16.02.2004 - Took an 07:20 taxi from the Cathay Hotel to the ferry port for the trip to Pulau Langkawi. The damned aircon on the ferry was stuck in cryogenic mode for the whole journey, making us shiver. The journey was uneventful otherwise.
A taxi tout took us to Pantai Cenang beach where we booked into the Amzar Beach Hotel for two nights. Quiet enough place but that suited us. Had lunch on the beachfront and then went for a swim followed by a light sunburning! Caught the sunset and went for eats in the German-run Beach Garden Resort mentioned in the LP for South-East Asia.
17.02.2004 - Got up early and hit the beach again about 10:30. Stayed until 12:00 or so as it was getting too hot and I was sheltering the previous days' sunburn. Had lunch in the Sandy Beach Resort then took a boat tour of the nearest islets of the S.W.Langkawi group. The guy just dumped all 7 of us on a deserted island and pissed off for 90 minutes! There was N O T H I N G to do there except wait for the plonker to come back. Luckily the rest of the tour was better - we saw rare brown eagles flying above a small bay (the boatman threw them some (frickin bones) chopped meat and they swooped down to get it; then we saw the hungry shark-like fish in a floating fish-farm; then lastly we were taken to a small island which has it's own fresh water lake. The fresh and very nreaby salt waters don't mix amazingly.
Had a full meal in the German breach resort place and a few cocktails too. Seemed only fair :) Lastly we got tickets for a ferry/bus journey from Cenang to Kuah port; landing in Satun in southern Thailand, then 7 hours to Phuket town on Phuket island.
18.02.2004 - Got the bus (well, a taxi) to Kuah, then a 60 minute trip to Satun. Had to set our watches back an hour as Thailand is an hour behind MY. We got our first 'saongthewn' (spelling?!) open-backed bus to some smal town where we were packed onto a tour bus which stopped briefly in another small town at about 13:00. Had some spicy fishy rice thing which was cool. Some toothless, local langer started talking to me and ended up giving me a frickin arm massage, which was actualy quite sore. He tried the same game with Micaela but she handily sidestepped him. Our bus was imminent again anyway.
The journey was long and hot, but we could see very marked differences with the southern muslim Thailand, which slowly gave way to much more buddhist Thailand towards Krabi. Each and every (buddhist) house, office, bar or restaurant has a little shrine outside which was nice. They resembled little buddhist temples.
We arrived in Phuket town eventally, dodged the taxi/hotel/pisshead touts and went to get some Thai Bahts out of the wall. The Baht it runnning at 49.6 to the Euro. Hoo hoo. Monopoly money really.
We got a samlor taxi to Ao Karon (Karon Bay) on the west side of the island and booked into the Karon Seaview Bungalows place. Seemed a little seedy at first then it was fine.
19.02.2004 - Went out onto the beach after touring the ridiculously priced markets (with plenty of fake big-brand clothing etc.) and lay on the beach for a few hours. You are obliged to rent a set of deckchairs with parasol for THB200 for the whole day. Not bad. Went in for a swim with waterproof sunblock on. Later in the evening it turned out that the parasol was crap and in fact I had become quite sunburned all over my front, from feet/legs to forehead. DOH! GOt some aloe vera gel and applied it liberally!
Had dinner/cocktails in the "B.J.Beach" resort (!?@%#?!) and watched the sunset. Cool. I got two CDs burnt of my 512Mb CF card. Groovy...
Sunday, February 15, 2004
13.02.2004 - Left the "luxurious" Lok Sun hotel in KL this morning and dumped our bags in the recently opened KL Sentral Stasen. Then got onto the LRT train headed in the direction of the Petronas Twin Towers (since 9/11, the tallest buildings in the world). It was rush hour so it took us 5 attempts to get onto the damned train! Still, they were 3 minutes apart (DART / LUAS - eat your lazy hearts out) so it was fine.
Got to the Petronas towers to find that the viewing level (about a third the way up) was closed for renovations. Blast! So we walked in the increasingly oppressive heat towards the next best thing - the Menara Tower, Malaysia's highest telecomms tower and the third tallest in Asia. Excellent view from up thar...
Then we weaved towards the Low Yat Plaza, possibly the most dangerous place on earth for people with a technology fixation. Micaela bought a 256Mb CF card for RM 290 (or EUR62) ad good 35 cheaper than at home. I bought a Canon Ixus 400 for RM 2058 (or EUR432) which included a second battery, a 256Mb CF card, Canon leather belt carrier, which came with a 6-month worldwide warranty. Happy days! I've been snapping like a mad thing since. Mostly video clips actually but plenty of arty-farty shots too...
