Malaysia -- Day 2 -- Taman Negara National Park

After a short "overnight" stay of 4 hours at Hotel Sri Emas in Jerantut, I had a long overdue shower and got ready at 8.00 am for my trip to Taman Negara. At 130 million years old, it is one of the oldest (and largest) living rain forests in the world. It became a protected region in 1939 and has since become one of the most popular destinations for ecotourism in Malaysia. I went to the NBK travel agency and made reservations that included bus transfer to Tembeling pier, 3-hour ferry rides to and from Taman Negara, a visit to Orang Asli (Malaysian aborigine village) and finally a bus ride from Jerantut to KL. The travel agency was very nice and the folks very helpful. The total cost of my Taman Negara stay was 130 MYR. Over breakfast, I met again the French couple, Nicholas and Marianne.

The bus ride was very comfortable and at the Tembeling pier we used the restroom, because for the next 3 hours there was going to be no opportunity. Plenty of bottled water was at hand and necessary. The ferry ride was very relaxing and refreshing, but after two hours, we were itching to set our feet on solid ground. Upon arrival in Taman Negara, Nicholas, Marianne and I checked into Tahan guest house, a strenuous 10 minute walk from the pier. There were no individual rooms, so we shared a room with bunk beds at 10 MYR per night per guest. Tahan guest house is a sweet little cottage run by Muslims. Their custom forbids alcohol usage inside the rooms and no footwear was allowed either. I felt very much at home and I shall definitely be returning there.

I had lunch (12 MYR) at the pier (a Malayan fish curry with rice and coconut juice). I had chosen to see the Orang Asli village (orang = old in Malay, asli = real) at 3.30 pm. I wanted to do the very popular canopy walk. Typically, this is a group activity and a guided tour, but since I was running out of time, I rented a ferry (40 MYR) and went bravely to do this.

Normally, the canopy walk takes 20 minutes across one of the most exciting suspended bridges in the world. I stepped off the ferry, and instead of turning left, I turned right. A colossal mistake! I ended up walking alone in the rain forest through relatively empty paths for an hour. I usually enjoy a strenuous trek, but this wasn't the time or the place for it and I ran out of -- gasp -- drinking water. I was sweating profusely, my throat was parched and I was tired. To top it all, the signs are really, really poor. Anyway, I stumbled around desperately looking for a path to the river bank and once I found it, I reached the water joyously and waited for a ferry to pick me up. I was 2 km upstream from my purported drop-off point and was literally "up a shit creek without a paddle". After an interminable half-an-hour, a flagged down a ferry and the local fisherman took me back to the drop off point. Communicating with him was a problem. My ferry took me back to the landing, and my "savior" had a big laugh at my expense with his buddies. God knows what they told each other!

I rested a few minutes, drank drink plenty of water and joined the group visiting the Orang Asli. The aborigines reminded me of the Todas I had seen many years ago in Ooty, South India. Our guide spoke good English and gave us a glimpse into their history, lifestyles and habits. We learned (a little) to make fire using rattan fiber, a piece of hardwood and bamboo shavings, to use a blowpipe and to drink water from branches cut from trees. Survival skills in the jungle apparently. Interesting stuff! The aborigines were very friendly but there was no way to communicate with them.

I had a set dinner of a vegetarian soup, chicken satay and a whole grilled fish (14 MYR) at a riverside restaurant. Excellent! At 9.00 pm, I joined a night safari that took us in open-air jeeps through palm tree plantations. I met a young Dutch couple this time, Nicolas and Eti. We were outside for an hour-and-a-half, but all we saw were a couple of owls and leopard cats -- these leopard cats were more cats than leopards. It was nice to be out in the open, though, with fresh breeze in our faces, mitigating somewhat the hot night air. It was a long, hectic day and I went to sleep immediately.