I am going to combine Terengganu and Kuantan here because we only spent three nights between the two towns. We had planed to spend five nights but quickly realized there was not enough to keep our interest for that long.
Shaun and I only spent two nights in Terengganu partially because there is not much there but also partially because the only reasonably priced guest house in town were the rudest guest house operators I have ever encountered. People that work in guest houses are normally friendly and helpful and easy going. These people were anything but. We walked around and took some pictures. That is pretty much it.
We only spent one night in Kuantan, where we also walked around a took some pictures. There a couple nice mosques. Just before it got dark one evening we took a disc to a soccer field in front of the most prominent mosque and threw the disc around. Not long passed before a group of locals were watching. We did not throw for long but we did continue until after it got dark using the lights surrounding the field. Throwing the disc around in a town in Malaysia against the backdrop of a one of the most beautiful mosques in the Muslim country was pleasant.
Both of these stops we basically to break up the trip en route to Melaka and so that we could arrive in Singapore on out intended date without spending too long in Melaka. We successfully spent three of the intended five days getting to Melaka, but that left us with two extra days. Which is not such a bad thing, of course.
09 June 2010
Perhentian Islands, Malaysia
The Perhentian Islands are made up of Perhentian Kecil (small) and Perhentian Besar (big). Besar is more of a resort destination, more expensive, and has distinctly older crowd. Kecil is more of a backpacker destination, more reasonably priced, and has nicer beaches. Kecil is also a place I was considering living for a month as I did in Yangshuo, China, only in the Perhentians I would be learning how to dive instead of teaching English.
Shaun and I arrived on the main beach of Perhentian Kecil, Long Beach, in mid-afternoon. We had already decided that we would both take the first course in learning how to dive called open-water. We found a place to stay and went in search of a dive shop that we liked. The Perhentians are supposedly one of the best places in the world to dive and Malaysia as a country is one of the least expensive places in the world to get certified. Long Beach is filled with dive shops and we just went from south to north stopping in beach one asking pertinent questions in order to decide which we wanted to hire. We ended up going with the second one we stopped at, Quiver. We paid (RM950 or about US$287 each) and filled out the necessary paperwork. I asked if my collapsed lung would be a problem, and was told yes, it would be, and I would need to see a doctor to clear me if I wanted to take the course...or I could indicate that I never had one, or two, for that matter. I recalled that the doctor I had at home told me that I could dive (or so I thought I remembered this) so went with the second option and indicated that I have never had a collapsed lung.
The next day we started our open-water course. It was pretty cool and I enjoyed it a good deal. I was surprised to find out that being 3 meters (almost 10 feet) underwater feels about the same as 18 meters (about 59 feet). 18 meters is as far as you can get certified in open water course. The life that lives beneath the surface is amazing. The first time I saw the shadows of a school of fish on the sea floor was mesmerizing.
While I enjoyed the diving enough I did not feel that the Perhentian Islands had enough to keep me occupied for a month. The diving would only occupy so much of my time and I did not think that, other than the diving, there would be enough to keep me occupied for the rest of the day. A random Canadian we ran into mentioned that one of the nicer guest houses sometimes hires people for the high season to help out. I went there and inquired about a position figuring that not only would a simple job occupy some of that spare time but it would also take care of my accommodation and food costs. Unfortunately they did not have any positions left and I was again without enough reason to stay on Perhentian Kecil for a month.
Other than the diving Shaun and I did not do much. We walked along the coast one day to the local fishing village, but the walk there for far more stimulating than the village itself. We passed several beaches, some with nobody there and others with only a few people tanning or reading. There was one beach with a couple camping. On the way back from the village a dog followed us for a good 20 minutes before leaving us for the a dip in th cool waters. A funny thing about the walk to and from the village was that along the path there were several thin bars about ankle height that looked as if they were designed to be trip wires. We had no explanation for what they could be for otherwise. There was one at chest height that, if you did not see it (which would be pretty easy) and had some speed, could take you out cold. As much as we laughed at these obstacles we wondered what their intended purpose could possibly be and we came up without a single logical explanation.
On one early evening I played volleyball with some Malaysian Chinese. I am no good at volleyball but only a couple of the ten were better than I. It was fun to play and they got a kick out of a white guy playing in their game.
Perhentian Kecil is impossibly stunning. The water is clear, the sand near perfect, the inland jungle beautiful to look at and no doubt rewarding to traverse. I had fully intended on staying there for month and had virtually decided upon doing so. But, I think I would have gotten bored with too much time on my hands and a social atmosphere that does not lend itself to meeting new people easily would have made passing this time even more difficult. I am sure I would have been OK had I spent a month there but I am happy with the decision not to. That said, my time on Perhentian Kecil was great and would certainly like to return for another relatively short period of time.
