Qi in Cameron Highlands

My latest adventure was an overnight trip to Cameron Highlands 15-16 July 2007. In Cameron, it is best to tuck in for a night because only then we can feel the coldness of the night and the freshness of the next morning.
We decided to opt for an apartment with a living hall so it will feel like a family outing, with a kitchen so popo can do my cooking (as usual my mini slow cooker goes wherever I go), and within Brinchang area.
We stayed at Star Regency Hotel Brinchang in a two bedroom apartment (papa called up the hotel a week earlier and it was fully-booked, but managed to get a booking through internet – guess this is the backlash of bad Malaysian mentality of tel-booking hotel and then not showing up, thus forcing many hoteliers to accept only internet confirmed payment booking especially during peak period).
We left Ipoh in 2 groups. Group 1 departed at 7 AM, papa cycling up, alone, 80 km to Brinchang. Group 2 departed at 10 AM – me, mama, popo and ahyi in the Avanza plus kongkong and ahgu in the Iswara. Group 1 fuel RM 9.10 : 2 eggs, 2 buns, 1 hot drink, 5 bananas, 500 ml water, 1000 ml energy drink. Group 2 fuel RM 13.30 of petrol, each car.
It started drizzling at 8 AM, and soon the rain and the sun took turns to soak and dry up papa all the way till reaching Brinchang at 12 PM. The mountain wind laughed and whistled (see, this is what papa goes through when he is cycling and hypoglycemic). Papa was more bothered by the slippery downhill than the steep uphill – the bike rolled down wildly even at 30 km/h.
Just 20 km short of reaching Brinchang, we stopped at the ‘Garden Rest Area’ – for me to take my porridge in the thermo-mug and for popo to take a breather (she had motion sickness).

'Garden Rest Area' - In the loving arms (and stony faces - from motion sickness?) of my kongkong and popo.

My first encounter with strawberry. The sweetest of them all – strawberry, me or mama?

We reached Brinchang a little over noon after papa checked in (he still managed to convince the receptionist for the keys with his helmet on, drenched self, muddied Giant Carbon Composite bike, and a photocopy of the check-in voucher and identity card).
There are 7 yummy places to eat in Cameron :
1. Restaurant Tringkap opposite the blue roofed Tringkap Community Hall. Need to walk a short 10 feet downward to the ‘underground restaurant’. Signature dish is the deep fried tilapia fish.
2. A Malay warung at the entrance of Kea Farm. The nasi lemak goes best with kopi-o (and some dancing flies on the table).
3. Restaurant You Woo in Brinchang town. Even the locals visit this place. Ask for the deep fried mushroom.
4. Restaurant OK Tuck in Brinchang town. Special steamboat.
5. Bala’s Chalet scones and tea, somewhere between Brinchang and Tanah Rata.
6. A stall operated by a dumb and deaf couple, opposite Tanah Rata Maybank. Must try the banana pan cake, with or without ice-cream.
7. Charcoal-powered steamboat shop in Brinchang – ceased operation now…

We had lunch at Restaurant You Woo in Brinchang and then visited the strawberry farm just behind the hotel. This farm has potted flowers, plants, fruits, vegetables and landscaped fish pond with koi (all the farms in Cameron have this variety!). It continued to drizzle and I enjoyed the raindrops falling on the umbrella, humming along “Tik-Tak, Tik-Tak” (luckily this farm is vastly canopied from rain).

Beauties and the beast. Who is the beast? Who is the beast?

A bee among the flowers. I am the bee…

A giant among the ferns. I am the giant…

We had steamed sweet potatoes for tea and dinner was at Restaurant OK Tuck savouring the steamboat ( I love the fish balls). Then, we headed for the night market in Tanah Rata, got nothing but just a pair of gloves to keep my tiny hands warm.
It was a cold night in Cameron. With the window just ajar at 1 centimeter you can actually feel the wind wheezing in. We slept well.
The next morning we had breakfast at the hotel (popo and kongkong actually went out early to eat Hokkien Mee and buy newspaper). Later we were at the cactus farm (similar stuff like the strawberry farm) and Kea Farm to buy things like cactus, strawberry, corn, potato, tomato, jam, etc.
Finally we visited the bee farm. I didn’t see many bees as they were busy making honey in the box-beehive, but I did take some photos with the ‘gigantic bees’.
We returned to the hotel just in time for checkout. Papa decided to ride down to Ipoh, and everyone cheered him on, while I dozed off, all the way home.

At the bee farm. Thanks for reading, bye!

Mama’s photo taken at Cameron in March 2005 (I was not even in her womb then…).

P/S : Sorry la...can't find ahgu's photo to post, but surely he was there with us!