11 October 2010

Pelangi Gelung Rotan - Part 2


Setiap derap langkah perjalanan adalah pengajaran dan pelajaran dalam sekolah kehidupan. That is what I could describe about our trip to Air Terjun Pelangi Gelung Rotan, Kuala Sentul, Maran, Pahang on the next day of the trip.

It was such a great morning after Fajr prayer, and everyone is ready for for their own slow shutter session, where ever they wanted to. And, Im sure that those landscapers really been inspired by the waterfall..oh waterfallsss should i say here. Various kind of waterfalls around our campsite area. You just need to make your choice :D They're so happy naming the waterfall by the way. Heh.

At around 830am we start the journey to Air Terjun Pelangi Gelung Rotan from our campsite at Batu Hampar. We actually went upstream. Thus the first thing that we did is to cross the flowing water in front of our campsite and do a little climbing right beside Air Terjun Batu Hampar. Maybe I could say it is on Air Terjun Che Mek Molek.

on your right side is Air Terjun Che Mek Molek. And we climb on it. Photo courtesy Azizul Aziz.

Then it is start of journey on a flat area, but, we walked most of the time in the water. Not only that, it's full with slippery rocks ! Lot's of them, seriously. Also, we need to cross the fast flowing water. It's tough but it's fun :)

This is where I've been taught on how to walk properly, provided with this kind of track. Every step, there's someone voice would accompany my journey, whether live at my ears, or not. Haha.
And seriously, I learn a lot.

Below, are some photos of the track.

First, we were all amazed with the rock formation along the track. Seriously!

Rivers and slippery rocks that we need to cater. photo credits to Azizul Aziz.

photo below, courtesy to Abutoq

photo below, courtesy to Azizul Aziz


After about 45 minutes, we actually did have a short break. Then we head back to the main aim, and about an hour later we came across such a wonderful waterfall called Air Terjun Batu Kawah. It's really fascinating even until now!

such a great view here. Everyone is almost speechless. Photo courtesy to Dr. Jamal R

We spend few minutes there to allow ourselves breath in normally due to the mesmerizing view. Hihi. And we proceed the journey as we will come back to it again on the journey back to the campsite. As it is quite high, thus we need to hike a small and quite steep hill with the help of a rope to pass the waterfall.

Again, we need to walk through a slippery narrow track with deep cleft of the waterfall's rocks on the side. This is even scarier than the track to Batu Hampar campsite. But then, the view from the top of the waterfall is simply awesome (and quite scary).

Photo courtesy to Dr. arJamal

Then we continue the journey with deeper and faster water stream. Below is a photo by Br. Azam Alwi. I reall wanna have a shot here :) we pass down below the fallen tree. The water stream was really fast. Fuh.


After almost 3 hours of walking in the water, we reach Air Terjun Pelangi Gelung Rotan. There's no one arrive yet, thus it's pleasurable to take photos of its whole. When we reach there, we actually deviate the track a bit, to reach a suitable port for photography. It took quite a time to clear up the trees and bushes before we could reach the big rock and setting up a port. Dr. Jamal would be among the first to capture, and below goes his photo

It's a wow isn't it?

But the most exciting part of the journey, is to have yourself under the falling water ! And even you could see the rainbow around you, only when you're under the fall! It's such a treat. A really great treat. I wouldn't forget this amazing experience.

The version with power rangers !

Yes, the scenery worth everything. The walk, the injury, the pain and all. And to 'shower' under the fall is the greatest experience ! Wuhuu..~!
We were there until only few of us left up here. They're all went down for the lunch. And we also have our lunch near to the waterfall, and we eat on a banana leaf :D

Dr Ali and nasi daun pisang first class

During the trip back to campsite, we stop by at many small waterfalls, and we reach the campsite when it's almost dark. We share lots of stories at night and the next morning before the 'silat' session.

Yes, we do have a 'silat' session. It's all initiated by Dr Ali.

They said, Arjuna and Andika. Who are they actually? Huhu.

This is the first time among those 3 days where everybody gather at one place to shoot something. Everyone smiles a lot ! After this session we have our group photo session as usual ^_^

We head back to Masjid Kuala Sentul, and this time we're very fast since all the trees and bushes has been cleared up. We took only 1 hour and a half to reach there.

I would say, it's a must-go trip for all nature lovers and for all landscapers. Seeing is believing. And I hope I would have a chance to come here again before lots of people would come, since the place won't be the same anymore.

People people out there. You love nature, take a good care of it as a start.
This journey for me, is really ex·tra·or·di·naire !

P/s: To inspire our nature and photo lovers,
Related report & photos of Kuala Sentul, Maran. Here:
2. By Dr Ali
6. By Mat Jeri
7. By Abutoq

8 October 2010

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:
2. By Dr Ali
6. By Mat Jeri
7. By Abutoq