04.28
We were just that crazy enough to travel to Tangkak in Johor on Saturday (18 April 2009) evening and put a night there before going for our next climbing to Mount Ophir or Gunung Ledang. 7 bodyguards escorted my wife back to her home town in Tampin. 
By the way, I did not notice until I surf the internet and found although this is a small town but the local municipality has a very impressive website, which some of the municipalities in big cities has to do more to imrpove on theirs. Besides, there are also a website promoting Tampin as a tourism spot. So you are welcome to visit this small town if you are free, contact me if you need any information. I may not know well about this Tampin but my wife does
After our dinner at Tampin, we drove to Tangkak in less than 2 hours and looked for a budget hotel. We found few, the cheapest was RM45 per room, which can accomodate for 4 adults, the highest was RM120. Since we only needed beds and wahsrooms for only a few hours, we settled at the one offered RM45. We noticed that the owner of those old hotels were mostly elderly person, maybe the young one already went to the big cities for good. To me, if I have a chance, I would like to settle down in a small town, people are more nicer and things are cheaper, of course the life is not that hectic. But, this plan will have to defer until further notice.:D
Since Tangkak is a small town, not much of activities at night. We woke up at 5.30am the next day and went for our breakfast, buy our lunch and started our journey to Mount Ophir / Gunung Ledang.
Hey Pal, what are you eating ?
OK, I got it. It’s a bone.
Look at him, must be very delicious !
Hey, you must be very hungry huh ?:)
Actually this soup is boilt with beef bone and the name of this soup is called “Gear Box” soup. Sounds funny ? I don’t know why the shop owner named it like this, maybe next time I will ask him and let you know.
This is the budget hotel that we stayed in Tangkak, one of the small town in Johor.
A small living hall in the hotel.
The main road of Tangkak Town at about 6.45am on Sunday.
After breakfast, we departed to our destination.
Just in case some of you want to know the temperature now, it’s about 31 degree celcious right in the morning……in Tangkak :p Smart people know what I am writing
The far side of the mountain is where we are going now.
There is always a light behind the dawn. There is always a hope if you never give up.
The beauty of a rising sun.
So near and yet so far
We found this Civet Cat while we were driving on a palm oil estate road.
Finally, we arrived at the entrance of “Door C”.
Just when we were about to move in, a guard told us that the trek to the summit at this “Door C” was closed for one year….for upgrading work. Well….I heard the same thing last year.
We were later advice to go to “Door B”, which is about 2 km from here.
As we drive along a palm oil plantation, we saw this signboard.
The palm oil tree in the morning. Thanks to my friend, Chee who told me this would be a good shot.
I still hear people who do not know about Malaysia saying we are living on trees. Well, if that is true, then this buffalo is our transportation equipment. :>>
To some of you, this is very common.
But not when you know how to cherish it. Life is like that, most of us do not know how to value a thing when it becomes too common or to easy to have it.
Welcome to Mount Ophir / Gunung Ledang.
All visitors are not allowed to climb the mountain without a guide.
Main entrance.
The main building with the operation/registration office down stair.
Informative signboards are erected every where so that you won’t get lost.
For Orchid lovers, there is a small conservatory for you.
Different type of Orchids species can be found here.
Including this Arudina Graminifolia, which is attractive to bees, butterflies and/or birds.
This is in my top list !
Another pretty flower found in this conservatory. Can you see those little angels are holding a hand-fan while dancing ?
All visitors have to declare their belongings in a tagging list and pay a deposit of RM20. This is to make sure what ever you bring in, you must bring out also. This is good as we can help to preserve the cleanliness of jungle. You have my support !
Friends are busying writing the tagging list.
During the registration, we were told in order to trek to the summit, we must accompany by a guide and the fees was RM140 for 7 adults. Besides this guide fee, we have to pay for the entrance permit as well.
While waiting for our guide to arrive, I walked around the park and found this.
OK, let’s start moving. At last, we started our mission at about 8.50am at 110m height above sea level.
5 hours to reach the summit 88|? Anyone start giving up ? Definitely not me. In fact, the guide told us we need 6 hours to reach there. Maybe he has underestimated us, well….never try never know, we will see if he’s right later
)
The very first obstacle we have to go through. Can you guess how many steps we need to walk on this concrete staircase ? Remember to find the answer at the end of this blog. Just do not want to discourage you now while you are enjoying the pictures :p
Guy, why are you so slow ?
Hi, good morning to you. Little creature !
Our first pit stop after 12 minutes, height was 220m.
Just to show you how big this tree is !
This yellowish color is from the big tree. According to our jungle expert, Mr Chan Chee, this Dammar is good to use for setting up fire especially in jungle. But we are not allowed to set fire during our camping trip in most of the Malaysian jungles.
A fungus grows on a big tree.
