While covering the Great Johor Floods of 2007, I was deeply saddened by the devastating damage it wrecked. In its aftermath, I was traveling through a village on Hari Raya Haji Festival. Kids were dressed at their colourful best despite the hardship of damaged homes and weeks without electricity or clean water. They weren’t stoning the subsiding river but playing a game of who can throw the pebble furthest, like we all did. The little colours bring big hope and signify a gradual return to normalcy.
Tag Archives: johor
Kukup Grunge
Rainforest Challenge – RFC 2010: The Twilight Zone
Page 1: All-Terrain | Page 2: South China Sea | Page 3: Twilight Zone | Page 4: Healing
After the Prologue Stage, I re-joined the RFC trail from Kluang in Johor. The road to the South China Sea took me through elephant country via Kahang. From Jemaluang, it was another long drive through the vast FELDA Tenggaroh settlements, before reaching the final stage of the RFC, in the area nicknamed the Twilight Zone. The participants camped at a very beautiful and remote beach north of Cape Leman… (see 22 pics over 4 pages)
Having missed the convoy, I was at first unsure if this lonesome path leads to the Twilight Zone. It turned out to be the most amazing journey, ever! Ended up driving on the longest deserted beach for twelve long kilometres, sandwiched by the fast rising tide of the South China Sea and impenetrable mangrove swamps.
Earlier, at the first stop after Kluang, little Kahang town is as small as it gets. As with every such town, there is a kopitiam tucked at a corner. Except now, it is called a cafe and the daughter is armed with pen and pad.
It is replanting time, and the landscape at the FELDA oil palm plantations appear surreal and eerie.
I stumbled upon this shady corner where whispering couples shared fleeting, romantic moments. Maybe what the world needs is more love and less plantations…
After a long drive down a muddy road, I knew we were getting close to the sea when casuarina trees outnumbered the lalang grass.
When we arrived at Base Camp 4, it was almost dark and already time to set up tents. The eastern horizon fades with a calming blueish green tint…
Tip: You can view larger versions of the images here, gallery-style. When the page finishes loading, click on any picture. Navigate via the arrows on each side of the frame.
All pictures captured with the Panasonic Lumix DMC-LX5 camera by TV Smith
Page 1: All-Terrain | Page 2: South China Sea | Page 3: Twilight Zone | Page 4: Healing







