Sabah Orchid Tour Day 5 – Oct 4 2009

And so Day 5 arrived. It was down to the valley to Poring and then up to Mesilau Nature Reserve that day.

After a rather quiet breakfast, with the only “excitement” coming from a stick bug crawling near someone's table, we gathered at the newly finished viewing platform for a group photo. The clouds were kind and did not obscure Mount Kinabalu so we got a really good group shot. I was the only one who was keen on making faces and silly poses though, so in the end I gave up and just gave a straight smile like in a Colgate commercial.


Perfect day for taking photos and driving down to the valley.


That’s Mary, trying to take our group photo with a macro lens. If we moved back any further we’d be rolling down to Poring instead of driving there.

Why do travelers always leave things behind when checking out? I left two towels behind (hung them up to dry just before going out! How dumb was that?), John forgot his hat and Tom left behind his travel adapter. When we reached Mesilau, we called up the park HQ and they informed us if they found anything they'd send it over the next day. The next morning, we were informed that nothing had been found (really, nothing at all? hmm...) Oh well, at least nobody forgot anything important like their passports, cameras or laptops though. And never ever leave your mobile behind, wouldn't want anyone viewing those "secret" pictures and messages now, would we?

We bid goodbye to Kinabalu Park and set off to Poring. Made a quick stop at Kundasang to get some cough lozenges for Jeong and sped off to Ranau and got to Poring Hot Springs around 9:30AM.

Poring is located about 45 minutes from Kinabalu Park HQ. It’s down in the valley so it’s quite warm and humid here. It was a weekend so the place was packed with many visitors, particularly locals who were there for the hot springs. I’ve been to that area before and I can just imagine how packed and full the springs were that day. The place really was a hive of activity that Sunday morning.

It really was a stroke of luck that I noticed a sign posted saying “Rafflesia” at the far end of the parking lot outside. I knew there were Rafflesias along the way to Poring but I never expected to find growing so near to the park! The villagers who farm/own the land the raffs are found wanted RM20 per person but we bargained this down to RM10. When I asked how much I had to pay, the villagers said I could go in for free!


The first of many hanging bridges we crossed this entire Borneo tour.

We drove along a dirt road passing through farm land and then were taken by a villager to view the stinker. To get to the flower, we crossed our very first hanging bridge in Sabah and this was a mini-event for some in the group!

The Rafflesia flower was about 60cm across (2 feet) and would have been wider if the petals didn’t curl back. Rafflesia keithii. It gave off a strong, pungent smell of fermented cabbages (to my nose anyway). Honestly I didn’t find it that stinky at all. All that talk about raffs smelling like carrion really is just hyperbole me thinks. Maybe some species do stink but R. keithii certainly didn’t smell anything like rotting flesh.


Pictured here is an average-sized flower about 60cm across with a developing bud on the right.

The Rafflesia is a curious flower. Flowers are either male or female and pollination is only likely if there are male and female flowers opened at the same time. The developing buds are also sensitive to bacteria and rot easily before reaching maturity. The giant flowers and buds are the only visible parts of the parasite which feeds on a specific host, a species of liana (vine). Being host-specific makes it even more endangered. Luckily, villagers realize the potential of these giants and care is taken not to damage them or the developing buds.


Some Rafflesia species can attain a size of over a meter across. This flower is two days old.

Each giant flower takes about 9 months to develop from a small bud but opens for only a week. The one we saw was two days old and emitted a pungent but not overpowering smell. It was far from being the stinker as described in many accounts.


“Is this the line to the loo?” The Rafflesia caused a flurry of shutter clicks and everyone tried to get a whiff of it.

I really enjoyed that mini excursion to see the Rafflesia. I’ve never ever seen one in bloom before. The species found near Kuching is Rafflesia tuan-mudae, which I have only seen in bud or rotted away. R. tuan-mudae is also found in West Kalimantan, Indonesia.

Many tropical fruit trees were also fruiting in the orchard that we passed through. Durians hung from high branches, fallen langsat fruits littered the ground and shiny Star fruits sparkled in the bright sunlight. It felt like a school trip!

From viewing the Rafflesia, we moved on to Poring Hot Springs park. Again, I got in for free as I was mistaken for a guide (I never said I was one!) but I managed to get my group (those riding in my car) discounted rates for senior citizens.

Like I said earlier, Poring on a Sunday is just a hive of activity. There were so many people especially school kids on excursions, families on picnic outings and local visitors that we were glad to make our way quickly to the much quieter Poring Orchid Conservation Center which is a short walk away.

