I was starting to doubt my own abilities of making it to the top after some other team members (ladies) were dropping off like flies even before 'D' day and the fact that I had only 2 hours of sleep the night before! So did I make it?..................you'll soon know.
But first...we EAT!
Our two spaceshuttles travelled from KL to this very smelly wet market of Seremban town (I think) to savour the delectable taste of what Ching Kee has to offer...and from the photo you see, that's about all I could read as every single stall here is written in Chinese! (oh wait, there's also the number '803')
Thumbs-up for the food that we're about to dive into...?
Nice to have home-town boy Jeffrey with us that day!
This is supposedly called 'lou shue fan' (Chinese). Direct translation to English is rat noodle. Well, don't look so 'ratty' to me...the noodle looks longer than usual. Err, can I...can I also mention if not for the chilli, the taste was rather insipid? heehee...no offense, Serem(bunions) ....oops
Or maybe it was too early in the morning, my taste buds were still fast asleep.
This Hakka Mee was a tad better...good good...getting there...
Oo oo we got a winner down below! but I forgot the name ... Beehoon with cuttlefish something i think. It was so good luckily I managed to snag one spoonful before the rest were gobbled up by the guys. Can you believe there were 9 of us eating 14 dishes that morning?! And that was before the climb!
Anyways, half hour from the eating place, we arrived at the Ulu Bendul Recreational Park at 11 am. (My advice if you go, better to start early say 9am). No complaints from me though, it was my birthday and the weather couldn't be more perfect, the ground was scorched dry, the wind was blowing and not a single dark cloud in sight. Thank God... ^_^
The 'professionals' getting ready for the climb.
While Moon shows off his new pair of Salomon booties, (those socks looked new too)
... I too got to use my new Tropicana baby! >.< 
I must have taken this from an odd angle because Mark's legs look weird... :-{
This is better... Just wanted to show you Mark's Ronald McDonald shoes...one size too big and sunken in the front! No wonder he climbed funny. tee-hee..
This place is so NOT isolated (like Gunung Datok)...they have food stalls and public toilets and ample parking lots.
WELCOME!
There's even a pool...my, it's like Sunway Lagoon in the middle of a forest! Just that, it's foc.
These kids were shouting for me to take their photo, so here boys...! I hope you're seeing this in my blog! :O]
Notice any resemblance? It's Mark and cousin Andy.
June, Mary and I were the only 3 ladies to represent girl-powerrr!
The strategy was to take more 'before' than 'after' photos while we still looked fresh, vibrant and C L E A N !
Very important 'before' photo of Team Angsa (..I mean, Angsi) l-r : Joachim, Andy, Mark, Jeffrey, June, Joshua, Siu V, Derek, Mary and Moon (hey, where's your Christian name?)
Notice any resemblance? It's Mark and cousin Andy.
June, Mary and I were the only 3 ladies to represent girl-powerrr!
The strategy was to take more 'before' than 'after' photos while we still looked fresh, vibrant and C L E A N !
Very important 'before' photo of Team Angsa (..I mean, Angsi) l-r : Joachim, Andy, Mark, Jeffrey, June, Joshua, Siu V, Derek, Mary and Moon (hey, where's your Christian name?)Hot Mama June brought her boys, Joachim and Joshua. Nothing like a family outing up the hills, eh?
Memorise this map and you will never be lost in the jungle!
Not sure what the significance of this keris is..probably to bring out the 'warrior power' in us before the climb!
For a good 30 minutes, we were following the path of these pipes, like we were in some kinda sewage area. Nah it doesn't stink, these pipes were just flowing with water from the mountains.
THIS is where the climb really starts! Ain't this cute...like little smurfs marching uphill.
The earth was moving when we took this...
Then when Mark placed the camera on a tree stump and set it on timer, we looked like this...
Here we are at the fun part........River Crossing!
Okiee.. NOT as challenging as we expected, as we still had time to stop and pose.
