L I F E S T Y L E Travel & Adventure
Saturday July 7, 2007
Rumbling through the jungle
By LIZ PRICE
"Let’s roll,” our commander would call out when it was time for the convoy to start moving.
We were in a group of 11 vehicles on one of Malaysian Off Road Explorer’s (MORE) introductory off-road adventures. MORE is a group of dedicated and experienced four-wheel drivers who organise light, medium and semi-hardcore off-road outings.
Thrill ride: A 4WD doing a river crossing.
For our group of German visitors, this was a perfect way to experience off-road terrain and see rural Malaysia.
We kept in touch via walkie-talkie, with each car having an assigned call sign, such as Alpha 1, Bravo 2 etc. The commander could ensure that all cars were moving, and the sweeper could inform him when all the cars had cleared the obstacles.
The journey from Kuala Lumpur to Slim River in Perak was smooth, and we then headed for the first off-road section designed as a familiarisation stage. This took us through a rubber plantation and the drivers were able to explain to the participants the basics of driving off-road.
After a while, we stopped so the participants could see the process of rubber tapping. This is the natural source of the expensive tyres our vehicles were using. We were shown how the trees are cut so that the latex drips down into the cup. It was hard to imagine that this sticky white liquid is what is used to make the familiar hard black rubber used on vehicles the world over.
Our next stop was the hot springs at Ulu Slim. With a water temperature of 104°C, these springs are reputed to be the fifth hottest in the world. Steam rose off the surface of the water, and the pond was a mix of colours with green from the algae and shades of brown from the minerals. There was only a very slight smell of sulphur.
A concrete walkway gives access to the main source of the spring, where even the rocks are almost too hot to touch. One driver, who obviously had been here before, brought along eggs to place in the super hot water for a snack.
Later, we went past a lake with wallowing buffalo, and then the real fun began.
We headed off-road onto a sandy track and began to drive on rough terrain. There were two participants in each car with the host driver, and one in each was allowed a chance to drive. There had been no rain, so the track was very dry, meaning that even the steep hills posed little problem.
I can imagine they would be a real challenge when wet and muddy. There were 3m deep ruts on one side and a steep drop on the other. However, my car had one interesting moment when the driver tried to change gear going up a steep hill and stalled. It took a lot of revs to get us going again; luckily we didn’t roll back too far!
We stopped in an oil palm plantation and were enlightened on the production of palm oil. When we passed a trailer laden with oil palm fruits, everyone was keen to take photos. To me, these clusters of fruits resembled porcupines.
The plantation then gave way to jungle and, at one point, we were driving close to a stream with clear water. It looked quite beautiful, with the orange flowers of the Saraca trees providing a contrast to the jungle greenery and the blue sky.
Forget cooking by the campfire, here the meals are a little more classy. — LIZ PRICE
A river crossing was the next challenge.
It was fun to watch each car go through, some drivers approached quite gingerly whereas others rushed in, making a big splash.
By now, everyone was ready for lunch. We turned into the MORE campsite, and I was surprised to see men in chef’s hats putting the final touches to a table laden with food.
The campsite was ideally situated at the confluence of two streams. It has running water transported by bamboo pipes and even flushable toilets and a shower! No need to dig holes in the ground here! The food was delicious, and there was plenty of it, and everyone was happy.
After lunch one driver was thrown into the river. He was on his maiden voyage with MORE, so this was his initiation dunking. He took it in good spirit and was soon joined by other people. After the obligatory group photo, it was time to head back. This time the second participant got a chance to drive.
We had some fun on the second river crossing, when one car went into a deep section and had to be winched out. At least this gave us a chance to see winching in action. Other drivers chickened out and went over the bridge instead.
On the way back, we stopped at an orang asli settlement. The people were a mix of Semai and Sewang. They were used to seeing 4WD convoys pass through, although some of the younger children still hid from the cameras. We gave some goodies to the children. It was a satisfying end to an excellent day.
MORE runs a variety of 4WD packages, from one day to about 10 days. These are adventure tours in the Malaysian jungle, but they also incorporate cultural and historical sites. Packages can be tailor-made to suit groups. MORE has a pool of experienced host drivers, each with their own vehicle
They also organise international tours through Asean countries. For more information, visit http://http://malaysia4x4.com or e-mail: info@malaysia4x4.com
