Cameron Highlands Jul 11-14 2007

Cameron Highlands Jul 11-14 2007 DAY 1

We set off at 1030 and reached there around 615 at brinchang town. The first thing we got onto the bus was met 3 hiammies, that say 'why no tv??' and then a talkative bus driver comes up and gave them many tips for avoiding car sickness up the mountain. Supposedly to 'xian2' a sweet, or paste some japanese plaster on the tummy. He also warned us not to eat too full too late on the morning we are departing. Me and lil lamb on hearing the sweet part...was expecting the hiammies to share with us....unfortunately, i don know whether they eventually ate the sweets a not, coz i slept and slept and slept and slept.

On reaching brinchang town, a lady came up and started talking about the local tours there. Being the cheapo that puddy is, she did her research and found out that their tours are EX. The sunrise one which mehmeh was interested in, will cost RM65 , and that only brings you to the top of the mountain and that's it. (oh ya, and some light breakfast is provided - which prolly cost u the RM25 in the fee). So she was talking about cameron yada yada, the nice places to see yada yada, while the 3 hiammies repeated after her like 'oh...tea plantation...'; 'oh...strawberry farm...'; '...oh....sunrise...'.And then they signed up for all 4 tours, at RM215 per pax. After that we got off the bus and she drove us up to the hotel. The route up the hotel is some winding path, about 5mins drive up. We were asking her about walking up and down, and she advised us against it, as there is no path and no light. One happie thingy was, she said i look like 18yo! and then she said she thot lil lamb is 20. that OLD lamb. Im sure she derived 20 becoz i looked 18, and so she just anyhow added 2 years, and not tat he's young. Anyway, we concluded that she thot of us as cheapos (which is true!), coz 1) we never sign her tours 2) we stayed at cheaper hotel (summore i still told her we choose it coz its cheeper) 3)we were contemplating walking to and fro the hotel.

The hotel we stayed at was Strawberry Park Resort

the 2nd highest hotel in CH. Unfortunately, we got a room, in a block 4 storeys high, on the first floor. The sound proofing of the rooms leave much to be desired, coz we could hear people in other rooms quite loudly. Which also means, they could hear us smashing pies,baa-ing and puddy scurrying in and out of the toilet all the time. Scurrying coz...its cold...and the floor is cold too!


The place was quite prettie, the room was big and covers adequate, the bathroom was as big as the room....with 2 doors leading to it (til now i have not figure out why 2 doors), and a bathtub in the center. We never ever used the bathtub, and i don think anyone in the right mind will, coz...it will be freeeeeeeezing cold as hot water put in will turn cold fast. There is a shower place at the bac, to the right , where 50L of hot water awaits any cold traveller. On the heater to heat it up 20min beforehand, but do not take your own sweet time wasting that hot water or u might find yourself all soaped up with only cold water on hand. It has a balcony for each room, with bougainvilleas outside the ledge. Ours had some blooming flowers, but I saw some that has withered ones.

We took a cab for RM12 to sconey town (tanah rata) for...scones! Lil lamb keep craving for the scones, that he named the town sconey town and had probs remembering the actual name. GLUTTON!


We were trying to find the tourist info centre, so that we can compare the prices for the tours. We ended up at some 100-200m away from town centre, at this police station that was deserted. And where puddy attempted to steal a map from the police station. Well done. But the very righteous lil lamb stopped evil pudding. And as pudding was debating with him whether to leave the money in the drawer, a policeman walked in. She quickly hid the map under lil lamb's lap and when he walked further in, she returned the map back to its starting place. After all that adventure, she was hungry and attempted to steal again, this time, some biggie corn outside.

