1.12.13

MALAYSIA, CAMERON HIGHLANDS


Sometimes, the same fact can change shades really easily and then not mean the same thing at all. In the batch of pictures I wanted to keep as a record there should have been a few of the famous rafflesia flower that I went to see yesterday... except that it was, by far, one of the wettest days of my life and I didn't take any picture with my iphone and I just hope my film camera is alright.  

From the top. I'm in the Cameron Highlands of Malaysia, and a friend and I decided that when in Rome, we might as well book a hike tour to see a few of the rafflesia flowers, famous for being the biggest flowers of the world. It's been raining on the Cameron Highlands on and off for the last few days,  nothing serious... until that day, of course. The hike became a 3-4 hour trek at a fast pace because we had to cross 3 different rivers and the water level was going up. The rain became stronger and stronger and the current of the last river was up to my hips... which, once you are there, you cross. Between that and the rain, I ended completely wet for a few hours, my trekking shoes making noises, my jeans weighting three times more, the t-shirts I was wearing were wet under my jacket, even my panties by the time we were having lunch... 

Obviously, It made me think how heavy rain had actually sent me to unhappy land back in Thailand; but not this time, I'm actually really proud of myself for completing the trek and I was quite happy about having done it, not because of the flowers, which I got to see, but of a sense of accomplishment.  It's the silliest thing but I feel like a bit stronger about it, as if I was an adventurer not the silly city woman I feel that I am. 

The pictures I have (in a usb pen somewhere) of this day are actually from a friend who was more clever than me and had a poncho (a poncho that I now own, by the way, *grin* I love travelers in Malaysia) and had more protection for the electronics of the camera. Instead I have pictures of another excursion about what I'm becoming quite addicted to: tea. Well, tea and the Cloud forest at Mount Brinchang, where I think hobbits, or their Orang Asli counterparts, live. Also, if he ever reads this he knows it's completely and totally his fault, but I've never had so many cups of tea in a day in my life... do *not* trust the british when it comes to tea, is my only advice, and trust them even less after an educational morning at a tea plantation. 

Malaysia is being quite good with me, tomorrow bus ride to Pulau Penang. 






8 comentarios:

  1. Your words about not wanting to be a "silly city woman" resonate with me so well. I've recently been reading Gretchen Rubin's The Happiness Project (if you've managed to catch that post on my blog) and I've been pondering on one point she makes: Happiness doesn't always make you happy. If I were you I'd probably be as unhappy as can be during the hike, I really hate being drenched! But the effort you put in created the outcome of feeling like an adventurer and I want to feel like an adventurer, not a silly city woman, haha! I've always been the kind of girl who lives for the moment and usually avoid doing things that doesn't promise immediate pleasure and/or generates immediate discomfort. Your words have made me think, in a very practical sense, that I need to start to learn to overlook the "now" and think about the good feelings I want to have at the end of a not-so-good process. Sorry for the wordy comment, I'm really glad to hear you're enjoying yourself in Malaysia and that you're sharing such wonderful stories with us. ♥

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    1. Yes, exactly, all of that. Happiness was not only living an easy live, happiness is more than the instant gratification.. I'm not saying comfort is bad, I'm saying that going out of it and learning what life can give us, and learning about what are is also a way of growing up and being young again.

      And, please, don't ever be sorry about writing here your thoughts! ♥

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  2. These pictures are all absolutely gorgeous! I love the lush greenery and fog in the last two shots!
    You should indeed be proud of yourself - that sounded like an incredibly difficult hike with all that rain!

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    1. It was amazing, I'm dying to see how the film pictures will turn up... if they turn out, who knows that's the magic of film :D

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  3. Vaya fotazas! Felicidades por el viaje y por el Blog, muy interesante gracias.
    Luis Gurría

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  4. i think your film pictures will blow our minds :)

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