The Penang Hill Ladies

The trail goes up, up, up. And then down, down, down. The sweat pours out, out, out. The heart beats faster, faster, faster. 

   "Is it hotter today than last week? It is so hot...and so still, there's no wind at at all."

   "Are we almost to the top yet? We must be near the top by now."

   "Want kind of juice are you going to get? I'm thinking mango-pineapple or passionfruit-pineapple myself...Or maybe both today."

This is a typical Monday morning for Denise, who is a proud hiker in the informal group who call themselves The Penang Hill Ladies. This intrepid set of trekkers takes to Penang Hill and her smaller neighbor Pearl Hill every week to explore her jungles, take in her views and spot her wildlife while burning off a few meals (or beers) from the weekend. We scramble over rocks, slip around tree trunks, and launch ourselves up steep clay inclines.

Our usual hikes are 5 km long with about 400 m gained in elevation. This includes 1,380 steps down (yes, someone actually counted) at the very end. Phew!

But every few months or so, we take on Penang Hill in all her glory – 830 meters in elevation and about 8 km in distance. The sweat really flows on those days!

Bragging rights and the views from the top, however, are sweet rewards for these efforts. And on a clear day, one can see across the Penang Strait to the mainland and many km into the distance.

It’s not for the faint of heart, but the positive energy and lively conversation of the group help carry everyone through to the best reward of all…the fresh tropical juices and smoothies from the drink stand in the car park at the bottom of the hill. That juice man has no idea about his celebrity status with the Penang Hill Ladies!