A Round-the-World Journey to Find a New Home #20

By: Jake Stroudley

Malaysia and Singapore

Malaysia, food Food FOOD!!! (Great food)
Today is Tuesday the 13^th of August, and we are back in KL for a short stopover to sort out yet more visas, do some shopping and amongst other stuff, reacquaint ourselves with the megastastic food capital of the world!!! The food here is absolutely unsurpassable, for the sheer variety and tastiness of the grub on offer is mouth-wateringly, stomach-gurglingly, mind-bogglingly amazing! This is of course a purely personal view maybe not shared by others who are blind to the intensity of taste and tingling flavors available at every street corner 24 hours a day.

Other than that, to us KL is busy and expensive to stop around in for too long. There are of course a few touristy things to do here but it seems to me that most travelers use KL as a stopover for essential needs and as an entry and departure point to anywhere else that’s cheaper than here, of which, in Asia, the choice is massive. Our first time here was about three months ago, where we flicked in and out of KL to visit the various parts of Malaysia in-between visits to the dentist for essential work on Eddie’s masticating molars.

I have to mention the place we stay: Pudu Hostel, (not in the travel books yet, thank God) conveniently opposite Pudu Raya, the main bus terminus in KL. For not only is it (I would be fairly sure in saying) the most popular place for backpackers, but also the business of an incredibly unassuming man called “Big Pete”, a huge bulk of a man (which his name suggests) who is one of the most interesting men I have met on my travels. You would not guess to look at him; long unkempt hair, his faded jeans with saggy back pockets, his old heavy metal t-shirt and worn out flip flops, that this man is the creator of a massive tourist backpacker empire stretching all the way to Singapore, and with it the cash one would expect. Just to buy him a beer and cajole him into a few stories will entertain you for hours giving you a very inexpensive evening in a very expensive city. Beware though, he is not a man to annoy, his presence is enough not to want to meet him on a dark night, let alone offending him.

Just nearby there are markets galore offering the variety of cheap and copy goods that you can find anywhere in Asia’s capital cities, however the most fascinating and most certainly the cheapest form of entertainment is the great pastime of people watching. Another of my favorite things. We found a curbside food hall, where we have whiled away a few hours now and again with a chilled bottle of beer and a packet of ciggies watching the amazing goings on of the market street.

In front of us is the doughnut man, effortlessly and silently working away at his little stall making deep fried dough breads that sell as fast as he can make them, constantly rolling dough, cutting, shaping and frying. Turning, draining and tossing them onto his tabletop rack where eager locals scurry every time a new batch is delivered to the rack. At 50 Sen. a stick the job is labour intensive for little return, but that is the way of many of the people here in KL, it’s a rich city with most of the inhabitants scratching a wage. On he goes, all day long until his bucket of dough is finished, and a lady with one leg shorter than another arrives on a motor scooter with wheel chair attached to take over his patch for the evening trade. She sells aluminum wire sculptures that hang from a colourful golfing umbrella attached to her wheelchair. She sits there, after the doughnut man has left, constantly arranging her wares around the table top attachment on her lap, still wearing her helmet and her scarf firmly wrapped around her face hiding the features of what I imagine is an old wrinkled lady underneath.

KL is an amazingly cosmopolitan place, Indians mix freely with Malays, as do the strong presence of Chinese and Muslims, this is, to me, what makes KL interesting, yes we can visit the Mosques and the Caves, go up the Petronas Towers and visit the museums, but the real KL is in the people. Its alive with culture, from the distinct smells of spices in the small Indian shops and the sweet tantalizing wisps of roast duck in the Chinese restaurants (food again…), colourful clothes that originate in Indonesia line the markets streets where black hooded Muslim women walk with purpose, avoiding anyone’s gaze, especially mine. The younger generation flog CD’s and VCD’s, next to fruit stalls selling spiky rambutans and mangos, then more “Rolex” watches and “TAG” next to fake designer leather goods that the 22 week tourist seem to lap up by the sack full. KL keeps the original, the culture and the feel of Asia, but mixes it so well with the modern and the never ending tourist trade…

Stepping back in time momentarily, back to about a week before KL to when we entered Malaysia, crossing the border on a train from Hat Yai in Thailand. It was the easiest thing, one moment you were in Thailand, the next Malaysia. A brief stop at the border station to show passports and get the good ol’ stamp in the ever filling passport pages (another place, another stamp) and onward to Butterworth, in itself a nothing kind of place but the ferry port for Penang. Penang is rambling, looks like it may fall to bits in places at any time. The back streets remind me of places I’ve been in other countries, same scenes, smells and of course bicycle rickshaws.

