With Shanti returning from Nepal on Friday and her parents arriving next weekend, we decided to skip town for a relaxing weekend in Kep. I took Friday afternoon off and we caught the afternoon Hua Lien bus that goes to Kampot via Kep. The road that we took, I think it was National Road 3, was in absolutely terrible shape, most likely because it was the end of the rainy season and from poor maintenance. Bumpiness aside, it was a smooth ride and we arrived in a cloudy Kep late in the afternoon.
A tuk-tuk met us where the bus dropped us off to take us to Veranda, where we stayed the last time we were in Kep about a year ago. It was a relatively amusing tuk-tuk ride; we started up the hill to Veranda, but the tuk-tuk couldn't make it carrying both me and Shanti, so I hopped out to walk. Shanti was eventually forced out as well, as the hill was just too step and the tuk-tuk just too weak. We checked in and were led through the Swiss Family Robinson-style walkways to the same bungalow we had last year.
We dropped our stuff off and walked down to Kep's locally well-known crab market. In the mornings, vendors wade out into the water to their traps and bring the freshest crabs imaginable to their patrons. Beyond the market is a row of perhaps twenty shacks with metal folding tables and plastic chairs serving the best seafood in Cambodia and some of the best in the region. Shanti and I made our way to Kimly, a popular spot with foreigners because of their English menus. We got a table literally over the Gulf of Thailand, with the waves gently lapping at the wooden pillars holding up the restaurant. In the distance the sun was setting over Bokor Mountain and Phu Quoc. It was an idyllic setting for dinner.
Though the menu was full of interesting options, from very traditional Cambodian fare to shark and stingray, we ordered one of the house specialties, whole Kep crab fried with fresh Kampot green pepper and, I think, honey. It was so delicious that, as we were leaving town on Sunday we bought a kilo of fresh crab to take back to Phnom Penh with us.
On Saturday we woke to a downpour of rain, a downpour which continued practically ceaselessly until we left. If we had not been to Kep before and were planning to go to Rabbit Island or the caves at Kampong Trach, we would've been quite disappointed. However, since we were just after a relaxing weekend, it was actually really nice as it forced us to simply unwind, read and play cards.
The rain stopped long enough on Saturday afternoon for us to go for a walk, looping from Veranda to the crab market and around the coast to Kep Beach. As the sun started to set, though, we headed back to Veranda to enjoy the view from the fantastic terrace restaurant. The sunset was magnificent, with the whole sky glowing a golden color and the sun creating a shimmering reflection upon the water. By the time we finished dinner it was pouring again.
We woke to more rain on Sunday and after some relaxing and a few more games of cards, we tuk-tuked to Kep Beach to catch the bus back to Phnom Penh. As we waited for the bus to make its way from Kampot, it really dumped; and the resulting flooding was very impressive. A lake, at least ankle deep, covered the entire road (a problem that could easily be fixed if any effort was put into it) as children frolicked in it, dogs hopped across it, crab vendors trudged through it, cars splashed across it, and motos stalled. The most amusing thing about the rain, however, was that despite (or because of?) the downpour the water was packed with Cambodians, all fully dressed in pants (some jeans) and t-shirts. (Because of the combination of modesty and the desire for light skin, you will find few Cambodians that strip down into what Westerners would consider traditional swimming attire). Not only was it an entertaining sight, but it was interesting to think how different the beach would look on a rainy day in the US.
Wednesday, October 29, 2008
Tuesday, October 21, 2008
Malaysia Part VI: Melaka
Kuala Lumpur's Puduraya bus station was absolute chaos. There were dozens of ticket windows for dozens of different bus companies. For buses that were about to leave men stormed up and down the aisles shouting the names of his company's about-to-depart destination. There did not seem to be any order to how the ticket windows were organized; each bus company posted its routes on the window and patrons were either expected to know which company to use or to brave the crowds and peruse each window individually. I finally stumbled upon a guy yelling Melaka, gave him some money and headed to the correct platform. It turned out the bus wasn't leaving yet. In fact, it didn't ever show up. We got stuffed onto a beat up school bus of sorts that was already mostly full.
A slow and fairly uncomfortable three hours later, we were at the bus station outside of Melaka (for some reason most of Malaysia's municipal transport hubs are inconveniently located outside of the city necessitating many taxi rides). I ended up at a charming guesthouse across from a mosque a block off of Chinatown's main shopping street. I dropped my stuff off and walked over to the historic colonial part of town, where the Dutch, Portuguese, and British had set up shop over the last 500 years. The Studhuys town square, St. Paul's Church (with a view out to the Straits of Melaka), and the other buildings were charming, but the area was a bit too overrun with tourists for my taste. I did, however, enjoy the brightly-decorated trishaws which blasted 80s pop music, like "Don't Stop Believing" and the "Final Countdown."
Starving, I headed back across to Chinatown looking for lunch. I stopped at a small restaurant packed with old, contemplative Chinese men drinking coffee and smoking cigarettes and ordered the house specialty, chicken satay. It was the freshest and most delicious satay I've ever had, with just enough bite to keep me honest and cucumbers to cool me down.
Refreshed, I wandered down Jalan Hang Jebat, Chinatown's main street. It was a bustling mix of modern shops selling knick-knacks, dusty antique shops selling highly overpriced trinkets - I saw a Guinness pint glass on sale for $50 - and art galleries. Regardless of the product being sold, every house's windows were beautifully painted in bright colors and intricate designs. It was the perfect place to do a photographic study on windows and doors.
Continuing my wandering, I passed by beautiful Chinese temples and stumbled upon a batik gallery. Batik is a technique of painting on silk using what looks like a quill to outline a design with hot wax; once cool, the wax acts a barrier to paint spreading beyond the desired region and I had the pleasure of seeing an artist at work. Rounding a corner in a quieter part of town, I noticed a parade coming my direction. The police were closing streets one by one and it was clear that hundreds of people, some in elaborate silk costumes, were involved in the parade, including many floats. As the parade passed, I stopped a boy that looked like a boy scout and asked him what the parade was for. He looked at me blankly and, in the most matter of fact statement I've ever heard, replied "The birth of God." I was too stunned by his nonchalance to ask him which God. Hot and tuckered out, I went back to the guesthouse for a shower and a rest.
Since it was my last night of vacation, I intended to make myself presentable - at least more presentable than I had been for much of the past week - and treat myself to a nice dinner. As I was wandering to the fancy Malay-Portuguese restaurant I had in mind, however, I noticed that Chinatown's main street was closed to cars and motorbikes. Intrigued, I went over to discover that a huge night market was being set up. I walked through to get a sneak preview and then decided to get a few beers at the beautifully colonial and perfectly located Geographer Cafe. I got the absolute best table possible and sipped deliciously cold beer as the market took shape. These were probably some of my most content moments on a trip of much contentment.
Ogling the street food vendors with a few drinks in my belly and hunger lurking, I opted out of the fancy sit-down dinner and set off to enjoy the wonders of street food. I'm not sure exactly what I ended up with - something like a spring roll, some sort of fried prawn puff, some spicy vegetarian Indian food, sweet barbecued pork, sweet dough rolled in crushed peanuts, and the Melakan specialty pineapple tarts. And all of it was not even $5. Good choice. Moreover, the open market was incredibly fun to walk around and was bustling with (mostly local) activity.
