a photo diary: 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.