Niah Nas Park 51
First thing in the morning was laundry time and, while doing so, the camp lost power,
resulting in no water. But, thank goodness, an outside tap still spewed water. So, I
rinsed the clothes and set off along the Bukit Kasut Trail.
At first, the going was pleasurable. The trail stuck relatively close to the river and
through a peat swamp forest, making the walk soggy but easy-going. I encountered
plenty of wild orchids and bizarre mushrooms. Upon reaching the foot of Bukit Kasur, a
long wooden staircase led up the mountain. Afterwards came a steep scramble to the
top.
The rain started bucketing down, and it took swinging like a monkey, from branch to
branch in the slippery and wet conditions, not to tumble down the mountain.
Unfortunately, in trying to find a secure handhold to pull myself up and over the
slippery rocks, I, not once but twice, got bitten by a spider. (At least they weren't
poisonous, as you can tell by this report.)
Close to the top were more ladders making the going slightly more manageable and
the last stretch to the top came with a rope to which one could cling. The top was
rumoured to come with beautiful vistas. Still, with the rain, one couldn't see a thing. I
quickly but carefully returned via the slippery path (mainly on my ass) as it could be
weeks or months before someone visited the area.
Niah National Park - Miri - 85km
With nearly all activities in the park done and dusted, I proceeded towards Miri. The
day started promising, but soon the relentless heat returned. Mercifully, a slight
tailwind assisted me in the last section of the route which ran flush along the coast.
Upon reaching the oil-rich city of Miri, I was surprised and even a bit taken aback by
how modern the city was. The colossal mansions and modern high-rise buildings were
in stark contrast to the rest of Sarawak. I headed straight to the old part, where it felt
more authentic.