a good week in july

it was another new adventure into the mountains this time in the name of duty. what an adventure it was and all thanks to the new opportunities offered by the job. i call it one of the perks. i would never be able to traverse such roads if not for the job.

the journey took us more than 90 minutes from the office to reach the destination which is in one of the mountains near cameron highlands.

the vehicle we were in was a ford ranger. the road leading up to the mountain was all paved with tar, so it was not a treacherous nor difficult one. however, there was a small stretch where it was quite steep and the road had holes which used to be covered in tar. other than that, it was a smooth journey except for the distance.

you can see the tar road from this picture.

however, as with any other journey into the mountains, there are unforeseen dangers and risks. we met one not long after turning off at the main road.

fallen trunks blocking the road. we had no chain-saw with us but luckily there was enough space for the vehicle to pass under and our journey continued. of course we all had to get down the truck and cleared the other smaller branches that were strewn on the road first. going on motorbikes would be easier and take a shorter time, but i don't think my motor skill is good enough for the journey. my heart will be palpitating the whole way wondering when i would make a blunder and lose control of my bike. don't even think of the 'accident' that might happen ok.

later on our way down, we noticed the obstructing trunk had been cleared and it was done by none other than the indigenous people who live in the area.

as it was the durian season, we also saw trucks and vans along the way collecting the fruits from the indigenous villages littered along the way. since all the villagers are accessible by car because of the good road condition, cars are a common sight parked in front of attap houses owned by some indigenous families.

this is a small dam we passed. one of the reasons why the road is well-paved is because of the dam. the dam is maintained by the electrical company and they do their servicing once in a while.

the river was quite shallow on the day we went as it is the dry season now. imagine those who are on their bikes going in daily in the rain and the risks they face from fallen branches and trunks and landslide. it ain't easy teaching in the mountains. salute to these warriors who can still do their jobs with dedications and no complaints.

this is the view i got from the top where the paved tar road almost ends. the mountains opposite did not look as majestic as taken from the low lands but you know you are so much higher as you only see a little of the summits. that meant where i was standing was almost the same height as the mountains opposite. according to those who have spent their nights here, the mountains opposite would be awashed in lights as that is where cameron highlands is.

i managed to go down to the stream nearby. the bamboo bridge here is obviously built by the locals.

 tongkat ali anyone??

and here is another famous local herbal plant- misai kuching. the first time i have seen both.

the whole place was really serene and fresh and those who work here could leave all their worries behind once they are on the mountains. all debts are forgotten once here they say. hahaha. i can imagine myself reading and reading and reading here. well, i managed to finish the fault in our stars here. 

it was quite humid on the day i was there and it got quite hot in the afternoon. there is no electricity supplied here if you are wondering. there is a generator to power the electrical appliances and it is powered by diesel. so they have to ferry diesel supply up the mountains every few weeks. the nights here can be quite cold depending on the season and it can go to as low as 16 degree celcius.

we left at 2 and reached the office at 3.30. the head was spinning by the time i got off the truck as this time, we did not make any stop at all except when we stopped to collect some petai from the locals. all of us got free petai to bring home. yeah!

it was really an adventure and i can't wait to go up again.

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this here is my belated birthday dinner with two gals in healy mac's in ipoh. just us girls and beer and pork.

the drinks we ordered. it has been a while since i last drunk smirnoff ice. that magners apple cider is better than somersby's as it is less sweet.

the 1.3kg organic pork knuckle with apple sauce, cabbage and potatoes. yummy!!! i wish the skin could have been crispier. the meat was a bit dry too but all in all, it ain't that bad.

pepperoni pizza. it was just so-so. i don't think i would order another pizza if i ever go to this place again. i would grab  their knuckle again and order spare ribs. the pizza could have been left a minute or two longer in the oven, then it would have been better.
the total bill came up to almost rm200. what a birthday dinner eh.

and now to randomness. detox water that many have been posting on facebook. do i believe in its detox ability? nah. i doubt it but i still infused the water in lemon slices, cucumber slices and mint leaves because i like the freshness of the water. i don't take mint at all in my diet, so i guess this is another way of me ingesting some of the goodness of mint in the water? hahaha.

this here is a lucky draw present from a dinner attended last week. actually i got a small table fan but i decided to change it since i don't need a table fan. luckily an ex-colleague got this hair dryer and without much negotiation, the fan and hair dryer changed hands. the house needs a hair dryer. see, i am a practical person. there is no point keeping the more expensive table fan in the house for years and not get to use it.

well, tata now. it has been a wonderful july so far. hope it is going to be so till the end of the month.