To Agra, the home of the magnificent Taj Mahal, tomb of Mumtaz Mahal - no not the celebrated Irish five furlong speedster and record holder of the 1930s owned by the late Aga Khan - but Emperor Shah Jahan's second wife and beloved mother of 14. He was later buried along side her in 1666. The exquisite mausoleum took 22 years to build (20,000 workmen) costing the equivalent of 100 million pounds. The marble inlay work is astonishing in its detail and magnificence. We got our first glimpse watching it from the other side of the Yamuna river as the colour changed dramatically from white to pink.
The following morning we arose at 6am to get our dawn view of this ninth wonder of the world. Our driver Bobby (with us for 21 days in Rajasthan) went mysteriously missing and left us to the devices of a tour guide. He was knowledgeable but not necessary and cost less than he had hoped for as a result. He also dragged us to marble inlay craftsmen and jewellers - "It costs nothing to look" he claimed. This time it didn't.
India is a place of enormous contrasts. Close by the majesty of the Taj Mahal you will see lame, mangy and feral dogs, wild pigs and cattle all foraging for the same street detritus. Nearby there will be mothers and babies begging piteously. Once you have given to one you will be surrounded by a host of others. It is deeply disturbing and upsetting.
To our 20-day tour of Rajasthan beginning with the Keoladeo Ghana National Park, a wonderful bird park which was formerly a duck shooting reserve made for Maharaja Suraj Mahal in the 1850s. It was contrastingly peaceful and calm, even though, we were told, Lord Linlithgow had shot 2,000 ducks in one day there in 1938 while Viceroy of India! Our excellent cycle rickshaw wallah Mr Singh turned out to be very knowledgeable and pointed out 45 different species of birds including an eagle, plus the surprise of three jackals and a turtle. After the hustle and bustle of Agra and Delhi this was manna from heaven. The only downside was that we had to change hotels from a fly ridden hovel to a superior grade. Bollocking for tour operator.
To Ranthambhore National Park in search of tigers. We took two tours (morning and afternoon) and saw much game but, sadly, not a tiger. We were informed that we were very lucky to see a total of three leopards, until we learned that our guide had cheated a little by "finding" their regular haunt in a cave just outside the town. Because leopards are frightened of tigers they scavenge in the town at night. We stayed in a lovely hotel - but unfortunately the parents of an 18-year-old also thought it was a perfect venue for his birthday party resulting in a midnight disco that must have frightened the tigers!
Jaipur by bumpy roads, confronting head on traffic on dual carriageways, wandering cows and camel-drawn carts - the lot. Luckily Bobby - complete with loud horn which is the favoured extra of the Indian driver - steered us safely through. After a much needed haircut (three pounds including a head and back massage for Colin) we visited the City Palace which is still lived in by the Maharaja of Jaipur and his family. The previous incumbent died of a heart attack playing polo at Smith's Lawn, Windsor, in 1970 - an event Colin remembered.
Everything in Jaipur is pink as the result of the visit of the Prince of Wales in 1876 as the then Maharaja believed it to be a sign of welcome. Today residents are compelled by law to repaint their houses annually - although it looks more coral than pink. That evening we found an Italian restaurant on a nearby rooftop to our hotel. It lacked a licqor licence but got round this by serving beer in a teapot! Rather warm and unappealing, to be honest.
Next day we visited the Amber Fort, 11k outside Jaipur. We took an elephant ride up to the imposing edifice sited on a massive hill, resembling the Maharaja and Maharani of Ealing. After exploring it for two hours in 40 degrees of heat we thought we would see how the other half live by slinking off to the Polo Bar in the Rambagh Palace hotel, part of the Raj group, and set in 19 peaceful hectares where the Maharani Mother still resides in the grounds. Marvellous moustachioed and turbaned staff, charm itself, dating from another era served the Ealing Memsahib a gin and tonic while the Sahib relied on Kingfisher beer to slake his thirst. "It doesn't cost anything to look," we thought to ourselves. Well only 1500 rupees (21 pounds)!
