It was just a coincident occasion that we make this trip. I was bored in shop, therefore I went to Ah Mao’s shop to find someone to talk to as well as smoke to. Guess it was raining, he closed shop earlier than usual. Then we three, Ah mao Ah Ket and me went to Yam Cha at an old place. Ah ket mentioned about leaving and off to Cameron Highland tomorrow and he asked whether I like to join, without hesitation, I said yes, because I planned to follow him since the last time he mentioned about CH, and now I caught the chance.
Time passed so fast, after almost 18 hours, I called Ah ket, asked what time he was leaving. He said he was already leaving home and need to put something in Kampung Awah and buy some necessary before pulling off to CM. After this and that, we were heading to CM. It was fun along the way, unlike my previous trip to CH, this time; we were going there from Raub, another alternative to CM. Of course, two of us bullshit along the way, and by the time we were in Raub, Raub was raining, rather eerie and exciting feeling, I fully trusted Ah ket by his driving skill, he could send us the destination safely.
The fog is rounding the mountains, the sky was drizzling and Ah ket car keep pollute the environment. I was not pay attention to the time so I did not know how much time we have spent to get to our destination. Of course, the site was not located in any towns in CH, instead, It was in jungle! It took us almost an hour to get in there, without proper asphalt road, I was bumped in the car all along the way, and when u know how slope the mountain beside you was, your heart beat hit 120 per minute. Thanks to his reliable driving skill, I was there finally. I would finally recommend him to be a rally driver if he lost or retired his job.
I was stunned when I get out from the car! I was in jungle, and that was the place I will overnight. I saw one of his workers was burning wood outside the camp, just like in cold zone, and the other 3 of them came out from the camp and help us move the necessary into the camp. I was there with the guy who was burning woods, I guess he might be Cancer, I judged from the way his talked. The other one was busying arranging the food and stuff, another two talking with their boss, namely, Ah ket.
I could not remember their name, but as far as I knew, four of them are from different part of Indonesia, and they having problem to act as one. One of the oldest, we called him Pak Cik, been talked with Ah ket in his car for more then one hour, of course I supposed they are discussing about their project. I ate with the rest, and the burning-wood-guy still outside, so me and the rest of two had a late dinner nearly 9pm. It was beef soup, and I finished the food as fast as I can, why? It’s simple, because I’m hungry. The food was not bad, and Ah ket was not bad too! He is a caring boss!
They placed several camps under a “big camp”, and the Indonesian workers told me, this boss is good not only giving them a small camp each, and a big camp to protect them from the wild. Finally Ah ket and the works were backed, and the burning-wood-guy came in as well, now their turn to have their late dinner. Strangely was, the other two leave the table and backed to their camp.
After dinner, I was asked to play card game, it was their favorite to kill times, but it was a brand new game to me, is a bit like majoh, it was fascinating and I fond to the game. Nearly 1am, all people were sleeping and me and ah ket were talking outside the camp till 3am then we back to the camp and we keep talking, guess till 330am.
At 5 am something, the cock that the Indonesians bought to be their food supply crowed, oh my god, I only slept for only 2 hours and now that fucking cock was outside and crowed, fortunately ah ket came out from the camp and thrown some stone to the cock! I supposed I could have a good sleep afterward, but God know after 5 minutes, that cock came back again and crowed, ok, this time, I truly insomnia, and pray to God that the cock will die instantly, of course, my dream never came true. About 7am the cock stopped crowning and finally I’m able to sleep undisturbed until 9 am.
We woke up, and have a cup of milk tea, in fact, I could not have anything in that early, therefore I only had half of it, then we went into Ah ket’s site, another 2 more KM and of course, snake-liked road and bumped. He went to meet his workers and checked the progress. After that, the workers lead us to the Kampung Orang Asli, (Aboriginal village), it was amazing, and you would not know there is a village inside the jungle. Everyone was looked at us, and I felt like we are the invader who spying their village before conquered them.
