If some people didn't tell you, you'd never know they'd been away on a vacation. ~Kin Hubbard
Recently, to commemorate the week-long Chinese New Year break-cum-mid-term break, a friend and I decided to go to Fraser’s Hill, nestled quietly in the Titiwangsa mountain range, slightly to the north of Genting Highlands. Named after an Englishman, Louis James Fraser, I have never been to Fraser’s Hill but since my friend said her company does have a few units of apartments up there which we can rent for RM 50 each per night, I said, why not!!
So, on a quiet Friday afternoon, we embarked on our journey. I wasn’t really sure how to get there, but I had read the directions on a website, so armed with only the memory of those directions, I headed to Karak and took the Bentong exit. I had read that after Bentong, we should look out for signs of Tranum but since the toll-gate guy was totally clueless about where Tranum is, and very adamant about us taking the route to Raub, we took the Raub route. So from Bentong, we followed the directions to Raub and eventually arrived at the Gap, where the gate opens during even hours to allow traffic to move up to the hill, and odd hours to allow traffic to move down. This Karak-Bentong-Raub route is so easy to breeze through, I think, that I don’t know why websites related to Fraser’s do not mention it. We passed by Tranum Police Station, but that was about the only sign of Tranum that we saw!
I liked the ride up the hill because although it was one-way, it wasn’t as winding and curvy as the journey up to Cameron Highlands. Or Genting, for that matter. Furthermore, the condition of the road was okay, not bumpy, so it was a smooth ride. Before the journey, I had asked some friends what was special about Fraser’s hill and they gave me almost the same answer: Oh, there’s nothing much to do there. But that didn’t dash my spirit. I really had to see what is there in order to believe it. Seeing is believing.
As we were driving up, we could already feel the temperate air. It was 20 degrees Celsius. What a nice, cooling weather, I thought, such a contrast to the sweltering heat of the city. We could also see a few of the private bungalows and cottages, resembling their English counterparts. I was immediately elated because the scenes that were sprawling in front of me reminded me so much of England. I guess this is one of the best things about Fraser’s Hill. Besides the temperate weather, the bungalows and the cottages still retain their colonial charm. They look so English, albeit dislocated. They also serve as a reminder of our colonial past – though this fact would rile some people, I guess you can never erase history or undo the past. I was amazed at how these bungalows and cottages have withstood the ravages of time and how some people have really taken the pains to maintain the English legacy.
Our gaiety however, was brought to an end after we checked in. It was an apartment, all right, but I guess it looked too simple for my taste and for an apartment that belongs to a national conglomerate. The furniture was simple, the TV was small, there were 2 bedrooms, one kitchen but it was too plain for my eyes. I can’t stay here, I thought, but I didn’t dare voice this out to my friend for fear that she would be offended. Then at night, when we pulled the comforter, and smelled the unmistakable odour coming from it, my friend said, “Okay, that’s it!! We’ll go home tomorrow! I can’t stand this place!” I laughed my head off when I heard this! I was not the only one who disliked the apartment!
I guess my friends were right. There really isn’t much to do at Fraser’s Hill besides enjoying the scenery and cool weather. Perfect for honeymooners, huh? Despite being pissed with the apartment, we made sure we we went around the small town before heading home the next day. There was a clock tower that serves as a roundabout in the middle of the town. Again, we could see traces of English architecture and culture via the post office, the Ye Olde Smokehouse (a hospital during the colonial days but now turned into a hotel) and some other government offices. The thing that I like is the lack of development and commercialization in Fraser’s Hill, which is so unlike Cameron Highlands. Much of its greenery is still intact. There are so many mountain trails and waterfalls to explore. Perfect for a communion with nature. Some of the bungalows however, look derelict and in desperate need of repair. If I were rich, I wouldn’t mind having a bungalow up on Fraser’s. We went to the Jeriau waterfall. The park attached to it is so serene and well maintained; we didn’t mind walking for almost 2 kms to get to the waterfall! The silt affected the colour of the water, I guess, but it was still an awesome view!
So, for a quiet, relaxing, green, English, local vacation, I’d definitely recommend Fraser’s Hill. But get yourself a nice apartment. Or a hotel room (with cable TV).
Comments