Melaka is a beautiful city with lots of Dutch buildings and heritage. And lots of mosquitoes. My legs are now covered in bites, thanks to spending the morning washing the shower gel from my bag and belongings, whilst wearing shorts. I was totally oblivious to the fact there were mozzies (there hadn't been any in KL). My legs are soooo itchy, and I now wear leggings EVERYWHERE. Anyway, I didn't end up staying for the Friday night market as I'd planned to, because I didn't really want to stay for an extra day, and the locals I met (over a couple of beers) said it probably wasn't good enough to stick around just for that. Plus I wanted to get up to the Cameron Highlands (time's a-ticking!)
Melaka Town Square
The highly decorated trishaws in Melaka
So I left there and headed north to Ipoh (pronounced ee-poh), and got caught in the heaviest part of the monsoon. I was leaving the train station in search of the bus station (which I'd been told was just around the corner... nooooo it wasn't!), and it really put my new rain coat to the test - it seemed to stand up to it! I was walking through the streets and the water was up to my ankles. And it was rushing along the ground really fast, so it was actually pretty difficult to walk! I got many a bewildered stare from the locals, walking along with my backpack in the pouring rain. But I really wanted to find the bus station so that I could get on the next bus to the Cameron Highlands! I had no idea what time that might be, but if I'd have got there 10 minutes too late, I'd have been SO annoyed, as there's generally only about 2 buses to each destination daily... As it turned out, I got there 1 1/2 hours before the next bus.
About 10 minutes after I got under the shelter of the bus station (after searching for it for about half an hour in the torrential rain), the rain subsided to a more gentle rain, and then stopped. And I was sat there. cold and wet for nothing! Ah well... I was still smiling when I got to the bus station, so it didn't 'dampen' my spirits too much! Plus the rain was warm - it was like a bath for my feet :o)
I arrived in the Cameron Highlands a few hours later, and found a hostel. I checked into the only room they had (a single room), made my way upstairs to it, and it was a tiny room with a sloped ceiling, no window and a mattress on the floor (with stained sheets - eeeew!). And PAPER thin walls. I mean the thinnest walls I've ever experienced. But it was a bed, and I was sleepy. I crawled into my silk sleeping bag (thanks Adam!), put my sarong over the pillow, and went to sleep.
My room in Cameron Highlands
Next day (today), I went off to see what the Cameron Highlands has to offer. It's way up in the mountains, so is a nice reprieve from the hot, humid weather I've had elsewhere. You don't even need a fan to be able to sleep! The air is crisp. And it's beautiful.
I hiked for 3 hours through the jungle to see the world's largest flower, the Rafflesia (which is actually a fungus). The flower was pretty awesome, but the hike was amazing! Beautiful. Wonderful. Spectacular. It's safe to say that I loved it :o)
Malaysian jungle & walking across a bamboo bridge
Jungle trekking!
The Rafflesia (world's largest flower)
Mirai and the Rafflesia
Wild ginger
The amount of sap on this leaf could kill 10 elephants. No lie.
I also went to a native village, had a go at some blow-dart blowing, went to a tea plantation, up to the top of the highest mountain in the Cameron Highlands, into a beautiful mossy forest, and finally to a strawberry farm. The strawberry farm was a bit of a joke... 'here's one strip of strawberries growing. And HEEEERE'S our cafe!!!'.
Blow-dart
The target
Native village
Tea plantation (Boh Tea)
Top of Mt. Brinchang
Mossy Forest
I came back to the hostel, had a nap, and went out to the night market. Yes, I bought a ring (made out of green ceramic for about $1) and a pretty sunflower-type brooch made out of thick yellow rope and a black button. I didn't need either of them, but they're very cute. The brooch cost me about 10 cents. So that's all I've bought so far! Except a pair of shorts that I needed. And a plug adapter. And...(no - I'm joking... I've been pretty good so far). Finding vegetarian food up here's a bit of a challenge though. Tonight I had my first 'cheat meal' - corn on the cob bought from some kids at the night market. It was yummy though.
Now I'm deciding what to do tomorrow. I think I'll head back to KL so I can try and get a Myanmar visa on Monday morning when the embassy re-opens. And hopefully I can get that back on Tuesday (if I pay more money), and my UK passport will have hopefully arrived at the UK embassy by then, so then I'll be able to head up somewhere else, without having the constant knowledge that I HAVE to head back to KL for something. Hopefully.
Or else I can just head up to the Parhentian Islands from here, spend some time there, and then head back down to KL next week and sort visas out then, when my UK passport will definitely have arrived. I guess I'll decide in the morning... If I go to KL next week, I'll be able to fly straight out from there to Myanmar... Decisions decisions... Maybe I'll look at flights now.
So basically, I really have NO idea where I'll be tomorrow night - either Pahrentian Islands (North East of Malaysia), Georgetown (North West), Penang (North West) or KL (West). But whichever one I choose, I'm sure that it'll be fun!
