Cameron Highlands, Pahang

Cameron Highlands is a sleepy valley in the state of Pahang, Malaysia. Before you reach the little towns, you will first be required to conquer the long winding road up to the hill. Road upgrades are now ongoing and let's hope that the work progress is fast, else you will seriously suffer from a stretch of bumpy roads. Not an uncommon sight in Malaysia but it is not appreciated when the road is so narrow!

There are a lot of local stores along the way, selling petai, duku, other local fruits and handicrafts. That's like a good 65km of travel before you reach Tanah Rata. I have been to Cameron before this but I still fidget like a small child in the car. The journey seems like Forever...and I didn't know Forever stretches that far...hmmm...when can I see the silhouette of the hotel??

Anyways, we reached at long last and we had tea at Lord's Cafe upon strong recommendation from my friend. I was told that this place has got the best scones in the whole Cameron. It only then that I realized that Cameron is famous for scones. I never knew and I thought steamboat was what the place was well-known for.

Scones and hot chocolate..and oh, hello to vanilla ice cream and pie too!

The cute kids of the owner of the shop

After lunch, we drove ahead further and FINALLY! The hotel! We spent the night at Equatorial Hotel - though there are more charming ones along the way such as Cameron Highland's Resort, well, Equatorial has a better price for a weekend getaway. The hotel comes with a tiny pool, a less than inviting size but it is huge for a 2 years old (that said, it's good for a family's short vacation). The room is not new but it is clean (Rating of 8 in 10) and it has got a few channels to choose from - which is good because we have been to Cameron for several times throughout our adulthood and after dinner, we retreated back to the hotel for a quiet and relaxing time watching the TV. 

Steamboat dinner (review and address: http://www.happycow.net/reviews.php?id=36113)*

*There are a few restaurants that cater to vegetarian and most of them are located in Brinchang. A lot of us, locals, enjoy renting an apartment unit and prepare our own dinner when we are in Cameron especially if we went in a big group.

Other highlights of Cameron are Mossy Forest and the many tea farms. I have not been to the Mossy Forest before but my friend gave a good rating for that one. This time round, we went to the Boh Tea Plantation instead; we went there for our breakfast and enjoy the calm scenery with coffee/tea and pastries.  This is one place to avoid during festive seasons though because it is located 2 km from the main road and the road leading towards the tea house is winding and narrow. It can hardly fit 2 cars - let alone if you are driving a 7-seaters. It took us quite a while to drive out due to the in-coming cars. Anyways, after we bought our supplies of fresh corns, vegetables and flowers, we head back to Kuala Lumpur...our beloved congested city...

Padas White Water Rafting, Sabah...I am nearly a past tense

Some friends thought that we are crazy to do the Kinabalu hike on the day before we raft. They told me that I'd die from exhaustion and worst case scenario would be muscle cramp. Well, apparently we don't die from muscle cramps. We don't experience cramps at all...it's just that we almost give up at that moment when the clock struck 5 am. Our ride would pick us up at about 5.30 am to drive us to the Beaufort train station which is located approximately 1.5 hours away from Sabah town.

At that time, I pretty much regretted not bringing along any photography device - not even my phone; just to prevent it from getting stolen when I was rafting. The rafting center's staff told us that it'd be safe and our properties will be guarded but to what extent can we trust a stranger? The area where we were supposed to keep our belongings was just a compound with 3 rooms. Our stuff will be kept in one room - locked and guarded while the other rooms are the kitchen and the changing room. They don't even have a proper shower place, only an open space with 3 shower heads.

Back to the train station; it's really antique and the train works on a steam locomotion mechanism and some of the cabins are just wooden compartments with no seats. Photo-worthy in sepia/black&white if you ask me.

I was pretty thrilled at the idea of riding in the train- it was quite fun actually since it's my first time riding on such an old thing!

Antique huh?

It took us about an hour or so to reach the rafting center. We were briefed on the do's and dont's and then, off we go for our adventure! Water rafting was fun. Seriously! I love it even after my dramatic encounter. It was 3 months after my trip from Sabah and I would love to spread this message out to all who are interested in trying river rafting. Padas river is located about 2 hours' steam train trip away from Beaufort railway station and ironically, the water is murky rather than 'white' (or clear). None of us had any rafting experience and so my friends and I went with an guide/agent from BUSAT (http://www.ultimateborneo.com/2010/03/padas-white-water-rafting/). We could see the river during our train trip and we thought, okay...doesn't look dangerous or anything. Plus, the weather is too good to surprise us with a downfall or flood.

