it-snot all sun and games

it does rain here but luckily our initial information was a gross overestimation. The weather is a little Jekyll and Hyde where the mornings are blue clear skies and sunny, mid-80s; the afternoon and evenings are generally cloudy littered with sporadic heavy rain and mid-50s. Compared to the intense sweating and dehydration (determined by lack of urination/urination colour and viscosity) we were experiencing in KL, I definitely feel like we've traded up!

Janine and Hector - this area is the Asian version of Boquette (Panama). but a lot more touristy and built up e.g. we are sitting in a starbucks right now. As we have to pay for internet per hour at our hostel, we are sipping a $2 USD coffee very slowly so we can optimize our "free" wi-fi time. By the way, I've been meaning to find out who won "So you think you can dance"...anyone?

As for the snot situation. it's great. My sinuses have reached an all time record high pressure point. This was particularly fun yesterday when Ari persuaded me to go on a "gentle" hike (no map, no destination). It started off gentle as you can see in the photo above but quickly turned into a 2.5 hour mountainous descent with wet, soggy and slippery slopes and disappearing 6 inch wide trails. We don't have any photos of this because as it got more treacherous the sporadic (aforementioned) rain began.

Today we broke down and went on a guided tour of the highlands which included going to Gunung Brinchang, the highest point in the Cameron Highlands - we think - at 6666 ft. (Ari initially wanted to hike this one too. Roughly 15 km/9miles from our town Tanah Rata) Also went through a "mossy forest", visited a tea plantation and a butterfly farm. The butterfly farm also had other random insects. Below is Ari holding a scorpion that the guide essentially promised was harmless.

At the tea plantation our guide told us the various steps of tea leaf preparation. He discussed the drying process that occurred on the second floor of the factory and that tourists were not permitted to visit because "the floors are very slippery and a few years ago a tourist slipped, fell out the window and died." (dead pan and pointing to the concrete drive we were standing on).

On that note. Here is a special photo for your enjoyment. Nasal strips. Key for breathing when you're full of snot. (Joshieee - definitely not getting in the way of eating...just tasting)

Note: finally finished the "about" section. Office space anyone? We'll be on the move tomorrow - heading to the beachhhhhh. the different map sections will likely have more activity from now on!