I woke up early before 6 and took my bags outside so that I didn't disturb people in the room. I was going to have a shower but I couldn't find my towel. I searched my suitcase once then twice and it wasn't there, what had I done? I couldn't think of where I might have left it so I traced back and I'd had it for my shower at the Goldbrick but I'd used the hotel towel at the Royal Palm and I didn't remember having it there so it must be at the Goldbrick. I got my things all packed up and headed out the door to Pasar Seni to get the train or bus to Bukit Bintang. The GOKL buses didn't start until 7 and it was only 6 now but I looked at the map and it was only a 30 minutes walk so I went back to the hostel and left my bags there and headed off. The walk was not too bad in daylight and I made it to the hotel where the man I'd first dealt with was on the desk. He checked with housekeeping and there was no towel found and also opened up the toilet connected to my room and it wasn't there either. I went downstairs to the Royal Palm hotel but they were less helpful and wasted ages searching for my booking before saying that I would have to come back at 9am to speak to housekeeping. Oh well I would probably have to buy another towel. I headed off and got back to the hostel a little past 7. By the time I was at the bus stop it was 20 past but at least there was a bus although it didn't leave straight away. I was a bit worried I might not make it but 40 minutes should be enough. I was looking at the map of GOKL buses when I suddenly realised I was on purple bus which didn't go to the bus terminal and I gad just missed the stop where I could have changed to the blue line. I got off and ran back and got a blue line bus and now I was more worried I would be late especially if the bus stopped at a traffic light like it had the day before. I kept looking at the map as the bus went around and about before finally it got close and I got off to run the last bit to the bus station. I got there 5 minutes early so I'd done too much according to an ACCA teacher who used to say if the pass if 50% and you get 51% then you've done more work than you needed to. I never really agreed with that and 5 minutes was good although running was not as I was sweating in the heat and I hadn't had a shower. I got on the bus and had the aisle seat and an American girl came and sat next to me. She was from near Chicago and at some point mentioned her name which I think was Alys and we spent most of the journey to Jerantut talking as she had some good stories and was working with people in perma culture where they can grow mushrooms in bags. It sounded like it could be a solution to some food problems as mushrooms don't even need sunlight. The bus was not surprisingly full and we arrived in Jerantut around 11am. I got out and picked up my luggage and a woman wanted me to take the bus to Tanan Negara while 2 men wanted me to take the boat. I went with the bus as it was cheaper and quicker and put my bags in the bus and bought a ticket although the bus didn't leave until 1pm the boat also left then. Alys also went for the bus but kept her backpack with her to go to the train station and see if there was a train to Johor Bahru. I went along to see and it was a small station but the trains were all sold out like they had been in Kuala Lumpur. She went back to get some food and I went on to see the mosque and a viewpoint. The mosque was quite nice with gold trimmings although it was a bit small. I could hear the man inside preaching as it was broadcast over speakers and I took a few pictures before heading on. The path to the viewpoint was a road and there was also a path alongside it for a while which I took but it wasn't very good so I went back on the road until I had to leave to take a different path. It was hot and climbing the hill was hard work so I was wet from sweating again, my poor T-shirt was really getting used. I saw some monkeys on the way up and the view from the top was ok although it was only in one direction as there were trees around. I headed back down and a wild pig ran across my path but it was gone into the bushes in no time. I walked back and found a starfruit tree so I picked a few and went past the mosque and back into town. I went looking for food and there was a supermarket so I bought some cheap nuts, some dates and a pack of mushroom which was maybe Quorn or something and looked like it was just 50 cents but turned out to be 3.50. I headed back to the bus station and got some plain rice there. It was almost 1pm so we went and sat on the bus. Alys had eaten an egg pancake and had got some bananas for free and gave me one and I gave her one of my starfruits. The bus journey took about 2 hours although we did start a bit late so we arrived in Luala Tahan around 3pm and Alys went off to her hostel which was cheap and she'd booked on booking.com and I went to my 17 USD motel where at least I could be comfortable in my own room. The owner asked me how many there were on the bus in and was annoyed that it was just 3 people but I think as Malaysians had booked up the Jerantut buses to go home there was bus less space for tourists like me. I got a twin room instead of a double which was ok and I ate the rest of the mushrooms and packed my bag and headed out. I went to the river and there were no bridges so I needed a boat to cross although it was just 1 ringitt. I found a taxi across and as the man in the motel had told me the canopy was closed I went to the other bank where maps had a path to a cave. I got off the boat and up the steps and the path looked quite overgrown but someone pointed me that way so I went. I soon passed 2 girls coming the other way one with blood on her leg maybe from some thorn or something so it might be a tough walk. The path became a bit more path like but still it was hot and humid, there were lots of insects and the path wasn't that well maintained. I lost the path a few times but didn't just carry on and went back to find where it actually went. There were spiders on the way, some flying fat insects, a flying leaf insect, some monkeys and of course ants. I gad forgotten my insect repellent which I gad been carrying for ages and not used more fool me. It took about an hour and a half but I made it to the cave and it was not very high with lots of bats in. I considered trying to walk through or see if it was possible but the bars got very disturbed by me so I left and headed back. The path back was quicker but then I had to wait a bit for a boat to pick me up and take me back. I saw blood on my leg and took my shoes and socks off to find 4 leeches although only 1 gas been able to get my blood from the ankle where the skin must be weak. I killed them and got my shoes back on as a boat came and took me back across. I walked around the small town to try to find out what food there was and what time the busses ran and I bought a big bottle of water. I went back to the hotel and asked what was the thing I should see and he was pretty good about recommending the canopy walk and not a guided tour or such. He also said the bus went at 10am the next morning which was not good as it would mean another night here if I wanted to do the 4 hour walk to the canopy and back. I showered and cleaned up and cooled down a bit in the air conditioned room. Then I headed out for food and went to the river where there were floating restaurants. One was empty, one was packed and one had a few people but was closed or something. I went to the empty one and ordered a vegetable curry and rice. It came as a bowl with lots of liquid that the rice disappeared into. I ordered another rice and a water and ate it all up. I paid and asked when the busses to Jerantut were and they were at 7.30, 10 and 3pm. I went back to the hotel and googled it and the bus was supposed to take 1.5 hours so the 3pm bus might get me to the 5pm bus to Kuantun. I sewed my shorts and did some other things and decided to get up early, do a quick 3 hour walk and get on the 10am bus to make sure I got my connection. There was one cheap hostel in Kuantun but I didn't book it as I wasn't sure it would all work out. I read a bit and went to sleep.
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