Our 2nd pit stop at 350 m after 29 minutes from the base.
A bees’ nest ? No..actually it is the ants nest.
Another small flower along the trail.
You guys are just too good, mind to wait for a while ?
Half way, you will see this trail to a Kolam Gajah campsite at the height of about 2050 ft or 969 meter. Not sure how much time have to take to be there. Maybe will get the answer when we go there next time.
He is tough !
Our 3rd rest place at 550 meter, after 46 mins.
Coconut grows on the ground ? No….it’s another nest built by ants.
A small mango ?
Another type of Fungus.
The return of Master Wong Fei-Hung.
Our 5th pit stop at 740 m after walking for 1 hour 30 mins when we decided to use the short cut on the left to charge up to the summit.
While resting, we found these ants were working hard…..
Maybe they know it would rain soon and their home would be flooded later.
These flowers are bowing to us to show they are welcoming us.
After ascending to another high level, we come across an area full of Pine Trees, which reminded me the trail we went during our trip to Gunung Irau.
This lovely flower was growing on top of a tree.
Anyone cares to tell what is this special tiny thing ?
Nepenthes albomaginata, it has an altitudinal distribution of 0 to 1000 m above sea level. Meaning, we are still not above 1000 m yet, long way to go.
Can I send this Nepenthes Rafflesiana for photo competition ?
It can survive up to 1200 m above sea level.
So near and yet so far but never give up !
Our final rest point at 1100m, 2 hr 35 mins before we faced the most challenging hurdles. This is also the last point where we can get our water source.
Notice anything ?
If you can’t see clearly, let our Mr “Ghost King” show it to you.
Here it comes the challenges !
Tough enough for you to give up ?
But not for our two tough guys up there. In fact there is a “super lady” who was always ahead of us (all guys):oops:. She could not be seen here because she is just too far away from us. I will introduce to you guys this superlady later….. stay with me.
Let me take a shot at this first before moving full swing later.
OK, let’s move on guys !
We are almost there !
We are above the telecommunication tower now, it means that………
They made it to the summit, the highest mountain in Johor at 1276 meter above sea level.
Me too, standing at the top of the mountain, the satisfaction was really great !
There is another lower peak at the other side.
Hi hi, we all made it !
View from the top.
The arrival of our “Ghost King” and “Big Brother”.
And our Master Wong Fei-Hung.
If you want to see what is written on the stone.
Lunch time.
Let me introdcue our Super Lady to you, the one who wears read shirt. She hold a record for runing up and down of this Gunung Ledang/Mount Ophir within 2 hours. Unbelieable ? You better beliver it. She took part in a competition few years ago and she has been very active in participating many running events. Never ever underestimate a lady and never judge a people by its size, isn’t this true ?
Today, she reached the summit in 3 hours 10 mins and we all lacked behind her by 5 to 15 mins. She is definately a Super Lady !
Well, remember the guide told us we need 6 hours to come to the summit ? We have proved him wrong.
The same thing goes to our life, we hear many people feel very discourage after listening to some negative comments or advice from people. In fact, we are the one who control our own life and destiny. Life’s journey is short and full of ups and downs, just like we were trekking up to the summit of this mountain. When we feel tire, we take a rest, enjoying the things that surrounded us, cherish them and then continued our journey again. We know our strength and stamina better than others, when others are ahead of us, take it as a motivation, as an encouragement for us to do better. Those who are better will ahead of us but that does not matter. As long as we do not give up, we still can reach to our destination, the top of the mountain, it is just a matter of time.
This is why I like and love the nature, we have many things to learn from the nature, if you can feel and love the nature, you will know what I am trying to say.
Wondering why our friend is walking down backward ? Actually he has twisted his leg angle when he was on his way up to the summit but with his perseverance attitude, he still made it to the top. Unfortunately, his leg angle became swollen, when he decended the concrete staircase, the pain got worst. That’s the reason he has to walk in such a direction.
Maybe he has taken the wrong “GearBox” during the yesterday’s dinner, instead of taking both the forward and reverse gears, he only took the reverse gear. So now he only can use his reverse gear ! Take good care my friend !
This is the Sg. Ayer Putih waterfalls.
Time to say good bye now. We took about 2 hours to come down from the summit, it was much faster than ascending but 2 of the tough guys and the “Super Lady” took less than 2 hours. They were damn good !
Mists started to form after a heavy rain. Oh yes, remember that I promised I wil tell you how many steps we have to walk on the concrete staircase ? The answer is …….more than 600 steps ! If you have tried to walk up to Batu Caves, the steps is only 272. Imagine you have to walk 2.2 times of Batu Caves. Giving up to climb this mountain ? You better not, because the self-satisfaction that you will feel at the summit is countless !
Well, after a hard day, all are rewarded with a very delicious dinner prepared by my very kind mother and father in law.
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