Kem Teku

Kem Pangkin was our last long pit stop after that it was all short pits for a breather and some water which we had in abundance on the way down by way of the rain. As we descended lower and lower towards the lowlands it thigs began to heat up and it was very energy sapping so when rain came i welcomed it with open arms.

I was parched and i had finished 2 bottles of my 500ml water from earlier streams. I wanted to conserve my last one and camp was still a damn long ways to go. I grabbed a leave and folded it into a cup like how my sumandak had showed me and collected water by just holding it out to collect the rain and drinking along the way. The trail became very very steep now. It had a gradient of about 45 degrees and was wet and slippery. Many a times we landed on our behinds as we slalomed amongst the trees. It was and remains the toughest of days.

At times i found myself mumbling to myself like some psychotic killer on the loose. I kept sane with "happy Birds & happy Butterflies". That mentally held me together and made me move quicker and i was sharp of eye too as the forest became darker and darker. We both pushed and pushed and everytime we hear a running river it gave me hope that the camp site is close by only to be fooled by it. Until finally about 1730hrs i heard a louder sound of the flowing river and to top it off the sound of humans. Civilisation. The sound of Ahmad's Twelve was so so sweet.

We had arrived at Kem Teku. I dropped my backpack and fell to the wet ground and lay there starring up into the heavens. Rain had slowed to a trickle by then. I just breathed in & out, in & out and listened to the droplets of water from the trees hitting the earth and the flowing river. Meow was looking for a spot to set up tent. I just wanted to rest.

Day 5 had been 8 hours of hell.