wandring1

Night market Cool caps and t-shirts. Aussie surf brand names at cheap prices. Dad reminds us that these goods are fakes. But who cares? They look and feel real to me. So, we buy some. There are also truckloads of cheap DVDs and computer games. Mum checks out the handbags and fashion stalls. Rohan scores a nodding toy giraffe. We also eat at the Long Bay night food area at Batu Ferringhi. There are lots of tiny food stalls hawking everything from spicy Indian food to "Western" hamburgers. Somehow, I end up with spicy noodles again. Bon Odori Festival Are my ears playing tricks? Is that tune really "Waltzing Matilda"? Yes, but it sounds rather different on traditional Japanese instruments. People wander around wearing kimonos and happy coats. Today is a celebration of Japanese culture in ... read more

Cat city Cats everywhere. This city is full of them. On street corners. In the gardens, At restaurant doors. Plaster, stone, wood and china cats. Furry ones wander the streets. There is even a museum about cats here. Young Rohan loves cats. So he points out every cat he sees. He never tires of them. He chases cats down alleyways. He runs away from cats that growl at him. But he comes back for more! I'm not a cat person. Nor a dog lover. Nor an elephant boy. I would like to get a pet hermit crab. Along the river The Sarawak River flows through the middle of the city. We see many boats making the short trip across the water. There are also thousands thousands of cars driving across a four-lane bridge. The waterfront area ... read more

River ride We are better prepared this time. We have shoes for the walk and thongs for the beaches. We have sunscreen and bug repellent ready. It's an easy boat ride along the river to the national park. We wave as we pass a couple of local motor boats. A fisherman waves back. There are lots of fishing nets hanging up and cane fish traps in the water. Locals are washing dishes in the river and moving goods to market. Islands loom up from the mist in the distance. After a half-hour on the water we dock at the pier. On the trails Dad registers our route plan at the Park Ranger's office. Our target is Telok Pandan Besar. That translates to "big Pandan beach". We start off with an easy walk over the mangroves on ... read more

Splashing across the South China Sea Dad is getting soaked. Young Rohan looks like a stunned fish. He clings onto Dad like a limpet. Mum is getting scared. The boatman hands her a life jacket. Benji and I are grinning from ear to ear. We are definitely NOT scared. Not one bit! We love the shear speed and seaspray. It's the best ride of our trip so far. Speedboats are always fun. And this one is really zipping along. Of course, there are a few waves to crash through - or knock us sideways. But the boatmen can handle that. Sometimes they slam on the "brakes" and wait for the biggest waves to go past. When we arrive at each island, they count heads to check that no-one has gone missing overboard. National Park at sea ... read more

Kota Kinabalu We fly two hours east from KL, touch down in Kota Kinabalu (KK) and head straight into town. You can't miss Mount Kinabalu. On a clear morning, the mountain dominates the skyline. In the afternoon, it is usually covered in clouds. Mount Kinabalu is the highest peak in the whole of Malaysia. The Crocker mountain range is an ever-changing background to the bustling city of Kota Kinabalu. The clouds are always changing position and hiding different mountains. So, it looks different every day. I don't think they get clear days with bright blue skies like in Australia. Kota Kinabalu is the capital city of Sabah province in East Malaysia. Sabah forms the north-eastern corner of the island of Borneo. The taxi driver tells us that Sulu sultan based in The Philippine Islands once ... read more