The best (and busiest) time of the year

The best time of the year also means the busiest time of the year! While others are clearing their annual leave, or strolling in the malls doing their Christmas shopping or simply lazing in front of the idiot box, my schedule has been packed ever since Dec rolled along. It’s relentless but oddly there’s no sign of frenzy or the unwelcome eye bags. I guess what I mean to say is that although I’m busy, there’s still time to smell the flowers and appreciate life.

The vital lesson I’ve learnt is to consciously make time for God and the people closest to you. Easier said than done but it’s the only guarantee of staying sane in the maze of the typical urban schedule.                                                                                                     

Here are some updates on what my fingers have been dabbling with:

• Meeting up with people! Friends are home for the holidays. Our home has been coined mamak No.2 and our kitchen has fully utilized to cook up a storm for privilege guests. Terence usually the chef – will share some fabulous recipes soon!  
• Splattered Paint: Year-end events are always lots of fun. We face painted 100 kids at our last event. This weekend we’d be busy dolling up a venue for the birthday of a special one year old.
• Gearing up for the start of Rangers next year. I’d be embarking on some new challenges in hope to gain a greater perspective of what it means to be a servant leader.
• Christmas gifts: Of course I’m not going to tell you what it is! All I can say is that we’ve been creatively ambitious with out gifts this year.
• Getting ready to make our mark in Vietnam – yes! We’re flying again, this time to Hanoi for another backpacking adventure. Can’t wait to roam the streets, experience Christmas the Vietnam style, meet the locals, indulge in the street food and hike in the mountains of Sapa!

2009 is going to be a wild ride! What a journey it has been for 2008. I wouldn't have it otherwise despite the rough edges. I’d be turning a year wiser tomorrow (yay! to the extra wisdom and urgh to the change in numeric) and my journal will yet again be filled with pages of thanksgiving and milestones of life. I’m quite sure I’d dig up my dust filled journal 20 years from now and thank myself for appreciating life in writing.  

Our Christmas tree makes its debut

One of many things I love about Christmas is setting up the tree. There's something warm, magical and fuzzy about it. With Christmas jazzies playing at the background, the entire room just evolves into a big sparkle!

Perhaps it was the memories I grew up when setting up the Christmas tree. Either mom or dad would put the tree together, I would string the lights and then the family would gather around each having one or more tinsel or bauble and we go round hanging it on the tree until the deco box is empty. Every year we'd have a family photo in front of the tree with presents laid all over. 

This year would be slightly different. It's our first Christmas in No.8! Terence and I bought a new tree that fitted perfectly into the empty space in our hall. We both decorated the tree with baubles and lots of tinsels then we added some ribbon around it. 

What a great starts to an even greater Christmas! This year there will be no hustle and bustle or mad mad mad shopping. It'll be a laid back kind of celebration with family and close friends. Above all, as everyday is, this is a celebration of Jesus because He really is the Reason for tis season.

Our lil garden has grown!

Calamintha... hyrangea... calla lily...spiky cactus, our green thumbs has gotten the better of us. Now the porch has an array of natural beauties to greet us.  We had initially thought of transferring our sprouting brinjal plant into another pot, hence we needed more soil. Which brought us to the nursery and instead of coming back with soil we came back with 3 kinds of flowers! Talk about impulsive shopping!

 

The porch is definitely a livelier place with the flowers. It's great to wake up to a burst of colour and teaming life. Might I add, gardening is actually quite therapeutic.

 

 

Don't worry we did not ignore our slow growing brinjal plant. Here's the latest update for those of you who have been asking and wondering - still leafy, new greens popping up occassionally, no signs of fruits yet, stems are quite thin. We're pumping up its growth with fertilizers but being careful not to overdose it! Any tips to make it fruit faster? I'm waiting to make grilled brinjals:)

To end this post, here's a lil insight into a different side of Terence when his green thumbs are busy:

1. He's meticulous even when putting fertiliser, remembering how much each plant needs and when to sprinkle.
   
2. He has greener thumbs than me. That's why I leave the planting to him, I just water and talk to them.
   
3. I'm quite sure he talks to them after I leave for work in the morning... cos they are blooming!

A reminder by the lil sparrows

Last weekend Terence and I went for our jog at Bukit Gasing, we took an alternate route back. Instead of walking through the jungle, we walked on road. On the left were tall retaining walls with PVC pipes sticking out of them. Sparrows flew in and out bobbing their heads as they watched us walk by. In an instant I was reminded of how much He cares for us.

