Path leading to the jungle trails.Cameron Highlands is my favourite hill resort in Malaysia to which I make a yearly pilgrimage (from Singapore). Up there in the crisp cool air not surprisingly I come alive, and there's an extra spring in my step.
The greatest delights in Cameron Highlands for me personally are the profusion of beautiful flowers, the vegetable farms, the tea estates and the trekking opportunities.
The trekking trails are relatively easy with just that bit of difficulty to make it challenging for the tough guys. Even while trekking alone on many occasions I've never encountered any problems.
But one day while trekking alone I had a shock when I spotted a very short guy on the trail. The first thought that went through my mind was This is an apparition.A spirit? The Malays and aborigines believe the jungle is full of spirits, and perhaps I was staring at one.
To say that I was not scared at this point would be an outright lie. I kept my eyes riveted on him, and finally summoned enough courage to approach him and asked what he was doing in the jungle.
"I'm looking for birds," he said, looking up at the trees while in his hands he clutched something.
"Where do you live?" I asked.
He pointed into the jungle.
Since that incident, whenever I trek in Cameron Highlands I try to see if there is any kind of dwelling in the jungle.
Or was he an apparition?
I became interested when I was there and learnt about the famous Moonlight Cottage incident where Jim Thompson disappeared. Have you tried his trail? :P
ReplyDeleteThere is 'crisp cool air' with the profusion of 'beautiful flowers'. It cannot be an apparition.
ReplyDeleteYour description of the Highlands with its strange visitor amidst fauna and foliage mystifies.
I hope to read more...
@2ndshot
ReplyDeleteFrankly, I don't know the trail J Thompson took when he mysteriously vanished though I have attempted all the trails there.
Ha, ha, you couched your bewilderment in such poetic terms.
ReplyDeleteRoger, how short is that guy??? 50 cm? or less? Perhaps that short guy is a local aborigine scouting for jungle goodies.
ReplyDeleteLess than 5 feet, First time I spotted such a person while trekking in CH over the years. I think you are right about him scouting for jungle goodies.
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