Backpacking Landscapes: Day 23-25 (May 17-19, 2014) of the #limbonisASIA trip: Around Cameron Cameron Highlands, MalaysiaHighlands

Tuesday, May 20, 2014

Day 23-25 (May 17-19, 2014) of the #limbonisASIA trip: Around Cameron Cameron Highlands, MalaysiaHighlands

en route to Cameron Highlands, Malaysia

I took the 1:30pm trip of the Unititi Ekspress bus from Penang, and reached Cameron at around 6pm.

At my arrival in Cameron, I immediately went to Daniel's lodge. Unfortunately, they don't have any available bed in their dorm.

I almost panicked; It's nightime, and it's raining and I have no space to go.

I asked their receptionist for where else I may most likely be able to get a dorm bed, and was pointed to Twin Pines which is on the other side of the main highway.

Luckily, there was a 15RM per night single attic room.

Took a shower, and went out for dinner. (And their Nasi Goreng tasted really well such that this is where I got all my meals at the duration of my stay in Cameron).

Then, I have the whole of the second day to go around Cameron.

Earlier when I arrived, there were some greeters in the Tourism Office (right where the Unititi Bus stops) who happened to be Filipinos, and were offering some discount on the tours.

However, I am not really into arranged tours, and I don't want to spend for tours, and i woke up really late (and all those excuses, which, in simpler terms translate to "I'm sorry I'm a backpacker and can only afford so and so").

It was an 8 kilometer walk all in all to the Rose Center. I stopped by the Uncle Sam's nursery, the Cactus Center, and the Rose Center. I would have walked further had it not been raining most of the time.

Cameron Highlands, Malaysia

When rain puored hard, I had to take shade from whatever there is; And it takes about half an hour to lighten the shower. I was initially planning to do a hitchhiking, but it don't seem like it's a thing there at all. I ended up walking the whole 8 kilometer one-way (16 all in all) which happens to be a good training somehow for the hike we will be doing in Indonesia 3 days after.

Cameron Highlands, Malaysia

The following day, again, while I planned on waking up early so I will have enough time for the tea plantation, I woke up at 10am. After coffee, I walked into the bus station and asked for the public bus, but it's not arriving until the next hour. As I was told, the buses arrive and leave only after every 2 hours in Cameron.

I was offered the taxi service, but, of course, i'd just smile.

Then, I went into the Tourism office again, to book a ticket, and while the internet says there should be a trip at 3:30, that trip has been abolished. The interim last trip leaves at 1:45 and I only have about 2 hours to go.

It's also a monday and the 2 big tea plantations are closed. My only option is the Cameron Bharat tea plantation which is 4 kilometers away. That was better than nothing at all. Plus, a visit to Cameron don't seem complete unless I see a tea plantation.

I did not really get to the tea plantation itself as I was a little worried i'll be left off by the bus, but somewhere on the 2.XX+ kilometers away from Tanah Rata proper, there's a view deck where you can see the tea plantation.

Cameron Highlands, Malaysia

Surprisingly, this is the same way the bus is taking, so I still saw the tea plantation very close (though not as much time compared to if i'd stop right in it).

Cameron Highlands, Malaysia

Then again, just like Langkawi, and to a higher extent, Cameron is that type of place where you'd go to for the weather, and to relax. In fact, it seems a lot of the people of Kuala Lumpur go here just to escape and spend the weekend. There seems to be a huge crowd of Malaysians on Saturday, then, a lot of Malaysians again on the markets on the sunday, buying all sorts of fresh fruits and vegetables, but at night, the town would have been almost empty.

This post is part of the #limbonisASIA trip. See here for detailed expenses and more info