Lost in the early 2008

Almost 2 weeks, and a day in, of the two new years. Many things happened, nice and weird.

A glorious day for my running shoes after 16 months break

I started running, well, jogging again just before 2008. Initially 1 km, then 2, and now almost 3km. I started climbing again. First hill of Shahbandar, and down. Then, after reading chitty-chatty and the old man's blog, we thought to give Tasek Lama a try. Tasek Lama sounded gentler than Shahbandar to me.

We've been to Tasek on sundays this last three weeks. Hubby has gone uphill for the third time. In the last 2 sundays, I didn't get the chance. The daughter was always with me. This time she over-slept. So I took the opportunity to work extra hard.

Being fitter hubby legged it first, but waited at the top. "Just follow the track, it's a loop and you'll get back here in no time." Not a problem. It looked an easy path, I saw clearings on the opposite hills. The forest didn't look as dense as Shahbandar, wouldn't be scary to go alone I thought.

3 guys behind me, but I let them through after a while. I knew they were much fitter. I overheard one of them has just recently started his bid to lose weight. Ah, just like me. He was my marker. If he's not that fit, he'd not be far out in front. I didn't see anyone behind, so I needed to stay close to him. Not too close, or he'd think I was after him. Uphill we went and he reached the top. I was 10 metres behind. I stopped for a few second to take a breather. I moved on. "Now, where's that guy?" I asked myself. He was no where in sight. Must have been further in front. I ran it, keeping to the track. A little faster, still no one around. Hmm. I must have underestimated his fitness. Nevermind. I'll just keep on moving. I bumped into a family from the opposite direction. I felt a little relieve believing I would be close by to the starting point. Yet perhaps 5 minutes later, I was still nowhere close to that tree with the ladder. So close yet so far away, I began to wonder.

I walked further, but only to realize I was really 'lost'. At one clearing point I saw at the distant the beautiful SOAS mosque was far on my right rather than infront. I started to worry if I had gone off too far out into Subok. But I stayed on the track. If there's a track it'll bring me back to civilisation - helding onto the advice from Man vs Wild. I kept my bearing, I know Bandar Seri Begawan was on my left, should the track finishes. The track took me to a sub-station; I was afraid that will be it. I went around hoping there'd be a road in front. Lucky me, I found human sitting down and resting after a work out.

"Where am I? I came in from Tasek, I'm not in Kota Batu, am I?", I asked with the hope that I would be at least not far off Subok considering the short time I took. "No, you're not. You are in Sheraton. You can go back in and get back to Tasek, or go down hill and Sheraton is on your left hand side." I was so very relieved, I wasn't far after all. Still I needed to contact my husband who could have panicked and called for a search party. That would be embarrassing.

Ran downhill, asking the few people I saw if they had a handphone. None of them had. I went into Terrace Hotel, and saw a local lady infront of the lobby. Told her of my problem and asked to text my hubby for me. She looked weary and must have thought I was out to steal her handphone. Bless her. But she did text. Thank you once again, miss. Then off I ran-and-walked back to Tasek. I must have not been gone for long - no commotion, no search party.

Alhamdulillah.

We've been hearing how people could get lost trail-tracking in the woods. But it never occurred to me that I'd be one of them. We almost got lost in Shahbandar once, despite having been there for the umpteenth times. I guess I didn't learn from that experience. I dared myself with Tasek; the first hill was challenging but the clear path makes it less spooky than the first hill in Shahbandar, which was quieter and sandwiched between a ridge and dense forest. Shahbandar forever looks creepy to me.

I will still go there this sunday. Yes, Tasek. Only when I get fitter, I'd head back to my favourite 9 Shahbandar hills.

I just hope the Forestry Department will put up better signs up there (Shahbandar, Tasek, Berakas, etc) so we all, new and frequent, would know our paths and directions. It's forest, we CAN get confused. On a normal day, it may be easier to find our way out. But the weather is unpredictable these days. If you are lost, and it suddenly rains (heavily), God knows where you'd end up.

I also think that we should have emergency phones to contact the parks' office the least or to an emergency number. Anything can happen. You can get lost; you can sprain your ankle; you can get bitten by bees. Anything. Even Ryan Shay, elite runner, succumbed on a trial marathon run. Anything can just happen.

So, let's be prepared for ANY thing.