Lost in Cameron Highlands

Road on a edge

Our way suddenly became a narrow mountainous road. Driver seems like not to be bothered and continue to keep high speed. Mitsubishi Lancer’s engine roared loud and gear switched all the time. I was very glad that car still have a belt and I use it without wasting time. Situation quite delicate because every turn of such road followed by dangerous gap and every kilometer followed by growing altitude.



I see night through window. I hoped that everything will be fine, but everything happened too fast - glary headlight, brake's squealing and obscureness. No, we weren’t smashed by huge truck and laying dead. We didn’t even gone from this road or fly down from hill. Our story had different ending.

The car just stucked between heading on us truck and slope of mount. We were still inside. My heart beated ten times faster than usual. Well, it wasn't most comfortable ride I ever had, but anyway in the end I reached my destination that I was going to.


Green Idyll



Next morning was filled with virginity of first impression. Provincial town showed me up that there has relaxing atmosphere, pure friendliness and cute buildings. This place looked like more European than Asian. That’s why I had kind of disorientation.

It was like most famous hill resort of Malaysia. It was a cooling shelter between hills for everyone who wanted to escape from sultriness of tropical plain. It was a green idyll for everyone who search for freshness and touch of nature. It was a door for everyone who tired of annoying noise of Kuala Lumpur.

Nobody in a rush there. Life there is slow moving and give us those precious moments when we could sit down, calmed down and enjoy everything happened around. You would easily find this place on a map - Cameron Highlands. I lived more than 1 month in that Kingdom of Fresh Air. Every breath I felt aroma of tea, strawberry and roses.



I usually hiking in a jungle in the morning where I can explore diversity of nature. In the evening if the weather was cold I was learning culture of unknown country. My life was heading to somewhere I didn’t have any idea about. It was sad, but I wasn’t alone. I knew I had a person who always could help me to find a way. When I woke up I see her on my bed. We sleeping together.


Jungles and Tea



Easter Sunday in 1967 became a local story that everybody knows. American businessman Jim Thompson mysteriously disappeared on his walk in jungles in Cameron Highlands. A lot of investigations have been made, many hypotheses have been put foreward, journalists have made sensations, whole world was curious, but no one found the truth.

Good news - in present days it is impossible to lost the way in tourist areas of Cameron Highlands, because you will find there detailed maps, good surface of a trail and signs everywhere. That’s why trekking became most popular activity for backpackers while Jim Thompson's trail became most famous route.

Besides trekking you can find some passive activity to do. Every morning heavy fog try to hide something incredible from your eyes. But a bit later curtain will fall down and green maze laying on a hills appears for you. This is tea plantation - fascinating view of Cameron Highlands from postcards. You can come closer to touch leaves of tea plants. While doing this you will see morning dew. If you don’t mind about cup of tea and if you have interested in tea production - you may visit Boh Factory. People there make good business.

Besides tea plantations you may visit farms of rose, strawberry and cactus as well.


Searching of Rafflesia

Most happiest moments for me were the days when some of my Russian friends arrived in Cameron Highlands. This days we had adventures and a lot of fun together.

Once me, Igor Zabelin and his girlfriend Olga Kovba went out in jungles to see giant flower Rafflesia. Some species might be over 100 centimeters diameter, but to find it by yourself was very hard, because the flower away from main routes where all tourist go. Blooming period of Rafflesia was short. That’s why when Rafflesia bloomed every travel agency of Cameron Highlands became very active trying to offer "great" adventures to backpackers.

We used alternative way - get all information from locals and try to find Rafflesia by ourselves.
One old man told us where we should go. It was small village of Orang Asli about 50 km away from tourist area of Cameron Highlands.
We hitchhiked there and start to walk on our own. In beginning there was two trails - the first was straight to Rafflesia and the second was hunter's route. Unfortunately we chose wrong one without realizing. The way turn to be confusing maze. We end up deep in jungles far away from village, far away from people. We have lost our fucking way without any chance to get out! It was the end!



...After few hours three dead tired Russians were staying on an asphalt road. Their clothes were very dirty. Their hands, legs scratched. One of them was barefoot. Strange, but they were smiling. Suddenly one car stopped and picked them up. When the driver knew a story, he said

"It is very pity, guys, to hear about what was happened to you"

Russians replayed : “why did you think it’s pity? It was one of the best experiences in our lives!"

Driver was really surprised of such answer...


***

Next day we were back to that village again, talked to Orang Asli and they bring us to Rafflesia. It was just a flower. Nothing special. We feel a bit dissapoited.





What we had a day before in jungles was our great adventure.
What we have now - just lazy walk to the biggest flowers in the world.

Two different experiences, two different days.
What we prefer more?

Of course experience of being lost in a jungles!
Smelly flower can't be compare with such things.

Author's note

I wrote this story in a memory of those happy days we all had in Cameron Highlands.