| Following Chapman's footprints II, 13-4-2010 |
In September 1943 Spencer Chapman crossed the main range from Bentong to Kuala Kubu Baru, following the Sg Repas and Sg Luit. A few months ago Keong and I have explored the Sg Luit. Our next step was a recce of Sg Repas.
Study of Google Earth and the available maps gave two options to reach Sg Repas, either from Bentong itself, or from the road leading to the Chamang waterfall. See the two yellow lines on the first picture.
We had breakfast in Bentong, where we encountered the Repas river, flowing quietly at the foot of a beautiful Chinese cemetery, located on a hill. The Feng Shui of this place must be formidable..:-).
We decided to try the Chamang option first, and that turned out to be a lucky decision, because there was a good road with several signboards. We passed a fishing pond, and then entered a strange, alien landscape. It looked like a 6-lane highway under construction, where they already had placed the lampposts...:-). Actually these poles were vents, and according to Keong we were driving over a former rubbish dump, now covered with earth, with the vents taking care of gas formed in the dump!
The road ended at the river, near a military training camp. Could there be a trail starting here? A few guys were taking a bath, and they confirmed there was a trail. The trail was actually remarkably clear and well maintained, with bamboo bridges to cross steep stretches.
Halfway we met an Orang Asli with his wife, going hunting with a blowpipe. He told us that the Orang Asli use this trail for hunting, and that there is indeed a connection with Sg Luit and Pertak! But very far, he warned us. And there was also a waterfall, a bit further on. That was good news.
And indeed, not much further we could hear the sound of falling water, so we scrambled down the steep slope and found an attractive waterfall. A good place to take our lunch and a bath. Although the path continued, we decided to go back, and come back another time. To reach KKB, would be a major trip with at least an overnight camp, as the main range reaches here an altitude above 1200 m.
We tried the other option to go back to Bentong, but that was not possible, so we went back the same way to Bentong, where we had a delicious ice cream in the famous Kow Po shop, before returning to KL.
A very rewarding day.
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 Our plan of action
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 Sg Repas in Bentong
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 The Chinese Cemetery
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 Remnants of Cheng Beng
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 Mountain and water, good Feng Shui
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 Beautiful location
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 Remains of a beehive
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 Well protected
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 Many signboards at the side road
2 comments |
 Strange landscape
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 Is there a trail? Yes, there is
1 comment |
 And indeed, a clear trail
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 Sg Repas is a very attractive river
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 Crossing bamboo bridges
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 No idea what this is. Tortoise shell?
1 comment |
 Another bridge
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 Ah Seng (?) with his blowpipe
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 He has a hunting shelter near the river
2 comments |
 Keong in a pensive mood
1 comment |
 Is this man-made or natural?
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 Near the waterfall
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 Sg Repas fall
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 The left fall is a tributary
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 Enjoying a bath
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 A beautiful lantern bug
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 Another strange wall, rather intriguing
3 comments |
 So many ants!
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 The berries look poisonous
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 River crossing
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 Motorbikes can not go further
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 One for the album
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 Happy after a successful trip
2 comments |
 Refreshing jacuzzi
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 This weaver nest had fallen down
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 Crossing the Sg Repas
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 Delicious Ice Kacang
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 Keong tasting his ice cream
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 With the owners of the Kow Po shop
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 Our trip
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 Still a long way to go!
1 comment |
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Dan wrote on Apr 14, 2010:
very nice pool. |
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Dan wrote on Apr 14, 2010:
yeahh.. |
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wrote on Apr 14, 2010:
Contemplating if I should dive in actually :P |
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wrote on Apr 14, 2010:
wow! monument on that era. |
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wrote on Apr 14, 2010:
Wow...really a long way to go still huh. |
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wrote on Apr 15, 2010:
Chapman himself would have given you the thumbs up. |
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wrote on Apr 15, 2010:
Any one of these having links with Tony? |
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Kwai Loh wrote on Apr 15, 2010:
No, he told me that their business is more low-profile..:-) |
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wrote on Apr 15, 2010:
could it be OA's cemetery? |
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Liz wrote on Apr 15, 2010:
Looks like your symbols on a large scale!!! |
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Kwai Loh wrote on Apr 15, 2010:
Ha ha, I should have thought about this myself, then the caption could have been "I decided to build my personal marker on a larger scale this time" |
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wrote on Apr 16, 2010:
Interesting adventure trip with great pictures. Hope to read the Part III soon. |
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wrote on Apr 16, 2010:
looks like the orang asli have gone modern so far as building huts are concerned. /stephen |
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Kwai Loh wrote on Apr 16, 2010:
Do you really think so? So they could have employed Henry to do the job.. :-)? With concrete, tiling? |
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wrote on Apr 17, 2010:
AMAZING, i need an invite to one of your trips |
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Kwai Loh wrote on Apr 17, 2010:
You're welcome..:-) During your last visit there was no time. |
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Kwai Loh wrote on Apr 18, 2010:
Jauh, jauh!! Our Orang Asli friend kept repeating. Maybe with your help and stamina we can try...:-) |
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wrote on Apr 18, 2010:
When an orang asli says, "Jauh, jauh'" it means exactly that, and often much much farther than our urban minds can conceive it. |
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Kwai Loh wrote on Apr 18, 2010:
Can not be, it is just alongside the trail. |
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