FRASER’S HILL, REVISITED

Our last visit to Fraser’s Hill was in June 2008, with my wife and our daughter, Fifi. My wife booked a room at the Government holiday resort for a very reasonable price specifically for government’s staffs. This year, five (5) years later, during the same month, we went to this hill resort again to enjoy our holiday. There are no supermarkets or hypermarkets, nor any shopping complex as we used to go to in other towns, there are only recreation centres, the beautiful sceneries and the cool weather for us to enjoy with.

To avoid any disappointment, as early as on 25^th February 2013, I booked a room at a hotel in Fraser’s Hill for 3 nights from the 20^th to 23^rd of June 2013. It was in early March this year we suggested to Fifi whether she and her husband wanted to join in for the holiday. Without haste, she agreed and we were actually glad she wanted to go as it was quite a while we did not go for a holiday together. I sent an email to the hotel to book an additional room. On 10^th April, I received a call from the hotel management regretted that there is no more rooms available during those dates. I tried to book at other reasonable hotels in this hilly resort, but unfortunately, there are no more rooms available either. I was told that there will be an event in this hill resort and that the hotels are all fully booked.

Fifi then told us that she will be coming along with us without her husband as he have plans and would be busy during those days. We intended to check in the same room that I had booked, and that we will be staying in the same room, hoping that it will be just enough to accommodate the three (3) of us!.

We left our home in the morning of Thursday, 20^th June 2013 and we travelled to the highland by car, going by the same route during our first visit. It was five (5) years since then and there are changes along the route. We asked around for the direction and we passed Kuala Kubu Bharu town before going uphill through the many turns and bends. Fifi seemed dizzy and experienced travel sickness, and I have to drive slowly to make sure she is comfortable.

On reaching the main gate to the hill resort, the route uphill was changed to a one-way route, thus we do not have to wait for the traffic to descend as we experienced during our last visit. There is another new route for traffic going down the hill.

We reached our destination safely by noon and on our arrival, we went to the same shop situated beside the mosque to take our lunch. The shop is now renovated and well arranged. The food is still good to our taste buds and Fifi remembered how she was tempted to the few dishes in the menu.

 (Left) the local shop that we used to take our lunch five years ago …
and (Right) enjoying our breakfast at the hotel’s restaurant!

We checked in at the hotel and all goes on well. We were told by the receptionist of an event to take place in Fraser’s Hill, and that the hotel was fully booked. This hotel is strategically situated in the town centre area. The food at the restaurant is great and its menu has become the favourite of Fifi, be it for breakfast, lunch or dinner. From the hotel we can see the Clock Tower which is the main attraction and the landmark of this hill resort, where every tourist and visitors alike would take photos.

The beautiful, comfortable and strategically situated “Puncak Inn”

The event was “Fraser’s Hill International Bird Race 2013” which was organized by the Fraser’s Hill Development Board, the State of Pahang, a local university, to name a few and attended by many foreign participants from various countries. This yearly event was held in Fraser’s Hill, began as early as in 1988, aimed to help preserve nature and to promote Fraser’s Hill as a bird sanctuary. The two (2) days event was accompanied by the “angklung” presented by musical bands from a few schools in the state. A video presentation on many species of birds was held in the evening and ends at about midnight.

Fraser’s Hill International Bird Race 2013

Looking for the stars in bright daylight…!

The “quiet” night life of Fraser’s Hill

Government departments and business companies that has interest in the event joined in with their presentations and products, including the high-powered binoculars and cameras. I met a few staffs from the Forestry Department, Peninsular Malaysia, Kuala Lumpur where I was attached in the ‘80s. Fifi bought a few T-shirts from one of the stalls. She later tried her skill doing a batik printing which she is proud of. I framed this piece of handicraft and presented to her as a souvenir.

Choosing the right colour… and the final touch!

The next day was a special day for me. My wife has been longing to ride a horse and at The Paddock, I was able to fulfil her wish, and Fifi follow suit. My wife did enjoy herself with the horse riding that has become her dream all these years.

Horse Riding – A dream comes true …

While walking around the town square, I spotted a “bird feeding” platform where birds would stop for a quick pick-up. I admired this “bird’s rest house” and I brought home a photo of this “rest house” and promised myself to build one, even if it would be a bit smaller, so that the birds near my house would be able to enjoy their food undisturbed. Beside our house is a dead-end road where birds such as larks, sparrows, wild pigeons, turtle doves, among the few used to stop looking for whatever food that I used to scatter for these birds.

At home, I got down with my plan and all the necessary hardware to build a small “bird feed” of my own. It took me a week to complete, and I placed the “rest house” at the right place with a good view for us to enjoy looking at these birds. 

The “Bird’s Feeding” of Fraser’s Hill (Right) and at our home!

A few meters from the Clock Tower, coming in from the gate, using tiles and cement, they build a line on the road to show the state boundary of Pahang and Selangor. Fraser’s Hill is in the State of Pahang and you can be at two different places in one step. The Post Office, Police HQ, the Health Clinic are still proudly serving the community of this small hill resort town.

Deciding on which way to go, Left or Right!

There are no tea plantations; no large-scale planting of vegetables or flowers as in Cameron Highlands, thus the tranquillity of this hill resort is still the proud of Fraser’s Hill. The weather is still cool and you can still see the morning mist and even when the sun shines you can still feel the cool breeze. While we are enjoying ourselves here, the weather in other towns is extremely hot due to the haze. That is Fraser’s Hill and we hope that any development will not ruin all these beautiful sceneries.

The busy town square with the Clock Tower,
the morning mist and the beautiful rising sun!

We went to the watch-point on top of a hill behind the hotel and from there we could see the views of the town square and the surrounding areas. I remembered Fifi is repugnance on seeing any insects, be it crawling or flying, and during our last visit I showed her a small millipede in size. At this watch-point I saw this millipede and I told her that the millipede we saw in our last visit has grown to a thumb-size, and she screamed on seeing it.

(Left) We first saw it five years ago … and now, it has fully grown!

During this visit we did not go to the Jeriau Waterfall. Fifi said she has to walk quite a distance to reach the waterfall. Instead, we went around the hill to see the beautiful sceneries and the old buildings that originally belongs to the English community during the pre-war and now being renovated and well kept by the Fraser’s Hill authority. My wife dreamt of having such a cottage with a chimney.

Visiting for the memories

Memories of the past (Left) and the present!

Among the Trails we went through during our last visit

The ladies among the Roses and the Lavenders

The three (3) days in this hill resort was a very memorable holiday. We experienced the difference between our last and the current visit. Going down the hill resort is by another one-way single line route, that wind down to the main road going either to Kuala Kubu Bharu in Selangor or Raub in Pahang, both would lead to the highway towards Kuala Lumpur.

The three of us! 

Good bye Fraser’s Hill, we will come again,
maybe it would take another five (5) years!

No doubt, Fraser’s Hill is still in its best, welcoming visitors to enjoy the fresh air and the beautiful sceneries. Let’s hope it will still remain the same in the many years to come, for our future generation to experience the beauty of nature.