Shaun and I arrived on the main beach of Perhentian Kecil, Long Beach, in mid-afternoon. We had already decided that we would both take the first course in learning how to dive called open-water. We found a place to stay and went in search of a dive shop that we liked. The Perhentians are supposedly one of the best places in the world to dive and Malaysia as a country is one of the least expensive places in the world to get certified. Long Beach is filled with dive shops and we just went from south to north stopping in beach one asking pertinent questions in order to decide which we wanted to hire. We ended up going with the second one we stopped at, Quiver. We paid (RM950 or about US$287 each) and filled out the necessary paperwork. I asked if my collapsed lung would be a problem, and was told yes, it would be, and I would need to see a doctor to clear me if I wanted to take the course...or I could indicate that I never had one, or two, for that matter. I recalled that the doctor I had at home told me that I could dive (or so I thought I remembered this) so went with the second option and indicated that I have never had a collapsed lung.
The next day we started our open-water course. It was pretty cool and I enjoyed it a good deal. I was surprised to find out that being 3 meters (almost 10 feet) underwater feels about the same as 18 meters (about 59 feet). 18 meters is as far as you can get certified in open water course. The life that lives beneath the surface is amazing. The first time I saw the shadows of a school of fish on the sea floor was mesmerizing.
While I enjoyed the diving enough I did not feel that the Perhentian Islands had enough to keep me occupied for a month. The diving would only occupy so much of my time and I did not think that, other than the diving, there would be enough to keep me occupied for the rest of the day. A random Canadian we ran into mentioned that one of the nicer guest houses sometimes hires people for the high season to help out. I went there and inquired about a position figuring that not only would a simple job occupy some of that spare time but it would also take care of my accommodation and food costs. Unfortunately they did not have any positions left and I was again without enough reason to stay on Perhentian Kecil for a month.
Other than the diving Shaun and I did not do much. We walked along the coast one day to the local fishing village, but the walk there for far more stimulating than the village itself. We passed several beaches, some with nobody there and others with only a few people tanning or reading. There was one beach with a couple camping. On the way back from the village a dog followed us for a good 20 minutes before leaving us for the a dip in th cool waters. A funny thing about the walk to and from the village was that along the path there were several thin bars about ankle height that looked as if they were designed to be trip wires. We had no explanation for what they could be for otherwise. There was one at chest height that, if you did not see it (which would be pretty easy) and had some speed, could take you out cold. As much as we laughed at these obstacles we wondered what their intended purpose could possibly be and we came up without a single logical explanation.
On one early evening I played volleyball with some Malaysian Chinese. I am no good at volleyball but only a couple of the ten were better than I. It was fun to play and they got a kick out of a white guy playing in their game.
Perhentian Kecil is impossibly stunning. The water is clear, the sand near perfect, the inland jungle beautiful to look at and no doubt rewarding to traverse. I had fully intended on staying there for month and had virtually decided upon doing so. But, I think I would have gotten bored with too much time on my hands and a social atmosphere that does not lend itself to meeting new people easily would have made passing this time even more difficult. I am sure I would have been OK had I spent a month there but I am happy with the decision not to. That said, my time on Perhentian Kecil was great and would certainly like to return for another relatively short period of time.
08 June 2010
Taman Negara, Malaysia
The 4,343 squared kilometers (1677 square miles) of Taman Negara is reputed to be the oldest tropical rain forest in the world. After a short break it was time to get back to hiking and trekking, which is just about all Shaun and I did during our time there. No exciting or interesting stories about me getting stung, however, so this post will be sub-par, even relative to this site.
There is a ton of wildlife in the forest but the foliage is so dense that something big could be just a few feet away and you not know it. That said, nearly all of the wildlife stays away from where the paths are and to have any real chance at seeming something big you need to hire a guide at prices that are beyond my pocket. As I was more interested in the hiking part than the animal part it was not really a temptation any way. At some point while hiking, Shaun and I did hear a noise that we thought was human though it sounded a bit off. As we moved forward we saw what was making the noise and it was not human it was some weird bird that neither of us had ever seen. It was maybe 4-5 feet long including its tail but the base as only 2 feet long. It produced some unusual noises though. We cautiously passed it and continued on. A little while later we say an offshoot from the main path. I was curious what it was so we ventured off and followed it. It took us around a little, nothing special, an then returned us to down the main path where the same exact bird appeared to be waiting for us. It was weird and we decided it was stalking us and probably was in fact not a bird at all but a spy for some government.
Taman Negara was really cool but I think you get way more out of it with more time and especially more money. It is the kind of place I can imagine going to after I retire for a month or two and really exploring more of the vast area or mostly unexlored jungle.
There is a ton of wildlife in the forest but the foliage is so dense that something big could be just a few feet away and you not know it. That said, nearly all of the wildlife stays away from where the paths are and to have any real chance at seeming something big you need to hire a guide at prices that are beyond my pocket. As I was more interested in the hiking part than the animal part it was not really a temptation any way. At some point while hiking, Shaun and I did hear a noise that we thought was human though it sounded a bit off. As we moved forward we saw what was making the noise and it was not human it was some weird bird that neither of us had ever seen. It was maybe 4-5 feet long including its tail but the base as only 2 feet long. It produced some unusual noises though. We cautiously passed it and continued on. A little while later we say an offshoot from the main path. I was curious what it was so we ventured off and followed it. It took us around a little, nothing special, an then returned us to down the main path where the same exact bird appeared to be waiting for us. It was weird and we decided it was stalking us and probably was in fact not a bird at all but a spy for some government.
