Chilling Experience

Dawn of a new day.... Off a lonely & almost deserted road, lies a magnificent falls, that becomes a wonder to visitors who trek the almost 2 kilometres way in, surviving the temptation to soak in every pool of the cascade as they do. Though city bumpkins like me fare better underwater than in the tropical rainforest, I couldn’t be more excited at the opportunity of discovering new bugs, butterflies & bumble bees…! The entrance of the trail is situated at N 03°35.699’ E 101°44.130’ approximately 52km from KL. This is not Jimny but Jack... Wild Orchid along the path... Ants At Work The journey to Kuala Kubu Baru began at 7:10am at the Sungai Buloh Bridge rest stop where Ladyhawk fed me with turkey ham sandwiches! Mothers always know what’s best! Divemuster was our beloved guide, giving me the names to the butterflies I had managed to capture in my lens. When we got to the entrance, I was bowled over by the pitcher plants & freaky flowers that mark the path to the splendid falls. Theoretically we have four photographers & two teenagers. Realistically, we have one guide, one candid shooter, one subject of bugs’ interest, one eager beaver whinger (*are we there yet? are we there yet?*……. *pout* *pout*) & two young porters cum Bollywood actors wannabe. Great! All-in-one adventure to somewhere where I can conquer my trepidation of spiders & creepy crawlies plus a chance to swim with fresh water fish! How They Look Like Above Sea Level Walk across.... Divemuster would lead & Ladyhawk sometimes takes over but most times, we are all spread out along the path shooting subjects that would cooperate & stay still. What was a 1-hour trek stretched an extra 45 minutes (I think because I was enjoying myself so much, I didn’t care about the time) before we got to the 20metre falls. The moss & lichen that was spread over rocks & surfaces were such interesting takes that I would love to dedicate another day to shoot them. Moggie was shooting toadstools & fungus & the occasional mushroom that popped through the mass of dead leaves & ferns. Divemuster said the elves played drums on them. Elves or not, I did not want to sprawl out on the ground because I have a rip in my cargo pants at my bum! Heaven forbids if the convoy fainted when they caught glimpse of my….ahem…..behind. It didn’t help that my fly kept opening at its own will but I knew I had my bikini underneath so if they saw me constantly fidgeting, I’m sure they would forgive me….. Five Bar Swordtail Curl before the show...
Another swordtail... Morning light at Sungai Chilling I was jabbed on both sides by branches & had several run-ins with fallen tree trunks that were visually ‘hidden’ by my golf visor. I didn’t think it was funny when protruding objects threaten to whip my butterfly clip off my hair or catch my backpack…! Apparently Moggie doesn’t feel so. With each crossing & stooping over, he anticipated the holler of ‘AIYAAK!’ & just couldn’t stop making fun……bad hair day, bad hair day. Almost there.... As soon as we survived the obstacle course, there was the sight to behold. Amazing how God had stored this place away from civilisation & man discovering it at 318 metres above sea level. The 20metre plunge! The wind goes toward the south, and it turns around to the north; it whirls around continually; and the wind returns on its circuits. All the rivers run into the sea; yet the sea is not full; to the place from where the rivers come, there they return again. All things are full of labour; man cannot utter it; the eye is not satisfied with seeing, nor the ear filled with hearing. That which has been is that which shall be; and that which has been done is that which shall be done; and there is nothing new under the sun. (Ecclesiastes 1:6 – 9) There is no memory of former things, and also no memory of after things which shall be; for neither shall be a remembrance of them with those who will be at the afterwards. (Ecclesiastes 1:11) What is crooked cannot be made straight; and that lacking cannot be numbered. (Ecclesiastes 1:15) And I gave my heart to know wisdom and to know madness and folly; I know that this also is vexation of spirit. (Ecclesiastes 1:17) For in much wisdom is much grief; and he who increases knowledge increases sorrow. (Ecclesiastes 1:18, the words of the preacher, son of David, king of Jerusalem) It is true that there is a time for everything, and that everything is “beautiful in its time.” It is also true that ideas of infinity are in men's minds, ideas which they can neither get rid of nor fully comprehend. Here are tokens of God, who has established an infinite order. If we understood His ways better, that might unravel our perplexities. And if God is, immortality may be, and the solution of our problems may lie in that direction. Pool of Wonder