The lead instructor gave us a good briefing on the paddling methods as well as all safety issues that we should be concerned about. Then comes the paddling part. We went down to the river with our respective guide - whom we learnt that his name is Sham. We are a group of 4 and joined by another female caucasian. This is the cream of the crop because he started to chat with her and eventually asked if she would like to raft in a kayak since this is her second time rafting. He didn't actually ignore us but focused more on her. After some turbulent sites, he then asked us to test the water and jumped into the river where the current was almost nil.

We did and we had fun. So we didn't suspect anything when he told us about this 'body rafting' game when we waded nearer towards the endpoint. We thought, yea, everything should be under control since there are guards paddling in kayak who doubled as emergency lifesavers. We would never ever thought of the idea of jumping near a site with strong current because we are not very strong swimmers AND we are all new to rafting.

(Without suspecting anything fishy or dangerous)We (obediently) jumped into the water when he asked us to and yes, my girlfriend and I were nearly drowned. The site where he asked us to jump has a strong current and filled with smooth rocks. Waves kept crashing on me that I barely had the time to breath. Yes I was wearing a life jacket but that was not enough to keep me afloat. The current was too strong! I tried to position myself the way the lead instructor taught us but still, it was very difficult to stay in the correct position and breath. I merely escaped the rocks and the waves were already washing me towards another one. In the midst of all these, I saw a boat which resembled mine. So I tried waving but the guide on it either couldn't see me or were not bothered. It didn't move towards me at all! My girlfriend had a panic attack when she hit upon on rock. Thank god it wasn't serious.

I was finally rescued by my friend who is a better swimmer. However, we were unable to grab my girlfriend who was so near and yet so far. The kayaking lifeguards got her instead. We later learnt from others that Sham was supposed to either jump along with us OR maneuver the boat in front of us so that he could help us in case of an emergency. But guess what, he did neither and we saw him with the caucasian lady behind us. He had got the lady a kayak and was teaching her on how to kayak through the turbulence.

Please. Never take Sham as your rafting guide. He is just too inexperienced and if it wasn't for my friend, I would have easily been drowned or knocked unconscious in the water. Least he could do was to warn us on the current and asked for our level of comfort with water. I wrote in to BUSAT but there was no response (why am I NOT surprised?) and now, back in KL, I think this is the only way which I can reach out to tell others that, yes, river rafting is safe and enjoyable -- only with the right guide. If you have decided to take this trip with BUSAT - make sure that they don't assign Sham to you.

Pulau Lang Tengah

We have several islands (altogether 13, I supposed...some that I know are called Pulau Redang, Pulau Perhentian, Pulau Lang Tengah, Pulau Pinang...) in the East Coast of Peninsular Malaysia which makes the Marine Park. Only RM5 per entry into the park and I have snorkeled there once. It was my first time snorkeling but I wasn't too impressed. It was fun and interesting but really, I wasn't too impressed. I was at Pulau Redang then and it was in May, after my first year exam.

Now, 4 years after, I am back again to the East Coast. I am now in Pulau Lang Tengah. Having been to Boracay and Bali which are way commercialized for tourists, I find Pulau Redang somewhat inadequate in catering tourists at an international level. So, Pulau Lang Tengah in comparison; is no way what a tourist who are looking for bikini girls and other excitements (banana boat, para-gliding) would want. However, I find this place very relaxing. Of course, beaches always have this power over people like a magic de-stressing pill.

There are direct flights (else, you can opt for a bus trip which takes approximately 7h- it is the cheapest alternative for locals and depending on which coach you take, the ticket price is only about RM40 for a normal coach and about RM70 for a 'luxurious' coach. I'd suggest Transnational/Plusliner) into Kuala Terengganu from Kuala Lumpur and upon arrival, you'll be fetched to the respective jetty (Merang Jetty for both Pulau Redang and Pulau Lang Tengah while Besut Jetty for Pulau Perhentian). The boat trip to the islands take approximately 45mins. There are about 4 resorts here (D'coconut, Lang Sari, Redang Lang and Sari Pacifica. Sari Pacific is the higher end resort with garden chalets..pricing at approximately Rm 1500...yes...that much..) and I had made my arrangements with Pinganchorage. It is a travel agency which I got acquainted with somewhat during previous trips planning. It's quite an easy option because the price is reasonable and I could arrange my land transfers and such with them all in one go. Well, this is my short get-away trip and I just want to arrange it through several emails. I mean, yea, after I googled to check which is the better choice of resort among the 4.

