Today Paul decided that we needed to go for a hike around some of the walking trails here. I wasn't too keen because I still don't have a hat (I was supposed to buy one when I got here) but I eventually caved in.
[It WAS a snake. I was so sure that it wanted to come and attack me before it realised that I would probably do a Steve Irwin and wrestle it to the ground. - P]
On the way back we decided to go via another route and after skirting our way around a few landslides and hiking for about an hour we met a Dutch couple coming the opposite way who told us that there was a power station ahead and that the trail seemed to end so they were going back the way we had come.
We couldn't be bothered to go all the way back up the mountain so we pushed onto the power station and finally found a way around it by jumping over a drain bushwhacking through the bush around the perimeter fence. We went back for the Dutch couple who were waiting for us to check out the power station to see if we could find a way around it. By that time a Swiss guy had joined them so we all went around the power station together and found ourselves on a bitumen road. The maps that we had were all really inaccurate and by that time we had been hiking for a couple of hours so although we saw a turn off for another trail we decided to follow the road instead.
[These guys seriously had no idea where they were going. The Dutch people apparently were walking around for hours and kept hitting dead ends and wrong turns. I have no idea what they would do without us. But anyway, we thought it was pretty obvious that you should just walk around the fence if there's a road on the other side....... - P]
[I am feeling very very very very sore right now. My legs and thighs are dead. Every move is slow death. I am ready to pass out. Angus - it almost feels like going up Mt KK, but quicker effect. Maybe that's what old age does to you!?! - P]
There are quite a few trails around the Highands but none of them seem to be very clearly marked. After spending about half an hour looking for the start of the trail we finally found it and headed off through some nice rainforest. The trail we were on lead to a mountain peak about 1650 metres above sea level. We finally made it to the summit although Paul nearly turned around when he thought he saw a snake. 
It was pretty hard going but the rainforest was really pretty. After Paul saw the snake (or whatever it was) I was pretty glad that I had my hiking boots, especially after we saw some truly scary snakes yesterday at the butterfly sanctuary.
It was pretty hard going but the rainforest was really pretty. After Paul saw the snake (or whatever it was) I was pretty glad that I had my hiking boots, especially after we saw some truly scary snakes yesterday at the butterfly sanctuary.[It WAS a snake. I was so sure that it wanted to come and attack me before it realised that I would probably do a Steve Irwin and wrestle it to the ground. - P]
On the way back we decided to go via another route and after skirting our way around a few landslides and hiking for about an hour we met a Dutch couple coming the opposite way who told us that there was a power station ahead and that the trail seemed to end so they were going back the way we had come.
We couldn't be bothered to go all the way back up the mountain so we pushed onto the power station and finally found a way around it by jumping over a drain bushwhacking through the bush around the perimeter fence. We went back for the Dutch couple who were waiting for us to check out the power station to see if we could find a way around it. By that time a Swiss guy had joined them so we all went around the power station together and found ourselves on a bitumen road. The maps that we had were all really inaccurate and by that time we had been hiking for a couple of hours so although we saw a turn off for another trail we decided to follow the road instead.
[These guys seriously had no idea where they were going. The Dutch people apparently were walking around for hours and kept hitting dead ends and wrong turns. I have no idea what they would do without us. But anyway, we thought it was pretty obvious that you should just walk around the fence if there's a road on the other side....... - P]
Well, we must have been quite far out of Tanah Rata because it seemed like we were hiking FOREVER on this road in the blazing hot sun. In truth, we didn't even know if we were headed back to Tanah Rata and there were hardly any cars on the road. Thankfully we were with the others and not by ourselves! Anyway, we eventually turned a corner and saw that we were back on the outskirts of Tanah Rata. We decided that our hard work had earned us a beer and a coke and an afternoon watching movies at our hostel and recovering from our exertions.
[I am feeling very very very very sore right now. My legs and thighs are dead. Every move is slow death. I am ready to pass out. Angus - it almost feels like going up Mt KK, but quicker effect. Maybe that's what old age does to you!?! - P]
I am still wishing I had my jeans and some "going out" shoes. Everyone here is wearing jeans in the evening because it gets so cool. I think I might have to get them sent over..... - N.
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