Week 5 -  30th January '99

A tame day to do tedious work

So, it should have been an easy task, though somewhat mundane for me. Today’s outing consisted of just the two of us—Vincent and myself—mentally prepared to focus on completing our chore of mapping clear directions for others to follow. We had planned a circular route, starting westward from Petaling Jaya to Klang, before heading north towards Kuala Selangor via the coastal Highway 5. From there, we intended to take a right turn past the township of Pekan Sungai Buloh, driving east toward the Sungai Buloh Leprosarium. If all went to plan, we would have completed the loop and returned to Petaling Jaya.

 

1. Traffic Jam started as we started our journey

Before we could start making pictures of road signs, we were caught in massive traffic jams .So bad and stagnant that the traffic stopped. I left the car to have a photo taken

Now imagine, the driver is heading for the little town of Meru. After the end of the Highway and this probably what comes next! Standing there as Vincent did, where is the signboard?

2. Time ticking we were not gong anywhere at all  - We parked and waited

1st problem- the town Meru is very small. Therefore no road indicator. Instead, the overhead sign shows "Klang Town" or "Port Klang, Bukit Rajah".

There is no road sign but take the turn off to the right. You proceed round a bend. Then comes the first Y junction, keep left. Then the second Y junction, keep left again and down a short slope to the traffic lights. From the lights turn right and go 11 kms to the next cross road. Where is the sign that tells you that you are on track? None!

3. The Klang - Meru Road start Round about

4. Yes! there was the new Highway It was a breeze -but we are not going that way

In this well planned coastal plain from Klang to Kuala Selangor and with an air of confidence, I told Vincent that the road system is arranged in rectangular format. You simply cannot get lost!  

5. Map showing where the chocker block was

Oh! How I forget that the terrain and the vegetation are identical and misleading, Coconut plantations and Mangrove Forest! And on this fateful morning - Murphy’s Law had taken over as the order of that day and we got lost!

A stone throw from the Kapar Power Station and hidden among the Mangrove forest is this convenient hideaway. A 50 meters long stretch of paved road leads you the landing point. There were 7 cars. At the jetty’s car park, we saw 7 cars but not a soul in sight. There were 6-7 boats moored there.

6. Traffic ah? Change of Plan - Let's go! Mangrove hunting

Enough of this road sign stuff! We headed for the Mangrove Forest. I wanted to show Vincent the different types of trees mainly Bruguiera and Rhizophora that are quite rare in the Nature Park.

7. Picture of me playing in the mud

This could be the place where the people from town go out to sea.  Here is a view of the jetty at Sungei Kapar Besar.

8. There were quite a few jetties. Erected by separate owners I presume

9. Mangrove & Crab

On the muddy banks, we saw a good variety of colorful crabs

While looking for a suitable angle to make good pictures, we discovered a great numbers of colorful crabs that we sought

 for in the Nature Park.  More, they were in various colors of bright red, fluorescence blue, yellow and gray!

I set up my stand and waited for the right moment. It didn’t take long either! These creatures here were not disturbed by human presence./Oh! There were plenty to pick and choose. 

After that encounter, if I need more pictures in future I will surely know where to go.

10. More Fidler crab

11. See my craze for mangrove was at its height

12. Now I couldn't se the value of this picture

Traveling on the North Klang Valley Expressway seemed straightforward enough—its direct path from Kuala Lumpur to Klang leaves little room for error. However, our journey revealed just how flawed and inconsistent Malaysia's road signage system truly is. For a newcomer relying solely on these signs and a map, navigating the roads would be nothing short of chaotic. As we diligently photographed signs to enhance a directional guide, we were met with poorly placed and confusing markers that raised more questions than answers.

Adding to our woes, the relentless traffic jams quickly derailed our focus. Frustrated, we abandoned the original mission and sought solace in nature instead, venturing toward the coastal area near Kapar Power Station. Here, we rediscovered purpose by harvesting some Rhizophora mucronata fruits for later study.

Yet, even this reprieve was fleeting, as we were forced to reenter the snarl of traffic. Little did we know the cause was none other than the Thaipusam procession—a spectacular celebration but an unexpected contributor to our predicament. The endless queues tested our patience, and our circular route back to Petaling Jaya became a trial of endurance.

In the end, while we salvaged some photographs, the day was a reminder that even the best-laid plans can veer off course. Perhaps the trip's greatest value was in embracing spontaneity amidst the chaos.

 

Khong's Travel Guide