SJK (C), Brinchang, Cameron Highlands

Photos: Children from SJK(C), Brinchang. Spot the Malay, Indian and Orang Asli kids who are fluent in Mandarin.


To: The Headmaster/Principal
SJK (C), Brinchang

Dear Sir

About a week ago while looking around Brinchang, I spotted your school and went in to have a look (sorry, without your permission).

Your school may not look very modern but I simply love it. Your students were wonderful and friendly.

I was surprised to learn that Malay, Indian and Orang Asli kids are learning Chinese at your school. I spoke to them in Mandarin and they impressed me with their fluency in the language. I congratulate your teachers for this great achievement.

I have not been able to find your e-mail address to send you the pictures of your students as promised. I hope if you come across this message you'll let them know how pleased I was meeting them. Thank you.

Roger
Singapore

PS: I visit CH regularly and on my next visit may I drop by your school again? xie xie

Trekking in Cameron Highlands, Pahang (Malaysia)

This paved path leads into the jungle.
One of the pleasures in Cameron Highlands is the great variety of flowers growing everywhere.

PRECAUTIONS TO TAKE BEFORE TREKKING

After encouraging you to trek in Cameron Highlands I feel duty-bound to warn you to take certain precautions. I have seen many times people walking into the jungle empty-handed and just wearing slippers/sandals.

Now mind you this is a real jungle, part of the great Malaysian rainforest and not a theme park! 99% of the time nothing will go wrong but still it's better to be safe than sorry.

Things to bring:

1. Water - despite the cool weather you'll still sweat a lot.
2. Food - to provide energy and in case the unthinkable happens and you get lost
3. Lighters, flashlights, whistle - in case you get lost
4. Raincoat
   
5. Walking stick to provide support
6. A fully-charged cell phone
7. A hat/cap
8. Long-sleeved shirt as there are thorny plants.
   

It's important to start as early as possible. It can be dangerous to start late in the afternoon as the jungle gets dark early.

Inform your hotel or the police before setting out. Trekking with a friend or in a group is the ideal. As mentioned in an earlier blog, don't try to be a hero and take an unfamiliar trail.

As for wild animals, don't worry I have yet to come across any. But you'll see hollow tree trunks and then your imagination works overtime and you imagine a leopard is hiding inside waiting to turn you into its lunch. But if you do come across any wild animals do consider yourself "lucky".

You won't be troubled by leeches either. Even during the rainy season none attacked me. Maybe they could tell my blood type is unfit for consumption or something. I don't know.

The trails become very slippery after a heavy shower so wearing shoes with a good traction is important. I fell down a few times but luckily I didn't break any bones. But it was more fun than a roller-coaster trekking in the rain! Skidding, sliding, falling, screaming...

Happy trekking, mate.

Oh, by the way if you come across a short guy coming out from the jungle don't worry. He's not an apparition but most likely an orang asli (aborigine) hunting for birds for dinner.

Cameron Highlands, Pahang (Malaysia) Part 4

Visitors to the Highlands on the way to their trek.

One of the "gunung" (mountain) for trekkers to conquer.

A popular jungle walk.

Apart from the year-round spring weather in Cameron Highlands, the other thing which I find interesting is trekking in the jungle.

There are a number of treks the authorities call "walks" but don't run away with the idea that your 90-year-old grandma can easily take an easy stroll. If you're reasonably fit, you can trek. Some treks will involve walking up and down the slopes of mountains, and may take up to 2 to 3 hours.

Beware, the trails are poorly signposted but as long as keep to the well-trodden paths you won't get lost. But don't try to be hero and blaze a new trail to Taman Negara (National Park) or you might end up as another Jim Thompson

An American businessman known as the Silk King, Jim Thompson went for a walk in the Cameron Highlands and disappeared mysteriously. To this day, the mystery has not been solved.

Enjoy your "walk"

Cameron Highlands, Pahang (Malaysia) Part 3

While walking to Robinson Waterfall in Cameron Highlands, I came across this lovely house which reminded me of British cottages.

It is surrounded by all sorts of flowering plants, and strawberry jam is on sale. But strangely the house seemed deserted.

I shouted "Hello" as loudly as my ageing lungs could manage but there was no response. I could easily have entered the house and walked away with a few free bottles of strawberry jam and nobody could have been the wiser.

