From Penang we caught a bus to the Cameron Highlands. The bus looked like it was straight out of 70’s but was at least comfortable. Crossing a 24 km bridge we left behind Island life and for the first time in weeks I was back on the mainland. Leaving the oceans and palm trees behind the bus weaved thru rolling hills rising to 1100 m above sea level by the time we reached the hostel in Brinchang. This area was initially colonized by British settlers looking for an escape from the nearby heat.
70’s disco bus – where’s the strobe light?
The first thing I noticed as I stepped off the bus was how right those settlers were – it was cold! By cold it was maybe 18C, but it was still an adjustment after the heat that I had become used to over the past few weeks.
After retrieving some pants and a jacket from the very bottom of my bag we discovered that the Mossy Forest, the major reason I came to the Cameron Highlands , had just closed for repairs/construction and wouldn’t be opening again until at least January.
Rather than get roped into a 80 ringgit tourist package which had its key attraction missing we decided, much to the dismay of our hostel, to make our own Cameron Highlands adventure.
With two Parisians joining our francophone group (well sans moi), we hired a taxi for 6 ringgit each and made our way to one of other things the highlands was known for – tea plantations!
Following a two ringgit entrance fee we spent the next hour or two wandering amongst the beauty of the plantation before topping it off with tea and a strawberry cheesecake at the cafe that over looks the area (strawberries being one of the other things the area is known for).
For reasons that no one could understand an inspection of the gift shop revealed that some (most?) of the Cameron Highlands tea was actually a product of China. Seemed a bit weird…
Visiting a Tea Plantation in the Cameron Highlands
Anyways after the plantation our DIY tour decided to take in yet another of the things the area is known for- hiking!
The area has a number of “marked” paths and we decided to hike number 10, which takes one back to town. The paths were muddy and not something that I’d recommend if it had been raining, it was steep in a few places. But we were rewarded with some pretty incredible views along the way, and no one came back covered in mud. Furthermore we did the tour for a tenth of what the group tour would have cost! Yay!
Hiking the Highlands
Arriving back in town tired but pumped from a great day, we made arrangements to head to Kuala Lumpur the next day, a place that I would spend way too much time in, and where I would seriously contemplate going home.
The Travelling Scientist 