ROAD TRIP
TOUAREG 3.0 V6TDI
the way northwards. The German SUV is a fine highway companion, and once the pavements disappeared the Touareg displayed a nice duality of character; while it was refined and smooth in the city, it was also adept and capable on the ruts and loose gravel.
That duality is further enhanced by Area View, the Touareg’ s external camera system which turned out to be just as useful for negotiating unpaved terrain as it was for sighting kerbs and walls in parking lots.
The camera system came into its own particularly when we encountered oncoming vehicles on a road that was barely wide enough for the Touareg, let alone accommodate two-way traffic.
With both left-hand-side wheels well off the tarmac, the wing mirror-mounted camera proved to be an invaluable extra eye. I was pleasantly surprised by how precisely the Touareg can be placed on the road, though for some reason, squeezing past a Hilux with an inch or so between tyre and drain caused a bit of pointing and shouting from my passengers.
But the danger of dealing with multiple cardiac arrests in the back seat soon passed, and the rest of the crew who were otherwise happily basking in the Touareg, settled in and were looking forward to the campsite once again.
Situated approximately 10 minutes from the Tanjung Malim town centre, Kalumpang is home to a number of campsites. Our site was a private one which Sungai Inki flows through, and it served well as our retreat for the weekend.
Bags in tow, we walked approximately two minutes from where we parked to the
campsite. Access is strictly by foot and includes a river crossing.
Tents pitched, there really wasn’ t much on the agenda apart from just chilling out. A dip in the river certainly helped, and according to some locals familiar with the geography, a small amount of sulfur in the river’ s water helps to soothe and relax the body. Local lore proved to be correct.
Heading back into Tanjung Malim for some takeaway dinner, the laid-back vibe was tangible, yet it isn’ t the easiest thing to pinpoint and deconstruct.
Whilst on the lookout for local fare at the evening market( I chickened out of trying the beef lung – so much for adventure) you can still expect to jostle for space as your dinner sways and bumps around in their plastic bags, but there is no stress in making your way through it all. By the way, the pisang goreng is marvelous; we went back for seconds –
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