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So two weeks in Malaysia and what do we think of it so far? Well its very different from Thailand - twice the price for a start! And it is very commercialised, seeming pretty american in places which makes it sound awful which its certainly not, but it doesn't have as much personality as Thailand, or if it does its all about money! Saying that, everything is very good quality and we are having a good time, it can just seem a little sterile in places, particularly Kuala Lumpur, but then it is a very new city which is all about money so I guess that just is its personality. Anyway, some highlights:
Langkawi beaches - beautiful long stretches of sand and lovely warm water; going up the mountain in a cable car but then deciding that wasn't scary enough and taking our lives n our hands to have a go at para-sailing - seethe videos! G has now decided he's as scared of heights as I am!
G hotel in Penang - great staying on 17th floor in a room the size of our apartment in KTM, free minibar and cocktails every evening; great Chinese and Japanese food and wandering about in the old Chinatown seeing the temples and clan houses; good bar with live music in hotel with great old guy singing blues one night - almost like Buena Vista social club resulting in first hangover I've had since leaving Edinburgh!
Driving to Cameron Highlands as further rehabilitation from Nepal having our own vehicle again; completely different style of hotel with 4 poster bed and waiters in tartan waistcoats - i.e. based on ye olde Scots with lovely gardens and buildings. G found it a bit twee for his tastes though i liked the cream teas"! Really interesting tour of a tea plantation and factory and lovely walking paths through mossy forests; Though weather also very British with rain every afternoon.
Kuala Lumpur - very modern shiny city full of shopping malls and fast roads though some very nice places as well like piece of rain forest in middle of city and lovely lakeside park with bird and orchid gardens; hashing with KL hash, well for me as they were generally a bit geriatric and slow for G and the circle was even duller than Himalaya H3. Then G couldn't believe it when it was dahl baht as the food! And when we went to get a taxi from the country club next door and found the 2 security guards were Nepali - very entertaining! But the best thing in KL was our hotel with the fantastic "Sky Bar" on the 33rd floor looking out on the Petronas towers and containing the swimming pool. It felt very wierd at first going for a swim surrounded by all these cool people drinking cocktails but I guess you can get used to anything! Don't think health & safety in the UK would approve but never mind!
So now off to Borneo and probably a bit more wilderness again, but we shall see!
- comments
Marg Wow, G&M just carry on adventuring. Brill blog, and I checked out the Thailand bit too. V interesting. Now then, when are you due back in Blighty! Or what's next! Mxx