Taman Negara was really cool but I think you get way more out of it with more time and especially more money. It is the kind of place I can imagine going to after I retire for a month or two and really exploring more of the vast area or mostly unexlored jungle.
Kulala Lumpur, Malaysia
Kulala Lumpur (KL) is a huge city. Unlike most backpackers I enjoy most cities. However, KL is OK but nothing more.
The main thing to do in KL is to go shopping, which is not of interest to Shaun or myself. We walked around and saw a few sites. We entered a few malls but did so just to get out of the heat and soak up some free air conditioning.
Partially because they replaced the Sears Tower (not Willis Tower) as the world's tallest building in 1998, I wanted to see the Petronas Twin Towers. Though no longer the world's tallest, the Petronas Twin Towers remain the tallest twin towers in the world and are an icon of KL and a symbol of the city's skyline, modern economy, and progress. All that according to the 7.5 minutes brainwashing video I was forced to watch after waiting in line for 3 hours to go up to the 41st floor Skybrige to see the view. Yep, Petronas makes everybody watch a video informing you of how great Malaysia, Kuala Lumpur, and particularly Petronas itself is.
The view from the 41st floor Skybridge is OK. While up there I heard somebody say, "So this is why its free." And she could not have been more right. If they charged for it nobody would go. Word would spread that it view is not that good, that it is not worth your time, and that you would be better off getting a few extra hour of sleep. Well, that word might spread even though it is free, but it certainly would if they charged admission.
Even from street level the building is not that impressive. I say this not out of resentment for the Petronas Towers supplanting the Sears Tower as the world's tallest. I have seen an uncompleted Burj Dubai and Taipei 101 (the two tallest buildings in the world by most measurements) and both are impressive and...cool. The Petronas Towers are neither. I think it is because there is no buildings of any stature nearby so while they look tall, they look tall next to buildings that you know are only five or whatever stories high. The Sears Tower look tall compared to the John Hancock Center, which is the 24th tallest.
So far Shaun has been underwheled by the food. I like spicy food and make an effort to try new, and often disgusting, foods. Shaun, not so much. Admittedly he has gotten much better since he arrived when he ate omlettes almost exclusively. But the region's preference for spiciness and his distaste for it limits the foods he can eat. Enter KL's Arabic area. Arabic food is Shaun's favorite. Problem (temporarily)
solved. We walked around the Arabic area looking for a place to eat. I stipulations were (1) not overly expensive, (2) had falafel, and (3) had hummus. We found a few places that looked good enough but also looked a little fancier and we figured we would be able to find a place that was cheaper. We went down a side street and than another. We say a sign that said "Kafeteria" (cafeteria in Malay) but it was right below a sign that said "Laundry." We glanced inside to try to figure out what was going on. A guy outside washing his hands asked if what we were looking for. "Falafel," we said. "Falafel?" he asked with disbelief. "Two white guys want falafel?" in Malay he no doubt was thinking. He said this place in fact had falafel. "Ohhh, we thought it was a laundry," we said, gesturing toward the sign. "It is." We were confused. "It is both," he continued. Shaun and I looked at each other, gave a little shrug, and went in. A restaurant and a laundry; what an outstanding combination. I cannot think of two more logical businesses to share the same floor space. We went in, ordered two falafel to which we got more disbelief. We also ordered hummus. The guy said it would not be like the hummus we were used to but we said it was OK and still wanted it. The falafel came out. It was OK, too much tomato and beet for me but the falafel part was good but also different than what I was used to. We finished them and waited for the hummus. We waited and waited. After awhile we realized there must have been some miscommunication with the ordering and discussed what would happen if we (A) continued to sit there waiting for something that may never come or if we (B) got up to pay and leave with the hummus still being prepared and on its way. We decided that there was no way hummus would take this long and that it was far more likely that there was in fact some miscommunication when ordering the hummus than any other explanation. We got, paid our just over US$1 each, and left...to go to another restaurant to get some hummus.
KL is OK and I will be back but only for functionality. To me, the city does not have much else to offer.
The main thing to do in KL is to go shopping, which is not of interest to Shaun or myself. We walked around and saw a few sites. We entered a few malls but did so just to get out of the heat and soak up some free air conditioning.
Partially because they replaced the Sears Tower (not Willis Tower) as the world's tallest building in 1998, I wanted to see the Petronas Twin Towers. Though no longer the world's tallest, the Petronas Twin Towers remain the tallest twin towers in the world and are an icon of KL and a symbol of the city's skyline, modern economy, and progress. All that according to the 7.5 minutes brainwashing video I was forced to watch after waiting in line for 3 hours to go up to the 41st floor Skybrige to see the view. Yep, Petronas makes everybody watch a video informing you of how great Malaysia, Kuala Lumpur, and particularly Petronas itself is.
The view from the 41st floor Skybridge is OK. While up there I heard somebody say, "So this is why its free." And she could not have been more right. If they charged for it nobody would go. Word would spread that it view is not that good, that it is not worth your time, and that you would be better off getting a few extra hour of sleep. Well, that word might spread even though it is free, but it certainly would if they charged admission.
