Geography Trip to Gua Kandu, Perak

When they said that we were visiting a cave, we weren't expecting to be climbing, crawling and clutching onto ropes, hanging on for dear life.

Unfortunately, that was exactly what happened.

Gua Kandu

HELLO AND GREETINGS, LOUBRITRI READERS!

It is us again, and we're back with another adventure story, this time, of our unforgettable experience at Gua Kandu, Gopeng, Perak.

This year, the geography department of our school decided: "What better way to make the students learn about limestones and caves than to visit one themselves?" So a trip was organised for all the Year 8 students that would be carried out on the 2nd of September. 

Originally, it was planned to be a day trip to Gua Tempurung, a cave located in Gopeng, Kampar District, Perak.  It is popular among spelunkers, or cave enthusiasts. Being more than 3 km long, it is one of the longest caves in Peninsula Malaysia! Part of it has been developed as a show cave with electric lighting and walkways, so we thought: "This is going to be SOOO chill because there are nice walkways for us to follow."

Gua Tempurung (image from Google)

But OH HO HO HO how wrong we were, because we didn't go to the nice, beautifully well-lit Gua Tempurung, but to the muddy, dust filled Gua Kandu. 

"Why the sudden change?" you might ask. 

Well, unfortunately Gua Tempurung had to be temporarily closed down for construction work so we had no choice but to switch locations. We were excited nonetheless and couldn't wait for the day to come. So to Gua Kandu we went!

Random scenery

On the 2nd of September, all the students of Year 8 arrived early to school as we had to board the bus early to reach our destination in time before they closed the entrance. (You can't enter after 11 a.m, we were told) We lined up according to our groups, ranging from groups 1 to 10. LouBriTri was in no luck that day as we were not placed in the same groups. Nonetheless, we had classmates and friends from our respective groups and still had an amazing time. Some of us even managed to make some new friends and get acquainted with new people, which was quite surprising as we lack greatly in the socialising department.

(Bridget fooling around)

The long 2 and a half hour bus journey to Perak was filled with laughter and entertainment. Whether it was prodding our friends while they were sleeping or sharing chips with the entire bus, it was full of fun :) There were televisions in some of the buses, so movies were played to keep us entertained. (Though, about 60% of the people were sleeping in the bus :D)

As the clock ticked 10.30, we had arrived at our destination. With that, we descended off the bus and got ready to enter the cave. Bags were arranged, bread was consumed, torches were taken out and a wild chatter brewed.

Taking one last sip of water, we headed on our journey to the cave. Little did we know, we would be extremely dehydrated during our climb and not have any liquids with us as we weren't allowed to carry our own water bottles in (-_-)

The cave itself?
All I can say is: be ready to step in mud, get cave dust everywhere and scratch yourself on rocks, because BOY THAT PLACE IS EXTREME. (unfortunately LouBriTri did not bring their cameras in to film the INTENSITY and the EXTREMENESS of the cave)
*cough* *cough* we, LouBriTri, are not really athletic people so *cough* *cough* It was indeed an INTENSE and EXTREME 4-HOUR experience for us. Yup... 

During our little adventure in the cave, we had to look down on the ground so we didn't slip, while looking on top of our heads so we wouldn't bang our skulls on low rocks. Mind you, it wasn't an easy task because we had only one torch in hand (per person) in a completely dark place, so a choice had to be made as to where the light should be shone (Bridget didn't even have a torch so you can imagine what she got herself into)

WORD OF ADVICE: If you ever visit, Gua Kandu: BEWARE OF MUD PUDDLES. Not only do they make your shoes a mess, but they can potentially make you slip and we don't want any concussions happening in there.

Some parts were this low (image from Google)

Doesn't look hard but man, it was (image from Google)

There were even some parts of the cave where we had to climb a few metres down or up with the help of ropes. To be honest, it was quite scary. Especially so when the rangers told you that you could break a few bones if you put your foot on the wrong rock which could cause you to fall and hit the cold, hard ground.(Talk about pressure.) The climbs definitely weren't easy but it made you feel a sense of accomplishment once you reached the ground because hey, you didn't break any bones. :D

Because there were so many people (240 over students, if we remember accurately) that had to climb through the cave, it took very long for everyone to finish, especially because each course had to be done one by one. In addition, we had to wait for the people at the back to finish before we could move on. At one point, groups 8, 9 and 10 had to wait at one spot for about 30 minutes because everyone else hadn't caught up yet and there were no rangers in sight to guide us where we had to go next.

At about  3 in the afternoon, we finally saw sunlight after having spent 4 hours in darkness. Ahhh the complete feeling of bliss.

