Being A Tourist For A Couple Of Days - Pt II

Up sort of early today, though we decided not to go to the gym but to have some brunch in Pappa Rich instead before heading out of the city for a walk around FRIM. Last time I came here, I was charged 5RM for entry and parking; this time it was 6RM and the guard hesitated a bit, so I challenged him, saying that the price was different last time. I thought I had him, trying to overcharge the tourist (OK, albeit by 20p) but he looked me directly in the eye and said “4RM for car. 1RM for each man. 6RM”

That told me.

Anyway, like most places on a Malaysian public holiday, the place is deserted and I manage to park really easily. We walk the same route as I did – well, I say walk, more like a frog march – and we are sweating madly before long. At the waterfall bit I went down last time, instead of following the same, we headed the other direction towards the canopy walkway (alas closed – during the school holidays – what shit planning!). Little did we realise that it was going to be a mammoth climb through the forest to what felt like the top of the mountain and we were completely exhausted by the time we got to the top – and dripping wet with sweat. 

Still, we hadn’t been to the gym today so it was good exercise. Talking of which, there were quite a few Chinese people marching up and down the mountain with relative ease, none of who were sweating. Must be their endurance training form an early age…very cruel race…

Having climbed to the top, rested and then made our way round the park, we decided to head towards the Batu Caves, as they are quite interesting – even if they do stink of bat and bird crap and are full of very cheeky monkeys.

There was a family of (I think) Germans in the caves that were antagonising the monkeys and all of a sudden the father let out the most ridiculous roar, a bit like a stupid sounding dinosaur to try to scare off one of the creatures that was only hissing at this family because they were annoying him. Anyway, he was completely ridiculous and in jumping about, roaring like an idiotic dinosaur, he stepped on one of his kids, who started screaming. Fuckwit.

Another family that were planning to have a picnic somewhere came a cropper too as the monkeys sussed their bags of food and drinks, and managed to nab all of them from the father of this family! It was worth climbing the 272 steps avoiding the monkeys’ attempts to swipe your belongings just to see these sights…