Monkey on a staircase to the Batu Caves. Jerk stole my glasses.
“What does your cell phone case say?” the girl next to me casually mentioned as bats screeched overhead.
“Well…” I stumbled for words while the sound of bats decreased to a low murmur.
That seemingly innocent question was asked during the tour of the Batu Caves in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia. The Batu Caves are known for their popular Hindu Shrines. It’s not necessarily a place that inspires technology. If anything, the nature of the area is so beautiful, that things like cell phone cases aren’t on the mind.
There are two caves in the Batu Caves. One cave is an open area that can be ascended by a tall flight of stairs. Murugan, the Hindu God of War and Victory stands at the entrance to the stairs, beckoning visitors into a war-like zone of Chinese tourists, followers who stop and kneel every five steps or so out of piety (but who may just actually be catching their breath), and some jerk monkeys who stole my glasses.
Murugan the Hindu God at the bottom of the Batu Caves
Entrance to Batu Caves
At the top of the steps are a small Hindu temple and a giant clearing with a natural cave opening. The air at the top is surprisingly cool and refreshing, a healthy change from the smoggy heat of the ground below.
Let the Sunshine in
The second cave is the Dark Cave, which, based on the level of light emanating from the cave, is a perfectly fitting namesake.
The Dark Cave expert urged us to be as quiet as possible, to not shine any light upwards and to absolutely not look up with our mouths open so as not to disturb the bats.
Dark Cave’s Gorgeous Light Opening
She then introduced us to the various inhabitants of the cave. For example, there was the surprisingly creepy 8-inch millipede and the super creepy long-legged spider hiding under a rock by my foot.
While the mister was enjoying the science lesson, I was terrified of the giant spiders. He knew I wasn’t quite used to sharing a Fear Factor-esque tiny space with creepy-crawlers. He imitated a spider crawling up my back with his hands. He also whispered “I’m a millipeeeeeeeeede boogety-boogety-boo” in my ear.
The mister grew up in a country where animals and humans could respectfully share a space; where they weren’t destroyed to quell the scaredy-cat human. I wasn’t, though. Any American cave I’ve ever stepped into has had the pesky critters removed.
In fact, anything that may be harmful for humans is often removed or off-limits. Like if a person were to go camping with the possibility of running into a bear, that bear may be killed.
Or if there is a yellow line at a train station, you’re urged to stay behind it, lest you feel the need to fall on to the train tracks.
Coffee beverages have a warning to remind you that your coffee is extremely hot in case you have an urge to pour it all over yourself.
Just as I was getting used to the spiders, a cell phone rang. In mere seconds, the cave’s ceiling became a battleground of several bats who had been awoken from their slumber.
After some time, the bats resumed to their sleep and we hightailed it out of there, but not before the same girl who had the ringedy – ding phone asked: “what does your cell phone case say?”
“Well, it says ‘Panic and run like mad!’ Now let’s get out of here!”
Have you had a harrowing experience with some critters? Visited Batu Caves before? Let us know!
WONDERing what’s next? Join us on our next adventure via email! Go nuts!
You can also follow this blog on Bloglovin!