We were trying to find this tour agency, called cameron secrets, that offered an reasonable price for the sunrise tour at 60RM to go mountain top, mossy forest and tea plantation in 4 hrs. Round and round the town we went, but no such agency. Puddy saw a van with its name, and wanted to go ask the driver, but van drove off before she could wobble there. We found all the other 3 agencies though, and one not-on-the-internet one. We koopped all their brochures, and went to eat sconeys while deciding. We had butter scones, banana pancake, apple pie, mango lassi, hot cocoa all for RM 23.80

In the picture, was the map that we bought for RM4. Supposedly newer than the one i attempted to steal. In the end we signed up the one not on the internet for RM 65 per pax, that brings us via 4WD to see sunrise, mossy forest and tea plantation and he said after that got time we can go visit some other places. Quite a good deal!

Since we were going for trekking, puddy decided to grab some more food to sustain us on a 4-5 journey. We had this tandoori chicken naan set for RM7. The chicky and naan were heated in the red charcoal pot. Yummy chicky!! Tender chicky!


Then lil lamb decided we will take trail 5 and 3 back to brinchang town, so we don't have to spend money cabbing back.


We had to walk a distance towards the hospital on normal roads, where lil lamb found some dandelions to eat...



We actually overshot the entrance to the trail, cos as usual, lil lamb was lost! We were supposed to go in thru MARDI (some research agro institute) but we continue walking towards the hospital, which will lead us to trail 9. But we back tracked and arrived in MARDI, with preeeeeeeeetie flowers and nice nice cottages. A short walk later, we found the sign that says Path no. 5. It was hard to start with...you know why?? coz that track road that starts before it leads to those jungle trails....was up and up and up and up....the 3rd pic shows how high up we were.

After a while Trail 5 normalised...and it was fine. The forests in cameron are famous for their moss...moss everywhere, i even found one moss covered lambie! And then we saw, twice, the pill milipede. This one was yellow and black, the first one i saw was green and black striped, it looks fat and juicy, a bit like agar agar jelly. Lil lamb tottered hard around it, and poor milipede was scared, and rolled up...



We reached the junction of trail 5 and 3 after 1hr 10 mins after setting off from sconey town. Actual jungle walk was only 45 mins. This is lil lamb trying to decide where to go, where poor wobbly puddy struggles to climb up.

We rested in that hut for about 5-10 mins, where we met an ang moh who had climbed up and down the mountain. He said it will take about 2 hrs to go up and down the VERY STEEP CLIMB, so me and lil lamb decided against it, coz it's already 2pm, and pudding is paranoid about being stuck with papabear after mr sunnie goes to sleep.

Trail 3 had a little part that was pretty hard. The photos don do justice to the trail man. The first photo shows the steep path down...where there is tree branch right across. The second photo shows what it is like, from the bottom up, after we cleared that tree branch.


Trail 2 was like...duh!! Trail 2 goes up and down up and down up and down....lil lamb says it follows the hill crest. I can take like 50 steps up....and then I'llbe staring straight down at some path that goes all the way down. After I cleared that, It's raise your head and all the way up again! Repeat x30 times. This trail seems to be the most confusing out of the 3, coz there were red markings on the trees to guide trekkers the route, and certain pathways that stray from the trail were bounded off by those red/white tapes. A happy photo before we start on the horrible trail of 0.95 km.


At 4 pm, we made it out to the Sam Poh temple, because we took the stairs down, we did not walk into the temple. As lil lamb was standing at some junction of the road trying to decide how to walk back to brinchang town, he turned around, and some flying black buggie kissed him on his woolly eyelid. It was real painful he baaaa. Puddy quickly helped him wash his eyes, gavehim some anti-histamine and some TLC. On the way down to brinchang town (this lil lamb is very intuitive, he always manages to totter puddy to the right place after all), he kept asking if swollen a not....well, its a bit swollen, but after a while, the sweelling plateaus and din increase. But he could still look at pretttie pastries! =( . In the photo, he look so qian bian, becoz...his eye still hurting..can see red red.


We passed by a signboard that says...Big Red Strawberry Farm, and decided, since we are already on the way there and too early for din din, go in and take a look. It's some 10 mins walk away, and beside the Cactus Valley. I took the strawberry farms brochure and decide to go cactus valley first. It's RM4 per pax, but I think its quite worth it.