Then in the afternoon we took a taxi to the Batu Caves north of the city where there is a limestone cave complex where the Hindus in the 1800s set up a rake of shrines. Included in the entrance fee is a handheld electronic guide which gave a running commentary for the various shrines. Very cool. Smelt of shit though as the place was full of bird's nests and there was even a family of cheeky monkeys running around nobbling peanuts from anyone stupid enough to feed them! Nice visit all the same.
We just about got to the Sentral Stasen in time to have a quick bite to eat (I had a delicious Murtabak Ayam - or chicken chiapatty, with sidedish of spicy sauce). Then we got onto the night-train and got very uncomfortable for 8 hours as the train rumbled into each and every station on the way. There was nowhere to stash the backpacks, so we had to sleep with our legs up on the bags (well, only I had to - Micaela's legs are a little shorter than mine ;-) . Not comfortable at all. Slept for about an hour in total. The damned thing was lurching crazily at times too.
14.02.2004 - The train came to a stop at about 06.10 in Butterworth (facing across the straits at Georgetown). An opportunistic taximan grabbed us and brought us to pre-dawn Georgetown across Asia's longest bridge. Checked into the Cathay Hotel, which we later found out was a setting for some of the scenes in the 1995 movie 'Beyond Rangoon' starring the most bodacious Patricia Arquette!
Since it was 07:00 or so when we checked in, we kipped for a few hours and planned to go out. I couldn't wake up properly so I stayed in until lunchtime and Micaela went out for a walk. In the afternoon, we went back out and went up to the Kompleks Komptar a shopping centre with an excellent food hall. I had a claypot chicken and rice. Most tasty indeed.
We finally succumbed to the advances of one of the tri-shaw or 'trickshaw' guys and he brought us on a localised cycle tour of central Georgetown. Nice enough, but too hot for that even!
We went to the Kashmir Indian restaurant recommended by the LP book (thanks ConAmf and AidEtte - it's really coming in handy!). Of course all the little street imps were trying to get us to buy single roses as it was after all that wonderful Hallmark institute of Valentines Day. Told them to hoof it. After that, we had a jug of Tiger beer in the 20 Bar (or something like that). There was a local band wailing inside the bar and mozzies out after our blood so we didn't stay long.
15.02.2004 - Today we got up and went to the Kompleks Komptar to see if I could post my Ixus box home. of course it was a Sunday and it was closed. We went around the gaff for a while, had some breakfast dim sum with 'red coffee' - a delicious coffee laced with cinnamon (?) and some other herbal thang. Really eye-opening at any rate!
Also bought a single duvet cover each to use as a sleeping bag liner (thanks for the tip Annette ;-) as there are some pretty manky beds in hotels pretending to be "luxurious" i.e. the Lok Sun hotel in KL :-/ Added weight but should help against mozzies too. The durrty feckers are continuing their european blood-binge. Bitches (I say bitches as apparently only the females bite)!
Had some more Murtabak Ayam in the Ali Selemat take away a Muslim/Hindu eaterie on Lebuh Chulia St. It's only open a month, so I told them I'm going to email the Lonely Planet to tell them to put it in the next Malaysia book as it sells excellent food!
Got an RM28 (EUR6) minibus tour of the island this afternoon which took in a snake worshipping temple, a tropical fruit area where all sorts of herbs, spices and fruit are cultivated and sold. Excellent. Also went to a typical chinese fishing village where the pier extends outwards on a v e r y rickety causeway! Got some arty shots for you to paint mum!
Had some Nasi Goreng from the Ali Selamat place again as the place had impressed us so much at lunchtime.
Anyway, tomorrow is the 08:00 ferry to Langkawi which takes 2,5 hours. More to come.
Bo bo...
Got to the Petronas towers to find that the viewing level (about a third the way up) was closed for renovations. Blast! So we walked in the increasingly oppressive heat towards the next best thing - the Menara Tower, Malaysia's highest telecomms tower and the third tallest in Asia. Excellent view from up thar...
Then we weaved towards the Low Yat Plaza, possibly the most dangerous place on earth for people with a technology fixation. Micaela bought a 256Mb CF card for RM 290 (or EUR62) ad good 35 cheaper than at home. I bought a Canon Ixus 400 for RM 2058 (or EUR432) which included a second battery, a 256Mb CF card, Canon leather belt carrier, which came with a 6-month worldwide warranty. Happy days! I've been snapping like a mad thing since. Mostly video clips actually but plenty of arty-farty shots too...
Then in the afternoon we took a taxi to the Batu Caves north of the city where there is a limestone cave complex where the Hindus in the 1800s set up a rake of shrines. Included in the entrance fee is a handheld electronic guide which gave a running commentary for the various shrines. Very cool. Smelt of shit though as the place was full of bird's nests and there was even a family of cheeky monkeys running around nobbling peanuts from anyone stupid enough to feed them! Nice visit all the same.