To tell you the truth, I’ve not much to say about Penang, as in fact, I don’t of Malaysia as a whole. It’s a nice enough country, but it lacks the vibrancy and shocking-ness of other Asian countries. It’s all too civilized you know, there are little pockets of tradition like in Penang, but few and far between. This came home to me in Penang. I was excited to show Eddie the island, the snake temple, the fishing villages that I had once before nine years ago visited. But nine years is a long time to pass in these modern days and times. A multi-laned freeway now encompasses the island where a small single lane each way road was, high rise buildings of business parks and estates loom around you as soon as you leave central Georgetown. What could I expect, life moves on and so do countries. They can’t stay in limbo just for me to come back and re-visit? (Why not?)

The snake temple, once a magnificent temple set back from the road with trees and bushes out front adorned with sleepy snakes of all shades of green and the heavy scent of incense in the air, an entrapment of senses and awareness, now belittles itself as a “major” tourist attraction, tour buses arrive here, as it’s easily accessible being only meters from the new freeway. Gimmicky shops selling plastic key rings and mobile phone covers flank either side of the diminished front courtyard, now a shadow of what was. The temple now empty of local people that used to come for solitude and prayer, has only a couple of bushes where dopey snakes hang, cheap incense fills the air. The man hassles us as he tries to give us a whirlwind tour showing all the places where snakes lay, unmoving, before asking us if we wanted a photograph with a snake?

Go away…

Fishing villages now deserted, beached dirty with tar and rubbish, the long road along the northern side of Penang now a row of bars and fancy ship-shaped restaurants, reminding me of Koh Samui. Now I paint a sad picture, one of change and sadness, but this is for me, not for anyone else. It’s my opinion not yours or theirs, but it is my travelogue, and I will write what I feel. Let’s get back to food…

My first taste of Malaysian Roti, not like a chapatti in India, although sold and eaten largely by Indian vendors and clientele. Like a pancake lightly fried and folded, served with a dipping sauce like spicy curry or lentil dhal. The food for breakfasts, and the breakfast we ate every morning we were in Malaysia. (Food freak) Well, I had to say something nice about Penang, didn’t I!?

Skipping KL, onto Cherating by bus, a sleepy seaside village on the east coast where there was nothing much to do but laze, eat great food, and make your own batik. So this is what we did. Noah looked like he was on drugs, but assured us he wasn’t, and that he was teetotal (Yeah right!). We decided on T-shirts and Eddie did a teddy bear and named it Eddie Teddy, I drafted my encounter with the whale shark in Similans. Unfortunately the T-shirts were quite thick and so hot, thus Eddie uses hers as a slouch shirt in the room and mine never sees the light of day. Doh! But it was all good fun doing it and that’s what matters.

Melaka was interesting for a day, not much more than that as you could see every thing that was worth seeing in a day! How convenient… the only reason that we stayed for longer is that in our vain attempts to excite ourselves about Malaysia we got shit-faced plastered one evening (sorry about the language but they seem the appropriate words to describe just how drunk we got) and the photographs that were just recently developed showed scenes that we just don’t remember happening, but we won’t go into that. (Bribes will be accepted for private notations on the events depicted by the photographs of that evening). And so a day was spent in bed moaning and swearing never to pass another drop of alcohol over our lips.

Having once again dashed yet another town of Malaysia into oblivion, I have to say that it wasn’t all bad, just most of it. The most interesting area was around Jonglers Walk, where Chinese temples rub shoulders with Muslim Mosques, and the streets are lined with old colonial style houses with courtyards and jazz bars. The area is famous for it’s “Antique” shops, where you can wander around in musty shops wondering if that really is a real Ming vase sitting next to that clapped out wind up gramophone player, and is that a 300 year old relic of ancient Chinese origin, or not?

