Day 169 - What....sunshine 2 days in a row??? Brilliant

OMG, another morning waking up and not hearing rain!  We were so excited to have good weather 2 days in a row despite the weather forecast being for thunderstorms.  I definitely feel a lot better today, the cough is still there but I do have more energy and more of an appetite.  I went for a wander around the hotel grounds, taking photos of the lovely environment then buffet breakfast, here I come!  I was wishing Spud was here to share breakfast with me, I am sure he would love the range of food available and would try most things.

I again did a few laps of the pool, but spent the rest of the day laying in the sun and reading only the second book of my whole trip – so good to read something other than a travel book.  Thanks Mardi for “The Happiest Refugee”, I am enjoying it.  Before I knew it, it was about 4pm and I had not really moved any further than from the banana lounge to the pool and back. 

I went for a wander into town to get more supplies, then it was time for happy hour.  It has been good bringing our own alcohol to the hotel as drinks are expensive.

We had dinner again at a hotel restaurant as there really isn't a lot to choose from in the small town, and if you order Malaysian food (which we prefer to have), it is fairly reasonably priced.  I really was tired tonight, this cold etc has taken a toll on my energy levels,

Day 168 - Finally....sunshine

How exciting, we woke up and there was no rain!!  We headed off for our breakfast (great buffet spread), then hit the pool, hoping to get a couple of hours of sunshine.  I really didn’t have any energy to do much, except listen to my ipod.  We were so lucky that the weather held out all day...the clouds would come rolling in, but it remained warm and no rain.  We are really lucky with the crowd here, not too busy so you don’t feel as if you are packed in like sardines.   The beach looks ok but the water is very murky after all the rain.  It was the perfect start to our time in Langkawi.

In the afternoon I had a little nap – not sleeping well because of my cough, but got back out beside the pool and even managed to do a couple of laps ( I was struggling for breath afterwards but it felt good to have a swim).  Nic and I had happy hour on our terrace late afternoon, and then around 8pm headed down to one of the other restaurants at the hotel, that is located on the beach.  We shared a whole grilled fish and vegies, and a bottle of wine.  It was really great.

Day 167 - A temple and flight to another Malaysian island

– I still don’t feel well at all, full of a head cold, and barking like a dog.  After so much time in bed though, I was determined to get out.  It was our last day in Penang, we were due to fly to Langkawi at lunch-time, and it was not raining too hard so Nic and I grabbed a take-away coffee and jumped in a taxi.  Our guide books had spoken about Kek Lok Si Temple – the largest Buddhist temple in Malaysia that was built by an immigrant Chinese Buddhist in 1890.  I am really pleased that we went, as in fact it is a site with a number of beautifully decorated temples.  Although we had limited time and had to work our way through the temples fairly quickly, it really blew me away the work that has gone into this place, and it was great seeing some many people in attendance using the buildings for prayer.

We grabbed a taxi and headed back to our hotel, grabbed our bags, checked out then headed to the Penang airport.  The island is fairly small, and it only took us 30min to get to the airport.  We had an uneventful flight on a fairly small plane to Langkawi.  It was only a half hour flight – possibly the shortest flight I have ever been on!!

We had hoped to arrive to bright blue skies in Langkawi as we have had so much rain to date but unfortunately it wasn’t the case.  It was hosing it down!  Our hearts sank when the taxi driver told us it had been raining non-stop for a whole week.  No idea what we are going to do with ourselves for the next 6 days if it continues to rain, even taking into account the fact that we are staying at a 5 star resort!!  Nic and I had decided to lash out in Langkawi and get a really nice hotel.  I think my body is finally telling me it has had enough of life on the road, so I am really looking forward to staying put in one place for 5 nights straight – have not been in one place for this length of time since Croatia.

Our hotel is lovely, with a big room, two double beds, a huge tv screen, 3 pools, 3 restaurants etc.  It isn’t as flash as the Shangri-La in Borneo, but close.  Nic and I spent some time unpacking, then grabbed our umbrellas and went for a wander to the local shops – 1 shopping centre is 10 min walk away, and the other a further 10 min walk.  We filled in a couple of hours as it was still raining outside, and pick up supplies eg snacks, water and mixers for the vodka (finished the gin!)

We made our way back to the hotel, past the wild monkeys that hang out off the road, had happy hour then headed to one of the restaurants at the hotel.  The meal was really good, and we had a great table overlooking to pools and beach.  Very nice relaxing night.