(almost ripped those shorts there, Mark)
Mary : Come on guys...what's taking you so long?
Memorise this map and you will never be lost in the jungle!
Not sure what the significance of this keris is..probably to bring out the 'warrior power' in us before the climb!
For a good 30 minutes, we were following the path of these pipes, like we were in some kinda sewage area. Nah it doesn't stink, these pipes were just flowing with water from the mountains.
THIS is where the climb really starts! Ain't this cute...like little smurfs marching uphill.
The earth was moving when we took this...
Then when Mark placed the camera on a tree stump and set it on timer, we looked like this...
Here we are at the fun part........River Crossing!
Okiee.. NOT as challenging as we expected, as we still had time to stop and pose.(almost ripped those shorts there, Mark)
Mary : Come on guys...what's taking you so long?Jeffrey : ooomphbt!..
..and the climb starts getting tougher.....and steeper...and tougher....
Mild Seven/ Salem advertisement wanna-be...
An indication of how narrow and shady the path is. But don't worry, just follow the little red flags and you'll find your way up/down (hopefully!)
Just to prove that we do not just walk blindly, here are some photos of what I think were weird-looking leaves/ plants we found.
..and the climb starts getting tougher.....and steeper...and tougher....
Mild Seven/ Salem advertisement wanna-be...
An indication of how narrow and shady the path is. But don't worry, just follow the little red flags and you'll find your way up/down (hopefully!)
Just to prove that we do not just walk blindly, here are some photos of what I think were weird-looking leaves/ plants we found.Peculiar-looking thingo no 1:
Peculiar-looking thingo no 2 :
Peculiar-looking thingo no. 3 :
Peculiar-looking thingo no. 4 :
See what I mean about those 'after' photos? tired-lah...
Trust Mark to come up with one of his signature poses and this is what he came up with :*o 
ok la, shan't do him any more injustice...
this leng-chai is still single and available if anyone's interested.hee..
This has got to be the most challenging section of the climb...Rock Climbing!
It wasn't as bad as Melawati though, as there were ropes we could use to pull ourselves up like this...
otherwise, you can show off your macho-ness and go on all fours...
Mary : uh., hello...anybody up there?
Don't be expecting any spectacular view at the peak because all we could see was
Peculiar-looking thingo no 2 :
Peculiar-looking thingo no. 3 :
Peculiar-looking thingo no. 4 :
See what I mean about those 'after' photos? tired-lah...
Trust Mark to come up with one of his signature poses and this is what he came up with :*o 
ok la, shan't do him any more injustice...this leng-chai is still single and available if anyone's interested.hee..
(Mark, I'm SO charging you royalty for this publicity)
This has got to be the most challenging section of the climb...Rock Climbing!
It wasn't as bad as Melawati though, as there were ropes we could use to pull ourselves up like this...
otherwise, you can show off your macho-ness and go on all fours...
Mary : uh., hello...anybody up there?
Don't be expecting any spectacular view at the peak because all we could see was this residential area on one side...
...and more mountains on the other.
'Aaargh it's so hot we can't open our eyes!'
After a slow climb up and a mini picnic of fruits, bread and Twisties at the peak, it was time to descend around 3pm. It gets darker much faster in the jungle so we chose a faster route that'll take us out in 2 hours.
I wasn't in the photo but my bag sure was! hehehe
I take my cap off (if I'm wearing one) to Joachim who was like a flying monkey up and down the hill. He was so quick throughout the climb, I swore if he spoke any words, it just flew past me...He'll climb any tree, perch on any branch...
..and crawl into any ditch
'Huh, a mamak stall in the middle of the forest?'
'Teh Tarik lima!'
June wants to be Cleopatra of Angsi
It was so cute that the trail leading out from the jungle brought us to the highway! hahaha..
Come night time, our stomachs were growling like nobody's business by the time we got to this restaurant famous for its Fish Head Beehoon (or so claimed by Derek)
Siu V (in her bubble) : Where's the 'ham-choy', 'fan-keh' and 'kiong phin'?
