Taman Negara Endau-Rompin

The perfect beginning

After months of inactivity due to the Movement Control Order (MCO), I jumped at the chance to go camping at Endau-Rompin National Park when Nisha first proposed the idea.

The 3D2N trip would include treks to two waterfalls (Upih Guling & Buaya Sangkut) and a lake (Tasik Air Biru). It would also include a night walk and a blowpipe demonstration.

I brought along my 14-year-old niece, Damia, so that she could partake in the activities and broaden her horizon.

The four of us (Nisha, Faizal, Damia & I) left for Kahang, Johor on Dec 30, 2020. We decided to depart one day earlier so as to not be in a rush the day after. We spent the night at a homestay and met our fellow team members there: Azrah, Ain & Akmal.

The next day (Dec 31, 2020) we all gathered at the meet-up point, at 9.00 AM. We met the rest of the 12-person group (Amizam, Lukman, Kak Wan, Anas & Abang Mus) and were introduced to our guide, Lop.

We parked our cars at Kahang and rode 4WDs to Kampung Orang Asli Peta (situated in the Endau-Rompin National Park). The 1.5-hour journey was bumpy and as usual, I got carsick.

Thankfully, before it got really bad, we arrived at our destination. We had lunch before boarding a boat to take us to our campsite, at Kuala Jasin. After 20 minutes, we arrived at Kuala Jasin. The campsite was clean and well-kept. It has a dining hall, toilets, shower rooms, a multi-purpose hall, a surau and several chalets. We didn’t stay at the chalets though. The guys chose to sleep at the dining hall while the girls chose to occupy the multi-purpose hall.

After a quick rest, we reassembled to go on our first hike. It was an easy hike to Tasik Air Biru which took around 1 hour. Nisha and Damia weren’t used to the leeches so the hike was punctuated by their cries of alarm whenever they sensed one crawling on their skin. Another eventful thing that happened was, a snake about 1.5 metres long crossed my path. It slithered quickly to get to the other side of the trail which made me jump back in surprise + terror. When I described the snake to Tok (another guide who accompanied Lop), he said that it might have been an Ular Tedung.

But all was forgotten when we arrived at Tasik Air Biru. It’s a small, beautiful lake with unreal greenish blue colour. Some of us swam in the lake and tried to catch some fish. Others chose a spot to dip their toes while soaking in the scenery. Basically, it was a nearly perfect first day.

Things started going south

That night, after dinner, it started to rain. It rained heavily with no respite. Azrah said it succinctly: “Malam tadi, hujan lebat atau extra lebat”. We woke up the next morning (Jan 1, 2021), knowing that, that day’s hike would be scrapped. There’s no way we could hike in such bad weather. Plus, to get to the waterfalls, we would need to do two river-crossings. Since the water level had risen considerably, crossing those rivers had become an impossibility.

The river we had crossed the day before

So we spent the whole day watching the rain and hoping that it would stop soon. It never did. I got so bored that I began to diligently pick off kemuncup from my trousers HAHA.

Meanwhile the river had burst its bank and it was scary to see how the water kept on rising steadily. The river current became stronger and, to me, it started to resemble the treacherous sea. It looked nothing like the calm river which we traversed only a day ago.

The next day (Jan 2, 2021), we decided to risk it and try to leave Kuala Jasin for Kg. Peta. Our food was running out and we were isolated from everyone. The river looked less scary than the day before but still many of us were apprehensive about boarding the boat. To make it safer, the boatman would only transport six of us at one time (instead of filling his boat to capacity). So we were divided into two groups. Damia and I were assigned to be in the first group. We put on our life jackets and recited our duas in earnest.

Alhamdulillah, we made it safely to Kg. Peta. So did the second group. There was a palpable sense of relief once we sighted them making their way to the house we would be staying at for the next few days.

The bad news was: there’s no running water and phone signal. Both the water pipes and the telco tower were damaged in the bad weather.

We were supposed to be back home that night, so we were worried that our families would be anxiously waiting for our return. We couldn’t head back as the only road to the nearest town was flooded. We were effectively stranded at Kg. Peta indefinitely.

That night, Akmal & Anas went to the police station to ask for their help to contact our family members. My brother (Damia’s father) received the call in the middle of the night and informed the rest of the family. Needless to say, our families back home were worried sick.

