After two MRT rides and three bus rides we get into the heart of Malaysia. There were kilometers and kilometers of greenery, something my eyes aren’t use to seeing. We get off the bus and make our way to the base of Gunung Detuk. We haven’t even started the trek yet and I was already sweating profusely. My back was aching and my heart was racing..”How am I going to do this” I thought. Once we make it to the base, we are informed that there is another group on the top and that we will have to camp out at the outdoor Muslim Mosque by the base of the mountain for the night and do the trek in the morning. This was great news for me! No trekking in the heat, no backpacks up the mountain, and no tenting in the forest! WOOHOO! But little did I know, that morning trek meant 4 am… meaning dark..meaning me climbing a 800 meter, 65 degree steep mountain with lots of rocks..in darkness! What did I do when I figured that out? I ate every single one of my granola bars …(I really wished I brought the chocolate ones, the healthy nut ones I brought with me really didn’t have the same comforting affect.) We cooked our own food and spread out our sleeping bags early so to be able to wake up in time for our trek. I am about to get some good shut eye and I get shaken out of predream land by this sound “DEEEESHOOM DEEESHOOM DEEESHTANG” – (my interpretation of gunshots). What the??? Who’s shooting? What is going on?
“Oh.. hehehehe… it’s only the Malaysian Armylah.. they come here to practice for in case war..hehehe.. you no worrylah. They no shoot you.. they just shootlah..hehehe”, was the explanation I got from my group leader.
My thoughts:
Oh great.. I’m sleeping in an outdoor temple in the middle of a Malaysian jungle with Army people shooting away.. and oh hey! I get to wake up at 4 am and climb rocks in the dark.. how exciting…
KILL ME NOW!
After some more gun shots and random mosquito slapping, we were ready to climb the Gunung Datuk. It was dark, it was steep and all I had with me was a flashlight and bug spray. It was the most physically draining experience of my life. After 4.5 hours, I made it to the top and was in shock to see the group of people who took our spot at the peak. THEY WERE PERSIANS!! PERSIANS FRESH FROM IRAN!
“Khelo, Khow are you my efriend? You came to eclimb deh mountain?? Vaye, you are all so ebrave!”
God, I love my people! So we get to the peak and take a bunch of pictures and make our way back down. The climb down was way more difficult, I fell a couples times, scrapped up all my legs but surprisingly got no mosquito bites unlike everyone else in the group. (My garlic scrambled eggs I made before I left really did work.. p.s. my roommates hate when I cook bc I stink up the place for days.. but I always respond by saying “KHELO, Velcome to Persian/Indian cooking you carb eating Europeans..the smellier the yummier so eat up)



We get on the bus and make a final stop over at the border to eat some great Malay food at the local market. Stingray, a sugarcane drink, white baas fish, some fresh calamari and some crab. Wow, I can’t believe I hated sea food before, it’s great!
You are Hilarious and Wonderful!!!!
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