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overlooking the lake and marvelled at
a huge Bougainvillea tree in full bloom
across the road from the resort. Of course,
a stay in Cameron Highlands would not be
complete without the requisite afternoon
tea and buttery scones with cream and
homemade strawberry jam.
Traditional English cuisine was the
forte of The Restaurant at The Lakehouse
although local or vegetarian entries were
also on the menu. My candle-lit dinner
of roast beef with Yorkshire pudding
ended on a sweet note with locally grown
strawberries and ice-cream.
A log-fire accompanied chilly evenings
from 6pm to 11pm at the Highlander
Lounge and Reading Room. Guests curled
up on a snug sofa, catching up on a good
book or nursing a nightcap to the soft
crackling of wood from the fireplace.
On that note, the intimate Cameron
Bar (Happy Hour from 5pm to 7.30pm)
boasted an extensive range of Scotch
Whiskeys and other concoctions. It also
functioned as a sports bar for enthusiasts
who would not miss their favourite sports
channels for the world.
A unique experience was the home-
made strawberry jam cooking session
by Chef Edmund. A quarter kilogram of
Cameron Highlands strawberries were
painstakingly stirred in a pan with castor
sugar over low heat. The reduction barely
filled a wee jar, but was as authentic and
wholesome as it got.
Apart from the optional sightseeing
tours around the highlands, be sure to
take a morning hike up the hill behind
the resort with Uncle Rajah, who eagerly
pointed out edible bamboo shoots, pine-
apples growing in the wild, a burrow-like
bird’s nest bizarrely assembled on the
ground, and giant cicadas, which made
the most piercing mating calls.
It was certainly a remarkable stress-
relieving weekend at The Lakehouse,
which left me reinvigorated and ready
to get back to the grind, till my next
yearning, which may well be very soon,
of course!
FireFlyz | 35
ber flooring in measured
steps so as not to break the
tranquillity that permeated
the property. Butterflies and
other insects preserved
in glass displays adorned
the walls and the consoles
brandished antique vases,
typewriters, table fans, even
a gramophone.
My Deluxe Room was
a spectacle in itself as a
lot of detail had gone into
its furnishing. An inviting
queen-sized four-poster bed
takes centre stage, flanked
by side tables – one sport-
ing a working rotary-dial
phone. A dressing table and
wardrobe carved f rom
wood, cosy armchairs, an
in-room safe, satellite TV,
fresh fruits, a minibar, and
a pantry equipped with BOH
tea leaves and a DeLonghi
coffee machine rounded off
the rest of the amenities. The
bathroom was a spacious affair with a
separate shower, vanity area and a bath-
tub that welcomed the weary sightseer
or jungle trekker with bath salts and bath
foam. Larger suites, including Colonel
Foster’s former room (called the Foster
Suite) accommodated more occupants.
The Lakeview Terrace was ideal for
basking in the morning sun cosseted by a
gentle highland breeze. I decided to have
Fish and Chips for lunch at the terrace