We are living in very critical times. The economy is riding on waves, our planet in peril, wars breaking out, terror rising… Really, the uncertainties are countless yet one thing that remains certain is God and His word. He is the same yesterday, today and forever.

Both Terence and I have been little bumps, whether at work, in ministry or life - but God has never failed (not once) to work a miracle in every situation. The amazing thing is, He just doesn’t turn situations around and allows us the easy way out. Instead He works a miracle in us so that the situation doesn’t take the center stage, instead God does!

While not painting a rosy picture, those miracles didn’t fall out from the sky and into my lap. Admittedly there were moments I complained, questioned and worried unnecessarily. And in the midst of my darkest valley, I learned that the two most important (yet most difficult) things to do were to PRAY and PRAISE.

Those lil sparrows were a great reminder that our lives are in His hands.

Go ahead and read Matthew 6: 25-34... it'll leave you in awe once again! 

Discovery Rangers in the teeny little town called Taiping

I'd be the first to jump at an invitation to visit a zoo if I was traveling in another elsewhere. I've been to several in Aussie, one in Central Park, NYC and another in Singapore. Ironically, at the mention of Zoo Negara, I can't help but cringe and pass on the offer. Sadly my past visits there were a let down with poor facilities and maintenance and sad looking animals resonating a sense of deprivation.

I had a change of perspective last weekend when we (the Discovs) visited the Taiping Zoo and night safari. I was bewildered by the sense of pride the zoo keepers had for the place. I was mesmerized by the amount of info provided at every stop. The Taiping zoo has a rugged feel to it. It's not as "clean" as the Singapore Zoo, with shrubs growing on the pavement and moss carpeting some rocks but there was no indication that the place was poorly maintained. The animals looked hale and hearty (whoops I wasn't planning to eat 'em when I said hearty!)

What surprised me was the absence of the "zoo stench"! If I think of Zoo Negara, the first thing that comes to mind is the stench that greets you at the entrance. Needless to say it was repulsive. However magically or not, I was not greeted with the same stench in Taiping. It wasn't entirely absent through as we caught a whiff of it as we approached the deer sanctuary… thankfully the air cleared after a bit. The Taiping Zoo and night safari was a hidden treasure we stumbled upon. I'm glad the government taking the effort to keep this hidden treasure alive; at least children will have a chance to visit a proper local zoo.

Here are some snapshots of Taiping (taken by Josh Chan). For more pictures and a virtual walk thru the zoo - click here and here, otherwise these are my favs:


One of the few colonial building in Taiping town. The weather was awesome too! What a great shot - reminds me of Christchurch, NZ.


At the zoo.. just girls (p/s Jirene we missed you!)


All pumped to go in!


Chimps - this was my first time seeing a real life one. I was amazed at how BIG they were!


Spotted Civet although small in size can be quite ferocious..


Up close and personal with the deers but not for long because they poop really stinks!


King of the Jungle - I would pay a million bucks just inch close to it!


How odd to be standing on only one leg - reminds me of my ballet training years ago!


I wonder if the world upside down would pose a better view? Hmmm....


The most friendly animals in the zoo!


Time for a dental appointment?


Trip to the zoo was almost a family affair :)


After the zoo, we stumbled upon a great ride - the giant slide at the park!


First up - Hannah, Esther & Lydia


You're never too old for some fun!


Weeeeee.........


Swish...


Then the guy commanders had a go!! They went berserk!


Sarah... such a gem!


Hannah - the rugged lil gal!


Isabelle - my lil monkey :)


Spot the "animals"


Finally a decent shot...

Surviving disappointments

Disappointments are hard to swallow, no one looks forward to it much less expects it to lurk around the corner. But that is life - it's filled with ups and downs and we're tested at all pitstops before we make it to the next milestone.

Recently I was dropped with two bombshells by two different people that left me stumped. One of which was a decision to call off a project that I've been working on for the last 5 months. It was my "baby" and I was all pumped up to see it through. Needless to say, my work and hours put in has just gone down the drain. I'm disappointed at the level of commitment shown by my team players. I'm also let down by the promises made that wasn't fulfilled and the inability to persist to the end despite hurdles and barriers. Decision has been made, it's time to move on.

While I'm still surfacing from sudden dip, all is not lost. I've garnered quite a level of respect for my team, but a chunk of it has just been chipped away. What a great reminder to me that man will disappoint but God will never disappoint. And I'm reminded that though the tables may turn and seasons may change - one thing that doesn't is the certainty of God and His promises. That's what keeps me optimistic and hopeful.

