Gunung Bunga Buah, One Of The Unexpected...

This expedition held quite last minute when the plan to hike Gunung Benum were cancelled due to cost and weather condition.  However hiking Gunung Bunga Buah was wonderful experienced with camping at the peak.... were very challenging...

The whole group (minus me, the photographer) in front of Seri Malaysia

Hiking Gunung Bunga Buah was a lifetime experienced you can imagine.  We didn’t expect that this expedition will be something beyond your imagination when we have hiked several other mountains with different difficulties.  Never underestimate before you reach the peak...

With the height only 1,430m (4,690ft), it is consider mediocre.  But however, it was tougher than Gunung Nuang (the highest peak in Selangor).  The journey should be around 3-4 hours, but since we carried our hiking bags plus with heavy downpour, the journey felt like never ending.

We started our journey around 12.30pm from Gohtong Jaya.  After eating lunch at nearby mamak stall located next to Seri Malaysia Hotel, we checked again all the equipments and repacked each of hiker’s hiking bag with food ration and tents.

The early journey was quite confusing when there were no signage indicates the starting point of the trek.  Only from the helped of local people for direction, it is located behind the Seri Malaysia Hotel, further up you will approach a plantation area.  The trek was hidden in between the vegetables’ farm.  Luckily there was plastic with ribbon tied as marked at the trees where the trek started.

The Seri Malaysia Hotel

                                                             The Gohtong Jaya Town     

Preparation began...

There’s a grocery store in the midst of the farm 

  the trek towards the vegetables farm just beside the store

Trying to find the trek...  

the journey began... with climbing up the hill        

                                                          

The climbing was tough at first with nonstop hiking up.  It took about 20 minutes or so to reach at the top.  Once we reached the top it was a logging road either going up or down. We take a rest for awhile before continue.  Then it took another 15 minutes to reach the junction to a breathtaking view...

The spectacular view...

The view was spectacular once we laid our eyes on it. It is a huge quarry valley with streaming water below. Immediately we took pictures with the sounds of waahhh!

The journey continued with the routes full with bushes and crawlers for like 1 hour and the ½.  It was an easy terrain with fresh view of jungle.  Surprisingly it was like a ramp going down the hill.  But along the way one of our team being caught with leeches and just-bought baygon spray come to the rescue.

    

we can see the yellow signage on the tree giving direction to Gunung Bunga Buah..

By the end of the road we reached to the point where we can see a landmark (which a signage) stating direction to the Gunung Bunga Buah.  We can see the path was really a pain in your eyes, climbing with 90 degree up.  This is it! The real journey is about to start...

   

At this point, we start embarked the journey around 3.15pm in hoping we will reach to the peak before 7.00pm.  After eating the whole bread sandwiches as lunch, we felt we have energy to climb.  All the way we were like going up and then down, and then going up before going down again and this pattern keep continued again and again.  And the whole journey was tough as we have to pick aback our haversack all the way up.  It became tougher when heavy downpour pouring down on us.  Not just that but roaring of thunder add the pain more.  That happened when we just reached at the water spot.  We took this opportunity to refill water (around more than 6 gallons of water) as at the peak have no water sources.

We continued the hardened journey around 5.30pm.  The path was like a streaming of river going down as we climbing up.  The group were split into three and me and other 2 were in the middle.  The view became dimmer as the weather became darker.  Then we realised it was almost 7.00pm and we were no way near the peak.  We started taking out our torchlight each and continued walking slowly in cold breeze weather with our clothes were all totally wet.  At this point everyone’s spirit were very low or lost.  We felt like we couldn’t continue anymore...

But somehow along the way, we stumbled across a huge jungle frog that looks like a big rock in the dark.  It was looking up directly facing us as it asking where we were going.  We were really surprised and didn’t know what to do at first.  Then one of us started talking to the frog asking permission to walk pass him and we didn’t mean to harm him or the jungle.  Having said that, the frog immediately hoped to the side and clearing the way.  I was totally surprised and amazed.  Unfortunately I couldn’t take any pictures of the frog or the entire journey during the heavy downpour.

When we felt like we couldn’t give anymore, then we heard the first group ahead of us yelling telling us that we were nearby them.  Then we have the spirit again to continue and amazingly we walked even faster.  Then we reached the top... at 8.00pm..

I was so relieved and thank God for this journey to end safely.  Immediately we put down our heavy haversack and taking out our dry clothes to changed.  Unfortunate for others as their clothes were all wet as they didn’t packed them properly.  You should pack all your clothes in the plastic bag that been tighten close without any hole.  This is the same goes to sleeping bag or any stuff that need to be protected like electronic.

As everyone was here, we started to set up the tents and ground sheet as well as flying sheet.  In the hurry I started to boiled hot water for drinks and cooked for that night’s meal.  Everyone was working together as one.  We had a very good team spirit.

    

After meal, I dozed off inside my tent.  But most of us couldn’t sleep well that night as most of us didn’t have any sleeping bag to sleep in and the weather was freaking cold.  We couldn’t even light up a fire when the rain (breezily) keeps pouring down.  It was a worst nightmare for most of us.

The next morning was a different story.  The sunshine started to coming out.  We felt slowly hotter and I happily cooked ‘nasi lemak’ for our breakfast.  We decided to dry out all the clothes before packing to lessen the heavy load of our bags. 

