Monday, October 25, 2010

Cameron Highlands: A Cool Escapade



I have been meaning to write about my wonderful experience of spending some quality time to relax in the cool atmosphere of Cameron Highlands, and now I finally have some time to sit down and put my thoughts on display here.

In case you were wondering whether my opinion is biased in anyway since we all get awed by new places and experiences, I have been going to Camerons for the past four years straight in a row during the Hari Raya festivities.

Nothing has changed much, except for the increase in the number of tourists, and of course, tourist sight-seeing attractions such as strawberry farms and gift shops selling strawberry shaped souvenirs. I had a wonderful time waking up to the cool morning air and spending some time jogging around my apartment area while listening to my MP3 player. Nothing beats jogging in the morning, since you don't really break out in sweat after a workout session.

As for the food in Cameron Highlands, fear not that you will be subjected to eating an entirely vegetarian diet. There are many options to choose from as there are steamboat restaurants to small hawker stalls, the night market stalls, as well as fast food chains such as Marrybrown and KFC. They even have Starbucks, so for those tech-savvy people, you can still have access to the internet.

I found a good local food haunt named T-Cafe that serves a mixture of local and Western dishes. The ambience was cosy, and my, the food smelled so good that I couldn't wait to dig in as soon as the waiter delivered my order! The cafe is just above the Marrybrown restaurant in Tanah Rata, so locating it shouldn't be a problem even for first-timers.

At night, the only thing that was on my agenda was the night market. Here you have to stand firm and haggle with the hawkers to get the best prices for your vegetables, fruits, and the irresistible strawberry souvenirs. You name it, they've got it. The souvenirs come in the forms pillows, umbrellas, and even aprons!

For those who love having English scones and tea, make your way to the Bharat Plantations, Cameron Valley or Boh Tea Plantations where they serve you these sweet treats while you enjoy the wonderful green scenery of the tea plantations.

Looking for a place to escape from the heat of city life, look no further than Cameron Highlands where you are transported back to the English colonial times plus cool weather!

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