At the jetty before going to the island

My room for 3 nights

We have chose D'coconut resort. We have got a deluxe low at RM315 and...well, in the city, RM315 could give you a somewhat comfortable room. Don't get me wrong, the room in D'coconut is not too bad. It is okay...cleanliness is about 3 of 5..without a TV..with coffee/tea condiments, breakfast included (bread, eggs, cereals, mee)...a plain swimming pool (clean factor:4 of 5, 5ft, medium size), small beach on the east wing (a bigger area in the west wing- which is a small path away)...

Yes, you don't need a TV for your entertainment when you could swim and sleep by the beach...and snorkel/dive in the sea but trust me, you will appreciate a connection (laptop) if your intention is like mine- that is just to sleep by the sea and swim during the time when the sun is setting.

This is no place to watch the sunrise though. I woke up at 530 this morning in hope to catch the sun rising only to find it blocked by the little 'hill' by the side of the resort. Anyways, I spent the hours sleeping on the beach until I feel the heat of the sun- at about 1130. The weather is really good and the clouds have kept the sun hidden to my advantage. I am burnt enough during my last rafting trip and at the moment, I just want my skin to recover. It's pretty shady today and I don't mind a bit of sun heat on me- with the gentle and cooling breeze on my skin...but no, my burn is bad enough that I suspected that if I don't take care of it now, I will be at a higher risk of skin cancer. (HAHA....yes.)

So, I retreat to lazying with the laptop here in the lounge. In a comfortable chair with a doable internet connection (I need to finish my data analysis this weekend and I'm positive that with this view and weather, I can definitely finish my task). I shall first do this and then by about 4pm, get my well-deserved swim in the swimming pool and then, the sea and back to the pool again for another soak before dinner.

On the other hand, Sari Pacifica has got a better view of sunrise and also clearer and much calmer water. It's located about 15mins from D'coconut on the other side of the island. If you are staying in D'coconut, you could walk over there for a swim and also to buy snacks and drinks in the resort next to Sari Pacifica. It's cheaper there (It's quite an adventure to walk there as there are rocks in between that you'll need to get through). Also, the Dive Centre there looks much active - perhaps because the price of the accommodation (Redang Lang) is on the lower side.

A lot of dead corals

Sea cucumber for dinner?

Anyways, I am rather sad with the beach's condition. It has way too much of dead sea corals being washed up the shore. The sand is fine and white but also littered with broken pieces of sea corals. You can even find a plastic bottle or two on the beach. Sighs...when can human learn to do their part for the nature?
My plan later today was to carry a plastic bag with me to collect the bottles. I only managed to help out with one can yesterday with my free hand. (The other one was occupied with shells - not many found though).

The water on the other hand, is great. Good visibility where you can see little fishes swimming, some sea cucumbers and some seaweeds (I guess that's one type of seaweed..those wavy head-shape...plant).

Hmmm...I love the weather today and I appreciate the sea that I'm looking at now. Emerald green with tinge of blue and a beach free of noisy irritating bunch of...tourists (though I'm a tourist myself but I do not litter, spit and shout halfway across the beach). One thing missing though...a hammock and one thing annoying - the amount of red ants..anywhere...

This is the captain of our boat and he drove like crazy in the sea - no thanks to the bunch of teenage girls who kept asking him to give them more boating excitement

:)

Mount Kinabalu

I have never set foot on West Malaysia (part of the Borneo island) and for all I know, my impression on that island was that whatever things shipped there will cost an additional RM2. I don’t quite get the idea as of why would the government imposes additional charges on them. They are afterall a part of Malaysia. We were separated by the South China Sea but nevertheless, we are still Malaysia. Then again, everything is unexplainable when the government wants to do something.

I always enjoy sitting by the window for the best time during a flight - the take off and the landing. Usually my friends would let me have that seat because they are not quite bothered with the same view over again.