One thing I can see is that, the Malaysian government is really taken care of them; the government built many infrastructures for them, including water and electric supply. They are unpolluted, and remain the original life of them, I suppose, there is the life human supposed to live in, no TV no night life, no heavy music, everything nature and belong to the natural. Maybe there was the last few virgin place that the so-called civilized people have not touch, I hope not ever.
We out the jungle and buy some other necessary for the Indonesian workers, in Ringlet. After that, we went to Tanah Rata, to have our lunch. It was a worthy lunch, RM15, 90; we have a western food, with steak, mesh potato, juice and salad. Then we went to Brinchang, Ah ket bought some vegetable like maize and sweet potato.
After that, we headed to BOH tea garden. At first, I thought we were going the tea garden with the modern building that extended outside from the mountain. But I was wrong, it was a colonial building, and I was kept looking for the modern building, I thought it was hiding somewhere else, and no! It was disappeared! Never mind that, we saw an arrow pointing to the peak of the mountain that we standing, it wirte “View Point”, Ah ket lead and walk toward to the viewpoint, it was a bit difficult for me because the stair was built along the mountain, but at that moment, you have no choice but to follow your friend who with unlimited energy. It took us 15 minutes, well, me and ah ket was amazed by what we saw! We were at the top of the mountain! The fleshy wind blowing my face, and I was actually relaxed! I was enjoying, same to Ah Ket. No skyscrapers, no shopping malls, no crowded, this moment, only belong to tow of us.
As I mentioned above, this is was an accident, because I never thought that we can make it so quickly. Indeed, I have learnt a few upon this trip.
First of all, I was slept in that camp, if you have no idea how cold and the environment is at the night, then you must not have idea how comfortable your room is. The Indonesian workers have no complain on this, in fact, they told me it was the best place that other bosses would not provide to them. If you have no idea how comfortable your room is, then you would not know how their life in the jungle was, and I’m not talking staying there like 1 or 2 days like me, but 2 or 3 months. No TV ,no phone call, no any entainment.
Second, when I talked to a cooker of a school in Kampung Orang Asli, he said, the aboriginal is not particular interesting in study, and they also wasted all the food he prepared to them. I think they don’t like to study is because they need not to face competition there, otherwise, they must appreciate the opportunity very much. Sometime I’m wonder, is that wrong to have contact with the aboriginal, without know the outside world, they might keep the most natural of their life, after the intervention of the so-called civilized people, everything has changed. I would, of course not possible, to keep their original life, without any disturbing. Human, if they got everything granted, they would not appreciate, instead, they will appreciate if they got something with their own effort. I think the kids belong to the nature.
It was surprised that my hearts stayed unsettled when I was there. I always thought that I’m really belonging to the nature. I did not think much, I enjoy the bird chirping, and many voices that created by our nature. One thing I must mention here, when I look up, I saw many starts, they were like hanging above my head, can we really see that clear of starts in the city at night? I doubt it. We, the human are not independent; we are part of our nature. We are sharing the world with others animal or plant, but the self-fish human keep destroying to the nature, that provide them food and water.
When we were at the top of the mountain that called” Viewpoint”, both of us were really enjoy the wind, and both of us enjoy the view in front of us, mountains, broad-view, if not afraid the wind would got stronger and rained, I think I might have a nap on the floor! It was high, but fortunately I was there eventually because of Ah Ket keep moving upward.
After that, we both have a good tea time in a colonial-time building. We both talked a lot and act like somebody who have great achievement, and reminiscing. We got to said good bye to the nature after the teatime.
Hope that all people understand that human is part of nature; all of our living is depend on it, if we destroyed nature, means that we are destroying ourselves as well. Now we are able to enjoy the cold wind in Cameroon highland, but if we keep develop for more profit, I’m sure that we only can enjoy cold air when we are opened the air-con. Green, the color of nature, green is lesser and lesser, let us do something to contribute but not harm to the nature.
Song long and I will be back soon! I promise!
