Penang Hill

I had never hiked up a sizable hill before. I mean, Singapore's Mount Faber at a 'staggering' 106m is quite literally, a stroll in the park. So being the noob that I was (and being alone), I decided to stick to the safe and mosquito-free, 5km jeep road all the way up the 830m hill.

Interesting plants that I saw along the way... (click for larger image)

Globba sp.

For the first 1km or so, the side of the road was covered with Globba, which are little gingers that often have fascinating flowers that resemble dancing ladies. I think this one looks like some kind of Pokemon. This is common species but I don't know what it's called.

'Orkidaea idunnoea'

Then there were these orchids that were pretty common along the way and grew in dry, exposed soil. Wish I knew what these were... Orkidaea idunnoea, I'm calling them...

Pentaphragma begoniaefolium? (click for larger image)

Very common in the shadier spots was this peculiar plant. Initially I thought they were begonias because of those characteristic asymmetrical leaves, but upon closer inspection of the flowers (bottom left) I changed my mind. Something about that odd looking bunch made me think 'Scorpion's Tail' and with some help from MJ, I got the binomial name for that particular plant, Pentaphragma ellipticum. I'm guessing this begonia-like plant could be Pentaphragma begoniaefolium.

The shelter near the halfway mark is more affectionately known by locals as '84'. An old man boils drinking water here for passersby and sometimes serves coffee or tea. Biscuits are also available for the hungry traveler. The shelter was a welcomed break from the walk and I left a heartfelt token of appreciation at the donation box before leaving.

Dipteris conjugata

Pass the halfway mark, explosions of Dipteris conjugata were an impressive sight. These ancient ferns are found in lowland Singapore but are critically endangered due to rapid development. These plants however are typically cool growing and are easy to find in Malaysia's highlands. Each of those palmate leaves was half a metre across! Spectacular!

Nepenthes albomarginata (click for larger image)

Scattered over the vertical earth were a myriad of small tough plants and mosses but none were as eye-catching as the pitcher plants! These carnivorous plants were abundant on steep slopes in sunny, exposed conditions where the strong light brought out their intense colours. Basal pitchers (top left) had prominent wings running along their sides, whereas the upper pitchers (bottom left), some of which were borne high in the treetops, had greatly reduced wings. Each pitcher had a pure white band running along the rim of the peristome, a feature unique to the species albomarginata.

Native to both Singapore and Malaysia, the orchid, Bromheadia finlaysoniana.

A Fivebar Swordtail butterfly rests on a leaf.

Wierd blue-headed centipede scurrying along.

Too cute to be true, these tiny, bright yellow fungi are only about 2cm tall!

Nearing the top of the hill, I felt a noticeable drop in temperature (5 degrees, I'm told) and stronger winds. HUGE treeferns arched dramatically over the roads but vegetation thinned as I approached the village. Pretty Impatiens walleriana, with their cheerful red, muave and pink flowers, blanketed the hillsides and ornamental favourites such as cordyline and hibiscus started to appear. A mini nursery had beautiful potted Dahlias out on benches.

Dhalias sat on benches that overlooked the steep slope.

These Amorphophallus plants fight for space with what looks like an Aristolochia vine.

Wildlife still finds it's place in this small settlement. Aristolochia are vital food sources for the giant Birdwing butterfly caterpillars. One Common Birdwing was weaving through the canopy as I took this next photo...

Georgetown

... of beautiful Georgetown from the summit of Penang Hill! The climb took me 2 hours. While it was hazy, the view was still breathtaking. In the distance, the Penang Bridge runs 13.5km across the sea and ranks among the longest bridges in the world. I can only imagine how pretty nightfall at Georgetown would look from this elevation.

Over a lunch of nasi lemak, I learned from a drink vendor that the funicular train down the hill was no longer in service! Oh well, there was plenty of time to recharge and head down. I wasn't in a hurry anyway...