It's time to plot a new milestone... 

Life's discoveries

“You learn something new everyday” – I love that phrase because life is all about advancing, adding on and enriching every possible facet. Recently the Rangers leaders spent the long weekend at a retreat in Gopeng. One of the activities we did was the DISC profile. It’s been many years since I completed one of those lengthy 5-pager test – if you’ve completed one, you’d understand what I mean (200 questions and counting).

What I found out about my personality was quite intriguing. I was a S-C-D-I. Here's what it means:

Steadiness: Empathetic & Cooperative. These people tend to be team players and are supportive and helpful to others. They prefer being behind the scene, working in consistent and predictable ways. They are often good listeners and avoid change and conflict.

Conscientiousness: Concerned, Cautious & Correct. These people are often focused on details and quality. They plan ahead, constantly check for accuracy, and what to know "how" and "why".

Dominance: To the point, decisive and bottom line oriented. These people tend to be independent and results driven. They are strong-willed people who enjoy challenges, taking action, and immediate results.

Influence: Optimistic and outgoing. They tend to be highly social and out going. They prefer participating on teams, sharing thoughts, and entertaining and energizing others.

What was more startling was that people saw or expected me to be a D-S-I-C profile. Perhaps it has to do with the role(s) I play in the family, ministry & work and the situations that I’m faced with that forced me to raise the bar. I find it interesting that personality does not hinder you from performing tasks, but it determines HOW you perform the task.

While personality tests are just a gauge for various times and seasons, it is never to limit what we can do or are called to do. I do believe that God has created each one of us uniquely and differently in order to perform tasks specific to us and fit into different roles unique to us. He has made us the way we are for reasons we will stand in awe one day and say “Wow God, You are amazing because You knew me right from the very start – way better than I know myself. I am a better person because You have challenged my weaknesses and stretched my capabilities. I am a blessing only because of who You made me to be."

The important thing is to know who we are in Christ. Recently I shared at the Youth church about understanding who they are. I quoted:

“Until we know who we are in Christ, we will never do great things”

...and the only way to do that is to ask the Creator Himself! After all He intricately wove every cell and fiber of ours in our mummy’s womb, meticulously crafted a blueprint of our years on earth and patiently waited until we recognized Him as Maker.

I’m still on the quest of knowing who I am in Christ – learning something new every day! If you’re not already on this journey, I challenge you to embark on it. The discoveries are priceless.

Toothache tales

I absolutely dread toothaches. They are like unpredictable time bombs that just erupt with no warning whatsoever. I was stricken with swollen gums a few days back. As always visits to the dentist is purely agonizing. From the bitter cold of the clinic to the drilling sounds of 'teeth borer' – everything at a dental clinic is unfriendly and hostile to me.

Guess what I was not the only one who shared the same opinion. After my appointment, this middle age guy stared at me blankly as I walked out of the room. His face held a familiar look – the look of fear. His first words to me was not "Hi", instead our conversation snowballed into something like this:

Guy: How was it? Was it painful?
Deb: It's not that painful (only to comfort him). You will be fine.
Guy: Is the dentist gentle?
Deb: Yeah he is (this is true)
Guy: You seem ok
Deb: Nods (Glad I manage to mask my fear. Imagine if I came out all pale, he would have shivered and ran out!)
Guy: I've not been to the dentist for many years. I'm actually scared. (For a middle age man to confess to a stranger that he is scared, that really is something!)
Deb: (Manages a look of comfort) You will be fine. Dentist is nice. Whatever you do, don't move too much even when it is painful!
-end-

Oh I've heard too many horror stories of dental patients. Let's not get into that. For now my gums are healing, swelling has gone down. Terence even bought flowers to brighten my day. The dentist took an x-ray and discovered that both my wisdom teeth were stuck under the gums. Eventually (which means in the near future) I will need to go for surgery to extract the little white rascals. Gives me shudders even thinking about it.

I'm sure I'm not the only person on the planet to go through this. Share your tooth surgery story and provide me some comfort. I'd love to hear about it. Email me or drop me a comment.

From the hills to the beach

The hills...
It's a rare occasion that public holidays coincide with the weekend so well! This Raya we took advantage of the hols and whisked away to Cameron Highlands (CH) and then to Port Dickson (PD). Our last visit to to CH was when we were high schoolers. You can imagine the lapse if you had not visited KL for that many years, some roads might have been ploughed over and replaced with a concrete building. But this is not the same for CH, everything seem absolutely similar. The shops, steamboat restaurants, hotels, markets and not to mention enormous bugs!

