Tuesday, January 20, 2009

1300km of East West Highway, Banding Lake & 7 Waterfalls Part 2


I was taken by a small aluminium boat to one of the islands which has been converted to a simple yet charming resort.
Awesome view


Since I brought my tent and baked beans along, I didn't mind camping overnight. The island gives you a view on the vast unruffled surroundings of the area and it's not everyday I have this view.
Tranquil

Peaceful
Break of dawn

Before I left, I went for a swim and
To jump from this height or not?

swam near a tree. This tree is probably older than the Cretacious period and by touching it, I'm touching a 130 million year old tree, much older than the trees in the Amazon and the Congo.
A 130 million year old tree

The next morning I met my parents at the car park of the Belum Rainforest Resort. They were coming from Penang. Since ala carte from the resort will only be served at 11am, I decided to eat on the bonnet of my father's car.
Mummy brought some char siew
.
I took a picture together because this moment was indeed very special to me. You see, my parents have been travelling the East West Highway for nearly 30 years. From the time I was a baby to the moment where the change of guard took place. Instead of my father driving us, the day I turned 18, it was my time to drive my parents along this nostalgic highway, hence the change of guard. I will post a separate blog on this issue later.
Reunited

After Papa, mummy and I took a picture in front of the Banding Lake, I went on our separate ways. While Mummy and Papa headed home. I was :
Elephant Hunting
Thought I saw something greyish moving in the undergrowth ....but no pacyderms

I stopped several times along the remaining highway which leads to Jeli. I even went further into this mini waterfall to investigate the source of the waterfall. If I do find a waterfall, I'll call it Lata Moss due to the growth of moss virtually everywhere.
MOss everywhere

A few km ahead was a hot spring and I stopped there as well. What's unique about this hot spring is that the area has natural cold river flowing and hot spring water joining together at one pool. I submerged myself in this pool and the sensation I got was WARMTH, just like 5am after a downpour under your comfortable duvet.
Hot spring water on the right + Cold flowing river near the top


Warmth


I started seeing development and I knew that the East West highway was nearing it's end. Then out of the blue, I saw a sign - "Lata Janggut". To my bewilderment, I had never seen this waterfall featured in the www.waterfallsofmalaysia.com website and decided to investigate. The waterfall was easily accessible and once I laid our eyes on the waterfall, I coudn't believe what I saw. Words just cannot express the beauty of this place. Take a look.
Lata Janggut
FYI, I nearly drowned in Lata Janggut.Check it out in YouTube

I spent an hour here telling ourselves, I'd be back the next time round. By 6pm, I arrived in Kota Bharu and Mummy knew the why it took me so long to reach - bundle shopping again. Papa took us to curry gear box for dinner that night and the next day, I had the usual Kelantanese breakfast, lunch and the fake Victoria Station.

What an amazing trip!!! And it only costs us a paltry RM300.00. I explored 4 waterfalls, camped overnight in one of the oldest rainforest on the planet, had a nostalgic moment with my parents at Banding Lake, hunted elephants on the oldest highway in Malaysia, soaked in the most awe inspiring waterfall ever and had Kelantanese food. Awesome maximus trip !!!

2 comments:

Anonymous said...

the tree cant be 130 myo..

笑看风云 said...

friend,
i looooooove it. will go one day.
where is the hot spring ??