Cameron Highlands

29.06.-02.07.2017

We 4 are going to Tana Rata in the Cameron Highlands by minibus. There we have booked a tour for the next day to visit the tea plantations, tea factory, Mossy Forest, and other attractions. On the way to our destination, we can already see some lush green tea plantations planted on hills. We arrive with a joyful feeling and check into our guesthouse.

The next morning, we go to a tea plantation with our tour guide Ravi. There we learn a lot about the production and the conditions under which tea is picked and processed. Our next stop is the Mossy Forest. It is called so because the forest is covered with moss, sometimes several meters thick. Ravi shows us some plants that are used for healing or making mosquito repellent. Unfortunately, as Ravi tells us, many locals destroy the forest because they know about the use of the plants and pick them in large quantities. Or they simply take selfies with the flowers and throw them back into the forest. Quite the opposite of New Zealand, where so much is done to protect and preserve nature. After that, we visit the BOH tea factory. There we have a cup of tea, eat a snack and enjoy the view of the tea plantation. In the second part of the tour, we visit a butterfly house with various other insects and native animals, a museum, a strawberry farm, a market, and a temple. After the tour, we go out for dinner and play cards at the guesthouse.

The next day, I go hiking alone because Claudi and the others don't feel like it. The trail takes me through dense rainforest to the top of a mountain. From up there, I could have a good view. However, there is unfortunately a cloud hanging at the top, so the visibility is limited.

Back at the guesthouse, we decide to visit a Thai massage. Basti stays behind because he has treated himself to several massages in Bali in the past few weeks. It should be a 60-minute full-body massage. After the initial pain caused by the tense muscles, we can even enjoy it later on :D