We just about got to the Sentral Stasen in time to have a quick bite to eat (I had a delicious Murtabak Ayam - or chicken chiapatty, with sidedish of spicy sauce). Then we got onto the night-train and got very uncomfortable for 8 hours as the train rumbled into each and every station on the way. There was nowhere to stash the backpacks, so we had to sleep with our legs up on the bags (well, only I had to - Micaela's legs are a little shorter than mine ;-) . Not comfortable at all. Slept for about an hour in total. The damned thing was lurching crazily at times too.
14.02.2004 - The train came to a stop at about 06.10 in Butterworth (facing across the straits at Georgetown). An opportunistic taximan grabbed us and brought us to pre-dawn Georgetown across Asia's longest bridge. Checked into the Cathay Hotel, which we later found out was a setting for some of the scenes in the 1995 movie 'Beyond Rangoon' starring the most bodacious Patricia Arquette!
Since it was 07:00 or so when we checked in, we kipped for a few hours and planned to go out. I couldn't wake up properly so I stayed in until lunchtime and Micaela went out for a walk. In the afternoon, we went back out and went up to the Kompleks Komptar a shopping centre with an excellent food hall. I had a claypot chicken and rice. Most tasty indeed.
We finally succumbed to the advances of one of the tri-shaw or 'trickshaw' guys and he brought us on a localised cycle tour of central Georgetown. Nice enough, but too hot for that even!
We went to the Kashmir Indian restaurant recommended by the LP book (thanks ConAmf and AidEtte - it's really coming in handy!). Of course all the little street imps were trying to get us to buy single roses as it was after all that wonderful Hallmark institute of Valentines Day. Told them to hoof it. After that, we had a jug of Tiger beer in the 20 Bar (or something like that). There was a local band wailing inside the bar and mozzies out after our blood so we didn't stay long.
15.02.2004 - Today we got up and went to the Kompleks Komptar to see if I could post my Ixus box home. of course it was a Sunday and it was closed. We went around the gaff for a while, had some breakfast dim sum with 'red coffee' - a delicious coffee laced with cinnamon (?) and some other herbal thang. Really eye-opening at any rate!
Also bought a single duvet cover each to use as a sleeping bag liner (thanks for the tip Annette ;-) as there are some pretty manky beds in hotels pretending to be "luxurious" i.e. the Lok Sun hotel in KL :-/ Added weight but should help against mozzies too. The durrty feckers are continuing their european blood-binge. Bitches (I say bitches as apparently only the females bite)!
Had some more Murtabak Ayam in the Ali Selemat take away a Muslim/Hindu eaterie on Lebuh Chulia St. It's only open a month, so I told them I'm going to email the Lonely Planet to tell them to put it in the next Malaysia book as it sells excellent food!
Got an RM28 (EUR6) minibus tour of the island this afternoon which took in a snake worshipping temple, a tropical fruit area where all sorts of herbs, spices and fruit are cultivated and sold. Excellent. Also went to a typical chinese fishing village where the pier extends outwards on a v e r y rickety causeway! Got some arty shots for you to paint mum!
Had some Nasi Goreng from the Ali Selamat place again as the place had impressed us so much at lunchtime.
Anyway, tomorrow is the 08:00 ferry to Langkawi which takes 2,5 hours. More to come.
Bo bo...
Thursday, February 12, 2004
11.02.2004 - Got the train today from Singapore to Melakka in western peninsular Malaysia. Oppresive heat was the name of the game. We were let know at the stations in SG that being caught with drugs in or entering Malaysia carried the death penalty. Hmmmm.....
Melakka is fairly small, smelly and has mad and disturbingly deep gutters running along either side of the streets. Stayed in the excellent Hotel Puri for RM120 for a twin room (EUR1 = RM4.8!). The town seemed to us to be in Mexico instead of Asia because of all the dark, Indianised faces and the Portuguese architecture, giving a slight El Paso feeling... Got ravaged by mozzies in the early evening - only then did we realise that the big, noisy Quake-style guns the lads were wandering around with (which looked like leave clearing machines) were in fact anti-mozzy smoke guns. They were pointing them into said gutters in an attempt at insectoidal genocide! Go on ya good tings!! Micaela took a picture of a very old Mosque (in the ancient eastern islamic style - that of a Buddist pagoda!) and there were loads of little white reflections in the picture - legions of the little blighters!
12.02.2004 - Got the 10.30 express bus from Melakka to Kuala Lumpur (or "KL" to the locals). Took two hours. KL is not what I expected. Thought it would be a seriously modern and progressive place. It's fairly smelly and chaotic from what we've seen so far (i.e. not the most central parts). Saw the fairly impressive Islamic Cultural Centre which was nice alright. Going to see the Petronas Towers tomorrow. Have to be there early as the free tickets go very quickly apparently. Then going to the Batu Caves north of the city for the hot part of the day. Going to get the overnight train to Butterworth (facing out onto Penang Island) tomorrow night. All well here, just getting slowly tanned and mozzie-bitten. Don't worry all you faithful followers, we are not in malarialand just yet.