Even from street level the building is not that impressive. I say this not out of resentment for the Petronas Towers supplanting the Sears Tower as the world's tallest. I have seen an uncompleted Burj Dubai and Taipei 101 (the two tallest buildings in the world by most measurements) and both are impressive and...cool. The Petronas Towers are neither. I think it is because there is no buildings of any stature nearby so while they look tall, they look tall next to buildings that you know are only five or whatever stories high. The Sears Tower look tall compared to the John Hancock Center, which is the 24th tallest.
So far Shaun has been underwheled by the food. I like spicy food and make an effort to try new, and often disgusting, foods. Shaun, not so much. Admittedly he has gotten much better since he arrived when he ate omlettes almost exclusively. But the region's preference for spiciness and his distaste for it limits the foods he can eat. Enter KL's Arabic area. Arabic food is Shaun's favorite. Problem (temporarily)
solved. We walked around the Arabic area looking for a place to eat. I stipulations were (1) not overly expensive, (2) had falafel, and (3) had hummus. We found a few places that looked good enough but also looked a little fancier and we figured we would be able to find a place that was cheaper. We went down a side street and than another. We say a sign that said "Kafeteria" (cafeteria in Malay) but it was right below a sign that said "Laundry." We glanced inside to try to figure out what was going on. A guy outside washing his hands asked if what we were looking for. "Falafel," we said. "Falafel?" he asked with disbelief. "Two white guys want falafel?" in Malay he no doubt was thinking. He said this place in fact had falafel. "Ohhh, we thought it was a laundry," we said, gesturing toward the sign. "It is." We were confused. "It is both," he continued. Shaun and I looked at each other, gave a little shrug, and went in. A restaurant and a laundry; what an outstanding combination. I cannot think of two more logical businesses to share the same floor space. We went in, ordered two falafel to which we got more disbelief. We also ordered hummus. The guy said it would not be like the hummus we were used to but we said it was OK and still wanted it. The falafel came out. It was OK, too much tomato and beet for me but the falafel part was good but also different than what I was used to. We finished them and waited for the hummus. We waited and waited. After awhile we realized there must have been some miscommunication with the ordering and discussed what would happen if we (A) continued to sit there waiting for something that may never come or if we (B) got up to pay and leave with the hummus still being prepared and on its way. We decided that there was no way hummus would take this long and that it was far more likely that there was in fact some miscommunication when ordering the hummus than any other explanation. We got, paid our just over US$1 each, and left...to go to another restaurant to get some hummus.
KL is OK and I will be back but only for functionality. To me, the city does not have much else to offer.
Cameron Highlands, Malaysia
Following several weeks of beaches and islands and coastal towns (I know, I know, I live a tough life), the Cameron Highlands were a much needed break from the sun. The altitude provides a cool, pleasant temperature and it felt great to not have the sun beating on me as hard. The cool temperature alone was enough for me to like the place, but the real reason I was there was the excelling hiking. There are also strawberry field and tea plantation tours but hiking is the reason people come here. Strawberry fields and tea plantations are what you do when you need a day off from hiking the sometimes intensely difficult hiking.
The Cameron Highlands are were American Jim Thompson went missing in 1967. There are a lot of theories behind his disappearance, some of which would make a watchable Hollywood movie. They are also the place were I suffered multiple bee/hornet/wasp stings including several to the face and neck. More on this in a bit.
The first day Shaun and I ventured off on our own. Naturally we got very lost and never made it to our goal but I enjoyed the hiking all the same. This was probably the most difficult hiking I have even done. In truth it was probably stupid and unsafe to continue as we did but it worked out. We make it out OK and with no harm done barring a few scratches and muddy clothes.
Another day we went out with a Canadian couple we were sharing the room with. This is when things got bad. The guy, Tom, was a markedly better navigator than either Shaun or myself. Things getting bad was not his fault, just bad luck and poor timing. At some point the four of us crossed paths with a swarm of bees/hornets/wasps. We do not know what they were; they were like nothing else I have ever seen. They were red, so I doubt they were bees, but I have no idea. Regardless, they did not take kindly to my presence in their presence and let me know it. Tom got stung as well but mostly on his legs and arms. They got my legs and arms as well but mostly went for my head and neck. The left half of my face was so swollen it, but not the right side too much, looked obese. I could not fully open my left eye and my vision was blurry (which is awesome when you are hiking). I often felt dizzy and said that I should not walk in the very front of very back in case I lost my balance due to something other than the normal difficulties of the hike or simply passed out. I normally do not get worked up over injuries; most of the time they work themselves out and require nothing more than a little attention. However, I had only been stung by a bee once prior, on my foot, which swelled up to thrice its normal size - there is a real chance that I am allergic to the stings of whatever just stung me.
