Sabah Road Trip: Race to Rafflesia Mountain

Alright so maybe it wasn't a race and it sure wasn't a mountain known as Rafflesia but the way I was out of breath, you'd think it was! Some experiences are better shared from the beginning to the end and yet some are better if you start at the end. Hence, I shall show you pictures of the elusive and exclusive Rafflesia. Although technically a member of the plant kingdom, a Rafflesia challenges the traditional definition of what a plant should be. It is a parasitic jungle plant native to the Southeast Asian tropics. It takes a bud about 9 months to bloom and lasts for 5-7 days.

Can you spot it's root?

Right, our journey to see this flower starts at a humble bamboo bridge.

No wait, I better explain more. On the way to the Poring Hot Springs (and back, of course) we saw about 3 different places where they advertise the presence of a Rafflesia. Now by places, I mean 'a huge umbrella, and a couple of chairs/ a small umbrella and one chair' and by advertise I mean 'a hastily scribbled boards'. So, we choose the only one that took the effort to name their 'business'. I think it was Erry but I forget.

We had to park our car and get into an old battered Proton Saga whose glory days were long gone, up a steep, muddy and bumpy hill. All the windows were wound down for us to feel at one with nature and probably because it didn't work anymore. Nevertheless, we preferred it that way. At one point, a small river or stream really, runs across the road...it was beautiful.. On rainy days, the water level rises and the road becomes inaccessible.

3 minutes into the drive, we arrived at a big wooden house on stilts. A family lived here. Apparently, it belonged to the brother of the man who drove us up here. Oh yes, he charged us RM 5 per adult as the Rafflesia was into it's last day. On the first day, viewers were charged as high as RM40 per person. Since it was it's last day, I feel we were really lucky to have been able to see it at all. Our driver said the flower 'had been bright orange but now a dull red' (and I thought drat, we missed it) 'initially, it would produce a stench to attract flies as pollinators and it would be covered in flies.' Eeek!! (roll in Psycho music, please) Thank God we missed those stages because I wouldn't have wanted to expose my kids to that at their age (my daughter; 2 years and my son; 7+ months).

They had a guest book! Of course, we signed it!! I was looking around hoping to spot the flower. I mean it is the world's largest flower after all! Our guide, Nain set off into the jungle and it was all downhill (in more than one sense!) so I couldn't take photos. Plus, I thought it was just around the bend. Boy, was I ever wrong. On the way back, I made it a point to snap photos as I took deep, laboured breaths of air. I usually carry my son in a sling but I had left the sling in our car. So, it was just too much for me to handle on the way back. Halfway, my husband had to carry my daughter and son while I struggled to carry our weightless Lumix!! What a sight! My husband, my hero! He just went on, barely stopping! Ain't I a lucky gal *girlie sigh*

Here's the trail from the flower back to the house. Some snaps of parts of the trail are missing as the photographer (me) was under duress : )

A scorpion looking insect

Our cheerful and helpful guide Nain.. She even gave us suggestions on different poses when snapping photos! Talk about a complete package!

Tip: Have a good motivator with you if you may find it difficult to walk the trail. My husband told me later that our daughter would count each step he took and if he lingered before the next step, she would say. "Come on Acha, Come on! You can do it" and resume counting. (Acha is Malayalam for Dad) I said I had a whole bunch of motivators in my head and a lot of good it did me! : ) Was it all worth it? You betcha!