Day 65: Temerloh - the unexpected stop

Temerloh was not on our itinerary. We were there because the direct bus from Melaka to Jerantut was terminated, so that was the next closest town for us. When we bought the ticket, the ticket lady told us there was still a Temerloh-Jerantut bus at 10:30pm, so we could still make it to Jerantut if we did not like Temerloh. When we got to Temerloh, we immediately inquired about the 10:30pm bus to Jerantut. It turned out that the last bus was at 5pm. So we had to spend the night at Temerloh.

Actually it was not that bad. That day was exactly our two-month anniversary on the road, so we decided to splurge a little. We found a business hotel called Hotel Jelai. For 73 ringgit, we had a twin room with TV, air-con, hot shower, breakfast and wifi. It was clean, friendly and efficient. The only tricky part was the last 50 meter to the hotel. We had to climb over highway fences to get to the front entrance. It was difficult to picture people in suits and dresses climbing over those fences for their meetings at the hotel.


For our celebratory dinner, we picked Pizza Hut right by the bus terminal. Katy had mentioned Pizza Hut when we were in China, but the price was quite expensive. The price in Malaysia was more reasonable for our backpacker budget. We stuffed ourselves with pizza, pasta, garlic bread and salad. The salad was charged per plate. So we piled it mountain high. We could not help but laughing when we were piling on all the vegetables at the salad station. It was a meal to remember.

the mountain-high salad

bus terminal at Temerloh - convenient with a supermarket next to it

Day 64: Melaka

Melaka, an important port city in the old Colonial days, changed hands a few times among the Portuguese, the Dutch, the British before the declaration of independence 51 years ago. Some of the buildings still have the European design as well as the infusion from the new comers such as the Chinese and the Indian. It is no wonder Melaka was inscribed as an UNESCO heritage city as of July 2008.

Our favorite walk was from Equatorial hotel to A'Famosa to Jonker street (Chinatown). The route was paved with historical buildings and museums. In addition, there was no vehicle traffic allowed on this route. The St. Francis church offered an excellent view of the port and downtown area. Much of the land we saw along the port was reclaimed from the sea.

Kim met with us in Melaka for the weekend. She took us to a few local joints to sample even more Malaysian delicacies. First on the list was the chicken rice at the beginning of Jonker street. This restaurant was the first original place serving chicken rice. That is why there was a never-ending queue for a table. The rice was served in golf ball size – five balls per plate. The chicken was juicy and tender. Go there during the day because it's closed after lunch service.

Second on the list was a dessert place in the back of Chinatown (can't recall the name). Due to the late hours, most dishes were sold out. So we settled for cendol and tofu rojak. The cendol was great – sweet, but not too sweet, with red beans and green jelly. The tofu rojak, on the other hand, was a bit too adventurous for us. It's deep-fried tofu with pineapple dices served with sweet, dark sauce and chili sauce. It was Kim's first time tasting tofu rojak as well, and she shared our sentiments.


Third on the list was Capitol Satay. My oh my, that place was very memorable. It works like a Chinese hot pot (or steam boat). Instead of clear broth or tom yam, you have satay sauce. Yup, one big pot of boiling satay sauce. All the items were on skewers. Dip the skewers in the satay sauce for a few minutes and voila. It was creamy, peanut buttery and coconuty. BTW, satay is not just limited to pork, chicken and beef. At Capitol, there were squid, prawns, quail eggs, tofu, vegetables and fish balls – all on skewers and ready to be dipped into the satay sauce.

This trip to Melaka further opened up my eyes on Malaysian cuisine. There were more dishes at Chinatown not mentioned in this blog entry. If you are a food lover, Melaka is a good place to chill for the weekend. Last but not the least, if you are a durian lover, try the durian donut at Big Apple next to Equatorial hotel. There is nothing like stuffing the king of fruits inside a donut. I tried half and the whole car stank like durian.

Day 61: Cameron Highlands and the rain

The first thing we noticed when we arrived in Cameron Highlands was the cool breeze in the mountains. Then it started to rain. In fact, it rained all four days we were there. The rain came and went every few hours and usually in the afternoon, so we tried to time our activity accordingly. In the evenings, it was quite cold, and we had to use two blankets when we went to sleep.

We did the usual tourist things - tea plantation, strawberry farm, butterfly farm, cactus garden and jungle trail. Of course, the rain accompanied us in all the outings. Good thing we bought an umbrella in KL (made in Hangzhou, China - we were there one month ago). It was actually cool to walk through the tea plantation under light drizzles of rain.

