am not mistaken. I guess i will be using this on my one day treks. The dusun lady i bought it from says that if i were to use it regularly it will last 2 to 3 years, if not it will just waste away. Hmm...so much like life, use it well or loose it anyway.

Well i guess i am prepared with the tools for my adventure, now to prepare myself and be fit physically as well as mentally. Time to bring out my Be, Do, Have manual and CarpeDiem!

My Poor Car

It woke up 4plus in the morning and i was restless, rolled a bit in bed and couldn't get back to sleep. I managed to nod off when i heard the sound of bikes.

Thinkin it was the police. They do rounds in my area regularly. I didn't really bother. Then i thought i heard a muted thud like sound so i decided to investigate. I popped my head out my window and there were 4 motherfuckers standing near my car and there was broken glass and one of them was reaching his hand in and rumaging through my glove compartment. I saw all this but i could not see their faces. They had their helmets on and they spoke bahasa and i knew they were not indons. They were dressed rather well so they couldn't have been druggies.

I felt nauseated and my heart raced and i was rather nervous. I let them rumaged through for the next couple of seconds or was it minutes. One pair was acting as a lookout and the other two guys were going through my stuff. I gave a loud shout...HOI! and they scuttled off like rats in the dark. I then stood at my window for the next couple of minutes deciding what's next. I picked up my phone and called the Balai Polis Kepong and recalled the matter to the ladies constable on the line. It was too late to get them to come over and she asked me to check and see what's missing then go to the Balai and make a report.

View from my humble abode. Broken side window and some stuff thrown on the road.

I had nothing of value for these motherfuckers to steal. I had nothing to entice them either. I learned from previous lessons not to leave anything of value exposed. It was a random act of burglary. My poor car had to be the victim...sadly. I felt so violated that my car was violated.

I waited till 6am when the worker downstairs came before i went down to check my car. No sense in endangering myself. What's done is done. Picked up some stuff from the road, took a few pix and came up to call the Balai again and told them i was not coming in as there is not much they can do now apart from circling the area a bit more. I know they would have responded very quickly if I had the calmness to call them when those bastards were at it. They have proven to do so when I reported an incident when the public phone was being vandalised.

It had to happen to my poor car...puta madre. Who was that again...that wanted to set up a club for these bastards? Some rich-born-with-a-silver-spoon-fuck living in a gated community i recall. He should name it Kelab Pemuda Pemuda Tak Berguna!