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MCG Events - Dec 2002

• Dec 9th - Explorers Group - The Unseen Batu Caves
• Dec 13th - Qi Gong for People on the Go!

EXPLORERS GROUP: THE UNSEEN BATU CAVES - Dec 9th

For a little excitement and something completely different, the Explorers' Group went on a real adventure in the dark at Batu Caves, 12 kilometres north of Kuala Lumpur. Our numbers were down as several members were away on holidays, while others felt they may have a claustrophobic reaction after reading the tour notes, so opted to avoid, or took the simple route - by visiting the Art Gallery at the Caves instead. So - a handful of intrepid explorers and friends took the internal cave trip - basically on hands and knees! Rajan, a delightful Indian man who arranges the cave tours for 'The Malaysian Nature Society' (MNS) was the organiser of our tour, while Jaya, a young and enthusiastic caver, was our tour guide for the morning, providing us with a wealth of knowledge on the cave history and leading us into the deep, dark centre. We were told to bring a good torchlight (those with a head torch were much more sensible!); a complete change of clothes (we were ostracized by the tourists as we descended the steps, as we were so filthy!); strong and good walking shoes (with a much needed change for after the event!); towel and soap (a shower has never felt so good!); and plastic bags (to throw the dirty things into - much needed and appreciated by Suzanne who was the driver!).

We did the usual one hour tour, walking on concrete paths, looking at the masses of cave roaches making the guano (bat dung) move while feeding and living in it, as well as the domestic and larger cockroaches which crawled on the walls (brought in years ago by the Chinese workers who mined the guano for fertilizers in the valleys). The various stalagmites rising from the floor and stalactites jutting from the ceilings formed intricate formations such as curtains, flow stones, cave pearls and scallops which took thousands of years to create - some joining to form huge columns. The Dark Caves have been closed to the public for eight years, as the tourists broke many of the thousands of years of mineral collections when they had been allowed to travel through freely. With the MNS now controlling the tours, everything is protected and the history remains with those who listen on the tour.

For the second part of the tour, we moved off the concrete and dirt track and onto steep inclines and declines and through tiny crevices, where we had to lay on the ground and crawl through small chambers, wallowing in the puddles. It may have been a blessing that we couldn't see in front of us at times - but the creepy crawlies were not seen at close quarters, so our noise was muffled and only heavy breathing could be heard within our own ears! Jaya was most patient and extremely helpful throughout the ordeal, and is to be commended on his leadership and ability to cope with stressful situations. One in our group struggled with enclosed areas while being separated in the second chamber, but with coaxing and encouragement, came through unharmed and more enriched by the experience of being able to come to terms with a fear - this experience is not for the faint hearted! Another member of the group found the climb down dreadfully scary, but overcame the trauma and managed to survive.

I would highly recommend this trip to visitors who are keen to try out caving. Please make sure you wear long pants and long sleeves to protect the skin when crawling. Expect to get wet and very dirty, but the thrill of the hunt is overwhelming and well worth the intimidation! The eerie silence within the cave walls was broken at times by the dripping of water, or whirring of bats above, or our heavy breathing but it was exhilarating and an experience that will stay with us for some time. None of us are in a hurry to get back into the Dark Caves but we are certainly pleased to have done it, and would encourage others to try it.

If interested, contact the MNS, or Rajan on 012 675 0661 to book the tour. You need to give four days notice for the adventure tour (which took us 2.5 hours), as it is arranged infrequently, although if you have a group, it is not a problem. The one hour tour is done daily, and if you call Rajan, he can tell you the times, but would expect two days notice. Most tours either start at 10 am or 2 pm. You need to have expert guides, or you could easily get lost in the tunnels and chambers… never to be found again! It seems that during the war, many communists lived in the Dark Chambers - I think I would prefer to be caught, just to see daylight! Costs for the tours are RM 15 for the short tour, or RM 25 for the longer tour. - Jenny Savage

QI GONG FOR PEOPLE ON THE GO! - Dec 13th

For our last event of 2002, we gathered at Leni Chan's to learn how we can all incorporate Qi Gong exercises into our daily schedule without too much effort. Joan Foo Mahony was our 'guide' for the morning demonstrating various Qi Gong positions which can be done at home, in the car or standing in line at the supermarket! Joan began practising Qi Gong after being diagnosed with severe osteoporosis at the age of 43. Her doctors told her to lead a quiet life, which for this skier, sailor, diver, etc. was an absolute impossibility. With her typical determination, she refused to accept her fate and began to search for a way to reverse her illness. Always a firm believer in eastern medicine, her 'life and fate were rewritten" when she met her guru, Master Mak. Through diligent and regular practice, her osteoporosis has been arrested and her life is even more active than before.

Qi Gong is an ancient Chinese discipline which practised regularly can improve health, strength, energy and peace of mind. Qi means 'vital life energy' and Gong 'exercise' and when our Qi is blocked, illness and fatigue can occur, so the fundamental idea behind Qi Gong is to get our Qi to circulate smoothly and continuously thereby encouraging good health and storing vital energy.

Although it was a warm morning, Leni's garden was the perfect place for us to put some of our newly gained knowledge to the test. First, we learned a basic stance Joan calls the 'John Wayne' pose which is the perfect exercise to do while queuing, which we all do regularly! The basic idea is to look like a cowboy ready to draw his pistols - feet placed shoulder width apart, bend slightly forward, squat as if ready to sit down, palms facing inward and fingers spread, head and eyes straight ahead. Joan also demonstrated exercises to help insomnia, headaches, low blood pressure and much more. Several members felt a tingling sensation which is quite normal as the qi begins to flow smoothly once again.

We have Joan's book and VCD Indispensable Qi Gong for people on the go in our MCG library. Her book is very reader-friendly with all the exercises simply explained in step by step detail. If your New Year's resolution is to start an exercise program, Qi Gong may be the perfect discipline for you! - Cynthia Peters-Zeier

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