I heard that a passport was once needed for Malaysians to travel to the East but now, this has been abolished and replaced by using identification card along with a piece of printed receipt as the travel document.East Malaysia is made up of Sabah and Sarawak (Do remember to retain this receipt my fellow Malaysians. The custom officers will make sure that you are thoroughly ridiculed. I would have wanted to argued with E when she said that it's perfectly understandable for the officers to show such behaviors because a lot of illegal foreigners from Kalimantan and Philippines were trying their luck in entering Sabah. I did not argue with her though...as I don't see a point. Anyways in defense of my opinions, I feel that the officers should be more polite in treating the civilians and also, we don't use computers for nothing. A receipt like that is much more easy to be faked as it would be harder to hack into the computer systems. So, they should mind their manners and use the computer for efficient verification (=biometrics)!).

This month brought me to Sabah with a few friends and our aim was to conquer Mount Kinabalu. Standing at 4,095 m above sea level, it was documented as an easy climb without the need of special mountaineering equipment or mountain climbing skills. That's it - for a physically fit person and a physically fit person is one who doesn't only jog the normal terrain on the weekends. I...jog whenever I can...and hike little hills whenever I can...and I had altitude sickness BUT I made it to the Lowe's Peak's base. Right, I can't make it to the peak's Peak because my body failed me. I vomited at one perfect spot - emptied my entire stomach. Still, I　ｆｅｌｔ so uncomfortable all the way down until we passed Sayap-Sayap (2km from Laban Rata). But hey, I still made it within a reasonable period of hours with a lot of photo-takings in between as well as a cramp-free and minimal muscle aches! That is indeed, my victory. No point rushing when you know exactly what consequences you'll get right :) So, that's my another World Heritage site conquered. 

Our trip begun with KT linking us up for the climb－ａ group of 6 scattered around in Penang, KL, Muar and Sabah ｇａｔｈｅｒｅｄ　ｕｐ　ａｔ　ｔｈｅ　ａｉｒｐｏｒｔ．Ｗe managed to get hold of a good tour guide: Jackz Lee. His fees are very reasonable and overall, I am truly satisfied with his service. I would definitely recommend him to any interested parties. I especially thankful for the mountain guide whom he had appointed for us - Pakcik Hussidin (I'm sorry that I didn't manage to get the spelling right but that was how we called him). Pakcik had been very supportive during our climb and took care of us all the way.  

Albeit my good impressions on this tour guide, I do feel a ｓｏｍｅｗｈａｔ cheated that he did not inform us earlier of the change of route- we intended to start our trip at the Mersilau gate but was later coaxed to start at Timpohon because he told us that (in his experience of 54 tour climbs) we will fare better if we take a shorter route (Timpohon is 2km less than that of Mersilau trail). I understand his good intention but I'd prefer to be notified beforehand (though yea, it doesn't really make much difference after 4-5km of hiking...unless the woods give you some surprises, by that time, you'd want to reach Laban Rata earlier; as what he mentioned).

We took an early flight at 630am and reached Sabah in 2.5 hours time. Upon touch down, we went to Yee Fung (located in the town..15mins away from the budget terminal) for brunch and yes, I love the difference ｉｎ　ｔｈｅ　curry laksa ｔｈｅｒｅ. The noodles was different from KL. In KL, we either have yellow noodles or mihun (thin rice noodles) but that in Sabah uses the semi-thick rice noodles (very similar to that of Vietnam pho - only slightly thinner). The soup itself has an intense flavour with slight santan to add on to its taste. Very tasty. I did not try its claypot rice but from its outlook, I'd say it must have been very delicious as well. 

 

Curry laksa..only RM4.50

Claypot rice

 

That toad..bleh

 After brunch, we went for a short walk at the Philippine Market nearby. Well, it is a very localized Phillippine Market with local catches (sea cucumber, salted fish and the like) for localized souvenirs. I apologize for the emphasis but really, it's all local stuff. I supposed, it would not be in my 'localized' category if I could find the Philippine's milk candy there (yummy!). There were something special there though - Toad purse and steel motorbike/bicycle/trishaw collectibles. I can't imagine anyone putting coins into the toad purse ('Oh, my new preserved toad skin; the fashion of the month! Fresh from the swamp:) ')but I would definitely go for the collectibles. It's worth the buy really. I was quoted RM100 for a motorbike but seriously, I would consider about buying if she can go lower- to RM50 but too bad, it was a no-deal.

These are not representative of Phillippine...it's quite misleading to sell them in the Phillippine's market.