Kurnia Bistari and Regal bus companies - take at own peril

This is a warning against travelling on Kurnia Bistari or Regal buses to or from

Cameron Highlands.

A few backpackers lost their backpacks when the luggage hold below the bus accidentally opened and their backpacks fell out.

The buses are so old that they should be in a museum than on the road. The seats are torn, broken and the interior of the buses is very dirty.

Going down Cameron Highlands to KL via the old winding road can be dangerous as the drivers go quite fast. Since the buses are so old, their brakes can't be trusted.

Halfway they may switch to another bus without air-conditioning. It happened to me. I felt cheated. But what was worse was that I had to suffer in the terrible heat all the two hours to KL.

You've been warned.

(In Dec 2004, a Kurnia Bistari bus fell into a ravine killing two foreigners and injuring many. In Sept 2007 another was involved in an accident with a lorry killing a Myanmar man.)

Cameron Highlands Part 2

My friend, John Archer, asked me, "How do you get to Cameron Highlands from Taiping Town?'

Ok, let me set it down step by step:

1. From Taiping Town go to the bus station near Legend Hotel
2. Take a bus to Kamunting station on outskirts of Taiping Town
   
3. From there take bus to Ipoh Medan Kidd bus station
4. From there take a minibus to Medan Gopeng bus station
5. Take the bus to Cameron Highlands. Last bus is at 6 pm
   
6. Bus takes about two hours to reach Cameron Highlands bus station in Tanah Rata

If you arrive late at night at Tanah Rata, you can stay at the following places:

1. Twin Pines (for backpackers, 10 mins' walk)
   
2. BB Inn (cheap, RM$25 off-season, TV, attached toilet, small room, free biscuits and coffee, 10 mins' walk)
   
3. Hillview Inn (for families, clean, budget accommodation, 15 mins' walk, on a slope)
   

Cameron Highlands, Pahang (Malaysia)

Tanah Rata town.

Starbucks at Tanah Rata

Brinchang town. Hopelessly congested.

With its temperate climate, Cameron Highlands have been my favourite hill resort in Malaysia.

I haven't been back in two years so on this visit I was curious to see if there have been any changes.

Oh boy, was I surprised! I noticed a lot of development has taken place in the two tourist towns of Brinchang and Tanah Rata. There are more hotels in the moderate and budget classes. More new cafes and restaurants which for those who live to eat will be most welcome news. The pub at Tanah Rata, where you can have a drink and watch live soccer telecasts, is still going strong.

And Starbucks has come to Tanah Rata. Surely now McDonald's will not want to be left out of the action.

The best thing that has come to Cameron Highlands is the free Wi-Fi everywhere. For netizens, WOW!

Cameron Highlands is booming!

"The hills are alive".

TAIPING TOWN, PERAK (MALAYSIA)

View from New Champagne Hotel
A good budget hotel with friendly staff. Pocket-friendly too.

Apart from transport cost, the next thing that can make a big hole in your pocket is accommodation. If you are the next Warren Buffet, you may skip this part.

The nice thing about Taiping Town is the pleasant, well-maintained and inexpensive budget hotels.

When I arrived in Taiping it was already 9pm. My plan was to stay at New Champagne Hotel. I knew roughly the location but I asked around anyway.

I was surprised nobody knew where the hotel was! Not a single person.

I spotted Hollywood Hotel. Nice name but hotel only in name as it looked more like a homestay for foreign workers.

"How much a night?" I asked the Indian youth at Reception.

"RM$70," he said.

He must have thought I had just come from the planet Mars. RM$70!

Finally, I found Hotel New Champagne which was just around the corner from this cheat.

"Why nobody in Taiping knows where your hotel is?" I asked the hotel receptionist.

The Indian lady said, "You must say 'Old Cathay Hotel' or 'Soon Lee Restaurant'."

The room cost me RM$68.

Cozy room with a 14-inch TV, air-conditioned and free drinking water outside.

And the beautiful Taiping Lake Gardens is just within spitting distance.

If you have more Malaysian ringgit to throw than me, then Panorama Hotel at RM$92 is a steal. Its coffee house is the perfect place to relax after all that hard travelling.

If New Champagne Hotel is full try the similar Furama Hotel nearby.