Day 166 - Still sick

I woke up with a raging cold.  Can't believe it!!  Have travelled around the world and to date only had nausea in Turkey and the squirts at times.  Disappointing time to be sick and will feel really bad if Nic gets it as well.

Anyway, was determined to get out a bit today, so Nic and I went to E&O for breakfast (really didn't feel like dim sum for breakfast!), which was really lovely.  We then went over to Cheong Fatt Tze Mansion for a tour.  It was built in the 1880s, and commissioned by Cheong Fatt Tze who was a Hakka merchant-trader from China who established a vast financial empire through east Asia.  The mansion was rescued from ruin in the 1990s, and blends Eastern and Western design.  Our guide also provided a lot of insight into Chinese culture which was fascinating.

We were so lucky this morning that the weather was clear.  We have had consistent rain and gray skies pretty much every day since we arrived in Malaysia.  Because we had sunshine today, we returned to the hotel via the chemist (to get me more drugs), then lay in the sun beside the swimming pool.  We only got about 1 hour in the sun before the clouds rolled in and the heavens opened.  It was lovely enjoying it from under cover beside the pool - the extremes of weather here are incredible.

As the weather didn't improve, Nic and I hung out in the room watching movies.  I really couldn't do much else.  I have this photo as evidence!!

I ordered room service for dinner whilst Nic when out checking the local shops.  Who would've thought that one nose could produce so much snot!!

Day 165 - Sick

This is going to be an incredibly short blog entry because I was sick so spent most of the day in the hotel room!  Only time I left the room was to go to the doctor in the morning (my throat was incredibly sore and I had a bad cough) - hotel staff directed me to a local clinic.  I only had to wait a couple of minutes to see a Malaysian doctor who spoke excellent english, and who was very thorough.  He basically said apart from my throat, everything else looked ok which was reassuring.  I am to take cough mixture, use the throat gargle I am carrying, and take the anti-biotics I already have if I don't feel any better the next day.  Only cost me $7!!  What a bargain.

Nic and I went out for breakfast (not included at the hotel), then I went back to the room.  I slept for about 3 hours then spent the rest of the day on the blog, watching tv (hurricane about to hit America), and re-packing my bag.  Not an exciting day, but I am happy I have to time to look after myself and get better.  I don't have time to be sick!!

Day 164 - Cameron Highlands to Penang

Up, breakfast and check out of our hotel at Cameron Highlands by 7.45am, and at the bus station 5min later.  Nic and I had booked seats on the 8am bus to Penang.  The trip took 5.5 hours.  For the first hour or so it was a very slow trip, winding around the Cameron Highlands roads.  We picked up speed once we hit the highway.  We were warned that there would be a lot of traffic around Malaysia today as school holidays start, Ramadan finishes next week, and there is also Malaysia National Day. 

It was pouring with rain when we arrived at Penang bus station.  We caught a taxi to our hotel that is in Georgetown, the capital of Penang (ps Penang is an island off the west coast of the Malaysian mainland, connected to the mainland via an 8km long bridge).  Although it was wet, Nic and I noticed straight away how much warmer it was in Georgetown, than it was in the Cameron Highlands.

We unpacked, then hit the road straight away so we could explore Georgetown.  It really is quite compact, so we partly followed the guidebook, and partly went where we thought looked interesting.  What we did see was a combination of Chinese, Indian and Malaysian influence, and Penang has one of the greatest concentrations of colonial architecture in Asia.  Check this out!

By about 4pm we were really in need of something to drink and a snack (as we had not had lunch), so stopped in to the Eastern and Oriental Hotel, a famous hotel that people such as Kipling has stayed at in the past.  It is classic colonial architecture, and situated right on the Straight of Melaka.  We some wine and a bit to eat.  It was all really lovely.  We were sitting outside enjoying the sound of the water on the rocky beach but then the rain came down.  At least we were dry in the hotel.

We left the hotel and continued to wander around Georgetown.  It is so easy to loose all sense of time.  At one point we found a bookshop that specialises in Chinese literature, and has an attached cafe.  The staff were lovely so we had a hot drink in the serene environment. 

For dinner we stopped in an Indian cafe that looked pretty basic but had most tables full of predominantly Indian people- sign that it was good.  We ordered a couple of dishes, and enjoyed them emmensely whilst chatting to two friendly guys.  By this stage though, I was getting a really sore throat, and the dry cough I had had for a couple of days was getting worse.  By the time we finished our meal it was pouring with rain, and I really needed to get home to bed.  We found the hotel pretty easily and were happy into our dry hotel room.

