Treading Taman Negara (1976)

Way back in 1976, when I started working in USM, there were many expatriate lecturers then. They were always keen to discover Malaysia, and once, I ventured with some of them to Taman Negara, Pahang. I remember Dr Hutheesing as 'tour organiser' and she brought along her two Dutch nieces and their friend. There were other lecturers from the US, Greece and Japan, plus three locals including me, so ten in all.

We started our road trip from Penang, and stopped by Fraser's Hill for an overnight stay. The next day along the way, we visited a Jah Hut orang asli settlement because there was a USM PhD French student studying anthropology, living with them. I remember we distributed some food and clothing for the orang asli (though I felt then that Dr Hutheesing's used clothes were too glamorous for the jungle). I also remember buying some carvings (but then they disappeared when I was overseas - my family 'gave them away' because they were spirit figures). Anyway, we went on to Kuala Tembeling, Pahang, from where it was by boat to Kuala Tahan. Here we stayed in the Taman Negara park accomodations.

Moi aboard for the trip to Kuala Tahan - note my aviator glasses!
(1976)

We move upriver (1976)

Moving upriver was an adventure because the river was shallow in parts and we had to get out to push the boat upstream. Along the river we did see some wildlife, including the fierce seladang. But to me, I was most scared of the blood sucking leeches! They were just waving their tentacles (?) to 'jump' on to your bare skin. Although well prepared with proper jungle boots, I still was very wary of them. Especially when you hear stories of how they enter your ear and grow fat in there!

A scene of the Sungai Pahang (CNB 1976)

We hiked to a hide in the jungle, fording a swift river, to spend a night there at the hide to spot the animals that came to the salt lick nearby. We managed to see a tapir, distinct for its black & white body. No tigers or elephants though. Too bad, how sad.

Fording a river that came up to our waists (1976)

The jungle hide we spent a night in (CNB 1976)

I climb down the hide, with dirty laundry (1976)

We had home cooked food in a kampung house near our accomodation at Kuala Tahan. Everyone enjoyed the simple meals. For 'dessert' we picked rambutans that were in season then. The nearby river was so enticing and therefore dips in its waters was a regular thing to do.

Enjoying our  home-cooked lunch with Otome & Malcolm  (1976)

Dr Hutheesing's two nieces and friends by the river (CNB 1976)

We also made a few short hikes into the jungle, sometimes meeting the aborigines who live there. It was a very memorable trip and my only one into the Taman Negara, oldest tropical rainforest in the world.

Sometimes we hiked on well-laid out tracks, like this tree trunk
(CNB 1976)

Another scene on the Sungai Pahang (CNB 1976)