Further into Malaysia and on to the Cameron Highlands. Getting here was a mission, with a 5 am start and on to a packed yet surprisingly comfortable minivan. Needless to say we fell asleep as soon as the engine started and were surprised when the driver stopped to give us a break what felt like 5 minutes later, but what in reality was over an hour in. Being bleary eyed we chose not to get off which made me feel very guilty when another hour later I awoke to a very ominous sick feeling. Oh dear. Waking Blakey to ask for help stopping the coach whilst I tried to hold the contents of my stomach in place, the friendly bus driver promptly turned around to stop at some very nearby toilets. Thank goodness, it was not pleasant but most immediate!
By our arrival at Father's Guesthouse I was not feeling much better so it was nice to arrive somewhere so welcoming and reminiscent of home. the minute we entered Malaysia the left hand driving on a dual carriageway marked exactly as the English are through green fields has felt so familiar, and the three pin plugs in our room, fish and chips on the menu and tea served as we do in Blighty has been disproportionately exciting, so travelling to the cooler climate of the Cameron Highlands and the British colonial town of Tanah Rata to find a room full of comfy sofas to flop on and two gorgeous dogs (one a German Shepherd!) was almost pant wetting! I had been looking forward to a lovely cuppa and a cream tea for weeks now, but today was not the day.
We were shown to our basic but comfy room in a Nissen hut, which after remarking how similar it looked to the makeshift air raid shelters of World War Two I later found out were used by the British forces stationed here at that time. I promptly fell asleep under the cosy blankets and stayed there until 6pm. Whenever I did awake the sound of the rain on the tin roof soon sent me back to my slumber and Blakey, though not feeling unwell, took advantage of the downtime with intermittent sleep and diary writing.
By the evening we wandered through the village in search of some sustenance- Blake opting for the fish and chips and me for the tomato soup- equally comforting and patriotic as we thought compassionately of home, and we rounded the whole thing off with a pot of tea and scones. Bloody marvellous!
By the next morning I was back on form and so after a great big breakfast (to make up for all the food missed the previous day!) we headed for a jungle trail. We had been warned that though the trails are there, the jungle grows fast around here and soon engulfs the paths, so with provisions in our rucksacks and sturdy walking boots on we headed out in the morning sunlight. We soon found ourselves scrambling through streams, clambering over fallen tree trunks and clawing our way through vines as we followed the muddy path through the woods. The plants in the jungle are on a massive scale- leaves grow to huge proportions and there are plants on plants on plants. Although aware of the less pleasant forms of wildlife we could encounter, long trousers and sleeves to stop the bugs biting and checks for spiders and snakes each time we put out hands or feet down, the most we came across were some pretty little birds, some playful squirrel like creatures (they moved too fast for us to get a proper look) and a funky looking centipede. Most pleasant was that it was just the two of us, and we reconfirmed our plans to have a house set n woodlands one day!
Eventually the trail led to a long winding road which we followed up hill towards the Boh Tea Estate. The walk was incredibly picturesque with farmlands and tea plantations carpeting the undulating hills in thick, lush green and bright vibrant flowers scattered at the edge of the road. As we walked further and further up the hill the afternoon clouds started to gather and mists rolled across the mountains in the distance adding to the magical beauty of the views.
When we eventually reached the estate we were a little disappointed to find it closed on a Monday. Still, we were able to appreciate the panorama by ourselves and headed up to the viewpoint for photographs and a picnic, still completely alone. When it started to rain we threw our raincoats on and used a rucksack liner as a makeshift tent before heading back down to the closed tea room where we grabbed seats on the canopy-protected patio and watched the rain pour. A few visitors came and went whilst we waited for the storm to die down, but when the thunder and lightening started immediately above us we knew it was time to descend.
Although the thunder had started the rain seemed less heavy and we had walked for less than five minutes when a bus back to the village came trundling along the road. WE hopped on into the dry and admired the scenery from the comfort of our seats, though the extremely old and noisy engine impacted on the tranquillity somewhat! After a fairly long ride back (making us feel accomplished in our walk there!) we had our tea and scones n the village, unwilling to miss out entirely.
With the evening stretching out before us we planned hot showers followed by hot drinks in our cosy room. Having the one wash bag between us we decided to share a cubicle and don't get any ideas- the concrete block is no setting for romance! A few minutes under the hot water, soap in hair and over body, Blakey decided to kill the mood further by using the toilet and then, horror of horrors, flushing the chain. Suddenly the shower stopped altogether and we were both stood stark naked and covered in soap suds in a freezing cold, wet concrete cubicle with a significant and chilly breeze passing through the broken windows. We tried again and again to bring the hot water back but could get no more than a freezing trickle of water from the shower head. By the time we started shivering we gave up, tried to wash the suds off us with the pathetic stream of water and dressed as quickly as we could. After that hot drinks were a necessity and our room seemed even more inviting.
So we finished the day tucked under the blankets writing postcards and eating biscuits. It is strange how after the tropical beaches of Thailand we are so excited by the cold, wet and cosy weather of the Cameron Highlands!
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