DAY SEVEN

---

---

Almost losing track of the days! It is Thursday night here in Malaysia, which means I have been here just about a week. It feels like I have been here forever though. I can’t decide if that is a good or bad thing. Anyhow, today was another action packed day.
Last night when our bus pulled in there were literally five different tour groups ready to sell their tours. The tours I saw were only half day tours but I really wanted a full day tour since a) they were only about $13USD more and b) there isn’t a whole lot else to see in this town without a car. I got to my hotel and luckily they were selling full day tours and it was off season, so it only cost $25USD. And it would be convenient door to door transport.

So I got up this morning and had a simple breakfast at the hotel restaurant (as I explained last night just two girls in a regular old kitchen) of scrambled eggs, buttered toast and a banana yogurt milkshake. It was good because everything tastes better when someone else makes it and it was a good thing to have a simple breakfast because of the wild day ahead.

Our tour guide met me and the four others in our group at our hotel around 9AM. Our group was a Dutch couple and a French couple, all around my age. It was a nice group. From the hotel we drove about 40 minutes and then for the next 20 minutes we off-roaded (we were in a jeep). I have never really been off-roading, but this was a pretty wild and crazy ride. Lots of mud, lots of pit holes—it was fun though. This got us to our trailhead. We were greeted by someone who put a palm leaf wreath on our heads. We saw other tour groups during the day, but we were the only yahoos with the crowns….

The next two hours or so of hiking were very intense. It was through the thick jungle (our guide had a machete), it was very hot, and there were a lot of inclines and declines. I didn’t know that the tour was going to involve such arduous hiking so I hadn’t really dressed for it like I should have. I usually brought up the rear and was literally dripping with sweat. Our guide had a very thick accent (though he has been leading groups for the past 16 years) but was able to point out some of the flora, fauna and wildlife we were seeing. My favorite part was when they hacked open a bamboo trunk/stick and we were able to drink fresh water straight from it! The water had a slight flavor to it, but was very cold and refreshing. My other favorite part was when the French guy saw a hanging branch (one that you would see in a Tarzan movie) and grabbed it, got the attention of his wife, and then quietly made the Tarzan call—but with a French accent—so more of a nasally Tarzan call. Talk about a once in a life time—hearing a French guy do the Tarzan call in the Malaysian jungle! The hike was a loop and we ended at a cool, clear running fall which was refreshing.

After the hike we went to an Aboriginal village where they did a blow pipe demonstration. Basically you put a poisonous dart in a long pipe and blow it and that is what they would use to hunt with. We all got to take a turn.

After the village we went to a roadside restaurant. Juice of the day: blackcurrant juice. Very good.

We then went to the Boh Tea Plantation. We learned about how they make tea and saw some very beautiful rolling hills of tea leaves.
We then went to a butterfly and insect farm where we got to see just that a long with some beautiful flowers and then concluded our day at a strawberry farm.

All in all it was a great but long day. We didn’t return to the hotel until a quarter after six. Our tour guide was quite the character (I thought) but I don’t think he was trying to be. He was only 28, but said he had been doing this since he was 12. Some of his ‘shining’ moments of the day included: walking around with his machete without any kind of cover (all of the other guides had a holster for theirs), using a big orange pylon as a microphone to call after us to remind us of what time to meet back, sliding down the stair rails at the butterfly farm, and while sitting in the jeep alone waiting for us, honking the horn at two poor Malaysian school girls as they walked past—just to entertain himself to watch them jump. It made for an interesting day though.

After we got back I walked around the area where I am staying for about 45 minutes and got dinner/dessert. I must say, that in this stop I have seen more Western faces than any other place. For dessert I got a strawberry shaved ice. Now stop thinking that I ate an icee. Shaved ice here is quite good, not crystaly at all, very smooth. They topped it with fresh strawberry, lychees (I think) and tapioca (those Malaysians think of everything!) It was very, very good.

I am going to call it an especially early night tonight. It was a long and tiring day today and I am going to catch the 8:30 bus out of town. I imagine it will take about 5 hours to get to KL, then I have to transfer buses and take another 2 hour bus to Melaka. I have my ipod charged—so I should be ready to go! Onwards and upwards!

---

Photos

Raffelasia Flower
Scientists are unalbe to determine how these flowers pollinate. Grow and then wither into black mush