As we prepare to leave Malaysia, with its gentle people, afternoon thunder storms and its warmth it will be sad to leave behind Alex and her fiance Craig who have smothered us with generous hospitality and have expertly managed our tours. They live in the KL suburb of Taman Desa in a condominion with a wonderful swimming pool, tennis and squash courts plus a restaurant and a little shop. They live on the 14th floor with a cracking view of KL.
Our penultimate day was spent enjoying cocktails in the Sky Bar at the top of the Traders Hotel, overlooking the impressive twin Petronas Towers as we bade farewell to daughter Kate who was flying back to the UK. There was a massive thunder and lightning storm which lit up the Towers as if they were giant Christmas trees. Much ooing and aaing from the females present.
On Sunday (Feb 22) we saw a concert performed by the Malaysian Philarmonic Orchestra under guest conductor, Swedish-born Ola Rudner. The orchestra was formed in 1998 and has many ex-pats among its personnel. They played Handel's Concerto Grosso in C, together with three pieces by Haydn - the Sinfonia Concertante in B Flat, the Notturno No 3 in C and the Symphony No 100 in G ("Military"). Very enjoyable.
One of the great delights of Malaysia has been the cuisine whch is varied and tasty. We paid a second visit on our last night to a Chinese restaurant in town which is as good as any in GB, America or, dare we say, even China - and far cheaper! Mind you China is next on our list of places to go as we prepare to end our 80 days around the world in India.
Sunday 22 February 2009
Friday 20 February 2009
Penang perambulations, Langkawi layabouts and happy Highanders.
Before our departure for Penang and Lankawi we should mention Chinese New Year which resonates strongly in this part of the world. In KL streets were full of dragon dancers and lions with beautifully dressed women and girls in attendance. Although the New Year was officially in January there were still Chinese lantern festivals all over Malaysia.
We also witnessed a Thaipusan (Hindu) procession en route to the Batu caves. Men with extraordinary spears slicing through their cheeks and out the other side followed exotically dressed women.
Linda, Kate and Alex decided they needed a spruce up prior to the anticipated beach holiday and went for pedicures and nail extravanganzas - the former preceded by dipping feet in a fish tank whose occupants removed all unwanted skin - not for the squeamish, I can tell you. While this was going on Colin lost his unbeaten record on the squash courts to Tim, another PE teacher who was both charming and too talented.
We also witnessed a Thaipusan (Hindu) procession en route to the Batu caves. Men with extraordinary spears slicing through their cheeks and out the other side followed exotically dressed women.
Linda, Kate and Alex decided they needed a spruce up prior to the anticipated beach holiday and went for pedicures and nail extravanganzas - the former preceded by dipping feet in a fish tank whose occupants removed all unwanted skin - not for the squeamish, I can tell you. While this was going on Colin lost his unbeaten record on the squash courts to Tim, another PE teacher who was both charming and too talented.
Penang is reached by a 40 minute Air Asia hop. Once the getaway for Malaysia ex-pats it is now very built up but retains plenty of charming and historic Chinese enclaves. The capital Georgetown, where we stayed in the Bay View hotel, is a bustling city with a large Indian population too. We sampled dim sum and curries as we navigated our way round Fort Cornwallis, named after a former Governor General (in India), and other landmarks. Incidentally Cornwallis's statue was missing its sword which had apparently been melted down by the invading Japanese for their war efforts in 1942!
We visited the Khoo Kongsi house, a famous Chinese clan house, partly a temple and partly a meeting house still very much in use. The original 1896 version was burned down (probably arson by a rival clan). This building was recreated in 1906 and is thought to be the finest in south east Asia. There is a family tree of the Khoo clan set amid dragons, carved columns and lanterns. Awesome.
While Colin used the Bay View swimming pool Kate and Linda took a "walking tour" (by rickshaw as it was sooo hot) to Dr Sun Yat Sen's Penang house (he established the modern Republic of China in 1911 from his Penang base following the Cantonese uprising). There will be a conference there to mark the centenary in 2011.
