The off-road expedition to Kem Sangka in Raub meets with an unexpected end in the jungle, writes Khairul Ashraf Kammed
WE are now having breakfast in a small warung (food stall) somewhere near Kampung Ulu Sungai in the district of Raub, Pahang. Our mission is to make an exit at Ulu Slim in Perak and cut through Banjaran Titiwangsa which dissects the neighbouring states of Pahang and Perak.
An elderly man somewhere in his sixties stops by on his Honda EX5 cub motorcycle which looks more like a scrambler after a modified exhaust and “centipede tyres” were installed in his “loyal commuter”.
He eventually joins his friends at another table adjacent to us and asks where we are from and where we are heading.
“All of us are from Kuala Lumpur. We are going to camp for a night at Kem Sangka and if it is possible, we are going to try to explore the off-road tracks and make an exit at Ulu Slim before heading home,” says Yusman, my colleague.
“Good luck. Just be safe and make sure your vehicles don’t overturn like a tortoise,” says the old man, clad in a worn-out shirt and track pants, leaving us with a smile.
His advice raises a question — is the track as challenging as he makes it out to be?
As everyone is a little tired from the journey which began at the Gombak Petronas station the night before, we don’t give much thought to the man’s advice and focus on our nasi lemak and kopi o instead.
Half an hour later, our convoy of four vehicles heads for Pos Buntu, an Orang Asli settlement, which leads to Kem Sangka 7km away.
BLACKWIND 4x4 ADVENTURE TEAM
My first and last meeting with the Blackwind 4x4 Adventure Team was almost three years ago but I never really had a chance to join its adrenaline-fuelled activities.
With its colourful track record which includes a successful overland trip involving seven countries namely Malaysia, Thailand, Laos, Cambodia, Myanmar, China and Vietnam in 2011, I am convinced that I am in good hands.
When Yusman invited me to join this expedition, I agreed without hesitation as I needed some time off from the city and be one with nature. After all, this is probably the right time for me to officially take part in the team’s adventure after missing out before.
“They are experts when it comes to four-wheel drives and off-roads; some of them are moderators and instructors for newbies to this extreme sports. The exploration will be just like a stroll in the park,” says Yusman.
It will be my first leisure off-road trip that does not involve with fancy organisers. There will be no special media treatment and all I need to do is to blend in with the rest of the team as much as I can. I think I am mentally prepared for it, as my recent off-road experiences have given me an insight into off-roading excursions.
“I need to raise my game. I may not yet be driving a 4x4 jeep, but this will be a chance to learn from the professionals,” I tell myself.
KEM SANGKA
We arrive in Pos Buntu at 10.15am. The campsite is quite impressive as it has several tree houses to accommodate guests; this means that we do not have to set up our tents.
There is a prayer room with an artificial pool next to it meant for ablution. Another hut houses a kitchen, a dining area with two benches and a table, and also two toilets complete with running water sourced from the river.
Most of the facilities were built using tree branches but this is one of the best campsites I have ever been to as the setting is really well-structured. I waste no time in unloading my bags at the hut; the river is less than 10m away.
There is nothing much to do and some of us decide to take a swim in the river, while others decide on a nap. As for me, I take out my camera and practise my macro photography skills.
There are so many attractive subjects to be captured, plenty of insects with weird but interesting attributes.
When it is almost lunch time, three more jeeps join us. Now it’s 14 men and one boy in this expedition.
We have a simple lunch of instant noodles because we are still full but for dinner there is rice, sardines and omelettes.
After dinner, it is still too early for bed, so one of the team members sets up a mini cinema using his phone which acts as a projector and we watch a movie.
We eat sunflower seeds and chat through the night before everyone decides that it is time to sleep.
The night is totally dark. The only source of light is from our torchlights. I can hear only the sound of crickets and, once in a while, the buzz of mosquitoes.
I tuck myself into my sleeping bag and seal it from the inside, and fall into a deep sleep.
CHALLENGING PATHS
The next morning after breakfast, we hit the road to Ulu Slim. While some of the pilots do a routine check on their vehicles, some of us take a dip in the cool river, the first since we arrive at Kem Sangka.
Bangau manages to catch a fish but decides to release it. Shukor, another photographer, who shared the hut with me, is still engrossed in taking pictures of plants.
I am really looking forward to the adventures that await us during our journey to Ulu Slim. I was told that it will be no ordinary ride. My bags are packed and I’m ready to go. Our departure is a little delayed as one of the drivers has a problem with his engine. Another driver removes four pieces of a large chain and mounts it on the tyres of his jeep to add more grip.
We finally hit the road at 11am, but it takes more than an hour to overcome the first obstacle after crossing the shallow river next to our campsite.
The first vehicle has to use a winch to pull itself up a steep slope and the rest of the jeeps follow suit. Now, this is just the beginning and we already have to face such a test.
It takes us three hours to reach Kampung Ulu Slim 150km away on the Raub-Hulu Selangor-Tanjung Malim route.
By taking the road less travelled, we do not know how long it will take us as we have to go uphill and downhill.
We go on mud-drenched tracks and pass through landslides. On several occasions, we use a chainsaw to cut our way through fallen trees and logs which block our path. Zaid’s steel carrier on the roof of his Pajero falls off accidentally after hitting some bamboo trees.
We learn through a satellite device that we are near the border of Pahang and Perak, but it is midnight.
Cip decides that we have had enough as most of the drivers are fatigued. We stay the night where we are and continue our journey the next morning.
ELUSIVE TRAIL TO ULU SLIM
I cannot really remember when I dozed off last night, but I survived my first overnight experience as co-pilot. It is Monday, supposedly a working day, but we are still stuck in no man’s land between Pahang and Perak. There are no telephone lines and we are disconnected from the rest of the world.
When we finally arrive at an area filled with bamboo trees and a spacious field, we cannot see any of the off-road tracks anymore.
We have met a dead-end. The satellite device indicates that we have reached the border of Pahang; there is a small walking trail upfront. Just a few metres ahead I see a large rock and a small signage that says Batu Gajah.
I turn on my phone and there is a weak signal which allows me to send a text message to my boss. I call my wife to inform her that we are still in the jungle and tell her not to worry. All the others use my phone to inform their families about our situation.
“There is no way that we can proceed. It will take more than a week to clear all the bamboo trees and bushes,” says Cip.
We make a u-turn and drive back to Kem Sangka. At 11pm, we are out of the forest and having supper.
There is no disappointment in our faces while we discuss what went wrong. I am really thankful that we made our way out. Despite having to turn back, it is one great experience though. I look forward to accomplishing this mission if there is a chance in the future.
Read more: Might of a jungle - Travel - New Straits Times http://www.nst.com.my/life-times/holiday/might-of-a-jungle-1.477716?cache=03%2F7.212326%3Fpage%3D0%2F7.282631#ixzz2sXVP8iU5