Harbour behind the market

The market from the outside where tailors would set their machines. You can mend/alter your clothes there

We hang about there while waiting for E to arrive and after picking her up, we make our way to Kundasang. It was a ｗｉｎｄｉｎｇ road and without good skills, you could lose your limbs/life there　－ｂｅｃａｕｓｅ　ｗe went during the week of Hari Gawai．　Ａccording to Jackz, we were put at a higher risk since locals would drink their heart out for the entire week. Gulp..

Anyways, we 'joined' in the celebration with an early drink at 3-ish pm. We stopped by a stall that sells roasted wild boar and very delicious rice wine. My friends love the pork which I find it to be OK and we LOVE the wine. 

That's the one! But how can we smuggle it through if we are to buy home? All of us did not want the hassle of checking in our bags

The doggie waiting for us to throw him a bone

This stall is just by the side of the road which we took to go to the mountain. It has got a lot of customers!

We also drop by this upside down house en route to Kundasang. You get to enter at the fee of RM10. If given the time, I'd love to check out the interior.

Kundasang town

Our first day was spent in Kundasang town where we bought Adidas Kampung - the recommended rubber shoe with good grip. I did not buy it - for one, my size had run out, second, I actually had a trekking shoe and it was a good deal too. Weinbreiner at 1/2 price (only RM40) from Bata and an additionally massage gel sole (RM32). These lasted me the entire trip up the mountain and down. We stayed the night at Cottage Hotel - don't worry, it is clean and I had a comfortable night. 

Our room

E and I woke up early for the sunrise which is early by Sabah standard - about 5.30am but the sunrise was nothing spectacular. After breakfast and checking out, we continued our journey to Timpohon Gate where the fun begins. Being born and bred in KL, this would be my second trip to a real forest. Prior to the trip, I was worried about leeches and mosquitoes but silly me. There was no mosquitoes during the climb up and KT was right. No leeches in sights too. He told me that leeches only appear in swamps or wet soils. *blush* Well, I have no knowledge of that at all. So, anyways, I followed his advice and wore shorts. The air became cold when you stop, otherwise, you wouldn't regret wearing shorts.Oh, and make sure you have your walking stick. It is a must for people who are like me - relying on the stick so that I don't hurt my knees.It works for me - I hardly suffer any bad muscle aches.


Now, the climb up was one hell of a many stairscases. I don't know how my friends were able to sprint up but I did take my own sweet time and arrived at Laban Rata in about 6 hours time. It first started with normal dirt path and the path gradually turns into a steeper rock filled one. Timpohon trail did not offer much of a sight but we did spot these:


I insisted on carrying my own backpack as well as camera bag up and I made it!

I managed to squeeze in my windbreaker, some medications, 1 thermos, some snacks, some toiletries, headlight

I was quite surprised that the toilets are pretty well-maintained. Prior to this trip, I had a feeling that toilets are most probably made of hut and water supply would be scarce. I mean, yes, it is a World Herritage site and I should not expect any less than those highway stops in Cambodia (which were all well-maintained and clean - much better than those in Malaysia; at times...seriously!) but Malaysia has this thing for not preserving what the nature had given her. I was wrong about this anyways. The rest stops ｗｅｒｅ　renovated I supposed and they are in a clean and good shape. That's not applicable to the water provided along the way though. If you do indeed need a lot of water for hiking, I would advise you to either bring extra water supply or iodine to purify the water (another surprise: I can't find iodine for water treatment in any local pharmacy in KL. Maybe better luck in specialized stores). The water supplied from a huge tank was not treated and I am very particular with the water I drink. Moreover, you can still see a yellow tinge in the water (My friends were down with diarrhea later on but well, it might not be caused by the water but still, I don't want to risk it) . So, it's another consolation that I took my own sweet time up. My thirst level was controlled. Well, I brought 2 bottles of 500ml water but my trick was to suck on sweets in between walks (VitaC was my solution).

I've forgotten what's the name of this bug...it was shown by our guide

A 1km up the mountain was like 2km down on the flat road and I was overjoyed when I saw the first hut. I'm like..YESS..but that joy was quickly diminished. I was not there yet. It took me another few more steps and there I was - REACHED. I took in the sight of the mountain behind and that yellow double-storey building. Y and KT were somewhere half-way up the mountain on a mission to sight some unique plants/birds/insects. G and E were already up there enjoying the sight and hot drinks. I was feeling the chill already at this point but I sat there still on the large rock nearby with K and had the remaining of our lunch pack. This is where I would want to enjoy my lunch - together with a bed of yellow dandelions; which was not a favourite of many as according to Jackz since these lovely flowers are considered as a type of parasite. Once a dandelion has grown in that grassland, then you'd be sure that there's only dandelion there because they took up the nutrients and space from other plant species. Not too bad for me but he said people who wanted to build a golf-course would be in an stressed state, trying to get rid of every single root of that flower. That's what you paid for a golf club membership~

