Destination: Kampung Gamum
So,I have found Rajan Jones guesthouse here in Kampung Gamum but it took a while to find it! First of all, I had to get to the local bus station in Kuantan. I sat down on one side of the kerb and loads of people sat on the other side (note to self: think I need a wash!)
Anyway, at 1.30 I grabbed a can if pineapple juice
mmmmm Fruiterrific!
and jumped on the bus. I was on my way to Chini 2 bus stop
here are a few photos of the journey there
Some trees , so many trees!!
Reminds me of the Curragh (with a bit of heat attached)
It's really hot but there is a lot of greenery about!
After getting off the bus at that stop, I legged it into the local shop to ask if anybody could drive me to 'Rajan Jones guesthouse'. Unfortunately, no one could but the guy behind the counter advised me to talk to the bunch of old men chatting on a sort of virandha outside the shop. I asked these lads and they started laughing for ages until one of them decided he'd better say something. So, He pointed me in the direction of Tasik Chini (about 8km away).eep! After about 100 yards of walking two blokes in a car stopped and offered me a lift for 4km....nice one! So, we had the usual banter---- 'where are you from?' === 'Ireland, do you know it?' === 'no'=== 'it's near England, Do you know England?'==== 'ah, England!!'
Anyway, I got out of the car and started walking up an empty road .
This really reminds me of walking from Urlingford to Granny Holohans many moons ago ,well minus the palm trees , and the heat.
After another 500 meters a guy in a truck stopped and asked where I was heading.I jumped into his truck (the passenger side was kind of missing panelling on the inside of the door and a window but it was a free lift!!!) He left me about 3 km from Gamum.I started walking again ,
This time up a steep hill.Some bikers flew by and took pity.One of them offered me a lift right to the hostel, yay!!!!! I had never been on a motorbike with a backpack strapped to my back and a small bag to my front but i was kind of worried that one slip and my knees could be toast!! Still, the ride was REALLY appreciated.
After the guy dropped my in the general area of the place, I had to ask around to see if anyone knew exactly where the building was. This place looked deserted !! Eventually, one mother (who covered her face when I asked her a question) pushed her teenage kid out to talk to me!! I am hardly THAT exotic\scary looking,am I? (I can hear the laughter as I wrote that last line.) Anyway, the kid was able to point me in the direction of the place where I had a bit of a natter with Rajan (His wife was there, She sounded very stern and was a bit put out by me when she noticed I had 5 ringgit note hanging out of my shorts!!!It's a pity she couldnt speak english as she comes across (just like her husband) as a person with many stories to tell ).
Anyway, here is a pic of the room i am in and the outhouse that i use to shower\take a dump
The room with the required mosquito net
Toilet/shower combo (complete with frogs living in the toilet + a few as yet unnamed (well, undiscovered yet) bugs )
The shower
Who let the dogs out?
They followed me everywhere!
Those dogs followed me around for the rest of the day.
By the way, this place might be in the middle of nowhere but they do have a cool facilities
Nice court
They forgot one thing though. The posts were left on the outside of the court.D'oh!
Later that day, Mrs Rajan made a dinner.I think she made a dinner assuming the whole place was full of people.Have a look at the meal that was prepared!
I tried to finish the meal but I stopped 1/3 the way through and to be honest,There is no way I could eat any more. The meal was made for at least 5 people!
The next day,I decided to head for a boat ride through Tasik Chini.Unfortunately Rajan injured his foot so he is out of action for a week so there is no trekking and to be honest a speedboat ride seems as exciting to me as a toffee apple - with the toffee missing - and the wooden stick being replaced by corrugated iron - and the apple being replced by a brick , but I'll give it a go anyway.Sure, I might bump into that monster in the lake!
An Orand Asli family enjoying a spot of fishing
Can you feel the heat coming from this photo?
After the boat ride, i headed back to Rajans and a new guest had arrived! I got chatting to Julius straight away and he seemed like he hs seen quite a bit in his time. He was telling me he left Hungary in 1968 to (he's 69 and no signs of him slowing down!) live in Sweden, He landed in Germany 4 years later and that's where he decided to live.Twas interesting talking to him as he interspersed loads of german words when speaking english (mein,genau,oder) From the sounds of it he has been through most of Africa and Asia, sometimes with the wife, sometimes by himself.
So,it's time to move on. Rajan and his wife were really nice and knowledgeable. His wife DID speak english but she only spoke English when Rajan was not there! She is part of the Orang Asli (as are the local village) while Rajan is as second generation Tamil. He loves talking about nature. He was saying that he would never eat cattle or oxen due to seeing them being killed many years ago. Some cattle are made to walk 8k before being slaughtered. This cruelty before killing put him off the beef burgers for life. He mentioned that he used to own a bird which would tweet at him if any people were coming towards the guesthouse.That bird passed on to the big bird sanctuary in the sky some time ago and he did not get a replacement as he felt an attachment to the original bird.
It was a pity his leg was sore as a trek with him would have been very interesting.I am so surprised at the size of him as he's like that bit that fell off me despite the fact that his wife make monstrous meals (which are very nice also!) I have stayed in quite a few hostels over the years and these folks are by far the most interesting.If you ever get to meet Rajan, do not interupt him while he is on one of his lectures though as he might not hear you!
Anyway, I decided to head back to Kuantan as there was not much else to do if there are no treks. When I got back to Kuantan , I was in a bit of a pickle...where to go next? I remember a german girl telling me (when we were getting on the boat back in Pulau Tioman) that she vsited Cherating and it was a cool place. Seeing as this beach resort was only 45 km from Kuantan , I decided to jump back on the bus and take the short journey to Cherating.
Random thought: When I was sunburned,my frownlines in my head did not move for AGES. It reminded me of those t.v programs where you see women getting botox injections in their forehead such that their frownlines seem to disappear. There is no need for botox ladies! Just get sunburned and you will naturally not be able to move muscles on your forehead**
Anyway, Enough about Kampung Gamum anf Lake Chini [No Loch Ness monster was seen :-( ]
Onwards to Cherating!
** not to be recommended.
John turning down free food ??? :) but it looks so tasty.. ummmmmm
ReplyDeleteCool pics as well
I had to turn down some of the food because of the quantity not the quality !!!!
ReplyDeleteI would never turn down food , well , unless it was food with poison in it, and the poison had no flavour!