Scattered Seeds

The last time I hung up my boots because of a knee injury, I went without trekking for over a year. I’m not sure how long I’ll go without trekking with the current foot injury. I may not be on mountains with my self-imposed ban. But I wasn’t going to stop walking. And so it was that I was seen walking (more like) driving on the streets in Penang.

I was recently engaged to shoot a wedding in Sungai Petani; that meant I was to travel north. But little did I expect that I turn it into another whirlwind trip. About a year ago, I did the whirlwind Baling trip, with a little stopover in Penang. This time around, I traveled a day before the wedding, and made a stopover, too.

The plan for Penang this time was simple: Eat and Only Eat.

Lorong Selamat’s Char Kuey Teow that costs the price of two McD Double Cheeseburgers. ©2007 Khoo Nee On

I programmed myself to eat as much as I wanted to. Nee On (who was also taking photos at the wedding) wasn’t as prepared. Perhaps I had failed to make it clear to him in the first place; even so, he was a sport and ate lots, too. The two of us started with breakfast at Pulau Tikus. After that, we headed to Gurney Drive to pick up Quin Jean (who was already in Penang).

Ayer Itam’s Asam Laksa. It actually tastes better than it looks in this pic! ©2007 Khoo Nee On

Together, the three of us stopped by five other places for food. It’s really nothing to shout about, actually. All we did were Lorong Selamat (where Nee On tried the overrated RM7.50 Char Kuey Teow, which he compared to two double cheeseburgers), have cendol at Swatow Lane, assam laksa at the market in Ayer Hitam, a quick simple snack for tea at I can’t remember where, and then headed for Maccalister Street for more hawker food.

Quin Jean & Nee On with the Crayola coloured bowls of Cendol

Ahh, we could have scored a perfect seven had we made our way to Kimberly Street. In the end, we chose to save it for another day as I was scheduled to be in Sungai Petani.

And so it was that this was just another short trip to Penang. But I like it. I never grew up there, and I do not share the same kind of attachment to the place like some of my friends who come from Penang. Yet, there is this feeling that my life is intricately intertwined with the place. I do not know how, and I do not have intentions to explore my life. Let it be the way it is and take life in as it comes. However, I admit I do have some roots there; I have relatives there. But I have never lived there. And so I do not have a grasp of the history of places, buildings and people. Yet, I am attracted to the place so much so I seem to regard it as home. There is this unspoken charm, a fusion of the times passed and times of the present and to come, in the place that provides a calm and homely feel I do not experience elsewhere. I find that by simply being there, in Penang, even on short whirlwind trips, can be thoroughly enjoyable.

I spoke briefly with Leon, and he commented, “You really like Penang, don’t you?”

No words to reply him were needed. I simply nodded.

View from Gunung Baling. ©2006 Khoo Nee On.

My recent September 9-10 trip to scale Gunung Baling in Kedah stands on par with the other crazy mountain escapades like the true Midnight Madness of Nuang (April 2005). This is by far the farthest I’ve traveled within Peninsular Malaysia just to get on a mountain. Actually, Gunung Baling’s not even a mountain. It’s only a 574 meter limestone hill!

With Nee On and Leon, we made up the Threesome Trekkers group. Because we were making a stop-over at Penang to meet Jing Zi, Enid joined us. The journey to Penang really started at about 5 p.m.–Enid had an exam and couldn’t leave earlier–and ended at about 10.30pm when we arrived at Jing Zi’s home. We would have reached Penang earlier had it not been for the convoy of cars and motorcyclists heading in the same direction for a political group gathering in Bidor (majority of them looked like rockers more than politicians), the clay pot chicken rice at K-10 in Ipoh, and the persistent rain that accompanied us all the way.

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Scenes from in a Car

Misty Forest After a Rainfall at Dusk.

If the long journey wasn’t infuriating enough, then being relegated to being the navigator–who gets on the phone at the crucial moment when we are to make a turn into some junction, and who snaps pictures at sceneries passing by–kinda got on my nerves.

Coconut Trees in Sungai Petani at Dawn.

