Jungle Trekking
There are many
options for overland journeys in Taman Negara. But for any of these
treks, it is important that you are physically fit and well equipped
in every way.
Your tent. Tents with aluminium poles, built-in floor,
zippered insect screens and separate fly-sheet are of course excellent
for camping out; but they
are expensive and often rather heavy.
A 2M x 3M plastic sheet pulled taut across a tight rope
between poles or trees is a cheap alternative for two poles, and requires
little or no cutting of vegetation. Ponchos spread
underneath serve as a groundsheet.
The kind of camp-beds that require cutting of poles
to support them are not permitted in Taman Negara; but a string hammock
suspended between two trees, with fly-sheet strung up above, is excellent
in the lowlands ( though a bit chilly in the mountains).
Your bedding. In the lowland forest it is cool enough
at night for a cotton blanket. In the mountains you will need a woollen
blanket or a proper sleeping bag.
Your haversack. A cheap rucksack is not worth the risk
on a long trek. More expensive rucksacks have a strong rectangular
frame ( internal or external ), tough waterproof cloth, padded shoulder
straps and a waist belt; and they are comfortable even heavily loaded.
If you don¡¯t wish to buy one try to borrow or hire one.
Your cooking equipment. Army-type mess tins save weight
because you can both cook in them and eat out of them. If you are
in a group, organise communal cooking-one large pot for rice or water,
and a medium pot for¡° lauk ¡° ( dishes ).
By far the best all-round
heat source is army-type solid fuel tablets and the simple
folding stove that comes with them:
safe, light-weight, efficient, economical, and even usable
inside a tent if necessary.
Your footwear. Jogging shoes with cushioned soles are
excellent; jungle boots are
fine as long as they fit comfortably; leather boots give good
support, but soon get sodden and awfully heavy in the rain forest. Beware of using new shoes-they should
be well ¡° broken-in¡± before
you set off on your trek.
As spare footwear, flip-flops ( thongs) are fine around
the camp and will get you home in an emergency.
Your clothing. Shirt and long trousers of loose-fitting
cotton. Non-chafing underwear. Leech
socks. One spare set of clothes to keep dry and
wear at night. A wollen sweater
and a windproof
jacket if you are going to Gunung Tahan. A sarong for changing,
and for an emergency bandage
/ sling.
If you wash your sweaty clothes at night, and
put them on damp in the morning ( they will soon be sodden
with sweat anyway ), then at least you
start the day smelling sweat !
Your food. As with everything else, minimize weight
! Rice isn¡¯t light, but at least it is filling. Dehydrated packet
soups can be used in conjunction with canned food or to fill out meals
of instant noodles. Ikan bilis
and raw peanuts
are nutritious and tasty, and
easily fried in a little oil.
You may like to carry some fresh ingredients-onions,
garlic, long beans, even eggs ( wrapped in paper and carried in a
mess-tin ). A breakfast of
muesli-made from rolled oats, assorted nuts and dried fruit, ¡° Horlick¡±,
glucose powder and milk powder ( just add water, hot
or cold ), gives you a good flow of energy
through the day.
A biscuit snack and a guzzle of water should suffice
in the middle of the
day. At night, caffeine-free drinks like ¡° Milo¡±
may help get your weary body to
sleep.
To minimize weight, all food should be
measured out in advance, allowing one extra day¡¯s rations.
A convenient way to carry
many foodstuffs is in
double plastic bags tied with string. Your water. Any sort of strong
screw-top container ( 750 ml
or 1 litter ) will do for a personal water bottle. In addition
a 5-litre container is useful when your camp is away from a stream.
On most walks in Taman Negara it is not necessary to
carry water as many small
streams will be crossed. But if you have a day on a ridge ahead of
you ( e.g. Day two to Gunung Tahan ) try
the camel approach ¨C if you fill yourself right up at the start
you will need to drink a lot less along the way.
If you begin to suffer headaches or nausea, try taking
a little salt when you drink, to replace body salts lost when you
sweat.
Your rubbish. In National Parks all over the world nowadays,
trekkers are asked to
bring back all of their unburnable rubbish to Park Headquarters. For
a Gunung Tahan trek ( 8 days ) on average this is less than 200gm
per person ! Empty cans can be washed and bashed flat to take
up minimum room in your rucksack.
There should be no need to bring any glass on a jungle trek !
See more for Your
Checklist, Food
Suggestion and Survival
Guide
