Malaysia Round-up

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After catching the ever-effecient MRT to the bus terminal in Singapore, jumped onto an extremely spacious luxury coach to Melaka on the South East coast of Malaysia. After crossing the border (a causeway over a big stretch of water in no-mans-land) you are in Malaysia. Travelled for around 4 hours along a really nice bit of highway, surrounded by flowers and well maintained trees and grass - they are keen to give a good first impression - and makes you think that the whole country is very green.

Upon arrival to Melaka (the old capital city), we found a giant Tesco (can't escape them, and i forgot my Clubcard) and caught a taxi to our hostel and explored the town immediately. Found Melaka to be amazingly diverse, with an ultra-modern shopping centre (still not quite finished, as seemed to be the case with most things in Malaysia!) right across the street from bustling Chinatown and Jonker Street. At night, Jonker Street turns into a streetmarket, where all the house-shops along the street empty onto the road for you to take a look at all their goods. Got a bit carried away with the souvenirs, but they were insanely cheap. There was no pressure to buy anything and the people are really friendly and helpful. Found a Chinese foodcourt with endless choice and just pointed and picked some food. Turned out good, and there also began a small obscession with Chinese long doughnuts.

Next day explored the historical side of Melaka, that was once owned by the Dutch, Portugeuse and British at various points. With this in mind the history and architecture of Melaka is not only inclusive of the colonial history, but also that of the Chinese, Muslim and Malay cultures and history of modern times. Wandered around various museums relating to the history of Melaka, including the Islamic, democracy, history, architecture and governor museums (they were quite small and only 70p to see all of them!). Also went up to Bukit St. Paul - a church that has been shaped by the various powers in Melaka over the years. Bit of a historical day, but interesting introduction to Malaysia.

Next day, travelled to Kuala Lumpur, the modern-day capital of Malaysia. Caught the really cool monorail (where each station is sponsored by a different company) to our hostel and then went to the KL Tower, a viewing tower over 400m tall for an orientation of the city. Wandered over to the 2nd and 3rd tallest buildings on the planet, the ultra-stylish Twin Petronas Towers. They looked fantastic during the day reflecting the insanely bright sunshine, but stunning at night when lit up like a Christmas tree! First impressions - a modern city with a traditional feel and a few surprises.

Next day, after some trouble locating the bus stop, went to Batu Caves, via a bus that wasn't too bothered about staying on the road, jumping across the pavement to take shortcuts. Batu Caves is a Hindu place of worship that comes to life during January/February Thaipusam festival where pilgrims carry weights attached to various piercings up the 272 steps to reach the Caves. Extremely impressive in there (although a bit stinky from the bat and monkey poo) with plenty of people worshipping and others just taking in the size of the place. Then caught the bus back to the Central Market, which was very overpriced for the tourists. Went to the National History Museum, placed opposite the place where the Independence treaty from Britain was signed 50 years ago this year, but was not too impressed.

Next day headed to the cattle-market bus station to buy a ticket to the Cameron Highlands and then went along to the National Museum. To be fair, it was absolutely rubbish, full of 1970s exhibitions and nothing interesting at all. You would have thought that in "Visit Malaysia Year" they would have made the National Museum a bit more interesting. Then went to the National Planetariam, which was a bit more interesting, but as Malaysia doesnt have a space program, was a little limited! Islamic Arts Museum was more interesting, in a fantasticly modern building, with exhibits way more imressive than the National Museum.

Early start next day, with a trip up the Twin Petronas Towers. As they are a working building, you cant go to the top, but go halfway and walk across the 'skybridge' suspended around 200m above the floor on rollers which mean it can move independent of the 2 towers. Impressive views up there nonetheless. The Islamic architecture and shiny stainless steel and glass make the building a fantastic modern statement about Malaysia. Then went for a stupidly cheap haircut (around 1.5 pounds) and managed to convey (with neither of us speaking the same language) that I wanted short at the back and spikey on top. Think she got the idea, mostly, and taught her 'spikey' in the process.

Next day, travelled to the Cameron Highlands, nestled among hills, jungle and tea plantations some 5000 ft above the ground. As a result, it is soooooo much cooler than down below (like cool enough to need a jumper at night) and only reached by twisting steep roads with long-drops. Reached the bus station and then got taken to our hostel overlooking the nice mountains (if you ignore the 10 year old never finished shopping mall - there is Malaysia again never quite finishing stuff).

