On the last day of year 2008, my family went for a drive around Bentong, Pahang. We took a slow drive on the Karak Highway and exited at the Bentong interchange.
From there, Papa took the old and winding trunk road leading to Janda Baik near Gentintg Highlands. After some 10km from the interchange we came upon an interesting spot, a hot spring by the roadside in Perting Valley near Bukit Tinggi.
If we had not taken the drive, we wouldn't have discovered this place. Imagine this... you are tired from a long drive. You take a break at this spot and take a dip in the warm water. Ahhhhh...what a joy!
There are three pools there. One is the main pool where the hot water flows out from the ground. The water is warm and we could see steam rising from the surface. The water then flows into a second pool where visitors would swim. The water from that pool then spill over into a kiddy pool.
The place has a few "pondok" providing shades to visitors. There are also decent toilets, one each for male and female. The view of the highlands there is breathtaking. The air is cool and fresh. Sadly, some people need a whack on their heads! Rubbish bins are provided there but some still find it difficult to locate them. It seems that it would be easier to just chuck the rubbish anywhere, everywhere but not at where it should be discarded.
Mama did not pack extra clothes for the outing that day. So, my younger brother and I were happy to dangle our feet in the pool.....
I didn't know about this hot spring other than the one at Ulu Rening in Batang Kali. I had cycled there with my cousin and younger brother Alif one day not too long ago and lost our way.
One wrong turn led to more wrong turns and in the end, found ourselves in the middle of nowhere. We could not find our way home to my cousin's house in Batang Kali some 10km away and had to call Papa to "rescue" us at a mosque in Ulu Rening in the middle of a stormy night. That adventure had Papa blowing steam!
Anyway, I wish all of you a "HAPPY NEW YEAR"………..!
