Day sacks packed, water supplies purchased we set out on our first real jungle trek to Pantai Kerachut (or Turtle beach) in Penang National Park. The trail was concrete and slab for the first 500 metres then branched off onto the old buffalo trail used when the jungle was less than protected and wood a profitable source of income. Nature was everywhere from insect ochestra's, through flora and fauna as well as moving branches high above us disclosing that we were not alone. It was steep with hundreds of steps either cut in through foot treads of others or rainwater and roots, for some parts ropes provided an element of safety, slippery, hotter and sweatier than I have ever experienced in terms of just walking and an hour and 40 minutes later we emerged onto the beach, across a suspension bridge and into the deepest sand I have waded in to date. A swim , watching the troop of monkeys that came down for a breath of sea air behind us with a wariness born of our Cambodian experience, then the beauty of a sea eagle, talons extended swooping from its airborne perch to catch a fish dinner and with all that excitement and a packed lunch I nodded off. I think the trek, whilst short, had taken its toll on me.
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| Floating fishing village @ Teluk Bahang |
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| The path |
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| for 1/2 km Mr Butterfly seemed to be leading us |
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| 'Hammerheaded Wormy' |
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| Suspension bridge to the beach |
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| The view from our little spot of beach |
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| Actually had the beach to ourselves |
Waking up an hour later, we packed up and speed marched back through the jungle to be the last couple bar one across the canopy walk. Now speed march is a term that I had not intended to use but 1km in the jungle can take the best part of 40 minutes purely because of tree roots, subsiding tracks and boulders. Undeterred we became mountain goats in our quest to make the walk in the tree tops after realising we still had 1 click to go and 20 mins to do it.
We returned to our steeds and cycled back to camp, and decided that a dip in the freshwater pools was required, only rudely interrupted for us and everyone else by a troop of 20 or so dusky leaf monkeys crashing through the tree tops. Back into town for another dinner at the seafood restaurant on the beach and this time the food was even better than last night which took some serious doing however the sweet and sour chicken was utterly divine.
Home to camp and this time our neighbours could not disturb us as sleep seemed to come very quickly. Tomorrow we head back to G'town, pick up the car and will be driving for the first time on this adventure to the Cameron Highlands and altitudes of over 6000ft. Brrrrr
27th December 2010 - Georgetown to Teluk Bahang - 19.74 miles, 9.5 av, max 23.9, ride time 2hrs 3mins
We have decided to spend New Year in the Cameron Highlands. In order to do that we are going to hire a car as having met fellow cycle tourists who were hospitalised in their attempt to climb them fully laden as we are, caution dictates that as we will have another 800 or so miles to ride, we will let a combustion engine take the strain. With a few days to wait until the holiday hiring season is over and we can get our 4 wheeled chariot, we are off to Penang National Park, the smallest in Malaysia and one of the smallest in the world.
We followed our tracks out of G'town as we had on Christmas day, almost had a major altercation with a motorist who decided talking to his passenger whilst on the phone was far more of a necessity than looking at the junction he was approaching, however I have now developed the ability to have 'owl' vision and swerved my chariot around the offending car whilst G made some interesting gestures and none to subtle lip reading words.
Back past the beach we spent Christmas afternoon on and into Teluk Bahang...ummm this place may not have seen better days but with rundown and empty high rise hotels I hoped that the National Park would add some much need cheer. It did as far as the entrance and the firm but polite no cycle rule...knobs x a million. We were advised that we could camp on the beach for free (if we had cleared a patch of litter big enough!) I then remembered reading about an eco park and we set off to find it.
About a mile and a half outside the town is a turn off into a forest reserve with a river tumbling through man made pools full of people enjoying the shade from the trees and the relative cool of the water. After pitching the tent once and then being politely asked to move camping ground (there was no one else there but being westerners they wanted us further away!...not really...) we settled ourselves into the forest. The cost of our 2 night stay - 10RM - to use the toilets and showers (malay style - bucket and a pan)
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| Pitched and Proud |
We rode back into the town to get supplies for breakfast and fill up water bottles from the awesome street machines that cost less than 10p for a litre of filtered water and no plastic environmental damage as a result. Dinner found us a little seafood restaurant just off the beach. OMG it was the best seafood we have had to date with beer half the price of G'town. Back to camp in the dark and it was pitch was followed by an invite to join our new malay tented neighbours, shower, coffee, peppermint tea and double fill Oreo's. What a great day.
3.30am, finally our 'friends' have decided it is bed time, first time I have had to use ear plugs...
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