christine
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arrived in CH - 2005/05/10 11:12
HI mates!
Arrived in CH yesterday. Kurnia Bistari cancelled 1 service and I had to take the 3.15 bus. There is a VIP express bus leaving at 12.30,it has airconditioning, only 25 seats and drives non-stop to Tanah Rata. The big KUrnia bus really must have seen better days and it looks like Hang Tuah and Hang Lekir have been riding this bus already   . I could imagine they have no power brakes and to be honest I didn't feel particularly safe in it. HOwever, they gave me a seat in the front and I could enjoy the whole trip with a great view although I had my plastic bag and ginger roots ready in my bag.
Arrived in Tanah Rata about 8.15 pm and oh my God....it was raining cats and dogs. Luckily I had my umbrella in my suitcase. I called Bala's Chalet to pick me up but they told me they were busy and asked me whether I mind to wait for 10 minutes.
JUst in front of the Tanah Rata bus station an Indian community, I think theywere at least 25 people, started to prepare for their religious dinner. Their english was not that good that I could understand properly what they meant. They just said they were praying or they had prayed and yet they were about to have a vegetarian dinner. They asked me if I wanted to join them, I was a little embarassed but was starving and couldn't say no. They gave me a large banana leaf, some basmati rice, a kacang curry, eggplant and potato curries. There was something which looked like vegetarian meatballs, really yummie and I joined them eating with my hands, like everybody else in the group. The dessert was a sweet rice porridge. I barely finished my meal and was about to eat my porridge as the van with the Bala man arrived. He told me it was not a problem, I could just take my time and finish my dinner.
This morning I woke up at 5.30 by the prayer of the nearby mosque and the first cry of the cock. My room is facing the sunrise but this morning it was too cloudy to see the sun properly.
After breakfast I walked down to Tanah Rata to look for a bank. There is a little strawberry farm on the left-hand side where I bought some strawberries.
To be really, really honest, I was already worried that I would be as disappointed as in the Indonesian highlands. But....although I haven't seen much yet I must admit that I was quite surprised that the hotels and buildings didn't intrude into the beauty of nature. CH is quiet at the moment, nearly no tourist and I have nearly the whole hotel just for myself. This afternoon I will do the little walk which is called Freddy's walk after a swedish tourist who discovered the beautiful trail which could be just finished in 7 min. Maybe there is still a little time for JIm Thompson's trail. We have to accept the unpredictability of the CH weather .. lah...it's getting dark again.....
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