Blursdays

The next few days were indistinguishable from one another. Our anchors were mealtimes (breakfast, lunch & dinner). We needed to be careful with our dwindling food supply so most of the time we ate nasi goreng ikan masin or bihun goreng or maggi goreng (you get the drift). Eggs and sardines became rare luxuries.

However, we did get to eat ikan sungai one day. Abang Mus helped Lop install some fishing nets and the next day, we feasted on some freshwater fish fried to perfection.

We also raided all the sundry shops in Kg. Peta to boost our supplies. Although most of the essential items had run out, we did manage to get some things. We also stocked up on kuaci, Twisties and Super Ring. They became our comfort food which we consumed alongside gallons of coffee.

On Jan 3, 2021, the telco tower was repaired and we could finally call home. It was a huge relief to be able to talk to our loved ones. Once signal is restored, our other routine is to go to this spot we named ‘Cyber Cafe’ because it’s the only place we could get an internet connection. We would spend around 1-2 hours there replying messages and updating ourselves with the latest news.

The water supply was restored the next day (Jan 4, 2021). There was a collective cheer when we turned on the tap. We finally got to shower after four days. Prior to that, our limited water reserve (there’s some in the tank and we had to collect the rainwater) was prioritised for drinking, cooking and washing-up.

Back at our homestay, we put away our phones and whiled the time away talking to one another. Our conversations oscillated between serious and light-hearted; deep and shallow. We talked about our jobs, our previous travel experiences and our families. Nisha turned out to be a talented storyteller. She had us riveted when she recounted the story lines from the movies/TV shows she had seen: Hereditary, Midsommar, The Ritual, The Climb, The Babadook and Mr. Queen.

We also played card games to pass the time

We called Nisha the penglipur lara. Anas said it best when he wrote: “semua memainkan peranan..storyteller ada, wikipedia ada, chef ada, pelawak ada, jurucakap ada..senang cita macam2 ada”. So yeah, we started off as strangers but after being stranded together, we became a tight-knit group. Our shared wavelength coupled with our complementary skill sets made the days pass by rather harmoniously. Yes, we were very anxious to get home but if we were destined to be stranded for close to one week, then there’s no better set of people to be stranded with.

The journey home

 

The water level at Kg. Peta had receded dramatically but we were told that other parts of the state were still inundated. So we were still stuck here. The maddening thing was the uncertainty. We didn’t know for how much longer we needed to wait. The estimates given by the villagers varied from three days to one week to one month (!).

Finally, on Jan 5, 2021, the surveyors (another group who was also stranded in Kg. Peta) decided to try and venture out. The five guys from our group joined them. So did a few members of the Taman Negara staff. They all took off in two 4x4 vehicles and brought along equipment such as chainsaws and hoes. They cleared the fallen branches blocking the roads and navigated the mudslides to get to Kampung Orang Asli Sungai Peroh. Their land journey stopped there because the road from Kg. Sungai Peroh to Kahang was completely submerged.

The seven girls left behind, followed suit after we received the call that the road had been cleared. We mounted the last 4x4 vehicle left in Kg. Peta and made our way to Sg. Peroh. The journey took 1.5 hours and along the way, we could see the devastation caused by the floods.

Once we arrived at Sg. Peroh, we took a boat to reach Kahang. Before boarding the boat, we were asked to wear a face mask and to record down our temperatures. We had completely forgotten about the Covid-19 situation since the floods began. Ironically, following the SOPs felt like a return to normalcy. 

The boat ride took 20 minutes and it was surreal to see huge swathes of land inundated by water. It was hard to gauge how deep the water was. At one point, we were level with the top of some oil palm trees. Our guide estimated that the water was around 3-4 metres high.

We finally reached Kahang and were reunited with our other group members. We collected our parked cars (thankfully they were not damaged by the floods) and after a brief stop at Balai Polis Kahang, we headed towards Kluang. There was a major incident there a few days ago so we were rerouted from the main road.

Before we each went our separate ways, we had a late lunch (or early dinner?) at Kluang Rail Coffee. Everyone was in a good mood and couldn’t wait to go back home. We said our goodbyes and promised to share pictures and perhaps meet-up later for a reunion.