I think at that point, half of us were half dead and feeling like zombies because: 1) Tiredness 2) Thirst 3) Hunger.

Ultimately, reaching the exit of the cave became our only goal and lunch became our prize.

Bri exploring the surroundings

The highway on the journey back

All in all, even though it was tiring and frustrating at times, it was an incredible experience  that we couldn't have had a chance to try if the school hadn't decided to bring us there. (Because let's be honest, no one would go climb a cave unless someone forced you to.)

We are sure none of us would forget this trip any time soon and the memories of having to climb up and down rocks will remain for a long time to come.

Amazing experience?
LOU:Yes! Apart from almost falling and slipping a few times, everything was great.
BRI: Of course!
TRI: Well... 'amazing' would be a understatement. Maybe amazingly frustrating or frustratingly amazing...?

Would I ever do it again? 

LOU: Sure, I mean why not? This time maybe with water prepared though. Definitely don't want to go through that feeling of dehydration again.
BRI: Definitely! I would like to try out another cave with more of a challenge.
TRI: Maybe in another life. Otherwise, I think my answer is a definite 'no'.

Conclusion: Bri and Tri are exact opposites.

As the sun descended down the skyline, we headed back to school. And soon enough, each and every one of us were back in our homes.

The next day of school was filled with buzzing about the trip and how each of us thought about it. And most importantly, how much our bodies ached after the strenuous exercise. Needless to say, we weren't very energetic that day. We're pretty sure three quarters of the our grade had become zombies. :/

Well it seems that is all for our little adventure in Gua Kandu, Perak. We hope you had a fun time reading this post and we'll be back soon! Farewell for now!

xxLouBriTri

Little Summer Vacation-Korea (Part 2)

LITTLE SUMMER VACATION

PART 2 : VACATION IN KOREA

LOU

BEFORE YOU READ ANY FURTHER:

Hey! I hope you have come to read this post after having had a look at Tri's compelling and engrossing account of her adventure in England over the last "summer" vacation! Because if you haven't,  make sure you do that before you proceed. (Believe me, that gal makes everything seem exceptionally interesting huehue)

But if you've already enjoyed the adventure in England, welcome to Part 2: Vacation in Korea!

WOOHOO LET'S START OVER

Good day, hello and annyeong haseyo.

So over the past holidays, I had the chance to go on a trip to the magnificent country of Korea with my mom, brother, aunt, uncle, two cousins and my grandma. What a big bunch of people, right? But to answer the obvious, I definitely had tons of fun there and so I'm going to share some of my experiences in Korea with you guys here! So here go the highlights of my 7 day vacation in Korea:

Highlight #1: Where should you stay while in Korea?

Let's be real. Who goes to Korea and DOESN'T go to Seoul? Considering it is the capital of Korea and possibly the busiest city in the country, filled with shops to 'donate' your money to, restaurants to fill up your tummy and attractions to feast your eyes upon, I can't see why you would not want to stay in Seoul. I mean, staying in the country side is just fine but trees and plantations could get rather boring after some time. (Sorry trees, I love you)

Though the prices may be higher if staying in Seoul, it would be much more convenient to get to your desired location as most attractions would not be too far off from  the city centre. So for me, I stayed at a hotel called New Kukje Hotel that was located somewhere near Myeongdong. Rooms were as good as they could get and yes, for all those who cannot live without it,there is wifi. (I'll talk more about the wifi situation in Korea later on) Also there are sometimes mini markets near or on the ground floor of hotels, so looking for hotels with mini markets is always useful if you are in need of food in the middle of the night.

Highlight #2: Shopping streets/districts?

We all know there is an abundance of shopping streets in Korea. Maybe you've heard of some of them? Myeongdong, Insadong, Dongdaemun, Itaewon, Ewha and Hongdae? There are so many of them that the names can get you tremendously mixed up and possibly make you question,"Oh waaait, what's that place called again?" Yup, definitely happened to me a couple of times.

But if you are visiting Korea one day, make sure to take a day or two to walk around these shopping districts, as you'll absolutely find something you like. And with lower and bargainable prices too.

Though, be informed that not all shop owners (if you're going to places with non-branded shops) speak perfect English as it is not their first language and if you're shopping for clothes in these such places, you have to know that they will not let you try the clothes on. It's not because you're a foreigner though, it's just a general rule, I guess, that they have. It's almost like a gamble. Kinda. "WILL IT FIT OR WILL IT NOT!"