I wanted so much to drive. It would have been a joy to drive in Penang; for though I do not live there, I seem to know my way around instinctively and it’d feel like coming home after being away for a long while. But I didn’t have a car for the weekend; Nee On drove.

Solo Tree on an Open Field Near Baling at Midday.

Nee On got to drive around Penang. Aargh! He even got to drive on the roads of Kedah when I wanted to find out how well I’d know the place without being there before. Aargh! Aargh!In the end, the instinctive navigator reluctantly relied on the road maps generously supplied by our Canadian tourist in Malaysia to get to Baling.

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The Trek Through My Eyes

Our guides–Pak Su and Pak Jamal.

This trip was all about humbling myself. When in the past, I would have the Threesome Trekkers (Adrian, Nee On and I) hack through a jungle to make our own path and not coming close to a peak, I turned to a local guide this time around. Pak Su, with Pak Jamal, took us up the hill.

It’s a good thing I did that because should we have gone there on our own, we’d almost certainly have gotten lost. Pak Su and Pak Jamal go up the mountain daily to gather rare pokok Haji (actually Cycas Sp. or “Wilailak” palm plants) to sell. They’re making their own paths as they go about their business, and so there ain’t any clear paths at the top. I was We were made to follow our guides here and there. I must have went in so many circles I don’t have a clear image of the trail we used for our ascent and descent; if I were to take anyone on this trail I’ll admit I’ll get that person lost (though we all know I never ever really get lost).

View from Gunung Baling.

So what’s with Gunung Baling? I’ve conquered higher mountains than this, so at 574 meters, it shouldn’t be too difficult. That would have been true had it not been for the heavy downpour the night before. The lower region of the mountain, which was moderately steep, was very muddy and somewhat slippery. I didn’t handle that part very well. I felt like throwing up–either lack of a proper warm up or slight suffering caused by indigestion of the roti sardin I had in Sungai Petani (mental note to self: never ever have another roti sardin before an ardous trek).

Town Mouse and Country Mouse–Spot the differences?

As we moved beyond the muddy soils, I saw some crystal-quartz like formations–reminded me of Bukit Tabur. I was surprised because this was a limestone outcrop, and I wasn’t expecting such a sight. After that, we came to the jagged limestone outcrops.

The Jagged Limestone Outcrops.

The rocks were sharp, and for the first time in many moons, I had for a brief moment wished I had put on a pair of shoes–no muddy feet, no cuts on my legs–instead of relying on my trusty sandals. What? TMC without sandals? That’s unthinkable! I quickly push that thought aside and chased after the Canadian tourist who just didn’t know when to stop. When I finally caught up with him, he was already at the top and was busy taking pictures. I turned around and took in the breathtaking view of the surrounding area. The sight of distant mountains and rolling hills, expansive plains, long winding roads and the nearby township makes me glad I traveled so many miles away from KL just for a mountain.

View of Bukit Baling.

My mind drifted elsewhere quite a bit when I was on this mountain. That’s the only explanation I can come up with to explain why I lost my balance while taking a series of pictures for a panoramic shot. I could have fell forwards–heading down the mountain and possibly hurting myself on some jagged rocks. But I quickly stepped on a rock and pushed myself backwards; I landed in a sitting position with a trunk of a pokok haji breaking my fall. Unfortunately for me, there was a thorny bush beside the tree trunk. With that, I add another prized scar–“the Baling scratches”–on my right arm.

The Leon PoserShot, taken a few minutes after my untimely fall.

We spent four hours on the mountain. At the top, Pak Su served us roti canai with sugar sprinkled on it, and Pak Jamal graciously handed Leon a a self-rolled nipah leaf cigarette. Leon calls it the ceremonial smoke for being at the top of the mountain. Language wasn’t a barrier at all to having a good laugh. Body language and makeshift interpreters in the likes of Nee On and I got conversations and laughters going for quite a bit.

Along the way, we saw a variety of Nature’s best offerings. Here are some pictures:

From top left (clockwise): A Curled-Up Pill Millipede; A Natural “Davy Jones Lookalike”; Flower Bud among Dried Leaves; & A “Cobra-Like” Flower in the Cracks.