 

Coda

Being in the midst of a major natural disaster is supposed to be harrowing. But looking back, it was one of the most memorable trips I’d ever been on. I have to reiterate this again: these 11 people are the best people to be stuck with for close to one week.

Would I go again? Yes! As I still hadn’t seen the beautiful Buaya Sangkut waterfall. Taman Negara Endau-Rompin, I’ll be seeing you again insha’Allah :)

4 BATTANI 2019

This is a long-overdue appreciation post dedicated to my 4 Battani students.

This year marks the 10^th year of my teaching career. And in 2019, I had the good fortune of teaching 5 Ibnu Sina, 5 Razi and 5 Biruni. Though these classes differ in their language abilities, I loved teaching all of them. You need to have chemistry with the students in order to enjoy teaching the class and I was fortunate in this regard.

But 4 Battani was another matter altogether. Although I was their class teacher (on top of being their English teacher), they drove me crazy every single day. To compound my misery, I also taught them Civics, so I had to see them multiple times per week.

The problem was, the class was extremely noisy and I always had the feeling like I was talking to myself because no one was paying any attention. It was incredibly frustrating. No amount of yelling, begging, emotional-blackmailing or other strategies (subtle or otherwise) seemed to work.

Their other subject teachers seemed to be having a tough time as well. Like a support group, we often exchanged horror stories to make ourselves feel better.

Things took a turn for the worse when I said or did something to Iman (one of the chief troublemakers) which started a cold war between us. At first, I ignored him as a means of punishment but realizing how childish that was, I tried to mend the situation. Things gradually improved but still a gulf had opened up between us and I thought it could never be bridged. See, I had taught him when he was in Form 2, so we go a while back. We used to get along fine before this mysterious falling out happened. At the height of the crisis, there were times when I caught him looking at me with unadulterated hate.

 One day, I was explaining some things to another person when Iman called me repeatedly: “Teacher, teacher, teacher.” I shushed him, finished my explanation, before turning to him and said (while shaking his shoulders): “Apa dia Iman? Kenapa? Kenapa?” We both burst out laughing at my exaggerated manner and the last traces of the bad blood between us seemed to evaporate away.

After news of my impending transfer spread, the whole class wrote me messages that made my head spin. What? You guys actually liked me? Why did you make my life so miserable my job so hard then?

For the record, I didn’t leave because of them. It was just time for me to move on after 10 wonderful and bittersweet years at Melawati.

Anyway, after transferring to my current school, I came back a week later in order to celebrate Raya with them. It was the best farewell party ever. The kids brought a cake and lots of food. The boys sang songs and turned the class into a mini concert. Some of them gave speeches that teared me up a bit and we took lots of photos and boomerangs.

Ironically, it took my going away to repair the relationships between me and my students. Since my transfer, we played bowling together, they came over to my house for Raya, and we even went hiking together. They’ve renamed one of the splinter chat groups Syada’s Family and have taken to calling me Mummy.

We’ve come a long way indeed.

I’m writing this story so that, whenever I have other difficult students whom I feel like strangling, I will hang in there and not give up on them.

"I’ve come to a frightening conclusion that I am the decisive element in the classroom. It’s my personal approach that creates the climate. It’s my daily mood that makes the weather. As a teacher, I possess a tremendous power to make a child’s life miserable or joyous. I can be a tool of torture or an instrument of inspiration. I can humiliate or heal. In all situations, it is my response that decides whether a crisis will be escalated or de-escalated and a child humanized or dehumanized."

-Haim Ginott     

You're put there for a reason

In Hollywood movies, whenever a character is laid off, he or she will be shown exiting his/her former workplace, carrying a box full of stuff. One box. That's it.
That always strikes me as odd. That's all you have at your workstation?

After working at SMK Taman Melawati for 10 years, I still haven't completely cleared my workstation. I had always teased Kak Intan for being a hoarder. But since moving to another school and having to clear my stuff from the staff room, I realised that I was one as well.

