The sleep was horrible. Not that the room was uncomfortable, but I was feeling rather cold. The noises of the animal woke me up very early. We need start early to avoid sunlight. So we quickly bathed, changed and made our own breakfast consisting of cereal drink (nestum) and a musli bar. We packed our little bag with 3 musli, 2 sachet of lemon tea, 2 mineral bottle (one big and one small), towel and camera.
After discussing for a long time, upon advise from a fellow traveller, staying next door, we decided to do the Lintang Trail. It was suppose to be 4-5 hour trek, which connects the main 16 trails. According to him, it was better to start from the left side of the trail to reduce climbing hilltop. After yesterdays experience with Paku trail, we totally agreed.
Chronicles of monkey attack!
The camping ground..home of the monkeys
Monkey finding way to attack the camp
Monkey attacked the camp
Monkey ran away after shoved aaway by camper!
The trails in Bako are well marked and lead to jungle via wooden plank. The first junction was Tanjung Sapi and since we have already trekked it yesterday, we proceeded to the next trail called Delima. The first part of Lintang trail was rather easy as it had lots of flat ground. So we walked as fast as we could till we reached the junction of Teluk Delima, which was leading towards the mangroves.
End of Teluk Delima, Silver Tail Monkey with beard greeted us...
There was no proper walk or signage. At one point we were on muddy ground surrounded by silver tail monkey with beard. It looked like a dead end so we headed back to the Lintang trail. From that junction up till Bukit Thambi, the Lintang trail was heading upward toward the hill top view and then down toward the endless walk in jungle -sometimes shaded with huge trees, moss and kerangas and sometime just huge open naked ground with direct sunlight on our head. After a long hours of walking, one musli bar gone, 1 sachet of lemon tea gone, 1 small mineral bottle empty, we finally arrived at the junction of Pandan Besar/Tajor waterfall trail. We stopped for a while to catch our breath and moist our throat.
First pat of Lintang Trail ...shaded with trees
Second part of lintang Trail, absolute no trees...so hot
Juction at Bukit Thambi...3/4 of Lintang Trail
Pitcher Plant at Lintang Trail
Upclose..pitcher plant..this just one type!Along came a guy smiling towards us with no shirt on, wearing long pant, a shawl wrapped on his body, wearing only Japanese slippers and holding nothing but a plastic bag with mineral bottle and packed food. That was Kabir Gaurav, 33 years old, good-looking vegetarian light traveller, originated from India but works in New Zeeland, has an amazing sense of humour and was looking for a girl to settle down. Sigh! He was so perfect for my dear friend, Jesp who I jokingly promised to find a guy for her 27th Birthday, which was just around the corner. Ironic huh! Moreover, Akka thought the same thing, so we ended up match making him with her, without her presence. Since, she was my friend I ended talking more then Akka.
He insisted upon going to Tajor waterfall while we wanted to go Pandan Besar to see the sea shack that looks like cobra’s head. Since he was travelling alone, he decided to follow us to Pandan Besar, which was just 30 minutes away from the junction. The trail ended at hilltop, and we had most remarkable view of the cobra sea shack.
End of Pandan Besar Trail - the beutiful sea shack from hill top
Look like cobra head huh?
Thinking that our journey finally came to an end, I quickly jumped into the seawater with Kabir and the other tourist while Akka stayed behind ate so call lunch. It was getting late and since we have approximately walked for more then 5 hours, had only quarter water of mineral bottle and one musli bar, we wanted to walk back to headquarters. But some how upon strong persuasion from Kabir, we ended up heading towards Tajor waterfall, the journey I can never forget after Nuang’s experience!
It was almost two-hour walk into the deep jungle, with bad signage, no food and above all with a total stranger. Fortunately or unfortunately the trail was heading downwards so we weren’t so tired at first though the weather was tremendously hot. A while later, Kabir left us. We walked and walked till finally heard the sound of waterfall and saw Kabir enjoying his meal looking at what I would call a pathetic waterfall with stained water. We were awfully annoyed, angry and thirsty, we just sat down on the rock. Even though we had no more water left, yet were so reluctant to drink the stained water.
Assuming it was the end of Tajol trail, we headed back to Lintang trail feeling really disappointed. Going back, the trail was heading upwards, which mean more climbing. It was a hot day and the hill was so steep, we had no food, no water and on top of it my body was so tired from bathing in seawater, I was having so much doubt if I can make back to Teluk Assam without being aided. Feeling so tired and annoyed, we hardly spoke to each other and walked in silent taking one step at a time. There is a saying, “its not the destination, but the journey that matters”. Wrong! Sometimes, the destination does matter. After getting lost several times, walking up and down the hill looking for signage, we finally made it to the Pandan Besar/Tajor junction where we first meet Kabir.
Unfortunately, that was not the end of the Lintang trail but only end of the Tajor trail. We still have a long way back to headquarters. Kabir assured us that it was only 30 minutes walk back to the park. So we continued to walk and walk and walk under the sun, in silent, deliberately dragging our leg. We were totally worn out and looking more and more like zombies, burnt zombies actually.
Finally after walking for sometimes, Kabir left us. A few minutes later, he shouted something and we knew that it was the end of the trail. We have finally arrived. However, we still have another 10-15 minutes tortuous walk thorough the wooden plank to reach the Teluk Assam. After last few steps, at about 5 something we reached the headquarters looking so tired, so black. I was so thirty, I drank almost two can of gassy drink and ate half a chips and ended up vomiting. A little advise; on a hot day, chips and gas drink is definitely a NO..NO!
We rested for a while and then went back to our hostel for a cold shower. After being in hunger for the whole day we eagerly waited for our dinner. However, the dinner was real disappointment as they only serve horrible fried mee, fried rice, chicken curry, fish curry, vegetables (I assumed it was just boiled and sprinkle with salt), nuggets and sausages. No ordering beyond what in the menu (probably the cook didn’t know how to cook). The fried rice/mee and vegetables was vegetarian as there was a vegetarian group staying at the park. If not I probably eat rice with ketchup!
We were sipping our good cup of tea when Kabir approached us with Stephanie and her huge camera. It seems that Stephanie also did the Tajor trail, but unlike us she managed to bathe in the waterfall as she encountered the whole waterfall, and not just the leg of the waterfall as we did. Sigh! The view of the waterfall was so beautiful, Kabir felt guilty for not finding the real waterfall despite reaching there early. Feeling annoyed, tired and sleepy, we decided to head back to our room for a good rest.
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