Unfortunately, in our efforts to escape their wrath we ran. I lost my sandal and we lost our way. We tried to make it work and figure something out but it was no use. We stopped and discussed our options. It was clear the whole time but nobody wanted to be the first to say it: our best, and really only, option was to turn around and go back through the area where Tom and I got stung. We had figured that they did not stay there, that we merely crossed paths and they had probably moved on. "You can get your sandal," the Canadian girl, Michelle, said. Yeah, I could, but I could also faint leaning over to retrieve it. So, we turned around and headed back. Tom was in front and lead the way, I followed a bit behind as my pace had slowed and I was down a sandal on less than ideal terrain (everybody else was wearing shoes). Tom reached the area the bees/hornets/wasps had been and started yelling and screaming. He ran forward. I yelled also, behind me, to run in the opposite direction. It is amazing how fast you can run when you need to in the same place you struggled to walk not too long before. It is more amazing that the bees/hornets/wasps seem to understand what we were doing and chased us down. We lost them, somehow (I think they got bored), and lost Tom as well. We yelled for him ("Marco!") and could hear his response ("Polo!") but could not see him. We made a new path toward his voice to avoid going back through The Area Where Jay Gets Stung on the Neck and Head (and, yes, does retrieve his sandal). We found him pretty easily (we are no Jim Thompson after all) and collectively decided to get the hell out of there. Tom and I were getting worse and getting out could take hours and hours depending partially on our speed but mostly on our ability to navigate and not get lost.
On our way out were disregarded many norms of responsible hiking. We basically just did what we felt we had to to get out as quickly as possible. We just kept walking, sliding, climbing, whatever it took to get out. We finally found the edge of the forested area but could not see a way to get down the decline in front of us. We sat down and slide down on our backsides and hoped for the best. It worked out and we were nearly home free. We needed to walk though some flower plantation (easy and beautiful) and then walk the short distance back to the town to catch the local bus back to where we were staying. We exited the flower plantation and realized we were not in a place to walk back to the town to catch the bus. We somehow ended up in between the two towns. We were not sure which was further away and decided to walk in the direction of our end destination instead of to the place to catch the bus. I decided to try to hitch hike. After about 10-15 minutes of fruitless attempts trying to get a ride a pick-up truck finally stopped. We got in, laughed at the ridiculousness of our day and enjoyed the cool air running over us.
I spent the next day doing nothing.
After a day off I was feeling and looking normal enough to be in public so Shaun and I made our way to the Malaysian capital of Kuala Lumpur.
The Cameron Highlands are were American Jim Thompson went missing in 1967. There are a lot of theories behind his disappearance, some of which would make a watchable Hollywood movie. They are also the place were I suffered multiple bee/hornet/wasp stings including several to the face and neck. More on this in a bit.
The first day Shaun and I ventured off on our own. Naturally we got very lost and never made it to our goal but I enjoyed the hiking all the same. This was probably the most difficult hiking I have even done. In truth it was probably stupid and unsafe to continue as we did but it worked out. We make it out OK and with no harm done barring a few scratches and muddy clothes.
Another day we went out with a Canadian couple we were sharing the room with. This is when things got bad. The guy, Tom, was a markedly better navigator than either Shaun or myself. Things getting bad was not his fault, just bad luck and poor timing. At some point the four of us crossed paths with a swarm of bees/hornets/wasps. We do not know what they were; they were like nothing else I have ever seen. They were red, so I doubt they were bees, but I have no idea. Regardless, they did not take kindly to my presence in their presence and let me know it. Tom got stung as well but mostly on his legs and arms. They got my legs and arms as well but mostly went for my head and neck. The left half of my face was so swollen it, but not the right side too much, looked obese. I could not fully open my left eye and my vision was blurry (which is awesome when you are hiking). I often felt dizzy and said that I should not walk in the very front of very back in case I lost my balance due to something other than the normal difficulties of the hike or simply passed out. I normally do not get worked up over injuries; most of the time they work themselves out and require nothing more than a little attention. However, I had only been stung by a bee once prior, on my foot, which swelled up to thrice its normal size - there is a real chance that I am allergic to the stings of whatever just stung me.
Unfortunately, in our efforts to escape their wrath we ran. I lost my sandal and we lost our way. We tried to make it work and figure something out but it was no use. We stopped and discussed our options. It was clear the whole time but nobody wanted to be the first to say it: our best, and really only, option was to turn around and go back through the area where Tom and I got stung. We had figured that they did not stay there, that we merely crossed paths and they had probably moved on. "You can get your sandal," the Canadian girl, Michelle, said. Yeah, I could, but I could also faint leaning over to retrieve it. So, we turned around and headed back. Tom was in front and lead the way, I followed a bit behind as my pace had slowed and I was down a sandal on less than ideal terrain (everybody else was wearing shoes). Tom reached the area the bees/hornets/wasps had been and started yelling and screaming. He ran forward. I yelled also, behind me, to run in the opposite direction. It is amazing how fast you can run when you need to in the same place you struggled to walk not too long before. It is more amazing that the bees/hornets/wasps seem to understand what we were doing and chased us down. We lost them, somehow (I think they got bored), and lost Tom as well. We yelled for him ("Marco!") and could hear his response ("Polo!") but could not see him. We made a new path toward his voice to avoid going back through The Area Where Jay Gets Stung on the Neck and Head (and, yes, does retrieve his sandal). We found him pretty easily (we are no Jim Thompson after all) and collectively decided to get the hell out of there. Tom and I were getting worse and getting out could take hours and hours depending partially on our speed but mostly on our ability to navigate and not get lost.