When we arrived, Tom went up to the ticketing office but no one was around to collect fees. We proceeded to explore the orchid garden and were both shocked and surprised to find a female orang utan resting in the area. It looked very pregnant but docile. We did not approach or get too near it as these animals are highly unpredictable, and probably easily irritated when expecting. A macaque monkey with its own baby kept the orang utan company. After taking some photos, we left it alone. She was generally disinterested in us and just lazed away in the shade.


The orang utan and monkey friend.

At one point, it came down and laid down right in the middle of a footpath. The way it stretched its arms and scratched itself while trying to doze off reminded me so much of a human being!


The orang utan taking its beauty nap in the middle of a foot path. I didn't get close to it but took this picture (zoomed in) from afar.

Among the orchids we saw in bloom were some beautiful Cleisostoma, Sarcoglyphis, Coelogyne, Phaius and Phalaenopsis species. There were some paphs in spike but none in full bloom. No Paphiopedilum rothschildianum plants were in bloom. Perhaps it was too dark? In contrast, many of the Rothschilds at Kundasang War Memorial were spiking and blooming.


Pity the tag on this pretty Sarcoglyphis orchid wasn't legible.


This Phalaenopsis maculata has a very beautiful and unique color. My own plant as well as others I have seen are more drab.


Phaius species.


The yellow, fragrant upper flower of Dimophorchis rossii.


I think this is Calanthe sylvatica.

After combing through the garden and taking lots of photos, we decided it was time for lunch so we left Poring Hot Springs and drove back to Ranau. We made a stop at a roadside kopitiam (cafe or coffee shop) and ordered some fried rice. There were some fruit stalls selling fruits but prices were very high, as expected, since they catered to tourists foreign and local. Though the fried rice was very bad, we all enjoyed some good ice cream. Maxine, thank you for the treat!

A quick stop at Shell, Ranau to refuel and then off to visit Kundasang War Memorial. We arrived around 3PM and gathered inside the AV room to view a video about the Kundasang Death March. The War Memorial was set up in memory of the thousands of Australian and British soldiers who perished during the march, as well as the local people who helped them.


Viewing a video on the Kundasang Death March.

After the video, we proceeded up to the Australia Garden, British Garden and finally the Borneo Garden at the uppermost level. The Kundasang War Memorial is divided into three tiers. The British Garden features mostly roses while the Borneo Garden has a wonderful collection of species orchids from Sabah such as the striking Paphipedilum rothschildianum and Dimorphorchis rossii.


Bulbophyllum biflorum, growing on a wall in the Australia Garden.


The Borneo Garden.

There are so many beautiful species of orchids here. Many were in bloom too. We spent a good long time photographing them until it started to drizzle again. Here are some photos but there are simply too many to share in a blog post so do head over to my Flickr photoset for the rest of the photos.


Bulbophyllum lobbii


Phalaenopsis amabillis


Paphiopedilum rothschildianum, one of the most striking slipper orchids in the world!


Unidentified Dendrobium species.


View of the surrounding villages and farms from the viewing point.

At about 5PM, we made our way up to Mesilau Nature Reserve. The road up is steep and I was very concerned about negotiating the gradients, especially because the Unser was old and underpowered (the rental company reps warned us when we got the cars and unfortunately it proved to be true). Maxine then rode in the Innova to ease the load on the Unser since the Innova’s a more powerful model (it’s really only a difference of 0.2cc but I suppose the Innova’s engine is much more efficient).

It was getting dark so we couldn’t spend any time to get out and explore for a bit, the road leading up to Mesilau Nature Reserve. Pity ‘cause I had found some interesting plants and orchids growing by the road sides on my previous visit.

We checked into our units at Witti Lodges just as dusk fell. It was very cool and quiet up here, with only the sound of a slight breeze in the trees and a gushing creek breaking the silence. A most relaxing place to be…


One of the twin rooms in our lodge.


There is a TV but  3 local channels only. Why would anyone come to a place like this to watch TV anyway, right? However, an international news channel might be a good idea, or at least a free daily newspaper.


Mesilau is higher up than the Kinabalu Park HQ and therefore it gets quite cold at night. Movable heat radiators are included in each bedroom and these doubled up as clothes dryers for us (place your clothing on a chair next to the heater to be safe, NOT on it). For the first time in days we were able to do some hand washing and wear dry clean clothes again! Take caution however, never ever leave your clothes on it switched on and unattended!


Witti Lodge


Dinner at the Renanthera restaurant.