Gwanghwamun

Namdaemun

Myeongdong

Insadong

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Highlight #3: Other places you might want to visit

To be honest, I spent merely seven days there, (without a tour guide) so I would not know ALL the places you should go to. (Google could probably help you with that.) But these are some of the other places that I think you would want to take a look at:

1. Gyeongbokgung Palace

Yes, the palace is indeed a magnificent place where you could observe the mind boggling infrastructure of the ancient royal palace. Inside, you will be able to learn about the history of Korea, for it serves as a National Palace Museum and National Folk Museum of Korea.

Gyeongbokgung Palace from the outside

Gyeongbokgung Palace from afar

Tip: Make sure to go there at the correct time scheduled to watch the guard changing ceremony! It's something you would not want to miss.

Also, during the guard changing ceremony, they use an announcing system thing to narrate the steps of the guards changing their position. I may have laughed slightly too much about how the English announcer spoke. Sorry to say, but the voice was so monotonous and bored sounding I kinda just died a little huehuehue

The guard changing ceremony

2. Busan

Busan is the second largest city in Korea and it would be a waste not to see how it is like over there. You could spend a day or two there, like I did. If you're staying in Seoul, the easiest way to get there would be to buy KTX Train tickets there. Once you arrive, EXPLORE TO YOUR HEART'S CONTENT!

(My uncle wanted us to go inside a place where they sold only fish and sea creatures and stuff. Let's just say the smell was so 'pleasant' that the rest of us just backed away slowly and continued walking in the other direction)

Busan Train Station

View of the sea in Busan

3. Seoul Tower/ Busan Tower

Make a trip up either one of the towers and enjoy the breathtaking view over the city skyline. Get ready with your camera!

So at the top of Busan Tower, there's this curved wall where people write stuff on. Ahh all the heart shapes and 'name A ' plus 'name B' messages I saw.

Busan Tower

The breathtaking view from the top of Busan Tower

Messages left by tourists on wall

4. Lotte World/ Everland

Do you like thrilling, scream inducing roller coaster rides? Then these amusement parks are just for you! Gosh. I sound like a sales person. But yes these places are great fun so I suggest you spend 1 day, or at least half the day there to fully enjoy the experience. 
Lotte World was almost a bitter-sweet experience for me because I had to go with my 5 year old cousin who couldn't go on most of the rides because of her height. And we also watched like 2 or 3 plays/ theatre things that involved robotic animals on stage. It was all in Korean though, so I actually have no idea why we watched them. Oh well, my cousin wanted to. Oh and my grandma fell asleep during one of the plays too.

So yup, you guessed it, mostly slow, 'family rated' rides for me. (Well it wasn't that bad since I had an excuse not to give myself a heart attack by going on extreme roller coasters with my brother. *cough*)

Lotte Castle

 

Band performing in Lotte World

 

 Lotte World interior

 

Highlight #4: Tips for Travellers

1) If you are travelling without a tour guide, I suggest you do some reading up before hand. Knowing where you plan to go is always a good thing.

2) Use the public train and/or bus service! They are so convenient, and the train system maps out to every place possible. Speaking about that, it would be much easier if you would just get the train/ bus cards (T-money cards, they are called) so you can just beep in and beep out when you ride the train/bus. You can get these from the machines in train stations.

3) Don't bother getting portable hot spots or anything. There's free wifi everywhere so it almost seems like a waste of money.

4) Don't be surprised about senior citizens in train stations pushing you around. They are some fierce creatures.

5) Don't worry, everything in Seoul is written in both Korean and English so you will face no problems reading signs and such. (Hopefully)

6) Some (SOME not ALL) taxi drivers can be quite reckless, so be prepared for some hard swerves and abrupt halts. (but then again it's like that in all countries I think)

7) Get to know some simple Korean phrases and words. It could be useful. Plus most local people like it even if you just greet them or thank them in their native tongue.

8) Don't get surprised if you see a lot of the word "Lotte" around. Lotteria, a fast food chain, Lotte World, an amusement park, Lotte Mart, a supermarket and Lotte Department Store. They are everywhereeee

So yes, that is about it. Whoops sorry for a very long post, but I hope you enjoyed the read.

Unfortunately, unlike Trin, I did not meet any famous celebrities. Sigh. #ahemwhatwasIexpecting

Either way, it was an unforgettable experience to me and if you ever go to Korea too, I hope you will feel the same.

But to be completely honest, the thing that I cannot forget would be the pain of the soles of my feet after a long day of walking. With an average walking time of 8 hours a day, I have no idea how I survived. Definitely lost a few calories though. Actually probably much more than just a few.

To end this, here are some additional photos that I took during the span of 7 days.

 

Next, Bri will be talking about her holiday in Gopeng. Look out for the third and last part of the Little Summer Vacation series.