To Langkawi.
Penang was very interesting but after 48 hours we were ready to be beach bums on the lovely island of Langkawi, a two and a half hour ferry trip north of Penang. This is Malaysia's answer to Phuket but without the crowds or the influx of beer-sodden Brits. It has gorgeous, sandy, white beaches with plenty of cover from the sun (around 35 degrees most days). We stayed in Holiday Villas which was experiencing the German towel syndrome to a small extent. In fact we witnessed a very funny scene in which some Germans had laid their towels on sun loungers only to return two hours after breakfast to find them occupied by a Chinese family. You didn't need to be a linguist to discern the tension (the Chinese held their ground, possession being nine tenths of the law).
Alex and her fiance Craig joined us two days later to look at potential wedding venues for their nuptials in April next year. They had researched the Tanjung Rhu beach resort in the north of the island and this gorgeous hotel did not disappoint. The bridal suites alone (there was a choice of three) were bigger than most London flats. The beach and the views were picture postcard perfect - their other options on Ko Lipe and Ko Lanta (two Thai islands) will have to go some to better this choice.
Daughter Helen and her boyfriend Simon (plus curly, uncut hair which elevated him to 6ft 7ins)
joined us for the start of their four week holiday which takes in Lipe, Laos, Vietnam and KL. They took us to a reggae bar they had visited the year before. Noisy, redolent of ganja and thoroughly entertaining! 
Holiday Villas food and beverage manager Aslan advised us he was Langkawi's answer to Rafael Nadal so a tennis match with Colin was arranged. Well - he was left handed with a fair serve but Ealing's finest beat him 6-0, 6-0. A return was arranged for Monday but poor Aslan pulled a muscle and had to bow out at 0-2! Just when Colin was feeling big-headed he had a return squash match with Tim in KL and was roundly thrashed again.
Langkawi was great fun and we returned to KL fit and tanned. But Alex decided it was time to play it cool and arranged a visit to the Cameron Highlands, a two and a half hour car drive north of KL, 5,000 ft above sea level. After the humidity and heat of KL this was 23 degree bliss and cool at night. We stayed in an old schoolhouse just outside the main town of Tanah Rata. It was called Bala's holiday chalets, a Tudor style guesthouse with English-style gardens of great charm.
This area is named after William Cameron who mapped the area in 1885 and the area is perfect for the growing of tea, strawberries and vegetables. There are forest trails, many waterfalls and even a village of former headhunters. When one of them appeared driving a locally manufactured Proton car it did somewhat destroy our image of the village!
Alex was up for tea and scones at the Smokehouse- all very English and very twee. The major tea plantation is called Boh but is owned by an English family called Russell who set it up in 1929. We paid a visit and were granted an interesting tour of the facility. How the workers harvest the tea from bushes which are perched on steep hillsides only they can relate. It is now partly mechanised with mini hovercraft skimming the fresh leaves from the top of the bushes every three weeks or so. Extraordinary!
We also visited a strawberry farm only to learn and witness the fact that they are grown three feet above ground in watered compost. No chance for birds or insects to have their wicked way with them. We felt honour bound to purchase some samples - not to mention the delicious jam.
Our jungle trek lasted little more than a hour and a half as part of the advised pathway had been cut off by a landslide of falling trees - not uncommon in these parts. We saw the enchanting Parrit Falls and the occasional monkey and butterfly.
On the return journey 5,000ft down a single, windy road in Alex's brand new (four days old) Myvi (Malay version of a Ford Escort) we encountered an upturned lorry as we navigated a sharp turn. If we had been there 30 seconds earlier Alex's pride and joy might have been history - not to mention this blog!
Monday 9 February 2009
NZ Picture Book
With our Auckland hosts Chris & Dee.
The awesome Franz Joseph glacier.
Nothing doubtful about Colin & Linda's dream flight.
Lakes above Doubtful Sound.
A Remarkable lady with The Remarkables in the background.
Linda and her geyser.