    

    

The journey back was quite easy with good weather.  We didn’t stop a lot as we were descending down the hill.  We start the journey around 11.00am and reached the bottom around 5.00pm.  Then we have a good lunch errr I think dinner at the same mamak stall like we were never had food for days...

Picture of glory... the Beirut were demolished and we were confident we reached the top!!

Singapore...Singapore...Singapore.

The last time I went to Singapore when I was only 6 yrs old (I think).  What a major changes happened over the years when I went there for visit recently.

My perspective back then was different as I am now a designer with art perceptions in everything I observed. I love to find a fresh look of architecture as well as conservation act towards to an old building.  Never to say I love a humble interior as well as unexpected idea in it.  All this you can find in Singapore, our nearest neighbor.

Some buildings in Singapore Town.

Our trip was Backpackers Style. (you might want to refer my article about backpackers).  Since this was a student trip with budget constraint, we decided to travel by train at night and bus to reach the immigration centre and into the Singapore town center.

KL Central  ------->  JB Central  --------->  Woodlands  --------> Little India


The currency at that time was SD2.475 for RM 1.  That was in KL rate.  But we found out that in Johor Bahru, you can get as lower as SD2.44.  The trip was organised by our colleague and he booked a night train with bunk bed as so we can sleep the whole night during the journey to JB central.  The ticket was 2 way ticket with the price of RM90.

at KL Central, in the train by KTM and at the JB Central..

Upon reaching Johor Bahru, we went for early breakfast before departure to Singapore via bus.  It was so convenient with the buses will always available at any time with RM2 ticket bought on the spot.  We were reminded to keep the  bus ticket as it will be needed later.

Back at the JB Central, we were proceeding to the bus station at the Bangunan Sultan Iskandar.  Here we were checked by the police if we bring along our passport before entering the building.  All we need is just to flash out our passport for them to see. Then, after walking (I think) the longest alley to the Malaysian Immigration, our passport will be checked & chopped upon exiting Malaysia.  Just like any flight airport station procedure but only to depart by bus.

We know now why we had to keep the bus ticket.  After like 10 mins journey by bus, we have to get off the bus at the Singapore border to check-in at the Singapore Immigration Center.  All the people will rushed as they were late for work.  And again our passport will be checked and chopped after filling the form.  Then we have to depart again with the bus.  That was the time the  bus conductor will check whether we have the ticket.  If not, you have to pay again for the ticket for SD2.50!

It was an interesting journey with all the hassle just to enter Singapore from Malaysia.  But it was a worth experienced as these are the hassles that Malaysian (Johorean normally) has to face daily if they work in Singapore without own transport.

The journey continue with another 40 mins to our hostel located at Little India.  Along the highway we encounter a lot of signages stated Woodlands here and there.

while waiting for the bus at Singapore border...

Then we arrived at the bus station located near the Little India town.  With that name stated, you can see the area was full with Indian people, Indian stores, and also located nearby with the Arab Street.  So food is not a major problem for us, muslim.

We checked in at the famous backpackers hostel name, Foot Print Hostel.  It is really not a bad hostel with cheerful color and decoration they put on.  Since the next day is a Halloween, and Singapore is a country who celebrate them, the hostel was full with foreigners from all over country.  Luckily we have booked the hostel.

We didn't rest but continue with the plan, to visit most part of the Singapore within that area.  It is the best location with convenient public transport (we mainly used the MRT - subway train) which providing a lot of stations.

Day 1
Get used to travel around the town using MRT.  It was easy as we had experienced using LRT in Kuala Lumpur.  Same method, same system, different route.  The MRT however a bit different design than LRT.  I mean it has light bulb blinking showed which door will open on the next stop.  Some of the MRT's map has light bulb on each station which will light up for the next stop.  It is fun to watch them as we never encounter as such before. hehehe...
The ticket system too is totally different.  Beside the tickets were hard laminate card than paper ticket we used to have in KL, it is refundable, at least for SD1, if we give back the ticket for reused.  Everything using machine, from buying to return the tickets.  No buying at the counter.

line up to buy the MRT tickets at the machine

it's a touch screen method for the destination options.

the ticket..

hehehe... the entrance to the MRT...

scanned the ticket...then enter...quickly...

exiting the MRT, don't forget to redeemed back SD1 for returnable ticket..

just by slot in back the ticket...

After experiencing for the very first time the MRT, we went to a lot of places such as Singapore Art Museum (SAM), Raffles Square, the famous Red Dot Design Museum, The Merlion Park where the famous architecture of Marina Bay Sand Hotel and the mermaid + lion statue were held, Clark Quay where the famous restoration old buildings happened, strolling along the Little India street, and of course shopping at the biggest shopping street, Bugis Street for souvenirs.  All these for day1 till day 3.

At the Raffles Square..

strolling along the river near the Raffles Square...

then we found this magnificent view... Marina Bay Sand Hotel.. from far away..

at the Merlion Park...

at one of the Singapore's... for god's sake, I couldn't remember...

at the Red Dot Design Museum...

strolling along Little India Street...

and more of Little India Street...

at Clark Quay ...

Singapore Art Museum...

and lastly we went for shopping at Bugis Street...

It was a memorable trip for all of us.  Till then we will meet again, definitely somewhere different at Singapore.  Next time...