I have uploaded several new photos, many in previous galleries as we have a good connection right now. So look back if interersted.
Cameron Highlands. Getting here was the first of our adventure. Booking a bus from Taman Negara gave us only 1 option. VIP bus...my ass. Now, this was a more expensive ride because it goes over the mountains, I guess where little to no other buses go. Direct from the park there is not a lot of thorough way. This 6 hour ride in a little caravan looks harmless as we crawl in the cramped seats. But the driver goes onward, smoking no less, down a VERY rutted road, flying mind you on a vehicle which we now discover has little to no shock absorbtion. The ride involved many moans from the other 5 passengers. All I could do is lean forward, close my eyes and hope for the best. We're stopping for gas? Wahoo. Let me out. Let me out. And Eric says, 'Did you see those cliffs that looked so cool?' Ah man. I shrug. You do what you gotta do.
So the Cameron Highlands are just that, the Highlands of Malaysia. Where the humidity and temperature are right for the majority if not all of the produce for the country is grown. Mountains and mountains full of various plantantions: strawberries, carrots, cabbage, tomatoes (tomatoes?, here, really?), honey, and much more. We stayed in a small town called Tanah Rata, where the temperature was perfect for shorts and a light sweater. A little rain made it just perfect. We enjoyed some local tea from one of the plantations and figured from the bus station how best to get to our destination the following day, a tour of the tea plantation and onward travel to Ipoh. Our guesthouse was very nice. We stayed in another dorm room, they actually provided blankets! Probably the only time we'll need these on our trip. We shared our room with a very quisitive Frenchman. His profession? Importation of frogs.
So after a morning enjoyment of Prata (as we move North the Indian cuisine is waining), we walk to the bus station for our planned departure. Today, the same woman tells me there is no bus, "Must wait 2 hours." We map it out and decide to start walking to the next station 5km up the road (winding Mountain road) in the next town. Here locals seem confused two white people want to catch a bus, we wait and wait and wait where we are told, no luck. So we walk again, another 5km to the turn off to the plantation, hopeing to catch bus along the way. We end up walking the entire 12km to the tea plantation. Only to discover through someone else that there was supposed to be a bus, but it broke down. They walked too and were not walking back. We shared a cab ride back together, one which had to be called as no cabs are just waiting here. The tea plantation itself was very enjoyable though. THe area reminded us of sleepy wineries. Back a windy road, through rows and rows of tea leaves lining the mountain sides. We tour the 'de-leaving' plant and talk at some length to the 'tea manager.' He seems more and more giving of information and excited to discuss his profession as we show interest and ask many questions. We got some of his philosophies on the art of drinking tea and learned lots. I am inspired to research and learn more when we return. I wonder if I can grow a tea leaf tree?
On our 'stroll' we stopped for some fresh fruit, passion fruit, honey manderin (oh-la-la), cameron apple (more like a melon, looks like an eggplant), jungle mangostein (yummy light flavor, but prefer the regular mangostein), and finally some fruit in the middle of the photo that we don't know what it was, but don't necessarily care to remember either. Did we even finish that fruit?
We catch an evening 2 hr bus to the 3rd largest town in Malaysia, Ipoh. Most travelers do'nt even stop here. But in Eric's food quest, we do and find the best coffee ever, but also trouble. When you go where few travelers go, the locals speak less english and there are soo much less accomodations for the travelerer This can be a good or bad thing. We wondered for a long time before finding a place to lay our head. Before committing, we ask to see the room. Hesitantly, the owner says...'you no use till pay.' ok. ok. just want to look. big room, but the ceiling was dripping wet and huge puddle of water on the floor. We reported back to him and he just shrugged his shoulders. Onward we look. Finally, at that last minute of waneing patience, we find a place and are able to negotiate cost while the inn keepers only english, was 'passport, passport.' It was all worth in in the morning when we finally found the cafe we came to this town for and had our 'white coffee' and noodle bowls. The place of so packed, Reminded us of Cafe du Monde in New Orleans. A local was amazed that we knew to come here and were able to find it. Way to go Eric! Onward bus tickets to Georgetown in the small island state of Penang, Malaysia. More and more bus rides, must start watching what we eat beforehand, but no trouble yet, thankfully.
