Cooler in the Mountains

After another day in KL and eight in total, it was time to move on. I decided to run for the hills to the Cameron Highlands which from all reports is the place to go. So back to the crappy temporary bus station and on to a bus that had seen better days. There were only 5 passengers including me - I think most travellers book mini buses from their guesthouses around 12.30 but I like to get an early start (and do things the hard way). After 2 and 1/2 hours up into the mountains we reached Tanah Rata, the main town in the highlands (and where every second restaurant was Indian). A mini bus from the guesthouse I'd booked was waiting for me, a blessing once I'd seen the steep stairs to get to it! I was there early enough to get my pick of the rooms and chose the one with a view. The guesthouse was one of those old, colonial places that had been converted years ago but now consisted of hard beds, paper thin walls and dubious shared bathrooms. Now I think about it a bit like school camp - though my first impression was it resembled something out of The Shining... At least there was beer. And good company. I spent my evening drinking with like minded travellers and my days doing not much - reading, playing patience, eating. The weather in the Highlands is mild and doesn't get much above 25 degrees, a welcome relief from the hot and humid lowlands. I did a half day tour to some tea plantations and the mossy forest - ancient, perpetually damp and well, mossy. It was beautiful as was the view from the highest peak with the mist rolling over the hills. The telecom towers spoilt it a bit though. Most exciting for me were the tea plantations - I got to both walk through one and have tea and scones overlooking another - bliss for a tea freak like me!

The Highlands are also known for their hiking trails. Many of my fellow guesthousemates had slogged their way up and along them but the day before I was leaving I was yet to check one out. I hadn't planned to but as these things go... I wandered away from the town for a look around when I saw a sign to some waterfalls so I followed it. This turned out to be track 9A which Lonely Planet claims is the easiest. The track was paved initially but as it went deeper into the forest became a dirt track. I started to double back being a wuss (or sensible) but met a girl from Scotland who let me tag along with her. Just as well, I wouldn't have made it without her! The track disappeared a few times and we both fell at different points. If this was the easiest track I doubt I would have survived the more difficult ones. I was very happy to see the end of the 2.5km track but the fun wasn't over. We decided to walk 7km uphill to a tea plantation. It seemed the better option as we were far from town and the call of tea and scones and a taxi back to Tanah Rata was strong enough to get me up that hill (but sooo not running). So I felt I had done justice to the Cameron Highlands and who knows if the heat gets all too much I may have to head back for a few days!

I wanted to check out Ipoh regardless that it is not on the backpacker trail. Ipoh and the surrounding cities of Kuala Kangsar and Taiping have some amazing colonial architecture. The train station in Ipoh is palatial, as is the town hall. The "new" town of Ipoh also has some interesting architecture - Chinese shophouses, art deco and many other styles. But I'd really gone to Ipoh to try the local speciality - chicken rice with bean sprouts. Apparently its the local water that makes the sprouts the best in the country. I tried 2 variations - one with noodles and the other with rice. They were both good (if a little monochrome) - the one with the rice won. And the bean sprouts were indeed tasty. I did a day trip to Kuala Kangsar, the old royal capital of Perak but my day didn't go so well as I kept getting lost - and in the midday heat. But I did see the school where Anthony Burgess taught in the 50's. I had an odd time in Taiping where my hotel room overlooked a mosque and I was the only backpacker in town. I did get to the museum - Malaysia's oldest. A mix of animal dioramas in the full sun and newer displays in climate control. I then rode the rails to Butterworth, the jumping off point for Penang and hopefully a cooking class.

Until next time.