A short taxi ride from the riverside hotel took us to Wakif Bharu for the morning train. The previous evening we had discovered that our plan of getting off at Kuala Krai and taking a boat up the river to Dabong was not possible as this service was not operating. Instead, a little torn, we purchased tickets for the end of the line, Gua Musang, continuing on into the internal jungle heart of Malaysia.
It got obviously more greener and more and more remote, calling at smaller and smaller platforms along the route until finally we got to the end of the line. At Gua Musang it was the same story, because of Ramadan everywhere is closed up. Another rethink outside a small shop to get some provisions and we were off again, this time by ‘Grab’ car as our decision was to continue on to have a look at the Cameron Highlands.
The road was pretty windy and bumpy so it was a relief to arrive at Tanah RATA in one piece but along the way we had witnessed the intensive ‘growing’ areas where Chinese companies were covering the hillsides in plastic sheeting to cultivate vegetables and plants on a massive scale of production that was unnerving.
The Cameron Highlands read well, a lovely area full of cultivated tea plantations..this was not the welcoming sight as we pulled into Tanah Rata. It was a mess of sprawling towns with little to attract an audience.
We ate at the local nightly food market in the centre of Tanah Rata made the decision to leave the Cameron Highlands in the morning, slightly dissatisfied.
Hopefully a bit of Jack Penate will make amends!
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