Lots of walking in Langkawi

I arrived in Langkawi at night. Earlier during the day at Langgar near Alor Setar, I received a phone call from someone who's read an article I wrote in a Malay tabloid. The article about some Malay history made the caller interested in my book "Berpetualang ke Aceh: Mencari Diri dan Erti" (iterally translated as "The trip to Aceh: In search of self and meaning") or BKA I...

It happens that this person lives in Langkawi! Suffice to say I stayed at his flat for the night and he also bought a copy of the book.

The picture above was taken the next day 23rd January 2007. Somehow, I become adverse at taking the public transportation here which consist mainly of taxis and chartered vans... There were no public buses while most of time passengers have to haggle for a fair fare and I don't like this. So I decided to walk and walk... Just look at the picture and imagine how far I've walked as I started somewhere before the right foot of the main hill seen in the picture!

Ah... Being on the road literally can be very tiring. Still, it is good exercise...

Passed this prawn farm area while heading towards the south-west tip of Langkawi...

There... A nice view of another big island which forms the group of islands making up Langkawi... I can't remember the name of this island but I do know that is where the famous Tasik Dayang Bunting (lake of the pregnant lady) is situated at...

Later, I managed to hitchike a pick-up truck up to the streets of Pantai Chenang...

Had a brief rest at Pantai (beach of) Chenang... Sometime later got a bus to Telaga Tujuh (the seven wells), my next destination.

Eh? Didn't I say before that there is no public bus here? Yes... That still applies. That is why I'm rather surprised when I saw what looked like a public bus just like in Kuala Lumpur heading my way at Pantai Chenang. What is more surprising, it stopped when I signalled! As it turns out, it was actually a bus for taking workers to a resort area in Telaga Tujuh. Thank God, I got a lift as the place is about 10km away while I'm already quite worn out!

A signboard marking the boundaries of the virgin jungle at Telaga Tujuh...

Staircases leading to the "wells"...

There, after sometime, I arrived at the first "well"... Look at the picture and you can guess how high up the hills this "well" is. Remember... There are seven wells making up Telaga Tujuh!

There... Look at the natural stone formations... Certain parts form "wells", seven altogether (although when I count, I fail to see all seven) hence the name Telaga (well) Tujuh (seven)!

The view from a tower nearby. This is where I took a nap...

View of the famous Gunung (mount) Matchincang, near the north-west tip of Langkawi island from the tower... Came the time to head there. There's a cable car leading to the top...

I walked towards the cable car station some 2 km away and saw these horse-riding farm...

There... The gate marking the entry to the tourist area where the cable car station is located...

View of Gunung Matchincang within the said tourist area...

View of Gunung Matchincang from the cable car station. This is what I get for taking quite a long nap at Telaga Tujuh.

As it turns out, I arrived at the station some 15 minutes after the cable car service was closed for the day. Too bad can't wait another day as I want to spend the night on another part of the island before returning to the mainland! Next story...