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Published: March 2nd 2009
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PENANG:
Ok so I won't bore you with my 12 hour journey into Malaysia consisting of 1 tuk tuk, 3 crammed mini vans, 1 banger of a bus and a boat. Lets just say it was one hell of a long ride.
Eventually a bus load of us were left at the side of the road at 10pm hungry, tired and all rather grumpy.
An English girl I got chatting to on the way down joined me with the lovely task of finding a room late at night. We turned down the well known 'Love Lane' and with lack of patience accepted a shoe box of a room consisting of a small space with artificial walls, no ceiling with nothing but two mattresses heaped on top of each other with bedding that blatantly hadn't been changed in months. Ah well, what's travelling if you don't get to experience the rough with the smooth? '$2 a night you say...we'll take it.'
The following morning we decided to take it easy (pah who am i kidding, everyday is easy) and stay local. We jumped on the bus and made our way to the snake temple. We knew it was cheesy
Penang
Snake Temple and rather corny, a total tourist trap but what the hell: let's go see a snake show, let's go get some pictures with a python.
Oooh how wrong we were. Silly us for thinking there may actually be some snakes at the snake temple. We rocked up to what i have to admit was a very lovely temple but had absolutely nothing to do with snakes. We were two slightly disappointed tourists but it sure had us cracking up at our presumptions. Pah didn't have that one in the lonely planet did they! *Warning...no actual snakes at the snake temple*
Now, Malaysia amongst many things is renowned for its enormous skyscrapers, technology and a girls favourite...shopping malls.
I've denied myself of this pleasure for 4 months. It was time to enter the world of artificial lighting, air-conditioned shops and cleanliness as we walked through the automatic doors and marvelled at the array of shops. It's funny how seeing the simplest of things like cosmetics, perfume and shoe shops can turn you into an overly hyped squealing girlie girl. Man it was sad but had to be done.
Sadly but true, the realisation hits. Not only do you not have
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The excitment of seeing a Mall after 4 months the money let alone the room in your ever increasing bulging bag, you have come to hear this perpetual little voice in your head saying "now do you really need this, will it really enhance your trip, is it an essential?" Damn you sensible voice , where's the fun in that!
Of course we couldn't leave empty handed and had to buy something small to treat ourselves.
Back in the real world we trudged our way back into town in the afternoon airless heat and stumbled across the most bizarre but highly characterful little indian restaurant. Once you entered through the kitchen of frantic cooks we sat amongst the locals and with no such thing as a menu to choose from we proceeded to eat the most delicious dishes that were presented to us. The waiter was in such awe of having these two westerners eating at his restaurant. They obviously don't get them every often which pleased me as this is when you get to see the true country. There's nothing like seeing the excitement of the locals. Seeing them get something out of having a guest in their country. I always make sure i have time for
these people. We sat there for a good hour attempting to communicate with one another as he listened with such interest of our travelling stories and I of his local knowledge.
It was time to leave and head home to our makeshift room where we freshened up, flung on some clean clothes, slapped on some mascara and continued our lovely day by treating ourselves to a couple of glasses of wine on the beachfront at sunset. We got the urge to check out the one and only dodgy club 'slippery senurita' (cringe i know) so made our way back into town.
It's Saturday night but from the lack of tourist business of late (apparently down by 80% this year!) and with a name like that we didn't have high hopes of a very successful night but as we all know it's these unplanned, spontaneous nights which always work out best.
We must have bopped up at around 11.30pm and to our amazement the place actually had a vibe going and the dance floor was filling up.
Surprisingly and to my joy the place was packed with locals rather than other travellers. Nina and I were welcomed into a lovely
group of students that were letting their hair down for the weekend and we danced our socks off to the wee hours of the morning.
The next few days were spent lazily wondering round town taking in the fabulous mix of culture.
Nina headed back into Thailand and I was in need of something a little more active so took myself off to the Jungle...
TAMAN NEGARA - NATIONAL PARK:
I've been feeling a bit frustrated lately at my lack of exercise and my lack of get up and go so I booked myself onto the morning bus to the Malaysian Jungle for some trekking.
Obviously the whole point of the exercise was to meet new people and get cheered up so I was a little shocked when I found out i'd be the only one taking the journey. I had my own private 12 hour ride into the jungle. Just me and the driver. Crazy!
Hummm...this had me slightly worried. I'd been told it wasn't the season for trekking and it wouldn't be that busy but surely i wasn't the only one mad enough to take myself off into one of the oldest tropical rainforests.
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Party time What the hell, it'll be what it'll be and so I took advantage of my own van and stretch out on the back seat, Ipod plugged in taking in the stunning views as we drove through the winding roads watching the sun rise behind the mountains.
Eventually we arrived in the tiny waterfront town. I book into a dorm and again found myself having a 10 bedded room all to myself.
Ok..there must be someone around... i took myself off to register with the national park and to get some information.
Finally. Some other crazy trekkers. I kinda pounced on these poor Austrian lads and invited myself to join them for a walk that would take around 3/4 hours the following day.
I think they thought i was bonkers but hey there's no way i'm heading in there alone!
We met early for breakfast and began our day with the canopy walk. It was great fun. They'd constructed the bridges high within the canopies for a short walk enabling you to take in some stunning views. Woohoo, im actually getting better with this whole height phobia of mine. Skydive here i come...NOT.
We walked up to a few
view points, clambered down steep rocky trails and ended the day by a stream where we cooled off.
There's not much happening in the village at night so the few travellers around gathered in the evenings at one of the floating restaurants on the river front where we ate, shared stories and played cards.
I hung around a few more days and took part in some leisurely strolls before heading to KL.
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waja1197
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Hi there...
I've been waiting your posting at Kuala Lumpur. Met u during Thaipusam. I got ur pics there. Still remember me?