General Bombing About

Hello! I am in Melaka, a(nother) UNESCO World Heritage city. It's quite picturesque, having been successively occupied by the Portuguese, the Dutch, the English (as usual), the Japanese (during WWII), the English (again) and then the Malays, which is only fair really. There're lots of different building styles, but most of the heritage centre (around the Stadthuys) is painted a kind of deep salmon pink. There are churches and colonial houses and all kinds of lovely architecture (the is also a Museum of architecture, as well as countless others). The foreign influences do not end with the forced occupations, however, with a massive Chinatown containing lots of Nyonya businesses (Nyonyas are traditionally mixed familys of indigenous Malay with Chinese settlers).Yesterday went out into onto Jonker Street (from the very authentic hotel) to find loads of stalls selling all kinds of everything. I'm sure people in Malaysia just eat and shop. The malls here are massive and mostly empty. It's weird but fun.

I was planning (again) to upload photos to the blog today, but once again the internet cafe computers are not playing. I've got some really good pictures too. Imagine them if you want. They'll probably be more exciting.

To get some kind of continuity let me fill you in on the various exploits filling the gap between Langkawi (previous post) and now. Left Langkawi on a ferry, having motorcycled up it's tallest, most perilously surfaced, predominantly unmotorcyclable and only mountain, visited its prettiest beaches and drank most of its water. The ferry got back in Georgetown where a night was spent (planning, always planning) before renting a new motorcycle the next day, leaving a large bag with two very confused guesthouse attendants (one of which was a lone-tooth-owning Malay human version of the film adaptation of Harry Potter's Dobby) and riding to the Cameron Highlands. It was a long way involving lots of Expressway (E1 represent), which is free for motorbikes and you ride on the hard shoulder. Also got to cross the Penang bridge which is massive and rather impressive. On the way up the hill, having naively ensured I had over 3/4s of a tank, almost ran out of petrol. Quite scary. Arrived in a tiny Kampung (village) on fumes and had to buy a bottle of petrol from a man in a shed. Best man ever! The Highlands were amazing and very cool and rainy. Got pissed wet through on the way up (cold, wet and low on petrol: I smell adventure), and practically ever other time I decided to leave the guesthouse. Happened to be there at the same time as a honeymooning friend, which I only discovered as she left on a bus, and still feel very bad for being away at the time of her wedding. Strange coincidence nonetheless.The area is rich in farms and the tea plantations are incredible. A ride up Gurung Brinchang (over 2000m above sea level) afforded some spectacular views, and a chance to take the bike to it's limit; therefore a 2.5km walk was required up the final steep ascent. They love the strawberries there, and you can get Devonshire Cream Teas all over the place... very civilised?After the Cameron Highlands came a trip to Kellie's Castle near Ipoh. This is an unfinished Scottish merchantman's Malay home that was supposed to contain the first elevator on the peninsula. He died first though, so it just contains lots of bats (and ghosts apparently). The ride was hot, the roads are dirty and sore throat-aggravating, and burning the backs of your uncovered hands is always an attractive option. God love Aloe Vera gel, the third most amazing invention ever (behind air conditioning and something that escapes me, but I've decided is definitely number two), soothing and wet. It also works on the constantly accruing proliferation of insect bites.

After that brief sojourn, it was off to Taiping. Which was the first in Malaysia for loads of stuff, having originally been rich with tin deposits. Some lovely lake gardens, good old buildings, people shouting greetings from cars (less used to tourists here, a bit off the beaten track) and delicious Pizza Hut (sometimes absolutely necessary). Also quite rainy. Hence the nickname "Raintown."

Left Taiping, rode 100km or so to Georgetown, recovered luggage, got the ferry to Butterworth, waited, took a train to KL and stayed in a YMCA (fun?) in one day. Next day took a train to Tampin (different place entirely), found a bus (full of schoolkids, or anak-anak), and went to Melaka where all the inns were full... or nearly. Stayed in a room with a window looking out into the hallway. Odd.Since then, generally looking 'round the historical areas, riverside, Chinatown and unfinished (but massive) malls of Melaka. There are unfilled malls everywhere, each containing far more staff than customers, where people buy nothing and the stores never seem to close. In fact malls are the only thing you can rely on being open: everything else seems to open and close at random. Tried to go to a vegetarian restaurant yesterday (took a while, lost it having found it) only to find it was closed at dinnertime. There's one kedai kopi type place (cheap restaurant) that has long queues outside at midday, but isn't open at 10am and seems to be closed by 2pm. In Ipoh the market started at 7am (complete with loud music) on Sunday morning, finishing before midday, some start at 8pm at night. They just spring up. If you fell asleep on a shady bench (as many people do with their sandals off) you'd probably wake up in a massive market. At least people buy stuff in the markets. Presumably the heat activates their buying glands. Note to malls: turn arctic air con off.Anyway, think that's probably enough for now.

