Chapter 79 : Gunung Bunga Buah @ Genting Highland

The mountain stood before us, a silent sentinel against the pre-dawn sky. Gunung Bunga Buah. A name that whispered of gentleness, of something delicate and inviting. But names can be deceiving. 

That morning, the mountain was anything but kind.

The night’s rain had left its mark. The trail, once firm and familiar, had transformed into an unpredictable adversary...slick with mud, shifting underfoot, every step a battle. The air was thick with the scent of damp earth and our determination. 

It was around 12 km to and back. The first 30 minutes was a steep climb. It was muddy, slippery and no rest. Then came the tarmac, a gentle incline stretching for about 2.5 km.

We reached Checkpoint 1, and from there, it was a relentless up-and-down journey until Rock Garden.

I had pulled a muscle during warm-up. Every climb up, I felt my glutes muscle tearing. I wanted to stop, to turn back. But I took painkillers and soldiered through. 

If it wasn’t for the pain, I would have loved the track, the challenge, the rawness of it.

At Rock Garden, 1,227 meters up, I paused. The peak was close, so close I could taste the triumph. But the summit push would take another hour and a half, meaning we’d be descending in the dark. 

And that was not a risk we wanted to take. The trail was already treacherous enough. At 2:20 PM, we started our descent.

We did okay, but it was a roller coaster. The never-ending trail drained us, stealing our breath, testing our resolve. 

Siti had multiple falls, it was just that slippery. My trusty hiking sticks saved me more than once. Step by step, we made it through, finally emerging safe by 6:30 PM.

Despite it all, we loved the trail. We loved the challenge. And we can’t wait for Annapurna Base Camp in April. This might be the last long hike before we observe Ramadhan, but the mountains will wait. They always do.

Gunung Bunga Buah was really beautiful and i might come back..

When it is less muddy that is. 

#RealtorOnTrails