A quick shower and rest and it was down to the Renanthera restaurant for dinner. It wasn’t too bad, slightly better than I remembered from the last time. Our table enjoyed a very interesting conversation that night, topics ranged from the economic crisis to the 1997 Asian financial crash to the chaos in Indonesia that year.

The next day's itinerary, Mesilau Summit Trail! Day 6 would prove to be one of my favorite days this entire trip. Till the next report, cheerio!

Visit my Day 5 Flickr photoset here:
http://www.flickr.com/photos/sarawaklens/sets/72157622692432328/

Sabah Orchid Tour Day 4 - Oct 3 2009

Day 4 started with breakfast at the cafeteria just down the hill from park HQ. There was an issue with the breakfast vouchers but once that was sorted out we sat down to a buffet breakfast. Many of the servings had gone cold as it was quite chilly that morning. After breakfast, we each collected and paid RM30 for our packed lunches, then drove up to the Timpohon gate to walk up the summit trail. Mist all around, I knew it was going to be a wet day!


Misty morning, taken from just outside the park cafeteria.

The Timpohon trail is a very busy trail as it is the main trail used by climbers who trek up to Laban Rata for the night and the summit the next morning (they start at 2AM to catch the sunrise at the summit). Many also choose to just climb a quarter of the way and return. A registered park guide is compulsory for climbs to the summit. Along the way, we crossed paths with many porters, guides and their chargers. Some of the porters were carrying 10kg bags of rice, eggs, water and other supplies. Silent and focused, they trudged along at a slow and steady pace never once looking up for us to greet them. The muscles on their calves were huge!

Walking sticks can be bought at the park souvenir shop as well as the restaurant’s snack shop. Rattan ones are RM18. Sturdy ones made of tree branches are much cheaper, at only RM3 but they are sold out fast.

Word of the day, RAIN! So much rain fell that it was a wonder we could take any photos at all! The rain eased up just long enough for me to take off my raincoat and walk more comfortably. I pitied the others who had to walk in the “portable plastic saunas”. Those ponchos are not as easy to get on and off like a proper raincoat, which buttons up the front.


The first orchid we saw, an Eria.

The first orchid we saw on the trail was an Eria species. It was a good sign as we found more species flowering further along the trail. Apparently it was Coelogyne season as we found a number of species blooming.


The first waterfall we passed. The water must be freezing cold.

The Timpohon trail is an easy trail to do because no special climbing equipment is needed if you intend to climb to the top of the mountain. However, an overnight stay is required at Laban Rata and every year thousands sign up to do the climb. This means space is limited and advance bookings are necessary. It costs about RM700 per person to do the summit climb, lodging included. The air gets thinner the higher you go and the temperature plus wind chill can make things difficult. This is the main reason why the climb may be tough for many, because of the cold and the drop in oxygen levels, not because the trail is particularly strenuous.




Many orchids, particularly coelogynes such as the ones above were in flower.

We saw more orchids but the rain would not let up. Snapped some pictures but soon had to keep my SLR tucked away as water was getting onto the lens barrel, not a good thing! Shot with my pocket cam the rest of the way (a less expensive piece of equipment to risk getting water-logged).


This is Bulbophyllum catenarium.


And this is Bulbophyllum anguiliferum.

Two of the most interesting orchids we saw were two small Bulbophyllums, Bulbophyllum catenarium and Bulbophyllum anguiliferum. These have small pseudobulbs and a short creeping rhizome. B. catenarium has striking yellow flowers while B. anguiliferum has flowers larger than its leaves.


A porter carrying a heavy water barrel.

We stopped for lunch around 12:30pm at a rest stop but the stench from a nearby outhouse was unbearable so I moved on in searched of a better spot. 12:40pm and we were unpacking our packed lunches in a shelter further up. No nauseating smell here so everyone settled down to eat.

Our RM30 packed lunches contained 2 sliced sandwiches with cheese and turkey (or was it chicken?). No tomato, no lettuce, no mayo, no chilli or tomato sauce or anything else. They were so dry and bland we had to force ourselves to chew and swallow. Along with the sandwiches were a spring roll, an egg, a piece of fried chicken, a 500ml bottle of mineral water and a can of Sprite. An egg can only taste like an egg, but I can offer no comments on the spring roll as I got two eggs and no roll. No one had anything good to say about the packed lunch which was probably overpriced by RM20.  And, apparently no one was hungry enough to clear up their packs although I don’t know about that Gary, he’s a living food disposal machine! He probably weighs only 60 kilos too! : )


Put an extra egg in there and it’ll be too obscene to publish. : P


Note the tiny piece of over-fried chicken thigh on the right. More like pigeon-thigh!

