FRIM Revisited

Its been a while since I last visited FRIM. I have a hiking trip today but my original plan was somewhere else. To make a long story short, the hiking trip went awry and suddenly I found myself back here again.


Curly woody climbers (liana) found along the rover track

Sounds like a bad day already? Not at all. I always get the good feeling when I am here, joking and chatting with office staffs, helping out my friend at the canopy, hiking into those familiar (yet looks different ever time) trails, giving advice to some lost “souls” (hiker, jogger), feed the Arapaima, … Not to mention meeting some interesting people along the way.


Kumi-san, second from the left

Firstly, Kumi-san and three of her friends. I was chilling with Jamie just outside the public relations office when they walk into the office, get some information regarding the trails, canopy, etc. Anyway as they are about to leave the office, one of them turned back to us, pointing at the “wow” spot on the map. I immediately volunteered to guide them there, since I was about to make my move to the canopy.

From our conversation, it's obvious that Kumi-san is a Japanese expatriate who works and lives in Malaysia. I am surprise that she actually sounds like a Malaysian when she speaks in English. I'm expecting some Japanese-English tone, Japlish but not Manglish, or whatever you might called it. I try my best to speak some simple Japanese, but it's proven again language is, you must speak frequently to really remember it. Two of her friends there were Malaysian/Singaporean, so to be exact there are only two Japanese. I guess you can tell who is who, by their appearance in the photo.

Note that Kumi-san and I are actually wearing the same pouch on our belly! Sugoii ne! Needless to say the whole journey went on well and I am expecting to see them soon. I remember I said douitashimashite twice as we bid farewell on the rover track (they are not going to the canopy). I almost bowed again!

Those trials in front of the ponds will eventually leads hiker back to rover track, at two different exit point. If you take on the second and longer trail you will exit in the further part of rover track, and that's where I spotted Siva and Laura after I left Kumi-san et al.


Laura on the canopy bridge

I am lucky because both of them don't speak in heavy English accents. Or rather, they fine-tuned a bit so that we chat well! At the canopy, Laura clearly enjoys being 30m above ground level, taking her own sweet time on the bridge. The wind is good and there are only six people up here so we could all relax and enjoy the quietness. If there are like 50 people in the queue, I will turn into unfriendly guide, ushering them to move forward, make ways for others!

Originally the canopy bridge are built for the scientist or researcher, who will spent their time studying, observing and recording flora or fauna on the tree tops. The whole 220m span looks rather fragile, hanging from tree to tree, as the twelve inches width wooden plank can only accommodate one person at a time. So its always one way traffic and you will have to keep your distance, say 3 meters away from the person in front of you. The idea is, you stop when the person in front of you stop. But when he/she jumps, please don't do so!


Siva, keeping her distance

I manage to take few shots of Laura enjoying the scenery, while chatting with Siva on the viewing platform, where we can rest, enjoying the city view, taking photos. I am really surprise to find out that Siva is a Hongkee-English mix, and speaks fairly good cantonise. That explains why she looks rather different, not totally blond and of course, her name! Given by here mother, she said SIVA means “remember China”. I am still trying to figure that out, as I dont know the real words for her name in cantonise.

Pardon me but it's a really special experience for me to speak cantonise to someone who looks totally English. Same shock that I get when some of my Malay friend speaks Mandarin/Chinese speak Tamil, vice versa. I just have to look at her mouth, making sure its not some sound from a machine or something. Sorry and thanks, Siva!


Tough guy Yazid

I manage to catch up some gossip with Yazid at the canopy hut. Apparently the canopy walkway will be closed down again for major renovation and repair works, much to my disappointment. Seems like the management did not fully utilize the festival break couples of month ago, knowing that canopy walkway is one of the main attraction for FRIM. I am really really lucky to be here today, else I have to wait for another couple of months. Hopefully they will speed up their works, and we'll have the canopy back again!