We hit the road early and started up the familiar windy road passing bare orang asli and a couple of waterfalls. After 3 hours of driving we finally reached high ground - passed Ringlet and up to the Boh Plantation. The landscape immediately changed from tall dense rainforest to nicely hewned green jigsaw patches carpeting the hills.

Green jigsaw carpet

Us after a climb up one of the hills

The endless hills as far as the eye can see

After the morning climb at the plantation, our tummies started a symphony signalling for brunch. There's no better place to have breakfast, lunch or dinner at CH than at The Tcafe. It's a simple and slightly old fashioned set up but they serve the best scones in CH. Their menu extends from western to local dishes and I'd be bold enough to say that almost anything you order would be a feast for your palate. They open from 10am - 9pm and you'd find a steady stream of customers every hour.

We explored CH in the afternoon visiting strawberry farms and buying unbelievably cheap vegetables. We were in veggie and fruit haven! How I wish CH was my backyard, that way I'd never run out of veggies and fruits, my favourite food groups! :)

Before dinner we started on a track to Parit Falls trekking into the jungle only to find a disappointing littered filled waterfall. The huts around the falls were run down and the falls was a nightmare. Living up to its infamous name, translated in English as Drain Falls, rubbish was evidently shrewn all over. We decided to abort track up to the Parit lookover fearing the same conditions up there.

Time for dinner! Prior to the trip we heard from friends that prices of steamboat dinners would be overpriced due to the peak season. We opted for our own steamboat at the park instead. Initially we were even thinking of setting up hot-pot dinner at the top of the tea plantation overlooking the rolling hills. Unfortunately that was not possible as the plantation closes at 430pm.

For desserts we stumbled upon a cosy backpackers place called Cameronian Inn. They serve very good scones. Much smaller than The Tcafe's but equally good. Buttery and crumbly, the strawberry jam was perfect! We also found that the inn held a great reputation for it's hospitable service. Rooms start at RM45 all the way to RM200. The next time I'm at CH, I'd definately stay here.

We manage to take a picture of the scones at the inn before whalloping it! Unfortunately we were too hungry at Tcafe to snap any pics!

The "Prayer for Tourists" was found hanging at the inn. If you can read the small font, it's absolutely hilarious!

The beach...
Starting early the next morning, we spiralled our way down CH all the way to PD. It was Terence's birthday, we had reserved the tad bit of luxury as a treat for his birthday. We checked into the Avillion, Admiral Cove and lazed the day away. Hotel conditions just make you want to rest and relax the entire day. I mean who can resist a super plush king size bed and room service? The room was a gift from my mom to us, knowing it was Terence's birthday she requested the hotel to give us a platter of fruits. What a sweetie!


The bed before I jumped on it!


The lounge, a lovely reading corner


Our view from the studio


Terence's brithday gift...


The silent marina as night falls and boats halt their activities

It's amazing what short trips like this can do for our bodies, mind and spirit. To get away from the daily activities and just unwind. Truly blessed to have 5 days off. If you've not been on holiday for a long time, maybe it's time to take time off. You'd come back energized and inspired, ready to go another mile (or two).

Royal Rangers Sel #7 20th Anniversary

Royal Rangers Sel 7 outpost celebrated our 20th anniversary last weekend. We whisked over 200 people to Bukit Cahaya, Shah Alam to celebrate two decades of God’s faithfulness. The entire event lasted 5 hours with a walk through history as individual huts were decorated with banners and memorabilia representing different age groups, timelines and eras. Then guests were treated to a campfire meal of meat and veggies wrapped in tin foil. The campsite was a buzz with activity and chatter.

The sun soon descended and night covered the jungle, as the guests took their seats around a council fire. The huge sand pit looked amazing, with spotlights illuminating the place, the council fire sandwich between two huge and outstanding backdrops and the Malaysian, Selangor and Royal Rangers flags at the entrance. For the next 2 hours, the council fire blazed as we celebrated our 20 years with songs, skit, award ceremony and other items.

When Sel 7 first set out to plan our anniversary celebration, we wanted to capture the very essence of what Rangers is about. Our mission remains the same that is to reach, teach and keep boys and girls for Christ. Today we look back and acknowledge the lives we have touched but the job is evidently not done yet. We also wanted to embrace two decades of priceless memories. Indeed Rangers is about enduring relationships fostered throughout the years and the common passion we all have for the great adventure.