Below left: A cactus with 2 balls. So huge that it has to be supported with strings. Below right: A hairy cactus, that has red 'hands' poking out.


We decided to explore further, coz strawberry farm closes at 530 so we decided to leave it for tomolo. Cactus Valley closes at 6, so we spent 1.5 hrs there to make our peanuts worth. Cactus Valley does not only have cacti, they have fruits and flowers!


We walked to brinchang town and then had a steamyboat! Cold cold weather...yummy hot food. This restaurant serves charcoal steamy boat that sees sparks flying out the long column in the centre....for RM15 per pax and Rm2 a pot of tea, they gave us soooooo much food and many bugs-free grass! Of a notable mention, the chicky is tender and yummy tasting. Some other table ordered an extra plate. The veggies were sweet and bugs-free!


After steamyboat, we went to a shop to buy some strawberry tea to drink at night. We also bought a RM 0.50 mo fa kor. That lil lamb wanted the white ones, so we din get that familiar brand. I looked to the side, and there's this unknown brand, white in color, and best is...10cents cheaper. Took a cab (same price to the resort from either towns) and went back to see stars and stars and stars and stars adorning the skies. However, by the time we bathed, boiled water, dragged the chairs outside to the balcony, all the stars shy and hid under the clouds. We had some dried mangos (that puddy bought from philippines to singapore to malaysia...duhz), the utterly tasteless mo fa kor whose cap cannot even close back (serves us right for being so cheapo!) and the hot strawberry tea under the cloudy starry night sky with cold wind blowing.....baaa-ing sweet nothings? no la, busy smashing pies!

Slept early as we supposed to wake 515am to see sunrise the next morning.

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Cameron Highlands Jul 11-14 2007 DAY 2

Bumped lil lamb off the bed at 535am, in the coldness, we waited outside the lobby at 6am for the 4WD to bring us up gunung brinchang for sunrise. The stars were all not shy and sat preetily in the sky twinkling at us. My lambie, was plagued by the lazy germies when packing, and did not pack in a jacket. Guess his wool serves him well, coz it was 13 deg C, and my fingers were freeeeezing. Up the winding stone path with lots of blind corners for another half an hr, before we reached the top of the mountain. Seems to be the highest, since the road was very potty and not maintained, coz opened by telecom company. We din see the 3hiammies there...must be they go some other place, as i don think the ttt tour van can make it up that kinda road. There was this watch tower 3 storeys high. We climbed to the second storey and cuddled together for warmth. Lil lamb busy taking photos while pudding thinks of the hot shower in the hotel.....


We enjoyed a cup of hot chocolate first, after the sun rose, it was about 17 deg. Trail 1 also starts from here for 2.97km.

We just chit chatted a bit with the guide, and told him we did trail 2 yesterday, which i think prompted him to take us on the medium/hard mossy forest trail. Seriously, after trail2, i think this mossy forest trail (no.14) is nothing. It seems abit like trail 3 starting part in terms of difficulty. It's a lot of climbing too...but just a short distance and you can walk normally...then repeat. I was thinking to myself, how the aunties gonna climb, then he told us, got a simpler trail. Ahhh. He din explain much onthe trail though...nothing much to say oso. But dun really like it that he walk so fast. That i was struggling to catch up. We saw some pitcher plants. After half an hr we walked out...I was quite disappointed. Duhz. nothing much one. The place was a lil bit muddy. Lucky it din rain yesterday, or else my poor shoes will be drenched in mud. Trail no. 14 starts here to reach G.Irau.

We went back to town for breakfast before going to the tea factory at sungai palas. We asked the guide to take a picture of us. Prettie puddy with cute mehmeh! The picture doesnt do justice to the nice nice scenery of the tea plantation behind!


Tea factory - rolling, fermentation, drying, sorting


Then we sat at the tea shop and had butter cake and tea while admiring the scenery. I think coz its friday, lots tourist, which mars the experience a bit. It was noisy!! I would love to go back there again on a quiet day with a book and sip tea.


