March 21st: Kampung Sekeping to Lake Kenyir – 64.8km
Day 159
In order to arrive in Sydney when it’s warm enough to climb, we really need to slow down. Since we are near Lake Kenyir, the largest man-made lake in Southeast Asia, we decided to take a detour. It would be a nice change to swim in crystal clear fresh water after spending the last month swimming in the ocean.
We started the day on a scenic road heading towards the mountains. The gentle ascent was quite enjoyable, with little garbage on the road or shoulders. For once, we could smell the aroma of the tropical forest. Before noon, we made a lunch stop at a local burger stall and had some spicy hamburgers, 2 RM for each. It’s quite surprising to find that burgers are common cheap food in Malaysia.
After a quick lunch, we were back on the road again. The temperature was actually pleasant but the afternoon sun was intense, and there was no shade along the road. The gentle uphills and downhills turned into a 10% ascent at the last 8km mark. I could feel myself melting, and the podcast I put on to distract myself from the heat phased out into a drone. Being the weaker link between the two of us myself, it was comforting to see Chopper had to stop to rest in the middle of the climb. A dip in the lake never sounded so tempting and with that in mind, we were motivated to finish the last few kilometers.
The accommodation options near the lake are quite pricey, but the good news is there are plenty of designated campsites, either along the roads or on the islands in the lake. We settled at a campsite near the Information Center, and quickly jumped into the lake without changing into our swimsuits.
The campsite has toilets, showers, and a kitchen area with electricity. The best part – it is free. We were the only campers there, even though it was a weekend night.
Before sunset, we saw a giant lizard sun bathing on the lawn and a wild pig scampering by. In the middle of the night we were awakened as a pack of wild pigs went on squealing, grunting, shrieking all night long. Chopper saw 9 or 10 of them doing their wild pig business, rooting around on the hillside for wild mushrooms, 10 meters from our campsite. We were in the jungle!
