Cameron Highlands 2nd - 4th May

Cameron Highlands 2nd - 4th May

Gene joined me to get a bus at about 3.30pm for 18 ringet headed to the Cameron Highlands in the north of Malaysia. Once Gene and I had found accomodation which was no easy task considering it was 'peak' season and the hostels were all booked up, (some wanted 120 ringet which is like 5 times the price I have been paying all over Asia!) we headed out to get some much needed food. I had an indian dish served on a banana leaf for 7 Ringit and I have to say it was pretty good although I probably substituted some of the taste in my intense desire to fill my belly as soon as possible! Feeling so tired I didn't fancy getting up at 6 for a half day tour I decided to have a lie in the next day and chill out with Gene, and maybe visit the tea plantations off our own back. We made our way to the 'Daniels Hostel' recommended by people I had met and in the lonely planet, which had been fully booked the night before but recommended ot each of us seperately where we ended up having a wicked evening with a great bunch of people in the jungle bar. It was one of those evenings that could have been pretty average considering I was tired after all my long hours of travelling and stress with visas and tickets, and honestly I could happily have gone straight to bed, but there were two retired irish men who were absolutely hilarious but also very engaging conversationists, and we managed to chat the night away between games of pool and also making friends with a very beautiful Iranian couple who lived in Kuala Lumpur. Time ticked by and at about 3am we noticed the roof being battered, a monsoon ensued, not good when we were just thinking of heading home! It was relentless and there were no taxis but we eventually made it back 4ish after someone luckily dropped us off in his car. Just as I was giving up hope! I managed to get about 3 1/2 hours sleep before resigning myself to the fact I wasnt gonna get any more so groggily arose for some breakfast. The place we are staying is ran by a very friendly Mayan and has a homeley type feel. Would you believe I made a meal for the first time in 3 months as it was one of those do-it-yourself kitchens. Well, OK, I chopped and Gene cooked but hey we still shared the task...! While at this place I have an idea formulating in my head of finding out about acting opportunities in Malaysia and Singapore, as more than one person has told me there are english speaking theatres and a good media scene in Singapore. I am quite keen on this idea as the thing that is making me hestiant about continuing my travels is my desire to get back into my acting but this could be an ideal situation, either before or after India.

So I wrote a couple of e-mails the next morning, deciding I would be returning to Kuala Lumpur and then Singapore to check out the acting and arts industry, ditching my idea of working my way up to Bankok via Panang and Langgowi on the east coast of Malaysia. It has given me a motivation and excitement and I only hope something comes of it. I love Kuala Lumpur and could see myself living here for a while and also using the opportunity to visit Indonesia, Phillipines and there are really cheap flights to Australlia too.

I ended up going on an afternoon tour, for 25 RM, so said 'bye' to Gene for the time being who had to get back to KL for work the next day. I figured I had come this far, and I wanted to see what the Cameron Highlands had to offer. The day was quite fun and while the weather here is significantly different (ie colder and wetter) than the rest of Malaysia, at least it didnt rain. We were with 6 young people from Singapore who had just finished exams and who were very sweet, laughed a lot and took a LOT of photos (even more than me, for those in the know...)

We visited...wait for it....a honey bee farm, tea making factory, a rose garden, a butterfly farm, a strawberry farm, and a buddhist temple. It was quite typically touristy but at least for the 25 ringet you got chaufered around and it was quite a fun crowd. The views from the rose garden were gorgeous, but the highlight was holding a VERY large and ugly beetle at the butterfly farm, and having 2 scorpians (poisoness) splayed on my chest. I say highlight only because for some reason I get an adrenaline buzz out of such things, and it was another case of mind over matter and not letting the panic set it. It was only after that they told me there were no antidote things at the place, in the case of a bite you would have to be rushed to hospital ;)

In the evening I had dinner with the german girl I met today and the two hilarious Irish guys from last night. Claypot rice is yum yum and with an orange juice it came to the grand old total of 8 RM, about 2 quid. I like cheap food ;) Sleeping at Daniels Lodge tonight - my room is not much better than a corrider, containing 6 beds of mixed genders and other rooms leading into it. There is no electricity which is a bit of a pain as I am enjoying lying in bed as I write this. I may watch a movie later. Am so tired...