Above all we wanted to remember and radiate God’s faithfulness. I’m overflowing with thanks for His hands in all of this but I also know that greater things are awaiting us. Many times we look back and celebrate milestones (what a great reflection we all should practice) but milestones are not only for the past, it’s also for the future. What’s the next milestone for the Royal Rangers? Our anniversary celebration was aptly themed “Empowering The Next Generation” because reminiscence and awesome memories are just not enough to spur us on. It takes the unmerited grace and power of God to take us where He wants us to be. For this reason I’m challenged and excited at the same time humbled at the fact that I’m part of something greater myself and my capabilities.

Photos coming soon…

Recalling September 11

9/11 as Terence recalls…
Without fail, for the last 7 years - at the same hour... I hear many people asking each other "Hey, do you recall where you were during the Sept 11 incident?"

As for me. Yes, I do, very much. Which is one of the reasons why I’m compelled to write this.

I recall very vividly, the Tuesday of September 11, 2001. It was almost 10pm (Malaysian time) . Somehow I managed to get a glimpse incident unfolding on TV. My first thoughts were “What a really cool movie!”, later I found out that others too shared the same view. But that thought didn’t last for long as my eyes fix on the three red letters ‘C-N-N’ on the TV screen.

The newscaster, Richard Quest (his name entrenched in my memory) said - "Today, will surely be recorded as one of the blackest day for the United States". My mind instantly traveled in rapid speed. Only God could decipher what was going through my mind.

"What's happening? Oh my... Deb! Deb! Oh... “ It triggered what would be a series of worry and turmoil. At that time and very second, Deb was in New York for an internship with Metro Ministries, the largest Sunday School in NYC started by Bill Wilson. Fear gripped me as my mind pranced to comprehend if she was alive or otherwise. My mind just couldn’t register that my best friend (now wife) was in the thick of all this. I tried calling over 10 times but to no avail.

I did not sleep that night. I remember my eyes being swollen from all the tears and constant prayer. The next morning I dragged myself to college, unable to concentrate, I remember staring blankly at the Math lecturer counting down the hours for the lecture to be over. The lecture finally ended and I pulled away from the crowd to attempt another try at reaching Deb in NYC. It failed. Phone lines were cut. I tried again. And again. No avail.
I felt helpless. All I wanted was to hear her voice to know that she's fine and well and of course...alive. But there was no way of getting through.

Finally, at 6pm (Malaysian time) on September 12, I finally got to her. A relief I can only describe in sobs and tears. It’s almost like waiting at the operation theatre or praying for the dead to come alive. The minute I heard her voice, I just broke down.

Till today when we speak about it, not to remember the tragedy but to treasure life even more. Deb tells me that all she could hear when she picked up the phone that morning were sobs and crying. Apparently I had woken her up from bed (6am, NYC time) and she till today it’s her most memorable wake-up call.

It’s been 7 years since. She returned from NYC the Christmas of 2001. It was an unspeakable joy!

Since then we graduated, started our careers and got married.

This is definitely one story we’d tell our children, grand children and hopefully great grandchildren.

I learnt many things out of 9/11. From politics to economics to social standing.
But one of the greatest lessons I learned from this is that unexpected situations elevate you to another level of relationship that transcends time and space. Today I’m married to the same girl I once cried for.

I have no regrets. Period.

9/11 as Deb recalls…
September 11 will always remain significant for me. Not only did Terence’s ‘wake-up call’ jolt me out of sleep, watching the Twin Towers crumble left an indelible mark in my life. CNN has stopped replaying the scenes of the plane hitting the second tower, but images of that unfolding flash across my mind occasionally when I think about September 11.

It was the second day of my internship and we were sitting around a huge meeting table with hot coffee and donuts in for breakfast. Midway through the briefing, we were abruptly interrupted by an urgent request to switch on the TV. We huddled around the box and watched in disbelief. Some gasped, most were silent. “What is happening? Isn’t that our twin towers?” That was the signal when all of us rushed up to the rooftop to see daytime nightmare unfold.

While Brooklyn and the greater NYC is known for its perpetual echoes of sirens and honks, in that moment the city froze to an absolute silence. I often describe it as a silent movie unreeling – not a very pleasant one. I watched the second plane bulldoze into then second tower. The first tower was puffing with smoke and in a matter of seconds the plane was no longer seen leaving the two towers looking like smoking chimneys.

My eyes were fixed on the towers, my mind almost completely blank. While it was silence where I stood, I soon learned that in downtown Manhattan was a complete chaos. In what seem like hours of staring, soon turned into and immediate halt. My heart lodged within me as the unimaginable took place. The tower crumbled down like a sandcastle leaving a cloud of white shiny dust. In that moment I desperately hope that time would turn back because only until then did I realized what had just happened.

