On local happenings

As you might have read, 12 would-be terrorists were arrested yesterday (?) before they could test their bomb-making skills. The initial news reports only stated the district in which they had been apprehended. Among the hiking/outdoor community though, the news was already circulating shortly after their arrest that they had been about to scale Gunung Nuang.

I haven't been there myself, but if you've been on any hike, you'd know there's nothing casual about climbing Nuang. It's not a nice little hill like Broga, where ~2 hours of steady climbing will get you to the peak in time for the sunrise, and there are hordes of other hikers along the way.

Whichever side you start on, Gunung Nuang is forested, steep, and a very long and arduous trip both ways. It's no coincidence you have events like the Trans-Nuang, where dedicated psychopaths run up and down the mountain without the luxury of sleep.

People have died attempting Nuang, presumably the way people have died when attempting hikes too much for their hearts to handle. In fact, a hiker did not survive his health emergency yesterday. Like the would-be terrorists, he was on the "lower" part of Gunung Nuang.

It's sad that this individual tragedy was overshadowed by the actions of 12 idiots. It's  clear that hikers need to know the following at least:

Mountain climbing for first-timers, or nubis kubis (cute slang for "newbies").
The intended hiking route.
What to do when a fellow hiker appears suspicious.
What to do when a fellow hiker requires emergency first aid.
How to administer emergency first aid.