Bangkok part 2

I am loving Bangkok! There is so much going on all the time. There is no such thing as rush hour as there are always traffic jams and the markets are open all day and what I suspect all night long.

Today I decided to wander around china town. I walk into an alley and there was the biggest market I have ever been to. It never stopped!! I was wandering around for hours and of course didn't find my way back to where I came from. The simple solution for this was to start bargaining with a tuktuk driver and eventually we came to a fair price to take me back to the hostel. However, when this man started driving I was scared! There was no such thing as following any road rules and laws. I think he thought he was driving a racing car. When I finally made it to my area I was more then happy to jump out of the tuktuk and walk.

I have heard that the floating market is supposed to be really nice and good fun. I am looking forward to making my way there some day soon. If any of you have been there or have any advice on Bangkok you are more then welcome to write to me :)

Bangkok

I made it to Bangkok a few days ago and I have been having a great time! I have managed to go to all the major sight seeing places. It's a lovely city and the Thai food is amazing.

Cameron Highlands

 The Cameron Highlands is a place to go to to see many different things. First of all if you go there, bring a jumper and trousers. It gets cold, and I mean really cold! Well at least i felt very cold as I have gotten used to the 30 degree heat. Up in the highlands its around 22-24 during the day and drops considerably during the night.
However, staying 2 nights is more then enough. I booked a all day tour, which took me to the highlights of the area. First stop was a jungle trek and a look at the Raffelsia which is considered the worlds largest flower, even though its only half fungi and half flower and a parasite which leeches of the roots of trees. It was amazing seeing the Raffelsia, they are truly massive!

After the trek we were taken to a Orang Asli Village. Orang Asli are the Malaysia Aborigines. There are many different tribes in Malaysia and they are all very poor. The only way for these people to get any government funding or aids is for them to convert to Islam. Also they dont have the right to have any id's so officially the don't exist. I have been told by local Malays that if there is an Orang Asli in a town and the police asks them for ID, which they obviously do not have, they get taken to prison. Since they have no identity there will be no trail and they can sit in jail for many years if not for the rest of their lives. It is a very sad situation and there are groups who are trying to change this and are fighting for the rights for the Orang Asli.

After the Orang Asli village, we went to a tea plantation which is actually Scottish owned. The tea bushes gave the hills such a soft and pretty look. It was very beautiful. Our guide even let us lie on the bushes as they are very sturdy. Next stop was the strawberry farms. Being from Sweden I have seen strawberry fields before and wasn't to interested. However I found out that the strawberries are always in season as the temperature doesn't vary to much during the year.

All in all, it was a very long day seeing a lot of things that the highlands can offer.

Tea Leaves