It was an exciting and adventurous holiday in Cameron Highlands.
14/9, we left our apartment at about 9:00 am and headed towards Boh tea Sungai Palas plantations which was about 9 Kms away off the main road.
The road to Sg Palas plantation is narrow and winding. It is advisable to honk at certain sharp corners to alert cars coming from opposite direction.
It is a lovely and sprawling plantations with tea plants grown on rolling hills stretching as far as eyes can see.
We spent almost two hours at the modern and comfortable cafe with viewing deck, drinking the famous Boh tea, enjoying cakes and scones, admiring the beautiful surrounding.
After Boh plantation, we decided to put our adventure spirit to test - driving up to Gunung Brichang (Mount Brinchang) which is at the western end of Boh plantations.
It was misty and the road was wet after rain. Our sturdy and faithful Toyota Unser brought us to the end of the road of Mt. Brinchang which is 2031 metres, believed to be the highest road in Peninsular Malaysia! (Genting Highlands is 1860 metres).
Due to heavy mist, we were not able to have a good view of surrounding areas except the communication towers built by Telecom Malaysia.
It was a GREAT feat for us ... a man and three ladies, a boy and a toddler, drove on the highest road in Peninsular Malaysia, not with a 4-WD, with a family MPV ... albeit an economy version!
About 4:00 pm in the afternoon, we met up with a mutual farmer friend Mr. Ng who has a vegetable farm at Kg Raja, 10 kms from our hotel.
It was away from the beaten track and needed a 4-wheel drive vehicle to get there. We enjoyed our ride at the back of truck.
We were surprised to see such a big area of farm in Kg Raja which is mostly parched on steep hills. We admired and respect the hard working and innovative highlands farmers.
Mr. Ng planted mainly Choi sum, big Bak Choi and small Bak Choi, sold to an agent of a hypermarket. His farm produces about three to four hundred kilograms of vegetables daily.
He led us round his farm explaining the growing process and schedule of his produce. He is a third generation farmer succeeded from his father.
Currently he faces worker shortage. The situation was made worse by the recent government 6P foreign workers registration program.
Mr. Ng is a very generous man, besides giving us tens of kilograms of vegetables, sweet potatoes and corns, he insisted buying us dinner before saying goodbye after the visit.
The restaurant we went was famous among the locals. We have local dishes with local ingredients, especially Big Bak Choi freshly plucked from Mr. Ng's farm... DELICOUS !
On the next day 15/9 morning, we visited Paul and Cindy, formerly residing in Kajang. We have a brief visit to their flower farm before saying goodbye.
We reached home sweet home at about 6:00 pm.
( More pictures in Facebook)
( Video @ Youtube)
Marcus, the smallest child labour Marcus, 最年幼的童工
14/9 早上，我们在大约九点就离开了酒店，驱车前往双溪巴拉斯的Boh 茶园。它离开大路大约九公里的路程。
前往该茶园的路是弯曲及狭小。为了小心起见，在这路上要小心，几段危险的拐弯，需按响车笛，警示对面方向的车辆。
这是一个广阔的茶园，连绵的山丘，种满了茶树，一望无尽。
这里建了一座非常现代化及舒适的咖啡座（应该是喝茶座），还有了望台。喝着香浓的 Boh 茶，品尝着美味的糕点，一边欣赏美丽的环境，妙极了！我们在这里呆了将近两个小时。
观赏了茶园之后，我们的冒险精神兴起，决定往茶园西边的布兰璋山( Gunung Brinchang) 山顶探险。
当时是雨后，所以路面湿滑，但我们所驾的 Toyota Unser 勇敢无比，缓慢但安全的把我们带上了山顶。这里海拔2031米，据知是马来亚半岛最高的公路（云顶海拔1860米）。
因为浓雾，我们不能看到附近的景色，只见到高耸的电讯塔。
但这确实是一项壮举。一位男士，三位女士，加上一位儿童及26个月大的幼童，驾驶在半岛海拔最高的公路上，而且还不是四轮驱动车，只是一辆经济的家庭消闲车。。。！
大约在下午四时左右，我们会见了一位农夫朋友黄清泉先生。 他在干榜拉惹有一段菜园，离开我们所住的酒店大约十公里。
我们得坐他的四轮驱动车才能够到达他的菜园。我们都很高兴的坐在车后箱，一颠一波的往菜园路上前进。
我们非常惊讶的见到在干榜拉惹有着这么广阔的农耕地，这从外面（大路）望不到的。 我们不得不由心里发出对这里勤劳及创新的农夫们，至上万方的敬意。
黄先生是第三代的农夫，从他的父亲接手经营菜园。目前他种的主要是三种蔬菜 - 大白菜，小白菜及菜心，供应给一间霸级超市的供应商。菜园的产量大约是每天三到四百公斤。
他带领我们参观了他的菜园，讲解了蔬菜的种植过程及面对的问题。最近政府实行的6P 外劳漂白计划，对金马崙菜农影响极大。目前他面对的就是人工短缺，外劳趁机提出许多要求，包括提高薪金及跳槽等。
黄先生非常的慷慨，除了送给我们好多十公斤的蔬菜，蕃薯和玉蜀黍之外，还坚持请我们吃了晚餐才会去。
他带我们到一家本地人光顾的参观，叫了一些道地的菜肴，非常的美味，特别是从他的菜园带来刚拔起的大白菜。
我们可说是满载而归。
隔天，15/9，我们拜访了老朋友思明及太太Cindy.在参观了他的花园之后，我们带着他们送的鲜花，离开了金马崙，取道回家。
大约在傍晚六时左右，我们终于抵达了见面，结束了三天两夜，收获丰富的金马崙之旅。
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( 录影在Youtube)
At Paul & Cindy's flower farm （left second & third)在思明 Paul 和Cindy 夫妇的花园 （左二及三）
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