Our guides were great hosts, too. After we got down, Pak Su took us to a nearby river for a swim. There was a huge long running across the river. It broke the flow somewhat, and at the edge, water ran over it like rapids. We just sat there in the cool water running over our backs. We felt so clean after we came our; Leon called it an “Industrial Washing Machine.”

Then he invited us to Pak Su’s home. We sat on mats under a tree sipping hand grounded Baling coffee! This was way better than downing a coke at McDonald’s after a trek, Amos was missing all the good coffee and smoke. Apart from that, what crossed my mind was the simplicity and humble way of life in which these rural folks lead their life. I felt that even by simply by being there at his home, and accepting his invitation had made him a happy man. After that coffee break, we were invited to yet another home for lunch! It was a simple meal of fried bee hoon with dried shrimps and greens. Even so, the manner in which we were treated made us feel like royalties. Being in the warm embrace of the village folks I felt like I wanted to belong there and be a part of the community, even for a moment.

This recent experience in Kampung Bawah Gunung brings back memories of the time I spent in Kampung Telaga Air, Sarawak. And such pleasant experiences and memories make me want to return to these places.

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Portraits of Our Guides

Both our guides are above 50 years old. They smoke, and they have no trouble hiking up the Gunung Baling daily to look for rare plants. They’re now inspirational characters who will spur me to continue trekking beyond 50.

Pak Su Holding a rare Pokok Haji (Cycas Sp.) Plant.

Pak Jamal–the cigarette smoking man.

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Postcards from Penang

The trip did not end with the trek. We returned to Penang. We had to. I had to. Somethings still had to be done: Enid was left behind when we went for our trek, I haven’t had the Penang food I wanted, I accidentally left my towel at Jing Zi’s place, and I had yet to extend all the necessary goodbyes.

As we crossed the Penang Bridge, the enthusiastic Canadian tourist in the car listed down three places he’d like to visit–Kek Lok Si temple, Tropical Fruit Farm, and Bukit Bendera (Penang Hill) while we still had a few remaining hours before heading home. All I wanted to do was eat and sleep; and if I had to go somewhere, it’d be the Botanical Garden so I can see more greens.

Jing Zi and Enid at the Esplanade.

When we met up with Jing Zi and Enid, we all agreed to a simpler plan for the rest of the evening: a visit to the Esplanade, then an eatery, then the Kek Lok Si temple. We didn’t spend too much time at the Esplanade; but it was long enough for everyone–Nee On, Leon, Jing Zi, and Enid, that is–to find out that I am capable of doing crazy daring deeds.

Char Kway Tiao Cook

When we were at a coffee shop in Pulau Tikus, we ate and ate and ate. Let’s see; the five of us had among us the following dishes: Prawn Mee, Loh Mee, Char Hor Fun, Pasembur, Chee Cheong Fun, Char Kway Tiao, and Satay.

Nee On Can’t Take Spicy Char Kway Tiao. Leon Just Can’t Get Enough!

Enid’s So Greedy! She Offers Only a Spoonful of Fried Onions.

After food we went to Kek Lok Si, but it was closed. phew. So the next best thing to do was to head home. By then, it was already 9 p.m.

It was a really rushed trip; ideally, we I felt that spending a few more hours would have been an the ideal. It would have been nice to visit the nearby waterfalls and hot springs in Baling, or have more time in Penang with Jing Zi the local Penang girl taking us around. But I’m also glad that it ended the way it ended; we were very very tired and there was still a five hour drive home ahead of us. I’m gald I got up a new mountain, traveled farther than ever before with fellow trekkers, experienced the village warm welcome, had good Penang food, and saw Jing Zi before she heads off to further her studies in the UK. Was the trip worth it? Yeah!

One Last Photo For the Album.

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Memorable Quotes from the Trip

1. Leon: “Where’s Ipoh?”
TMC: “It’s in the map.”

2. Jing Zi giving direction: “At the round about, go around.”

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Related Links:
• Nee On’s Photos of the Baling Experience.
• Leon’s Expressions on the G. Baling Trip.
• Enid’s Eating Experience in Penang.