Bo bo for now!
D/M
Melakka is fairly small, smelly and has mad and disturbingly deep gutters running along either side of the streets. Stayed in the excellent Hotel Puri for RM120 for a twin room (EUR1 = RM4.8!). The town seemed to us to be in Mexico instead of Asia because of all the dark, Indianised faces and the Portuguese architecture, giving a slight El Paso feeling... Got ravaged by mozzies in the early evening - only then did we realise that the big, noisy Quake-style guns the lads were wandering around with (which looked like leave clearing machines) were in fact anti-mozzy smoke guns. They were pointing them into said gutters in an attempt at insectoidal genocide! Go on ya good tings!! Micaela took a picture of a very old Mosque (in the ancient eastern islamic style - that of a Buddist pagoda!) and there were loads of little white reflections in the picture - legions of the little blighters!
12.02.2004 - Got the 10.30 express bus from Melakka to Kuala Lumpur (or "KL" to the locals). Took two hours. KL is not what I expected. Thought it would be a seriously modern and progressive place. It's fairly smelly and chaotic from what we've seen so far (i.e. not the most central parts). Saw the fairly impressive Islamic Cultural Centre which was nice alright. Going to see the Petronas Towers tomorrow. Have to be there early as the free tickets go very quickly apparently. Then going to the Batu Caves north of the city for the hot part of the day. Going to get the overnight train to Butterworth (facing out onto Penang Island) tomorrow night. All well here, just getting slowly tanned and mozzie-bitten. Don't worry all you faithful followers, we are not in malarialand just yet.
Bo bo for now!
D/M
Monday, February 09, 2004
07.02.2004 - Well, finally arrived after two years talking about it. Before the flight to LHR, I had to get the goons in the Vodafone shop in the airport to set my brand new Nokia 6100 phone up as the other gimps in the Stillorgan shop fupped it up. Got to LHR and turned the phone one and still no reception. It only finally came alive just as we were boarding for Singapore.
The 12 hour flight to SG went without hitch, but there was no chance of sleeping. Plus, the guy beside me at the aisle was a steamer I suspect. Watched 'School Of Rock' and 'Welcome To The Jungle'. Both mediocre but watcheable. There were also a rake of in-flight games, card games and trivia tests to keep you sane till dawn.
Passed over N.E. Iran and S.W. Afghanistan on the way. Didn't have to dodge any S-A missiles thankfully...
Slept a total of three minutes I'd say. Absolutely b0llixed on arrival.
Hotel Phoenix (hotelphoenixsingapore.com) is nice enough, but pricey. It's right on Orchard St. - the biggest temple to Globalisation outside of the US I'd say! So much cheap tat for sale. Cameras are well cheaper than at home but still cheaper in MY no doubt. Will wait until Kuala Lumpur methinks...
Food halls here are every two centimeters and off all the asian cuisines you could possibly want. The food is stupendous! Just had an Indian lunch served on a banana leaf. Excellent stuff.
We have yet to get to Sentosa island and tat the cable car up to the hills. Also, we'll try to get to the Pulau Ubin island for some cycling to see "old-world Singapore".
Moving on to Malaysia on Wednesday and overnighting in Melakka hopefully. Feet are already beginning to complain :-/ No Deli Belly just yet. Fingers crossed (and legs I would imagine)...
Until next time folks - bo bo!
The 12 hour flight to SG went without hitch, but there was no chance of sleeping. Plus, the guy beside me at the aisle was a steamer I suspect. Watched 'School Of Rock' and 'Welcome To The Jungle'. Both mediocre but watcheable. There were also a rake of in-flight games, card games and trivia tests to keep you sane till dawn.
Passed over N.E. Iran and S.W. Afghanistan on the way. Didn't have to dodge any S-A missiles thankfully...
Slept a total of three minutes I'd say. Absolutely b0llixed on arrival.
Hotel Phoenix (hotelphoenixsingapore.com) is nice enough, but pricey. It's right on Orchard St. - the biggest temple to Globalisation outside of the US I'd say! So much cheap tat for sale. Cameras are well cheaper than at home but still cheaper in MY no doubt. Will wait until Kuala Lumpur methinks...
Food halls here are every two centimeters and off all the asian cuisines you could possibly want. The food is stupendous! Just had an Indian lunch served on a banana leaf. Excellent stuff.
We have yet to get to Sentosa island and tat the cable car up to the hills. Also, we'll try to get to the Pulau Ubin island for some cycling to see "old-world Singapore".
Moving on to Malaysia on Wednesday and overnighting in Melakka hopefully. Feet are already beginning to complain :-/ No Deli Belly just yet. Fingers crossed (and legs I would imagine)...
Until next time folks - bo bo!
Wednesday, February 04, 2004
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