Day 709 - Moving on up

We left our beach paradise today and headed for the hills - the Cameron Highlands in the North West of Malaysia. Our beach bums that are used to lazing around in the sun weren't particularly thrilled at spending the whole day between boats and minibuses, as we made our way towards Tanah Rata.

The drive was stunning, as we made our way from the lowlands upwards. Along the way we drove through dense forest with trees wearing coats of ferns on their trunks, caught a glimpse of a bamboo orchid springing from the roadside greenery, and were dismayed at the obtrusive plastic shelters of the vegetable farms covering what was once pure rain forest.

As our driver (a local from this region) explained how 70% of Malaysia's rain forest has already disappeared a particularly annoying Brit exclaimed how "it doesn't really matter, as you've got a lot" and "surely it doesn't make a difference ... it's all green"!!! To which our patient driver explained that many species of animal have disappeared as a result of deforestation - the upside is that the farming that goes on around here is great for the economy. The farms here produce 60% of the mainland's fruit and vegetables. Everything comes at a cost ...

We found a room, and set off in search of food. In Malaysia there are 3 main nationalities: the majority Malays; Indians; and Chinese. So we had a multinational choice of food and settled on the cheapest available: delicious Indian thali!

In the evening the nightly rain set in, catching us out as we sat at a table with some other travellers, chatting away as we ate our delectable banana chocolate roti!!

Adlibing it to the highlands.