KUANTAN: BEING stranded in a foreign country due to the Covid-19 travel restriction can be stressful, but for a German national, the fond memories from his stay in Jerantut will last a lifetime.
Tom Rose, 53, spent 58 days at Taman Negara in Jerantut before leaving for Kuala Lumpur on May 11 to make arrangements to return home to Berlin.
Being in an unfamiliar surrounding for too long, Rose said he was reaching his breaking point. But it was the friendliness of the locals, who treated him like one of their own, which saw him adapt to the new environment.
Rose described his stay at a resort in Kuala Tahan during the Movement Control Order (MCO) as an eye-opener as he saw people helping each other.
He was overwhelmed by the hospitality shown by chalet operator, Afzal Abdul Aziz, whom he fondly called Ja, and wife Suraya.
Rose was the only foreigner stranded in Taman Negara.
"There is certainly a story to tell. The chalet operator, Ja, and his wife Suraya were fasting, but they continued to prepare my meals. The villagers were my new friends and made me feel at home.
"I am blessed to have such wonderful people as they kept me in high spirits. I felt down as I could not go anywhere and spent long hours at the chalet. Being alone in a rural settlement was tough, but I experienced true humanity and was surrounded by genuine individuals who became close friends," he told the New Straits Times yesterday.
Rose, who works in the food and beverage sector in Germany, said he received food aid distributed in Kuala Tahan, but chose to hand it to Ja and Suraya instead.
"Since I was staying at Ja's resort, I was grateful to Suraya, who prepared my meals as all shops were closed.
"I thank my inner voice for choosing to come to Taman Negara, or else with my limited financial resources, things would have been uncertain if I had gone elsewhere.
"To keep myself busy, I did daily exercises, visited a nearby Orang Asli village, explored the jungles alone and helped around during the two-month stay.
"I had been hoping for the situation to improve so that I could plan my trip home, but then the MCO was extended."
Rose, who arrived at Taman Negara from Thailand on March 15, said that several hours after he checked in, he was informed that the park had been ordered to close the following day due to the Covid-19 pandemic.
"The next day, I noticed huge groups of foreign tourists leaving the nearby resorts. I tried to secure transport to go to the Malaysian-Thai border, but it was too late. The border was already closed, so I decided to remain here.
"I had planned to stay for only a week and brought some essential items for the trip. After spending more than two months here, I realised that I had to go to Kuala Lumpur to find alternative ways to travel home."
He said a good friend was helping him to buy the flight ticket.
Upon deciding to leave Taman Negara, he said he spoke to Ja about the plans and the latter helped him obtain travel documents from the police before driving him to Kuala Lumpur.
"I have informed the German embassy about returning home, but have yet to receive any reply as Malaysia's border is closed. I am hoping that the embassy can help, or else I might have to stay here longer.
"This is the first time my plans have not gone accordingly, but this trip has allowed me to see Malaysia's people and their culture from another perspective.
"I have no complaints and only heartfelt memories of my two-month stay, and I will certainly return to Taman Negara."
He hoped that others in a similar predicament, or those who might be able to provide assistance, can contact him through his email at lotusgaia2012@yahoo.de, as he was unsure how to make arrangements to travel home.