For our final day in Malaysia we left the city and headed north to the Cameron Highlands.  This area is up in the mountains, much closer to the Thailand border.. the elevation is 5200 feet and so the climate is much cooler and consistent – year ‘round the weather is in the 60’s and 70’s with plenty of sunshine and nearly daily rainfall.

There have been indigenous people (called the Orang Asli) for thousands of years in this area but it was only “discovered” and developed by Scottish geologist and explorer William Cameron in 1885.  This area became popular through the 1930s by the British due to the much more temperate climes and the ability to grow just about anything one might consider.  This area now houses immense farms and tourist destinations for those looking to get out of the city and beat the heat.

A “U-pick” strawberry farm.

An “Agro Market” where locals sell all of the produce grown.  They also had a display of some rarer breeds of housecats, for some strange reason.

And (why not?) more parrots.

Local honey and propolis vendor.  We got to try several different farms’ products – which were quite different enough (some had funky aftertaste, something I’ve never tased in honey) that we could make a favored choice.

Afterwards we had lunch at a golf course and country club.  The “Kelab Golf Sultan Ahmad Shah Cameron Highlands”.  Lunch was “family style”.. Green fees are about US$35 for 18 holes.

Cameron Valley Tea Plantation – this area was developed to produce Black Tea. The plants have been here for 92 years.  All tea is still harvested by hand, using imported cheap Indian labor.

This plantation is over 600 acres in size. 

It rained several times during the day, but we always seemed to just miss getting dumped on when we were out and far away from our bus.  The threat of downpour was always present.

You can wander around and pick the plants.  They have other touristy things to keep the kids busy.  In the end, there is a restaurant that serves all sorts of tea varieties and dishes.. and store which sells boxes and tins to take home.

We stopped at one of the aboriginal villages where our tour guide demonstrated the use of the blow pipes and poisonous darts (Antiaris toxicaria – The active ingredient is contained within a yellowish-white gum, which is tapped from the ipoh tree like rubber.)  The darts paralyze (not kill) animals.. long enough for them to fall out of trees or slow up so that the hunters can catch them.

He is taking aim at the rectangle target off in the distance.

Road side vendors.

Final stop – Lata Iskandar waterfall. 

Heading into the evening, it beginning to get dark and, once we came back down out of the mountains, hot and sticky again.  We didn’t get back to our hotel until 8:30pm.. long enough to shower again, order some dinner and crash for the night.

This is probably the last entry.. today (Thursday) we begin our trip home.. We fly Kuala Lumpur to Hong Kong and arrive around dinner time.  Stay at hotel tonight and then tomorrow fly Hong Kong to Seoul, South Korea.  We then catch connection to fly Seoul to Atlanta.  Let’s hope somebody is working the air control towers and immigration booths Friday evening!