TAIPING TOWN, PERAK (MALAYSIA)

A popular wet market in Taiping Town. Such is the relaxed atmosphere in town that residents have time to have a chat.

The infamous Peace Hotel which doubles as a knocking shop. A well-known travel guide raves over its architecture. When the Japanese invaded Malaya its army took over the hotel.

One of the greatest pull factors in Taiping Town is the great numbers of eating establishments all over town. You certainly won't starve here. For US $1 you can have a filling meal. "Olden Days Kopitiam" (Olden Days Coffee Shop) offers not only a cuppa of coffee but also free wi-fi. When night falls, out come the notebooks.

Another hawker centre (eating establishment). There are foodstalls (size of pushcarts) where you order your food and sit anywhere you like Hmm...makes me hungry just blogging about Taiping food. Not only is Taiping food delicious but also wallet-friendly. Know what I mean?

Taiping Lake Gardens, Malaysia Part 2

On arriving at Taiping Lake Gardens, unless you suffer a sudden loss of your visual sense, you'll certainly be amazed by a row of huge trees with spreading branches.

Their branches dip into the lake, and they seem to be drinking from it!

Those who grew up in Taiping Town never fail to mention how much Taiping Lake Gardens played in their formative years.

In the early mornings and evenings, the gardens come alive with joggers, strollers and families having a spot of fun.

It may not match the Singapore Botanical Gardens in diversity of plants but it's more scenic.

Taiping Lake Gardens, Malaysia

Three reasons why you should visit Taiping. The top reason is its beautiful and peaceful Lake Gardens with the mountain range as its backdrop. There's no where else in the whole of Malaysia which can equal or surpass the Lake Gardens.

Thirty years ago I stepped foot here, and it's still remarkably well-maintained.

Century year old trees won't fail to attract your attention as well.

That's why Taiping has been consistently voted (by me!) as the best town in Malaysia.

Riding the Malaysian train Part 3

Pic: Everyone rushes to pay before train leaves (Keluang Station canteen)
KTM is a disappointment as it does not provide a dining car.

How was I going to survive the 12 -hour journey to Taiping without a proper meal? I had only some biscuits and a bun.

At Keluang Station a surprise announcement was made that we had 10 minutes to grab a bite from the station's canteen. Everyone rushed down like their backsides were on fire.

Everyone grabbed whatever they could lay hands on and rushed to pay at the same time. In the wake of the food poisoning incident in Singapore where two persons died, I played it safe and bought two hard-boiled eggs.

When the guard blew his whistle everyone rushed back into the train fearing to be left behind. In my haste I stumbled and dropped one of the eggs onto the tracks below! Half my lunch gone. Sigh.

Throughout the journey, I rationed my food (like I was in war time) to last all the way to Taiping, still a good 10 hours away.

Riding the Malaysian train

Pic: Interior of Superior class on Express Rakyat
Pic: Train arriving at JB station from Singapore
Pic: The modest-looking Johor Bahru railway station


As mentioned in the previous blog, I was impressed with the cleanliness of the Malaysian train, the Express Rakyat, particularly the toilets.


When my stomach started to rebel with growling noises, I went in search of the dining car. I remember the last train trip on KTM I was served expensive and indifferent food.

But Express Rakyat is a far cry from the ramshackle trains of the last century. It is a de-luxe and superior class train only. After a fruitless search I asked one of the cleaners.

She said, "Tak ada tempat makan." (There is no place to eat.)

I was disappointed. I hoped the train would stop at a station long enough for us to grab some "makan" (food).

BTW, many students have yet to travel in an intercity train. Maybe schools should organise train travel. Peirce Secondary School could be the pioneer.

Riding Malaysian train to Taiping

The last time I travelled in a Malaysian train was probably 20 years ago, and much has changed since. So it was with much anticipation that I looked forward to a renewal of ties with Kereta Api Tanah Melayu (KTM).

The pleasant thing if you are a senior is that even foreigners are entitled to half-price tickets. To Taiping it cost me RM $30 or about S$13. I really appreciate KTM's generosity especially in these hard times. Terima kasih KTM.

Though the train, Express Rakyat, has seen better days it was clean and the toilet s didn't smell. This is not by accident as I observed cleaners going about their chores, ensuring there is cleanliness throughout the train.