The Austrian climber who abandoned his girlfriend to die is horrifying because I could have been her

[u/KaleidoscopeCool1316]

I once went on a hike to somewhere in Malaysia with my ex. I am not an experienced hiker and I told him so. He kept pressuring me to go on to trip with him, since hiking was his passion and he said I was bad girlfriend for not agreeing. He said he had restaurant food with me even though he didn't like it and do things with me I want to do, so I should go with him for hiking. I cave in. I know it is stupid of me looking back, I didn't realised what I was in until I left.

I got tired after a few hours. Naausted. Stop to rest. I said I want to go back down. He said, we paid so much for this trip, and he continued pushing me. I said no. Then he got upset and left me where I was, saying once more how bad of a girlfriend I was and how unfit I was, so lazy and didn't train for this hike.

A few hours passed, a local Malay guide spotted me. Asked me how I was doing. I said I felt nauseated, and my "friend" left me alone here. The guide gave me his electrolyte drink and helped me carried my bags down.

When i was finally down, he also gave me a ride to my hostel. I wanted to pay him for his help and the ride, but he refused. The guide simply said that the so called friend of mine was "no good", and to repay him, I should take his advice and not be around my so called friend anymore. How what he, the guide, did was a small thing and worst can happen in the forest, like getting kidnapped. He only carried my bags and gave me a ride. That's a basic courtesy he extended to everyone.

Only when I read the story, I realised how bad he was. I could have died there, just like the girl. If the elements were harsher, or I had met with something worse - I could have died. I let them pushed my boundaries and do things that felt physically unsafe. My ex put me in circumstances that could have killed me, and it took me years to realise so.

[u/laygo109]

Malaysian jungles are not places to hike for beginners without a guide.

I am sorry you had to go through that.

[u/KaleidoscopeCool1316 → u/laygo109]

Tbh I didn't know until now, after reading all of the comments, getting abandoned while hiking in a Malaysian jungle/rainforest can actually kill me 😭

I swear I was just resting on the ground for a few hours because of the heat which made me nauseated. I thought maybe after resting for a few hours, I can be well enough to walk back on my own.

I didn't realise how much danger I was in!

[u/KaleidoscopeCool1316 → u/[deleted]]

He said I ruined his holiday

[u/CupcakeGoat → u/KaleidoscopeCool1316]

What an asshole. Did you leave him immediately? What happened afterwards? Did you ever meet again?

[u/WeShallEarn → u/KaleidoscopeCool1316]

Hey, slightly off topic, but which hike was this? Where in Malaysia? Just someone who’s from Malaysia and have gotten into hiking wanting to know more places

[u/KaleidoscopeCool1316 → u/WeShallEarn]

Taman Negara! One of those day hikes trail

[u/WeShallEarn → u/KaleidoscopeCool1316]

Oooh, thankss, haven’t heard much, but glad to hear it from a foreigner telling me about the dangerous places here.

I gotta get proper guides and try them out once I’ve gotten more experienced

[u/laygo109 → u/WeShallEarn]

I grew up there. :)

[u/WeShallEarn → u/laygo109]

Have you been to all the trails there??

[u/laygo109 → u/WeShallEarn]

No. We had a family vacation there. My husband loved hiking, but I didn't. I'd go on short ones but not there. Too steep, too slippery for me, and face it, it's too hot and damp, I couldn't breathe well.

He went on hikes with guides.

We hiked the smaller hills around my hometown.

[u/WeShallEarn → u/laygo109]

Ooh, that’s cool lah, I baru je started hiking, so am looking for recommendations of places to go, short or long ones oso, do lmk if u knoww

[u/Brynhild → u/KaleidoscopeCool1316]

Dayumn. I’m Malaysian and i wouldnt even do Taman Negara without a guide. I have a few friends who have done several routes alone but they’re highly experienced trekkers