Taman Negara

Ah, the sweet, slow flow of the river! Entranced by the rustle of leaves and birdsong, Steph and I "check out" for 2 days- no treks, no jungle safaris, no 'activities' of any sort.

We stay at the Durian Chalets, around 1km from the town of Kuala Tahan and just across the river from the national park. Durian fruit are well known in the Asian subcontinent for their pungent smell, but luckily the name was the only similarity our accomodation had with the fruit.

Our chalet is set well back from the main reception building, secluded behind trees and nestled on the side of a hill. The front verandah affords sweeping views across the valley below. At night, cool jungle sounds serenade us to sleep...Magickal! But 2 days of sloth spur us into action, and we manage to fill our other days at Taman Negara. Spotlighting yields a wealth of animal activity, including Leopard and Ceveat cats, a Slow Loris, squirrels and a cacophany of birds.

On our final day, we decide to check out some caves and a canopy walk. A combination of heat, humidity and extreme terrain make these some of the most challenging I have ever encountered. Scrambling up deep ravines and across huge tangles of roots systems that look more like gargantuan spider webs than tree foundations, we arrive at the caves after more than 2 hours of walking.

A quick check reveals no torch- not good for caving. After shuddering at the thought of exploring caves, Steph is somewhat pleased- no torch = no caves. I refuse to concede, and dive into the cave entrance, hoping to use my camera flash as a proxy torch. After around 20 metres, the cave gets really dark and terrain and water makes using the camera impractical. Up ahead in the darkness, I see torches and hear voices......my ears strain to hear what language they speak. I call out and they are able to guide me with their torches- cool, I didn't want to wreck my camera or turn around. I scramble with the anonymous cavers through a couple of caverns until we reach the main chamber- and are welcomed by hundreds of bats hanging only metres from our heads. After a discussion of the pros and cons of taking a photo, we decide that the prospect of hundreds of bats swarming around our heads isn't worth it. We push on through the cave, before eyeing the exit- a tight squeeze with a water feature before the hole. Negotiating the water feature, we successfully emerge from the bowels of the earth. Matt and Kate, the anonymous cavers, are quite impressed that I attempted caving without a torch and in crocs, nonetheless.

In the afternoon, Steph and I negotiate the canopy walk and Teresek Hill. The canopy walk is touted as the highest in the world, and the 'holy' walkways and swinging rope bridges certainly make you feel more than a little uneasy. After some great views and wonky photos, we set off around the Teresek Hill walk- around 5km in all. In 15 minutes, we agreed that Teresek Hill should be called a mountain, and after that, the conversation receded to essentials only. Legs burn and sweat pours out- feels like an extended boot camp. I retreat to the quiet place, eyes looking down and straight ahead, only the goal in mind.

We reach the "hill" and the views are fantastic. The river snakes through the valleys, skirted by imposing green mountains. The jungle of Taman Negara streches out as far as the eye can see. We descend quickly, quietly, looking forward to the cool waters of the rivers to revitalise. Sure are going to sleep well tonight.