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Published: April 10th 2008
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We left early from Georgetown, catching the free ferry to the mainland to catch our bus from Butterworth. We were lucky enough to see a pretty FIT sunrise as we crossed the waters!
There was a slight wait untill our bus left so me + Muc filled up on some lovely "grotty roti" for breakfast. and let caz look after the bags for short while. The little Indian diner had possibly some of the worst hygine conditions ever and i dair say the British Health & Hygene office would have a field day! We braved it and battled on through even if it did look like a certain stain on a certain piece of cloth....................
Catching the bus, however the suspension was kind of hanging of so we went thru some pretty hard times. We stopped at the town of Ipoh where we were to change our bus and carry on from here to the highlands. We stepped on to what appeared to be a bus that belonged in a some sort of programme going along the lines of "BUS WARS"! it was a midden. As always we sat on the back row thinking it would be best. oh
were we wrong!
The emergency exit door would swing open now and then as we turned corners, which didnt surprise us as the lock was nothing more than the smallest rustyest dead bolt lock. *MOT'S aint to popular over here me thinks*
Then the rain came down.. and oh did it come down, which caused the bus to leek from just about every window. Myself being seated right next to the "dodgey exit door" i was getting wet just a lil to much!
We got talking to a few german girls on the bus up to the top and we were given advise where to stay. Told us to come back and stay at there's actually 😊 Daniels Hostel was the place to be it seemed. We checked into a an attic dorm for 1.50 pound a night wich included Warm showers, nice beds, 800 DVDs on huge screen and an awesome mixture of people. This is possibly our favourite place we have stayed so far.
We settled in and ventured out into the rather weighty rain in nothing less than shorts and t-shirts and sandals. i was unfortunate enough not to have coat. Brrrrr! We decided to
go to a German resturant which was erm how you say....poo.! No service, food was wank and prices were high and the lady at the end started saying it was law to pay 10% service charge just because she wrote it at the bottom of the menu!
so yeah, there was no tip going to her!
Caz and Rick got an early night under their belt which was wise as we booked a long treck the next day; but i however got talking to an american girl called Nicole who was on a round the world backpacking trip with her college. Sounded awsum! We stayed up so she could teach me how to play American Foot ball and i could teach her how to play Rygby! Thinking we both came out with something new fresh in our minds!
James was still feeling the effects of the Georgetown Food so stayed in bed for the day which was a shame as he really was up for seeing the Highlands with us. He insisted Rick and I continue our jungle quest so we put on our Trecking Top Man T-shirts which were crystal white but are now sweat and mud
colour and set of to meet our fellow treckers at the front. Our group consisted of Diana (American) Lisa (Australia) Kevin (England) and his girlfriend Julia (France). Not forgetting our inspirational trek leader, "The Guru", aged 65 and been trekking for 58 years! Fit as a fiddle and the real life Ray Mears! Amazing guy!!
We set off for the top of the higest mountain in the highlands, resting at 2,300m. It certainly was tough and was more or less an uphill scramble through mud and mossy vines in a thick dark jungle. We eventually made it to the top with our legs shaking like elastic bands! we stoped for a short while to have a snack and take in the views!
Our next destination was the Boa tea plantations which the area is famous for! Once we Arrived to the plantations, it was like being back in British country sides. the scenery was so vast and GREEN! the Tea plants stretched for miles in perfect straight lines. By this point the weather turned on us. Although we were told it rains every day there at 4 oclock so we were prepared.
We stopped of a the
Boa Tea Leaves caffe and museum to dry of and get refreshed with a hot cup of freshly made tea! Rick and I Couldnt resist not to buy a slice of chocolate fudge cake and a warm scone with butter and jam to go along side our Tea. Danielle our American friend instantly said "oh you two are so British lol"
Next stop was the strawberry fields which weren't quite like the ones back home. These "fields" were greenhouses in a big carpark. We understood it was to protect the strawberries from the heavy rain they get, but its just not like home! We strolled around and managed to sweet word one of the pickers to give us a little sample!! Pretty awesome taste - very fresh - bust difficult to compete with a prime sample of plump English berry! If we ened up getting caught, we would get fined and the guy would prob get fired ! harsh all for strawberry....
As the day was coming to an end, we all clocked up about 17km of jungle trecking.phew were we tired. The bus down however never came along so rick and i suggested that the other guys
head back to the hostle in a taxi and we would meet them for dinner, and we would wait for another taxi. The rain was TERRENTIAL! so shelter was needed. we were sick of waiting around. so Rick flagged down a passing pick up truck and they let us hitch a ride down to our hostle! was an experience!
Later that night, we sprused our selves up for a fairwell curry with all our fellow friends we met while we stayed in the highlands. We all had some beers and talked the night away on all of our travels so far. Was a night to remember!
The next day, we were packed up and ready to leave for Taman Negara, the oldest rain forrest in the world. We would all be accompanied by our new replacements of the lees's Lisa and Diana as there both doing the same route as us.
So of on the bus. we set of for yet another 2 hour bus journey and then a 3 hour train ride!
..........................
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