We didn’t sleep at all last night; our sleep schedules are so out of whack that the 6:00 AM bus was best served by us just staying up; waking up may not have happened. It would take about four hours to get from Georgetown to Tanah Rata, our destination in the Cameron Highlands.
We arrived in town in one piece, no thanks to our bus driver. I got car-sick ALL THE TIME when I was younger, then it went away; unfortunately, it has returned with great vengeance. The road up the mountains to the Cameron Highlands is long and winding, and our driver felt it was prudent to drive like a maniac and pass around blind curves. I was a barrel-o-nausea by the time we got to our destination, but I made it intact. When I took proper note of my surroundings, my breath was taken from me not from illness but from awe.
Father’s Guesthouse is a quaint place atop a small hill nearish the town center. It is comprised of a very old main building, a small cafe, a few rows of old British military barracks (dorm-style rooms now), and much, much foliage. I’ve yet to ascertain the history behind the compound…they’ve been occupied checking people in all day. It’s quite a busy place. I did have the opportunity, however, to wander around the grounds at my leisure and they have a most impressive selection of flowers and plants. I am not normally one for taking pictures of flora (much to Indi’s dismay) but I was so amazed by what I saw that I couldn’t help myself. If any of you are keen on flowers, I don’t know the names of half of them and could use your expertise on Flickr.
We are booked here for the next five days. The rest of today: we rest. Tomorrow we’re going on an all-day trek to see a variety of local sights, including a brief jungle trek to see the largest flower in the world. I am also eager to see more of the small hill town we’re in; it’s laid out a lot like Eureka Springs back in the States. And it’s so much cooler; I almost need to get my vest out of my backpack. Hot tea is the bee’s knees up here.
Rhys' Pieces 