The days following 9/11 were a solemn affair. The once pulsating city was in the state of fear. People from all walks of life gathered to console each other; night watches were set up all across the harbour overlooking the fallen towers. People met up in small groups and prayed for hours. Amidst the despair, I felt connected to the people, to New York. Maybe that’s why till this day, NYC has an exclusive place in my heart.

The pictures following are images I've captured, some created and kept to remind me of that season and time in my life.


The World Trade Center prominent from where I was - Battery Park, downtown Manhattan.


Deciding whether or not to go up the World Trade Center for a skyline view of NYC


I'm glad I bought the ticket. This was taken up on the World Trade Center. The view was spectacular. This was approximately a week and a half before 9/11.


Memorials lined the harbour overlooking the fallen towers


God bless America


A page from my scrapbook, dedicated to 9/11. If you look closely the images on the page mirrors those you see on CNN.


Finally, the true heroes of 9/11. Their lives is a testament of courage, hope and strength.

Conquered Gunung Ledang!

9 ½ hours of climbing on rugged terrain merciless to our over stretched limbs. The trail had us weaving through dense forest and narrow paths. Gunung Ledang was more than we expected but it thrill to know that it wasn't a walk in the park. You'd see why… read on!

We started our hike at 7am from Ledang National Park. The initial few minutes into the trail consist of climbing up 600 over stairs. After about 15 mins of steep and narrow stairs, we got to Check Point (CP) 1, the first of 8 CP's.



The ascent gradually moved from cement to moist forest soil. The climb from then on was a endless uphill with no flat ground to catch a breather. The landscape was magnificent with towering trees and the gush of fresh air at every inhale. Fierce looking boulders greeted us along the path, so big at times I felt like an ant next to it.



The trail got even more exciting when we had to climb up ladders secured on tree roots propped onto massive boulders and vertical platforms. We climbed the ladders as if children would, on all fours fearing that if we lose grip we will fall 90 degrees backward. We wanted a challenge and we got it.



For the first time after countless hikes, I finally found a trail that literally required arm strength. Ladders were not enough to test our endurance, from CP5 onwards; our arms were really put to test. Some parts of the trail required us to hoist ourselves up with just a rope! I felt like Jane (from Tarzan) pulling and tugging at the rope.



The ultimate experience came when we had to pull ourselves up a 2-storey boulder at 45degree gradient. Every muscle and ounce of energy was needed to make this ascent. The guide later told us that many have turned back because they failed to make this part of the ascent. It must have been a waste to come so far just to stop at a fierce looking rock.



We continued along the trail moving out of the dense forest into rocky paths. At about 1130am after 4 ½ hours of climbing, the summit was finally a stone's throw away. We reached the peak at 1215pm with a shouted of victory! As a toast to our achievement, we opened a bottled of Gatorade and gulped it down. Food was next on the agenda. Starving by now, we quickly fired up a packet of Maggi Mee and emptied two cans of tuna into our mess can. Lunch was finished in less than 7 mins!



The view at the summit (I'm sure) would have been more spectacular if the clouds cleared a bit more. But we were the least disappointed as we had the entire summit to ourselves.



The Lord had granted us great weather throughout the morning and it so happened the clouds decided to blow in just as we were there. But we managed to catch glimpses of Malacca.



We begin our descent at 1245pm. We took a different trail down, this time much easier, less exciting and downhill all the way. The scenery also changed with great views of mountainous sights.



Midway into our descent, we were met with a heart stopping encounter. Our guide suddenly stopped in his track and immediately asked us to stop. We heard of rustling of leaves then silence. Hoping to inch closer to our guide for protection, he spun around and asked us to stop. The rustling started again, then we heard loud angry snorts, then loud charging steps. Unaware of where the sounds were coming from Terence and I froze, hands clutched together, heart pounding. The snorts got louder and the steps got fiercer. My mind was reeling with many thoughts – what do it do?! Headlines flashed before my very eyes "Hikers got mauled by wild boar". My eyes prancing left and right trying to locate the vicious animal. After minutes of crazy thoughts our guide shouted "Come!" we ran as fast as we could and trailed him within inches for the rest of the journey.

Pic courtesy of www.wildliferanger.com

Climbing Ledang was a priceless experience. It wasn't the summit that made it worthwhile but the journey (with it's ups and downs) that made it remarkable. Both Terence and I took back many life lessons while climbing the mountain.