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Published: October 16th 2006
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When passing through the borders in Asia so far we have noticed subtle differences in the faces and mannerisms of the nationals, Malaysia however is a vibrant mix of original Malays, and imported Indian and Chinise ancestry. The various mix is due to the area's importance as a stop off on the old Indian/Chinese trading route while ships were docked awaiting the monsoon to blow the opposite course! Religion in the country is much more prominant - Being a Muslim country I wish I'd appreciated this beforehand as I flew in wearing shorts and a vest!
Anyway, into Kuala Lumpur (KL) and we are immediately hit with the complexity of the transport system. They may have an underground, a mono rail and an urban train network but none of these are connected. You have to hop off one, walk around the corner and get a new ticket for another network - very confusing! Especially after you learn the city and understand how compact it actually is! (I guess similar to catching the tube from Leicester Sq to Covent Garden - pointless!)
The main hostelling area is near China town and after living it up with Leanne and Julien, our
budget is back on track as we hit the street vendors. Noodles, rice, satay, tandoori chicken and pittas. It's a great fusion of flavours and dishes that reflects the make-up of the population. Beer however is overpriced but we're only in Malaysia for a short while so we'll deal with it!
We set ourselves the challenge of "doing KL in a day". The city is extremely compact and very walkable, and this challenge ends up condensed into half a day! Over to Merdeka Square, surrounded by British colonial buildings this is the square where the British used to play cricket until Malaysia raised their flag of independance in 1957. We didn't realise that the Petronas Towers are a first come first served ticket allocation, and when we turn up 15 minutes before closing we are intially told that we have missed our chance! This is our only chance to do this, we are not getting up at 7am tomorrow! We loiter, we walk away then come back and loiter some more. Our persistance pays off and we get in, apparently someone failed to turn up! Up on the sky walk the view would be fantastic if it weren't for
the pollution which grips the city. Well worth going up tho just to see the amazing architecture of the building.
KL is on the whole a fantastic mix of old colonial buildings, plastered mosques and towering new buildings such as Petronas. It makes for a great skyline.
Over to the Cameron Highlands and the old British tea plantations. We arrive and it is just like Britain - it's bloody freezing and it's raining (although sadistically we like this reminder of England in October). Hike up to the tea plantation the next day and as the heavens open we're supping tea and eating scones and apple pie! Well worth the effort - the views are pretty great too - people are out in the vast green fields hand-picking tea.
We have toyed with the idea of hitting the national parks next however after the cold of the highlands we forgo this to head for the beach. Our British acceptance of crap weather is long gone.
The Perhentian Islands off the Eastern coast have been mentioned to us repeatedly by the backpacker community on our travels as a beautiful unspoiled area with white beaches and no major developments.
Arriving by boat and dropped off on the beach we have high expectations. The beach is beauitful, shallow clear waters and a screen of trees before you reach accommodation.
It's Paul's birthday and yet as we are on a island he gets no card from me and no present!!! Oops! And yes, I am reminded of this - repeatedly.
The beach is beautiful, we spend 5 days relaxing, playing the occasional bat 'n' ball and a day of scuba diving (Paul's belated birthday present). On the flip side, careless development is treatening to ruin another tropical paradise!
Malaysia was great fun, and in 10 days we only touched the surface of it. We really wanted to head over the Borneo and spend time with the orangutans, and dive of the east coast. However time prevented us from doing this but I'm sure we'll be back in the future.
However were glad to be heading back to Thailand to meet my Dad - bring on the satays, singhas and the famed Andaman Coast!
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