After a short night celebrating Kings day and waking up at just the right time we left the guesthouse to take a train trip to Kepong Sentral where the Forest Research Institute Malaysia (FRIM in short) is situated. FRIM is located in the north of Kuala Lumpur and is the largest secondary forest, which means that the forest has had a second life after being destroyed for the tin mining industry. FRIM is nowadays used for research into animals and plants. It is open for public as a living museum or for taking the climb to the most popular of four routes, the Canopy Walk.
To get there from the train station we have to take some cabs. Some us had the opportunity to meet Michael Schumacher a.k.a. Barack Obama. He was definitely the fastest cabby we’ve met so far. Arriving safely at FRIM after some near death experiences we were informed by a sweet ticket sales person that we should have made a reservation for a large group. Our leader of the day made it possible to do the Canopy Walk in groups of five people leaving separately.
The first shift left at about 11.45h and started the long walk uphill not knowing what was to come. We learned that Malayan distances are not what they seem to be. Even though the average length of the Malayan population is not that tall, even us Dutchies had some trouble getting up the steep steps. After an hour of climbing and sweating we arrived at the Canopy Walkway. Our hard work was paid off by some amazing views through the treetops. The first group left a message to the others by placing a Mollier sticker on top of the last treetop bridge which was noted by even more Dutch tourists.
At the way down we have seen some of the fauna that the rainforest has to offer. Big red ants and really large centipedes. Some of us were able to cool down beneath a waterfall while the last group was just in time back before the rain started. We are used to rain in the Netherlands but here in the tropics we have really experienced heavy raining.
The next stop was supposed to be the Batu Caves and ended up to be a local food court instead, to wait for the rain to stop. Part of the group was lucky enough to find a cab to bring them to the caves. When the rest of the group tried to follow them a cabby told them that a flooding happened on the road to the caves and he would not travel there anymore and dropped some of us at Kelong Sentral. Perhaps he was on his way back home because eight of the group were able to get to Batu Caves by cab leaving the group scattered all over Kelong.
Being drawn by the need to visit the Batu Caves we left by train once more to get to Batu Station. This effort was rewarded by the group being complete at the beginning of the 272 stairs. Most already survived the second work out of that day while the late arrivals still needed to climb them. Again after a long climb and some more sweating we were rewarded with an insight into the Hindu religion and cave scenery. The temple cave is decorated with Hindu shrines. After visiting this temple and climbing down the 272 stairs we enjoyed the last full night in Kuala Lumpur.
Karin & Larissa
