A StarChild shares story of her climb up Kluang's Gunung Lambak

Hiking is a wonderful way to immerse yourself in nature. Photo: Freepik

Another day had dawned bringing with it new hopes and aspirations. I shot out of bed and ran to my mother’s room to wake her up.

“Wake up!” I shouted at my mother.

Mummy got up startled and mumbled, “Fine, I shall wake up Grandpa first. You start getting ready first.”

Thysha will always have fond memories of her hike up Kluang's Gunung Lambak.

I sped down the stairs to make sure all our gear was in place while running through a checklist in my mind. After a light breakfast, we were ready for our trek up Gunung Lambak in Kluang, Johor.

A ripple of excitement ran through me as we got nearer to the mountain.

We reached the mountain and jumped out of the jeep. I felt a sudden surge of energy in me as I walked alongside tall trees and bushes. We chatted gaily without a care in the world.

The forest is rich with wildlife and a paradise for bird watchers and nature lovers. We reached the halfway point within an hour. Usually, this used to be the spot where we would turn back and make our descent.

However, I wasn’t so tired that day so I coaxed my mother and grandpa into continuing on. It was the best decision I made for the trek beyond was wonderful and the forest was so much more pristine and unspoilt.

We saw giant millipedes, huge dew filled webs and pitcher plants. We also managed to catch a glimpse of some elusive monkeys. Every single step seemed like a new adventure. Even though it was nearly 10am, the jungle was still misty and cold but that did not deter me from enjoying the dewdrops on my hair and eyelashes.

Finally, we reached the peak. We could see the entire Kluang Town from high above. There was an iron pole erected, which I managed to climb and my mother took some awesome photos.

The trek down wasn’t as much fun. By the time I had reached the foot of the mountain, I was exhausted.

Once we reached home, we ate a hearty breakfast of pancakes and maple syrup to satiate our hunger. Finally, I felt the fatigue kicking in. I was definitely going to take a well deserved nap, while secretly planning my next hike up Gunung Lambak. – By Thysha Ramanand, 11.

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