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Maybe not Gordon's last trip
Well I finally made it down from the Cameron HIghlands, via Pangkor Island. What a disappointment the HIghlands were. ONly thing they have in common with Scotland is the Celtic name and the rain. What must have once been a beautiful place to escape to from the heat and dust of the plains below has been turned into a concrete jungle of multi storey hotels......almost Costa del Cameron. Surrounded by strawberry, cactus, butterfly and bee farms, there is virtually nothing left of what might have been a place of calm and tranquility. The only, small saving grace was a visit to a tea plantation but even here the \'romantic\' image of smling tea gatherers on verdant mountain sides has been replaced by machines which cut ten times as much leaf in a day so........in short, miss out the Cameron Highlands and head for Melaka.
Or if you prefer Malacca.....you say Malacca and I say.....well you take your pick.
This is a really interesting town with a history of Portugese, Dutch East Indes business and occupation and as always in Malaysia a plethora of eating opportunities. Last night an amazing spring roll of gigantic proportions filled with sweet pumpkin, bean curd, bamboo shoots and pork crackling!
Malaysians, in all their disguises...Chinese, Tamil etc seem more genuine in their interest when they talk to you and although they are less naturally inclined to smile when talking with you, their smile seems more genuine when it comes than perhaps the Thai who seem to smile regardless.
I was very fortunate this week to have a businessman ask to join me at a breakfast table and to then offer to give me a lift from the Camerons back to Ipoh where I was to pick up a connecting bus. As the man turned out to be the Assistant Director of the National Narcotics Agency it seemed like a good idea to go along with the offer. That said, it was fascinating to hear how they treat first and second time offenders in Malaysia.......with access to a two year rehab programme. Unfortunately, they still have a high failure rate but noe the less aim to rid the country of drugs by 2015!! As a last resort of course, they hang dealers!
Note to European travellers.
Asian people are smaller than Westerners. As a consequence of failing to remember this I have, to date, hit my head on two street awnings and two sign posts. I have also just only avoided being garotted by a low hanging telephone line in a public street.
Also, most streets here do not have pavements or zebra crossings, the latter being a curiousity to drivers and pedestrians alike on the rare occasions when they do appear.
So, I have several times tripped over broken manhole covers and drain culverts. Reading this you may wonder why I have been let out at all but fear not, I am surviving none the less.
Signs seen this week.
Unauthorised tresspassers not permitted. (Didn\'t ask)
The Moral UPlifting Society (didn\'t ask here either)
Off now to try more of the cuisine of Melaka.
PS SOME PHOTOS NOW ON SITE.
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