On our way out were disregarded many norms of responsible hiking. We basically just did what we felt we had to to get out as quickly as possible. We just kept walking, sliding, climbing, whatever it took to get out. We finally found the edge of the forested area but could not see a way to get down the decline in front of us. We sat down and slide down on our backsides and hoped for the best. It worked out and we were nearly home free. We needed to walk though some flower plantation (easy and beautiful) and then walk the short distance back to the town to catch the local bus back to where we were staying. We exited the flower plantation and realized we were not in a place to walk back to the town to catch the bus. We somehow ended up in between the two towns. We were not sure which was further away and decided to walk in the direction of our end destination instead of to the place to catch the bus. I decided to try to hitch hike. After about 10-15 minutes of fruitless attempts trying to get a ride a pick-up truck finally stopped. We got in, laughed at the ridiculousness of our day and enjoyed the cool air running over us.
I spent the next day doing nothing.
After a day off I was feeling and looking normal enough to be in public so Shaun and I made our way to the Malaysian capital of Kuala Lumpur.
Penang, Malaysia
After about six weeks in Thailand it was time to move to the next country, Malaysia. I have been looking forward to Malaysia more so than any other country in southeast Asia other than Laos and was excited to finally be there.
My first stop in Malaysia is the famous island of Penang. The island has a pretty rich history that I know little about and will not bore you (nobody) with. Shaun and I spent out entire time in Penang in Georgetown, the capital of the island. At least partially because of this, Penang felt less like and island to me and more like a town or small city. The beach was right there but I never went there and did not see it except for when I arrived and left. Given its history, Georgetown has plenty of tourist attractions in the form of historical sites and temples, but, unless especially famous or highly regarded or I am personally interested for some reason I generally do not make an effort visit such attractions. Walking around and getting a feel for a place, while taking some pictures of the building or sites I find interesting or nice, is fine by me. And that is just what we did.
Penang is famous for its food. Malaysia as a whole is pretty food obsessed and Penang is often considered the best dining in Penang. The food combines local Malaysian cooking with nearby Thailand styles while incorporating the island's historical influences of Indian and English. Suffice to say, the food is good. I am not much of a foodie, but even my palate was able to distinguish some tastes and combination.
Penang was a nice place. If I had to pick a place to live in Malaysia, it would likely be near the top of the list.
My first stop in Malaysia is the famous island of Penang. The island has a pretty rich history that I know little about and will not bore you (nobody) with. Shaun and I spent out entire time in Penang in Georgetown, the capital of the island. At least partially because of this, Penang felt less like and island to me and more like a town or small city. The beach was right there but I never went there and did not see it except for when I arrived and left. Given its history, Georgetown has plenty of tourist attractions in the form of historical sites and temples, but, unless especially famous or highly regarded or I am personally interested for some reason I generally do not make an effort visit such attractions. Walking around and getting a feel for a place, while taking some pictures of the building or sites I find interesting or nice, is fine by me. And that is just what we did.
Penang is famous for its food. Malaysia as a whole is pretty food obsessed and Penang is often considered the best dining in Penang. The food combines local Malaysian cooking with nearby Thailand styles while incorporating the island's historical influences of Indian and English. Suffice to say, the food is good. I am not much of a foodie, but even my palate was able to distinguish some tastes and combination.
Penang was a nice place. If I had to pick a place to live in Malaysia, it would likely be near the top of the list.
Songkhla, Thailand
In an effort to see something other than beaches and islands in the south of Thailand, I picked out the small town of Songkhla for a visit. Getting there was kind of a pain and the town does not much to offer a tourist except exactly what I was looking for: a taste of the culture and real Thai life in the south part of the country.
While on the water (Songkhla is called "the great city of two seas" in Thai), the beaches are not great. The town is pretty uninteresting and the few "tourist attractions" are not worth the time. Shaun and I spent just about every day simply walking about exploring the town and trying to absorb local culture and state of mind. That said, there is not much for me to write about here. The only thing worth writing about is something that still has us laughing.
I noticed since I have been in Asia that almost nobody exercises. There are plenty of old people that do Thai Chi or something similar in the morning in China or some simply stretching or other things to get the blood flowing but people do not really exercise exercise. Nobody breaks a sweat while stretching unless they are training and few are. Nobody is trying to boost their metabolism or build muscle or better their endurance and stamina. The only people I could recall exercising we a small handful of runners in China that had the worst form I had ever seen; it may have been the first time they ever ran and had not discovered the natural, smooth motion that anybody realizes quickly enough. (I am not saying their form was not perfect. I am saying it could not have been further from perfect. My running form I am sure can be improved. Their form could have been improved if the stood still.) When I have in Asia I get confused looks. To me it looks like they think I am in a hurry (which is another foreign idea in Asia) and cannot fathom why somebody would ever move on foot at a pace faster than in staggeringly (and annoyingly) slow walk. People seem baffled that I am running.