Saga lout transport.Sunday 8 February 2009
Abe's Babes
To the Alice Smith school, Kuala Lumpur, for Colin to deliver a homily on the merits of journalism as a career option in front of 110 nine-year-olds. These are bright kids and there is no shortage of questions after they have listened with commendable patience to stories of Nixon, Ceaucescu, Biggs, Alex Ferguson and other notable 1970s figures.
One boy put up his hand and asked the immortal question - "Did you cover the assassination of Abraham Lincoln". Colin, having celebrated his 67th birthday the day before, was made to feel very senior as he responded - "I'm old, but not that old!"
This is the school where our daughter Ali teaches. It was an Ofsted week and the inspectors were everywhere, popping in to see how year 4 were getting on with journalism. The Head Teacher was so impressed he has asked Colin to lecture to year 6 - but C is thinking of quitting while he is ahead.
Ali has laid on plenty of tennis and squash as a reward for Colin. And Ealing's finest is managing to beat all comers from the Alice Smith PE department so far. He may meet his Nemesis this afternoon on the squash court. Fitness and stamina could well become an issue against the KL champion.
We have been joined by daughter Kate, over here for a two week holiday sans her partner Jamie who remains in snowbound London. Kate is straight out to the pool to cool and to rectify her winter look.
On Sunday we take a 90 minute car ride to the Taman Alam Kuala Selangor Nature Park, north of KL. The traffic is heavy on a Bank Holiday weekend but we make it by 4pm. Wonderful mangrove forests, hiding the incredible mudskipper fish who can jump out of the swamps, scaling logs ten times their size and holding their breath out of the water by using fliud stored in their gills - truly amazing. Lots of bird life, too, including Brahmini Kites, storks and kingfishers. Cheeky monkeys - not drawn from Year 4 - bare their teeth at us as we traverse the park on a two hour walk.
We find a fantastic chinese restaurant alongside the Sungai Selangor river and eat dinner under a setting sun. Amazing food (snappers, chicken and satay dishes - and plenty of it - with large Tiger beers, sprites and even lemon tea). The whole feast for five of us - Ali's fiance Craig dragged himself away from the Premiership coverage on TV - came to under 40 pounds, including the drinks which are notoriously expensive in this muslim country.
Onto Kampung Kuantan to see the firelies or kelip-kelip (that's the noise they make) who lodge in the berembang trees alongside the river. You take a little rowing boat with no more than four passengers and punt slowly along while admiring these incredible creatures who light up the trees as if it's Christmas. Another glorious experience. Off to Penang and Langkawi tomorrow for a little R and R. As if we've earned it.
One boy put up his hand and asked the immortal question - "Did you cover the assassination of Abraham Lincoln". Colin, having celebrated his 67th birthday the day before, was made to feel very senior as he responded - "I'm old, but not that old!"
This is the school where our daughter Ali teaches. It was an Ofsted week and the inspectors were everywhere, popping in to see how year 4 were getting on with journalism. The Head Teacher was so impressed he has asked Colin to lecture to year 6 - but C is thinking of quitting while he is ahead.
Ali has laid on plenty of tennis and squash as a reward for Colin. And Ealing's finest is managing to beat all comers from the Alice Smith PE department so far. He may meet his Nemesis this afternoon on the squash court. Fitness and stamina could well become an issue against the KL champion.
We have been joined by daughter Kate, over here for a two week holiday sans her partner Jamie who remains in snowbound London. Kate is straight out to the pool to cool and to rectify her winter look.
On Sunday we take a 90 minute car ride to the Taman Alam Kuala Selangor Nature Park, north of KL. The traffic is heavy on a Bank Holiday weekend but we make it by 4pm. Wonderful mangrove forests, hiding the incredible mudskipper fish who can jump out of the swamps, scaling logs ten times their size and holding their breath out of the water by using fliud stored in their gills - truly amazing. Lots of bird life, too, including Brahmini Kites, storks and kingfishers. Cheeky monkeys - not drawn from Year 4 - bare their teeth at us as we traverse the park on a two hour walk.
