Guard of honour

I was on my way to Gua Kelam, or Cave of Darkness. It is less than 30km or about 20 minutes driving distance from Kangar. The driving experience along the way was not bad as the traffic was little especially upon reaching the Cave. I should thank to this little traffic that the road condition is still in excellent condition after couples of years. I could even slow down my car for a few pictures through the windscreen while driving.

All paddy fields were replaced by rubber plantations in the setting.These rubber trees were ordered to stand straight and still in neat line up like a guard of honour saluting me.

To many of our children rubber trees are only planted in text books. The text books taught them that the cups on the trees are for collecting latex. But text books are limited right in the way that our urban children do not know how to hug or appreciate the trees.

Trekking in rubber plantation should not be an enjoyable experience and I had not done before. My aunt was a rubber tapper and she met snake Cobra quite often.

Scenery at countryside is refreshing. On the way back to Kangar, I "frozen the moment" using my camera before I proceeded to the next second. The two mountains, they must have names that I have never known, appeared in such a fantastic pose for a good introduction to the world: Hey! Perlis is a beautiful state.

Trial and Error on Loneliness

As I wandered around further, both "Kampong" (or villages) and paddy fields continued to alternate with each other. The view was kind of stagnant, but this should not be my philosophy. Things would be different when I changed my perspective from macro to micro or vice verse.

Not too far away from the site of animals' gathering, I discovered a small wonder which in fact had been in my mind earlier.

I took this trial shot. It was not per my plan. My intention was to let the tree looked very lonely to the extreme. I assumed only then people would have felt it.

I moved the tree further back to enhance the impact. It was not as great by a amateur. There were more what if's to be answered.

I tried to remove most of the colour. The final result is not my ultimate aim, anyhow.

What I intended to tell is this little Kangar is full of fun under my camera.

(Be it far apart or close to each other, the sense of loneliness will be there in the absence of all the care).

The Discussion Between Animals

I had been to Kangar for many times, detailed exploration to its perimeter is still yet to begin. In the mind of everybody who I know is either unknown or worthless to visit to this small place. I did not have the right to disregard the beauty of mother nature, I was here just for the intention of lifting up her face mask.

In fact on the way I was driving from Butterworth to Kangar, I noticed that harvest season is right over. The remaining of paddy stalks were left rooted on the cracked piece of land waiting for hot sun to dry them up. Some of them had already been burnt as a way to be recycled as fertiliser. The feeling on what I had seen was somehow different, I was expecting something wonderful.

And then I spent sometimes strolling around. The story begins.

On one of the wide stretched paddy fields I spotted a cow. Yes, a cow should not really stimulate me so much, but with the tall stony mountain at the back and a tiny cow in the middle of a flat piece of paddy field, it should be a great view to reflect the loneliness of the cow and the impact of my picture must be sensible.

I clicked, I zoomed in and out. On my view finder, then I discovered there was a white image beside the cow. I thought it was just an ordinary white piece of plastic water pipe initially. Yet it moved. It was fun and interesting to see a bird out there.

These two animals seemed to have some discussions. The bird kept waving its head while it was talking, the cow listened carefully. I observed for a couple of minutes, bird chaired the discussion and did most of the talking.

The cow might get some points and started thinking. Pondering upon the issues with the head being supported by the dried muddy land, as what we do when we place our chin on our hand. The problem might be very serious. The birdie began to walk back and forth. Its silent friend did not seem to offer any help, it was too hungry in the midst of a lengthy meeting, it started eating.

The discussion continued for more than ten minutes. There was still no conclusion made. This was the most difficult part of a meeting when everybody just keeps mum, pretends knowing nothing and throws the ball back to the chairman for the decision.

The ball was now on the hand of the birdie. I could not help. It might get frightened and flew away if I went near. Then the problem would be dragged further without a solution. Situation always turn complicated when third party who thinks he know the most get involved.

I decided to leave them alone and continued MyJourney.

When I looked back, poor birdie was still walking back and forth....

Kangar, a small town in north Peninsular Malaysia

I am back to my "office" now after having charged up during the two days stay at Kangar.

I woke up at 6am these two mornings for the jogging as well as wandering sessions, I had to "restore" the usual me by now. I had been sleeping or waking up late this few days, and it is a norm for everyone of us to keep eating and eating during Chinese New Year.

It was an hour of hard work this morning, yet the breezy morning that changed from the initially dark, dim and finally to bright was really enjoyable. There was a mountain beside me and with paddy fields spread in between.

I did not manage to locate a good angle to snap the big-orange sun, anyhow it was good to have it to kick off the day. The popping up morning sun is always soft and gentle, and somehow I had my own theory that man should have discovered the sun is in a round shape only when they woke up early in the morning.

(Early birds have worms for their breakfast, and, for a man, he get to discover a new theory).

I was gifted with a good mountain view when Mother Nature had the morning sunshines pouring on it. I just needed to perform a simple click to have “the mountain in flame” been shared with you.

I returned the next morning for the original view of the mountain. It was very much simpler compared to the tempting look in yesterday, but both are beautiful.

This marks the start of my stories I had in Kangar which I have promised earlier. In fact, I acquired some new experiences that I was not able to have at my Cerok Tokun.

I shall share these later.

make-up of trees

I must agree that trees behave like human. They have their own thinking and like.

I have another discovery to prove my point when I browsed through my hard disk, the man- made accessory which let human brain to have excuse to forget something.

You see, this is the benefit and fun to go jungle trekking.

Trees needed decoration as well to make them beautiful. Before went to party in the windy evening, they somehow got themselves dress up. Though to us the gowns were not as colourful as what the celebrities were having, but to the world of trees, the gowns were surely similar to that belonged to Cinderella.

The only difference is after the clock had struck twelve, the gowns would never disappear.