Kuala Lumpur

We've been exploring a new city (to us) since arriving on Saturday, and have enjoyed new sights and sounds, but are starting to get to that part of the holiday where we are almost a bit 'over it' - hard to believe, I know!! 

Nonetheless, Sunday morning I woke with a mission to accomplish - I decided I wanted to get to a church and had done some internet research and found one that looked promising. We headed off in a taxi and ended up in an industrial/commercial building looking area, but found the right place. No signs anywhere, not even at the door of the building, but several people making their way inside, so we confirmed that we had found the right place. The service was all in English, and I think it was a 'Church of Christ' denomination. 

We were welcomed by a lovely young woman who got talking with us and introduced us to the Pastor and various other people. Once she knew we lived in Korea, she was really excited and said she was coming (with others) to Seoul in September, so she might just be able to catch up with us! She took us to the train station after the service and told us how to go about getting back into the centre of town, so - off we went! 

We've been happily using the public transport system here, conveniently nearby the hotel is the train station, and we've managed to get ourselves a 'myrapid' card - similar system to Seoul where you use a credit card type of thing, and scan your way on and off the trains, buses, or monorails. 

We've had a wander around the twin towers area (impressive, but expensive to go up there, and you have to book ahead...)the central markets, the KL Lakes park, the butterfly park, and today (26th) we decided to venture further and head to a Forest Reserve that I'd read about as it looked lovely, and had a 'Canopy Walk', intending to firstly visit the famous 'Batu Caves'.

We've been sleeping in a bit here, not so quick out of bed in the mornings, so we didn't leave the room till about 10.30am. The rail system maps that we've been following made it look like we had to go back 2 stations to connect with the train heading to Batu Caves - where we were planning on going. We headed off, got tickets, and hopped on the train only to discover it went right past our hotel, just over behind a building opposite us - and yes, there was a station there too. Hmmm. 

Oh, well, onwards we went - only to discover we'd got on the wrong train, as it took off to the left, when we should have been on one that went right. Undeterred, we got off, crossed over to the other side and waited half an hour or so to get the train back and try again. We arrived back to Putra station (yes, the one just beside the hotel....) and sat down to wait for the next train. 

This time it was the signs that fooled us. The time for the next train was displayed, and that train was going to Segambut where we had just been, so we knew NOT to get on that one. Trouble is - no train appeared at that time, and it was about 8 minutes later, and with a new sign flashing saying 'Batu Caves' - so we got on it. Mike was having doubts at this stage, but I couldn't understand why the sign would be flashing,and the time was correct, if it wasn't the train for the caves. It wasn't. We went to Segambut again. *Sigh* 

 So, change of plans!! I had hoped to go to this Forestry area AFTER exploring Batu Caves, but I was starting to wonder whether that visit was just 'not meant to be'. (if you have ever heard of Batu Caves, some pretty weird stuff goes on there as part of a Hindu celebration annually.) So, we worked out where to get off, and headed towards a taxi stand. We showed the driver the booklet, and he quoted 30 Ringget (about $10) so we thought 'fine' and off we went. 

The area we visited was stunning - a much better choice I'm sure!! The Canopy walk turned out to be amazing, and while there we heard a storm brewing - thunder rumbling, wind whipping up - so we were lucky as I think the walk would have been closed up once the rain started - which it did! Lucky for me I still had my cheapo adjima umbrella that I picked up in Vietnam, so we didn't get completely drenched. 

We took a bit of a wander around looking for a place to have some food, then found a cafe that looked a bit like the workers' one, and for 16 ringget (about $5.30) we had some delicious spicy Malaysian food, and a couple of drinks. We had been given a business card from the taxi driver, so we figured we'd have to head out to the entrance area as you have to pay to get in, so we set off. We decided that we'd just wait and see if any taxis were going past and give it a couple of minutes before ringing, and as it turned out, a taxi went past, free. He turned his meter on, and took us back to the train station. This taxi ride cost us 5.20 ringget!! The realisation that the other taxi driver had ripped us off quite considerably was the cause of much laughter, as we still appreciated getting there safely anyway, and $10 is ok...but taxi drivers!!! Honestly, they see you coming when you are not a local..! 

One impression of this area that has surprised me is the crime rate - we had a Sunday paper at the door that had about a 4 page article all about bag snatching, robbery, rape, and crimes against women. In the hotel information folder there was a laminated 2-page document giving you safety tips, and warning you about wearing jewelry, not carrying all your stuff in a bag, not wearing your bag on the shoulder that faces the road - as some snatchers come past on motorbikes!!! The trains even have some carriages that are labelled 'only for women'!!! It has really been the only place so far where we have had to be really conscious of personal safety. 

Tonight we plan on heading to Chinatown to eat, so hoping to find some delicious and cheap eating places over there. Tomorrow is our last day in KL, and then we head to Singapore for 4 nights. I am excited about meeting my cousin, Graeme Baumgart, who I haven't seen since I was about 3 or 4 years old, but who now teaches in Singapore. While we feel ready to head home, and have loved exploring Asia, and we know we will come back this way again someday!

Vietnamese Vacation

It has reached the point in our holiday where we are starting to say 'what day is it?'!! This is a good sign - not worrying about schedules, only doing what we have to, or choose to - now THAT is luxury!

We began this part of our trip in HCM City with a long stopover before flying to Nha Trang, so decided to pay a driver and have a tour. He showed us a lot of significant sites, beautiful architecture, and we visited significant buildings such as the reunification palace, the old post office, Ho Chi Min's statue in the central city area, and we had a wander around the zoo. It was a great opportunity to take a flying tour around a city that interests us as a possible place to come and work in - and luckily, we left with good impressions.

