Cameron Highlands (18 – 22 Dec)

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Day 1: Cameron Highlands was totally different from how I imagined it to be. I had this image of an idyllic farmland with miles and miles of greenery and fresh air. How wrong I was. As I alighted from the coach after more than 9 hours on the road, I noticed that Brinchang Town Central was choked with tour coaches and cars. The air was cold and heavy with the smell of petrol.

The white and yellow hybrid sweet corn is a must try. It is the sweetest maize that I have ever had. The Bird of paradise flower can last for 7 weeks! There are 7 flowers in one bud. After the first flower wither, remove it so that the next one can come out. Each flower is good for a week.

Day 2: Along the mossy trail near the highest peak in Cameron Highlands, I noticed a rope along a metal railing. Why would you need a rope and a railing at the same time, one of them would suffice. But very quickly, I realized the answer – the metal railing is very cold and uncomfortable to use when the weather is cold and wet. The rope is not so cold but the grip is not so firm.

When we rested to replenish ourselves, we had a good laugh at the inflated biscuit packs. My children loved lemon biscuit and we would bring these biscuit with us wherever we go. Due to the pressure difference (we were 2000 meter above sea level), the air pressure inside the biscuit plastic cover caused it to blow up like a puffer fish.

Day 3: From Brinchang to Tanah Rata via Jungle trail number 2, 3 and 4.

Trail number 2 was quite challenging, many a time, we needed to use all fours to get ourselves moving forward. While struggling, the children recalled their Bintang and OBS experience, I felt encouraged by them. My youngest son, in his free spirit manner, picked up a broken branch and used it as a magic wand and started ordering nature to bend over for his family.

Along the way, I came across a step that was higher than normal with a root in front of it. With one foot on the root, I balanced myself gingerly and then leapt across the step. Thinking that I used considerable skill and dexterity to clear this obstacle, I turned around to help my family. Just as I was about to stretch out my hand to my eldest son, he walked across the ‘obstacle’ like a flat ground. I was stunned. I saw it as a problem but apparently it was nothing to someone much taller. Conversely, he may not see any potential problem because it was a breeze to him.

Day 4: Day trip versus night trip

We went to Cameron Highlands by night and returned by day via coaches. I felt more comfortable travelling by day. The most irritating part about travelling by night was the flashes of light that swept past us as the coach sped on, making sleep very challenging.

Before going for holiday, it is wise to check if it is a public holiday in the foreign land. We were caught in endless traffic/human jam at Cameron Highlands.

I had always wished that Singapore could be cooler but my experience with Cameron Highlands proved me wrong. I would rather not sleep on a cold bed, brush my teeth in freezing water, lugged wind breaker wherever I go and have my sleep interrupted by howling wind