The Conquest of Bukit Pantu (Part 2)

On August 14th, my family brought me for a hiking trip with their friends. This is the second trip for us except for Ben. It was a very tiring trip, but one of the best I ever enjoyed. I was very excited before the trip because I had fun on the first one a week ago.


My cousins and I showing off our new real hiking shoes from Bata before we started the hike (Photo by Aunty Sara)

When we started, I was still ok. But when we went deeper into the jungle, I got very tired because I wanted to sit down. I did not dare to sit because I saw ants everywhere. Some were very big and some looked like those you can find around the house. I borrowed Aunty Sara’s hiking stick to lean on. We also saw some leeches along the way. Luckily I didn’t get bitten.


So tired I couldn’t stand straight or smile (Photo by Aunty Sara)

Before I dropped the cakes (Uncle Zang took this photo)

When we reached the hut, we were so happy. Everyone was laughing and talking but after awhile, everyone became quiet to rest. Nana brought some cakes (not the ones with cream around it) that my Aunty Alice had made and put them beside me. When Aunty Sara suddenly laughed, I accidentally pushed the box to the floor. All the cakes fell out. I helped Nana pick them off the floor. We wiped and blew the sand away before putting them back in the box.

I felt bad for dropping the cakes, but my daddy was the first to eat the cake to show that it was safe. When he swallowed, some of us also took the cake because we were very hungry. We finished the cakes and no one had stomach ache. This means that the jungle is clean. If this happened anywhere else, my mommy will never allow us to eat anything that has fallen to the ground!

After the rest, we kept walking and I was in front of the group with Ben and Uncle Zang. Right before we reached Bukit Pantu, there was a wall of rocks that Aunty Sara said we had to go up to reach the top. I was very excited because it looked like the movies. It looked very difficult but going up that hill was not as difficult as coming down.

I really had a good time that day. I wish my friends from school can come but mommy says only if their mommys and daddys come along. I will tell my friends and teachers at school what a fun hobby it is to go hiking at Lambir! Maybe next time, they can come along.

Kendrick Tho wrote this article with a little bit of help from his mommy