Phalinn

Great Blue Heron, Galway

I assume everyone loves birds. If you happen to be in Galway City, County Galway you should spend some time with the birds, not only watching them but feeding them as well and most importantly, photographing them.

Where to watch birds in Galway?

Well, the Irish should know better, the only place i would recommend is at the point where River Corrib meets the Atlantic Ocean. In other words, from along Claddagh Quay to Nimmo's Pier. It's only a three minute or so walk from the city/town center. Galway city isn't that big relatively, so you won't miss it anyway as i believe those tourist guides will definitely bring you there. Basically, you can find birds anywhere in Galway, but for me personally the aforementioned place is the best.

Nimmo's Pier, Galway

Swan

What Birds?

The most common birds you'll find in Galway (from my experience) are:

- Swans (hehehe, common enough everywhere)
- Mallards (those duck with green necks (male) and mottled-brownish feathers(female)
- Ring-billed Gulls
- Laughing Gulls
- Icelandic Gulls
- Herring Gulls
- Glaucous Gulls
- American Herring Gull
- Little Auk
- Grey Phalarope
- Forster's Tern
- Great Blue Heron

Photography-wise, it's pretty easy to photograph these birds as they quite "friendly". If you are quite serious about photography and love photographing birds in flight, one tip from me is to have one of your friends to feed the birds (especially the seagulls) with bread or other stuff while you photograph the birds floating in front of your friend from 1-2 feet back. A zooming lens is recommended in that case. One more thing, contrary to popular belief, herons tend to sit still. They are not afraid of you actually.

Orang Asli kid, Cameron Highland, Malaysia

Even as a Malaysian I'm still not so sure whether Cameron Highland is actually located in the state of Perak or Pahang. If i get questions regarding this from my Geography teacher, i will obviously fail.

Anyway, last summer was my first visit to Cameron Highland after 24 years being a Malaysian. We drove there and from what my dad told me, Cameron Highland can be reached from 2 different routes. The first option (from top downwards, the option we took) is from Simpang Pulai to Gunung Chabang and to Brinchang, the highest point of Cameron Highland said the Equatorial Hotel people. The other option (bottom to top) is from Tapah, then Ringlet, making your way up. The road is much wider (& safer) using the first option.

There are basically 3 main hill resorts in Malaysia, namely Genting Highlands, Fraser's Hill and obviously Cameron Highland. There are some new ones coming up such as Bukit Tinggi Resort and stuff. Cameron Highland is still the best among all these, with Genting being "too developed" and Fraser's being "too underdeveloped", gosh i would rather climb the hill behind my house than visit Fraser's Hill.

There are many places to stay in Cameron Highland, so regardless of the type of traveller that you are, accommodation won't be a problem, at all. I'm lucky to be a 24 year old baby boy who travels with my family all the time, so I got to stay at Equatorial Hotel Cameron Highland, the best hotel in Cameron Highland, said the Equatorial people (my dad joined this weird club where he gets discount on good hotels). It's a good place to stay, with huge spacious room and nice views. It's more like an apartment than an actual hotel room, so i would recommend it to those traveling with families.

Equatorial Cameron Highland

Old house, Boh Tea Plantation, Cameron Highland

Tea Plantation, Cameron Highland

Things you should do while in Cameron Highland = take pictures,visit the vegetable farms, those shops selling flowers, the strawberry farm, those markets selling fresh vegetables and nice key chains, have a nice walk around the shops in Tanah Rata, visit the tea plantation, have some nice tea, see how teas are made, visit the Orang Asli (indigenous) people, take pictures of them or with them, go down, buy more vegetables or orchids and stop at Lata Iskandar Waterfall to chill out. Great place.

Boh Tea Centre, Cameron Highland

Don't forget these cool mini cactus

Tea Plantation, Cameron Highland

Kasimanis Strawberry Farm, Cameron Highland