I usually leap outside my comfort zone by choice. Sometimes, I get dragged along.
Last year, my high school buddies dragged me off-track into leech infested areas of a shallow jungle.
This year, the same culprits chose some other jungle.
During the monsoon season.
Accidents have happened here, due to flash-flooding. Don’t make this trip in adverse weather conditions. The river will become impassable when the water level is too high.
- Waterfalls of Malaysia
Being quite acquainted with the great outdoors, and in need of a break from the cityscape, I said yes.
Arriving on location with stormy clouds, I said no.
But there was no turning back.
Or at least, my 2 buddies was interested in driving an hour and a half back to the city without a glimpse of the 3 great waterfalls in Kuala Kubu Bharu’s Chiling River.
This post will contain some pictures, and later some instructions for you to head there, to see things for yourself.
The first set of pictures show you what you’ll see 10 minutes away from the entrance to the trek.
A really beautiful dam / lake thing.
See the menacing clouds I spoke of? Evidence. The clouds got clumpier later on, like fat diapers in the sky, waiting to explode.
Me in my “jungle look”. On the right of the photo is Wen Shan, with his normal look.
Alex was secretly taking pictures of us… As we stood by the lake, staring into our own reflections…
No, I’m kidding. We didn’t go that deep.
In fact, I remember being half asleep at the time.
Don’t ask me how I drove there.
From the lake we moved into the jungle.
We were too busy running in the jungle to take any photos.
My friends get their kicks from running in the jungle. As though being chased by predators. Escaping cannibals. That kind of running.
After all, we were prepared with the best equipment.
Good thing no one else was in the jungle at the time, or we would be forced to slay them.
I guess everyone else thought it was going to rain. So my two friends ran ahead, uninterrupted. I followed because I didn’t want to be alone leave them alone.
We ran and eventually, we took a break.
Wise men say….
You should always stop and smell the fishies.
And eat some fishies.
And find treasure in the river.
And leap into the river.
(Pictured at the upper left corner is Wen Shan jumping from one 1/2 stories above the water.)
As I watched them do their daredevil stunts, I wondered if it was already raining further up the mountain. I tried to be a bit more positive, and think about clear weather instead.
Pictured above: Wen Shan and Alex… the daredevils.
Me clamoring to be part of the photo. Damn camera timer…
Finally, got it.
And just when I thought the trip was getting cozy and comfy, they decided that running the trek was not fun enough. So, after the waterfalls….
… we ended up running down the entire river.
It was hard to take photos while keeping balancing between wading, leaping, treading and risking a bad slip. All of us slipped at least twice, and we could’ve sprained an ankle or broke a skull. Some parts of the river were so dangerous, we went on land for a bit.
In retrospect, it was a very stupid risk to take.
But I admit.
By that time, I was sick of being the nagging aunt.
I was sick of fearing rain. And some part of me wanted to FEEL something else… something I felt when I was 10 years old, with my bicycle accelerating downhill in the Endau Rompin jungle.
I wanted to feel free.
Free from all the caution and care and worry in our haste to preserve comfort, to preserve our “survival”.
Free from worst-case scenarios and negative imagination.
Free enough to just enjoy the moment as it happens… to enjoy my wet, cold feet landing on the next stone. The security and confidence I have with that step. And the excitement, as it brings me forward down a river of unknown detours.
Considering I enjoy the same confidence I have with other decisions in my life, and the excitement as it brings me forward into the unknown… I should just run down the river and enjoy it.
And I did.
//
The drive home was a quiet one.
Again, not because we were still waist deep in personal reflection. We were catching up on lost sleep. Good thing my imagination and sense of duty as the driver of the vehicle kept me awake.
I drove all the way home, and it still didn’t rain, as much as my cloud interpretation told me. Drizzle maybe, but not rain.
Kuala Kubu Bharu’s Chiling Waterfalls turned out VERY comfortable and rewarding.
- No leeches.
- Easy path you can follow on your own.
- Loads of scenery given the short hour+ trek.
- Deep personal satisfaction, and a small lesson learnt.
I recommend going for it.
You can bring yourself there with Googled info, and these links.
The whole trek isn’t difficult at all, as running down the river during monsoon season is optional.
If you have questions about the trip there, do email the bloggers above hahaha im kidding.
Leave a comment if you like.
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Do you like the background image of this blog? Do you notice the detail in the diagonal lines? The imperfections in its form? I do.
A random stranger blogged about me recently as though I wouldn’t know about it. But I’ve got Google alerts set up, you see.