Well then, back to KL, and onto Selangor, home of the spectacular, that is the largest, colony of fireflies this side of Bognor Regis, which are purported to flash in unison along the banks of some mangrove around two hours down west of KL town. Full of expectation we bused it down to check this out and spend a night in what has to be said, one of the dullest places I have ever been. The Fire flies were however an impressive sight, we glided in silence in an electrically powered boat through the darkness where we watched a massive show of flashing fireflies, which were, as promised, flashing in unison. Unfortunately the trip was around 45 minutes long, about 35 minutes too long actually, and the flashing lights reminded me of Christmas fairy lights which kind of spoilt the moment, and a bored comment to Eddie regarding the ability to make your bum light up without the aid of bodily gas and a lighter lost us into a pile of giggling mirth at the back of the boat, trying desperately to keep it quiet not to spoil the moment of serenity and quietness obviously being beholden by the other passengers of our boat. Sorry about that… (If any of you were on the boat might be reading)

Probably the nicest place to visit for us in Malaysia was the Cameron Highlands, although Taman Negara National Park might have been if we had time to get round to it and do it justice. Unfortunately a time constraint kept us from there, but I am sure we will get to it in the future. Only one Bus Company goes between KL and Cameron Highlands (CH from now on), which was probably why they didn’t feel the need to update their fleet, seeing as there wasn’t any competition. The bus rattled and whined up the twisting road to CH, poorly hand painted in red and white in an effort to refurbish the vehicle, through some of the most beautiful countryside I’d seen in Malaysia, lush green fields, forests and tea plantations evident on the hillsides as we climbed.

Through Ringlet, a small town that possessed a number of old English style, country manor house like hotels, posh and expensive, for the higher excellence of Malay society. Then onto Tanah Rata where we were destined to stay for a few days. For a quiet getaway in a sleepy town in the hills of the CH, this is not the place to come, it was pretty much a one street town lined with tourist tat shops, bars and restaurants, people trying to get you into their taxis and take you on tours. This was the first immediate impression that we got. But so not to be too negative, after a day or so the place grows on you. The tourist shops you avoid, the restaurants (most of them anyway) are great, this is one place where you can sample the traditional “steamboat” and it’s great. A volcano pot of bubbling spicy broth, in which you dip all sorts of yummy stuff from meats and veggies to noodles and fish balls. A kind of make your own meal from an assortment of ingredients, but a different meal each go!!!

We stayed at Fathers Guesthouse, up overlooking the town, away from the bustle and situated in gardens, this was what I felt the CH was meant to be about. Calm, serene and peaceful with a nice homely and friendly family that looks after the place. Our room looked out onto the garden through patio doors. And it didn’t cost an arm and a leg. Apart from savoring the wonderful food, which was pretty damn wicked, we did a couple of walks and visited a few places like the fruit farms and tea plantations and wandered through beautiful, mossy, laden, pristine, first generation rain forest, apparently some of the finest in Malaysia. Heaps of those upside down trumpet-like plants whose name escapes me at the moment, the bright orangey red ones that have an umbrella and entices insects into the trumpet where they get stuck and are devoured by these carnivorous plants. Amazing stuff, the guide that took us was really up on his stuff, had traveled throughout Malaysian forests and seen sights that few will ever, now that the environment is wasting away these incredible places. Once gone, never to return. Walking through these areas is like walking on a trampoline, you fairly bounce on the mossy ground and it’s a weird sensation, it’s like putting a spring in your step.

We were at the CH during the beginning of the World Cup, and we are not major fans of football. But even though, it still amazes me how travelers stop and work their entire days and weeks around the football schedule. “Oh, no, can’t do this or see this fantastic sight because there is a football match on between two sides I have absolutely no interest in, even though it means I’ll will have left the CH without really seeing anything…”

It rained nearly every day for about an hour or so, not enough to disrupt your day and not hard usually, drizzle mostly. The air stayed cool and refreshing which is a great respite from the humidity of the lowlands of Malaysia, there’s something about this area of Peninsular Malaysia that makes people who come here more friendly and talkative, friends are easily made here or even just part time acquaintances. It’s easy to find yourself talking or drawn into conversations with people and arranging meals out and stuff. It’s a far cry from the usual “clichï¿½” traveler scene that you can come across that we don’t want to be a part of. Maybe it’s the climate that puts people at ease and more themselves; maybe it’s just purely the friendly atmosphere at Fathers, whatever it is it makes time here comfortable and rewarding.

