Melacca-Cameron Highlands, November 18-19

"I've heard that into every life, a little of it must fall,

but you'll never catch me complaining about too much of that southern rain."

-Cowboy Junkies

Rain is the word of the day, as I got my first taste on the bus up to Cameron Highlands two days ago. The rain was so heavy by the time we caught the local bus up the hill that we had to shut the windows, and it dripped down my back during dinner at an Indian place set in a parking lot, where we huddled under the fluorescent-lit umbrella and waited as the cook produced dahl, curried chickpeas, another tofu curry and chapati. Ginger tea. Mmmm. It was by far the most authentic experience, and we enjoyed the company of a Malay family from Sabah, also on vacation. What the place lacked in aesthetics it made up in flavour. A true trip-defining moment.

Yesterday, I awoke early, roused the girls, and suggested a move from the guest house (the term used loosely to describe a the barrack-like quanza huts we had rented). We got onto a tour to visit the Raffelsia flower (allegedly the largest flower in the world, which is actually a mushroom that blooms to attract flies for pollination). Thankfully, the Raffelesia was located a 1.5 hour hike into the jungle, and I know this sounds strange, but I enjoyed being heavily rained upon during the hike back down. The tour also included a visit to the BOH tea plantation (where we had an excellent cup of tangerine earl grey tea in their switch new facility), and a strawberry farm.

As Katy was feeling unwell, Jamie and I went out for drinks and a steam boat, which is basically a fondue of Tom Yam soup broth into which you dunk (and cook) an impossible amount of food (shrimp, lamb, chicken, fish, fish balls, veggies, eggs, and noodles). Cost: $5.00 a person.

Rain lasted all through the night until I caught the bus down to George Town this morning.