Next morning went on a 'Country Tour' of the local area, which included a rose garden (not very exciting other than the view at the top), a bee honey farm (was scared of getting stung), a butterfly and insect farm (some scarily large flying things live in Malaysia), a strawberry farm (that made amazing strawberry milkshakes) and finally the Boh Tea Plantation (now your talking about it!). Now, I quite like a cuppa, so it was amazing to visit a plantation where the valley in all directions is totally plastered with emerald-green tea plants. The entire place is manned by 120 workers who have to pick around 100kg a day, pretty much by hand, to earn about 2.8 pounds - is hard work. 5kg of tea leaves picked (there are certain grades according to leaf size which result in different flavours and textures) eventually go on to make 1kg of tea after a process of: dried for 2 days, crushed, mashed, shook, fermented, heated, seperated and then bagged. Needless to say, the tea tasted amazing in the cafe overlooking the plantation and the smell from the factory next door was fantastic. Thoroughly recommend a visit one day to all those tea-lovers. Discovered 'The Best Bakery' which sold amazing sugee cake and pasties for no cost at all. Had a fantastic 'banana-leaf curry' for dinner, where around 25 different things are served on a banana leaf.

Next day, was collected by the same guide as yesterday and dropped off at the end of a village, where we started a jungle trek. We were taken off the signposted tracks and explored the jungle as our guide did as a child - jumping over streams, climbing trees and ducking under branches. The guide says there were once tigers exploring the jungle, but tourism has destroyed much of the surrounding countryside, with hotel developments and new houses built all along where there was once primary rainforest. Also found out a bit more about Malaysian education along the way, as had noticed that most people over 30 years old or so speak pretty good english. If you speak to anyone under that age, they have no idea what you are on about. This is explained by english not being taught in school from around 30 years ago, meaning many of the kids today who may grow up to work in the tourist industry (which is english-language dominated) have little english. Our guide says this is a bad idea. Not that i learnt much Malay and shouldnt expect everyone to speak english, was interesting to find out nonetheless. Trek concluded in an observation tower overlooking the Cameron Highlands. For dinner, had a fantasticaly scary 'steamboat' where you are given an innumerable variety of raw meat, vegetables, noodles etc and a gas-heated bowl of boiling flavoured water and basically left to cook your own dinner. Although constantly scared about giving myself food poisoning, it was really fun and quite filling.

Departed the cool climate of the Cameron Highlands for the Perhentian Islands, more specifically the smaller island of Kecil. After a bumpy boat ride from Kuala Besut, caught a water taxi from the boat to the shore of Long Beach and wandered along to try and find some accomodation. Found a fantastic hut, overlooking the beach, with electricity (ooooh) for a bargain 6 pounds a night. Even came with free geckos! Walked along the beach comparing the various PADI Open Water diver centres and then chilled in our cafe as the sun set over Long Beach.

Next day settled on Turtle Bay Divers, at a bargain 130 quid for the entire course. Filled out huge medical form and got issued with the PADI Open Water training manual and information pack and told to read the first 2 chapters. Noone told me I would be studying again?!?!! After learning some complex physics, biology and dive terminology chilling on the beach and later in the hut, it eventually took around 6 hours to read everything! Not read so much since over a year ago for finals!

Early start next day began with introductions to our instructors Jen and Hannah and also a bloke from Singapore who was learning with me and Andrew. 2 instructors to 3 of us, pretty cool. After lots of theory, a video and an exam, got prepared for our first confined water dive. Took some time to put all the equipment together, wetsuit up and then get out into the shallow water (under 2m). Here we got used to breathing through a regulator underwater just through your mouth and then proceeded to do tonnes of skills. 20+ skills we had to demonstrate included filling your mask 1/2 and all the way full of water and safely clearing it again, removing your regulator and retrieving it again, swapping to your spare/alternate regulator and even having Jen turn off your air supply so you know what it feels like when you run out!! (she likes that one, as it doesnt go on again until you have to air and signal clearly!). First dive over, and survived, actually enjoyed it too after getting used to it. After another video over lunch and another exam, went on our second confined water dive, where we practiced buoyancy (floating so that only breathing in and out makes you go up and down, so you dont have to swim), breathing from your buddy's alternate air supply (always fun) and then the dreaded mask removal (where you have to try really hard not to breath in through your nose!). Thoroughly exhausted by the end of the first day, but really enjoyed the experience however. After, some more reading before an extremely good nights sleep.

Second day was more theory, a video and and exam before our first open water dive of the course. Here we went to Batu Nisan, just off the beach, but about 12m down for around 45 minutes. After some skills on the surface (like kitting up in the water) spent the rest of the time swimming along. Saw a starry puffer fish chilling on the bottom, some parrotfish and even some Nemos (clownfish) chilling in the anemone. The coral was not as spectacular as on the Great Barrier Reef, but being right up close to the stuff was so much more amazing. After some lunch and more theory, went along to D'Lagoon for our second open water dive to 12m for about 50 minutes. Had to practice a CESA - Controlled Emergency Swimming Ascent - basically what you do if you have no air and your buddy has disappeared - swim to the top breathing out allll the way (amazing how quick you run out of out air!. Then could get on with the real dive and saw some cleaner shrimp (the French dude in the tank in Finding Nemo) and they really do clean everything. Put out your hands and they nibble all the dead skin off your hands! Kinda tiggles. Also some more Nemos, rabbitfish, parrotfish, damselfish and blue-ringed angelfish. Needless to say, it was about this time that I began to wish I had invested in an underwater camera! Plenty of life hanging around as it is further down and not been destroyed by the hordes of snorkellers destroying the stuff up top. Totally amazing place underwater. That night was spent reading the remainder of the diver manual and learning about the dive charts that help you not get the bends for final exam the next day.