Day 163. - Biggest flower in Malaysia

Nic and I had arranged another tour today, this time through a travel company, so we could see Rafflesia - the world's biggest flower.  We were collected at 8.45am by a 4wd.  There were 5 other people in our group - 2 French, 2 German and 1 guy from Austria. We drove for 40min out of town, then met 2 other 4wd's for a real 4wd adventure through the jungle.  The roads were incredibly rough and muddy so the next 20min was incredibly entertaining!!

We reached a particular spot and were told we were on foot from that point.  Each person was given a crown made of fern - meant to be good for keeping away mosquitos and bees.  The trek was lovely but unfortunately quite short.  We had been told that we might be walking for 2-3 hours to reach a spot to see a good quality Rafflesia, but we had only been walking for half an hour.  Scouts are employed from the local village (Seniai Orang Asli people) as once the flower opens, it only lasts for 7 days.  It really is an incredible flower (from the fungus family) and I am so pleased we went to see it.

After seeing the flower we then made our way back out of the jungle, and visited the local village for a blow pipe hunting demonstration and to wander around the village.  I sometimes wonder if this is tourism or exploitation - don't really know the answer to this one.

After a great buffet lunch of tasty India in a road-side restaurant, Nic and I were dropped of again in Tanah Rata.  It was about 3pm and really quickly the cloud came rolling in so we could barely see a couple of metres in front of us.  It was so eerie!  I was keen to take photos of a convent in the town but I couldn't because of the fog.  Instead we walked back to the hotel in the rain - I loved it!  It was so nice to be cool, but not cold, and to feel the rain on my face.  We arrived back at the hotel (approx 20 min walk), really wet.

After chilling out for awhile, having a gin, shower and changing, Nic and I caught a taxi into town for dinner.  We had chosen one place but nobody was in there so instead went into a restaurant that was veyr popular.  We both had a curry that was really tasty.  We bumped into various people from our tour earlier that day on the street.  We had an early night, it had been a big day.

Day 162 - Cameron Highlands

After breakfast we were collected from our hotel for the tour we had arranged through Mr Joe, the taxi driver.  He was charging us an hourly rate to go to the different sites we had chosen. 

Where we visited included:

1. Sam Poh Temple - a Chinese temple that allegedly contains the forth largest Budha in Malaysia.

2. Orchard Farm Tour - Not as well presented as many of the nurseries in Australia, it was more like rough hot houses that did contain a variety of prety orchids.

3. Honey Bee Farm - Nothing special but we did notice 2 separate bee species there, ones that looked like Australian bees and another type that were dark orange in colour and looked more like wasps.

4, Butterfly and Insect Farm - The butterfly house at Melbourne Zoo is a lot better, but we did see a few lovely species.   Highlight at this place was seeing Rhinoceros and Elephant beetles close up.  I kept away from the spiders (big hairy ones!), but the snakes were also good to see.

5. Boh Tea Plantation - Driving through the plantation was lovely!  It is an amazing landscape.  A lot of the plants are over 80 years old.  Machines now 'pick' the leaves on the top of the trees but the sides have to be done with pruning shears that have a bucket contraption attached to collect the leaves.  We all had something to eat and drink here, bought some tea, then visited the factory.  Over 8 million cups of tea are consumed in Malaysia a day!!

6. Rose Centre - A cross between an old nursery and Fairy Park.  There are incredible views from the top of this centre, stairs take you from one platform area to the next.  The roses were pretty ordinary, but there was an amazing variety of other plants there.

So ended the tour for Nic and I (5 hours later!) we were dropped off in Tanah Rata (the main town) and Stefanos continued on to other sites he was interested in.  The rain had started hosing down so Nic and I had a coffee, bought some supplies then went back to the hotel.

Rest of the evening was spent quietly at the hotel, getting room service for dinner (worst meal so far), reading, watching tv, listening to the rain and working on the computer.

* Note on Cameron Highlands - it is Malaysia's most extensive hill station, with an altitude of 1300m-1829m, the temperature rarely drops below 10c or climbs above 21c.  Trekking, tea tasting and visiting local agro-tourism sites is the main thing done here by tourists.  Looking around Cameron Highlands, and conversations with local people confirms that unfortunately not a lot is being done to maintain the balance of farming and maintaining the natural jungle.  Big chunks of hillside have been stripped bare for soil and space for crops.  It really is quite sad to see, and one wonders how long it will be before there is very little jungle left.  The region has a very high concentration of Indian and Chinese people, and it is currently monsoon season.  On the days here we had clear weather each morning then the rain would roll in about 3pm and stay through the evening.