After our meal, we went in and check out our bunks. I was quite worried also about the bed-bug issue which I read from forums. It was mentioned that the humid air up the mount attracted a lot of bed-bug and I was half-wanted to bring up my sleeping bag. I didn't bring it up though due to the limited space of my backpack and I'm glad that I did not add on the bag because I don't need it! The bed is clean and there wasn't any dried blood spot or black spot indicative of the presence of a bed bug clan. Since I suffered no bites, I would testify the absence of bed bug during my visit :) One thing troubled me though - the freezing cold water. Imagine this: ice downpour during winter. Yes. It would take a seriously tough person to shower in that freezing ice water in the shower room. As a compensation, the toilet is decently clean.

Oh, besides that, another point to add is that you should keep your gadgets charged before your climb up because you can only charge your devices at the reception. Power supply is minimal in Laban Rata.  Anyways, I don't think you need much of your smartphone up there in the mountain - though they have very good coverage and you can Facebook there. For myself, that 3 days were my Internet-free days and I don't quite miss it. I only miss it on the part where I was thinking about my data analysis assignment. Darn...3 full days away, else, I'm 3 days nearer to graduation.

We entertained ourselves with a card game before dinner at 6pm and by 8pm, all lights should be off. I think the altitude had gotten to me or maybe it was that chocolate milk I had. I shouldn't had taken that because I was quite full from dinner. It was just the thought of having something chocolatey and you bet, this thought has a price. I was unable to sleep because I had this purging feeling but I just can't vomit. I had some thermal packs with me but that did not do much help (regarding thermal packs, I anticipated those which I used before from Taiwan - RM2/pack and it was an authentic thermal pack but these which I bought from Universal traveller are only warm when I put them in my pockets. RM2 as well but it was downright lousy). I tossed and turned and went to the toilet twice AND FINALLY, purged something out from my throat at the 3rd time. I felt much better and went to sleep after popping 2 panadols.

By 12.30 am, the entire building was alive. We were supposed to be ready for breakfast and then the final climb. I had 2 slices of bread, cornflakes with milk and some eggs..Bad mistake...I was okay during the climb up but once we reached 4000m....hah...that purging feeling came haunting.

Before that, I must document on my feeling during the climb. Since everyone else were doing it in line, I don't feel that bad as I get to stop occasionally and our paces differ only after Sayap-Sayap. KT, E, Y and G were the faster ones and they went miles away before us. K and I were slowly getting there and I really enjoyed the rope climbing part. It was so much fun and the view of the entire Kundasang town amidst the darkness is beautifully blended in with the thundering clouds nearby. That clump of clouds look really angry and it lashed out lightning bolts every now and then; painted its nearby air with a slight red tinge and white glitters.I would love to stop and take a shot at it but then..second thought, I would risk missing the sunrise.

So up we climb and climb and oh boy...the more I climb, the urge to puke was getting stronger. The pressure seemed to threaten me that if I climb higher, I will not only puke but my bowel will attempt to empty itself. I shouldn't have eaten so much before the climb and I should force myself to do whatever toilet business too!

Ehem..

There are rocks arranged in the form of pyramid or vertical-like - for photo taking sake by those who didn't manage to climb up to the peak. Well...I don't need them right - I made it to the peak afterall~~

ANYWAYS, I made it up to the base of the peak. It was only about 300m away...and there, I called it a day. I can't drag myself up anymore because the altitude sickness took over me. I vomited all of my breakfast and for a while, I felt better - until the wind came. I was shivering so hard! The guide had to cover me up with his jacket and he helped me to take photo of me and my friends. He was really enthusiastic and asked me to pose and such but...haha...I am too sick to do anything. You can practically kick me over the edge and I will topple down into...the abyss.

Kind souls

I didn't bother much actually - although deep down, I would have wanted to walk up to the peak's Peak. So, Kath and I watched the sunrise together with the guide and Jacky, from Cheras. He was a real good samaritan because he followed us all the way until we are good enough to go on our own. He gave me biscuits and glucose and tried to watch over us together with the guide. I would have taken his contact to pass him his photo in my camera but I'm too sick at that moment to be bothered with anything. My stomach was taking a rollercoaster ride and I vomited a good 4 times all the way down to Sayap-sayap. I don't mean to pollute the place but I really can't hold it in.

