Mon 25th
So hung over! I crawled out of bed (twin bunk room) to get down for breakfast - Frank by comparison was fine! I chose toast, thinking it was probably the only thing I could stomach at that stage, although I was gutted I couldn't indulge in the great Malaysian spread I had been looking forward to since Kuantan. However I couldn't even chew that much! My mouth was as dry as the dust heaps on the hot pavement. The term that sprung to mind was 'hangin'. I needed a good strong cup of tea and I knew I wasn't going to get it. Oh well.
Back to TBS for our bus ride to the Cameron Highlands (I managed to buy myself a cappuccino that made me feel more human...after lacing it with sugar).
On the bus at about 12pm, a fairly new looking one, with the typical KL scrapes along the side but plush looking inside. Along the road for about an hour, not too far from KL the bus sounds as though its struggling. Hmm.
As the law of sod would have it the bus broke down at 1:50pm. We were pretty much at the halfway distance. The driver turned and turned the engine. Hopped in and out of the bus, lifted the engine hatch, other bus drivers pulled over to help, all to no avail. Meanwhile inside was getting hotter and hotter (no A/C or open windows), so we passengers took solace outside in what shade there was on the roadside verge. Meanwhile calls were being made for another bus to come rescue us, but had to come from Kuala Lumpur - 2 hours away. Oh well, we started chatting to the other passengers. Met/spoke to 2 Dutch brothers, a Malay woman, a German couple (Martle and Ellana) and 2 French couples. Everytime we asked when the next bus was coming the answer was "20 minutes." Or any question the answer was in the form of 20. So much so it became a running joke - 20 minutes, 20 km away...always 20. But we were in good spirits. At one stage a bus did take some people but left most of us behind even though he had plenty of spare seats!?! He was a Chinese toothless driver, ushering us back saying "No more, no more!". Odd. Eventually the second bus arrived left at 4:50pm.
We arrived in Cameron Highlands, via a twisty windy rain sodden road, passed tea plantations and signs for Strawberry farms. We pulled into Tanah Rata 7:20pm. On disembarking the Chinese toothless driver was there, pointing at us and yelling "You remember me?" Then laughed really hard at all of us. Hmm, I think thats what you call a REALLY wicked sense of humour - though I did smile.

We found our way to Twin Pines Guesthouse and our host was called Joe, an older nice man. The property had a beautiful garden - even in the rain. We checked in, got changed, as the temperature was a much cooler 16°C, I pulled out my jeans for the first time since Japan! Then asked where was good for dinner Joe pointed us in the direction of a good Indian restaurant (whilst there we breifly spoke to the English girl we met in Mersing). It continued to Rain/thunderstorm throughout the night. But it was a good night.