OK, anyway, so at some point while walking around Shaun and I hear this music, and it is not the Asian (or AZN, as it is often referred to) pop that I have grown to know all too well. We could not place what the music was; the style sounded familiar but largely unknown to us. It got louder and clear as we got closer and then we saw it. About 100 people following the jazzercize (I have no idea how to spell that) motions of the leader at the front on a platform. We were speechless. Not only did we stop and chuckle at the scene but locals were as well. It was priceless. I took video. We stood and watched for a couple minutes and the continued on walking still laughing at the scene. Our eyes were tearing. All the sudden we heard footsteps behind us. Not just footsteps, but hastened footsteps. And not just hastened footsteps, but the hastened footsteps of people wearing shoes. People do not wear shoes here, they wear sandals. We turning around to see four or five people running - running! - toward us. We gave each other confused looks. They looked like the high school's track or cross-country team because they were wearing matching clothes. Not just running but organized running. Between that and the jazzercise this was already unlike any other place I have been in Asia. We walked more. We can upon a enclosed area with still more people jogging around a track. A relatively large group of people jogging? In Asia? On a actual track? I was stunned.
In addition to being one of my favorite places in Thailand and the other contender for favorite place in the south, Songkhla must be a hotbed of physicality in Asia.
While on the water (Songkhla is called "the great city of two seas" in Thai), the beaches are not great. The town is pretty uninteresting and the few "tourist attractions" are not worth the time. Shaun and I spent just about every day simply walking about exploring the town and trying to absorb local culture and state of mind. That said, there is not much for me to write about here. The only thing worth writing about is something that still has us laughing.
I noticed since I have been in Asia that almost nobody exercises. There are plenty of old people that do Thai Chi or something similar in the morning in China or some simply stretching or other things to get the blood flowing but people do not really exercise exercise. Nobody breaks a sweat while stretching unless they are training and few are. Nobody is trying to boost their metabolism or build muscle or better their endurance and stamina. The only people I could recall exercising we a small handful of runners in China that had the worst form I had ever seen; it may have been the first time they ever ran and had not discovered the natural, smooth motion that anybody realizes quickly enough. (I am not saying their form was not perfect. I am saying it could not have been further from perfect. My running form I am sure can be improved. Their form could have been improved if the stood still.) When I have in Asia I get confused looks. To me it looks like they think I am in a hurry (which is another foreign idea in Asia) and cannot fathom why somebody would ever move on foot at a pace faster than in staggeringly (and annoyingly) slow walk. People seem baffled that I am running.
OK, anyway, so at some point while walking around Shaun and I hear this music, and it is not the Asian (or AZN, as it is often referred to) pop that I have grown to know all too well. We could not place what the music was; the style sounded familiar but largely unknown to us. It got louder and clear as we got closer and then we saw it. About 100 people following the jazzercize (I have no idea how to spell that) motions of the leader at the front on a platform. We were speechless. Not only did we stop and chuckle at the scene but locals were as well. It was priceless. I took video. We stood and watched for a couple minutes and the continued on walking still laughing at the scene. Our eyes were tearing. All the sudden we heard footsteps behind us. Not just footsteps, but hastened footsteps. And not just hastened footsteps, but the hastened footsteps of people wearing shoes. People do not wear shoes here, they wear sandals. We turning around to see four or five people running - running! - toward us. We gave each other confused looks. They looked like the high school's track or cross-country team because they were wearing matching clothes. Not just running but organized running. Between that and the jazzercise this was already unlike any other place I have been in Asia. We walked more. We can upon a enclosed area with still more people jogging around a track. A relatively large group of people jogging? In Asia? On a actual track? I was stunned.
In addition to being one of my favorite places in Thailand and the other contender for favorite place in the south, Songkhla must be a hotbed of physicality in Asia.
Ko Lanta, Thailand
Visiting southern Thailand and not going to one of its iconic islands would be regretful, I told myself. I knew I "needed" to go to at least one of the country's famous islands. Phuket is too touristy. Ko Phi Phi is too expensive. Ko Lanta it is. While still touristy and expensive (all of the good Thai islands are), it is to a lesser degree in both categories. The island is pretty long and the are less popular beaches and Shaun and I were there in low season so it would be less crowded and less expensive.
Given that it is an island and the idea is to unwind, Shaun and I did not do too much. Most of the time was spent relaxing. We did, however, rent a motorbike one day in search of some cave we read was good. In short, we failed miserably. Getting there on motorbike only took about 20 minutes until the path gave out and we had to hike the rest of the way. We spent the next 2ish hour hiking toward, or what we thought was toward, Tiger Cave. After the first 20 minutes I think we both knew we were not going too find it but at that point it was more about the hike than Tiger Cave. We ended up stopping because the path was filled with bees. We vaulted over rocks, created new paths around sketchy looking water, and engaged in some acrobatic maneuvering but what ended up stopping us in our tracks was bees. Once we made it back to the motorbike we asked a local about getting to Tiger Cave. He informed us that you have to hire a guide because the path is unclear and it is too easy to get lost.
After returning to our accommodation, Shaun sat down and did some reading beside the beach and I, wanting to make more use of the motorbike, set out to ride up and down the west coast of the island stopping at each beach on the way back south. The ride was nice and it gave me an opportunity to see and swim several difference beaches. Given that it was low season most of beaches lacked any touristy and I often had the beach to myself. At one beach I saw a young boy climb a coconut tree and, upon reaching the top, try to kick some coconuts loose. I snapped several pictures of him climbing, waving at me from the top, and, my favorite, of the scene with a coconut falling to the earth.
I think Ko Lanta was the right island to go and while I did not have the time of my life, I did enjoy my time there.
