Post by Flyfishing With Amin on Dec 13, 2006 2:07:17 GMT 8
MANY A TIMES I’VE ATTEMPTED TO START PACKING EARLY FOR A TRIP, BUT PROBABLY OUT OF SHEER ‘BAD’ HABIT WHICH MY DEAR LOVING WIFE NAGS AT ME FOR IT, I CAN’T SEEM TO GET TO IT UNTIL THE DAY BEFORE I LEAVE. IT MEANT LAST MINUTE TYING FLIES AND PACKING RIGHT THROUGH THE NIGHT UNTIL IT’S TIME TO LEAVE. IT WAS NO DIFFERENT FOR THIS TRIP UP NORTH TO BANDING, PERAK – A CAMPSITE RIGHT IN THE JUNGLES OF TEMENGGOR.
THE OCCASION WAS AN INVITE - 4 NITES/5 DAYS - FROM MY STUDENT, NAN (WHOM IT SEEMS IS A WELL KNOWN GUITARIST IN THE ASIAN MUSIC INDUSTRY) TO JOIN HIM IN THE FILMING OF A DOCUMENTARY, FEATURING MALAYSIAN CELEBRTIES FISHING. WOW, NEVER KNEW I’M IN THE COMPANY OF A CELEBRITY!!!
HAVING HAD NO SLEEP IN THE LAST 48 HOURS, ARRIVED KL (ACCOMPANIED BY ZAHARI) WITH A BAD COUGH AND SORE THROAT. SLEPT THROUGHOUT THE NIGHT FROM KL TO BANDING IN BEN’S CAR.
ARRIVED IN BANDING ABOUT 10AM WITH A THOBBING HEADACHE. MET UP WITH THE GUIDE, WHO TOOK US ON A 10MIN BOATRIDE TO THE CAMPSITE.
AFTER WE – NAN, BEN, ZAHARI AND I –SETTLED DOWN, WE GOT INTO 2 BOATS WITH THE GUIDES, AND RECCED FISHING SPOTS FOR THE SHOOT. OF COURSE IN THE MEANTIME, CASTED OUR FLY RODS AND MANAGED TO HOOK UP 1KG - 2KG TOMANS WITH WT#7 AND SMALL SEBARAUS WITH WT#5, USING GURGLER & POPPER FLIES. I ALSO HAD THE CHANCE TO TEST MY NEW VARIVAS FLY WHICH I MANAGED TO HOOK UP SEVERAL TOMANS BUT NOT ABLE TO LAND ANY – BURST LAH! CONFIRM THIS FLY WORKS WITH TOMAN. ONLY THING NOW, NEED TO FIND OUT HOW TO LAND IT WITHOUT USING WIRE.
I ALSO MANAGED TO ENJOY THE REST OF THE TRIP CUZ AFTER THE FIRST NIGHT AT SAHABAT ALAM CAMPSITE, A THREATENED FEVER, SORE THROAT AND COUGH ALL CLEARED UP IMMEDIATELY. MUST BE DUE TO THE CLEAN AIR.
AND NOW IT’S PICTURE TIME ……..
ARRIVING AT THE CAMPSITE
THE ENTRANCE TO THE CAMPSITE. THE HOUSES HERE ARE THE 'ORANG ALSI' HUTS.
THE ALL NATURAL BATHING AREA - FRESH COOL SHOWER & MASSAGER. I THINK JUMPING IN HERE AND RELAXING UNDER THE WATERFALL HELPED CLEAR UP THE FLU. THE WATERFALL BEATS AN OSIM OR OTO MASSAGE CHAIR.
NAN 'THE CELEBRITY' WITH A FAN AT THE 'DINING HUT'. BTW THERE'S A COOK AT THIS CAMPSITE.
BEN (IN LIGHT BLUE SHIRT) SITTING IN THE RESTING HUT. ONE CAN PUT UP A HAMMOCK AND SLEEP THE DAY OR NIGHT AWAY
IF YOU FIND SLEEPING OUT IN THE OPEN TOO COLD FOR COMFORT, YOU CAN BUNK IN ONE OF THESE ORANG ALSI HUTS
ZAHARI POSING INF FRONT OF THE CAMP AREA
MORNING MIST STILL HUNG AROUND WHEN THIS PIX WAS TAKEN IN THE AFTERNOON. THIS IS 'FRESHNESS' ;D
AS THIS WAS PART OF A FILMING SESSION, I CAN'T POST UP ANY PIX OF THE FISHING SPOTS OR THE FISHES ON THIS POST NOW.
HOWEVER, IF ANYONE IS INTERESTED TO GET AWAY FROM CITY LIFE AND DE-STRESS FOR A FEW DAYS, I'D BE MORE THAN HAPPY TO ORGANIZE A TRIP. ASIDE FROM FISHING, THERE'S GUIDED JUNGLE TREKKING WHERE YOU CAN TAKE IN NOT ONLY THE FLORA N FAUNA BUT THE AMAZING 'RAFFLESIA' FLOWER OR EVEN CHANCE UPON WILD ELEPHANTS AND BUCKING DEERS.
CHEERS
PAK AMIN
and I can't wait to go back there again. I must add that the boat handlers here are simply super...they always have their boats in position to make it easy for a cast all the time. Nan has trained them well!!
