Pelangi Gelung Rotan - Part 1

I feel blessed that Allah has given us a chance to join a trip to Air Terjun Pelangi at Kuala Sentul, Maran with fellow friends. It is a so called Extraordinary Photo Travel Adventure Trip (EXPAT) organized by MatJeri and Dr Ali. At first I have no idea on how the waterfall looks like. I search here and there but no satisfied result found. No wonder as the saying goes, seeing is believing. And that is why Im making this photo journal for you guys to have a look on anytime you search for one.

We start the journey from Kuantan early in the morning, and it's the first time Im a bit late and making others to wait even though I woke up as early as 520am ! :D

It would take around an hour from Kuantan to Masjid Kuala Sentul, Maran. This is where we park our cars and getting ready for the journey.

Ready !

It's in total 19 of us including the guide. This time no one use porter, and I think the award of the heaviest bag would goes to our beloved lecturer, Dr Jamal Rahman with 20kg on the shoulder and waist. Congrats! We call him, 'moving cupboard', or a moving bag with limbs, maybe. ;)

From the mosque, we went to the starting point of the trekking track with a 4WD and a combat car. We went down through a palm oil plantation with a quite interesting pathway. People who seat open air outside the car would need to make up special position of 'hormat pokok', if not the leaves would injured them on the faces :D

people at the back on the 4WD. photo credit goes to Dr. Jamal Rahman.

It took us 15 minutes with a 4WD, but 45minutes by foot, as been told by our trip guide. But remember guys, it's only to the starting point of the track. He.

I am actually quite surprise to see an ascending area as our starting point. Wow. And we actually need to hike many small hills from the plantation area to the jungle.

We start the journey at 1030am. We have a walk for about an hour going up and down, and it is not that bad. Just that it's not pleasurable to hike with a burden of 10kg on my shoulder and waist. even with nothing on my shoulder. hehe. But seriously it is not that bad. You just need to walk quite fast, just maintain that. Only if you're young and healthy.

As I myself have a problem of chronic fatique syndrom all the times, thus I would just deviate the pain and exhaustion which already in me 24 hours a day, by walking fast and even having a little run up there. Be happy guys! Little kids love to play around running here and there. I would feel happy doing so too, but this time it's applicable for the track *grin* fighting the pain in the jungle, it's interesting thou. Maybe this could be the answer for those who always ask me why Im walking so fast.

Im happy that we reach the brim of the jungle after an hour of walking, coz it's already hot that time. Im really sensitive to the sunlight due to my sickness. I mean, my eyes. We need trees as our shelter. We have a short rest there before we proceed back the journey going inside the jungle.

After half an hour, we stop by as it's started to rain, and we help our friend around to cover their bags. After that we reach the area full with rattan trees. You just need to be aware of the thorn which might prick you. As we go deeper into the jungle, it started here, where we spent the time waiting for our trip guides to clear up the bushes and trees.

Then we reach a small river where everyone took a rest and fills up the bottle with fresh water. This is what I really waited for, to fill up my esophagus with fresh cold water. Yuhuu. This is also where everyone continue the session of killing and destroying the leech (pacat in bahasa). They are our friends. We bet they're too happy to see us all.

After for about 15 minutes been rested, we continue the journey. LOts of hills for us to climb (i mean, walking), and the track get tougher. I just can't stand the slippery part of the narrow track with deep cleft on the side. Pheww. Fall down few times due to weak limbs. Get help many times too. There is one time where 4-5 people needed, to get me up from the slippery narrow track. I blame the 10kg bag. Hehe =p

Not long after that we could hear the river flowing sound and we reach the campsite at around 215pm. Najwa, ayahanda, abutoq, guide and me are among the first to reach there and we directly heading to the river to start the killing mission of our best friends called leech. This is the time where I really could feel a deep silent inside with not many people around yet. But still, after half an hour later, I am happy to hear their voices from a far. They arrived in exhaustion, but I believe the tiredness almost gone to see and to feel the cold river water which really place a peace in heart and mind ^__^ (despite of the leech killing session. they are horrible! hehe)

Wonderful Batu Hampar waterfall, this is the view from our campsite. You can enjoy yourself anytime. Even at 530am in the morning like we did ! *grin*

another waterfall right in front of the campsite. In the photo, Matjeri is fishing, i think.

The third waterfall next to the campsite, Air Terjun Tebing Tinggi. Simply awesome ! Subhanallah! Photo courtesy to MatJeri

During this trip, few friends and I were not able to witness this super amazing waterfall by own eyes due to some reasons. Maybe we're too busy enjoying the one nearer to our campsite. I hope to be there again to witness Air Terjun Tebing Tinggi. InshaAllah. If not, I wanna enjoy it in Jannah later on, the one with milk and honey. Hehe. :)

This is the view of our campsite on the other side of the waterfall. We could see two waterfalls here. Just enjoy yourself, just enjoy the nature created by Him. He is just amazing, the Almighty. Photo courtesy to MatJeri

In the afternoon we're busy enjoying all possible angles to freeze the waterfall into tiny digital photos to bring back home. Not to forget that we really enjoy to have our zuhr and 'asr prayer right in front of the waterfall !

As a Muslim we believe that, our prayers must and can be performed anywhere, anytime in any condition. That's an obligation to show our appreciation to Him for all the kindness and bless He shower upon us, on our daily life.

Even now, I just cannot forget the feeling of having our own forehead to touch the water that flows on the rock, to feel really calm hearing those sound of nature, and to be in total peace in our prayer. It was like the waterfall already took all other sounds. Even you're in jemaah, you feel like you're praying alone, no one besides, only you and God. That is such one thing which I really cannot forget during our trip there. Which I try to maintain it here..to imagine that I was there everytime Im in prayer.

And that is us! Making prayer together. May Allah Almighty bless this ukhuwwah, till Jannah shall we meet inshaAllah. Kiniey and cha cha, how much I wish I could bring you guys here, seriously! :)

Photo courtesy to Dr. Jamal Rahman ;) kayak kanak kanak riang kami ini.

So guys, the journey gonna continue later, on the second day. Where we're heading to Air Terjun Gelung Rotan. See ya' on the next part!

p/s: To inspire our nature and photo lovers,

Related report & photos of Kuala Sentul, Maran. Here:

1. By Dr. Jamal Rahman

2. By Dr Ali

3. Flickr report

4. Tembeling's muse

5. By Azizul Aziz

6. By Mat Jeri

7. By Abutoq