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Published: November 24th 2005
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I fell asleep among the flowers...
...for a couple of hours, on a beautiful day.... THE EGGS ARE BOILING!!!!!!!!!!!!!
We left KL on a Rrrrrrrooooaaassting hot day (was about 35 degrees). When we got to the bus station we had to wait about an hour and a half to get on the bus, there were limited seats in the station, and there was no air con. Aah, so this is what it means to travel budget style?? Hangin around, sweat dripping off the end of your nose, and nae seats in a stinky bus station. The romance of it all! Of course, I'm making it sound worse that it was. We managed to plank our bums in amongst our rucksacs (which appear to breeding ... I'm sure we didn't have as much when we left Edinburgh) and got our books / technical manuals out and settled down. The journey down to Malacca was cool. Took just under 2 hours - nice comfy bus with reclining seats and breezy AC, and the scenery was, erm, green. Lots of Palm trees. Proper Palm trees - you know, the ones that bear Palm Fruit which is then turned into Palm Oil (you probably would find it in ingredients of Palmolive soap- among other millions of consumer Palm related
Looney Planet
..and you're not wrong there, mate! goods throughout the world). The landscape is teaming with them - and Palm Oil is one of Malaysia's biggest exports. That and rubber.
Anyway, so we are now in Malacca and its very hot and sunny. Its a town on the coast, although you'd never know it as there doesn't seem to be much going on near the waterside. Malacca was once the most important trading port in Asia due the geographical position it holds (physical location on the Straights of Malacca which is a waterway between Indonesia & Malaysia, and also useful point for Monsoon winds to blow sail boats home and away in days of old), and has been held by many nations including the Portugese, the Dutch, and latterly the Brits (we're always in there somewhere when there's something to be had, aint we?!) It's therefore got one or two points of notable historical interest, which we've covered in the photo comments. The town itself is pretty quiet, although most of the roads are heaving with traffic. So much so we can hardly cross the road outside our hotel. There's much more street life here than in KL and the old town has a number of
A Single Monk
...and a boatla Irn Bru roadside stores, most of which are antique dealers, or food outlets. There are also a few mini market places where you can buy traditional clothing, nick nacks (not the crisps) and tat. Best place to hang out is Chinatown - which we loved. So much atmosphere, and the Chinese temple is amazing. We saw monks doing their chanting thing and striking bowls and meditating, the day that we went in. It was spooky and spine tingling.
We had a funny experience yesterday when we decided to take a Trishaw ride. Now, a trishaw is a bicycle with a carriage attached to the side which sits two peeps (not that dissimilar to George & Mildred sidecar). They are heavily - and I mean HEAVILY - decorated with fake flowers, tinsel, metally dangly things, photos and other nonsense. This is to attract your attention as you walk by them (incase you miss the loud music they also play - knob 11 on a 10 level stereo ... you get the idea..). They are all queued up in the old town centre, so we got in the first one and thats when the trouble started. For a start, the old guy who
was peddling the bike part was definately on his pension, no doubt about it. Its likely he also smoked a million fags a day judging by his laboured breathing and bright yellow fingers (although maybe he'd just had a hot curry). This does not bode well when trying to pedal the Eggs round town on an hour long trip, believe you, me!!. We could hardly fit our arses onto the seat in the back. The old guy kept stopping every two minutes going ''photo, photo'' outside plain huts and bus stops, just so he could get a break. We got out half way round and paid him the whole fare - we felt so sorry for him. Other trishaws were overtaking us in the street and everything - it was such a shame. Lazy auld buster.
Some general observations and thoughts out our trip to Malaysia: -
1) You can't buy blonde hair colour. I know this because I've been in EVERY chemist in KL and Malacca. Not that I colour my hair or anything, you understand, however I thought it worthwhile to check it out for research purposes. I can now advise that the nearest you
will get to ''Bergen'' ''Oslo'' or ''Toasted Coconut'' is in fact... ''Raging Ginger''. I think this is coz most ladies here have black hair, and if they tried to use a hydrogen peroxide formula then they'd probably end up looking like they'd been created by the Crow Man. Enough said. I'll have to wait till I get to Singapore / Perth before I can do any more...ahem.....''research''.
2) Shopping Malls in Malaysia must be banned. Immediately. They are evil, their numbers are many and on the increase, and must be detroyed. !!! Boycot the Malls and bring back the street life, that''s what I say!!! (I feel a revolution coming on - my hand is itching to grab a flag and march).
3) Always check ahead with your acommodation to ensure that there will be NO school trips staying in the same hotel as you - and if there is, then ask for a room as far way from the kids as possible.
4) If you fail to do number 3 and find yourself on the same floor as said kids on school trip - do not kill the kids when they bang doors and scream and run up and
Our Trishaw Cabbie
He was mental aswell as auld. down the corridoors at 2am. Simply insert earplugs in and think of dolphins.
5) Kiblat. All the hotel rooms have a sign on the ceiling to let you know which direction Mecca is in case you need to pray. Obviously this will mainly apply to Muslims. While on the subject - does anyone know what Muslims do if its prayer time and they are stuck on a bus in a traffic jam? We we pondering this the other day. Answers on a postcard please.
6) There are no pavements in Melacca. Don't worry about this though, as drivers will give you 2 seconds to jump out their way before running you down - we think this is fair.
7) There are however, some exciting, deep, open drains right up the side of every road. They smell lovely. Look great too - especially the green funghy slimy stuff. Wonder what it tastes like???........
8) It's difficult to get Diet Coke (diet ''any juice'' come to think of it) in the shops. You can however get this unidentifiable orange stuff that tasts like bubblegum, everywhere.
9) Rice balls - these are balls of rice that seem to be flavoured with stock, and
they taste amazing. There's a place in Malacca called Rice Balls and Chicken, and they do a big slap up meal for under 3 pounds lincouding, rice, rice balls, roast duck, BBQ pork and beansprouts plus drinks. The best.
OK, so we are heading off to Singapore today, just about to leave and catch the bus. We've had some developments on the i-pod front, and Alan has managed to get us going on a refill (but we're trying some new tunes this time for a bit of variety). This week we have mostly been listening to Wilco. Thanks to Sci Fi Gaz for technical assistance - you are a very helpful boy and will , I'm sure, one day, get your Blue Peter badge!
Switch scores: Alan 42, Shaz 38.
Byee!
S&A. xxxxx
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StevenRW
non-member comment
Eh up MALACA!
Firstly, are you aware that Malaca means wanker in Greek? Anyway,I think thats the best Blog yet! Some wonderful pictures. The little lantern one catches my eye for some reason. You can practically hear the wind rushing through the palm fronds and blowing the lantern around. Class! As for 'Raging ginger' the hair dye... that had me in stitches! :D Cheers RW