Gunung Rajah 2 - Bukan main main.

After the 'hoorays' and 'hoohaas' at the peak we finally descended. We started off after 8.00am. As usual me and Lilian was last and we were even slower now as we were tired with muscle sores. Most importantly Farid and Zul was at the 'Rock'. It is the utmost important that everybody made it down safely. I thank them for this. We won't be able to descend safely without them. When we were all finally down, Azmie another hiker whom they called the 'Otai' was gone. They have left, leaving behind even their female companion.

By the time we descended down to 'Bonsai' the female hiker, (sorry I didn't get her name) Farid and Zul was there. By the time we were back at camp, ZHT and Vincent was cooking and packing. Azmie and the 'Otai' has almost completed packing and was waiting for the female hiker. By the time I was back from a bath, they left. ZHT left earlier because he was going to see if Chin LK was still in Lata Naning.

After a meal and packing, me and Lilian, Vincent, Farid and Zul started descending. Since they are the faster hikers, they went first. My muscles were sore and trying to stand up is an effort. Slowly me and Lilian trudged down the slopes and we were alone by ourselves most of the time. By the time we reached Lata Naning, everyone was gone! The place was empty!! No campers, no Farid or the others, just the two of us!!! A storm was looming above and this must have hasten all of them to leave early. I checked the time and it was 2.25pm. Although we were exhausted, we moved out and hiked as fast as we can. Just after 20 minutes after we left, heavy rain poured. In the heavy rain, we trudged and trudged. Finally, we saw the river crossing but we can't cross as the water was too swift. We sat there by the banks and suddenly there was a gush of water coming from the right side. We hurriedly went to higher ground. Only then did I know that at that particular place two rivers met. Water was gushing from the other river and making the existing swift water at the crossing even higher. 

As we sat there, I told Lilian that we might have to spend another night here. She was calm but on her looks, I can see the questions in her mind. " What about my cats at home?", "The house is empty, we might get burgled again", I know this was in her mind. Then she spoke, "You realized that we are the only two persons left in this mountain." She's right actually, we were basically sweeping right from the peak. Other than EZ Paul which made an appearance, then overtook us we are the last two. Her face was sad and she was reluctant to set camp.

Then at 6.30 pm, I saw something on the opposite banks. Something I won't mention here, probably because I was fatiqued and my mind was running wild. I can challenge anything but the sad face of my wife is just hard to take it. I decided to swim across as the level of the water has gone down a bit. I took out my rope and then tied it to a tree and the other end around my breast under the armpits. I saw the worried look on Lilian. I told her if I drifted, pull hard to bring me to the bank. She nodded also very worried. I went further upstream to the place I want to land and went in the water. I swam hard but overshot the target. Luckily my legs can reach the sand and went up the bank.

I shouted for her to take the rope and tie around her waist. She did and I ask her to slowly wade into the river. The backpack was impeding her movements so I told her go back to the bank. Then I ask her to tie the backpack to the rope and I pull it over first. She then asked me, " How are you going to throw me back the other end?" Something I didn't thought about in the midst of the chaos. I asked her to release the rope and coiled it back and went to the narrowest part of the river. It was above the big rock with the markings. I secured one end and threw the other back to her. One by one she tied, I pulled back the backpack and then threw it back to her. Then it was her turn and the rain is getting heavier. If the water level rises again to the former level, she won't be  able to cross. The thought of she's on one side and I am on the other is scary! She tied and  then waded into the river, I pulled with all my might and she was already at the bottom of the rock where I was standing. She didn't have the strength to pull herself up and I too am too drained to pull her up. I ask her to swim (her legs are not touching ground) further down behind the rock. The current there was blocked and so it's easier. She waded there and  "Thank God!" it was shallower there and she came up the bank. At last she said happily, " Lucky you brought a rope ."

The hardest part is behind us now. We took a rest and then slowly, we put on our headlights and slowly hiked out.Our legs are in pain due to the constriction of the shoes due to wetness. Even untying the shoe laces was not helping. We were like walking in circles, maybe because we were tired and our mind running wild. We kept walking and walking. The pain doesn't matter anymore. Every step and every place looked the same. The leaves were shimmering with the rain once our light shone on them. Then we thought we were heading the wrong way and back tracked and then I realized that when we started hiking in, the river was on the left, so naturally to go out, the river must be on the right. We reached the logging trail and took off our shoes and changed into slippers as it was too  painful. We have to changed back into shoes as the slippers can't be used on the muddy trail. The mud gets stuck to the slippers and sucks the slippers out of our foot.

Slowly in the dark with two headlights (thank God! it's still functioning) we trudged and then we saw the 'orang asli' huts. I encouraged Lilian saying it's near already. Near is never near when you are in this situation. I saw some headlights approaching and tried to stop the 4WD  it but it didn't. No matter, we are already beyond the half way point of the logging trail. We reached the pump station and then finding the trail back down is also a problem. We finally found some old streamers tied to a branch and found it. I was too tired and drained to actually trek down the steep slope so I just chute down on my behind.

I checked the time and it was already 1.00 am. We washed our shoes and slippers in the toilet and then went to the car. We didn't prepare dry clothes this time. We didn't cared anyway. We stopped at the Genting Sempah Rest Stop to get some drinks and then straight home.

I was thinking to myself. What if I have drifted away? Nobody knows and those who were hiking  with me, didn't thought of it. Whatever it was, I think you have to be mentally strong and if  you are not confident, only go camping or hiking with people who are more caring. I didn't thought of it.

I am cancelling or asking someone else to take charge of the trip that I have planned as I don't think I can shoulder the responsibility nor I am confident of taking charge of 30 campers. I almost failed even to take care of one person, my wife!

PS/ After calming myself and thought over the whole episode I came to a conclusion,

01.  Always be prepared with any eventualities of nature. Be prepared with 

ropes, 'parang' , extra food etc.

02.  When you prepared clothing for campsite, always wear it for sleeping or around the campsite. Don't be lazy to change back to your hiking clothes. I made the mistake and I was without dry clothes at the river bank. If I were to camp there, I would be really miserable in my wet clothes. It was one of the reason why I did not camp and took the risk of swimming across. Small and petty details can change your decision! Either for good or for worse.

03.  Make sure you also have extra water and dry clothing in the car.

04.  Most importantly! The whole episode won't be as scary as it was if we all stick together. The group was splintered with individuals don't know where or how the others are. Every situation at every  different moment is different. We should start together and leave together.

If I were to stay back with Chin LK in Lata Naning (as I should have done), this would not have happened. The mind was too engrossed with conquering Rajah. All in all, I think I deserved to punished as I was by NATURE!