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Published: September 25th 2007
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Im writing this having just had Tea and Scones in a little tea shop........BIZARRE!!!!
We left the Perhentian Islands on what was suppose to be another speedboat...... we were gutted at how slow this boat was as we had paid for a speed boat and had enjoyed the trip to the island so much. We boarded the Minibus which was pretty cool as there was only 3 of us making the trip.....we both had our legs stretched up and relaxed for the next 6 hours or so of winding roads. We noticed how cold we were getting in the van after a while and asked to turn the aircon off........ and when we arrived Bex started shivering as she gets cold easily, reminding me every so often from the comforts of her pink fleece. Our hotel wasnt much warmer either...... although has the nicest hot shower we have seen for 2 1/2 months!
The Cameron Highlands is a weird place....... a good weird...... just seems very bizarre to have gone from silly humidity levels to virtually none....... and having to wear warm clothing. The other thing is the village we are staying in (Tanah Rata) and most of the
ones we passed are all mock Tudor style with wooden beams either on, or painted on the outside (a cpl of buildings look like old English country pubs!). The highlands is where they produce all sorts of produce that cant be grown in the rest of Malaysia, from tea and coffee plantations to flowers and pick your own strawberry farms.......to crops of broccoli and cauliflower!
Anyway after chilling out on our first day (and finding the above tea room which we demolished apple pie) we went on a tour of the highlands, with our first stop being at the highest point some 6666 feet above sea level. Luckily we drove up there through all these narrow roads, with the driver nearly having a smash with another speeding car. From the top of the watch tower on the summit the views are spectacular and we tried to take as many foto's as possible......only to find Bex....who is now the sole photographer on this journey after my camera accident......hadnt charged the camera up! We then took a walk through the mossy forests where our guide started telling us about all the plants and how they cure certain ailments......before stopping at this
tree on the side of the cliff that was hollow underneath......and started jumping up and down on it to show us how safe it was. Not the brightest of sparks was the guide. We then took a trip to the Boh Tea factory..... where they grow and distribute tea to the whole of malaysia. The tour round the factory was pretty funny....all over within 5 mins....... what a tour! Here is where we sort the tea.....here is where we crush it......and then we bake it and package it. Goodbye! This was def. a good thing as we got to then go and have a cuppa, which wouldnt have seemed right without the choc cake, and banana/carrot cake to go with it! The afternoon bit of the trip was a trip to an Orang Asli Village where we would see how they used to kill animals with the blowpipes which was pretty cool......... if a little staged for us. We parked at the side of the road next to this hut, where some scantily clad guy in a bit of cloth (who was our guide for the next hour) came out and took us on a trek to a waterfall. Here
we got a demo of his blowpipe in which he killed a tree with one of his darts.........and we got some great foto's. Back at the hut we went inside to see how they lived..........it was just an empty hut with a few bits and bobs knocking about, and a fire. The guide got out these bits and bobs and they turned out to be musical instruments....... the first being two bamboo sticks, the second another bamboo stick with some string (apparently a guitar), and the third a flute which also doubled up as a bamboo stick. They love their bamboo in this village! The guide then hauled up Bex to have a go on the bamboo sticks (the first instrument), and to be honest, she was a little out with the rhythm, although very smiley! Whilst some of the other tourists were playing the sticks...... Bex got up (forced up) to dance with the guide which was very funny. Then the guide got this little old lady to come in and play bamboo stick no.3 (the flute) through her nose (not sure why). He had told us she was very good at this - i was expecting some masterpiece
to be filling the room and us all to be totally amazed and blown away........ we werent.....and a few puffs through the nose later the masterpiece was over! Afterwards we went outside to have a go on the blowpipe with a target about 10 meters away. Just behind the target in the distance was a load of chickens roaming round with an apparent death wish, as having gone up first my dart flew underneath the target towards the chickens (not on purpose i promise!). My second go just about hit the target. Bex went up and hit the target first time! After leaving the village we went to the largest waterfall in the highlands, which we climbed up lots of stairs to get to the top. Not having the best of months in terms of accidents.....climbing out on the rocks of the waterfall i started to slide down the rocks at the top......luckily Bex managed to pull me back in....i think ill be taking things a little easier until October!!
Our last day in the highlands we got up pretty late and headed off to do a walk of our own......... as we are both quite lazy.....we ended up
doing the shortest one which was 2km........before chilling with our tea and scones! We got to see another waterfall which was cool..... and a chance to walk off all these cakes we seem to be eating.
Tomorrow we head off for some 90% humidity at the Taman Negara national park!!
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kimberley
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hooter!
that nose flute is no match for trix's beak, as any one who's slept in the same room as her will verify! x