Salt Trail, Ulu Papar - A beauty that might soon be underwater

Who in the right mind would sign-up for a 4D3N hiking trip at Salt Trail, Ulu Papar? I mean, it’s almost guaranteed you’ll be challenged physically with at least 4-5 hours hike daily. There will be limited network connectivity, so you can forget about staying up-to-date on current news, let alone knowing what your friends are having for lunch. No 5-stars accommodation. Heck, you don’t even know if there’d be any enclosed space for your showering needs.

But when Carrot Ho (Raleigh Kuala Lumpur President 2019/20) approached me with the opportunity, with little persuading required, I said yes.

I flew to Sabah alone, the night before we were set to depart on our hiking adventure. I am not going to lie, I was beyond anxious. I didn’t particularly know anyone else on the trip and the last time I spent more than a night “out in the wild” was back in 2010 during my Raleigh Expedition. That was 9 years ago! There were so many “what-if’s” running through my mind. Well mainly, “what if I die?”.

*cue dramatic music*

The next morning as we made our way to the so-called trailhead, the local guides gathered us around and gave us a simple pre-departure briefing. Basically a rundown on what to expect for the next few days.

All of my butterflies went right out the window once the actual hike began. Imagine that scene where Lucy walked into the wardrobe into Narnia. It was basically that. 

As we were surrounded by the lush greenery, I forgot about the presentation deck that was due the week after. And for once, I didn’t have to race against the traffic to be somewhere. Instead of car honking, I hear birds chirping and insects singing. As I focused on my breath, I started counting steps and my mind stopped racing. It was an oddly zen moment.

Then I realised, we don't need a lot in life. Sometimes a simple packed lunch is all you need.

Even when it's fried rice that was way too dry, we had to add a bit of water just to help the swallowing process. 

The first day got pretty wet. I lost track of how many rivers we had to cross. Eventually, we stopped taking off our shoes and did not give two hoots about getting our feet or socks wet. 

It wasn't long till we arrived at our first village, Kampung Longkogungan. 

We were spending the night at a community hall. The first order of business, find your spot! And take a nap.

What I truly missed about this village was the crystal-clear river stream, and that special jacuzzi spot created by mother nature was truly spot-on. I don’t even have the right words to describe that picturesque view because I don’t think words nor the photos will do it justice. In fact, it was more than just a view, it was the bliss that came along with it. You’ll just have to experience it yourself!

The Mak-Ciks (local aunties) cooked up a feast for us all. I was thoroughly amazed by all the different types of vegetables I’ve never come across in supermarkets back in the city.

That night as we gathered around to share a drink, the local guide told us stories. He shared with us the hardship faced by the local communities and how they're now fighting a war against the government to protect their homeland from a potential water dam construction.

Day 2, rise and shine. Off we go to our second village, Kampung Pongobonon.

I believe day 2 had the scariest river crossing of all. The current was so strong and we were worried about the weather. If it started raining, we'd have to take a detour to avoid this particular route because the river will just be way too dangerous. No one likes a detour. 

On the other hand, I was dead worried about getting my rucksack wet. Here's a tip for all, line the inside of your rucksack with a heavy-duty plastic/garbage bag. So say if you're really short, and the water level reaches your waist, at least you'll still have dry clothes.

You know how after a good workout, your body sores the next day? 

Well, that night most of us felt it. If you haven't noticed, we had to carry our own shit. Change of clothes, snacks, toiletries, sleeping bags and etc. So my shoulder was practically killing me. We formed a human chain to give each other shoulder rubs and eventually moved on to a tutorial on how to massage your calves.

I remembered this village for their hospitality. At night, after dinner, we were just sitting in a circle, singing pop music whilst one of the local boys strummed on his guitar. As we sang, a bottle of Moonshine was being passed around. As the area we were seated at was sort of like a gazebo, quite literally, the moonlight was shining upon us. At one point, it started to drizzle softly, I could smell the rain in the air and the gentle breeze against my face.

Day 3. Thankfully I didn't wake up with a massive hangover! All packed and ready for the next village.

Day 3 had a nice change in scenery as we made our way through paddy fields. 

Just like life, sometimes it rains on you and that was what happened. It poured heavily and the struggle was real especially because I wore glasses, every few seconds I had to activate the finger wiper. So thankfully, a fellow comrade, Sean, graciously loaned me his hat! On the bright side, that rain really helped cool us down from all the uphill battles.

Slowly by surely, we made it to our third village, Kampung Terian. One of the more established villages I'd say, with schools, clinics, and off-road access.

Our stay for the night was basically at the local guide’s humble abode. 

Surprise, surprise. Tonight's accommodation came with an actual shower room but guess what... almost everyone still made their way to the river, even if it meant an extra 5-10 minutes walk down. 

We celebrated our final night with locally caught Ikan Kelah (the number of bones was insane) and plenty to drink. If you’re a fan of Moonshine, you’re in luck because they don’t seem to ever run out of it. That night, I learned how to play the Sabah Gong and how to dance the Sumazau. 

Day 4. With a heavy heart, we started our hike knowing very well that today, we will be returning home.  We were all smiling but really, we were crying inside. 

No idea why but the route out had a lot of motivational quotes along the way. Kept us entertained for a while. 

Coming to the end of my long-winded story, what’s the takeaway? No big revelation, really. I signed-up mainly because Carrot told me that it may be a real possibility that all these villages and its beauty will soon be submerged under a water dam construction. I wanted to see it before it was gone for reals. 

Most importantly, I wanted to get out there. 

So what it’ll be physically challenging, at least I can proudly say I did it. So what if there’s no network connection, I’ve built some real human connection. So what if there’s no 5-stars accommodation, I had the milky ways as my blanket. And honestly, I would have those anytime, any day.