It was quite different to watch sunrise from the highest mountain in Malaysia. It was only in a few minutes and the sun had risen. A day's hike for a few minutes' process. It's like you took an entire life working towards one goal. But of course, if you take note of the journey of the hiking process, then it's another story altogether:)  

Found it! KT told me it's a balsam

Taken at a rest area before Kundasang

Meow..he seems to be winking

Also taken at the rest area before Kundasang. I think she's very pretty :)

We stay a night in Sabah town at Masada Backpackers before our flight on the next day. We took the family room and I have no complaints at all. The beds are clean and so are the common shower room. The location may seem a bit dodgy but it's still okay since it's pretty near to the shopping complex and dining area. We walked about 5mins to get to a food court where they have a great Pan Mee stall. Somewhere near Asia City. I love the taste and the drink as well (lemonade lime) :)

We are quite dead on the first day and collapsed into the bed as soon as we are done with shower and such. Well, we will have an early morning on the next day. Morning call at 5.30am for river rafting at Padas River. Next post for this...you bet, I truly survived this rafting trip to tell you this tale....

  


     

 

Freak...out?

I shall not freak out...I shall not freak out....

I was just reading a blog post: http://www.travelblog.org/Asia/Malaysia/Sabah/Mount-Kinabalu/blog-237367.html

Yea...I am now anticipating the soon-to-come Mount Kinabalu climb...and I have not prepared myself enough yet...not yet...no...not yet...

I shall not freak out...I shall not freak out....

Melaka

History text books in Malaysia taught us that Parameswara, an Indonesian Muslim, who came to our potato-shaped land in 1400. I don't know what happened in between that ever since then, any other races who traveled on foot or across the sea and set foot on this land was then a minority. History was a great piece of artifact from the past but modern 'heroes/heroines' have tampered and attempted to reproduce history by offering nonsense made-up stories. These people - may they rot in hell.

That is the history of my country, which in any timeline - pretty uninteresting. Perhaps, the authors tried to feed school children with uninteresting write-ups and eventually made them not to be bothered with history - with the ultimate goal of easier info-feeding process later on in their life.


Anyways, Melaka reminds me of a fort and a huge pirate ship. I didn't learn much from my textbooks other than knowing that Melaka was first colonized by the Portuguese, then the Dutch, followed by Britons and later on, the Japanese. So, that was why, I didn't realize that the Fort A. Famosa was a little square building at the bottom of the hill. Well, I kinda thought the St. Paul's Church is the Fort, until only last year. Yes, a Malaysian who have never visited the Fort everytime she visited Melaka. I can't be blamed from going for the food instead of the historical remains.







This is the warm, soft and chewy glutinous rice ball which is to be eaten with peanut bits. Super awesome food - especially the first stall on the Jonker's Street!

Melaka is also famous for their Chicken ball rice; especially the one located on the Jonker's Street as well. You wouldn't believe me until you have seen the queue with your own eyes. It is that long But, the taste of food is, well...OK. I mean, if it is to be compared with any other chicken rice, I would only give it an OK rating.

Besides that, the next common food in Melaka would be the cendol - another Awesome dessert because they use coconut sugar instead of just brown sugar. The lingering coconut aroma on your tongue is a to-die-for XD


Last time, my friend brought us to a Baba and Nyonya restaurant for some authentic cuisine - spicy petai, fried egg cencaluk etc etc. Also another awesome meal but that place itself is jam-packed. However, I have yet to try the lok-lok there (sauce type-steamboat)- maybe I will...someday. ^__^
It is only 1.5 hours drive away from KL anyways!

Geographer Cafe where there will be a live band on certain days and they also offer vegetarian dishes (not much varieties though) if you can't find any along the street. I'd also recommend one vegetarian restaurant nearby the Menara Taming Seri where you can get a lot of choices and flower infused tea. (I stay nearby too)

St, Xavier Church

I love my toy...hohoho, though I took this photo using pre-set settings

The decorated trishaws here are almost like those jeepneys in Philippines - just that they don't travel that far; their route is limited to the Fort and Jonkers

The crowd is happily watching the uncle performing some 'martial arts'

St. John's Church! I was pretty disappointed that is the only remains that we have...