Given that it is an island and the idea is to unwind, Shaun and I did not do too much. Most of the time was spent relaxing. We did, however, rent a motorbike one day in search of some cave we read was good. In short, we failed miserably. Getting there on motorbike only took about 20 minutes until the path gave out and we had to hike the rest of the way. We spent the next 2ish hour hiking toward, or what we thought was toward, Tiger Cave. After the first 20 minutes I think we both knew we were not going too find it but at that point it was more about the hike than Tiger Cave. We ended up stopping because the path was filled with bees. We vaulted over rocks, created new paths around sketchy looking water, and engaged in some acrobatic maneuvering but what ended up stopping us in our tracks was bees. Once we made it back to the motorbike we asked a local about getting to Tiger Cave. He informed us that you have to hire a guide because the path is unclear and it is too easy to get lost.
After returning to our accommodation, Shaun sat down and did some reading beside the beach and I, wanting to make more use of the motorbike, set out to ride up and down the west coast of the island stopping at each beach on the way back south. The ride was nice and it gave me an opportunity to see and swim several difference beaches. Given that it was low season most of beaches lacked any touristy and I often had the beach to myself. At one beach I saw a young boy climb a coconut tree and, upon reaching the top, try to kick some coconuts loose. I snapped several pictures of him climbing, waving at me from the top, and, my favorite, of the scene with a coconut falling to the earth.
I think Ko Lanta was the right island to go and while I did not have the time of my life, I did enjoy my time there.
Krabi Town, Thailand
With a large variety of things to do, beautiful scenery, and nice beaches, what more could you ask for in a tropical destination?
Before I continue, in the last several posts I have often referred to somebody simply as "my friend." This friend is the friend that flew into Bangkok at the end of April and have been travelling together since. From now on, for simplicity, I will refer to him as "Shaun." It is just easier than my friend this and my friend that.
Shaun and I arrived in Krabi on bus from Ranong. After countless u-turns, the bus dropped us off. At the bus station we arranged out accommodation so that they would pick us up from the bus station so we would not have to pay to get from the bus station into town. We also decided to stay in Krabi Town as opposed to the beaches because it was less expensive accommodation, cheaper food because of the night markets, and less touristy. We were happy with the decision even though it meant some extra transport when doing activities but this was not such a big deal.
The following day we went rock climbing on some of the area's notorious limestone karts, much like the ones I scaled, or attempted to, in Yangshuo, China. The difference being that in Krabi they are set on water instead of land. The climbing was good. Shaun struggled a bit but given it was his first time climbing it is understandable.
Also while in Krabi we went on a "4 Island Tour." This was actually better than I expected. I am usually hesitant to go on organized tours as they are often overpriced and less enjoyable than trying to do stuff on your own. This one, however, I think would have been next to impossible to figure out and organize for an individual or even a small group and probably would have ended up costing more. During the tour Shaun and I went snorkeling (another first for Shaun), threw a disc around the beach, sat on the roof of a moving boat (a boat's a boat), among other activities. Using my somewhat new digital camera I was able to get some cool pictures of the fish underwater. They seemed to be attracted to the noise it made when taking pictures, which allowed for some even better pictures.
Another day we just went to the beach and lounged around.
Krabi Town and immediate surrounding area became one of my favorite destinations in Thailand and possibly my favorite in the southern part of the country. For somebody that gets bored with the beach pretty quickly, Krabi is ideal with its range of attractions and natural beauty.
Before I continue, in the last several posts I have often referred to somebody simply as "my friend." This friend is the friend that flew into Bangkok at the end of April and have been travelling together since. From now on, for simplicity, I will refer to him as "Shaun." It is just easier than my friend this and my friend that.
Shaun and I arrived in Krabi on bus from Ranong. After countless u-turns, the bus dropped us off. At the bus station we arranged out accommodation so that they would pick us up from the bus station so we would not have to pay to get from the bus station into town. We also decided to stay in Krabi Town as opposed to the beaches because it was less expensive accommodation, cheaper food because of the night markets, and less touristy. We were happy with the decision even though it meant some extra transport when doing activities but this was not such a big deal.
The following day we went rock climbing on some of the area's notorious limestone karts, much like the ones I scaled, or attempted to, in Yangshuo, China. The difference being that in Krabi they are set on water instead of land. The climbing was good. Shaun struggled a bit but given it was his first time climbing it is understandable.
Also while in Krabi we went on a "4 Island Tour." This was actually better than I expected. I am usually hesitant to go on organized tours as they are often overpriced and less enjoyable than trying to do stuff on your own. This one, however, I think would have been next to impossible to figure out and organize for an individual or even a small group and probably would have ended up costing more. During the tour Shaun and I went snorkeling (another first for Shaun), threw a disc around the beach, sat on the roof of a moving boat (a boat's a boat), among other activities. Using my somewhat new digital camera I was able to get some cool pictures of the fish underwater. They seemed to be attracted to the noise it made when taking pictures, which allowed for some even better pictures.
Another day we just went to the beach and lounged around.
Krabi Town and immediate surrounding area became one of my favorite destinations in Thailand and possibly my favorite in the southern part of the country. For somebody that gets bored with the beach pretty quickly, Krabi is ideal with its range of attractions and natural beauty.
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