1 year 2 months 6 days
It’s year end. Like other families, we planned for a short family trip and this would be Jaiden’s 1st trip! We have decided to go to Cameron Highlands on the 19th and back on the 20th December. This is also to celebrate daddy mummy 2nd year ROM Anniversary. We booked De La Ferns hotel from the internet to enjoy a cheaper internet rate. It costs us around RM230 per night stay in a Deluxe King room.
We started packing only on the night before we depart. Ya, what a last minute packing ya… We put Jaiden to bed after we have packed things needed in the room to avoid waking up Jaiden in the middle of his sleep. Hence, he slept at 11+pm that night (he usually sleeps at about 9+pm on normal days).
The next day, daddy and mummy woke up at 7:15am. Mummy had many tasks lining up, i.e.: prepare Jaiden’s porridge to be brought to Cameron for his dinner, prepare his breakfast, making sure all the necessities are packed, meanwhile daddy needs to bath Jaiden and feed him breakfast. We left home at about 9:45am. We went to a nearby coffee shop for our breakfast before begin our journey.
We took the Simpang Pulai exit from the North South highway as this was recommended by hubby’s friend as well as my brother-in-law. Night mare started when we entered Cameron. Not long after we saw the Selamat Datang Ke Cameron Highland signage, traffic started to crawl. It took us about 20 minutes (rough estimation) to reach Equatorial Hotel. Jam jam jam…. From EQ, it took us more than 2 hours to reach De La Ferns hotel which is located between Tanah Rata and Brinchang. Jaiden was getting very annoyed and agitated after sitting in the car seat for more than 4 hours. I carried him out of the car seat and tried to console him, fed him milk, played with him, etc… At last, we reached De La Ferns hotel at about 4:20pm. Even though Jaiden was getting a little grumpy in the car, once we brought him to the hotel lobby, he was so happy and exploring with a big smile (while daddy is doing the check in).
Jaiden happily exploring the hotel lobby
We went to our room (302) and Jaiden was so happy to see the room. Walked non stop, exploring the cupboard, bed, table, bathroom and every single corner in the room. After a while, we showered Jaiden and went to OK Tuck for steamboat dinner. We proceed to the night market to buy some vege and fruits. Daddy has to carry Jaiden ~ ended up daddy’s hand half paralyze as Jaiden should weigh approximately 11kg by now. Mummy not carrying anything? Of course not. Mummy has to carry things we bought from the night market. It was not light neither ya…
After the tiring stroll, we went back to the hotel and fed Jaiden before putting him to bed at 10+pm. Luckily Jaiden fell asleep not long after we switched off all the lights and turned on his night time music from my walkman phone.
Jaiden exploring the room
We woke up at 8am the next morning getting ready for breakfast in the hotel coffee house. We checked out the hotel at about 11am and we went to the morning market to buy more vege and fruits. The last stop was at the tea plantation to snap a few picture before we head to Ipoh for our brunch. We reached Ipoh at about 2+pm and we had the famous Ipoh Chicken rice with taugeh in Ipoh town. We left Ipoh at 3+pm and reached home at 8+pm.
Go home attire
At Ye Olde Smokehouse
At tea plantation
Moral learnt from this trip:
Never ever go to Cameron Highlands during long weekend or school holiday. Our trip falls on a long weekend (Friday was a holiday), furthermore it’s school holiday! That’s why we were stucked in the jam for more than 2 hours. According to a Malay lady that I chatted with at the tea plantation spot, she was stucked in the jam for more than 4 hours! So friends, plan your trip well ;-)