By huge contrast we drove on to Pushkar, a bewitching Hindu pilgrim town noted for its religious mores and alcohol free ambience. (Whose idea was this - Ed). It boasts hundreds of temples - Colin is planning to visit every single one. Indiana Jones is in our wake tomorrow.
Monday, 9 March 2009
Wednesday, 4 March 2009
Delhi drivers and Kashmir cash crisis
To Delhi and another wonderful flight from Singapore Airlines who get our star award. Spent an informative and entertaining five hours at Changi airport, going to all three terminals via the Skytrain and marvelling at the entertainment, shopping possibilities and even the food court where we had chicken and rice for less than five pounds each.
Delhi was a culture shock with the taxi driver qualifying for the world's worst driver award within five minutes of leaving the airport - sadly the Prince Polonia hotel, recommended by Lonely Planet, was no better - dirty sheets etc and not ready for us even at midnight when we arrived! Bad start. But we soon fetched up at our travel company where Javed put us in a nice little boutique hotel and fixed up our trip round Rajasthan. Only problem was he recommended the chance of a lifetime - four days in Kashmir including flight to Srinagar - "It's very peaceful now, sir". Er, no.
But before we flew to the Himalayas we had a wonderful lunch with Edmo, an old colleague of Colin's, whose wife Alex is Sky's Asia correspondent and recently won the Royal Television Society's reporter of the year award. All this and four children to manage!
Edmo himself declined Colin's offer of tennis on the very reasonable grounds that he had had an operation two days earlier. But he managed to host a great lunch at Punjabi By Nature - great food . Hopefully Alex won't be busy when we return to Delhi and we can return the favour. Edmo has taken to life as a Maharajah with surprising aplomb. Even the guard of his sumptuous home looks like Jaws from James Bond!
On arrival at Srinagar there was a plentiful supply of army presence at the airport and even more in the town. We should have been suspicious when we were body searched four times before leaving Indira Ghandi airport and had to identify our luggage before boarding. India is in the throes of post Mumbai security alerts.
The boss of of the Swan houseboat on Dal lake where we were due to live for the next four nights said we would have the most memorable stay of our time in India - and he was right for the wrong reasons. We had been told it was 20 degrees but it never rose above 14 degrees during sunny days and there was a biting frost every night. The houseboat was unheated and damp, save for parafin heaters and we were stranded in the middle of the lake at the mercy of the shikara wallah (the boatman). We were persuaded (forced) to have four tours including trekking twice in the Himalayas (Colin with a strained thigh from the Cameron Highlands and Linda with a bad knee) to keep us out of the town which was the subject of an army curfew. We couldn't return before 4.30pm having set out before 8am.
The Himalayas were stunning and gorgeous although our guide's driving was similar to that of our Delhi taxi driver. We negotiated with him not be on his mobile the whole time as he steered us round hairpin bends on a steep, rutted single track path up the side of a sheer mountain. Every night we were sitting ducks in the houseboat as various carpet, jewellery and spice salesmen peddled their wares. "It doesn't cost anything to look sir," they began. We developed a hostage mentality and felt quite molested. We met two other Englishmen on the second day, a silversmith from Birmingham called Stephen and a goldsmith named David from Bromsgrove who had similar feelings to us. But the British sense of humour won the day, even if we have more booty from Kashmir than we intended. As Colin remarked to Linda who wanted to abort our second mountain venture "Is this the spirit that won the empire?"
During the first trek we had some five hours to kill before we were allowed back into Srinagar (due to the curfew) and were entertained in a mountain guide's family home. The wife prepared chapatis and delicious Kashmiri tea (including cardomon, saffron and honey) on an open wood fire inside the house. Her three small children (one at the breast) played around her while her husband tried to persuade us to use his ponies. Sadly we weren't up to that. Seeing the poverty and receiving their hospitality was quite humbling.
The Kashmiri people would love to be independent from both India and Pakistan who have been fighting over their bodies for 40 years. There are 600,000 Indian troops in the area and daily you are made aware of it. On our return we had our bags and bodies searched again no fewer than four times at the airport (by the army) but they only found three safety pins on Linda to confiscate. The people are lovely but poor and desperately need tourism. Neither Pakistan nor the Indian army are doing them any favours. We wouldn't recommend a houseboat and it's best to go in the summer when the flowers and water lilies are at their best. Never did we imagine we would be grateful to see Delhi and feel the heat again. Bliss.
