My Solo Hike

Dear Diary,

I made it alone. The solo drive from JB to Tangkak, the solo hike of Gunung Datuk and the solo drive from Tangkak to Tioman. I made it all alone and it was quite an accomplishment for me. I have never done anything like this alone. I have driven alone from Subang Jaya to Tangkak but I supposed that was natural. Many others would do that too but this time, it was different. I felt a great sense of achievement and I knew I can do it again.

The climb of Gunung Datuk was smooth. There were many hikers and I did not feel alone although I was alone. I ended up climbing with one guy that I met during the hike. He was old and over friendly. He tried to make me feel so comfortable that I got annoyed with him. I honestly felt like kicking him, perhaps watched him rolled down the mountain while munching on my snicker chocolate bar laughing hysterically. That man is one cheeky old man. I swear. 

I took 1 hour and 45 minutes to reach the summit and I can see how I improved so much. This is the second time I climbed the mountain. I took more than 3 hours the first time I climbed it. That was 7 years ago. I did a night hike that time with 3 other climbers. It was fun and more challenging. But this time round I must say that it is even more challenging as I was alone and I only had strangers climbing with me. 

When I reached the summit, it was raining and I was shivering. I did not have any jacket or windbreaker. I did not think it was going to rain. The wind was blowing strongly and when you are up at the summit of a mountain, you have nothing to block the wind so you will feel cold without any extra layers of clothes. I wanted to stay longer up at the summit but I had to go down as I was getting cold. I know how much longer I could take and at that time, I knew if I stayed longer I could have gotten hypothermia. I decided to climb down as fast as I could.

Climbing down was a breeze except that I really wanted to pee and there was not any suitable site that I could do it. Gunung datuk is a steep mountain and the only track that is most comfortable to stand without sliding down is at the track. I cannot be answering nature call in the middle of the track with my pants down. I tried to hold it but it got worst as every step I took going down hurt my bladder. I could feel that the water in my bladder is screaming to get out. It was either I waited and suffer or I let it go regardless of where and how. I had to do it, I knew I was desperate to pee. I came to a spot where I sat on the roots of the trees, without taking off my pants I simply peed. I was alone and I made sure that I would be alone for a good 15 minutes at least. That was the plan. I knew I had to do it but leaving the pants on was a cover up in case some other climbers bumped into me. 

Don’t think that was gross Diary. Desperate times call for desperate measures. That is how you survive in the jungle, in fact, anywhere else. You got to think to solve. Anyway, it was raining on my way down so I knew the rain would have wash the urine off my pants by the time I reached the bottom of the mountain. I was already dirty and sweaty, I did not really care what others would think of how I smell because I knew they could not do any better too.  

I reached the foot of the mountain in 45 minutes and I headed straight to the toilet, wash myself with the icy cold water with my clothes on. I felt as if I was going through some cleansing ritual or something. I bought myself a delicious ramlee burger and a cup of hot coffee. Went to my car and drove back to Tangkak. That is how I did it Diary, my way, my style and I loved it. The next day, I drove to Tioman and it was another chapter of experiencing adventure alone. I will tell you about it soon!!