Closure, finally! 14-10-2012 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||
On 8-7-2012, about three months ago, I explored a "new" waterfall in the Nuang region, with my friend Rani. When we had arrived at the waterfall and were taking some rest, I was hit by a piece of rock, falling from the steep cliff above me. You can find the detailed report here. The repercussions of this mishap were actually more serious than I thought at first. When I went to my GP one week later for the removal of the stitches, he found that the wound was infected AND that there might something wrong with my skull. He advised me to go at once to the hospital, where, after an X-ray and a CT-scan, they discovered a hairline fracture in my skull. It would heal itself, but for about six weeks I should refrain from strenuous activities. Of course I obeyed, but it was clear to me that I had to go back to this Bomoh Ali waterfall. To take my revenge on the Bomoh, so to speak..:-) On 16-9-2012, more than two months after my 'accident', I visited two waterfalls in the Bentong region, again with Rani. I reported about it on my blog. This time no rock hit me, but I was stung by a bee and almost got an anaphylactic shock Quite frightening, the more so, because a few weeks earlier a friend of mine, Harry Nian, had died while on a solo expedition in Terengganu, after he got stung by a swarm(!) of bees. Still I was determined to go back to the Bomoh Ali fall, and I asked Rani to join me again.I would have understood his reluctance, after two trips where he had actually to consider "emergency procedures" to get me out safe and sound. But he was still willing to accompany me. To be honest, I did not sleep well the night before. Not that I feared the Bomoh, but sweat bees, that is a different matter! After our usual breakfast we drove to Ulu Langat and the Nuang ranger station, where we parked our car. Registering with the rangers, Rani asked about the waterfalls. Big surprise, there are actually TWO falls, Berembun and Bomoh Ali, and the fall where I was hit, was NOT Bomoh Ali, but Berembun! | ||||||||||||||||||||||||
| ||||||||||||||||||||||||
It's quite a long hike from the ranger station, leading to Gunung Nuang, a popular destination for people preparing for Gunung Tahan or Kinabalu. We tried a side trail, but that was a mistake. Along the road there are several pondoks where you can rest. After about two hours we reached the orang asli hut where the trail starts down to the river. Not far, but very steep. You reach the river at a point, where you can already hear the waterfall, around the corner, but you have to swim to reach it! As it had rained heavily the days before, the current was quite strong. But we managed, so we finally reached the location where I was hit. Closure! And also no sign of bees! As a precaution I had kept on all my clothes. We had coffee and took our time to admire the fall. Berembun means misty, the force of the falling water caused indeed a mist, it was cold, so we did not stay long. The rangers had told us that we had to follow the river downstream to reach the Bomoh Ali fall. The trail was clearly marked and the last steep part was even provided with ropes.
| ||||||||||||||||||||||||
| ||||||||||||||||||||||||
|