A few (almost) missed moments from Malaysia and Thailand (Aug. 31 to Oct. 17, 2005)

On a trip as lengthy as this one has been, there are inevitably a lot of great moments that kind of get forgotten amongst all the many larger events that occurred. The sort that I have largely neglected in writing the various blogs I have published. So here, is a little collection of pictures and short comments and stories, from a few spots along the way, many of which I never was able to mention until now...

1. Melaka, Melaysia.

Melaka is a city notable primarily for its colonial history - the Dutch were there, the British were there, the Japanese were there, and so on. It is not such a picturesque place, but it did have an interesting Chinatown, as well as Little India where we experienced something new for both of us - dinner served on a banana tree leaf.


Dinner on a banana tree leaf...

2. Raising a Family - Batu Caves, just outside Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia

The Big City - especially Kuala Lumpur - is really not the best place to be raising kids. I suggest doing like the locals do if you find yourself in this situation while living in such a place. Find a big cave just outside of town, a keep an eye on them, but they will be able to do as they please in a way that probably wouldn't be possible in the middle of the city...


Monkeys at the Batu Caves - just outside Kuala Lumpur.

3. Pangkor Island, Malaysia.

The Islamic culture is very strong and visible all over Malaysia. When I looked over our hotel balcony, down to the restaurant below, and saw this scene - two young couples certainly much younger than Elisabeth and myself, I couldn't help wondering, was this an arranged dinner?


An arranged dinner?

4. Georgetown, Penang Island, Malaysia.

Unfortuntately, Georgetown, though a place with a fair amount of character and a colonial past still quite visable in certain areas, what not a place the produced any stories I felt like writing up at the time. Nonetheless, the view from the nearby hill, about 1000 metres above sea level (and 5 degrees cooler than the very hot and humid weather down on the city streets) proved a very pleasant little afternoon excursion.


One of those great views that you really had to witness in person to appreciate.

5. Cameron Highlands, Malaysia.

I wrote a fairly extensive blog about our stay in the Cameron Highlands, one little detail I left out was the fantastically unique accomodation we had - a lively guesthouse very popular with backpackers - which included rooms in bunker style huts originally built to house British soldiers in the lead up to World War II.



Not only that, each morning just outside, farm workers were picking and boxing cabbage to send to market, an unexpectedly compelling sight.



6. The ferry to Koh Samui, Thailand.

There were two things the struck me about this one. Firstly, as we arrived, I was surprised at how natural the port was - I was expecting one of those typically industrial port areas, heavily polluted and largely devoid of much character. This one was really just palm trees.


Welcome to Koh Samui - palm trees and palm trees. No hint of the thousands of package tourists hidden behind the trees.

Secondly, one always wonders a bit about safety standards in developing countries like Thailand and Malaysia - on boats, at petrol stations...


Who's counting years anyway?


...is that can rusty?

7. Koh Toa, Thailand - Second to none food standards.

Here's a helpful reminder I would recommend any restaurant owner or manager should consider putting up in their restaurant to remind the staff. Make it visible for customers too, they will surely appreciate knowing you care.


Yes!...and of course, dirty food, bad taste.


8. Writing all this stuff! (Koh Samui, Thailand, in the case of this photo).

I really enjoy having a laptop with me during this trip, even though more than one person advised against it. Not only was it easy to sit out and write some of this stuff, it also allowed me to make new friends along the way.


Me, my computer, and my new friend.