 View from Reunification palace - the tanks burst through this gate to claim Saigon back from the US...


We were taken to see the War Memorial Museum, which had a pretty graphic display of the Phuc Quoc prisoner of war camp - and the story of what happened there, as well as interviews with survivors on posters along a wall. A stark reminder of how recent the war was, and how it's impact is still felt keenly. There were several people here with terrible injuries and deformities, some in groups doing crafts or playing music, others trying to sell books etc. We read that every year there are up to 2000 people still being injured from land mines or other war remnants - the ongoing effects still being felt today. Very sobering.

this photograph is off a torture room where a person would have their feet locked into position and they couldn't move...

Nha Trang has become a seaside holiday resorts for Russians with money - and their influence is shown in menus all over the strip beside the beach! No different to other areas in the world where this happens, but we were pleased we had changed our itinerary and only had 3 nights there instead of the planned 7.  It was sunny and hot every day, and we both ended up quite sunburnt - me not intentionally, Mike fully intentionally. Strange, but true.

 The view out the window of an upstairs open-air Vietnamese restaurant - very pleasant lunch, sea breeze blowing...

Impressions - great beach, a bit spoiled by tourism, quite a few hawkers who get tiresome, shopping not great, food ok. Nice weekend place, but not such a hit with us.

 However, the food was great - this shot is taken whilst eating beside the sea at a restaurant called 'Sail Club' - lovely food, great atmosphere, nice to be here in the evening despite it still being about 28 degrees!! I must admit - this was the strangest tasting chocolate brownie I've ever eaten. Suspicious - I am sure it was made with rice flour...not quite the same!

Hoi An was the next destination and it out-does Nha Trang in spades! We hired a car and driver to get here, which was expensive but easier by far, and after spending from 9am - 7pm in the car with only 2 stops we were very pleased to arrive.
We are staying in the most beautiful hotel I think I"ve ever stayed in, and in a luxurious villa beside the pool - yep, tis the life of Riley here! If you're from the 'west' your money goes a long way in Vietnam.

Hoi An is well known as a tourist spot for several reasons - it's charm, it's shopping and tailoring and it's architecture. (I'm debating over apostrophes as I write this. I'm thinking they are required due to the charm belonging to Hoi An!!) Hoi An is near where a lot of action took place in what is referred to here as 'The American War' but managed to escape relatively unscathed. The 'Old Town' is so beautiful, and has many interesting places to visit. At night it is lit up with lanterns and looks positively magical. We have been here 2 nights and have walked around many streets but have still missed a large portion of the area, so are happy to be here till the 11th to soak it all up! The weather here hasn't been quite as hot as Nha Trang, but it is humid, so having A/C is wonderful to come back to, not to mention how delightful it is to have a pool at the door.

 eat your heart out, Lady Gaga!

We have had our first experience of having clothing tailored - and I am quite excited about picking all the goods up today. I have one dress already - kind of military looking, a 'shirt dress' in olive green which needs a wash to get the tailoring marks off! I also have a lady making me a copy of one of my favourite dresses that I'm going to pick up this morning. I'm hoping it turns out ok..! An exciting adventure. Photos will follow!

As we've traveled, we've usually found places that are businesses set up to help those on the bottom rungs of society to get a chance in life - I tend to find out before hand, either word of mouth, or via websites or lonely planet, so I was pleased when we strolled past a cafe called 'Streets' - to find out that it was similar to KOTO in Hanoi. Basically, kids off the streets are given an opportunity to train in the food industry - along with getting education in the business they also teach them English and other skills too. If you're interested check their website out : Streets There is also a business called Reaching Out here, this one is for people with disabilities, and enables them to learn art or crafts and then learn to run the business. Again, we just found this one as we were strolling about, but what a lucky find - there are beautiful crafts there, very impressive. They are a fair trade organisation too, and interesting to read about.

It has been really noticeable here that most of the Vietnamese have quite good English - more than any other place we have been to so far. Also making an impression is the transitional phase that the country seems to be in - it has definitely got third world areas still, and slums still exist alongside new areas of development. There are beggars at certain places, but more often you'll see people trying to sell something rather than putting their hand out - anything from drinks to fruits and veges to a lady yesterday swirling her two pieces of strong cotton and offering to remove any facial hairs that might be bothering me!!

 Lanterns light up the area in a spectacular fashion - this bridge has them on either side. Delightful



Crossing the road can be quite an experience - I had read about this in lonely planet, whose advice was to look, then 'just walk'!! They will go around you...I have done this in areas where it's mostly bikes, and - it works!! They do go around - in fact, you're better off to keep walking, I think 'he who hesitates is lost' is applicable in this situation. While we were being driven up to Hoi An, we experienced some Vietnamese road ettiquette - cars come up behind buses, toot, pull out, flash their lights at oncoming traffic, and pass. They allow for  a bit of distance - maybe 3 car lengths - but everyone just merges constantly. The thing is, that on the shoulder of the road where they merge out to, there often are people walking or on bikes, and of course - motorbikes. It was all a bit hairy at times, but - our driver seemed to know how to do it and we got here safe and sound!

'happy buddha?!!'

Today we are just hanging out - it's so nice to be able to do that - just read books, write the blog, etc...

I hope this blog finds you all well - my NZ friends and family - I hope you're keeping warm and snuggling up on the couch with a good book, or at least planning your skiing holiday!!

Isabel