I had the best chocolate milkshake ever for breakfast.

Langkawi: Monkeys, Lizards and a Massive Eagle

I'm now in Langkawi, which is an island in the Straits of Melaka. I have a small, rather rubbish motorcycle which it's traditional to ride very slowly (also if you can use your mobile phone and carry two small children at the same time, all the better). There're a lot more tourists here, but the food is still super cheap (I'm mostly enjoying Indian Dosai/Thosai at the moment: pancakes filled with vegetables/cheese/potato served with various curries). Also loving mango juice and mangosteen sorbet.

Yesterday, went up the longest free span single cable car (??) in the world, which is also one of the steepest cable cars (42 degrees). It was very spectacular and not the least bit frightening if you avoid thinking about it AT ALL COSTS. The oriental village at the bottom of the car was a bit like a theme park with Segways and paddle boats and a toilet with a huge water feature in. First massive thunderstorm last night, it rained hard. Staying in a nice motel off the beach and the sunsets are amazing. Currently planning what to do next, which is a lot harder than it sounds. Also keep spending money on incidentals (washing, food, cable car rides) so aren't saving quite enough, despite the 1GBP main meals. Will try and upload photos soon, but that may not go brilliantly. I've got lots of sunsets though. Good sunsets. And rain last night, woo!

Almost ran over a massive lizard in the road yesterday. And there are monkeys at many junctures. And hens. And yellow birds. And all kinds of stuff. Still, got to figure out what happens next now, can't spend my life on a beach: boring.

Georgetown

Today I have mostly visited all the World UNESCO heritage sites in Georgetown: there are 36! This place is amazing(ly hot) and wandering around can only be done for short periods of time before returning to any air conditioned place for necessary respite. The food here is super cheap still, and I've mostly been taking the vegetarian options which make it even cheaper (although, universally, the waiters offer chicken with any dish and are most confused when you decline).

There are any number of incredibly decorative Chinese temples and Konggi, Churches, Mosques and Indian temples. It's pretty spectacular all said. Also some lovely old buildings besides. Going to keep this brief again, as internet costs (very few, but still comparatively high amounts of) Ringgits. Already planning to go to Langkawi from here, but not until the whole island of Penang is thoroughly explored. Good times.

Miscellaneous facts: you can ride three-wheeled rickshaws piloted by very old men; there are lots of European types here, stinking up the place; the grass is very thick; people who drive taxis are obliged to slow down and say "taxi" at every Western-type; it's very hot; I don't really know what day it is or what my five-year mission is anymore.

Dilarang Menakok! (Malaysia)

Actually means "No Smoking" and there was a huge ship with "No Smoking" (English) written across it's big control tower part as I watched from the ferry on the way to Georgetown. I'm now there, the second biggest city in Malaysia, having already visited Kuala Lumpur (or KL as it's known) and Ipoh (numero 3). Three top cities, one week! Woo travelling!

It's absurdly hot here all the time. Average temperatures throughout the year are around 30 degrees. I have mostly been sweating into my clothes and wearing them over and over again. Woo travelling! KL was super-cool, with trips to the very high Merara tower, a theme park (with amazing rollercoaster) in the biggest shopping centre I've ever seen (Times Square), the Petronas towers and a swimming pool on the roof of a hotel. KL has a monorail, complete with Air Conditioning (the greatest invention known to man). It's brilliant.

Ipoh was much smaller, with a taxi ride to, and very old-school bus journey from the Perak Tong temple near the city. Honeyed lemon ice tea should be more widely available in England, it's the most delicious thing ever. I'm currently drinking lots (especially mango juice and water, which is complimentary with everything: rooms, meals, train journeys...) Unfortunately the only way to sleep in Ipoh (when the market started up complete with banging music at 7am on Sunday morning) was to put the deafening, one-setting-only air con on as white noise and pull over the sheet, blanket AND duvet to stop oneself from freezing to death.

Georgetown seems nice. Very colonial bits, with old buildings and a lovely padang (green space, Ipoh had a nice one too). Also seems like acquiring some form of transport will be possible here too, as there are car- and bike- rental places all over (including in here). Unfortunately I didn't think through putting pictures from my phone onto the pc/blog, so there are none forthcoming at present. Maybe later though. For now, off to enjoy the cooler sunny evening and perhaps lots of liquids. I love the way all the roads here have been translated from English and re-named, although Jalang Buckingham, Jalang Farquar etc all retain a lot of colonial feel.

I'll try and write more soon, but that's a basic breakdown of what's happened thus far.

Liking Malaysia, it's a pot pourri.