Got 98% on exam - only 1 question wrong (woop). Third open water dive was to the dizy depths of 18m in Sandray Alley where we hung around for over 50 minutes, using 3/4 of our air! Not so cool was that as soon as we descended (you can begin to feel the pressure on your chest down there when breathing) we were surrounded by jellyfish. Jen and Hannah swam above us to shield us from the stings as we went! Was not very nice surrounded by them, but eventually found some coral and ascended a bit, where the colour comes back to life and some exciting things live. Saw an entire school of over 50 bannerfish, snapper, blue-ringed angelfish, Nemos and a lonesome hawkesbill turtle chomping away on some coral. Was a cool dive other than the evil jellyfish which were rather scary (what is their purpose?!!). After some lunch, went for our final dive of the course at Batu Layar, to 16m for 45 minutes where, against some pretty strong current, had to demonstrate compass navigation skills! Despite the current, which gave my legs a pretty thorough workout, the coral was good and saw some wrasse, Nemos and blue-ringed angelfish. With that, the dive course was over! The time underwater goes so insanely quick and after receiving our member cards, was nice to relax in the evening without having to study! Really want to do some more dives now, learn about the different underwater life and also about underwater photography. Shame the water around the UK is not as clear and full of exciting life - will have to save it for vacations. So, I am now a qualified scuba diver - woohoo - and thoroughly recommend everyone gives it a go.

After the 4 days of hard work and reading, spent the next day doing nothing but sunbaking on Long Beach. Almost deserted all day as everyone is out learning to dive or snorkelling. Great place to spend some time -so relaxing and scenic under and above water.

After a sad farewell to the Perhentian Islands and bumpy journey back to the mainland, turned up to find our bus was not running to Penang. So caught one halfway back to the Cameron Highlands and felt like staying there another night, so got a place at our previous hostel in his luxury appartment! 6 bedrooms, 6 bathrooms, 2 lounges with Sky and a massive openplan kitchen for only 8 pounds for the night for the 2 of us - who could refuse?! Sampled some of the fantastic sugee cake at 'The Best Bakery' again and also more curry and then relaxed in the giant appartment. The Cameron Highlands are great!

While walking from our appartment to the bus station, one of the many stray cats saw me and pegged it into the road, where it promptly got splattered by a car. Not a great sight, but then the dustman came along and just chucked it in the back of the garbage truck!! Sure wouldnt fancy having the 'chicken' curry near there that night... With that, travelled across to the west coast of Malaysia to Georgetown on Palau Penang and on a quick wander about the town got greated with our first experience of the monsoon - who would have thought it could rain that much?! This caused a delay to exploration and instead settled in the cinema to watch Spiderman 3 - bit soppy in places, but quite good i thought.

Next day, went to the Penang Museum (way more impressive than the National Museum) and then Fort Cornwallis and the Cornwallis Lighthouse. The Fort was constructed by a British bloke working for the East India Company who founded Penang as a British colony. All very interesting, oh, and it rained again. Also managed to go up Penang Hill on the funicular railway (a massive railway run by pulleys) for a great view of Georgetown and the surrounding area. Then went to the towering Kek Lok Si Temple that spreads over many stories up the hill concluding with a magnificent (the tallest in the world) bronze Buddha statue.

And that was the end of Malaysia! In a whistle-stop tour of the entire country (well the peninsular bit anyway), seen some amazing things and had some brilliant experiences. Cant pick one favourite bit, its all been great, but learning to dive was something rather different.

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Photos

The Boh Tea Plantation
It really was never-ending tea

St Paul's Hill, Melaka
The ruins of the church at the top

Jonker Street, Melaka at night
Night market and even public karaoke

Batu Caves
The steps leading up to the shrines

The Petronas Twin Towers
Pretty fantastic at night

The Kuala Lumpur Skyline
Colonial and modern Islamic fusions

Inside Batu Caves
Really impressive inside, even with the smells

Looking up from the Petronas Twin Towers Skybridge
There was a hole in the ceiling you could look up through - different sort of shot

Me at the Boh Tea Plantation
Yup, that is real in the background

Stream, Cameron Highlands
One of the many streams we crossed on our jungle trek

Long Beach, Pehentian Islands
The beach, pretty much to yourself...

View from Penang Hill
You can see Georgetown way below and the funicular railway

Kek Lok Si Temple
Dominating the hillside

Comments

[simone]

what haven't you done!!! i bet the diving was great!! so wana do that the closest i got was snockling in cornwall! The towers are breath taking. Jemma G was asking about u how your getting on etc shes also going travelling through south america! nothing to report really friends from south africa are back and seeing lots of them! Work is better and enjoying driving! take care and can't wait to hear from you again! take care sim: )