Early morning skyline from Richard's balcony. The stream of dark smoke is a fire. You can see the Petronas Towers on the skyline
Well as I have done with each place I have visited, well perhaps I didn’t with Fiji, but I have posted a summary about the country and my feelings about it. So this is the Malaysia Comparative.
The lush little oasis below Richard's building
I am glad I came to Malaysia because it is a place my father came to when he was doing his National Service for Britain in 1948-1950. I think Malaysia is a good example of Southeast Asia although I have been told I am missing much by not getting to Thailand, Indonesia, Laos, Cambodia, and Singapore. There truly are many countries here that are each different and worth the visit. The thing about this area is how affordable it is. The approximate exchange for me was about 3 ringit to $1 CAD. Dinners often cost about 12 ringit – so $4. My single room at the hostel in Melaka was 25 ringit a night, approx. $8. Cheap knock off clothes could be found for anywhere from $1 – $40 of what in Canada would likely be the equivalent of $20 – $200. I saw whole stores devoted to Diesel, which in Canada is extremely overpriced. Typically Diesel clothing starts around $100 for next to nothing. In Canada a pair of jeans is easily $200+ but here I saw them for 139ringit or approximately $14.
Another great view from Richard's - the towers and the tower!!! :o)
You don’t bother to cook much since food is so cheap already prepared. I struggled a little bit knowing what to eat and finding food that appealed to me since after I was sick, I was hesitant to eat unknown foods. There is lots of Indian, Chinese and Malay. The food tends to be rich and lots of rice and meat. Finding vegetables is the tough part. There are vegetables but they tend to be overcooked and mixed with so much other stuff.
Centre Square - or Dutch Square, Melaka - the centre of the historical centre
KL was dirty in the main, but lovely in the expat area where I was staying at Richards. Chinatown was a bustling place but run down and crowded. The main shopping district was overdone with shopping mall after shopping mall. I think the city is fine if you have someone like Richard to show you around and to stay in comfortable surrounds. Otherwise I would not spend so much time in KL. Langkawi was a resort island. There was not a lot of history and it really was just a place for me to veg. In retrospect, I should not have stayed there so long and should have used that time to travel to Cameron Highlands or across to Tioman Island. But hindsight is 20/20. Melaka – well I loved Melaka and would come back there anyday.
A tree takes over the area of a burial tomb in the Dutch Graveyard
The weather is HOT. Everyday HOT. Feels like 40+C even when its not. The humidity is what gets you. It is jungle hot. I often got way too much sun. You almost need a siesta every afternoon because you find your energy very low most days because the heat sucks it out of you. Even though I was here for 3 weeks, I still did not adapt to the temperature. Basically you need to get up early in the morning to do stuff and then wrap that up by about 10 am and hang low for the rest of the day or find air conditioning. And you need to drink lots and lots of water.
The old A Formosa fortress gate built in the early 1500s and spared from destruction by the Dutch - or was that the British??
Overall the people here were friendly and nice. You get stares from the men but it is safe. Little muslim and chinese girls stare at someone like myself – this tall white redhead who is not covered up (in the case of the muslim girls). You mostly speak English because the Indians are speaking Hindu, the Chinese Mandarin, Cantonese or other, and the Malays, Malay. You get by.
Not the best shot of Richard but he was being funny expounding on the virtues of his sushi - you just can't see it.
So a different experience than Australia and New Zealand. Closer to Fiji but different. Certainly affordable and certainly a slower pace than Western Culture (thank god) not only from a cultural standpoint but also influenced by the heat. I would like to get to Thailand and Indonesia next time and now that I understand this part of the world, it will not be so intimidating. Yoga is very big here.
My last meal in Malaysia - Japanese this time - and Richard's hand