Teku's Rage

After my short rest i decided to go wash up in Sg. Teku. The cold water is so invigorating and finally a chance to wash my shorts, tee-shirt, sox and boots which are all very dirty by now.

A descent of 1800m from Gedung to Teku has taken it's toll on my clothes and me. All of me is feeling hot and dirty. Teku just looked deliciously cool for a nice cold wash up and a dip. I spend quite a bit of time there not bother with the tent for the moment. Meow is still busying himself with the set up. I noticed leaves floating by and that is my que to get up and out of the river. It is a sign of impending high waters.

I went about hanging my washings and set up my tent when all of a sudden the lady in our team starts running from the river back to camp. I looked back and the calm flowing Teku had transformed into a raging Teku and what a din it created. Ahmad's Twelve stood by the banks and experienced the force of nature first hand. Notice the tree in the middle of the raging waters? Floated away like a piece of paper. I feared it would rise right up to our campsite as it was threatening to do as it edged higher and higher. Meow and i had our tent closest to the bank. We kept vigil as we set up out tent. Always turning back to take a peek. It is definately scary. Imagine being washed away.

This fresh water crab had the same fears as it clambered to the river bank only to have it's life threatened by the hungry hordes of Ahmad's Twelve. He was probably saved by his size, no bigger than a 50 cent coin. Phew!

I couldn't really sit still till the water level went down. It did not recede totally but it did not swell up anymore. I settled down and when our water was boiled we had a tough time deciding what to eat...rice and rendang or rice and rendang. Tough choice. We settled for rice and rendang. Today we boiled more rice. We were hungry. I already had a Maggi after the tent was set. Meow was the real farn thung though so the additional rice was for him.

Woke up the next morning to a raiding party of bees. They were all over the place. Some of them took a liking to my Timberland boots which has held itself admirably i must say and another swarm attacked my backpack. They didn't attack us but it would be a problem if they got stuck between me and the backpack they would then definately sting.

Day 6 began with a chasing of the bees and fording the Teku at 8 sections. I thought the descent of Day 5 was bad, only because i have yet to experience Day 6.