The Cameron Highlands... cooler days...

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Getting out of the jungle was nearly as difficult as getting into it and we spent the best part of a day (and more money than we would have liked!) but, eventually arrived in Tanah Rata in the heart of the Cameron Highlands. Tanah Rata is a small town situated on a long road of villages, markets and farms and has some gorgeous views of the surrounding hills and countryside.

The Cameron Highlands is Malaysia's premier hill station destination and their premier tea producing region. In the days of British colonisation the English, missing their tea, decided to bring over a load of experienced tea growers and pickers from India and to recreate what was so effectively done in Darjeeling. Thus the Cameron Highlands were born.

Now, the Highlands are a major tourist attraction thanks to the cooler and less humid weather, the plethora of beautiful gardens and farms and the miles upon miles of rolling, green, tea-baring hills. It was all of these things that attracted us and a few more things that kept us there.

We checked into a gorgeous little guest house that used to be a military barracks and later a convent. The rooms were all in little bunkers and the main reception and restaurant were in a gorgeous, old, stone building. The night we arrived the town was hosting it's weekly Saturday Night Market and thanks to the large Indian population, there was much to see and buy (and eat!). I managed to pick up some Indian gold jewellery to match my wedding sari for a fraction of the price it would have cost in India!!

We spent our few days in the hills visiting strawberry farms (we must have eaten a combined 15 punnets of strawberries over the three days!), honey farms, orchid and rose gardens, tea and scone cafes and the plantations of course. But time was of the essence and our time in Malaysia was coming to an end.

We picked up a few too many souvenirs and sadly headed back down to the hot and humid lowlands of Malaysia, onwards to the mighty capital of Kuala Lumpur.

Within just a couple of hours the plantations were far behind us and the city lights were beckoning...

Next stop: KL!!!

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