Years of handouts, past-year questions, files, workbooks, stationery & reference books needed to be sorted and packed (or thrown) away. I did several trips back to Melawati to do this and yet it is still a work in progress. I came back so often that a student of mine, Adam Malik (whom I always seemed to bump into), remarked: "Teacher tak nak pindah kan sebenarnya..."
Rauf, a former colleague, said something similar: "Hah, menyesal la tu..." 😂

It has been one month since I first started working at SMK Seri Ampang (or better known as Ampang Road Boys School [ARBS]) and whenever I meet friends or former colleagues or students, I will be asked: "Best tak sekolah baru?" or other iterations of this fundamental question.

Truth be told, I miss Melawati terribly. During my first week at ARBS, I couldn't help but compare everything against Melawati (e.g. the school buildings, the landscaping, the canteen, the students' proficiency levels, etc.). I also miss my colleagues, especially my close friends, Kak Safrina, Kak Fidzah & Saiza.

I was struggling to adapt but I never regretted my decision.
I've always believed that Allah desires every facility for me and that He plans in my favour.
So, though the adjustment period has been rough, I'm constantly being given reminders that this is the best path for me.

Once, the reminder came in the form of a colleague saying, "Takde yang sempurna". She said this after she had asked me to compare and contrast my former & current school.
Another time, it was an Instagram post with the caption: "It is time to let go of the past. Make way for the good that Allah has in store for you and be thankful to Allah for it."

Whenever these moments arrived, I was stunned momentarily and grew more convinced that leaving was the right thing to do.

It happened again today. One of my current students, FA, has been absent from school for a long, long time and is about to be served the third warning letter. When I asked him about it, he opened up about his complicated family & financial problems. Reading his messages nearly made cry in the middle of attending a course. Sometimes, you really cannot fathom what these kids are going through.

Later, I met Kak Fidzah & Kak Saf for our weekly coffee session. I told them that I wanted to help this kid but I didn't know how. I find it unfair how certain kids have the odds stacked against them while others have all the advantages & privileges at their disposal.

Then Kak Fidzah repeated what was said to her when she first started teaching in Melawati:
"Syada, you're put there for a reason. Maybe you're exactly the kind of teacher those kids need."

I don't know whether that's true or whether I'm up for the job but I'll try 😢

4D3N Trip to Siem Reap

I had actually wanted to go somewhere else for the Mid-Semester 2 Break (Aug 18-26, 2018) which also coincided with the Eid Al-Adha celebration. But going there would have meant missing out on the Raya celebrations at home. I felt bad about choosing to go on a holiday over celebrating Raya with my family so I shelved my original plan. Thus, Kak Safrina & I decided to go to Siem Reap, Cambodia instead. The flight there is a day after Raya so it's a win-win situation.

Further, some of my friends (Maizura, Nisha & Nisa) had been there and they gave me many useful recommendations with regards to places to visit and how to get around there.

Day 1 (Aug 23, 2018)

Despite the long holiday, we managed to check-in, drop our baggage and pass immigration in good time. Air Asia has really embraced automation. Besides printing our own boarding passes and luggage tags, travellers are now required to check-in their baggage themselves. There are no longer Air Asia staff manning the baggage-drop counters, instead there are machines with which you have to scan your bags yourselves. The bags will then be carried along automatically on the conveyor belt.

The two-hour flight was uneventful except for the rather rough landing. When we arrived, the weather in Siem Reap was sunny and warm. The airport is charming, clean and well-run. Immigration went smoothly. Malaysians do not require a visa to enter Cambodia (for visits less than 30 days). So we did not even need to queue for visas-on-arrival, we just got our passports stamped and collected our bags from the baggage carousel.

Our tuk-tuk driver, Nasri, was already waiting for us outside the arrival hall. Nasri was recommended by my friend, Nisa, who used his service when she went to SR in 2016. Truthfully, I had reservations when I first saw his tuk-tuk. Is the motorcycle strong enough to carry the attached  remorque and its passengers? Turned out my fears were unfounded as tuk-tuks rule the streets in SR. It is, by far, the most popular choice of transportation for locals and tourists alike.

Before we checked into our accommodation, we stopped to have a quick lunch at Muslim Family Kitchen. The waitress proudly told us that they were once featured in an episode of Jalan-Jalan Cari Makan.

