Picnic at Gunung Ledang, Tangkak

Gunung Ledang used to be known as Mount Ophir.

I brought the kids there today to have a splashy cool fun day. I remembered when I was a kid, to have a picni at Gunung Ledang is really a big treat and a big thing. We didn't have a car back then. So usually when there were any rombongan or many of my dad's friend who asked us to join them, then we'd go. Going to Gunung Ledang would mean sleepless night the night before and my mum would cook her rolling eyes nasi lemak with sambal udang. I would have knots in the butterfly, too excited.

When I was a teenage I joined camping groups and camped there. I remembered going with a belia group. There were a few chinese guys from hulu mana entah who speak very little malay and some Indian girls pun dari estet mana who speak Malay quite well despite heavy accent. They were the best groups I have been with. Serious! I am not saying this afraid of my blog would be banned or something. We really learned a lot from one another. Every morning I would watch the Indian girl with her face washing routine that she claimed would keep acne away. She has clear skin. I think most of is turmeric powder. I don't know. It made her face yellow. She only eats and drink in her stainless steel plates and cups.

The chinese guys were chefs in some cruise boat. They cooked the best camping food I have ever had. I remembered they worked on some bamboos (was it?) and made us long chopstick for cooking.

I think I tried teaching them malay and sang dikir barat for our final show.

I have scaled Gunung Ledang only once all the way from Asahan to Sagil. One of the toughest mountains in Malaysia, I must say. Not that I have scaled many though. Just a few to tell tales. But I took this photo. Can you read it? ANyway it says it is the 64th highest in Malaysia and the sixth toughest mountain to climb. Too bad it didn't tell you the height of it. Google if you want.

Anyway, my kids had it easier. Now we can go to Gunung Ledang even at the spur of the moment like what we did today. The car journey which would take one hour and a half took us perhaps 40 minutes now that there are better roads, and I didn't have to cook nasi lemak. (I know OLAB did. he he). I bought KFC. (To Aliya, mesyet potete in Tangkak is quite good).

The legend about Gunung Ledang as probably some of you know is the Princess of Gunung Ledang who sometime go around as an old haggard, nenek kebayan. I heard so many stories about people meeting with them, either to face doom or to be granted with good things. When I was a young kid they told me not to use bad words here. Not to do any sinful things either...at that time it only meant no snogging. I heard countless stories of young couples dead, trees fall on their tent, lightning strikes. Basically do not tarnish this place. I don't know.

One time when I was scaling down, I met an old man. He looks so so, how shall I say it, like lights emitting from his face. There were many young men with him looking like pendekars. I remembered going down first but met them at the bottom. They got there earlier looking like they only had a 10 minutes walk, while I looked like my cheeks were drooping. They must know some very very short cuts.

Anyway, the kids had a great time. I didn't go up high though. One old man. One fidgety woman (me) three children...I think our spot was good enough. I remembered refusing to stop there when I was younger.

The water was great. Brrrrrrrrrr. The place still good. there are chalets now. People still litter.

We had a great time.

Pictures HERE