We find a fantastic chinese restaurant alongside the Sungai Selangor river and eat dinner under a setting sun. Amazing food (snappers, chicken and satay dishes - and plenty of it - with large Tiger beers, sprites and even lemon tea). The whole feast for five of us - Ali's fiance Craig dragged himself away from the Premiership coverage on TV - came to under 40 pounds, including the drinks which are notoriously expensive in this muslim country.
Onto Kampung Kuantan to see the firelies or kelip-kelip (that's the noise they make) who lodge in the berembang trees alongside the river. You take a little rowing boat with no more than four passengers and punt slowly along while admiring these incredible creatures who light up the trees as if it's Christmas. Another glorious experience. Off to Penang and Langkawi tomorrow for a little R and R. As if we've earned it.
Wednesday 4 February 2009
Malacca Memories.
On our last afternoon in NZ we chanced upon the NZ America's Cup yacht returning to harbour in Auckland, victorious again. We witnessed it being winched out of the water and saw the ultra secret submarine shaped keel which has been the source of much mystery among yachties. Then we went to the park and took part in Scottish dancing commemorating Burns day. Dinner at Prego on Ponsonby Street completed a great finale to our visit with Auckland hosts Dee and Chris Whitby.
To Kuala Lumpur. Singapore Airlines magnificent - Silk Air (from Singapore to KL) one and half hours late and tiring after a long day. Got to Ali's apartment at around midnight (5.00am Auckland time) just in time to see Chelsea beaten 2-0 by Liverpool - aagh.
As news of London's heaviest snowstorm for 18 years reaches our ears we are basking in 30 degrees with humidity to match.
Ali, a teacher in KL, is facing Ofsted inspections all week so we have taken ourselves off to Malacca reached by the interstate bus which showed a frantically violent film on the internal television set with full volume for the entire two hour journey. This is a wonderful time warp of a city which was a major spice island trading post in the 15th century before being conquered by the Portuguese, Spanish, French and British (in that order I think). We are staying in the Hotel Puri which was the home of a famous philanthropist called Tan Kim Seng. The house has been restored as a magnificent, traditional example of an old Peranakan mansion.
It is a little daunting to eat out for $4 a head, only to visit a bar on the way back to the hotel and drink beer which costs more than the meal. Such is life in Muslim Malaysia. Enjoyed an informative river trip and met an interesting American from Chicago who had worked for IBM. The trip was advertised as a "welcome give your feet a rest" experience. That was no lie.
Colin faces the daunting experience of addressing Ali's class on the excitement of journalism as a career on Friday - in front of the Ofsted inspectors. Help!!! More later.
To Kuala Lumpur. Singapore Airlines magnificent - Silk Air (from Singapore to KL) one and half hours late and tiring after a long day. Got to Ali's apartment at around midnight (5.00am Auckland time) just in time to see Chelsea beaten 2-0 by Liverpool - aagh.
As news of London's heaviest snowstorm for 18 years reaches our ears we are basking in 30 degrees with humidity to match.
Ali, a teacher in KL, is facing Ofsted inspections all week so we have taken ourselves off to Malacca reached by the interstate bus which showed a frantically violent film on the internal television set with full volume for the entire two hour journey. This is a wonderful time warp of a city which was a major spice island trading post in the 15th century before being conquered by the Portuguese, Spanish, French and British (in that order I think). We are staying in the Hotel Puri which was the home of a famous philanthropist called Tan Kim Seng. The house has been restored as a magnificent, traditional example of an old Peranakan mansion.
It is a little daunting to eat out for $4 a head, only to visit a bar on the way back to the hotel and drink beer which costs more than the meal. Such is life in Muslim Malaysia. Enjoyed an informative river trip and met an interesting American from Chicago who had worked for IBM. The trip was advertised as a "welcome give your feet a rest" experience. That was no lie.
Colin faces the daunting experience of addressing Ali's class on the excitement of journalism as a career on Friday - in front of the Ofsted inspectors. Help!!! More later.
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