After our lunch (around USD4 per person), we checked into our Air BnB accommodation, the Melody Villa. The townhouse can comfortably fit 4 people and it only cost RM132 per night. Besides the various amenities (a kitchen, an iron, a microwave, air-conditioning, WiFi, a washer, etc.), I also loved the books the host had provided for the guests' perusal. Besides the two copies of Lonely Planet Cambodia, there are also books that explain in great lengths about the temples in Angkor. There is also the bestselling book, First They Killed My Father, which has been made into a movie, directed by Angeline Jolie.



Later that night, we went to see Phare, The Cambodian Circus. The highly-energetic performance is rated as one of the top things to do in SR by TripAdvisor. I definitely concur with that assessment. Besides being entertained, buying tickets to see the show will also help the school rescue children out of poverty.

Day 2 (Aug 24, 2018)

The highlight of the trip was definitely a visit to the Angkor Archaeological Park. The 400km² complex boasts innumerable temples but we only managed to check out ten. The revised rate for a one-day pass is USD37 (since February 2017). We only saw a fraction of the sights available because after seven hours of walking & exploring (for roughly 16km), we were so tired and temple-fatigued.

The sights that we covered during those 7 hours were:
1) Angkor Wat - The best-preserved and most impressive of the monuments. It is unsurprising that it has become a symbol of Cambodia, most notably featuring on its national flag.

Source: Wikipedia

2) Bayon - Bayon's most notable feature is the smiling faces on the many towers (a guide book puts the number at 216).

3) Baphuon - Much of the temple had collapsed but restoration work has been carried out for years. It has been called "the largest 3D jigsaw puzzle in the world".

4) Phimeanakas - Literally means 'Celestial Palace'. Previously, you could climb the three-tiered pyramid but the staircase is now closed.

5) Preah Palilay - The ruin looks magnificent because of the silk-cotton trees growing in its midst.

6) Terrace of the Leper King - Truthfully, aside from its awesome name, I have no idea what this temple is all about 😂

7) Terrace of the Elephants - The 350-metre long terrace, with carvings of elephants on its walls, was used as a platform from the King would view public ceremonies.

8) Prasat Suor Prat - A series of 12 rugged-looking towers, symmetrically-arranged, whose function remains unknown.

9) Chau Say Tevoda - Not far from the Victory Gate, lie Chau Say Tevoda and its twin Thommanon. But because our legs were already aching by that time, we just had a look at Chau Say Tevoda.

The Victory Gate

10) Ta Prohm - We saved the best for last. Ta Prohm looks mystical because of the trees that seem to sprout out of the ruins. It is best-known for the movie Tomb Raider which was shot at the temple in 2000.



After a lunch, we rested for a while before hitting the road again to catch the sunset at Tonle Sap Lake. The ticket for the boat ride cost USD15. Before reaching the wide expanse of Tonle Sap, we passed through Kampong Phluk, a very scenic floating village. Every building there is built on high stilts, from the houses, to the school, to the police station.

Nearing sunset, our boat was moored to this unfinished structure in the middle of the lake. We sat there awaiting sunset while the 15-year-old boys who steered our boat jumped off the platform and swam in the lake with his friends. We left after the sky got darker and it was starting to rain.

Day 3 (Aug 25, 2018)

After yesterday's packed itinerary, we took it easy today. In the morning, we went to Wat Thmey, also known as Siem Reap's Killing Fields. It was here that we learnt more about Cambodia's sad history. Around two million people died (that's a quarter of the population) due to executions, forced labour and starvation during the Khmer Rouge regime. The Khmer Rouge only controlled the country for 3 years (April 1975 until Jan 1979) but it left a trail of destruction that still festers until today.

After Wat Thmey, we went to Senteurs d'Angkor to check out the local handicraft. Later that afternoon, we went on a quad-bike adventure. It was exhilarating riding our bikes alongside paddy fields. Again, we didn't get that intense sunset we were hoping for due to the cloudy sky but it was so much fun!

Our quad-bike instructor was hilarious. In his safety briefing, he told us to avoid cow dung along the way.
"You know cow?" he asked as though we had never seen one before.
We nodded to show that, yes, we do know what a cow looks like. In fact, we have plenty of them in Malaysia.
"You know the smell?
Again, we nodded.
"It's not Chanel," he said, deadpan.

Later that evening, after we had freshened up, we spent our last night in Siem Reap, exploring Pub Street. The street is overflowing with massage parlours, pubs, cafes, restaurants, souvenir shops and other retail stores. We chose a cafe to indulge in some coffee and people-watching.

