Bukit Melati, Nilai,N9
We set off a bit late around 8:30 am as the sun already up and heating up my school of potted plants. You guys stay cool I’ll be back in a nick of time. The conversation went dead but I pretended they listened and being bored of the promises.
As we arrived, a good crowd was already making their strategies at the foot of the hill.Surprisingly, on a working day like today there are many that “not working” like me. I wonder how they find time to come and do this as many others doggingly heat their ass off an office chair.
I smiled and passed by them to catch up with my wife; she knows this hill like the shelves in her kitchen cabinets. She joins the ladies hiking here every other day. We were greeted by a beautiful stone alley leading up the hill. Okay this is interesting; not so intimidated with some dusty trails that says….”oo you want to try me today let see if you can get out of here in one piece…..”
The sun was getting higher making shadows along the route.The ones like in a wayang kulit theater that tell the tales of yesterday. I could see shadows of me and the crowds in front of me walking in between the trees and through a high growth. The noises made it real and alive as I used to believe.
Long long ago after the paddy harvesting season, they put up a white screen to shoot a shadow play.I went there with a friend walking on a massive empty paddy field at night to see the show. We paid some money to get in and we sat there looking at shadows of character and the puppetmaster relayed the story over a loud speaker. The excitement was unbelievable. As the story got interesting the oil lamp would run out and if you want to know the rest of the story. pay up. I did not pay but instead treated my friend with a fantastic teh tarik.
In Bukit Melati, the story is real and true. not made up to entertain the rural folks.The beaten path tells the burden this hill has been enduring. That so many people took refuge every morning on this hill for chilling and healing. I could feel the misty vibes as we climbed up to the higher ground. The intertwined roots are visible as people rely on them to step up. The trails went downwards and upwords to challenge your legs and work the lung out. I started to make peace with nature, the forest with its floral and fauna.
The ladies were all over the place; like their meeting place for a chit chat. They made the whole hiking things look easy even though the hikes are not like walking in the park—- it was indeed physically challenging. At times the old granny that went around a few times made me feel intimidated and hopeless. But you know I will be back ……
This hill has many trails and today I followed the easy one suitable for novice hikers.I said goodbye to Bkt. Melati at about quarter to 10 and hoping for a return.
