Irau Hiking Trip, 31st May- 1st June 2008

On 31st May 2008, 16 Sky Adventurers and 1 advisor embarked on the annual hiking trip up Gunung Irau. The trip lasted 2 days.
The hikers gathered as early as 5.45am on the first day at Taylor’s Business School. The reason for this unreasonably early meet-up was so that we could start our journey early to avoid traffic jam as it was currently the school holiday season. We departed at approximately 6.00am and arrived at Brinchang for breakfast at about 9.30am.
After making the usual report at the Brinchang police station to inform them of our trip (so that at least some form of authority would know if we did not return from our hike), we drove up the narrow path to the carpark at the foot of Gunung Irau.
Much to our disappointment, there was a sign at the carpark that says that the trail would be closed due to some construction work being done there. However, none of us would have it as we had looked forward to the trip and had sacrificed precious beauty sleep hours to be there. So, we barged in anyway, with backpacks intact and spirits ablaze.
It was not even 20 minutes into the hike when we were stopped short by a group of construction workers who were laying the foundation of a wooden walkway right in the middle of our way. When asked if we could proceed, they said that the walkway would obstruct our path and tomorrow, there will definitely be no path as there will be more foundation set up. We had no choice but to turn back and regroup at the carpark.
Still, some of us did not want to let go. Hippo, Gorilla, Elephant and Kayu went in once again with the club’s parang in hopes of discovering a new trail so that we can make our way around the construction area. And lo and behold, discover a new trail they did! At exactly 12.45pm, we entered the forest for the second time that day.
The 17 hikers slowly separated into more or less 2 groups during the hike up, which sometimes broke into a further 3 and back into 2. Along the way, rain poured for about half and hour and made conditions muddier for us. The first team reached the peak of Gunung Irau at 4.50pm in a fantastic 3 hour- and- 40 minute record. After scrubbing ourselves with baby wipes and changing into clean clothes, we scrambled into our tents as the rain came again. Preparations for our dinner began at 7.00pm when the rain stopped. Everyone gathered around the warm pot filled with sausages, assorted balls and other steamboat delicacies. Never had a simple steamboat dinner been more delicious than at the top of the icy cold Gunung Irau. After satisfying our groaning tummies, we settled in for the night to rest our tired bodies.
We woke up at about 7.00am the next day and had another wonderful meal. Our humble breakfast of bread with tuna or blueberry jam together with Campbell soup was almost like an exquisite cuisine. After packing up and taking some photos, we bid farewell to the peak at 9.30am and started our hike back down. The trip down took 3 different teams and the last arrived at about 2.00pm. After another bout of hard scrubbing and changing into clean clothes, we left for a much-awaited lunch at Brinchang’s KFC.
The hiking trip ended after that with some of us adjourning to buy strawberries and other Cameron Highland products, while the rest drove back to KL.