It was a very wet day to be walking up a mountain photographing orchids. Wet as it was we met many other climbers. This was a seriously popular trail! Some climbers were wearing only sandals and one in particular, flip flops! Ponchos on almost the entire time and by the time we got to about the 2350M elevation mark, my hands were starting to freeze. We walked passed the TM comm tower branch-off and went further up a bit more before deciding to call it a day. It was getting too cold and the day was growing old. Plus, the orchids were getting harder to spot as we had come to an area with big, tall trees and the gems were all high up in the canopy.


Hobbits on a mission! Rain or shine!

On the return journey, Maxine was far ahead of everyone else but once I caught up with her, I mowed my way down at a speed that astonished myself. I was passing by groups of people and going down steps like a hurricane was behind me. With the rain pouring down, the trail got very muddy, slippery and dangerous so I took caution going over certain parts.

The last stretch just before the slope back up the gate, my momentum was broken by a small group of friends helping one of their own who looked dehydrated, tired and extremely weak in the legs. She appeared like she could use a stretcher, poor thing. I believe I overheard “Not what I had in mind…” from one of them too. Please make sure you know what you’re getting yourselves into or know your own limits before attempting the summit trail folks! Anyway, their guide and porter let me by and I began to run up the steps just because I had so much adrenaline rushing in my system. Halfway up, the guide raced by me but I overtook him again just before the gate. The time was about 3:00pm and it was still raining.

There were many groups of young people waiting for their friends, or waiting for their transports at the gate area. I was glad to leave that noisy chaotic scene and head back to the car. Changed into a clean t-shirt, reclined the seat and just laid back to relax while my heart found its regular rhythm again. Not long after that, the rest of the group arrived and we all drove back to the Nepenthes Lodge.

After showering, I took the opportunity to drive down to Kundasang town about 7km away to pick up some batteries for myself and Mary. It was 5:00pm, the sky had cleared up and the evening sun was out. The valleys to the south were bathed in beautiful hues of orange, yellow and red. It was so pretty and I felt relaxed and happy. Happy to be away from work, happy to be traveling with good company, happy to be surrounded by nature and happy to just be there.


Mount Kinabalu, as viewed from Kundasang town in the evening.

When I first visited Sabah in 2008, I noticed that there were many road side stalls selling grilled wings. On my previous trips, I had come to know which ones sold the best tasting BBQ wings and I couldn’t resist stopping by to get some. Grilled wings are much cheaper in Sabah than in Sarawak. They are RM1.20 each (at time of visit) while in Kuching, they go for RM1.80 to RM2 each. I wanted everyone else to have a taste so I got 40 wings, 4 per person. A lady who just got off a tour bus was quite alarmed when the seller started bagging my wings, she tried to push me aside (how rude!) to get an order in. I don’t know, maybe she was too transfixed on my large order on the grill that she completely missed the rows of skewered wings hanging right in front of her.


Grilled wings! Yum!

So it was back to the park. I had to pay my entrance fee of RM3 again to get in as the entrance ticket is only good for a particular day. It’s RM15 for foreign visitors. Malaysia practices this segmented fee system not to discriminate against foreign visitors but rather, to encourage locals to visit and appreciate local attractions. They would never want to pop by if they had to pay regular price because they can go hiking in a jungle in their backyard at anytime! School kids in uniform often get in for free at many places and senior citizens (foreign or local) pay a much reduced price. If you are a college student, it is a good idea to carry your student ID with you as students (not in uniform) often are given discounted rates too.

Met the rest of the group having tea at the park restaurant and got them all to meet over at our unit in the living hall to dig into the wings. Good stuff! It was one of the rare moments where we all actually sat down together instead of being dispersed doing our own thing or in separate units when off the trails. Some off days are nice when traveling, just to sit back, relax and share an interesting conversation and get to know everyone better.

At about 6:30pm, we filed into the park restaurant for dinner. We ordered some interesting local Sabah dishes and had a good meal. I do think the night chef does a better job than the day chef. My table bought me dinner so thank you guys! After that, I accompanied Jeong to the HQ for her to place a phone call back to her relatives in Korea. It was the harvest festival and in Malaysia, we were also celebrating the Moon Cake festival. Unfortunately, we couldn’t work out how to place a call using her calling card.

