mon day 38

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So 1st full day in Cameron highlands ( named after William Cameron an English surveyor who worked for the government who stumbled upon this "fine plateau shut in by lofty mountains" during an expedition of the area to make maps in 1885.)
I had a walk along the one and only main road and popped into a tour operators to pick up a map of the area - hearing from the nice lady at the hotel to get one as it highlights the main walks which are all numbered. The town is small and has a selection of restaurants - Chinese, indian, Malaysian and western as well as other convenience stores. I headed off in search of walk 10 which ended with a nice view - bit of a job to find the start but seeming to walk through someone's garden - found it! After about a km of undulating terrain the next 4km was steep, clambering over - mainly tree roots with some boulders thrown in! All uphill and in what must of been a 30 degree heat I had sweat pouring down my back - made it to the top after about an hr to a pleasant but hazy view of the surrounding area of lush green hills. The walk back down being made somewhat easier by coming across rose, an indian lady sitting outside her flat planting orchids - had a lovely chat, swopped addresses ( for a Christmas card!) met her 2 great grandchildren and a grandson. Their flat looked very small and being told there is 6 family members living there and then having a drink, biscuits and 2 keyrings thrust in my hand ( I gave a packet of mentos in return) I took them graciously and we said our goodbyes. I felt completely humbled by the very kind gesture.
Back to the town and I booked a tour for tomorrow and had a spot of lunch before embarking on walk number 4. Again, the start not being too obvious ( signs being very few and far between - and old) but heading up the side of a river and chatting to a couple by a waterfall - the lady wearing a full burka helping me across a rather slippery precarious drop - I felt as though I should have been helping her ( cant imagine how hot she must of been!) getting to the end of path 4 and not wanting to have to retrace my steps - I had to retrace my steps! Couldn't find the adjoining paths, as I got back to the town the heavens opened but I continued on to the hotel - it had been a long days walking and I was pretty tired - and then wet! But nothing that a nice hot shower couldn't fix. Later, in the communal lounge I met a girl from Canada ( living in a place called Chatham - in Kent - in Toronto!) called Brenda, we decided to go out for a spot of dinner together, trying the local dish - steamboat. This consists of uncooked meat and fish with a selection of vegetables with a large pot of soup on a gas burner in the middle of the table that you basically cook the food yourselves - a simple idea and quite nice. Back to the hotel after buying a disposable poncho on the way!

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