Gunung Benum Pahang Malaysia Part 3

..........Continued from Mountain Climbing : Gunung Benum, Pahang Part 2

The text of this expedition in blue is original writting of Dr. Hamdan

Four persons were under the flysheet; seven under the second flysheet, three in one tent a few meters away at a slightly lower elevation ( we were on a sloping terrain), and our potters and cook under a separate flysheet next to the seven flysheet.

After dinner, rain kept coming. We used the flysheet runoff as rain harvest into our spare bottles. This saves us from going down the cliff edge to the river for water fifteen metres down. We used this water to wash our dishes and brush our teeth before settling in. With the rain and wind blowing through, it was difficult to sleep as our sleeping bags were getting soaked. I don’t think anybody that night had a good sleep. Everyone was too exhausted after dinner that hardly any conversation took place.
Next morning, the five persons from Cheras decided that they had enough. The thought of carrying three litres of water each to last for two days, and trekking thirteen hills up and down for another ten hours puts them off completely. And they decided to descend. It means that we have to sacrifice one of the potters to bring them down to the river crossing where the 4WD would be waiting to bring you down the mountain, about an hour back to Sg.Chalit, the small town where we started. But they descended despite pleas from Wong that we are short of one porter. The rest decided to continue. I ended up with a twenty-two kg pack after the three litres were added. And to trek uphill for another ten hours? Phew...
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The trek from first camp onwards was rougher than going up G.Tahan. At least Tahan is well defined, though muddy, and it is only one gradient up. Here, you kept walking up and down peaks thinking when it will end. But it did. After four-and-half hours, we stopped for lunch, and continued for another four hours to the peak. Better than expected of ten hours. At places, because of fallen logs, the passage between the huge log and the ground barely fitted your trunk. So we had to dismount our packs and let it pass through first, then crawled through to clear. My last count for this type of going through was ten places. Those fallen trees are so huge that to go over the top would risk slipping and down the cliff. Scary mate. It was such a jubilation when reaching the summit. Now that we are "otai" already. One up than the group that chicken out. But the camping area is slightly below the summit; very small flat patch (which you may have observed from the photo) but managed to fit everyone. Once again, it was sleeping with the rain belting down; wet sleeping bags and loss of sleep. It was really tiring. Once again, nobody talked after dinner - just too tired.
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Sad I didn't go...,
Miss out all the fun.

Glad I didn't go,
You have the previleges of holding records in experiencing the leeches.

Congratulation,
To all of you for braved out to the peak, will join you for another mountain, when I am more fit.

....To be Continued Mountain Climbing : Gunung Benom Pahang Malaysia Part 4...