The Cameron Highlands was suggested to us as a nice place to go for a break from the tropical heat of lowland Malaysia. The heat and humidity of South Thailand has bogged us down a bit so we were happy to tackle the long climb with full panniers. OK happy is a little much but daily hi/low temperatures are typically 21/15°C this time of year (December) and that was incentive enough for us to head for the hills.
We were up, packed, and on the road before the sunrise. First stop - breakfast. Now where are we going to find something decent for breakfast at this hour in central Malaysia? Something to set us up for what would turn out to be the longest climb either of us have ever accomplished? It's the last place you expect to find an athlete of Leighs’ calibre. That's right, McDonalds. And we weren't the only cyclists getting a McFix before a big ride that morning. A few week-end cyclo-warriors stopped in for their Big Breakfast as well. It’s the first time we had seen a group of cyclists with decent kit since France. They passed by as we finished our coffee giving us confidence that a decent bike shop could be found in town. Always good to know. The morning was really nice, warm already but still comfortable, the low clouds over the hills before us drifting between the distant peaks ever so majestically. It was quite inspiring. Even the animal excrement I managed to get on my tires, shoes and panniers while stopped to take some video of said clouds couldn't dampen the mood. 10 km later we noticed a slight incline in the grade of the road, and that's how it went for the next 4+ hours. Apart from a few moments of reprieve by the way of rest stops, flat spots and the odd bit of actual descent it was roughly 70 km of climbing, 90 km door to door, altitude gain: 1378 metres (4650 ft), ride time: 7.5 hrs, average speed: 11 kph. So, yes, it was another epic day on the bike, but wait, there's more: what started as a lovely gentle mist ended up as a day-long shower that soaked us through to the bone. Then my easiest gears started making nasty, crunching noises so I was left with no option but to stand and grind my way up for the last couple of hours. We checked in to The Cameronian Inn at around 5:30 pm and died.
We had hopes of exploring the area for a couple of weeks, checking out the sights and sounds, taking a couple of guided tours, possibly doing some camping! But the rain just would not let up. We passed the time eating and drinking coffee at Starbucks. I must say the Indian restaurant we found for lunch on Christmas eve was a gem. The owner, born and raised in Tanah Rata down the road was quite entertaining. We went back for dinner and stayed for the fireworks display. This was a self-igniting shoebox-size set of missiles the owner placed in the middle of the road right next to the street-side tables so we could all be as perilously close to the fun as possible.
There was a much-welcomed break from the rain the morning of our only guided tour. The Cameron Secrets tour company Land Rover pulled up and Satya, our tour guide, was Mr. Chatty as soon as we were within earshot but he was a wealth of information and genuinely concerned for the surrounding environment. He is an ecologist working to increase the protection of the Mossy Forest, a unique ecosystem in the area. The tour started with a visit to the BOH Tea plantation. The panoramic view of the plantation was stunning, like a beautiful sculpture. The recent rainfall in such a hilly area caused some major mudslides, closing the main road up to our next point of interest, the Mossy Forest. But our all-knowing tour guide knew the back roads and took us, along with six other vehicles full of tourists up some very gnarly - I hesitate to call them roads that only a Land Rover could handle. Satya worked those gears like a winning slot machine. Once we were at our destination near the top of mud mountain he took us for a 'jungle walk' pointing out the moss that clung to every inch of forest, dripping with moisture, the result of growing in the clouds, insect-eating flowers (Pitcher Plants) and explaining the need for additional protection due to the onslaught of local commercial development for the almighty tourist dollar. Alas, the weather did not cooperate for long. With a dismal forecast we decided to cut the stay short and head back to Ipoh. What goes up must come down. The return trip was for the most part, amazing, despite the persistent rain. We were soaked after 30 km but the scenery was still awesome. The descent lasted for hours, literally. We swooped down at a leisurely pace stopping occasionally to snap photos or just to take it all in.
Our trip to the mainland is coinciding with the worst flooding Malaysias’ east coast has seen in decades, with 100 000+ people fleeing that area. The heavenly pipes have burst and the god of plumbing has his hands full. I think we saw a bunch of animals heading two by two towards a large boat in the distance. So a change of plans is in the works for the rest of our stay. Unfortunately, it looks like cycling will not be a major part of it. One thing is certain, my bike needs some lovin' so we are going to seek out that bike shop and bring Toro, my little pony back to health.