To cap the evening, we went down to the AV room to view a short but interesting video on Kinabalu Park. It was RM2 each. Then we spent a moment to discuss the itinerary for Day 5 (Poring and Kundasang War Memorial) and it was back to the rooms. I promised Jeong I’d join her to watch the Korean drama, “The Iron Empress” over at her unit at 8:30PM but I only watched part of it before saying goodnight as I was too tired to continue.

Do visit my Day 4 Flickr photoset here:
http://www.flickr.com/photos/sarawaklens/sets/72157622564623923/

Cheerio!

Sabah Orchid Tour Day 3 - Oct 2 2009

I know that if I don’t sit down and force myself to write this then I’ll probably never finish it. I don’t  really remember what we did or where we went on Day 3 and need to refer my photos to jog my memory. It’s only been a month but it really feels like it was several months ago. Our itinerary was jam packed almost every single day, up early and off into the trails for the rest of the day, then dinner and sleep, rinse and repeat.

I had a lot of fun this trip but if I were to do it again, I'll do it differently this time. A slower pace and a much tighter travel budget as this trip took quite a bit out of me moo-wise.


Getting ready to check out of my room at 1 City

I got up at about 5:30am that morning, to pack my stuff as I was checking out of 1 City to meet with the rest of the group at the Hyatt parking lot across the street. We were to head off to Kinabalu Park that morning. The plan was to ferry 6 in the Innova and 4 in the Unser, folding the backseats up to make luggage space. A moment of frantic shuffling and a plastic piece came flying off someone’s suitcase. When the bags were all loaded in, we were off!

For this entire trip, I was the lead driver and this would be my third time driving up to Kinabalu Park. It’s an easy drive and very scenic along the way. I had actually hoped to just be a passenger this time as I was never able to appreciate the passing scenery the previous two times I was here, being the only one who could drive. No biggie, this was a new group and I enjoyed getting them lost. : P Along the way, we made a quick stop to pick up some juicy sweet mangosteens. This is my favorite local fruit, cooling and full of vitamins. There were rambutans and durians on sale too but I’m not a fan of either as they’re considered ‘heaty’ fruits, loaded with sugar and will get you sick in no time.

We arrived at the park around 11am. We were to meet Mr. Henry Ansow Gunsalam who served as John and Peter’s guide on previous trips. He’s the resident expert on pitcher plants and maintains a beautiful mountain garden of Nepenthes plants over at Mesilau Nature Reserve.


Tom Yam fried rice with seafood. I think this was RM15, serving for two.

When we arrived, our cabins were not ready yet so we parked the cars and hung out at the restaurant. Hungry, myself and Gary ordered a big plate of Tom Yam fried rice with seafood for two. The others opted for cheesecakes and coffee. The time was 11.30am, cool and misty. It felt very good to be up in the mountains, fresh air and greenery all around. But the mist was a hint that a wet day was ahead of us.

At noon, we were greeted by Mr. Ansow, a soft spoken man with years of experience in his field of work (conservation, pitcher plants etc.) who then took us down to the locked shade house. Many rare species such as Nepenthes rajah and various slipper orchids are kept in here. We would not have been able to gain access without Ansow’s help and permission so I’m very grateful for that.


Our guide, Mr. Ansow on the left, pointing out interesting plants to the group.

The locked area is located next to the Kinabalu Park Botanic Garden. We spent about 50 minutes here photographing orchids and pitcher plants. Many were in bloom and one particular species caught my eye, an Ascocentron gokusingii according to its ID tag. The flowers were a light shade of blue, a rare color in orchids.


Ascocentron gokusingii, per ID tag.


Nepenthes rajah, one of the largest species of pitcher plants in the world. The pitchers pictured here are less than half of the maximum size.


Paphiopedilum dayanum in bloom.

From the locked area, we were taken on a tour in the botanic garden. The entrance fee is RM5 per person.


Coelogyne species, lots in flower at the time.


A Jewel Orchid, probably an Anoectochilus.


Everyone scrambling to put their ponchos on. It was a wet day but worse was yet to come (Day 4).


The mist moved in and lingered while we searched for Corybas.


Can you spot the perfectly camouflaged cicada?

After about 15 minutes of exploring, the rain started to fall. Mist was moving in from all around and the temperature dropped. Everyone pulled out their plastic ponchos and pocketed their cameras. The weather was determined to make it hard for us to photograph anything. It was an enjoyable walk and I also noticed some jewel orchids growing by the trails which I’d missed the previous visit. Ansow then took us off trail in search of Corybas, also known as Helmet Orchids, but all we found were a flock of very angry and annoyed birds squawking at us. They were probably Drogons though I didn’t get a good look.


