Its time of the year again. My Birthday. Birthdays aint any more fascinating, just a reminder that am getting old. My plan was a simple dinner outing and I clearly told her that dont even plan for gifts.
Temptations doesnt leave anyone. Diwali fell on a friday which elongated the weekend to a longer one. While I was having big tough time to workout NZ trip (in Jan’11), she developed interest to use the long weekend and I had to budge. I let her work on the Cameron highlands with an eye. Watchful eye infact.. 😛 While Equatorial hotel was full, we were left with very few hotels which charged too much counting the long weekend. We know Cameron Higlands (CH hereafter) will be fully crowded; we chose Cameron Highlands Resort (YTL Property), British style (colonial times).
Cameron highlands sits comfortably in the state of Ipoh surrounded by beautiful hills. Cameron highlands has rich history like any other british colonial hill stations. Cameron highlands got its name from the discoverer Cameron. However you will hear Jim thomson’s name much better than this.
This was a long pending trip which we kept as a filler for a rainyday. A long Diwali weekend well deserved this destination. CH is hardly a overnight bus journey from singapore. We had our overheads with the availability of them. Somehow, we managed to get bus tickets from singapore to CH but not the return. We decided to split the return journey as CH to Kuala Lumpur then Kuala lumpur to Singapore without knowing the second leg of the journey will be a worst experience.
On 4th November late evening, we boarded the bus from Lavender (Singapore). We had to finish immigration at TUAS and the other side (Johar -Malaysia). It was 12 and as no surprise, got a call from Vijay which was one of the finest moments in life I should say. Whole day, got calls and sms’ from the loved ones.
Around 7 in the morning, we reached Cameron Highlands. CH has two small towns named Tana rata and Brinchang. Thats all if CH need to be mapped population-wise or road-wise. I recollected someone said about CH, “Cameron highlands itself not worth visiting”. However, if you live in singapore, CH would sound like heaven or almost near.
Buses stop at Tana rata or at Equatorial hotel at Brinchang. We missed when Cameron Highlands Resort (CHR – hereafter), so went all the way to equatorial. However bus driver was kind enough to drop us at CHR on his way back. We checked-in to the hotel. Hotel was one of the nicest examples of colonial days. CHR is small but elegant. We quickly refreshed ourself and wanted check the options we have got. This was one the poorly planned worked out trips as I was dedicating my all time to NZ. Other than Tea plantations, nothing is really worth exploring out here.
We decided to have breakfast at Brinchang and wanted to rent a motor cycle for the day. We had our breakfast at Sri Brinchang (the one in Brinchang opposite to Public bank) which turned out to be one of the best breakfast. As it was Diwali, out of 40 taxis only 4 ran for the day. We waited enough at the bus stop for taxi and got none. Luckily, one local called us and offered to drop us at Tana rata. It was quite rare to see one offering by themself. We followed him like lambs as he pulled out an old Mercedes from the parking lot. Its been practised to see Tamils in our abroad trips and this being Malaysia it was no wonder at all. But it was surprising to see our people very well settled and drove Mercedes out there. Many of them owned estates. One the biggest Tea estate is named as Bharat Tea vally.
He was kind enough to understand what we were looking for and infact explained that he is not taking us anywhere else when he had to take a small road. He dropped us at AJ NUR Travels near to Tana Rata bus stand and waited till we found the shop. Without these people, world would be in million pieces.
AJ Nur Travels is one place where you can get two wheels to drive around. But you dont expect best quality in them. We were lucky enough not to get one for the day. However, he offered to block one vehicle for the next day. With many thanks, we tried to find Taxi’s to explore the nearby places and found none. After a long waiting, we decided to return to the resort. We went to the resort and booked for the “Nature Tour” (Nature walk for 2 hours).
We took a small nap and on time we were waiting at the lobby. We were promptly picked and drove to the starting point of the nature walk which we learnt later that, that was the last trail where Jim Thomson was lost. Jim Thomson was one of the business man and nature lover lived till three decade ago. After he was lost, Colonial British force, locale were involved to search. However, he was never found. But his name lives everywhere in CH.
Our guide who was an ex-army person puffed his pipe and in between narrated the story of Jim. Along with two other couple, we started to walk and he explain the flora and fauna nearby. It was interesting and then sky changed its mood and started to pour. It didnt make any difference to me but looked at her. My spare rain coat was missing from the DSLR bag. Somehow rain was eased and she felt alright.