This was the fried egg that I only NOW realised I forgot to take a bite before it was all gone!
Ostrich meat??! Who ordered Ostrich meat? huh? who? who? ..ooh the poor bird
Till today, Mark is still gloating about this chicken wing stuffed with fish paste which he finds so fascinating. The rest are stuffed 'tau foo pok' turned inside out and fried, just like how my mummy use to make too!
mmm..i love yam and rings. Put them together and you get something something in a yam-ring! I was so engrossed with the yam I had no idea what was the dish inside it.
Stir-Fried sweet potato leaves...so blurry-la, camera-man hands must be shaking out of starvation.
We saw other tables ordering ABC, so we decided to jump on the bandwagon. Turned out to be so-so only, but my sweet tooth ain't complaining... ^_^
This might be unrelated, but I know you cannot resist a cute doggy picture right?
...and more mountains on the other.
'Aaargh it's so hot we can't open our eyes!'
After a slow climb up and a mini picnic of fruits, bread and Twisties at the peak, it was time to descend around 3pm. It gets darker much faster in the jungle so we chose a faster route that'll take us out in 2 hours.
I wasn't in the photo but my bag sure was! hehehe
I take my cap off (if I'm wearing one) to Joachim who was like a flying monkey up and down the hill. He was so quick throughout the climb, I swore if he spoke any words, it just flew past me...He'll climb any tree, perch on any branch...
..and crawl into any ditch
'Huh, a mamak stall in the middle of the forest?'
'Teh Tarik lima!'
June wants to be Cleopatra of Angsi
It was so cute that the trail leading out from the jungle brought us to the highway! hahaha..well, at least we all got out Safe and Sound!
Hurray, yet another mountain conquered ! *_*
Come night time, our stomachs were growling like nobody's business by the time we got to this restaurant famous for its Fish Head Beehoon (or so claimed by Derek)
Siu V (in her bubble) : Where's the 'ham-choy', 'fan-keh' and 'kiong phin'? In other words, where's the pickled vege, tomato and ginger slices? which are deemed a must in every bowl of fish head beehoon.
Frankly, all I tasted was a very very peppery and milky fish stock. huuhuu.....
This was the fried egg that I only NOW realised I forgot to take a bite before it was all gone!
Ostrich meat??! Who ordered Ostrich meat? huh? who? who? ..ooh the poor bird
Till today, Mark is still gloating about this chicken wing stuffed with fish paste which he finds so fascinating. The rest are stuffed 'tau foo pok' turned inside out and fried, just like how my mummy use to make too!
mmm..i love yam and rings. Put them together and you get something something in a yam-ring! I was so engrossed with the yam I had no idea what was the dish inside it.
Stir-Fried sweet potato leaves...so blurry-la, camera-man hands must be shaking out of starvation.
We saw other tables ordering ABC, so we decided to jump on the bandwagon. Turned out to be so-so only, but my sweet tooth ain't complaining... ^_^
This might be unrelated, but I know you cannot resist a cute doggy picture right?So everyone, meet SuSHI (Jeffrey's pup). Put her on a chair (even on a low stool) and she'll stay put! Owner says she likes toying with the camera so to be able to capture this still pose of her was like finding gold!
'Whatchu looking at?'
Meet RoMeO (Derek's pup). It looks like he's got 2 pigtails but in actual fact, he just got a brutal hair cut and isn't liking it very much.
That's how I spent my birthday in 2008. nice.
That's how I spent my birthday in 2008. nice. 
'This MIGHT be unrelated' - Excuse me? Your mountain climbing trip and the dogs are totally & absolutely not related at all lah...
ReplyDeleteYou shud've just saved them for another post, what a waste! :P
hehe..i know i know..but related a bit la coz we met Sushi at Jeffrey's hse after the climb..haha
ReplyDeleteplus dunwana give so much credit la since it's not my own doggie...hahaha!
hello, is it cooling at the summit?
ReplyDelete