Shifting our bags into Nepenthes Lodge.

By 3pm, we were out of the garden and waiting to check into our rooms. Sleeping arrangements were quickly determined and we all moved in. The cabins are called Nepenthes Lodge and there are a few units here (each building houses two semi detached units). We rented 3.The rooms are comfortable enough but it does get quite chilly at night. There are two levels, the top floor is where the bathroom and rooms are located while the ground floor has a spacious living room, kitchen and small toilet. There are sofas, a dining table and a TV with some satellite channels (but no English news channel) . Electric kettle, complimentary tea, coffee and Milo and a small fridge can be found in the kitchen. Two bedrooms in each unit, a master bedroom with a queen sized bed and another room with two twin beds. There is also a barbeque pit just outside the kitchen.


Rooms at Nepenthes Lodge. Looks good but the plumbing is problematic, either too much or too little hot water. The toilet in our unit wouldn’t flush properly but this was fixed the next day.

It is not cheap to stay in one of these units. Ever since handling of park accommodation was handed over to the luxury hotel group, Sutera Sanctuary, the room rates in a wooden cabin with leaky gutters have gone up sky high. For 4 nights stay within Kinabalu Park (2 at Kinabalu Park HQ area and 2 at Mesilau), we each paid a total of about RM1000. That’s per person ya. I really think it was a bad idea to hand over management of park accommodation to a luxury hotel group. This is a national park, not a luxury resort. The facilities do not reflect the prices paid either. Those wanting to stay outside the park may do so as there are many chalets, cabins and resorts here. However, over at Mesilau it can be a bother to drive to and from the park if you’re staying outside as steep gradients are involved.

After off-loading our bags, we set off again to do one of the easier trails nearby. We intended to look for Paphiopedilum orchids which some in the group had seen growing abundantly some years ago. Now, I was actually here in March and I tried in vain searching for the plants so I knew we were in for a rude shock. The orchids which used to grow in great numbers here were all gone. They had either been stripped by poachers, stolen by thieves or died due to excessive human intervention. It was plain to see that many people had passed through the area, creating clear-cut paths crisscrossing the undergrowth.

We continued on along the trail just as the rain started to fall again and descended to an elevation where it was just warm enough for tiny leeches to survive. I consider leeches a great nuisance when hiking or trekking in the jungle. The wounds continue to bleed for a while and may continue to itch for days. Not all have this reaction but I do! I remember being bitten once and it itched for a nearly a week.


A peloric form of Arundina graminifolia.

Tiger leeches are a whole different story. They do not inject an anaesthetic when they bite and this results in a painful wound. They are recognizable by a thin yellow-green stripe running the length of the body. Tiger leeches are found in the more remote jungles of Sabah and Sarawak. I carried a bottle of Minyak Cap Kapak or “Axe Brand Oil” with me to deal with the leeches. It contains camphor, eucalyptus oil, menthol and other oils which would kill a leech foolish enough to latch itself onto me. Just dab a few drops on the bugger and watch it fall off. In the days to come, this oil proved very useful. An alternative, and less overpowering oil, is to use mosquito repellent containing citronella.

We got back into our cabins just before dark and freshened up for dinner. That evening, while I was sitting in the living hall the phone suddenly rang and a lady asked if she had rung up reception. Naturally I said no, I told her she had rung up a private lodge/room. So she hung up and a few minutes later the phone rang again. Same person. I told her she had rung up the Nepenthes lodge and then the laughter rolled. It turned out to be Rita, calling to ask when we’d all be meeting for dinner.


Bamboo orchids, Arundina graminifolia, form a neat and beautiful row just outside the park restaurant.

We finished off the night by going for a nice dinner at the restaurant a short walk away from our lodges. Even though it was a stone’s throw away, I chose to drive cause I was tired of walking, especially since a steep incline was involved. Soon the others packed into the other car too as nobody wanted to walk anymore it seemed. Back from dinner, we took some photos of moths outside the cabin and then called it a night.


Leave the porch lights on and you’ll find many moths of all shapes and colors just outside your door.

The plan for the next day was to do the Timpohon Summit Trail. We’d be having our lunch out on the trail so we ordered packed lunches at an exorbitant RM30 each to be collected the next morning. At RM30 I was expecting something really nice but what we got the next day requires its own paragraph in my next instalment! As usual, head to my Flickr photoset to view the rest of the pictures. Cheerio!