25 Ringitts scary ride and a panorama - Langkawi Trip 2

To read the first part.

Sunday morning found us in dreamy state. The previous day's "Who get to use bathroom" fight has turned "Let other use and catch some more sleep" pass-game. By 9:50 am we manage to drag ourselves to the dinning area since free breakdast would be over by 10. Also we have booked a van from 10am- 6pm to go sight seeing. Hafiz - our driver was already waiting in the lobby. I took the front seat and started conversing with Hafiz. It didn’t take me long to realize he is very honest, kind and friendly guy. He described the places that passed by, and we asked him to pull over at the Telaga Yacht Harbour .

This small harbor was built few years back when Langkawi started becoming a popular yachting destination. The exquisite architectural building hosts, art shops, gas station and variety of eateries - very high priced (duh... didn’t I say it’s a yacht harbor J ).Next stop is Oriental village, which is the gateway to main attraction of Langkawi - The cable car. Hafiz gave us specific direction to the ticketing counter as one can easily get lost in this Oriental village (read shopping district).

While boarding the cable car I didn’t imagine I would come face to face with my worst fear, Alto phobia. I have done reverse bungee and other crazy rides of theme parks. However sitting in the swinging cabin rising to 600 feet was so scary and I felt anything but normal.

The evil heads travelling with me took advantage of the situation and kept saying stories about, how cable car accidents are fatal and how the one happened in palani-India, killed a whole family. The cable car ascended at 45º, within minutes we felt the temperature changing. The cool air gushed from the ventilation slits above and everything beneath appeared smaller in few minutes. It took about 10 minutes to reach the first station of Mount Mat Cincang. After a shaky ride, I was happy to disembark at the first station. This viewing tower overlooks the city. Can you spot the Telga yacht harbor?
I took several deep breaths to calm myself before boarding the cable car again. It's the same cable car we need to board, to the second station. Few kids screamed, unlike me .This time the ride wasn't sharp as it is from one mountain to another which is slightly higher. When we landed at 700 feet, we were greeted by the chillness, the view and the fresh breeze of the peaks. We had to climb couple of levels to the viewing station.The viewing station is divided into 2 huge platforms in round shape the base of which offers shops of sugar candy, ice cream and even a foot massage!

The clouds literally passed between us on the viewing station. We could spot the patches of land getting covered in shade by the clouds, and again to light within few minutes. On a cloud less day one can enjoy the magnificent view of island's landscape, coastline, skyline and seas beyond.
You might have already spotted the bridge in the above picture, Yes that’s the one you see in Billa or Don Movies during the climax. This suspended sky bridge hangs at 45º on a single tower support on Mat Cincang Mountain. It is also one of the longest suspended bridges in the world. The climate was gloomy, so we were restricted from walking on the bridge for safety reasons.

They even had a wax shop, where I saw these couple making wax replica of their “held-hands”. I brought a sugar candy to divert my attention during descend. But it wasn’t as scary as I imagined it to be, I concentrated on the details, For example the cable cars don’t move at all, they are fixed to the cable which goes around the towers.
Back in the Oriental village, I got to feed the deer and rabbits in the park. We walked around the colorful oriental village taking snaps.

While I was glad to be back on ground, the next destination took my breath, quite literally!