Cameron Highlands

27.11.11-29.11.11

From Ipoh it was only a 3 hour journey in to the Cameron Higlands and the small

town of Tanah Rata. However it is currently school holidays in Malaysia and a

3 day weekend so the roads were rammed with domestic tourists meaning we ended up at a

standstill as we wound the 6 or 7 km between the 2 towns in the Highlands.

My first impressions of the CH's were not as I'd imagined. The area seemed much

more commercialised than I'd thought, with the roads lined with garden centres,

restaurants and strawberry farms. In places all you could see were hills covered

with huge plastic green-houses. I later found out that this is the only place in

Malaysia that strawberries are grown and they are not exported to anywhere else in

Malaysia, they solely supply the tourist industry here. That must mean elsewhere in

Malaysia strawberries are exported, what a waste.

Tanah Rata is pretty much a one road town of guesthouses, shops and restaurants, not

very picturesque. Our guesthouse, Twin Pines, was the cheapest and by default the least inviting

place we have stayed so far in Malaysia and the room itself is probably the most

basic room we have stayed in throughout our whole trip. The walls were really thin

and the room smelt damp and the blanket on the bed even felt damp. But it was clean

and there were plenty of showers with hot water. It also had free wi-fi and a nice-enough

communal area. However we went to go and have a look at Fathers Guesthouse, which had

been recommended to us, and next time I would definately stay here. The dorm was

very cheap and had a lounge feel. The communal area was lovely with lots of comfy

sofas and the staff were so friendly and accomodating. Recommended!!

As we only had one whole day, and we'd got the impression that all the things we wanted

to visit were quite spread out, we decided to book a tour. We booked a days 'Rafflesia'

tour through Father's Guesthouse and it was well worth the money!

We were picked up by a dodgy looking 4 x 4 with huge horns on the front (obviously)! We clambered in and

chatted to our companions for the day, as we made the 40 minute journey to a local village.

It had rained quite hard the previous night so our guide explained that the 4 x 4 could not

go as far up the track as usual as it was too muddy. This meant we would have to trek

an extra 45 minutes or so each way. We were up for the challenge but were a little concerned because

we knew we weren't exactly equipped for any serious hiking. But the guide laughed it off

and we hadn't seen the track yet so off we went.......

Half an hour in it was apparent that it was going to be tough going for Martin in particular

as his trainers had no tread left on them. The track was pure mud and mainly uphill, if

you didn't watch your step you ended up up to your knees in mud. It was slow going! And

once we had reached the point at which we would usually have started walking we had another

hour and half to go. It was quite a fast pace and very slippy so you didn't get much

time to take in your surroundings. We were walking through occasionally very narrow

over-grown trails through rain forest. To either side of us and across the path were teepees of

stripy bamboo stabbing in to the sky. Our local guide led us through the paths hacking

at undergrowth as he went. At the times I was behind him I was concerned I would slip and fall in to

him, impaling him with his machete! It didn't happen thankfully! Otherwise this may have been

a very different blog entry!

Once we got of the track that the vehicles took it got marginally easier as there were

usually rocks or roots crossing the trail to give you more grip. But at times when

the trail went steeply uphill or downhill it became very difficult to stay on your feet.

We were fearful it would rain while we were trekking as this would make our route even more

difficult, but luckily the weather held up.

Our guide was a local and knowledgeable about the area, he stopped to break up the trek 3 times

to talk to us about our surroundings. However he did have a 'guide in training' who he

asked to do the first 'briefing' to our group. This guy was obviously very nervous at having to

speak in front of his boss and froze, managing to only mumble a few incorrect sentences. At

which point our guide interrupted and told us he was all wrong and carried on himself. This

made us all very uncomfortable and I didn't think it was particularly professional of our

guide.

We were shown 3 rafflesia in different stages of their life cycle, dead (!), in bud and in bloom. The

flower that was in bloom did not smell as rumoured. Apparently it only smells (like a corpse) for

a few hours after the flower first opens. It is strange looking fleshy flower, a cross between a

fungus and a flower.

After we had viewed the flower we took a break and were refreshed with a drink from a freshly

cut piece of bamboo! We then had the gruelling trek back to the vehicles, which for Martin

was particularly painful as it was so difficult for him to stay on his feet. About an hour

from the vehicle, Martin called me back as he saw a snake on the path. It looks like I got lucky

as I must have stepped right over the small brown snake that was in striking pose and was according

to our guide poisonous. Phew!

It felt like a great achievment when we made it back to the vehicle, albeit covered in mud. We then had

a few minutes walk to a nearby village where our guide demonstrated how to us a traditional blow

pipe and we all took it in turns to try it. It's suprising how powerful they are.

Afterwards we were driven to a local indian restuarant for lunch. We then embarked on our afternoon

tour of the areas' sights driven by the trainee guide, which was hairy at times to say the least!

Our first stop was at a viewpoint over the local tea plantations. Bushes were about 3 foot tall,

course and stumpy with waxy, shiny leaves, planted in rows with half a foot gap in between. The view

of the undulating valley was gorgeous, rich velvety green as far as the eye could see with younger plants

a brighter, lime green. Our guide was laughably abrupt (because of his limited english, not out of

rudeness!) and hurried us along to the BOH tea factory, which was unfortunately not running as it was

a public holiday. But the exhibition gave a good overview of the company and the tea making process.

You can also have a cup of tea while soaking up the views of the surrounding tea plantations.

Our next stop was probably the highlight of the afternoon, the Butterfly farm, not a grand affair,

purely set up for the tourists. As part of our package we were allowed to hold various creatures.

We started off with a small, very slow moving lizard. Then we built up to a rather large rhinocerous beetle,

which was huge with large pincers and a horn, a shiny, oily black colour. Didn't like him much!

Next was a leaf beetle, which is an exact replica of a light green feathered leaf and each

part of it's body is leaf shaped! Very clever evolvement! Then it was time to bring out the big

guns!...the scorpions! The guy opened up the enclosure lent in grabbed 4 or 5 scorpions by their tails

and slapped them over his body! "Right who's first?!" We all looked at each other, after a few seconds

a german man on our tour volunteered. In a flash, 2 scorpions had been placed on his chest, 1 in

each hand, without a word of instruction. Then to top it off, mid pose for a photo, the guy leapt

in with a final scorpion which he ceremoniously placed on the german guys crotch!!!

We were stunned, I have to say I was very reluctant to hold one but did agree to hold one in my hand.

However I didn't trust that it wouldn't hurt me! After we had all held them, our guide decided to

divuldge why we had been quite safe (he didn't feel the need to explain this to us before we held

to ensure we didn't get hurt!). Apparently the scorpion can only sting you if you touch it on it's

back because it can only move it's tail back and forth. Phew!

After that excitement we went in to the butterfly enclosure, which again we were hurried around

which was a shame. There were butterflies the size of my hand, with black wings and colouful

'eyes'. There were some children visiting in bright, light coloured t-shirts who had 2 or 3

butterflies land on them! It was easy to see the butterflies up close and watch their 'tongues' curl

in and out on the flowers.

Our final stop of the day was at a strawberry farm, however we only had the opportunity to

buy a strawberry product. So we scoffed a strawberries with ice cream!

A great whistle-stop day with plenty of memorable moments!