Rock Climbing, Near Taman Melawati

Yes! This lazy ass finally got his ass to exercise, intensive exercise.

Rock Climbing (and including some jungle tracking too) is painful. This is what I'll advise first timers, warm up!


How does the mountain look liked? Well, you can see it from here. Its actually on roughly the same ridge or group ridges as Genting Highland.




[ The mountain is far away... In the horizon...]





Preparation:

1. Breakfast. Make is as little as possible.

2. Water. At least 1 litter per mouth. 1.5 for those that talks a lot.

3. Anti-pain medication. Its gonna hurt, if you are new to vigorous exercise, or you have been sitting on your ass the whole time.

4. Sun-block (optional). Damn my skin itches! Must've roasted them golden brown...

5. Camera (any sort) or at least someone who has one, cause the view is great.


That's all with the preparation that I could think of.


Now for the fun stuff...


Have to wake up early to travel to KL, because this mountain is at Taman Melawati, somewhere around UTAR and KTAR area. The mountain's name is Bukit Batu Tabur.


If you wish to escape the heat from the afternoon sun (its damn hot and humid when you descend) when you get down, try to start your climb at 7.30.



Part I

The jungle track/steep slope rock ascend.

Its damn tiring when you start to climb the first part. 10 minutes in, I need to catch my breath. I start to feel the pain in my legs. They start to feel autonomous when I climb, but reluctant after my break.
This part of the steep climb (actually walk or tracking) is a bone breaker, when you'll think its just a jungle tracking, except its very tiring.




[The housing area that's at the foot of the mountain]


You'd have to suffer an hour or an hour and a half of this part of the climb. This hour only covers 30% of the climb up. If you've passed this part without any problems, the rest is the real rock climbing.


However, this one single of the climb is the most beautiful and rewarding because you can look at the beautiful scenery around, that is the KL city, Genting Highlands and a water dam. It is also where you can take photo of the beauty that is KL, but you soon get to see the haze that surrounds the city. (Too bad...)

A few pictures of the view that you can see...



[ Early in the climb, the water reservoir of the dam)




[KL city from the mountain]




[ The lonely hill ]




[ Genting is somewhere out there... My phone is not a N95, so I can't get a greater resolution ]







[ The lake (water reservoir) from higher up... ]



[ Again, the lake ]





After this part, you will reach the 30% mark of the climb up, which looks like a Narnia or Lord of the Rings scene (not the one of New Zealand though).




[ You can see Hobbits coming through...]





Part II

Starting here, the fun stuff begins.


Real rock climbing that needs you to grab on rocks, to move yourself upwards. Like those indoor rock climbing stuff.



[ After conquering a rock ]




[ That's obviously my shadow ]


Though, the indoor stuff is roughly 2 - 4 stories high, this is only 1 story high.
Its a good start for beginners, because there is no safety harness or anything. If you fall, you will have all those beautiful quartz and granite as your fall cushion.


The air is cool during this part, partly because its still in the morning (10 something) and the breeze is generous.

Part III


Climbing down rocks. (Still part of the ascend)

A rope, and hopefully, your legs are long enough. This part is scary, potentially deadly and damn fun!!!

Getting down is the hard part of any climb. This makes no difference.



[ Feel like Spider-man...]


Part IV.

The descend.


This part is the most laborious of the climb. You are not going down the roughly same path that is part rock, part quartz of the mountain. NO!!! You have to go down where there is MUD and TREES and BUSHES that STINGS when your legs rug against them. The climb down is steep. I guess its steeper than the 30% climb up. You'll fall on your ass due to the slippery mud and roots and some smooth rocks. This part take one and a half hour. By this time, your feet will hurt because the toes try their best to stop.
Can't we have a normal climb down that has rocks and ropes?? That will be fun!!!


Actually, the mountain opposite this one has that. Why can't we go to that one???


By now, you are dehydrated, fussy and careful about every muddy slip that you'll see someone "slide" down on their butts.

The air on this climb down is humid, hot and you'd wish for a river or waterfall to replenish yourself. Good luck finding those...



When you get down to your car, you'd wish you still had some water in your car. When you leave, you'll think of 100 plus or ICE KACANG!!! Luckily there is a hawker center a drive away.


Things to take note off this mountain.

Its made of quartz. Shinny to boot. But, most of it are 'stolen' by people that climbed it for the last 5 years or so.

There's no trash there. So DON"T throw any.
I think its because its not that famous and there's no admission fee and no council that takes claim of the mountain. (Meaning there is no public toilet at the foot of the mountain, so do your business somewhere near nature...)

A New Year... Sure took me awhile.. lolx

Ah~ The new year. And I know that it wouldn't suck as bad the the last. Why? I'll tell you on the next post.

To break myself in from a long time of staying of this crap, I'm gonna tell you a little of an unknown (lesser known) place to bring your friends, spouse, or your significant other to impress. Yes, a place with a fantastic view, food (the thing is I didn't say it was great), and wind... Drinks, you have to order.

The view:



Yeah yeah.. It's just the crappy phone pics... Want great ones? Buy me a digital camera!

A view of KL city night life. Its bright, beautiful, and the twin towers light up the sky until 1a.m.
What else is there would you like for a night view for dinner? 
Some half assed singer trying to be the next Lin Jun Jie or something? 

Yes, you can even get your fill at a Gasoline station. With or without the carsinogenic food stuff that are sold over there. No, I'm not kidding, you can eat there. Cause they don't have RON92 or 97 for that matter. It the name of the freaking restaurant. Stupid ain't it. Soon there will be places named Office for drinks. Wait... They do have that over at Padungan... Lolx...


Thank God I didn't went over there for food. God knows where their food came from... Malaysia? Iran? Arab? Ok... Lame Joke.

Instead I went to the restaurant name Look Out Point restaurant. Oh... So little Genting is actually Look Out Point. LOP, as in "I Lop you dip-dip..." Lolx... Little Genting sounds nice eh? Maybe Mini Genting? or Genting for cheap-skates or Halal Genting where you don't gamble...

Ok, back to the food. The western restaurant there is dry. The sizzling hot plate of Black Pepper Lamb Shoulders came to me like the lamb was smooking shisha. That much smoke, or vapour. So that's why the gravy was dry, or the lack of it.. Supprisingly the lamb is not a month old, and it still has some of its tender in it and somehow is looses its lambness (not sure if that's a word)... You know, the taste of certain meats, like beef or lamb. The verdict? They could try better for the price that they are saying it is worth.


The price you say? Well, it ain't cheap considering the place is literally in a kampung. It's cost more when you order it. It sounds expensive when you listen to it sizzle. But, when you are out with a group of friends of eight in total, it gets cheap. How?? Well, on average everyone's meal is supposed to be RM20++ (from the menu). So 8*RM20=RM160 right? Wrong!!!! Its actually RM126.43! After tax of course. 



Cool... It must be tax-deductable. From the view maybe???
Muhahahahahaz...

Actually, its the error or errors of the person writting the bill. Well, we couldn't check it cause everything on the bill says 'MAKANAN'. Hahahahaz... Dumbasses... How do we know how much it cost for what food that we ate?? Oh well, that leaves about RM40++ in change for our next outting...