After 40 mins of walk, we returned to the place where we started and got picked to the resort. After a hot shower, felt the need of warm tea. Sitting in CH, this sounded very natural to me. 😛
Most of the resorts serve high tea with superb views here. We ordered a high tea in their lunch hall which was quite homely. We enjoyed the cool breeze and the misty rain at the dusk. One of the best memories to save for, I should say. Shortly we got our High Tea with scones in a multi layer plater which looked awesome. It has finger sandwiches, cakes, chocolates, scones and Jam. Added to that, a pot full of Tea. We didnt leave any leftovers. 😉
While she surfed internet after that, I tried to get some decent pictures. When it was time for dinner, we werent hungry but liked to eat a little. I settled with a French onion soup and nasi lemak and she liked to nibble on what I ordered. I have had french onion soups in bangalore, but what I got here is; a small copper pot covered by a bread which was heavily blanketed by the cheese which was oven-ed for a while. I had to ‘operate’ just to get to the the pot. Soup was okay and I was even scared to eat that much of cheese.
6th Nov
We picked the rented motor bike first, which dint have horn, break and the other important things. Strictly speaking, I would have opted for a decent cycle. Without the other options, I dared to use it for the next two days. Managed to roll it to the road and parked where we could go for breakfast in Tana Rata. There are many restaurants available in Tana Rata but the taste is between okay and good. Nothing beats the one in Brinchang.
Actual tour starts here. As mentioned earlier, the only useful thing to see in CH is the tea estates and Sungei Palas is the extremely tourist friendly one (by practice). Thenmozhi glued herself on me with my heavy dslr bag and my adventure with the bike started. We got the basic tourist map so it wasnt that tough to locate Sungei palas. CH gets traffic jams (yes – traffic jam) at weekends. Being the long weekend, it has got most number of tourists mostly with their wheels. Road is too bad, it takes more than 1 hours on a normal day and more than 2 hours or more with the car. Luckily with the two wheels, I was able to zoom through the cars. However, there was small stops, long ones and I hated all those while enjoying the views it offered. Sungei palas defintely not greater than munnar or vaalparai in India. But has a decent extended terrace over the tea plantations which serve best quality tea varities and other snakcs.
Old style tea making machines are there and the newer ones at work too. But nothing really would be important than a good tea at our table out there. I got a tea pot, a banana cake and settled to sink with my throughts. and she didnt let me.. 😛
After that on my way back, wanted to drive little towards the brinchang peak (with rental bikes, we arent allowed to do so). This road is really dangerous without a good 4×4 vehicle. At one point felt that the front wheel is on the air and realized time to return back. On the way down, I felt like I was carrying a huge sack on my back. Road is that steep. Cool breezes and gentle greeneries are the gifts though.
She wished to visit the Rose garden which is further north (from the main road). With lots of thinking about the condition of the motor bike, drove out there. Rose garden is a big farm with numerous varieties of roses. We spent some time out there before hitting the road again. It isnt worth unless you are passing through this place.
Next stop was at Butterfly garden as we had the rest of the day in hand. This is again just-another-what place. In no time, we were on the road again.
On our way back, we went to the Big Red Strawberry farm near to Brinchang. This is a place where you can explore how strawberry and few other (like lettuce) are farmed. Its good for kids and their learnings. I happily bought a small bag of Strawberries and munched. We unanimously(?!) decided to get lunch and hit the resort as we were tired. We packed our food at sri brinchang (at brinchang) and then vrooom-ed to the resort.
We had our food and rested a while. Later that day, we wanted to walk in the golf course and headed out. My intuition made me to carry an umbrella. In less than 5 minutes, it rained.. :-p like sky broke somewhere.
We ran back to the resort and lost in the TV channels.
7th Nov
We had more than half a day as our CH to Kuala lumpur bus was at 2pm. So thought of using it and went to the Robinson falls. This is some 2 KMs drive from Tanarata and 10~15 mins walk from there. Its easy walk unlike going down or climbing or crawling. When we went there it was too early and couldnt see the signs of habitation. When do I leave such things unexplored. Still with half heart, we headed further. It was like walking on a side of a hill which was fully covered with vegetation and fungus. Robinson falls is a small one with good walking trails. We went all the way and spent few mins. Damn, plastic bottles were swirling in the falls. Lets see, when people going to change themselves.. 😛
Next we decided to visit the other tea plantation (this is also from the owners of Boh tea plantation which is far south from CH). On our way we stopped at Bharat Tea house which is also a replica of sungei palas but right on the Highway. We had some good tea and a chocolate brownie with icecream which tasted soooo good.. 😉
Driving to Boh Tea plantation also requires good skills and plenty of time in hand. Without either but with a very bad motor bike, I drove all the way, just to realize the only worthy place in CH to visit is this. This has small restaurant and a 5 mins-to-reach peak. From here, whatever is visible is just tea plantation. Peak has some concrete slabs to enjoy the scenery. Place is just lovely.
Without much interest to leave, we left the place and rushed to tana rata. Bus was on time and we reached Kuala lumpur around 8. However the other leg of the journey was pathetic as the reserved bus didnt reach KL and we had to wait for more than 4 hours in that nasty KL bus stand. Never again in bus, this way.. 😀
1 Comment
Kishore · January 12, 2011 at 8:10 am
No match for your interest to view thru your viewfinder..the best in Earth…
Personally I see green only thru you from my desert..