So, before I go any further, I have to dedicate this blog to Ricky, an awesome guy back at home whom I promised to write a blog about something crazy that happens on the race. Since this is only month two, Ricky, you might get more than one this year. So to you, Ricky, I say… What the junk?!
My team and I decided to visit a Hindu temple the other day, and I was a little apprehensive to say the least. We prayed before we left for protection and stuff, so it sort of set the tone and made me realize that we were going to a place that was not a place of worship to God. Anyway, we got there and it was a breathtakingly beautiful place to be honest. The whole thing is set in a cave and to see the beauty of the mountain was just amazing. Everyone should probably google Batu Caves after reading this since I am not going to post a million pictures…
To be a small bit serious for a second, after almost dying from exhaustion following the most intense stair climb I have ever experienced, I surveyed the things that were around me. Again, the cave was absolutely gorgeous, but the feeling there was unlike anything that I have ever experienced. This was not a place in which God dwelled. I felt like I was walking through a haze of oppression and fear. I could not even say anything because the feeling was a little halting in my spirit.
After walking around inside, my team and I decided that it was time to make the long journey down the stairs. Luckily, there was a place to buy something cold to drink right outside. We were all thankful, after dripping in sweat for a few hours, to cool off a bit. We began to trek down the stairs and were of course fascinated by all of the monkeys that were so friendly and obviously used to their human visitors. We realized after a few steps that the monkeys were beginning to congregate in our path.
At first, we thought “look at the cute little monkeys!” We were sorely mistaken, because these monkeys knew exactly what was going on. As we got closer, they started to look a little more vicious. Then it happened… monkey attack… seriously… We finally realized that their objective was to get the drinks that we were carrying. So screaming, holding on to each other, running, and jumping over the stair rail to get to the opposite side, the team willingly one by one gave up their drinks to the apparently thirsty monkeys. We decided that this was a regular occurrence and that is why the drink store is on the top of the mountain.
