A feast for the senses

> A trip up Penang Hill will not only open our eyes to the natural splendour found at the summit, but lift our spirits as well

left amidst the lush greenery.

Maybe it was a test of my willpower. I struggled along, but still enjoyed the trail since there were water stops along the way for respite from the blazing heat.

It turned out that this new attraction provides one with the most authentic, diverse, and educational rainforest experience.

It allows one to reconnect with nature in its purest form, as you can immerse yourself in lush greenery with a myriad plants, trees, insects, birds, mammals and reptiles.

Luckily for me, the last type of creatures didn’t surface, or else I would be scared stiff!

There’s also a spiffy café up there ‘in the wilds’, which reminded me of a modern café complete with satellite TV, hot coffee and curry puffs in the middle of nowhere on a highway from Dehli to the Taj Mahal in Agra!

Take note that no bottled mineral water is on sale, as the operators fear that there could be indiscriminate littering along the nature’s trail.

Given the relatively hot season, the fauna did not emerge until early evening.

Sadly, there were no giant black squirrels or millipedes, as they knew that an afternoon nap was a wiser option.

However, I was rewarded by sightings of the black and white dusky leaf monkeys, also known as the spectacled langur.

Other moving objects that caught my eye were the paper kite butterfly, as well as foliage like the giant pandan, ferns, and ginger plants that grew amidst the shrill serenade of cicadas and other insects.

I enjoyed every moment of my time there.

This Sunday, Rose Charities Malaysia – a non-profit, nongovernmental organisation seeking to build a better world – is taking some 600 senior citizens and disabled persons up Penang Hill to enjoy the scenic views at the top.

Working in tandem with a number of Penang state government agencies like the Penang Hill Corporation as well as corporate sponsors, Rose Charities Malaysia president Datuk Lawrence Cheah says the idea is to allow these people to experience one of Penang’s top attractions.

Now that’s what I call a noble “people helping people” initiative!

Jeff Yong, after making his mark in the twisty maze of mainstream journalism, has finally decided to enjoy what he does best – observing the unusual and recounting the gleeful. He can be contacted at lifestyle.borak@gmail.com.