Day 4 (Aug 26, 2018)

Our flight was at 3.00 p.m., so we had a few hours that morning to cover a few sites. First, we went to Angkor Silk Farm, where we were given a free tour of the silk-weaving process. Then we stopped for a while at West Baray. A baray is a water reservoir and this particular baray is a popular spot for swimming and boat rides among the locals. Lastly, before heading to the airport, we stopped at the War Museum.

Conclusion

Cambodia is a beautiful country but I was saddened by its poverty and myriad other problems:
One in five of its population live below the poverty line (less than $1 a day),
It doesn't have free-and-fair elections,
The government cracks down on dissent,
The people lack access to education and health care,
There is rampant corruption, and
There are limited job opportunities and upward social mobility.

Despite these entrenched problems, the beautiful country is filled with beautiful people. Travelling makes you realise that most people just want to lead a life of dignity and self-determination for themselves and their families. Some of us are lucky that we live in a peaceful country that affords us a lot of opportunities. Many people around the world are not so lucky 😢

Tips

1) If you need a transport to get around, I highly recommend our tuk-tuk driver, Nasri. Since he once worked in Malaysia for two years, he is fluent in Bahasa Melayu. So it's very easy for us to discuss changes to our itinerary and to communicate the time and place for us to be picked up after we were dropped off at various places of attraction. He is also very patient and punctual. Two thumbs up!

2) However, if you want to visit places that are further away like Phnom Kulen Waterfall or Beng Mealea Temple, you will need to charter another vehicle. There are many operators offering day-tours to these locations.

3) Though the food and accommodation are cheap, the entrance fees and activities at the places of interest are not. Thus, the bulk of your spending will be paying for these. I think for a 4D3N trip, USD250 will do. Most transactions accept USD so you need not change your money into the Cambodian Riel (KHR).

Siem Reap is just a 2-hour direct-flight away from Kuala Lumpur. You may go there for the temples but the country will leave an indelible mark on you for many other reasons 💓
My advice? Just book your tickets already 😉

Columbia Expedition 100 - Annapurna Base Camp (Part 3)

"In the mountains, worldly attachments are left behind, and in the absence of material distractions, we are opened up to spiritual thought. We should be attempting to carry the spiritual experience of the mountains with us everywhere."
— Jamling Tenzing Norgay

I agree whole-heartedly with the above sentiment. But, just what are some of these spiritual thoughts that we should apply in our everyday lives? Here's my take on it: 

1) Be open to getting to know new people and discovering new experiences

The best part of the trip for me was making new friends; People from various age groups, professions and life experiences. I love talking to Rahul about his previous stint as a UNHCR worker who was tasked with processing asylum seekers, or to Alif, about his experience doing relief work in Sudan, or to Kak Sarah, who seems to have travelled to all four corners of the world, or to Kak Maznah, the solo-adventurer extraordinaire, who has reached K2 Base Camp and has travelled the famed Silk Road via rail.

In the absence of internet connection, our phones were tucked away (except when taking pictures) and deep conversations happened. In a short span of time, strangers became friends; People who wouldn't have otherwise met, if not for this expedition.

I love this words penned by @pakatanbejalan:

Digunung kehidupan mudah
Kita sandarkan kepercayaan kita
Kepada teman sependakian
.
Kita satukan frekuensi kita
Agar segalanya sempurna
Aku kau dan kalian, menjadi kita
.
Apa yang aku tidak tahu, kau ajari
Apa yang kau tidak tahu, aku kongsi
Kau dan aku sama, ianya kita
.
Tiada yang hadapan, tiada yang belakang
Kita bersama bermula dan pulang
.
Dan hari ini,
Hari terakhir kita menjadi kita
Pulangnya nanti, kau kau dan aku aku
Kita itu akan hilang perlahan-lahan
Kerna kita itu kini hanya tinggal kenangan
.
Ya, kita pulang dan kita itu akan hilang
Semoga rasa kita itu, kekal selamanya.

It's so true, isn't it? In the mountains, you rely on your teammates (i.e. teman sependakian) and become firm friends with them. But once the trip is over, you go your separate ways: "kau kau dan aku aku, kita itu akan hilang perlahan-lahan". We may promise to keep in touch but our respective lives and responsibilities will eventually take over. Despite this inevitability,  I do fervently hope that: "Semoga rasa kita itu, kekal selamanya".