One of my favorite memories of Malaysia (apart from the food, enough, enough about food already!!!) was an old Chinese temple we visited. Now I’m not totally sure of where we found it, but the place sticks in my mind. The air was mixed with the exotic scents of incense, the sticks that smoldered creating a heavy layer of pungent smoke that lay on the air, like early morn mist. This place was exquisitely decorated with bright red and gold carved wood, and strange brightly coloured mythical creatures adorning the roofs, looking down on the front square watching over the people making offerings below. The people waving incense sticks of varying sizes to the gods within, all with a concentrated and deep looks within them, the area was near to silent, small fires crackled either side of the square where people burnt symbols of wealth in the form of elaborate paper money. A tramp-like person wandered around the ground with a childlike expression, creating the only voice we could hear, talking to some people, making faces at others. Sitting in the sidelines watching this theatre unfold before us; the offerings, the prayers, the peace and serenity, the man with old blood and young mind, were the nicest moments in Malaysia for me.

Singapore (Short but sweet…)
KL to Singapore by overnight train, we love the trains over here, it’s such a great way to travel. No paying for a night’s accommodation, no trying to sleep in a coach seat, just a nice clean and comfortable bed. A good night’s sleep and a wake up call will suffice, to let you know that the passport control is nearing, where we jump off the train and get our passports stamped and jump back on. No cricked necks, swollen ankles or cramped legroom. It’s all great stuff, matey.

Unfortunately we arrived and realized that we had left a large package of washing at Pudu Hostel that we forgot to pick up. It contained the majority of our commonly worn clothes leaving us particularly up effluent waste creek. The night we left KL was the night of the England vs. Argentina game, and we were down the Bull’s Head cheering the good ol’ boys on with a few pints, and in our rush to get back and off to catch the train we forgot the laundry… Our old pal Big Pete came to the rescue again, (good man that Pete lad); he sent the package down with a couple of travelers coming to Singapore in the next few days. Beers were bought all round for the saviors of the day. Thanks.

Singapore, home of great shopping, electronics, cameras, designer clothes, dive equipment, you name it, it’s here. It’s claimed that Singapore is the food capital of the world, I disagree as you may have worked out, but in my opinion, it is the shopping capital of the world. Not necessarily the cheapest for some stuff compared to BKK and Hong Kong, but the variety of goods at reasonable prices can’t be beat, especially in the electronic and audio visual arena. Orchard Road is like all the major shopping streets of the world rolled into one. A haven for the fanatical shopper, and a great place to wander around too.

However, it is not a place for the budget minded to hang out, cheap accommodation is not cheap, the food is but almost anything else to do with having a look around and checking out places of interest isn’t! At 1.7-ish Singapore dollars to the US$, a day trip to a couple of botanical gardens will set you back around S$10-12, a trip to Sentosa S$30-40!! Although, Sentosa is worth a day trip if only to travel on the cable car to it over the port area at a staggering height, swinging in the breeze, and the underwater world where you can watch cuttlefish, sharks and rays being fed. Otherwise the attractions are average and overpriced, but a good place to wander woods and paths and have a picnic on one of the many good beaches. I sound like a tour guide, sorry about that, but unfortunately there’s not much more to say about Singapore, stop over and get out is the best thing to do here.

Our one extravagance was a night out at the Singapore Hard Rock Cafï¿½, the best Hard Rock I’ve been to, we stayed all night, ate loads and drank more, and ended up being invited to a staff party out in the suburbs that continued through the night. It was a real insight to local Singaporean life, which isn’t so different to our own back home. The guys were great and in true Asian style shared everything they had from booze to food and a little swapping of trinkets as signs of true everlasting friendships. Everlasting until the morning when we got into a cab, Eddie being slightly worse for wear after challenging one of the lads to a shooters contest in the garden. We continue to spread the good reputation of the English as we travel!

After our short stay in Malaysia and Singapore, we were to head off to Indonesia, a large dent in our pockets. These two places were the most expensive so far of our travels, and not places to hang about in. I’m still glad we did them, especially Malaysia, just because I wasn’t sure that I really understood the country the last time I was there, but I was right the first time. It’s not the place for me, although I am sure I will return, I still want to see Taman Negara National Park, and it’s an easy place to get to for a visa run from South Thailand.

So that’s it for this one, catch us up in Indo, very soon…