Forest Exploration at Asahan

In one Sunday morning, out of a whim, I woke up very early and headed straight to Gunung Ledang National Part, Asahan. It’s my first experience driving there, so I have to depend on the road sign for direction.

After about 40 minutes drive, I’d come to the end of the main road and start to enter into a bumpy-earth road. The road is so narrow that it can only fit one car. This left me pondering what would happen if suppose a car is coming from the opposite! But fortunately that I only encountered a bike along the journey… in such early morning, most people are still enjoying their bedtime I think.

Conditions of the earth road are really bad, and that weeds along side are taller than man. This made me worry whether I am on the right track; The road seems leading me to nowhere and I can’t find any sign board to confirm my direction. Luckily, I finally came to an open area where a car was parked there. Seeing that I felt a momentary relief – “people are here, so this should be the right place.”

After I’d my car parked under a large tree I started my forest exploration. I carry along with me a tripod and my beloved Leica V-Lux1. My intention is to shoot some waterfall or stream photos, so to begin with, I went straight to the forest stream at the foot of the hill. I walk upward along the stream and stopped to take photo at locations where I think would make good pictures. To my surprised, besides the fascinating stream, I’d also found frogs and inserts inhabited on the rocks along the stream which I think are good subjects for photographing too. Guess what, they didn't disappoint me.

To be frank, I am lying if I say that I don’t find it scary at all. Though it’s not my first time to enter a forest, but this is my very first time to explore a forest I’ve never been before, all alone.

After hours of exploration and photographing, I decided to return when I started to feel hungry (not because of scary, though I feel scare). I would think that the trip is fruitful – I’ve brought back some very satisfactory photo of little creatures and stream (visit my photo album if you are interested).

p/s: I am not sure but I think this could be my very first step toward backpack traveling. It does give me some inspirations.

June 09, 2007