There were a number of particularly entertaining sites that are worth a brief mention: Chinese temples were turned into karaoke joints and aerobic dance classes. There was a huge stage for karaoke at one end of the street, complete with tables and chairs for onlookers. I couldn't help but admiring the dance moves of an older Malay man (sorry, I only got a video). Then, just as I was about to call it a night, I stumbled upon a street show. Nothing like juggling fire or magic or any of that nonsense. I mean a real street show: a guy trying to hawk some ridiculous product. In this case it was a stocky, middle-aged Chinese Malay guy, speaking a mix of English, Malay, and Chinese. He had gathered a crowd of several hundred and he was selling some sort of pain-killing ointment. I will give him credit for being able to hold the crowd and for his great sense of humor (even if I couldn't understand everything he was saying). But the true selling point of his show was how he demonstrated that the ointment worked. The man took a fresh green coconut - hard as a rock - stood on two clay pots and managed to punch through the flesh of the coconut using only his hand in four jabs. In a great show of theatrics, he then had his assistants pour the ointment all over his hand and after a few minutes, he paraded his hand, not at all swollen or bloodied, around the crowd. And people absolutely ate it up, buying up to ten bottles of the ointment at about $7 a bottle. It was like being in an infomercial and surrounded by a whole group of people who actually believed that the product being sold to them wasn't a total farce. This in and of itself was almost as amusing as round two, where our entertainer elbowed through another coconut in a series of three blows. Knowing that this would be hard to top, I called it a night.
On Sunday, my final morning in Malaysia, I relaxed before catching a taxi back to the bus station. At the bus station, I caught a bus to Seramban, where I transferred to a bus to the airport. Arriving about an hour and a half before my departure, I asked where to check in, forgetting that Air Asia is in a different terminal than the other airlines. So I had to take another taxi the fifteen kilometers around the back of Kuala Lumpur International Airport to the Air Asia terminal. A somewhat stressful end to an absolutely wonderful trip. I certainly hope that I will have the opportunity to return to Malaysia and explore in more detail.
A slow and fairly uncomfortable three hours later, we were at the bus station outside of Melaka (for some reason most of Malaysia's municipal transport hubs are inconveniently located outside of the city necessitating many taxi rides). I ended up at a charming guesthouse across from a mosque a block off of Chinatown's main shopping street. I dropped my stuff off and walked over to the historic colonial part of town, where the Dutch, Portuguese, and British had set up shop over the last 500 years. The Studhuys town square, St. Paul's Church (with a view out to the Straits of Melaka), and the other buildings were charming, but the area was a bit too overrun with tourists for my taste. I did, however, enjoy the brightly-decorated trishaws which blasted 80s pop music, like "Don't Stop Believing" and the "Final Countdown."
Starving, I headed back across to Chinatown looking for lunch. I stopped at a small restaurant packed with old, contemplative Chinese men drinking coffee and smoking cigarettes and ordered the house specialty, chicken satay. It was the freshest and most delicious satay I've ever had, with just enough bite to keep me honest and cucumbers to cool me down.
Refreshed, I wandered down Jalan Hang Jebat, Chinatown's main street. It was a bustling mix of modern shops selling knick-knacks, dusty antique shops selling highly overpriced trinkets - I saw a Guinness pint glass on sale for $50 - and art galleries. Regardless of the product being sold, every house's windows were beautifully painted in bright colors and intricate designs. It was the perfect place to do a photographic study on windows and doors.
Continuing my wandering, I passed by beautiful Chinese temples and stumbled upon a batik gallery. Batik is a technique of painting on silk using what looks like a quill to outline a design with hot wax; once cool, the wax acts a barrier to paint spreading beyond the desired region and I had the pleasure of seeing an artist at work. Rounding a corner in a quieter part of town, I noticed a parade coming my direction. The police were closing streets one by one and it was clear that hundreds of people, some in elaborate silk costumes, were involved in the parade, including many floats. As the parade passed, I stopped a boy that looked like a boy scout and asked him what the parade was for. He looked at me blankly and, in the most matter of fact statement I've ever heard, replied "The birth of God." I was too stunned by his nonchalance to ask him which God. Hot and tuckered out, I went back to the guesthouse for a shower and a rest.
Since it was my last night of vacation, I intended to make myself presentable - at least more presentable than I had been for much of the past week - and treat myself to a nice dinner. As I was wandering to the fancy Malay-Portuguese restaurant I had in mind, however, I noticed that Chinatown's main street was closed to cars and motorbikes. Intrigued, I went over to discover that a huge night market was being set up. I walked through to get a sneak preview and then decided to get a few beers at the beautifully colonial and perfectly located Geographer Cafe. I got the absolute best table possible and sipped deliciously cold beer as the market took shape. These were probably some of my most content moments on a trip of much contentment.
Ogling the street food vendors with a few drinks in my belly and hunger lurking, I opted out of the fancy sit-down dinner and set off to enjoy the wonders of street food. I'm not sure exactly what I ended up with - something like a spring roll, some sort of fried prawn puff, some spicy vegetarian Indian food, sweet barbecued pork, sweet dough rolled in crushed peanuts, and the Melakan specialty pineapple tarts. And all of it was not even $5. Good choice. Moreover, the open market was incredibly fun to walk around and was bustling with (mostly local) activity.
There were a number of particularly entertaining sites that are worth a brief mention: Chinese temples were turned into karaoke joints and aerobic dance classes. There was a huge stage for karaoke at one end of the street, complete with tables and chairs for onlookers. I couldn't help but admiring the dance moves of an older Malay man (sorry, I only got a video). Then, just as I was about to call it a night, I stumbled upon a street show. Nothing like juggling fire or magic or any of that nonsense. I mean a real street show: a guy trying to hawk some ridiculous product. In this case it was a stocky, middle-aged Chinese Malay guy, speaking a mix of English, Malay, and Chinese. He had gathered a crowd of several hundred and he was selling some sort of pain-killing ointment. I will give him credit for being able to hold the crowd and for his great sense of humor (even if I couldn't understand everything he was saying). But the true selling point of his show was how he demonstrated that the ointment worked. The man took a fresh green coconut - hard as a rock - stood on two clay pots and managed to punch through the flesh of the coconut using only his hand in four jabs. In a great show of theatrics, he then had his assistants pour the ointment all over his hand and after a few minutes, he paraded his hand, not at all swollen or bloodied, around the crowd. And people absolutely ate it up, buying up to ten bottles of the ointment at about $7 a bottle. It was like being in an infomercial and surrounded by a whole group of people who actually believed that the product being sold to them wasn't a total farce. This in and of itself was almost as amusing as round two, where our entertainer elbowed through another coconut in a series of three blows. Knowing that this would be hard to top, I called it a night.
On Sunday, my final morning in Malaysia, I relaxed before catching a taxi back to the bus station. At the bus station, I caught a bus to Seramban, where I transferred to a bus to the airport. Arriving about an hour and a half before my departure, I asked where to check in, forgetting that Air Asia is in a different terminal than the other airlines. So I had to take another taxi the fifteen kilometers around the back of Kuala Lumpur International Airport to the Air Asia terminal. A somewhat stressful end to an absolutely wonderful trip. I certainly hope that I will have the opportunity to return to Malaysia and explore in more detail.
Monday, October 20, 2008
Malaysia Part V: Kuala Lumpur
I arrived in Kuala Lumpur (KL for short) late on Thursday night. Not wanting to repeat my late night search for a guesthouse, I borrowed my taxi driver's phone to call a few places to see if rooms were still available. On the drive into town I had a very interesting conversation with the cab driver who, like almost everyone else I met, spoke very good English. We talked a lot about corruption and how it manifests itself in Malaysia, the typical tourist and tourist season, and the Hari Raya holiday. He was an incredibly nice guy and very sharp; part of me wondered why he was a cab driver. The guesthouse I stayed at, Le Village, wasn't nice, exactly, but it was cheap, well-located, and had a lot of character.
I woke up and set out early on Friday, heading for Masjid Jamek, a beautiful nearby mosque. It didn't open until 9:30, however, so I wandered somewhat aimlessly for the next hour. I went up through Little India - which really did feel like being in India - and popped into a bustling restaurant for breakfast. I had no idea what to get, so I just told the waiter to bring me whatever he recommended - some delicious dahl wrapped in naan and with four different sauces. As I ate, women in brightly colored saris gossiped and men smoked cigarettes and talked politics (not too long ago there were serious protests by the Malaysian Indian community who felt shortchanged by the government at the expense of ethnic Malays).
After breakfast, I continued my wandering around, passing beautiful Chinese temples and an intricately decorated Sri Maha Mariamman Hindu temple. Continuing on my tour of religious establishments, I made my way back to Masjid Jamek. The Moghul-influenced architecture was beautiful and the setting, at the confluence of two rivers dotted with palm trees, was equally impressive. Though unable to actually enter the mosque, I wandered around the premises and enjoyed this oasis of peaceful quiet within KL. The friendly Filipino imam even chatted with me for a few minutes.
From Masjid Jamek I walked over to Dataran Merdeka (Independence Square), where Malaysia declared independence just over fifty years ago. The huge area of green was flanked by a beautiful mix of colonial and contemporary buildings, some housing government offices and others museums. Unfortunately, because of Raya, most of the museums were closed. Instead of learning about history, I opted for current events, grabbing a copy of The Straits Times, Malaysia's English-language newspaper and just sat in the park relaxing.
Back on the tourist trail, I made my way to the old train station, an absolutely gorgeous amalgamation of European and Malay architecture. Across the street was the almost as impressive offices of KTM, the Malaysian railway authority. From there, I walked over to the Masjid Negara (National Mosque), a modern mosque with a two-hundred foot minaret and a really interesting classically Islamic eight-sided star design covering the entire complex, from the marble walkways to the grass surrounding the palm trees. I made a quick, but worthwhile stop in the Lake Gardens, a huge park area, and the butterfly park contained there within.
Touristed out for the day, I took the impressively efficient and cheap commuter rail to the Petronas Towers, at over 1500 feet, recently the tallest building(s) in the world. Before admiring them, however, I went to enjoy an English-language movie, a comfort Phnom Penh does not have on offer. Though the movie I saw was terrible, it was really nice to plop down in an air conditioned and munch on popcorn and sip on a Coke. After the movie, I wandered around the mall, in sheer awe of the consumerism around me, a consumerism Cambodians can only dream of. While I didn't have any desire to shop, I did take advantage of the culinary delights on offer, like Dunkin' Donuts and Auntie Anne's Pretzels.
I left the mall to enjoy the view of the Petronas Towers, which were indeed quite beautiful, as well as the people watching, which was fantastic. There were stylishly dressed teenagers (I did find it a bit ironic that it was acceptable for teenage girls to wear tight jeans and a tight shirt along with their headscarf), lots of cute kids, and I think a pretty good taste of every day life for people living in KL. I sat and enjoyed for a couple of hours, waiting for the sun to set and the towers to be lit up. Now exhausted, I headed back to Le Village and called it a night.
I was up early on Saturday and walked over to Chinatown for breakfast - a couple of donuts and a curry puff. After a bit more wandering, I got my stuff and headed for the bus station to catch a bus to Melaka.
While I don't typically like big cities when I'm traveling, Kuala Lumpur (or KL) really grew on me. I was intrigued by KL's ethnic diversity and history and its effects on the current city - a thriving Chinatown and Little India, fantastic cuisine, and beautiful architecture. If I had a choice of where to spend my time in Malaysia, KL wouldn't be anywhere near the top, but it turned out to be a wonderful place to spend a day and a half.
I woke up and set out early on Friday, heading for Masjid Jamek, a beautiful nearby mosque. It didn't open until 9:30, however, so I wandered somewhat aimlessly for the next hour. I went up through Little India - which really did feel like being in India - and popped into a bustling restaurant for breakfast. I had no idea what to get, so I just told the waiter to bring me whatever he recommended - some delicious dahl wrapped in naan and with four different sauces. As I ate, women in brightly colored saris gossiped and men smoked cigarettes and talked politics (not too long ago there were serious protests by the Malaysian Indian community who felt shortchanged by the government at the expense of ethnic Malays).
After breakfast, I continued my wandering around, passing beautiful Chinese temples and an intricately decorated Sri Maha Mariamman Hindu temple. Continuing on my tour of religious establishments, I made my way back to Masjid Jamek. The Moghul-influenced architecture was beautiful and the setting, at the confluence of two rivers dotted with palm trees, was equally impressive. Though unable to actually enter the mosque, I wandered around the premises and enjoyed this oasis of peaceful quiet within KL. The friendly Filipino imam even chatted with me for a few minutes.
From Masjid Jamek I walked over to Dataran Merdeka (Independence Square), where Malaysia declared independence just over fifty years ago. The huge area of green was flanked by a beautiful mix of colonial and contemporary buildings, some housing government offices and others museums. Unfortunately, because of Raya, most of the museums were closed. Instead of learning about history, I opted for current events, grabbing a copy of The Straits Times, Malaysia's English-language newspaper and just sat in the park relaxing.
Back on the tourist trail, I made my way to the old train station, an absolutely gorgeous amalgamation of European and Malay architecture. Across the street was the almost as impressive offices of KTM, the Malaysian railway authority. From there, I walked over to the Masjid Negara (National Mosque), a modern mosque with a two-hundred foot minaret and a really interesting classically Islamic eight-sided star design covering the entire complex, from the marble walkways to the grass surrounding the palm trees. I made a quick, but worthwhile stop in the Lake Gardens, a huge park area, and the butterfly park contained there within.
Touristed out for the day, I took the impressively efficient and cheap commuter rail to the Petronas Towers, at over 1500 feet, recently the tallest building(s) in the world. Before admiring them, however, I went to enjoy an English-language movie, a comfort Phnom Penh does not have on offer. Though the movie I saw was terrible, it was really nice to plop down in an air conditioned and munch on popcorn and sip on a Coke. After the movie, I wandered around the mall, in sheer awe of the consumerism around me, a consumerism Cambodians can only dream of. While I didn't have any desire to shop, I did take advantage of the culinary delights on offer, like Dunkin' Donuts and Auntie Anne's Pretzels.
I left the mall to enjoy the view of the Petronas Towers, which were indeed quite beautiful, as well as the people watching, which was fantastic. There were stylishly dressed teenagers (I did find it a bit ironic that it was acceptable for teenage girls to wear tight jeans and a tight shirt along with their headscarf), lots of cute kids, and I think a pretty good taste of every day life for people living in KL. I sat and enjoyed for a couple of hours, waiting for the sun to set and the towers to be lit up. Now exhausted, I headed back to Le Village and called it a night.
I was up early on Saturday and walked over to Chinatown for breakfast - a couple of donuts and a curry puff. After a bit more wandering, I got my stuff and headed for the bus station to catch a bus to Melaka.
While I don't typically like big cities when I'm traveling, Kuala Lumpur (or KL) really grew on me. I was intrigued by KL's ethnic diversity and history and its effects on the current city - a thriving Chinatown and Little India, fantastic cuisine, and beautiful architecture. If I had a choice of where to spend my time in Malaysia, KL wouldn't be anywhere near the top, but it turned out to be a wonderful place to spend a day and a half.
Thursday, October 16, 2008
Malaysia Part IV: Pulau Perhentian Kecil and a Few Hours in Kuala Terengganu
Following my morning perusal of Kota Bharu, I headed for the bus station to catch a bus to Kuala Besut, the small fishing town where boats leave for the Perhentian islands. I arrived at about 8:30am and, unfortunately, the bus didn't leave until 9:30. As I was waiting around, I started talking to an interesting couple: a Frenchman, teaching French in China, and his Chinese girlfriend, a civil engineer in France. While we chatted, a taxi driver approached us and offered to take us to Kuala Besut for $3 per person, just slightly more than the bus. We agreed and set off.
Our taxi driver turned out to be quite a character, a very good tour guide and an equally good insight into life in Malaysia. He provided a bit of background about himself and his nine children, Raya, the amount of freedom he has in Malaysia (he argued that he was incredibly free), crime, foreigners (and how the Perhentians are not a good place for family because of the scantily clad beach-goers) and so on.
An informative one hour ride later and we were at Kuala Besut, where we bought boat tickets to the Perhentians. On my more limited budget, I decided to go to Perhentian Kecil's Long Beach, more of a backpacker scene than the bigger Perhentian Besar. After a bouncy forty-five minute ride into the South China Sea we were between the two beautiful islands. The water was a surreal blue and the beaches were white, sandy and dotted with palm trees. Because of the upcoming Hari Raya, many of the bungalows and restaurants scattered across the beach were shuttered. I managed to find a nice bungalow right on the beach, grabbed lunch and spent most of the afternoon with my feet in the sand and the clear, blue and shallow waters. It was definitely a bit odd going straight from one of the most conservative cities in Malaysia to a beach of well-tanned, bikini wearing twenty-something westerners. That said, I knew the next few days were going to be the type of laid-back atmosphere I was looking for.
Later in the afternoon, I decided to walk over to Coral Bay on the other side of the island. It was a short walk with some interesting red-barked trees and a handful of monitor lizards. The other side was absolutely beautiful. Though the beach was a bit rockier, there was an idyllic pier extending out into the water. I spent at least two hours simply enjoying the view of the schools of fish in the water and the sunset over other islands in the distance. All of the guesthouses and restaurants at Coral Bay were closed so I was one of only a few people around. It was some of the most peaceful time I had on the whole trip. Heading back to the other side of Kecil, I had a pleasant dinner and a couple of beers at one of the two restaurants that was open and
called it a night.
On Wednesday morning I decided to go on a snorkeling trip and see just how beautiful the surrounding reefs were. Seven of us shared a small motorboat, including a few Spaniards, an Australian, and our comical captain. At the first stop, Turtle Bay off of Besar, I immediately regretted not having bought an underwater camera. A few huge (about 5ft long) green turtles surrounded the boat, occasionally popping their heads above water for air. We admired them for a few minutes and then hopped in to join them. The clear water made the turtles easy to spot and follow. It was hard not to admire the way they glide - almost fly - through the water. I was able to get so close to one that I was able to pet it when it came up for air.
Our next stop was a bit further down Besar. As we hopped in to the water, our captain threw bits of bread at us. We were immediately surrounded by hundreds of tropical fish of at least a dozen varieties. The tide was quite strong - and remained so for the rest of the day - but the fish were beautiful. There were far two many different species to count, from black and white striped fish to totally iridescent to neon. And then there were the sharks. Only small (2ft) reef sharks, but wild sharks nonetheless. At first it was a bit scary and exhilarating, but then it just became a challenge to follow them as they worked their way through the water.
Heading further south along Besar we stopped at another reef, probably the best, with absolutely gorgeous coral. Neon green brain-like coral and bright purple and brown coral shaped like clams. The variety of fish here was also better than at any other stop. I spotted an eel (electric?) eating a fish. A full-grown shark (6ft) swam right at me and got within fifteen or twenty feet, later catching an unlucky fish in an incredibly quick attack. This was certainly the best snorkeling I had ever done!
We had a leisurely lunch in Perhentian Village before making two more stops, neither of which featured anything remarkably different from what we had already scene. The last stop, however, was at the most beautiful beach I've ever seen. The color of the water was remarkable
and the sand was the finest I have ever felt. As a self-admitted mediocre swimmer, I was exhausted. I spent the remainder of the afternoon and the following morning relaxing on the beach and on the terrace of my bungalow.
On Thursday I took a boat back to Kuala Besut and caught a local bus down to Kuala Terengganu, from where I would catch my flight back to Kuala Lumpur. It was a slow, but enjoyable two-hour ride as we passed mosques and madrasas, farms, and big feasts celebrating the end of Ramadan. I had a few hours to kill before my flight, so I wandered over to a guesthouse. Because of Hari Raya - a festival in which most people go to their home villages in rural areas - the streets were absolutely empty. The guesthouse I went to was actually closed, but they let me drop my stuff off and even cooked some food for me.
With a bit of time, I wandered around town a bit. There was a beautiful mosque near the guesthouse as well as a really nice palace, used for official state functions. The streets were bizarrely empty though. There was absolutely nobody around. Other than the McDonald's, almost everything was closed. I did manage to find a few friendly vendors selling songkok, prayer mats, and a number of other Islamic goods. I stumbled into the small Chinatown and particularly enjoyed the variety of brightly painted windows at every shop front. Back at the guesthouse before my flight, I heard the call to prayer coming from the Zainal Abidin mosque at sunset. Not a bad way to end my brief stay in Kuala Terengganu
Our taxi driver turned out to be quite a character, a very good tour guide and an equally good insight into life in Malaysia. He provided a bit of background about himself and his nine children, Raya, the amount of freedom he has in Malaysia (he argued that he was incredibly free), crime, foreigners (and how the Perhentians are not a good place for family because of the scantily clad beach-goers) and so on.
An informative one hour ride later and we were at Kuala Besut, where we bought boat tickets to the Perhentians. On my more limited budget, I decided to go to Perhentian Kecil's Long Beach, more of a backpacker scene than the bigger Perhentian Besar. After a bouncy forty-five minute ride into the South China Sea we were between the two beautiful islands. The water was a surreal blue and the beaches were white, sandy and dotted with palm trees. Because of the upcoming Hari Raya, many of the bungalows and restaurants scattered across the beach were shuttered. I managed to find a nice bungalow right on the beach, grabbed lunch and spent most of the afternoon with my feet in the sand and the clear, blue and shallow waters. It was definitely a bit odd going straight from one of the most conservative cities in Malaysia to a beach of well-tanned, bikini wearing twenty-something westerners. That said, I knew the next few days were going to be the type of laid-back atmosphere I was looking for.
Later in the afternoon, I decided to walk over to Coral Bay on the other side of the island. It was a short walk with some interesting red-barked trees and a handful of monitor lizards. The other side was absolutely beautiful. Though the beach was a bit rockier, there was an idyllic pier extending out into the water. I spent at least two hours simply enjoying the view of the schools of fish in the water and the sunset over other islands in the distance. All of the guesthouses and restaurants at Coral Bay were closed so I was one of only a few people around. It was some of the most peaceful time I had on the whole trip. Heading back to the other side of Kecil, I had a pleasant dinner and a couple of beers at one of the two restaurants that was open and
called it a night.
On Wednesday morning I decided to go on a snorkeling trip and see just how beautiful the surrounding reefs were. Seven of us shared a small motorboat, including a few Spaniards, an Australian, and our comical captain. At the first stop, Turtle Bay off of Besar, I immediately regretted not having bought an underwater camera. A few huge (about 5ft long) green turtles surrounded the boat, occasionally popping their heads above water for air. We admired them for a few minutes and then hopped in to join them. The clear water made the turtles easy to spot and follow. It was hard not to admire the way they glide - almost fly - through the water. I was able to get so close to one that I was able to pet it when it came up for air.
Our next stop was a bit further down Besar. As we hopped in to the water, our captain threw bits of bread at us. We were immediately surrounded by hundreds of tropical fish of at least a dozen varieties. The tide was quite strong - and remained so for the rest of the day - but the fish were beautiful. There were far two many different species to count, from black and white striped fish to totally iridescent to neon. And then there were the sharks. Only small (2ft) reef sharks, but wild sharks nonetheless. At first it was a bit scary and exhilarating, but then it just became a challenge to follow them as they worked their way through the water.
Heading further south along Besar we stopped at another reef, probably the best, with absolutely gorgeous coral. Neon green brain-like coral and bright purple and brown coral shaped like clams. The variety of fish here was also better than at any other stop. I spotted an eel (electric?) eating a fish. A full-grown shark (6ft) swam right at me and got within fifteen or twenty feet, later catching an unlucky fish in an incredibly quick attack. This was certainly the best snorkeling I had ever done!
We had a leisurely lunch in Perhentian Village before making two more stops, neither of which featured anything remarkably different from what we had already scene. The last stop, however, was at the most beautiful beach I've ever seen. The color of the water was remarkable
and the sand was the finest I have ever felt. As a self-admitted mediocre swimmer, I was exhausted. I spent the remainder of the afternoon and the following morning relaxing on the beach and on the terrace of my bungalow.
On Thursday I took a boat back to Kuala Besut and caught a local bus down to Kuala Terengganu, from where I would catch my flight back to Kuala Lumpur. It was a slow, but enjoyable two-hour ride as we passed mosques and madrasas, farms, and big feasts celebrating the end of Ramadan. I had a few hours to kill before my flight, so I wandered over to a guesthouse. Because of Hari Raya - a festival in which most people go to their home villages in rural areas - the streets were absolutely empty. The guesthouse I went to was actually closed, but they let me drop my stuff off and even cooked some food for me.
With a bit of time, I wandered around town a bit. There was a beautiful mosque near the guesthouse as well as a really nice palace, used for official state functions. The streets were bizarrely empty though. There was absolutely nobody around. Other than the McDonald's, almost everything was closed. I did manage to find a few friendly vendors selling songkok, prayer mats, and a number of other Islamic goods. I stumbled into the small Chinatown and particularly enjoyed the variety of brightly painted windows at every shop front. Back at the guesthouse before my flight, I heard the call to prayer coming from the Zainal Abidin mosque at sunset. Not a bad way to end my brief stay in Kuala Terengganu
Wednesday, October 15, 2008
Malaysia Part III: The Jungle Railway and Kota Bharu
At 9am on Monday morning I caught a wooden longboat back to Kuala Tembeling and out of Taman Negara. There really is no way to describe the boat ride other than extremely pleasant. Other than spotting a few colorful birds, I enjoyed the sun on my shoulders and the peaceful ride. Once back in Kuala Tembeling, I caught a bus to Jerantut, the town that is, for many, a launching pad to Taman Negara.
In Jerantut by lunch time, I walked over to the train station to catch the so-called "Jungle Railway" up to Kota Bharu. The railway is notoriously slow, stopping at countless stations as it makes the journey from Gemas in southern Malaysia to Kota Bharu in the north. That said, it is supposedly a beautiful ride through pristine jungle and rainforest and passing by small town Malaysia and magnificent caves and limestone outcroppings. Regardless of its pros or cons, I wanted the Jungle Railway to be my mode of transport northbound.
When arriving at the ticket counter, however, I was told that all classes were sold out for the 12:45pm train because of the fast approaching Hari Raya (the feasts that accompany the end of Ramadan). Alternatively, I could take an 11:00pm or 1:00am express train, but that would defeat one of the main reasons I wanted to take the train - to see the sights and get a taste of rural life in Malaysia. I could also take the bus, but that, to me, was equally unappealing. I asked if there was any way that I could get on the 12:45pm train. It turned out that there was. If I paid double the regular fare (25RM or about $7.50) I could get on the train without a guaranteed seat. I'd say it was a pretty raw deal, but it was my best option.
I waited on the platform for a half hour until the train rumbled up to the station. As I got on to the car I asked if I was permitted to sit in an unoccupied seat, dashing towards some of the few open ones once I received a reply in the affirmative. Just after settling and as we were about to leave, the ticket holder for my seat appeared and I was forced to move. However, I found a seat (in fact, two!) within the same car. Thankfully, I was able to retain these two seats to myself for the duration of the lengthy journey.
Initially, before it started raining and the sun went down, it was extraordinarily hot. And smelly. (I detected a healthy mix of vomit and B.O.). Once I got used to it, however, I was able to appreciate my surroundings, both within and outside the train. The train itself was relatively clean and modern, with restrooms on either end of the car and comfortable seats with a decent amount of legroom. I was the only westerner in the car, with the rest of the travelers appearing Malaysian with a sprinkling of passengers of Indian descent. Almost all of the women on the train were dressed conservatively, wearing headscarves and baju kurung, a beautiful, long and flowing silk tunic and skirt covering everything below the wearer's neck except their hands and feet.
The view outside the train was beautiful. We passed through small towns, palm oil and rubber plantations, pristine forest, rivers, mountains, caves, and particularly interesting limestone outcroppings (especially around Gua Musang). As the train ride went on, I noticed that the girl in front of me, sitting next to her mother, kept turning around and smiling at me flirtatiously. She finally got up the courage to say something to me in perfect English, of course: "Your eyes are very beautiful." I thanked her and we talked here and there over the next several hours. My spelling could be way off, but her name was roughly Azien and she was nine years old with chubby checks and warm eyes. She was very curious about what I was doing in Malaysia, where I was from, where I was going, and so on. Each time she had something to ask me, her head would pop up above the seat and she'd say "Uncle, uncle!" to get my attention. Her mother, Kelaya, was also very friendly and even invited me to stay the night at their house and spend Raya with them. Their house was a bit out of the way and, with limited time, I had to politely decline her offer.
After about nine hours we finally arrived in Wakaf Bharu, the closest stop to Kota Bharu. I caught a taxi into town and managed to find a decent hotel, Suria, which had a nice-sized room, cable television, hot water, and air conditioning (all for only $18). Starving, I headed for the night market. Even though it was now almost 11:00pm, the market was absolutely packed and incredibly vibrant. I was the only white person around and it seemed that everyone else was Muslim and wearing traditional dress. The women were wearing beautiful silk baju kurung of all colors and admiring those up for sale at the market and the men were all trying on new songkok (traditional head covering). The market was just so full of life! I think this was the first time that I truly felt I was in Malaysia. Although I did attract some suspecting glances, I never felt the least bit unsafe, in part because I knew that, unlike Cambodia, no one around me was drinking. It was quite a nice feeling.
Having perused the market for snacks and finding nothing but dried fish and baked goods, I headed back towards the hotel where I had seen a street vendor. There was a long line, so I knew it had to be good. Moreover, I hadn't really eaten any street food yet and the culinary selections in Taman Negara were somewhat limited. When I got to the front, it was not traditional Malay fare on offer, but hamburgers with a Malaysian twist. I got two of them and joined others on the street to chow down. Not the most traditional meal, but it certainly satisfied my stomach.
Following a good night's sleep and my first hot shower since arriving, I set out to explore Kota Bharu in the daylight. There were some interesting architectural sights, including some beautiful museums and a palace. Most of the action, though, was in the morning market, a circularly domed market with a ring of meat and fish vendors around the outside and vegetable vendors in the middle. Like the market the night before, it was incredibly lively and very-well organized. I spent a good half an hour on the second level just watching the activity below.
Though I wished I could stay in Kota Bharu a bit longer, I had packed a lot in to the twelve hours I was there and I was ready to hit the beach at Pulau Perhentian.
In Jerantut by lunch time, I walked over to the train station to catch the so-called "Jungle Railway" up to Kota Bharu. The railway is notoriously slow, stopping at countless stations as it makes the journey from Gemas in southern Malaysia to Kota Bharu in the north. That said, it is supposedly a beautiful ride through pristine jungle and rainforest and passing by small town Malaysia and magnificent caves and limestone outcroppings. Regardless of its pros or cons, I wanted the Jungle Railway to be my mode of transport northbound.
When arriving at the ticket counter, however, I was told that all classes were sold out for the 12:45pm train because of the fast approaching Hari Raya (the feasts that accompany the end of Ramadan). Alternatively, I could take an 11:00pm or 1:00am express train, but that would defeat one of the main reasons I wanted to take the train - to see the sights and get a taste of rural life in Malaysia. I could also take the bus, but that, to me, was equally unappealing. I asked if there was any way that I could get on the 12:45pm train. It turned out that there was. If I paid double the regular fare (25RM or about $7.50) I could get on the train without a guaranteed seat. I'd say it was a pretty raw deal, but it was my best option.
I waited on the platform for a half hour until the train rumbled up to the station. As I got on to the car I asked if I was permitted to sit in an unoccupied seat, dashing towards some of the few open ones once I received a reply in the affirmative. Just after settling and as we were about to leave, the ticket holder for my seat appeared and I was forced to move. However, I found a seat (in fact, two!) within the same car. Thankfully, I was able to retain these two seats to myself for the duration of the lengthy journey.
Initially, before it started raining and the sun went down, it was extraordinarily hot. And smelly. (I detected a healthy mix of vomit and B.O.). Once I got used to it, however, I was able to appreciate my surroundings, both within and outside the train. The train itself was relatively clean and modern, with restrooms on either end of the car and comfortable seats with a decent amount of legroom. I was the only westerner in the car, with the rest of the travelers appearing Malaysian with a sprinkling of passengers of Indian descent. Almost all of the women on the train were dressed conservatively, wearing headscarves and baju kurung, a beautiful, long and flowing silk tunic and skirt covering everything below the wearer's neck except their hands and feet.
The view outside the train was beautiful. We passed through small towns, palm oil and rubber plantations, pristine forest, rivers, mountains, caves, and particularly interesting limestone outcroppings (especially around Gua Musang). As the train ride went on, I noticed that the girl in front of me, sitting next to her mother, kept turning around and smiling at me flirtatiously. She finally got up the courage to say something to me in perfect English, of course: "Your eyes are very beautiful." I thanked her and we talked here and there over the next several hours. My spelling could be way off, but her name was roughly Azien and she was nine years old with chubby checks and warm eyes. She was very curious about what I was doing in Malaysia, where I was from, where I was going, and so on. Each time she had something to ask me, her head would pop up above the seat and she'd say "Uncle, uncle!" to get my attention. Her mother, Kelaya, was also very friendly and even invited me to stay the night at their house and spend Raya with them. Their house was a bit out of the way and, with limited time, I had to politely decline her offer.
After about nine hours we finally arrived in Wakaf Bharu, the closest stop to Kota Bharu. I caught a taxi into town and managed to find a decent hotel, Suria, which had a nice-sized room, cable television, hot water, and air conditioning (all for only $18). Starving, I headed for the night market. Even though it was now almost 11:00pm, the market was absolutely packed and incredibly vibrant. I was the only white person around and it seemed that everyone else was Muslim and wearing traditional dress. The women were wearing beautiful silk baju kurung of all colors and admiring those up for sale at the market and the men were all trying on new songkok (traditional head covering). The market was just so full of life! I think this was the first time that I truly felt I was in Malaysia. Although I did attract some suspecting glances, I never felt the least bit unsafe, in part because I knew that, unlike Cambodia, no one around me was drinking. It was quite a nice feeling.
Having perused the market for snacks and finding nothing but dried fish and baked goods, I headed back towards the hotel where I had seen a street vendor. There was a long line, so I knew it had to be good. Moreover, I hadn't really eaten any street food yet and the culinary selections in Taman Negara were somewhat limited. When I got to the front, it was not traditional Malay fare on offer, but hamburgers with a Malaysian twist. I got two of them and joined others on the street to chow down. Not the most traditional meal, but it certainly satisfied my stomach.
Following a good night's sleep and my first hot shower since arriving, I set out to explore Kota Bharu in the daylight. There were some interesting architectural sights, including some beautiful museums and a palace. Most of the action, though, was in the morning market, a circularly domed market with a ring of meat and fish vendors around the outside and vegetable vendors in the middle. Like the market the night before, it was incredibly lively and very-well organized. I spent a good half an hour on the second level just watching the activity below.
Though I wished I could stay in Kota Bharu a bit longer, I had packed a lot in to the twelve hours I was there and I was ready to hit the beach at Pulau Perhentian.
Saturday, October 11, 2008
Malaysia Part II: Taman Negara
On Saturday morning I hopped on the overly air conditioned bus and set off for Taman Negara, which is widely believed to be the oldest pristine rainforest in the world (at 120 million years old, it was unaffected by the ice ages). For the most part, it was a very enjoyable ride. We passed Bantu Caves, a huge limestone outcrop of caves in the suburbs of Kuala Lumpur and, once outside the city, everything was incredibly lush. There were small towns, but it seemed like we were out in the middle of pristine rainforest, dotted with palm oil and rubber plantations, for the duration of the journey. That said, there were some interesting contrasts, in particular the signs notifying travelers of approaching rest stops. For the most part, the signs looked completely normal - petrol, lodging, bathroom, food - but at each stop and often next to one of the fast food establishments (McDonald's) was the symbol for a mosque. Now, not every rest stop actually had a mosque, but each had a room dedicated to prayer.
After a three-hour bus ride we arrived in Kuala Terembeling, the ferry launching point to actually enter Taman Negara. I grabbed a mediocre fried noodle lunch and hung out on the riverfront, enjoying the relaxing silence that surrounded me. People arrived at a steady pace until there were about thirty of us ready to head to the park. Our luggage was hauled down the steep embankment by a mine-like cart as two porters held on.
In groups of ten we were loaded on to three wooden longboats with motors, cushions, and life preservers (which we were asked to wear for the duration of the journey). Once we left the area surrounding the small town of Kuala Terembeling, it was a beautiful boat ride. The water was quite murky, but the rainforest was lush and dense and often accompanied by inviting sandbars. As we got closer, I spotted a few monkeys hanging out on a limb over and a number of cool birds, many of which swooped and dove around the water and through the trees without any seeming method to their madness.
While beautiful, after almost two hours, I was antsy to get moving. At about 4:00pm we arrived in Kuala Tahan, a small village that sits across the river from Taman Negara. I scurried up the rocky beach to find a place to stay for the night, ending up in a decent, but characterless bungalow a bit off the beaten track. I spent the rest of the afternoon relaxing, treating myself to ice cream (something I did a few too many times on my trip), and making a stop at the ranger station across the river to figure out what would be feasible over the next day. With the advice of a helpful ranger, I decided to spend the morning doing a short loop and the afternoon hiking out to a hide to spend the night. With not too much to do for the remainder of the evening, I crashed pretty early.
Planning to get the day started shortly after sunrise, I was awake while it was still dark out. I took a quick cold shower to wake myself up, threw on some lightweight canvas pants and set off across the river for the park. I had wanted to get some water before crossing, but nothing was open yet, so I was forced to make a stop at the resort by the ranger station. It cost $6.50RM (about $2) for a half liter bottle of water, the equivalent of which cost merely $1RM on the other side of the river. Ridiculous!
Anyways, I set off to the loop to the Canopy Walk and Bukit Teresek in reverse as the Canopy Walk didn't open until 9:30am. As soon as I was off the property of the resort and in the rainforest, I was absolutely drenched with sweat. I was surrounded by the sounds of dozens of kinds of insects calling out, the chirp of several kinds of birds, and an occasional rustling in the trees indicating the presence of a monkey. The sounds were so peaceful and authentic, it was hard not to just stand there and enjoy them.
Initially the terrain was pretty flat, but the path was criss-crossed by the roots of trees in all directions. About ten minutes in to my hike, I heard some rustling in the dense forest; something brown and with a stubby tail about the size of an average dog darted off away from me. I later found out it was probably a barking deer, not all that uncommon, but more than most people see, especially that close to park headquarters. As I cut away from the river, I headed straight up Bukit Teresek, a steep climb for a view of the surrounding rainforest. It didn't matter that it was only 9am, it was hot and more humid than DC at its worst.
Once I made it to the top, the view of Kuala Tahan was completely shrouded by fog. Enjoying the quiet, I relaxed for a minute before going to the far side of the hill. Though there was still much fog on the other side, the hills of the rainforest beyond peeked out above. Surprisingly exhausted, I sat for a minute to enjoy the silence and check out how many leeches I had picked up on my way up. Three brown leeches managed to wriggle through my wool socks and had grown from perhaps half an inch to three inches. Though a nuisance, they didn't really hurt and I was easily able to flick them off (their extremely effective anti-coagulant, however, ensured that I continued to bleed for another few hours).
From Bukit Teresek, I headed down to the Canopy Walk. I had seen some pictures of the Canopy Walk and I thought it was one bridge strung between two trees at canopy level, 75 feet above the ground. I was also expecting it the Canopy Walk to be quite touristy and over-hyped.
When I arrived, however, I was told by park staff that there were a total of ten bridges strung between the trees, some of them over 100 feet long. I climbed a wooden staircase to begin the walk. The setup was impressive if not a little discomforting: a v-shaped net of rope with metal ladders topped by wooden planks and strung with some metal cables between the two trees. Though it looked quite secure, it bounced up and down and swung side to side with every step. As someone susceptible to being afraid of heights, it was certainly a test. As I walked on, however, I enjoyed it quite a lot. I was one of only a few people on the walk at the time, and the sights and sounds were certainly worth taking in. I spotted a large monitor lizard on one of the first bridges, a number of birds, and some very prehistoric-looking plants.
Having completed the Canopy Walk, I set off for the final part of my morning loop. Almost back to park headquarters, I was started by a wild peacock, walking right across the path in front of me. It allowed me within ten feet before it disappeared into the thick forest surrounding the path.
Back at my guesthouse, I took a well-deserved shower, changed clothes, and treated myself to a big lunch before setting back off on the trail. I headed for Bumbin Blau, a hide a few kilometers from park headquarters, where I planned to spend the evening and hopefully to see some wild animals. The hike - especially with a full pack - was quite strenuous and, again, I was drenched. Aside from the plant life - blue ferns, giant trees, and vines intertwined with other plants and crossing over the path - and the sounds, it wasn't too exciting, but it was just nice to get out there and enjoy the rainforest. As I approached the hide the path was blocked by a large downed tree. I was able to find the path on the other side, but immediately following, another large tree was down. I tried to hack my way through the forest, but on my own and unable to find the path on the other side, I reluctantly headed back to Kuala Tahan.
Since I wasn't able to spend a full night in the rainforest, I decided to go on a night safari - a 4x4 ride through a nearby palm oil plantation. Ten of us packed into a pickup truck, with the driver inside, six in the back and three on the roof (including me and a spotter, with a bright spot light). For a while it seemed as if the only thing we would see was the house cat we saw on the way in to the plantation. However, we soon saw a six foot long baby python, two leopard cats (about the size of house cats, but with the same spots as leopards), two wild pigs, some kind of fox, and a few different kind of birds. It was pretty cool and I definitely enjoyed riding on top of the pickup truck (don't worry Mom, we were only going a few miles an hour).
Exhausted, I crashed hard and prepared to head back to Kuala Terembeling the next morning and on to Jerantut and the "Jungle Railway" up to Kota Bharu in the northeast of peninsular Malaysia.
After a three-hour bus ride we arrived in Kuala Terembeling, the ferry launching point to actually enter Taman Negara. I grabbed a mediocre fried noodle lunch and hung out on the riverfront, enjoying the relaxing silence that surrounded me. People arrived at a steady pace until there were about thirty of us ready to head to the park. Our luggage was hauled down the steep embankment by a mine-like cart as two porters held on.
In groups of ten we were loaded on to three wooden longboats with motors, cushions, and life preservers (which we were asked to wear for the duration of the journey). Once we left the area surrounding the small town of Kuala Terembeling, it was a beautiful boat ride. The water was quite murky, but the rainforest was lush and dense and often accompanied by inviting sandbars. As we got closer, I spotted a few monkeys hanging out on a limb over and a number of cool birds, many of which swooped and dove around the water and through the trees without any seeming method to their madness.
While beautiful, after almost two hours, I was antsy to get moving. At about 4:00pm we arrived in Kuala Tahan, a small village that sits across the river from Taman Negara. I scurried up the rocky beach to find a place to stay for the night, ending up in a decent, but characterless bungalow a bit off the beaten track. I spent the rest of the afternoon relaxing, treating myself to ice cream (something I did a few too many times on my trip), and making a stop at the ranger station across the river to figure out what would be feasible over the next day. With the advice of a helpful ranger, I decided to spend the morning doing a short loop and the afternoon hiking out to a hide to spend the night. With not too much to do for the remainder of the evening, I crashed pretty early.
Planning to get the day started shortly after sunrise, I was awake while it was still dark out. I took a quick cold shower to wake myself up, threw on some lightweight canvas pants and set off across the river for the park. I had wanted to get some water before crossing, but nothing was open yet, so I was forced to make a stop at the resort by the ranger station. It cost $6.50RM (about $2) for a half liter bottle of water, the equivalent of which cost merely $1RM on the other side of the river. Ridiculous!
Anyways, I set off to the loop to the Canopy Walk and Bukit Teresek in reverse as the Canopy Walk didn't open until 9:30am. As soon as I was off the property of the resort and in the rainforest, I was absolutely drenched with sweat. I was surrounded by the sounds of dozens of kinds of insects calling out, the chirp of several kinds of birds, and an occasional rustling in the trees indicating the presence of a monkey. The sounds were so peaceful and authentic, it was hard not to just stand there and enjoy them.
Initially the terrain was pretty flat, but the path was criss-crossed by the roots of trees in all directions. About ten minutes in to my hike, I heard some rustling in the dense forest; something brown and with a stubby tail about the size of an average dog darted off away from me. I later found out it was probably a barking deer, not all that uncommon, but more than most people see, especially that close to park headquarters. As I cut away from the river, I headed straight up Bukit Teresek, a steep climb for a view of the surrounding rainforest. It didn't matter that it was only 9am, it was hot and more humid than DC at its worst.
Once I made it to the top, the view of Kuala Tahan was completely shrouded by fog. Enjoying the quiet, I relaxed for a minute before going to the far side of the hill. Though there was still much fog on the other side, the hills of the rainforest beyond peeked out above. Surprisingly exhausted, I sat for a minute to enjoy the silence and check out how many leeches I had picked up on my way up. Three brown leeches managed to wriggle through my wool socks and had grown from perhaps half an inch to three inches. Though a nuisance, they didn't really hurt and I was easily able to flick them off (their extremely effective anti-coagulant, however, ensured that I continued to bleed for another few hours).
From Bukit Teresek, I headed down to the Canopy Walk. I had seen some pictures of the Canopy Walk and I thought it was one bridge strung between two trees at canopy level, 75 feet above the ground. I was also expecting it the Canopy Walk to be quite touristy and over-hyped.
When I arrived, however, I was told by park staff that there were a total of ten bridges strung between the trees, some of them over 100 feet long. I climbed a wooden staircase to begin the walk. The setup was impressive if not a little discomforting: a v-shaped net of rope with metal ladders topped by wooden planks and strung with some metal cables between the two trees. Though it looked quite secure, it bounced up and down and swung side to side with every step. As someone susceptible to being afraid of heights, it was certainly a test. As I walked on, however, I enjoyed it quite a lot. I was one of only a few people on the walk at the time, and the sights and sounds were certainly worth taking in. I spotted a large monitor lizard on one of the first bridges, a number of birds, and some very prehistoric-looking plants.
Having completed the Canopy Walk, I set off for the final part of my morning loop. Almost back to park headquarters, I was started by a wild peacock, walking right across the path in front of me. It allowed me within ten feet before it disappeared into the thick forest surrounding the path.
Back at my guesthouse, I took a well-deserved shower, changed clothes, and treated myself to a big lunch before setting back off on the trail. I headed for Bumbin Blau, a hide a few kilometers from park headquarters, where I planned to spend the evening and hopefully to see some wild animals. The hike - especially with a full pack - was quite strenuous and, again, I was drenched. Aside from the plant life - blue ferns, giant trees, and vines intertwined with other plants and crossing over the path - and the sounds, it wasn't too exciting, but it was just nice to get out there and enjoy the rainforest. As I approached the hide the path was blocked by a large downed tree. I was able to find the path on the other side, but immediately following, another large tree was down. I tried to hack my way through the forest, but on my own and unable to find the path on the other side, I reluctantly headed back to Kuala Tahan.
Since I wasn't able to spend a full night in the rainforest, I decided to go on a night safari - a 4x4 ride through a nearby palm oil plantation. Ten of us packed into a pickup truck, with the driver inside, six in the back and three on the roof (including me and a spotter, with a bright spot light). For a while it seemed as if the only thing we would see was the house cat we saw on the way in to the plantation. However, we soon saw a six foot long baby python, two leopard cats (about the size of house cats, but with the same spots as leopards), two wild pigs, some kind of fox, and a few different kind of birds. It was pretty cool and I definitely enjoyed riding on top of the pickup truck (don't worry Mom, we were only going a few miles an hour).
Exhausted, I crashed hard and prepared to head back to Kuala Terembeling the next morning and on to Jerantut and the "Jungle Railway" up to Kota Bharu in the northeast of peninsular Malaysia.
Thursday, October 9, 2008
Malaysia Part I: Arrival in Kuala Lumpur
Two weeks ago, I shipped out to Malaysia for the Pchum Ben holiday. In a word, the trip was fantastic. But this being a blog, I'm guessing that just a word won't do. Over the next few entries I'll try to provide the details of my trip. I hope you enjoy.
Leaving Phnom Penh on the Friday afternoon before Pchum Ben was quite amusing. At the airport were close to a dozen people I knew, heading off for Thailand and Laos. There were very few westerners on my flight to Kuala Lumpur, but I happened to know a couple of them through a friend. The AirAsia flight, although a little late, was uneventful aside from the fact that I sat next to a very flirtatious Cambodian woman and her mother. That was a little bizarre.
Upon arriving in Kuala Lumpur, I made it through customs without a problem (though everyone seems to take a long look at that Afghanistan visa…) and got my pack and joined the other people I knew to share a cab into town. We first stopped at an ATM which was, of course, broken. As we waited for it to be fixed, a passerby informed us that there more ATMs inside. When I stepped over the red velvet barrier surrounding the ATM line, however, I knocked down the whole series of stands – perhaps about ten. Not even an hour in Malaysia, and I’m already causing trouble, not a good sign of things to come.
After successfully taking money out, we found our cab and began the long journey into town (for some reason, the Malaysian authorities decided to put the airport 60km from Kuala Lumpur). My travel companions were meeting a friend and I decided to tag along hoping he would have a suggestion of a cheap place to stay.
The infrastructure leaving the airport was very impressive. Lit ten-lane highways with a speed limit of 110km/j (the “j” stands for jam, hour in Malay). As we got closer to town, high-rise apartment buildings dotted the landscape and we could see the beautiful Petronas Towers and the Telekom Malaysia tower.
We arrived in Kuala Lumpur a bit after 10pm and I set off looking for a guesthouse following recommendations. I first stopped at some of the specific ones that were suggested. All three were fully booked. But each was helpful in pointing out other guesthouses in the area that may have vacancies. One guesthouse owner even used her cell phone to call a few different places to see what was available close by. I followed her advice and stayed at a mediocre place called Trekker Lodge in a dorm (all that was available).
Before crashing for the night, I booked a bus and boat to Taman Negara, my destination the following morning.
I woke up early on Saturday morning and headed to an ATM to take a bit more money out. Diagonally across the street from my guesthouse was a small food stall, busy with people getting their morning coffee. As I passed by, I was greeted by a handful of transvestites (or “man-ladies” as the locals call them) and was invited to join them. I politely declined much to their disappointment. Returning from the ATM, I was again solicited for company (and even chased!). I uncomfortably headed back to the guesthouse where I caught a minivan to the bus station.
Since I was a bit early, I had a little time to wander around Chinatown. The streets were not yet bustling, but many vendors were setting up their stalls and shops and the food stalls – with noodles, soups, and fried goods (like donuts and curry puffs) – were preparing for the morning onslaught. I also stumbled upon a bizarre second-hand market in a very narrow alley. A mix of Malay, Indian, and Chinese men (Malaysia's diversity amazed me throughout my trip) - huddled over blankets spread on the ground selling the most random assortment of goods I've ever seen assembled in one place. On a piece of cloth of only a few square feet one individual seller would have jeans, DVDs, antique-like trinkets, car parts, and a hodgepodge of other items, none of which looked particularly appealing. With the bus leaving shortly, I headed back to the station and got ready for my trip to the oldest rainforest in the world.
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