Gunung Ledang Adventure

We went to Gunung Ledang (Mount Ledang) last May. This mountain, situated in Johor Malaysia, is full of mysticism as often people relate this mountain to the Legendary Princess of Mount Ledang. This mystical mountain had been one of the destinations for us to meditate.

Meditation pose - on top of Gunung Ledang

First Day

M, R and I headed to Malacca from LCCT. From Malacca we took a cab to Tangkak town.

M had arranged with Moi a package for us to go up the Mountain of Gunung Ledang with Moi himself as a guide for us. M's friend Zai and his friend Zul were also to join us going up the mountain. The plan was that on the first day we would go up the mountain on a 4x drive to the base camp. On the second day, we would climb up the mountain to the top, and visit the Majapahit cave. And on the third day we would climb down the mountain, on foot. All has been planned out, 3 days 2 nights Adventure in Gunung Ledang.

In Tangkak, Moi's friend took us to the Gunung Ledang Resort. Gunung Ledang Resort was situated on the foot hill of Mount Ledang, this is the starting point for climbers to climb up the mountain. It was around 3.00 pm, when we reached Gunung Ledang Resort. Zai and Zul were already there.

Reaching Gunung Ledang Resort we were told to wait for Moi as he had a group of people to handle for the flying fox activity. Later when we met him he explained that he was supposed to go on leave, and was supposed to become our guide. But last minute he was called in to replace the instructor for the flying fox activity.

Moi was a man in his late 30's. He was quite thin, but off course full of energy. After the flying fox activity, Moi met us in the cafeteria, and it was raining heavily that evening. He explained to us that it was quite dangerous to go up the mountain at that hour, while it was raining. So he suggested that we go up after Ishak prayer, after the rain had stopped. We agreed.

We had our dinner in the resort's cafetaria , we ordered fried rice. After dinner R and I excused ourselves for the Maghrib Prayer and headed towards the Prayer Room. Before the prayer I told R to collect 7 pebbles. He collected the pebbles and prensented them to me in the prayer room. After Mahgrib prayer I recited a Surah from the Quran to each of these pebbles. My teacher informed me that if I recite the Surah to each of the stone Djinn Ifrit would come as he hates the Surah. He hates it so much as it contains the huroof of the name of the man who defeated him in transferring The Queen of Sheba's castle from Sheba (Yemen) to Jurusalem. The Djinny told Phrophet Sulaiman that he could transfer the castle before he stood up. But the man who defeated the Djinyy told Prophet Sulaiman the he could transfer the castle in a blink of an eye. So the task was given to the man. The Djinyy was embarrased until these days.

As my attention to see a Djinny, I was willing to try this. But I didn't informed M about this, she would freak out.

After Isyhak Prayer, and after the rain had stopped, we were all packed in like a sardine in Moi's 4x drive and headed towards the mountain on a dfifferent route from the usual climber's track. On the way we stappped by a convenient store, and bought our food supply for 3 days in Gunung Ledang. Then off we went to Mount Ledang.

Moi explained thare are several base camps, and most campers had gone up that evening and had choosen their spot to camp that night. He would show us a few base camps and up to us to choose wherever we felt right for us.

Reaching the first base camp, I saw there were many campers, and they have choosen the best spots. The only one left was beside a giant boulder, even that we had to share with a camper who had set up his tent there. so we decided, that is not the spot for us. Moi suggested we go to the second base camp, and we agreed. So we headed to the 2nd base camp.

The 2nd base camp, had 2 caves Moi explained, that is the place where the spiritualists go to meditate and practice. I was currious to see. But sadly, on the 2nd base camp, there were also as many campers like the first case base camp, and they camped especially in front of the two caves. There was no way we could camp near the caves. So we choosed the last spot up hill to set up our camps. We were lucky there was a private spot enough for us to set up our 4 tents. From our camp site and the camps site before us there was a drain, and there was some trees in between the two sites that would ensure our privacy.

So we unpacked our things and set up our tents. As we were unpacking, M saw a spirit of a woman in white robe with long black hair. She just stood there near Moi's 4x drive, and stared at us. R sensed there was a spirit too. But we just ignored them.

Moi, Zai and Zul quickly set up their tents. We, unexperienced, struggeld to set up or tents. But then Zai and Zul helped us. After they'd helped us setting my tent, I helped them in setting up M's tents. It was during these times, without anyone realizing, I dropped the pebbles around the area of M's tent and some near my tent.

So it was time for supper. Moi, Zai and Zul cooked for us that night. M, R and myself just watched them how they use thier camping cooking utensil to cook. They cooked rice, salted fish and omellete. And while they were cooking the salted fish, I could feel a sudden breeze of air was blowing and I could feel that the spirits came....They surrounded us... R saw spirits walking by... watching us cooking the salted fish. I knew they were many, I could sense them as the hairs on my body stood up. So we gave them a piece of the salted fish, and the spirits stopped bothering us.

Having dinner - rice, salted fish and omellete

After dinner, it started to rain. So we retired into our  tents. My first experience camping and it rained, oh.. what a night. Then it started to rain heavily, some of the rain water got into our tents through the stitches. I wondered if the others were okay. I wondered if there was any rain water got into their tents. But I needed not to worry about them, I guessed there we okay, my heart told me, so I kept myself busy wiping the rain water with a towel and tried to keep dry inside. Then I could hear the voice of Zai and Zul asking if we were ok inside, I said there was rain water coming in. So Zai and Zul put another canvass on top of our tent. But even that didn't help much, there was still rain water coming in. But nevertheless, I was thankful to them. After awhile I was ready to sleep. R has long gone into his dream world from the moment he lay down.

Sometimes after midnight I woke up for a meditation. Initailly I wanted to meditate outside but it was still raining. So I decided to meditate inside the tent. Meditating inside a tent, while it was raining heavily outside was totally a new experience for me, and it was difficult for me. With the sound of the the rain on falling on the tent, with high humidity inside the tent, I was not comfortable at all, and couldn't bring myself to the level of calmness I wanted to achieve. After a while, I kind of gave up, lay down, and fell asleep.

Second Day

In the morning I woke up early. Zul and Zai were already cooking our breakfast, french toast. Then R, M and Moi woke up, everybody talked about how heavy the rain was. When Moi woke up, he showed us how his tent became a swimming pool inside. Luckily, our tent was not that bad as his was.

My tent (sharing with R) and M's tent

While we were having brekfast, M asked Zul, Zai and Moi were they the ones whose footsteps she heard in the night, after the rain had stooped. But they denied. I just kept quite, I knew who it was. It was the Djinny, checking out the pebbles whic I recited with a Surah, which I dropped them around our tents, especially near M tent. But I didn't hear anything, although my tent and M's tent were close by (pic above).

After breakfast, Zai and Zul packed up their tents and camping gear. They were going back to today, and their going to trek down the mountain.

Moi, Zai, Zul, R and myself

After Zul and Zai left, around 10.30 am we ascended the mountain. First using the road used by the telecommunication company to go the the hill station. It was really tiring, several times we needed to stop before continuin our journey.

At the end of the road, situated there was the hill station. Moi told us, to ascend the mountain we need to use another trek. This is the trek where sometimes we needed to  climbed us ladders to reach the top.

Reachinng the top, it was a magnificent view. Moi told us that this was the spot where Tiara Jacquilina acted as Princess Gunung Ledang at the final scene, cried at day break, as she was cursed and couldn't be united with her lover.

Third Day

This morning R cooked for us. He cook fried maggie mee and frenched fries.

(To be continued)