By Chai Chew Yeh
Photo by Chai Chew Yeh
Why don’t you fall in love with Cameron highlands? The cold and flesh air make it a layback place that different from warm and busy city’s living life. Strawberries and tea plant symbolising the scene of Cameron Highlands. Experiencing self-picking in the strawberries farm, having a high-tea at tea farm is the must-do task when travelling to Cameron Highlands. However, Cameron Highlands is more than that.
There is a little treasure in Cameron Highlands and it is one great place to go with your family especially your parents because can bring you recall some sweet memories. This little treasure is located at the roadside between Brinchang and Kea Farm, it is right beside the Kok Lim Strawberries farm and label as “Time Tunnel”. After paying RM5 as the entrance fees, you shall start your journey and travelling back to the 50s to 60s time. If you were born after 80s, you may not feel much nostalgia, but for your parents, this is their unforgettable journey as they are growing up at that time. At the moment, you may found that your daddy who looks harshness all the time become enthusiasm and start to share his childhood story with you. This is a good place to drive the relationship and interaction between parents and children especially youngsters.
Things start with hobby
Time Tunnel, as same as the local museum in the city, was the first memorable museum in Cameron. It was operate by See Kok Shan, 46, since Febuarary 2007.
“Everything start with my collecting hobbies since 10 years ago when I was an advertising designer in Kuala Lumpur”, say See. See started his collecting hobby with collecting the coin box that give out to young customers. His collecting hobby expand to others things later on.
“I love old and local artifacts; they are much valuable for me. I never think my collectible will be a high value collectibles in the markets, I collect them just because of interest”, say See. “As you can see, the things collected here is very local; I travel around Peninsular and Singapore to find these collectibles. I am still single, so that is easier for me to travel around”.
The collectibles are bought from the antique shop or swap item with other collectors. There are others collectors who also had high demand on the collectible. “These collectibles are mostly swap or buy from Kuala Lumpur and Singapore. Sometimes, it is not easy to pursue them to sell it, hence there is a time I had to made a few trips to secure an item”
“Previously I work at Kuala Lumpur; I go back Cameron since 2002. In 2007, I made a proposal in open up a new museum gallery to the owner of the strawberry farm, Chai Kok Lim. Finally we get a win-win situation, where he (Kok Lim) thinks that this idea is able to attract more visitors to his strawberries farm”, say See with a smile.
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See Kok Shan, 46, and his collections of
old photos of Cameron Highlands |
See was growing up on Cameron. There are a lot of things he collected was about Cameron. For examples are the old photos collections of the development of Tanah Rata town from 40s until present and some history piece regarding Cameron Highlands. See do not like to call his gallery as a museum, but as a collection gallery.
In his collection, there is a comparison picture on the current Convent school and that on 1930s-1950s where it is started as a boarding school mainly for European children for that time. The school was transform to the Japanese Hospital during the Japanese occupied period. At the end of World war, the school was re-opened and transfer to temporarily building for educational purpose. There also been added more classroom and being used by British Military. After British withdrew, the buildings were being restored and operated as a national primary school alongside with the church and currently it had become a landmark in Cameron Highlands.
Unsolved mystery at Cameron
Besides the old pictures, there is some explanation on the mysteries of Jim Thompson which known as Thai Silk King with the title article of “What really happened to Jim Thompson?”. According to the notes pasted on the exhibition, Jim Thompson went to Cameron Highlands on an easter weekend with his friend. They were stay in the Moonlight cottage, which nearby the jungle and belongs to Dr and Mrs. Ling. He had appointment on Monday in Singapore.
During the first day in the highlands, he and one of his friend went for a walk in the jungle and after that they found they were lost. He led to find his friend out and they successed. However, in the second day, while his friend was napping, he walks alone into jungle and was disappeared in the hills of Cameron Highlands on Sunday, March 26, 1967.
The searching continued day and night, with the help of orang asli trackers, British policemen and trackers dogs but nothing was found in returned. Initially the authorities were confidently believed that he was trap and still alive but however after weeks, their hope of finding him and he was still alive was diminished. The story was remaining mysteries until now.
Walking inside the galleries, you can see old motorbikes, or bicycles were place in every corner before each section. Besides, there is also a place that decorate as an old coffeshop with old cashier counter, old phone, old fan, old coffee cups, originals bottle of drinks, and advertisements. The things was not group accordingly with labels. Feel free to scan every small item carefully, perhaps you might found some unexpected and interesting old items?
“Visitors especially those age 50 and above, are happy to see those things from their childhood”, says See. “I noticed that Singaporean in particular love the place, they like to explained each things found in the exibition to their childrens”
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| Without television, radio and computers, these toys accompanied those who born during 50s and 60s. Do these toys recall your parent’s childhood memory? Try to step back to their life and appreciated how they had been grow up. |
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Chan Tim Hook, visitors which come from Johor remain enthusiastic when sawing an old bicycle in the corner at the entrance. “Last time when I was small, I sit on the bicycle with my grandfather”, he says while explaining and telling the story to his two young children. “This is really a good place that recall the precious time especially with my father and grandfather”
See was planning to expand the galleries in the future; hence he is continually working hard to add on news items every month.
Next time when you come to Cameron Highlands, don’t forget to take a walk down to the memory lane, it is fun and educational for everyone. There is so much to see and the best kept secrete about hidden treasures in Cameron Highlands that you never imagine!
How to get there Address: Time Tunnel, UT/MR/F-255, Jalan Sungai Burung, 39100 Brinchang, Cameron Highlands, Pahang, Malaysia. Tel: 016-3288438 Fax 05- 4915481 Operating hours: 8.30am-6pm Entrance fee: Adult – RM5 Child: RM3 |
Malaysian Chinese cuisine in Kuantan, for examples, Yong Tau Foo (tofu, eggplant, bitter gourd with fish stuffing) is the most famous on Jalan Penjara in Kuantan town. It is a corner restaurant, namely Hock Heng Baru. It serves delicious and reasonably-priced Hainan cuisine. While you are at Hock Heng Baru, do try their killer sour plum lime drink where they go the extra mile to blend even the sour plum flesh together with the limes to give the drink an extra sour taste. 
The beutiful scenery along the way will let you forget that you are actully hiking for at least 30-45 minutes. The waterfall located near to to sky, and you can see a gorgeous rainbow at the top clearly. Once you see this beutiful waterfall matching with the colorfull rainbow, you will realise that the effort of climbing the mountain is all worth for it. Plus, this hiking tour is only costed us Rm35 per person.