Strawberry farm - pluck ur own strawberries. This is a small farm...EQ. It's just rows and rows of strawberries....Certain sections are for plucking. It's quite ex, half a kg for RM15. I wonder if big red strawberry farm is better.


Rose centre - our laststop with the guide is at the rose centre. Prettie puddy with preeetie flowers!


Below left: Pudding helping him dig nose. Below right: Lil lam huggiez other prettie girl!


FLOWERS!!!



At first I was thinking...aiya...see roses only ma...need RM4 per pax entrace? but....don xiaokan this rose centre.....It's so tall!! The first picture shows the word "Rose centre" on top of the hill, second picture shows puddy fiinally reaching that words via the stone stairs. And what awaits you up there? Some sunflowers! And of coz, a fabulous view!


Following are some foodie pics.

Lunch at Jew May Yen...yummiest fried tofu, and fried watercress (lil lamb said he found a bug, so it's not bugs free!)


We took a cab back to....ZZZZ! haha. Woke up at 515pm...coz we were planning to walk down to brinchang town. Its weird why everyone say cameron is not walkable. Me and lil lamb walk and walk many times. First from Sam Poh temple to town. And then from Cactus Valley to town. And then from strawberry park resort to town. It takes about 15-30mins to get there, but since its cold, and its downhill, i thot they were quite enjoyable walks. True, to the plantation and the Kea Farm region mebbe not...but those nearby ones were quite reasonable. Lil lamb is clever, he found a short cut (actually s the guide take one that early morning) that goes one unwinding way down to town from the hotel. We took a 30mins walk down . It drizzled a bit though, but din hamper us at all.


As it was too early for dinner, pudding decided on dessert first! Secret recipe, 2 yummy cakes, only RM11. Walnut brownie was warm and moist and sinfully gobbled down by puddy.


Went to the pasar malam to walk walk first. Had the sweetest corn. And bought some dried fruits...dried strawberries, dried blackcurrant, dried plum (called aiqing guo). The pasar malam was selling many fried veggies, fried mushrooms, corn, peanuts, sweet potato balls and normal steamed ones, strawberry everything...jam, tea, cookies, chocolate strawberries. There were accesories, strawberry souveniers, strawberry cushions. Malay food, fried these and taht, and lil lamb was eyeing the chicky. But it was still drizzling, so we decided to go for dinner.



Dinner at OK Tuck. Really fresh asam fish. Asam sauce so-so, but fish deliciously fresh. The auntie say the fish is "swim water" one from the lowlands. There's also hong mei pai ku that lil lamb say is the yummiest he ever gobbled down. Belachan choi tam, nicer belachan compared to lunch.

Wewalked 3 more rounds after dinner to try and be less full, but it din work, and puddy was getting cold. In the end we bought cendawan goreng and sweet potato balls to dabao back to hotel. Really regretful to say we were too full to eat more. There were more yummy fried stuff...ayam goreng, fried veggies, corn grilled and steamed, strawberry everything....

Along the way we kept seeing Singapore cars, and me kept repeating 'strawberry park, strawberry park' in hopes of getting a free ride back to the hotel. Hee, cheapo me wants to save RM15! (at night cost more!) I even wanted to make frens with the singapore cars drivers i saw in the hotel in the afternoon, until i realise they already full house, and i don think i wan to sit in the boot.

We got back to the hotel around 10, and as usual, the stars were shy. So this time we decided to just have our little strawberry-tea-drinking-session in the hotel room, eating all the stuff we bought and baaa-ing sweet nothings while covering ourselves with the comfy blanket.

The next day we had hotel breakfast, nothing spectacular, and then took the winding road down the mountain. It takes 1++ to 2 hrs down from brinchang to the NS highway. We weren't affected by the carsickness, but i noe someone back there vomited their strawberries out. Before it could get to me...sleepy puddy ...fell asleep and din wake up til 12+ pm for the lunch stopover...


Nice place cameron ...cool and nice to get away from singapore heat. Would definitely go again just to nua...coz been there once, also nothing much to visit again! More food at pasar malam definitely though!!