Sunday, 10th May 2009 - An exciting day it was for me... not because it was Mother's Day (I left my mother at home with my sister) but because it was the day for my office Gua Tempurung tour (this was one place I wouldn't bring my mother).
Didn't I go there some time during Raya month last year? So why was I excited this time around?
Because last year I went with 2 of my staff for the dry tour due to time constraint. This time it was for the Grand Tour! Woohoo! What's so exciting about the Grand Tour? Read on...
We (my office-mates and I) met up at 7.30 am near our office. Off we went for breakfast first. Need to fill up our tummy before we go for the 3 1/2 - 4 hours tour.
Welcome to Gua Tempurung...
Greeting us outside were a few siamangs...
The landscape outside the cave.
There was also a fishing competition at the lake outside the cave.
When there were enough people (they require a minimum of 8 people in a group for the Grand Tour), about 9 am, in we went, into darkness. There were 2 options available - either we'd go through the dry tour first before getting wet... or the way the ranger took us - which was through the river first.
I kinda like this pic... the lady in green looked as though she didn't have any feet... and there were a few of her in this pic... hihihi...
We had to crawl...
Mind you, there were a total of 7 stretches that we had to crawl... one of them, lower than the above pic, we were not able to crawl on our knees... but more of the commando style... yep, getting all wet!We had to slide down the boulder...
Sorry, pic taken with my camera still inside my waterproof casing. By then the outer part of the casing was all wet and dirty (caused by all the crawling), and I didn't have anything dry on me to wipe it with. How far down did we have to slide? You see the torchlight at the top and the 2 guys waiting down there? (btw, if you intend to bring in your camera or handphone, make sure you put them in a waterproof casing especially during the crawling part)Then we had to go down this hole...
No, not asshole. This is called the "lubang tikus". The ranger went down first, then offered his thigh for us to put our foot on to get down.
Taking a break...
Meet my office-mates... yours truly was behind the camera lah...
Aaah... light at the end of the tunnel! Yayy!! The worse was over!!
The only picture with me in it... this was the only time one of my staff offered to take the pic.
This pic was taken just a few seconds before this lady shouted, "MAK! LINTAH!!" Hehehe...
The Malaysian mentality I hate!
Did I say the worse was over? Uh oh... back into the cave we went...
And we had to climb up... yep, this far up...
And saw Mr Bat at close range... (well, I can't tell between male and female bats... this one could have been Mrs Bat for all I know!)
More bats...
Then we had to go down again...
This was one of the least challenging part...
Up down up down... until we reached the staircases for the dry tour after which we had to huff and puff up and down the stairs.
I was too lazy to take any more pics after that because I had gone through that tour before. The only difference was, the earlier tour I went, I was dry (except from the sweat of having to huff and puff up and down the stairs). This time around, by the time I reached the dry tour, I was wet from chest down (and all dirty!)
It was already 1 pm by the time we got out. First things first... we went straight to the car to get our change of clothes, paid to get into the toilet (30 sen if you want to use the toilet, RM1 if you want to have a bath). I just did the "mandi P.Ramlee" (not P.Bani) before changing into fresh dry clothes. After that we had lunch. There are ample food stalls outside the cave.
Then we headed back. I got home, dumped all my wet clothes into the pail (kena rendam dulu, seluar dalam biru pun dah berubah jadi brownish!!), had a good bath, then my solat zohor, and a good massage on the massage chair at home. Ahh, bliss...
It was indeed an interesting tour, but those who are claustrophobic or asthmatic, DON'T GO for the Grand Tour. You can go for the dry tours (Tours 1 & 2). Bear in mind that Tour 4 (the Grand Tour) is not only adventurous, it is also VERY CHALLENGING! The rocks where you'd have to climb up/down, can be very slippery at certain spots. TEAMWORK is very important - you'd need to help each other out.
Having said all that, I have to add that amongst those who joined our group was a 62 year old Ah So. But she was FIT! Of course, she had problems when climbing up the slippery rocks and sliding down the boulder, but with the help of others in the group, she managed.
So, Gua Tempurung, anyone?
10 comments:
Pi Bani, I'd feel so claustrophobic kalau dalam gua macam tu. I'd dtay outside and help clear the rubbish!
Yes, please!
Sounds fun, Kak Pi. Jom nanti I balik, kita pi once more.
Kak Teh,
To help clear those rubbish, you'd have to go in for the Grand Tour lah. You see, the rubbish shown in the pic was at the other end of the cave, which is only accessible if you go through the cave. Kalau at the cave main entrance, no problem, ramai staff boleh tolong cuci, and tong sampah pun berlambak.
Naz,
JOM! Whenever you come back to Malaysia and nak go for the tour, sound aje kat I... sebelum lutut I bertambah longgar... (hehe, pergi semalam pun pakai knee support just in case, jangan tak tau!)
whoaaa...so cool. btw, i always wondered what normally temperatures are like in a cave. panas ke, sejuk ke...
1 lagi, kat gua tempurung ke si sang kelembai disumpah sampai jadi batu, kak Pi?
Kerp,
Kalau dok dalam sungai sejuk lah. Bila not in the underground river, temperature I rasa biasa ajelah. But there was one spot rasa macam ada aircond - ada ranger tu cerita angin tu datang dari mana, tapi I tak berapa dengar.
Bab-bab sang kelembai, sumpah-menyumpah apa bagai, tu I tak tau. Tapi rasanya kalau DUN Perak bersidang dalam gua ni, mau kena sumpah jadi batu semuanya... (ooops! Is that considered a political statement? Hehehe)
hahaha...yes that was a political statement. this posting macam bukan Kak Pi yang biasa rasanya. mula2 mencarut (asshole), pastu sentuh ttg keadaan politik negara...hehhehehe...
No way..looking at your photos and listening to your experience cukuplah..You are so adventurous lah!
I taknaklah all the commando crawling and lubang tikus thing! Yikes!haha
Kerp,
Itulah penangannya bila rakyat Silver State dah naik fed up. Banyak lagi masalah rakyat tak settle, depa tak habis-habis berebut kuasa!
Mamasita,
There are 4 options available for those who'd like to visit Gua Tempurung. Tours 1 & 2 are dry tours - as long as you belum longgar lutut and masih upaya nak naik turun tangga, you'd be alright. For those who'd like a little adventure but tak sanggup nak go through all the strenuous activities, can go for Tour 3, which is masuk ikut dry tour, and balik through a short river tour - tak lah teruk nak crawling and sliding and what nots but still need change of clothes as you'll need to walk through the river.
Me? Give me a choice between shopping and cave exploration, I'd go for cave exploration (provided ada gang pergi sama lah).
Salam Che Pi kita.
Seronoknya. I tunggu Naz balik..so boleh sama2 masuk gua dengan dia.
Sherry,
Jom ramai-ramai bloggers explore Gua Tempurung - sure riuh dalam gua tu! Ajak Mamasita sekali. Dia tak berani nak pergi grand tour suruh dia pergi for the simple dry tour, and then picnic kat luar cave tu sementara tunggu kita keluar. Tapi kena pesan kat dia jangan pakai pario lah... hahaha!
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