Hiking in Malaysia
I adore the concept of hiking - the reality, not so much. The only time concept and reality merged was when my husband and I hiked Bako National Park in Malaysia. We took Jalan Lintang, a 4 hour circular trail. Initially, the trail was a boardwalk, and I thought, Hooray, a stroll! Not a trek! Then, suddenly, the boardwalk ended and we faced root tangles to climb, steep stairs to mountaineer, and small rivers and waterfalls to ford moving quietly to try to spot animals quickly went overboard. Soon thereafter, we stopped trying to pick out the driest path. Eventually, we came to a boardwalk, where two girls hesitated. Their faces, as we slogged up the sodden, muddy path and jumped onto the boardwalk, were priceless. Along the way, we'd seen pitcher plants, wild pigs, bright butterflies, and the rarely-viewed proboscis monkey, all in a beautiful, lush jungle setting. However, true appreciation only came later, after rest and refreshment. Later, two people we'd met on the trail joined us as we recuperated. They'd been warned against hiking Jalan Lintang in the direction we'd gone, since it was significantly more difficult! Bragging rights were thus added to a truly marvelous experience.
Submitted by:
Genie L., Waterloo
