From Cairngorms to Camerons the highlands are the best.

We went for an action packed two day adventure to the Cameron Highlands. WOW! What a place. A really welcome change of pace from the hustle and bustle of Kuala Lumpur. A four hour bus ride took us 200 miles up through the countryside to around 2000m above sea level to the town of Tanah Rata. We got a good tip off from a departing traveller as to where to stay, and we ended up staying in a relly nice guest house. Staying in wee Nissen Huts, basic, but super clean. It was weird for the first time in two weeks feeling the cold and needing to use a blanket at night. Met some really nice argentinians, who were more than happy to have some scottish loons tag along.

Nick and I decided to hire a local to give us a tour of the area, as we were only going to be there for a couple of days, and get to see the the best bits. Well, what a guide he turned out to be. Francis, was born and raised in the Highlands, and was really passionate about his local area. I dont know if he had studied biology, or his knowledge was self taught, but he knew ALOT about plants. To the point where he is the expert on a rare form of parasitic fungus, (which needs to be pollenated...yeah i didnt understand either) which only grows in a few spots in the
of japanese scientists who were interested in it as a potential cure for Cancer! So He took them to where it grows, they took 6 kilos away, and he is now waiting for the email with the results of their tests. Crazy.

So we went for a day of walking with him ( nick in bare feet! ), the morning in the jungle, and Gunung Brinchang in the afternoon. Gunung meaning mountain and brinchang being the local area, i think it's peak was like 3000m. We saw everything from fresh tiger scratch posts, (there is only around 360 left in the cameron highlands, maybe even malaysia), roasting pits where the local Orang Isli tribe recently caught killed and cooked a sun bear. Really rare, and apparently very aggressive, so a case of kill or be killed. We ate loads of plant life, cinamon, ginger, tea and loads others along with special flower the locals use as an anaesthetic for toothache, so w were wandering around with numb tongues for a while, it was really effective.

We spoke to francis about going with him on a 2/3 day trek, when we go back in 2 months to renew our visas, and he mentioned that he was going to borneo that month on a week long research mission, on mount kinabalu, on a trail that has been close since 1978. Bird experts, plant experts, insect experts and some guides. We had already talked about our photography plans/mission, and he said he would ask the expedition organiser if there might be space for two photographers on the trip! Its a long shot, but would be so rad. so who knows.

really needed more time up in the highlands...it was so beautiful. So back for one more night in KL, then we flew to Denpassar in Bali, where we are now.