Today, we took a bus trip to the Cameron Highlands. After yesterday's heavy rain I was apprehensive about what the weather would be like today, but luckily it remained dry until we were well on our way home, and it wasn't too sunny, so there wasn't a high risk of sunburn.
It was also cooler in the Cameron Highlands, being higher up. We stopped part of the way there to buy snacks and go to the toilet; there were a great deal of strawberry themed items, as the area is known particularly for its strawberries, as well as its tea. I was also surprised, and pleased, to see scones with jam on the menu and I know a lot of the students were happy to find the Malay version of Pringles in the shop.
We then went a bit further up to a more secluded spot and started our jungle trek, which followed the passage of a waterfall for some distance before winding down the mountain, finishing up at the edge of a farm. At this point there was quite a lot of slipping over in the mud (you can blame me - I went first and slid quite a long way, which made it nice and slick for everybody else!) but luckily everybody made it down to the flat with everything intact, except perhaps their pride.
After that we got the bus a few km up the mountain and then walked the final 2km to the Boh Tea Plantation Factory, where we had a very civilised lunch of sandwiches, cake and fresh tea - Cameronian Gold, which is made from orange pekoe fannings. Expect to see some of this coming home for you, parents! We watched a video about the production of tea and then went around the factory, which smelled extremely fragrant, to get a good look at the manufacturing process. It was certainly very interesting, and the tea plantation itself was very picturesque - tea bushes ranging over the hills as far as the eye could see. Apparently they produce enough tea for 5 and a half million cups a day, which would almost keep the average school staffroom going.
There was just enough time on the way back to stop at the fruit and vegetable stands by the side of the road and buy fresh strawberries. The Cameron Highlands grow an awful lot of fruit and veg as the climate is perfect for it, and I came away with some delicious tomatoes; we also saw aubergine, courgette and cabbage growing in the fields, amongst other things.
We've spent this evening at the college's Battle of the Bands performance, which has showcased some of the most talented students. Tomorrow, we're going to visit some classes and continue work on the presentations, as well as preparing for the evening's cultural performance.
Unfortunately I am not having much luck uploading any pictures, but I hope to rectify this tomorrow.
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