By Rose Yasmin Karim
Saturday November 1, 2008
Close to Kuala Lumpur and closer still to some white water action, Kuala Kubu Baru is a place to play hard and rest well.
There are some things that Kuala Lumpur, for all its attractions, cannot compete with Kuala Kubu Baru — namely, the air that’s noticeably fresher, quiet waterfalls and the absence of a single chain café.
Testament to the outdoor possibilities of this small town are the number of SUVs with offroad bicycles strapped to the roof that make a beeline here.
Larry and Anna co-own The Flyingrhino Guest House & Ecotours in Kuala Kubu Baru.
Living their dream in this beautiful place is Larry Swccato, 37, and Anna Pierrot, 27. Free-spirited in the way you wish your friends were, the European couple are the co-owners of The Flyingrhino Guest House & Ecotours.
“It’s a full house today. There’s a funeral going on next door and some of our neighbour’s relatives and friends are staying over,” said Larry, ushering me into the double storey, pre-WWII shophouse painted a bright orange.
Tacked to the door are red scrolls, a Chinese tradition that carry messages of luck and prosperity.
“These were given to me by the lion dancers during the official opening ceremony of the guesthouse. It looks very nice, so I’m keeping it there for awhile,” said the Mandarin-speaking Italian, who had lived in China for a decade.
Larry escorted me upstairs to my retreat for the night, a twin-share room with two single beds (RM168 per room). The pretty pastel green wall, lilac mosquito net and crisp white sheets with batik trimmings, were a sweet contrast to the sombre atmosphere below.
Looking out my window, I wondered if Larry and Anna would be too upset if I refused to leave.
A single room (RM78)
“One of the best things about KKB is its easy access — right on the doorstep of KL,” Larry pointed out as he took me on a tour around the place.
There’s a master bedroom with an attached bathroom (RM198), a single room with a single bed (RM78), an open dormitory for six to eight guests (RM48 per person) and four separate shower rooms with hot water.
“Since opening its doors in mid-September this year, the guesthouse has attracted travellers who are in it for the nature and adventure,” said Larry as I feasted on stingray pasticcio and oven-roasted chicken with potatoes.
Communal dining
Kudos to Nonna Agnese, Larry’s grandmother, for passing on the recipes of an authentic Italian kitchen.
“Since we cannot source pasta, gnocchi and bread, we make it ourselves. Nowadays, very few people even in Italy do this, and many have forgotten how to.
“Most of the ingredients we use in our cooking are bought from the local market and we do try to buy fruits from the Orang Asli. I’m actually waiting for a nice bunch of red bananas from Hashim, an Orang Asli from Kampung Pertak. They are going to be ripe soon.
“The stingray you ate, is from Mr Moorthy, a good fishmonger here in KKB. Sam and his amazing fruit farm is a constant supply of dragon fruit. Asparagus, tomatoes and most of the non-tropical products come from Cameron Highlands. But for cheese and imported olive oil, we must go to Rawang or KL,” he adds.
Looking at the bright fresh interior and gleaming floorboards, who would have guessed the place was once a a warehouse plagued with scurrying rats.
“It was completely run down and took us a whole year to refurbish. Luckily, the original wooden flooring and the roofing could be preserved,” said Larry.
The time it took them to restore the building has certainly paid off — its pre-war charm has been retained and the decrepit look ditched.
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The afternoon lulled me into a sweaty stupor. Too hot to do much of anything except jump in the river. Pulling on a pair of trousers and old T-shirt, I went on a 15-minute drive to a trail near Kampung Pertak with Rosie E. Daria, 28 and Anna.
“A few Orang Asli families who used to live in the spot where the dam is now have been relocated to this village,” explained Rosie.
“Each household was allocated small bungalows by the Govern-ment. While some are quite happy to stay put, others prefer to move deep into the forest to live alone,” she added.
Getting out of the SUV, I could already hear the “leaky faucet” churn of the forest and the sound of children’s laughter.
“We have to watch our back so we don’t get run over by gasoline-powered offroaders,” cautioned Rosie.
As if on cue, a four-wheeler roared by, the sound of the engine scaring the birds. Things were clearly tense between the solitude seeking self-propelled and the fossil fuel-powered players.
Motor heads will say they are happy to share an area with foot-powered folks but who among the hikers and bikers heads outdoor for a blast of exhaust and ear-splitting noise?
“Hashim!” Rosie called out as she led Anna and I off the track to a no-frills, open-air shack.
Cooling down naturally
“Hashim is one of the Orang Asli who decided to move out of the bungalow to stay on his own. He is probably out hunting,” she conti-nued.
I trudged along, pausing every time Rosie pointed out animals of interest up in the sky, and on the ground. The trail was relatively easy except for a few slippery river crossings and was relatively free of bloodthirsty leeches.
An hour into the hike, and I was basking in a good mood. The reward at the end of the hour-long hike is the cool, cascading Rhino Falls and a scrumptious tuna sandwich.
For those looking for more than a day’s hike, Kuala Kubu Baru also serves up a class-five flurry of exploding rapids. But as Larry advised, some prior brush with the froth is advisable before you hand yourself over to the river’s fury.
When dark clouds began shifting towards us, we started packing up, making sure we left nothing behind but feel-good memories and rocks arranged in snowmen formations.
The Flyingrhino Guest House & Ecotours
5, Jalan Dato Tabal
Kuala Kubu Baru
Selangor
Contact: 012 7129968 or 012 8286998
E-mail: theflyingrhino@gmail.com
www.flyingrhino.com.my
Take the scenic trunk road bypassing Batu Caves/Batu Dam/ Ulu Yam road or turn off at the Batang Kali exit if you’re on the North South Highway and look out for signs to Kuala Kubu Baru. --- The Star Lifestyle
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