2) Be clear and steadfast to your goals

Hiking is a simple affair. You need to reach your summit or your destination and then you have to get down. Every day, you're supposed to make it to your pit stop. Your feet or knees may hurt, you may have a slight or severe headache, you may be rendered exhausted by diarrhea or vomiting - whatever it is, you have to follow the plan and make it to the predetermined stops, whether you feel like it or not. This state of mind teaches you that, in life, the important thing is to just keep moving and to put one foot in front of the other.

3) Eschew materialism & be grateful for small things

Because you packed and unpacked your stuff every day, and because you didn't want to be burdened by a heavy load, you carried only the essential items with you. You then realised that you need very little to survive and that having more stuff is actually impractical and cumbersome.

Further, when you witnessed poor standards of living among the locals (frequent blackouts, unpaved roads, disruptions to water supply, general poverty, etc.), you learn to complain less and appreciate the blessings in your life more. 

4) Appreciate nature

"Look deep into nature, and then you will understand everything better."
—Albert Einstein

I've found that soaking in nature heals the soul. Make time to do this, as often as possible. 

   

5) Resign control and be prepared to get knocked out of your comfort zone

I thought I had it all figured out. Since I had been to Nepal last year, I knew what to expect this time round. I thought I was well-prepared: I had my sambal ikan bilis to make some of the dishes spicier, I had my spray to facilitate ablution in the sub-zero temperatures, and I knew what to pack more of and what to pack less of.

"A journey is like marriage. The certain way to be wrong is to think you can control it."
—John Steinbeck

Steinbeck was right: Though I had packed enough of everything, there were some things that I couldn't have anticipated nor be prepared for.

The ABC wasn't as hard as the Gosaikunda Trek; in fact on some days, we only trekked for 3 to 4 hours. But though the hiking part was manageable, the weather was not. It was so cold that I had trouble sleeping on most nights. And waking up in the middle of the night to use the toilet was a teeth-chattering affair.

I've learnt that the best way to approach future trips, or life for that matter, is to make the best preparations possible but to expect that some things will go awry. What's a good story without interesting conflicts and unexpected plot twists, right? 😉

XXX

A shout-out to my amazing Group 2 members: Hadi, Umar, Faizal, Shirley, Afifza, Adrian, Boon, Alex, James, Thaya, Rahul, Aw, Caesar, Hema, Dr. Prathaban, Prasyaanth , and the 9 ASTRO crew members. You guys have made the trip so much fun! I'm privileged to have met all of you and be the recipient of your kindness and generosity 😘

Congrats to the organisers, especially NEX, for pulling off a difficult, if not impossible task of managing 100+ hikers to reach ABC. Thank you Adrian, Adeline, Koya, Sarah, Shariman & Kamal for putting up with our many enquiries and requests.

Lastly, to my travelling companions: Hadi, Umar & Faizal, thank you for helping me in so many ways:

• For trying to bargain on my behalf when I wanted to buy a dry sack (though I probably sabotaged your efforts when I immediately took out my purse to pay for it when the seller quoted his starting price 🤣).
• For ascertaining the qiblat whenever it was time to pray and looking up the prayer times
• For allowing me to share your hotspot
• Hadi, for taking good pictures of us. Though taking your pictures can sometimes be stressful because of your demanding standards 😝, we are indebted to you and your phone for the instagram-worthy pictures 👍
• For walking with me even though I told you guys, you didn't have to.
• For the marble cookies and coffee
• For the Into Thin Air book
• And for helping me to adjust my backpack straps when my shoulders hurt

You guys have been awesome (though you annoyed me sometimes with your constant bickering hahaha). So kosong-kosong eh. Sorry if I had been a less-than-ideal travelling buddy.

They say that the best adventure is always the next one. So let's start planning our 2018 exploits!

XXX

To read more about Columbia Expedition 100, check out the following links:
1) Annapurna Base Camp - here we come!
2) Selangor fan takes love of Red Giants to Annapurna
3) Never say it can't be done!
4) Bawa semangat harmoni

Additionally, you can view the two following videos: