Bali - Kuta

Ah Bali. Surfers paradise. Heather and I have been looking forward to coming here for a long time and its finally here! Its our last destination and we go 3 weeks to explore the small island. First we started out in Kuta, in the south side of the island where most backpackers begin here. There's so many people, mopeds, surf shops, and absolute madness. Definitely a change of pace from the pristine museum-like compound that is Singapore. But we like it...

Surfer chick

Since I was recovering from food poisoning, I kept the food simple when going to lunch on the first day. I was really disappointed because I heard the Balinese food is supposed to be amazing. I wanted to be safe though, no more trips to the hospital for me! After our first lunch in Kuta, we go to the famous Kuta beach! The surf is about 4-6 feet and has several breaks down the entire stretch of beach. Heather and I lay out our towel, apply some sunscreen, and soak up the sun in what's our first trip south of the equator. After a while, Heather rented a surf board and was out in the water for about 2 hours. I didn't rent a board because I've only had one meal in 3 days and my body was still sore. I managed to get a couple waves in while Miss Smith was taking a break, so it was awesome to get some surf action! And of course Heather couldn't be happier to finally be surfing after 6 week sabbatical.

Kuta is famous for it's recent nightclub bombings in 2002 which killed 202 people and again in 2008. Aware of our surroundings, we got ready to complete the last phase of TSD (tan, shower, drink) and bar hopped along Jalan Legian, the main road in Kuta. We managed to go into several bars where the guy to girl ratio was pretty sweet. It's like fishing with dynamite. Lol. The next thing we know, it's 4am and it's definitely bedtime!

Australians are not natural dancers... case in point

As you can imagine, we were in no state to rise and shine early, so we woke up at noon. Since we missed our free breakfast, we jetted off to the beach after lunch around the corner. The waves were really spectacular in the evening so we had a surf session. Once the sun starts going down at about 6pm, everyone flocks to the beach for one of the most beautiful sunsets on the planet. We sat on the beach at Blue's Bar and were joined by some New Zealanders who bought us a couple rounds of the local brew: Bintang. The vibe of new kiwi friends and an awesome sunset really put us in a good mood. The kiwi guys even invited us to a Rip Curl party that night.... Score!

At the Rip Curl Part with Shaun from New Zealand

That evening, Heather and I went to the best restaurant in all of Kuta called Dog Dragon. We passed by it earlier that day and the menu looked phenomenal. And it was. It was the most epic meal of my trip so far. I had the butterfish with creamy pesto sauce, chive mashed potatoes and veggies. Be jealous... So once our bellies are delightfully full, we met up with the kiwis at Brewers for the Rip Curl party. There's a couple pro surfers there, and they played a few short surf clips, but the best part was that there was free beer. Jackpot! Every backpacker loves free.... Especially booze! Then the after party moves to a bar called Eikon. More free drinks. Then guess what? It's 4am again and it's time for bed.

We slept in again (surprise, surprise) and put our towels down on Kuta Beach. We were pretty partied out that day and decided to keep the Sunday night mellow.  We had dinner at Sky Garden cause they had an all you can eat sushi bar for 50,000 rupiah, or about $5. Heather and I went to town! Following our Japanese feast, we found a hookah bar next to our hotel and smoked some sheesha for the next couple hours, reflecting about the weekend and planning our next destination to Ubud.

I wouldn't say I went to bed early, but it definitely was significantly earlier then the past nights we've gone out. Consequently, Heather and I were able to wake up early and go for a run on Kuta beach. Because were all sweaty, we jumped in the pool to cool off and also waited for Pete and Sophie (whom we met in Malaysia) to arrive.

Pete and Sophie got a room at our hotel, Sayang Mahayana Mertha (as per our request) so it was easy to meet up with them. We took them on a short walking tour and had lunch at an Aussi cafe. They told us about their remaining time in the Perhentian islands and KL while we talked out my hospital visit in Singapore. It was great to see them again because they are honestly the cutest couple and so fun to hang out with.

Many beautiful Kuta sunsets

After grubbing, I had to go to the internet cafe to take care of some business i.e. Apply for my Australian Visa, look for flights, tell my CONCERNED parents that I plan on moving to Australia, etc. Meanwhile, Heather met up with the kiwis for a surf session. We met up later at Blue's Bar to enjoy the sunset.

Pete and Sophie suggested we get dinner together too and we of course obliged. We were craving some good, cheap seafood so we took them to our fav restaurant: Dog Dragon. Yay! They fell instantly in love just as we did.

Heather, me and Sophie enjoying some free drinks at Sky Garden

It was perfect timing to be finished with dinner because Sky Garden has free drinks and appetizers every night  from 10-11. Ohhhh yeah. So the group heads to the top floor which overlooks all of Kuta. We get our buzz going and in typical fashion, we stayed up till 4:30am. What happened? I dunno....

Due to the fact we all had a late night munchie binge, I wasn't hungry the next day. So we went to the beach to surf but there were no waves. So instead we tanned and enjoyed the sunshine. That evening, Heather and I had a very romantic meal at a seafood restaurant in Jimbarun Bay. Here you pick out your own fresh fish and the grill it for you as you watch the sunset over the Indian Ocean. We shared a red snapper and some prawns. It was good, but not that good, and definitely not worth the extortionate price. All these seafood restaurants clearly cater to and consequently rip off western tourists. I prefer Dog Dragon for about 1/5 the price.

Romantic dinner at Jimbarun Bay

Sweet Balinese dancers

On our final night in Kuta, we met up with Pete and Sophie for a cocktail and some snacks. Nothing crazy... We wanted to recover from the previous night. We ended up talking about the night before and also meeting up in the Gili Islands, off the west coast of Lombock in a week.

So that wraps up Kuta. It's a madhouse of tourists from all over the world but it's fun... But only if you're 20 something and down to just party and surf. We anticipate seeing the "real" Balinese culture when we head to Ubud and the east coast of the island.

Moving to Australia

I know my friends and family back in LA will be disappointed, but I have decided to move to Australia for an unknown amount of time. Ill be going from Bali to Darwin in the Northern Territory next week. After spending a few days there, I'll be beading to Brisbane in Queensland to find a new life and new work. There's not much cash left in my pocket but from what I understand, jobs are easy to come by. I get get a filler job working at a gym or as a waitress until I find something along the lines of athletic therapy, the field in which I'm trained.

Before I left America, I was actively searching for a reason to keep traveling and not return to the states. So far, everything has been pretty smooth as far as applying for my working visa, canceling my flight home, and booking a new one "down under". If all goes according to plan, I'll find a job and an apartment to support myself as adjust to a new lifestyle in a country I've never been before. It'll be scary at first, sure, but I'm excited for the future holds. Should my new life in the new world fail or isnt what I want, I'll always have to option to go back to the "City of Angels". Mom and Dad are definitely anticipating my homecoming. 

So wish me luck, as I end one crusade and begin another. I plan on giving you all the updates of my Bali adventure within the next 2 weeks. I also intend on continuing this blog as I go to Aussiland. Feel free to stay tuned as my life takes a drastic and exciting turn of events! 

Singapore

First, Singapore isnt your average country/city so let me give you some fun facts before we begin!
1. It's a $500 fine for littering.
2. It's illegal to chew gum.
3. It's the 2nd most densely populated country in the world after Monaco.
4. Singa means lion, and pore comes from the Malay word pura, for city.
5. The Singapore Sling was first served in 1915 at the Long Bar of the Raffles Hotel. The ingredients are gin, Cointreau, cherry brandy, Dom Benedictine, pineapple juice, Grenadine, Angoustura bitters and limes.

The drive from Kuala Lumpur put us in Singapore at 11:30pm, making our journey about 6 hours. Heather and I are exhausted from sight-seeing and traveling all day, plus I hadn't slept in days due to illness (refer to my last post). The "nice bus" drops us off in the little india district which is perfect because that's where the hostel we picked out was. The Inn Crowd hostel was not a far walk but our backpacks keep getting heavier and heavier, making us loathe traveling between destinations. When we arrive, there is only one bed and Heather and I are not about to spoon so we go for option B, and go around the corner to Footprints Hostel. We check in, shower, and crash.

I cannot even express to you how fantastic it felt to finally sleep in! And till almost noon too. Haha. We once again packed out stuff, which wasn't hard cause we were only there for 12 hours and moved our stuff back to the Inn Crowd Hostel. I know some of you are confused as to why we did this, so let me explain: A hostel is a place where you not only sleep and keep your things, but it's where you meet and connect with people from all over the world. The Inn Crowd is a classic example of a great hostel. It's cheap, provides breakfast, has a common area for lounging, and sells beer! When we tried to check in the nigh before, there were tons of people talking and hanging out despite it being midnight on a Sunday. We knew we had to go back if we wanted to make the most out of our time in Singapore.

We claimed our beds in one of the hostel dormitories, arrange our things, and set off to explore the city. First mission was to walk past the Sultan Mosque to Arab street, just a 10 minute walk from little india. There are scores of different shops selling things from rugs to sheeshas to fine fabrics. It's lunchtime so after parading the small streets we stumble upon this amazing cafe.

Please note that I haven't kept any food down in the past 3 days. I was starving and needed something light and familiar. We each ordered a BLT with a salad and it was the best sammy I've had in a long time! Definitely hit the spot. Isn't it fascinating how amazing a great sandwich can make you feel? Something to ponder...

Singapore Flyer from the Marina Sands resort

Our walking tour continued past a couple malls and expensive high rise hotels to the Singapore Flyer. Basically, it's a slow moving ferris wheel similar to the London eye. Boring! And also expensive... So if were gunna spend money, lets do  it right.

Right next to the Singapore Flyer is the jaw dropping, multimillion dollar mega-complex that houses the Marina Sands Resort, casino, spa, and whatever else you can think of. So we had to check it out. Plus I knew my dad would die if I made it all the way to Singapore and didn't go here. The guy even sent me numerous links about it so I wouldn't forget.

Marina Sands!

When I die and reincarnated as a wealthy leader of a small but well respected country, I'm coming to this 8 star (or whatever) resort for vacation. This place is f@cking incredible. It just opened up about a year ago and has become a trademark on the Singapore skyline. I'm sure you've seen pictures of it somewhere. The hotel has 3 separate skyscrapers linked by what seems like a boat at the very top. Its called the skypark because its an open air platform with its very own infinity pool overlooking the entire city. There's also more prestigious spas, opulent restaurants, obnoxiously rich asian businessmen, yadda yadda yadda....

On our way to the skypark, we weave ourselves through the Marina Sands shopping mall. It's spotlessly clean and holds at least 5 different celebrity restaurants including Mario Batali and Wolfgang Puck. I stop and get a chai latte at a cafe that set me back $5 and I felt like I was back in California. Sigh.... We got lost trying to find this damn skypark but we kept seeing these monks who seemed to be going in the same direction. Despite me being the navigator of the trip, I gave up and we ended up just following the monks... And as you may have guessed, they led us the right way.

We head 57 floors up to the top where there's a sectioned off area of the skypark for the poor souls (pun intended) who can't afford a luxury room there. Apparently we all have leprosy because we are not allowed to go where the hotel guests are. For $20 sing-dollars, we only get access to a restricted area of the skypark at the far end. But we get just enough angle to see all the jovial guests bask away in what has to be the sickest pool in all of southeast Asia. I'm just being whiny and jealous but that's only because it was honestly beautiful and worth the money for the panoramic views.

Bitches in the best infinity pool in the wold

Stunning

Following our Marina Sands expedition, we walked around the river bank to the merlion statue, a famous monument and symbol of Singapore. From there we headed to the historic district where many English colonial building still exist among a few art museums.

Merlion!

Shaka at the Boat Quay

The next stop was the Boat Quay and Clark Quay (quay is pronounced "key"). I know Singapore is 80km from the equator but I felt like I was In the center of the earth it was so hot. We'd been walking around all days and I was completely drenched with salt and sweat. Not a good look. So when we got to this point of our walking tour, I insisted that Heather and I stop at a mall to cool off. We did momentarily, just so I could decrease by body temperature and regroup. We walked along the Sing River where both Quays are located. They are lined with restaurants  overlooking the water and have every sort of race and religion converging together. Pretty cool. At dinnertime we find a restaurant called the Red Dot. We order some pizza and beer and soak up the moment with all the other tourists and business people.

Heather at the Clark Quay

Upon returning to the Inn Crowd, we showered and finally felt clean again. We wanted to make the Monday night into a Saturday night, so Heather broke out the bottle of vodka she'd won at the limbo contest in Koh Phi Phi almost 3 weeks ago. She hauled it across 3 countries and sweet talked her way through 2 customs officers to bring it here, for this moment... To bad the vodka literally tasted like gasoline and we couldn't have more then one cocktail before switching to beer. I pity the fools who took our charity bottle of vodka that we put in the fridge with "free" on it, thinking it was their lucky night. Sh!t was nasty!

The rest of the night went off without a hitch. We made new friends from Germany, India, and Ireland. Travel stories were shared, drinking games were played, and fun was had. It was an awesome night and we managed to have our "Saturday" night party until 4am.

Awful smuggled vodka from Thailand

Our alarms sounded at 11am, cause we didn't want to miss the free breakfast of eggs n toast! Oh the life of a backpacker.... After breakfast, we caught the metro to Orchard Road. Orchard Road is shopping and just that. From Gucci to Hugo Boss to knockoffs to Rayban to Forever 21. It's all here. We've seen too many shopping malls between KL and Singapore so we got bored quickly. We didn't stay long and decided to spend the rest of the afternoon at the Bukit Timah Nature Reserve located outside of the main part of the city.

The only way to get there was by bus so we hopped on the local public transport but for less then a dollar and took a half hour ride to our destination. The Bukit Timah Nature Reserve is basically a giant tropical park in the middle of the city where Singaporeans can go to hike and exercise. It was really beautiful but we were expecting something more along the line of a botanical garden judging from our Frommers guidebook. Regardless, we made the most of it and proceeded to take an hour long hike in the rainforest to the summit in our casual dresses and sandals. We could not look more out of place, but whatever. It was fun.

The bus took us back in the direction we came from where it thankfully dropped us off not too far from little india so we could get back to the Inn Crowd. We needed a snack and since being in little india, we got a chai masala and some chapati. Delish...

Singapore Skyline

Marina Sands at night

Afterwards we cleaned up and met up with Sandeep from India whom we met last night. This is one of the sweetest guys you'll ever meet and he was so excited to show us around the city he had been staying in for the past couple months as an exchange program from his work back in Bangalore, India. He wanted to show us the skyline at night and also the laser show at the Marina Sands Hotel. We didn't even hear about the later until him. We took the public bus to the furthest stop and walked the rest of the way. The views at night were even more spectacular than during the day so we were pleasantly surprised. And the laser show put on a theatrical performance with powerful water jets, flashing neon lights, and music of the Frank Sinatra persuasion that reminded me of the famous water show at the Bellagio Hotel in Las Vegas. It was fun and Sandeep was beaming with pride because he showed us something cool and exciting in the city.

Next Sandeep wanted to treat us to a traditional Indian dinner down the street from our hostel. He is from the Kerala region of India so it only seemed appropriate that we get some south Indian food. He ordered us each our own vegetarian dosai that was to die for. I also got a mango lassi that melted in my mouth and brought me back to the organized chaos that is India. Our stomach were full but he insisted we try some roti and chicken tandoori (a north Indian dish) from the Muslim restaurant down the street. It was the best chicken I've had in years. Unbelievable! He paid once again and we were so grateful to him for giving us such a great evening. Though I think he might have enjoyed it more than we did. What man doesn't want two blonde California girls by their side?

Proud Sandeep

Out bellies were stuffed and we didn't feel much like going out so we returned to the hostel. There were some friends out front having some beers so we joined them.

Best chicken tandoori EVER!

Unfortunately I become I'll again, just as I did when I was in KL. I knew the feeling and the nausea was creeping up on me. I tried to hide it but before long I had to retire to my bed and pretend I felt OK. It wasn't long before I was in complete agony. I knew I needed to see a doctor but I wanted to avoid a hospital visit and see someone in the morning. At 5am I knew I couldn't wait that long and my body was shaking with cold sweats while my face grimaced with pain. I was so over being violently sick. Heather was still up partying with the others and I felt bad for being the party pooper but I had my own problems. I asked her to take me to the hospital, which she willingly obliged.

I went to Raffles hospital, and saw a doctor within 15 minutes of arriving. I was in so much pain I couldn't sit still. My blood pressure was sky high and I was sweating profusely. They gave me some drugs, which didn't do much so they recommended I see a specialist and stay overnight. I was terrified that I had either malaria or some weird parasite and I didn't want to risk being in hell any longer so I agreed.

It was my first hospital bed and I was scared. But Heather stood by me until I insisted she go home and get some sleep (it was about 8am at this point). She left and I had the room to myself. The doctor saw me and he concluded I had food poisoning that started when I was in Malaysia. He wanted to check if I had a parasite so they did blood work which came back negative. After they gave me plenty of drugs, I managed to sleep most of the day and night. I didnt eat a thing.

In the morning, I was still groggy but I felt a million times better than I did when I checked in, about 30 hours ago. The doctor recommended I stay for another 2 nights but I thought that was excessive. Plus, Heather and I had a flight to catch to Bali that afternoon that I DID NOT want to miss.

I had tremendous service from the staff at the hospital. And even though it was sh!tty for me to be there in the first place, I'm so thankful it was in Singapore. So in the end, I was discharged from the hospital, happy but weak. Heather accompanied me back to hostel to gather my things. I absolutely loved Singapore, but hopefully Bali will bring me some better luck, and some better food!

Kuala Lumpur



Seychen and her husband


Heather and I were so incredibly sad to leave the Perhentians but we knew we were in for a treat in KL - Kuala Lumpur for short. We planned to stay with Seychen, a friend of Heather's grandma. She is Malay-Chinese and looks about 35 years old despite being my parents age. Seychen and her husband have a really cool apartment about 10 minutes from the center of the city.

Now all we got to do is get there.... Easier said than done. We have been patiently waiting in Kuala Besut for 4 hours to catch the overnight bus to KL. It's about a 9 hour bus ride and our luxury bus leaves at 8:30pm.

The bus makes frequent stops along the way and everything is all is fine and dandy.... BUT... At 4am the bus stops in the middle of nowhere. Heather is of corse asleep cause that beezy can sleep anywhere. I'm half awake attempting and failing to sleep. It isn't until 5am that I realize we've been there way to long for it to just be a pit stop. I can't find the driver and nobody speaks English. F@ck! I wake Heather and we decide to wait until 6:30 before we do anything. Time passes and it's still dark outside. Passengers from the bus are being picked up by friends and family. So what's going on? I ask around and finally someone tells me the bus broke, the tire is flat. Dammit! Thats the second time this has happened  once in the taxi to Agra in India and now this. We are still 2 hours outside of KL, in the middle of the jungle, and tired as all hell from no sleep. It's a mystery when a repair man will come and how long it will take to change a tour bus tire the size of a boat. We ask one young man who has severely broken English to use his cell phone so we can call Seychen, who's supposed to pick us up in KL at 7am. He speaks with her in rapid fire Malay as to what happened and when we should arrive. We end up waiting until 10 am before someone comes and fixes the tire and we are finally back on the road by 10:30. However, the driver proceeds to make at least 3 stops for gas, bathroom, and lunch which ultimately put us in Kuala Lumpur at 1:30pm. So a 9 hour bus ride turned into a 16 hour bus ride. FML.

Seychen picked us up around 2pm from a mall which was just around the corner from the obscure bus depot. We are so excited and relieved to see her! She takes us back to her apartment where we put our stuff down and get settled into her cute guest room. Seychen introduces us to her mother in law who stays with her, as well as Ros, the live-in maid. Score! Ros made lunch for us (we were starving!) that consisted of pork in a really nice gravy sauce and some sweet potatoes. Anything would have been delicious at that point, but it was honestly amazing, and the first home cooked meal I've had in months. 

Seychen had some errands to run so she dropped us off at Bukit Bintang for some shopping. This place is huge! It's a street with at least 5 different malls, outdoor vendors, markets, restaurants, spas, and more. There are people from all over the world mixing about. I managed to buy a few new shirts (I've been wearing the same damn clothes for the past 2 months) while Heather got a pedicure.
After meandering the streets and endless mall corridors, we met up with Seychen and her gardener from Vietnam, Van Sy, at the Heritage Food Court. This is located in the Lot 10 mall onthe ground floor where all the finest hawker stalls have been chosen to sell their food here. Seychen gets a variety of items including KL's most famous dish: Hokkien noodles. We also have prawn curry, fried pork with noodles, won ton soup, and some chestnut tea to wash everything down. Such a treat!


Feast at Heritage Village Food Market

Following dinner, we walked around a bit more but things were beginning to close as it was just about 11pm. I thought we were going to head home (we didn't sleep last night) but we ended up going to a different district for some beers. We went to a tapas bar that served expensive beer so after one round, we headed to Seychen's club, which is kinda like a country club. We got some cheaper beers there and more snacks that we didn't need cause we were all already obnoxiously full from dinner. But it was a blast and time flew. We ended up staying until 2am and when we got back to her apartment, we crashed. I slept soundly until 5am, when unfortunately I become sick and ended up throwing up my entire dinner and then some. I was miserable with awful stomach pains for 2 hours until I was able to fall asleep again. I didn't want to tell anyone cause I was too embarrassed (I didn't them to think I didn't like to food). It was a bad night, but luckily we were able to sleep in until almost noon, so I got enough sleep to last me another day. 
Since we woke up at lunchtime, Seychen and her husband took us to an Indian restaurant when we got ready. Malaysia is a hodgepodge of different cultures (thanks to English colonization) with many people from China, Vietnam, and India. I was excited for Indian cause it had been a month since I had some good Indian cuisine and I was beginning to miss it. The restaurant they took us to was super crowded so we knew it had to be good. It was banana leaf style (everything is served on a large banana leaf - easy clean up). Our plates were full of dahl, fried fish, lamb, curry, rice, chutneys, and plenty more of spicy deliciousness.... It was a feast!

After our glutinous lunchtime display, we set off to the central market where you can buy all sorts of handicrafts, souvenirs, jewelry, etc. We shopped around for a while, then had a Malay coffee break that tasted like drinking brown sugar. Not my fav...

Next we went to the famous Petronas towers which were the tallest buildings from 1999-2004. They are super cool looking but much prettier during the night (which we came back later that evening because they are so much more magnificent lit up). Underneath there is, guess what, another mall. Boring...

During the day

Evening

Beautiful!

Our driving tour of KL continued when we went to Chinatown to buy some discount and knockoff items. They have everything you want there! Heather went to town and bought enough to make her backpack a couple kilos heavier. Ps Heather is being very generous with her gifts, so her fam and friends are going to be pretty happy when she comes home! Our last stops of the day were the old Moorish railway station, where we also bought our bus tickets for the next day, and then the beautiful National Malaysian Mosque.

Sightseeing all day made us a little tired so we went back to the apartment to rest before dinner. Chinese was the cuisine for the evening and being Malay-Chinese, they took us the one of the best Chinese restaurants in town. They are particularly famous for their crispy duck which we devoured instantly. We also had tofu with vegetables and then kailan. Kailan  is a vegetable similar to spinach and then sauteed with an amazing spicy garlic sauce. Yum!

Merdeka Square

After dinner we went to Merdeka square when it was all lit up. It was beautiful but a shame that the pictures don't do it justice. Finally we headed to The Library, a bar right in front of the Petronas towers where we ordered a large  keg-like beer tower of Carlsberg. We joked and laughed until I started to feel sick again like last night. I eventually became very ill and was dying from stomach pain by the time we left. We headed back home and I threw up everything in my stomach and probably my small intestine too. It was awful and I am so grateful that Seychen took care of me all night until I was finally able to go to sleep at 5:30am. Bless her heart. She definitely was a great surrogate mom that night cause I was in pure hell. I never want to feel that way ever again.

Ultimate beer tower!

Although my stomach and abs were really sore from vomiting all night, I felt ok. So we woke up at 9am because we had already booked a taxi to take us to the Batu caves. The Batu caves is one of the most sacred Hindu sights outside of India. It's located in the surrounding hills just outside the city. We visited the temples and went inside the giant musty smelling cave. It was really cool and definitely made me nostalgic of India. After, I introduced Heather to her first chai masala and she loved it! She also got a roti cannai but I had to pass. I refused to eat anything for at least the next day. :(

Hike up to the Batu Caves

Namaste

You should see her right hook!

Feeling very Indian, we took a taxi to Little India. We walked around going into all the cute shops and got some traditional henna done. Well, that was original plan but Heather had a brilliant idea to put henna on her face, like the Mike Tyson tattoo. It was hysterical for the first day, but then I think she had a serious case of regret. It was funny to see her scrub the henna with nail polish remover a few days later because she was getting too many weird looks in Singapore. Plus how are we supposed to pick up guys with a Mike Tyson face tattoo?! Lol.

We head back to Seychen's apartment to pack and say our goodbyes. She and her husband showed us incredible generosity while we stayed with them. I hope one day I can reciprocate. We thanked them and gave a nice bottle of wine we purchased earlier to add to their collection before dropping us off at the "nice bus" station. Seriously though, its called the Nice Bus. And boy was it! Definitely a different experience then our last bus ride! We got spacious seats, iindividual electrical outlets, and even dinner (which I unfortunately left untouched). We're off to Singapore!

Perhentian Islands

So far, Malaysia is getting an A+ and now we get to experience some of the most majestic islands in all the world, the Perhentians, located in the east coast of the peninsula. We have to take a 6 hour minibus ride (at 5 in the f&$cking morning! Ah!) to get to the ferry terminal which ended up taking 5 hours because the bus driver was driving like and F1 race car contestant. Heather managed to catch some zzzzz's while I just gripped my seat-rests for dear life and prayed that we didn't topple over the steep cliffs.


Mike, Dom, and Matt


The only good thing about our bus ride to Kuala Besut was we had an awesome group of people, all Brits. There was Pete and Sophie whom we met from our last bus ride from Krabi. Then there was Mike, Matt, and Dom, who were on holiday for 2 weeks from their very serious jobs in London. We saw each other everyday for almost a week and dubbed ourselves "the crew".

Long Beach

We arrived at Kuala Besut and boarded the small speed boat to the Perhentian Islands. 2 islands make up the Perhentians: Kecil and Besar. Kecil is the small of the two and is where all the backpackers go, specifically on Long Beach. Besar and the other side of the island are more resorty and for honeymooners. Heather and I are close, but we ain't THAT close...

So we disembark the mini speed boat on Long Beach, the most beautiful beach I've ever seen in my life. We grab our gear and start shopping for a bungalow that we'll be staying in for the next 5 days. After trekking up and down the beach, we settle on Panorama chalets for 55 ringget a night, or about $9 each. We have our own room, bathroom, and balcony that's about 100 meters from the ocean. Pretty sweet huh? The only bad part was that we only had a fan in our room and the electricity for the whole facility was turned off from 8am-noon and from 4:30-6:30. So annoying during the evening cause you don't want to be outside for mosquito hour but you can be inside cause it's too dark! But it'll do, so were happy.

Our bungalow

Because we arrived so early during the day, we had the entire afternoon to chill and hang out on the beach. We sat at one of the very few restaurants on the beach and ordered some lunch. When we finished, we laid out our towels and proceeded to lounge on the sand and play in the water for the next few hours. The sun was hot, but not too hot, so it was perfect. We even decided to go for a swim down the beach to get some exercise. Later we each did a separate 30 min run which felt amazing after all the pad Thai and noodles we've been consuming for about a month now...

Once the power was turned back on and we were able to shower, we went back to the same restaurant as before to get some dinner. It wasn't long until we ran into Pete and Sophie again (it's a really really small island). They told us that after dinner they were going to join the other English blokes from our early morning minibus for some drinks. We were down to go and hang out, I'm mean sh!t, what else were we going to do?

In a strange turn of events, the Perhentians have a decent night life despite only having 3 bars on the whole island. The four of us walk to the farthest bar down the beach and see the guys hanging out on the mats with some "monkey juice". So we grab a spot and join them in their nighttime shenanigans. We proceed to do this almost every night we were there cause there was good music, great drinks, awesome company, and fire dancers!

Fun times on the mats

Monkey juice

Orang Utan is the local sweet rum that is the drink of choice on the island. I tried to buy a bottle of it for back home but I waited till after we got off the island and the didn't have it! Dammit, so sorry dad, you won't get to sample any monkey juice when I come home. But as you may have guessed, orang utan with coke or sprite is called "monkey juice" for obvious reasons.

I told myself that I couldn't drink for 3 days after our 3 week Thai binge so I counted myself out for the first night of drinking. Trust me, I needed to detox! But we still managed to stay up until 2 am dancing and having a great time getting to know each other.

I'm my going to bore you with the mundane details of the next few days, just know that it was a lot of TSD (tan, shower, drink for those of you who are not up to speed with my super cool acronyms). There were some highlights which I'll tell you about...

As previously mentioned, I am not a scuba diver and have no desire to submerge my body  25 meters under water. No thanks. But Heather is all about it and had the opportunity to do 2 spectacular (and remarkably cheap) dives while we were on the island. She went to a dive spot called the pinnacle and also was able to do a ship wreck dive. In all honestly, I was a little jealous about the later. So I slept the sh!t out my bed every morning while she was doing her best Jacque Cousteau impression.

I never want to leave!

So hot right now

Being goofy

Matt and I swimming in paradise

Heather indulging in a "refreshing"sea
coconut shake at The Meeting Point Cafe

Its time for me tell you about "The Meeting Point" cafe. There were only a handful of restaurants on the island and 3 of then had prime beachfront property. The problem was they were right next to each other except the menus and chairs were slightly different. After a few trial and errors from the other 2 places, we established one of them ironically called "The Meeting Point" our cafe of choice, and pretty much ate here the next 4 days... Lunch and dinner with the exception of one night. Lol. Why spoil a good thing right? We knew the menu like the back of our hand by the time we left... Well maybe not the English guys cause they ordered a club sandwich during every single lunch!

It was one of the English blokes, Matt's, birthday the second night. So of course after dinner there was a series of drinking games. The boys brought a half a bottle of vodka, and a full bottle of gin and apple liquor. We mixed our booze with either coke or 100 plus (the local soda that tastes like a watered down version of squirt). We then proceeded to teach them how to play our favorite drinking game: kings cup. Afterwards, we hit up the rooftop bar that overlooked he water and had some pretty sick live music jamming. We heard some bob marley, pink Floyd and oasis. It was all going smoothly until Pete came running back to the group after saying goodnight, and told us there was a giant jumping green and yellow spider in their room. Petes face had a half smile  Matt and Dom were the brave souls who managed to find supreme courage (probably from being heavily intoxicated) and recruited to kill the spider. That's all you guys, I'll stay back here.... Despite some arachno-drama, it was an awesome night and I'm pretty sure Matt had an epic (or epileptic, as he'd like to say) time.

The Crew - Sofie, Heather, Matt, Me, Mike, Dom, and Pete

Matt's bday shot of... tequila?

BFF's

Ahhhhhh, the beach... my haven. I just about tanned every single day and consequently, got super tan during that week. A girls gotta get her vitamin D somehow! Anyways, there was always someone from "the crew" on the beach to hang out with. We would either tan (which never lasted too long cause it was so bloody hot and humid), or play frisbee (Heather's personal favorite), or read/play music. Not much to it really. Its the laziest/best lifestyle there is. Needless to say, we ended up staying an extra night because it was truely ecstacy on the Perhentians.

Our last day was very sad. We had to say goodbye to the English lads but a farewell to Pete and Sophie. We will be meeting up with them in Bali in a few weeks after Singapore. Love those two! So we leave the islands at 4pm to head back to Kuala Besut, but not before enjoying a full day of sunshine. When we get to Kuala Besut we onnly have a couple of hours to kill before we catch our bus to Kuala Lumpur, the capital of Malaysia. And the story continues....

Malaysia

     Curses... Why do I always manage to be hungover on a long day of travel? Such a dummy, but I have no choice other then roll our of bed at 8am so we can catch the ferry back to Krabi and then a bus to Penang, Malaysia.

     Fortunately the ferry ride back to the mainland was not nearly as horrendous as getting to the islands. When we arrive, a group of 10 catch a minibus to Hat Yai, one of the last transfer cities in Thailand before Malaysia. It wasn't a bad ride except we were the last to arrive and got the 2 front seats with the driver. The passenger seat was comfy as all the others were, but the middle was like sitting in a high chair. For the first 2 hours, my head was pressed up against the ceiling and had no view because the rear view mirror was in the way. The seat was rock hard and at a 90 angle. Heather got the next 2 hour shift and both of our backs were killing us by the time we got to Hat Yai. We're only half way to our final destination. Thank god we switched minibuses and got a decent seat to Penang. It was about a 4 hour ride, plus about a 30 minutes of mayhem at Malaysian immigration.

     Before I tell you about the wonderfulness Malaysia has to offer, I'd like to wrap up my thoughts about Thailand... Thailand was at the top of my list when putting together my crusade's itinerary. I always dreamed of immersing myself into the rich culture, the phenomenal food, and the white sand beaches. That's exactly what I did and more. I love Thailand and will recommend it to anyone whether you like urban jungles, outdoor activities, cultural heritage, or beach paradise. The people here are friendly and always smiling which makes you feel at home despite being 9,000 away from it. I'm so impressed by the county and look forward to spending more time here in the future. In particular, I'd love to have spent more time in the north. There is so much to do, see, and explore there. Moreover, I regret not going to Laos. If we didn't have to be in Koh Phangan for the full moon party, I would have definitely trekked through the smaller northern Thai villages and made my way into Laos.

     While I had 3 weeks of backpackers paradise, I wish there weren't so many of them... the backpackers.  One of the best things about traveling is meeting all sorts of great people from all over the world. But too many tourists spoils the experience. And although we were touring during the monsoon season (which by the way is the best time to go!), there were still plenty of tourists to make the Thai tourism board happy all year round. I can't even imagine how overcrowded it would have been during peak season, especially in the islands. In the end, I give Thailand mad props. My stories and pictures don't really do it justice, but I tried, and hopefully it will inspire you to make your own crusade to the "land of the smiles".

Malaysia!

     Penang is an island in the northeast part at Malaysia and the second most popular travel destination in the county after Kuala Lumpur. It's a fairly large island with the main city being Georgetown, which is easily accessible via a bridge from the mainland.

Heather and I at the Georgetown bay

     I'm not sure how many of you have been to Malaysia, (or even know where it is for that matter...) but I guarantee your presumptions about it are completely wrong if you have not been here. When crossing the border, you instantaneously feel like you are in a western world. The roads are nicely paved, the signs are clear, lights glistening from every shop and shopping mall, the cleanliness, and while the language is not English, all the characters are familiar. Heather and I both thought we were entering a third world and it is most definitely not. It is far superior to Thailand in terms of modernity.

     So when we were crossing the bridge into Penang, we were stunned by the row of lights from skyscrapers, hotels, cruise ships, and the like. Our minibus stoped at a particular area in Georgetown where there are several hostels and guesthouses to choose from. Since it was nearly 9pm, we decided to tag along with an English couple, Pete and Sophie, who we met on our bus. They had already booked a place to stay and since we hadn't, we followed them to theirs. The Red Inn Heritage was a newly renovated hostel with only few other travelers and was a perfect place to settle for the night.

     Although we only intended on using Penang as a place to crash for the night en route to the Perhentian Islands, we decided that because it was such a great area, we'd stick around for an extra day to explore the city. So we booked a private room for 2 nights for $11 a night each.

     It was about 10pm and we really hadn't eaten all day, so we were all starving. Since Pete an Sophie were so helpful in leading us to a great hostel, we asked them if they wanted to join is for dinner. They obliged and the front desk gave us directions to the Red Garden Food Market.

     When walking up to the giant food market, we were all stunned to see about 30 different food stalls selling everything from Malay food to Chinese to Western to Japanese to Indian and more. In addition, there was (crappy) entertainment where they basically karaoked to American and local songs. Good? No. Entertaining? Yes.

     All of us decided on Indian food and Heather and I ordered vegetable masala which was absolutely amazing and made me nostalgic of my recent times in India. While we waited for our food, Pete and Sophie told us about their year long world travel escapade. They are on month 9 and have already covered the ENTIRE continent of South America as well as Vietnam, Cambodia, Laos, and Thailand. Next they're onto Bali and Australia for a couple months and finally to India. Wow! So envious but I'm not sure if I could really handle a year of living out of a backpack. Could you? Ps, remember Pete and Sophie, as they were a crucial part of our amazing time in the Perhentian Islands.

     Needless to say, we slept like babies that night after traveling ALL day. The following morning we slept in and missed the free breakfast downstairs... Dammit! But we decided to get in gear and do a walking tour of Georgetown. Our first stop was little India which then led us to the marina and finally to Fort Cornwallis. We toured around the fort which had been there since the 1600s. It had gone through several occupations from the French, English, Japanese, back to the English and now Malay.

     It was lunch time and we found another, smaller food market with different options to choose from outside Fort Cornwallis. We were the only tourists there and some of the food stalls didnt have signs in English as to what they were selling. So while Heather chose the safe western option of chicken cutlet, I was daring and chose the Malay squid noodle dish. Heather gobbled hers up but mine, hmmmm how do I put this.... Mine was bloody awful and gives me a gag reflex thinking about it now. Perhaps it was partly my fault but I took two bites of it and it was crunchy as if it had sand in it and it smelled like seafood. Like as if the seafood had turned a couple days before. Nasty... But good thing I only spent 4 ringgit or about $1.30, otherwise I would have been pissed. So I went without lunch that day and got a coconut shake to fill the stomach instead.

     Next stop was the Chong Fat Tze Mansion, a famous Chinese house that has been a world heritage site since the 1980s. Chong Fat Tze was a wealthy Chinaman that made his home in Penang in the late 1800s with his 9 wives and who knows how many children.... Anyways, we took a guided tour of the mansion for $4 and it was absolutely fascinating. I know nothing about the Chinese culture so it was quite interesting to hear about feng shui, the symbolism of a dragon in building a house, architecture, culture, etc. And while the entire island was bombed during WWII, his house was not touched because the Japanese thought it was a temple. The mansion is beautiful and is also a popular tour site for studying architects due to it's sculptures outside the house. They are unique because they are made from ceramic bowls. The bowls were glazed according to the desired color, the broken into the shape they wanted, and used to make these ornate designs all throughout the inside and outside the house. I was vey impressed.

Chong Fat Tze

     Upon returning to the hostel after a long day of walking, we showered, relaxed and watched the movie Hangover 2 on a pirated DVD that was left in our room.

     Our bellies were starting to rumble (especially mine since I basically didn't eat anything all day) so we headed to the Red Garden Food Market again cause we knew we'd be in for a good, cheap meal. I got the crispy pork with noodles and Heather got the duck noodle soup. They were both good but didn't quite satisfy. So we went to the sushi stall and ordered a roll each for about a dollar. Sooooo good! I love Malaysia already.... And wait till you hear about the Perhentian Islands. That's when you all will truely be jealous. I guarantee it!