Delhi was a culture shock with the taxi driver qualifying for the world's worst driver award within five minutes of leaving the airport - sadly the Prince Polonia hotel, recommended by Lonely Planet, was no better - dirty sheets etc and not ready for us even at midnight when we arrived! Bad start. But we soon fetched up at our travel company where Javed put us in a nice little boutique hotel and fixed up our trip round Rajasthan. Only problem was he recommended the chance of a lifetime - four days in Kashmir including flight to Srinagar - "It's very peaceful now, sir". Er, no.
But before we flew to the Himalayas we had a wonderful lunch with Edmo, an old colleague of Colin's, whose wife Alex is Sky's Asia correspondent and recently won the Royal Television Society's reporter of the year award. All this and four children to manage!
Edmo himself declined Colin's offer of tennis on the very reasonable grounds that he had had an operation two days earlier. But he managed to host a great lunch at Punjabi By Nature - great food . Hopefully Alex won't be busy when we return to Delhi and we can return the favour. Edmo has taken to life as a Maharajah with surprising aplomb. Even the guard of his sumptuous home looks like Jaws from James Bond!
On arrival at Srinagar there was a plentiful supply of army presence at the airport and even more in the town. We should have been suspicious when we were body searched four times before leaving Indira Ghandi airport and had to identify our luggage before boarding. India is in the throes of post Mumbai security alerts.
The boss of of the Swan houseboat on Dal lake where we were due to live for the next four nights said we would have the most memorable stay of our time in India - and he was right for the wrong reasons. We had been told it was 20 degrees but it never rose above 14 degrees during sunny days and there was a biting frost every night. The houseboat was unheated and damp, save for parafin heaters and we were stranded in the middle of the lake at the mercy of the shikara wallah (the boatman). We were persuaded (forced) to have four tours including trekking twice in the Himalayas (Colin with a strained thigh from the Cameron Highlands and Linda with a bad knee) to keep us out of the town which was the subject of an army curfew. We couldn't return before 4.30pm having set out before 8am.
The Himalayas were stunning and gorgeous although our guide's driving was similar to that of our Delhi taxi driver. We negotiated with him not be on his mobile the whole time as he steered us round hairpin bends on a steep, rutted single track path up the side of a sheer mountain. Every night we were sitting ducks in the houseboat as various carpet, jewellery and spice salesmen peddled their wares. "It doesn't cost anything to look sir," they began. We developed a hostage mentality and felt quite molested. We met two other Englishmen on the second day, a silversmith from Birmingham called Stephen and a goldsmith named David from Bromsgrove who had similar feelings to us. But the British sense of humour won the day, even if we have more booty from Kashmir than we intended. As Colin remarked to Linda who wanted to abort our second mountain venture "Is this the spirit that won the empire?"
During the first trek we had some five hours to kill before we were allowed back into Srinagar (due to the curfew) and were entertained in a mountain guide's family home. The wife prepared chapatis and delicious Kashmiri tea (including cardomon, saffron and honey) on an open wood fire inside the house. Her three small children (one at the breast) played around her while her husband tried to persuade us to use his ponies. Sadly we weren't up to that. Seeing the poverty and receiving their hospitality was quite humbling.
The Kashmiri people would love to be independent from both India and Pakistan who have been fighting over their bodies for 40 years. There are 600,000 Indian troops in the area and daily you are made aware of it. On our return we had our bags and bodies searched again no fewer than four times at the airport (by the army) but they only found three safety pins on Linda to confiscate. The people are lovely but poor and desperately need tourism. Neither Pakistan nor the Indian army are doing them any favours. We wouldn't recommend a houseboat and it's best to go in the summer when the flowers and water lilies are at their best. Never did we imagine we would be grateful to see Delhi and feel the heat again. Bliss.
Sunday, 22 February 2009
Malaysian Memories
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.
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.
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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