The journey to the flower

2006-01-07

Hi mates,

somehow it feels like its now the journey begins because what characterise Malaysia is their national parks.

Cameron Highland is reach by a 6 hours bus from Penang and the road are sometimes very windy and I’m glad I dont get motion sicknes easy. When we finaly reach the city we find a room at a lovely little relaxed hostel with a nice garden. They also arrange half day trekk for the guest without any charge and that was one of the mainreasons why we stayed there.
But sometimes it’s not like it’s look like.

The next morning our guide never showed up and the hostel managers explanation was ”he is like that sometimes”. It doesn’t sounds so fun to have a guide that suddenly can change mood so.. Anyway, we were five people and decided to do a trekk on our own instead. Our plan was to climb up to one of the summits and when walk down the road and visit a tea plantation, which is one of the must see attractions at Cameron Highland.

It was a nice trekk and I belive we were again lucky with the weather and only had a few lighter showers with rain.
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When we reach the top it was actaully a little bit cold and I have to put on my fleece jackets.
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Never thought that I would have use of my fleece here in Malaysia. On the way down we did a stop at the tea plantation and had one of the shortest guided tour ever at an attractation site. It took maximum 5 min, maybe that explain why its free….. Anyway it was a lovely view and of course we had a cup of tea at the cafe.
[img=anders_c2006_1_14_14_49_41.JPG,172676][img=anders_c2006_1_14_14_51_38.JPG,172678]

Today we tried to arrange a slimmed trip including a trekk into the jungle and see the huge Raflesia flower and a short visit at the tribe people Orang-Asli. After lots of bargain we finaly agree of a price and promise of to be back to catch the bus later today to KL.
The weather condition was very bad after been raining almost non stop since the evening the day before, but with a raincoat and good mood we decided to go. But we didn’t even reach the start for the trekk…..

It has been raining so it was impossible for the jeep to pass one of the smaller hill at the road. It was nothing else for us then leave the car and start walking. Everything was soaking wet then we finaly reach the flower but we all had a great time except one the girl. She was blaming all the time over the rain and was vorried about her camera. Tried to tell her that she is in the rainforest but it doesn’t help. When we get out of the forest and back to the road the jeep was waiting for us and I belive none of us was blaming for that. About three hours in the heavily rainfall was more than enough for all of us. When we came to the same hill there the van doesn’t succeded to reach the top. Johan, my travelling mate, almost panic and asked the driver if we should get out of the car and walking instead. The driver told him that he have nothing to worry about and ”the breaks doesn’t works” Johan went paled in his face and more or less flew out of the car and walking down behind the car…
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Later today we gonna catch a bus to Kuala Lumpur and have a look at Petronas Twin Tower which is one of highest building in the world.

See you all soon.

Take Care
/Anders