One morning we woke up and found a film crew at our hotel (Cameronian Inn). One guy explained to us that they were shooting some Malaysian TV series, which took place in Cameron Highlands. The Malaysian actress had kept pronouncing the word "camping" incorrectly in Mandarin and ended up saying "filming". The two words are very similar, but still different to Mandarin speakers (just like the words "horse" and "mother"). Anyway, she must have done 30 takes on the word "camping" because we still heard the word "filming" when we got back to our room. Apparently the actor and actress were well known in Malaysia because Kim's 11-year-old nephew recognized them right away.

We also met a couple of kind Malaysian women when we tried to find Bala's Chalet for an English afternoon tea. The women asked if we had seen a traditional Malay home and invited us to their home. It was a cozy place - interesting setup with living quarters being higher than the dining area, which was higher than the kitchen and the cat's feeding area. Seven cats actually. The women apolozied because they could not offer us tea because they were fasting. Then I showed them the fresh strawberries we just bought to see if they would change their minds. :) We all broke into laughters.

If anyone goes to Cameron Highlands, there is this great local restaurant called Restoran Number 14. We had amazing roti sardine and tosai there. It was so good we had breakfast there three days straight.

Restoran Number 14 & our breakfast tosai and roti sardine
















the Malay house we visited & the cat playing with my boot








the TV crew shooting at our hostel












tea plantation








butterfly farm & the other insects

Kota Bharu - the start of Ramadhan

Kota Bharu was only a transit town for us. We were there twice - to the Perhentian Islands (via Kuala Besuit) and to the Cameron Highlands (next blog entry). The town did not appeal to us, but I wanted to write this entry about the events in Kota Bharu and someone we met in Wakaf Bharu (train station near Kota Bharu).

Originally we went to Kota Bharu to catch a train to Jerantut, the entry point for Taman Negara National Park. Upon arriving at Kota Bharu, we transfered to a city bus heading to the train station in Wakaf Bharu, where we learned that the evening train arrival time in Jerantut was either midnight or 2am. Not wanting to look for hotels at the wee hours, we decided to look for bus options, which means another bus ride back to Kota Bharu. That is when we met Mr. Liu, who offered to give us a ride back to town and look for bus tickets.

At the bus terminal, we could not find buses going to Jerantut, so we changed our plans to go to Cameron Highlands. Afterwards, Mr. Liu asked if we needed anything else. From our research, we read about a special grilled chicken with coconut sauce only available in that region, so we asked him about the chicken. He happened to know a shop that sells it. So he took us to the chicken place and took us back to the bus terminal. Very kind gentleman. BTW, that chicken was delicious.

To kill time till our night bus to Ipoh, we went to a KFC to use the free wifi (most KFC outlets have free wifi in Malaysia). That is when we realized it's the start of Ramadhan (Sep 1st) because people were sitting with plates of food in front of them without eating. They were waiting for the signal, which in this case was the chanting via the PA system in the mall. It was such a special scene. BTW, we ordered one Ramadhan special meal to join the festive mood!

Me and Mr. Liu








us at KFC using the free wifi and sampling the Ramadhan festive combo









the Kelatan special coconut chicken








our night bus to Ipoh & Katy making faces "not another night bus"

Day 57: Perhentian Islands

Beautiful white sand and calm turquoise-colored water without mass tourism. That is how I would describe Perhentian Islands (one big and one small). Katy and I spent five days on the "big" island, known for its low-key tempo, while many backpackers head to the "small" island for beach parties at night. There are other fine beaches like Perhentian Islands in the world, but it's just not the same feeling.

In other parts of the world, many fine beaches belong to big resorts or charge you a fee for using the lounge chair on the beach. Not here on the Perhentian Islands. Anyone can walk up to Perhentian Island Resort (the best hotel on the island), pick a lounge chair with the bamboo umbrella, and lie there for as long as you want. There is really no need to take a boat out for snorkeling because there are plenty of corals and schools of fish less than 50 meters from the shore,. On top of that, you don't get harassed by hawkers asking you to buy things or tour packages. It is uncomplicated and laid-back.

lounging at Perhentian Island Resort








One day we took a kayak out and paddled to Turtle Bay. Our jaws dropped when we saw the pristine beach with one one on it. We jumped into the water and had the entire beach to ourselves for about 30 minutes before small groups of people started arriving seeking their own version of island paradise. In my mind, Turtle Bay is the best beach on the island. Check it out if you are in Perhentian Islands. Go there early.

Turtle Bay








After a few days of eating/reading/sleeping on the white sand, we decided to tackle the jungle trek that crosses the island from north to south. After half an hour of trekking, we ended up in Flora Bay. It was a fine beach too, but not as good as Turtle Bay or Perhentian Island Resort. One the way back, we got lost in the jungle after following a shortcut given by a local. The trail was not maintained, so the wild grass was waist high. We both got several cuts since we were in our beach gear (me in my speedo and Katy in her beach short - yes, I looked foolish in a speedo while trekking through the jungle). Eventually we found our way back to the trail.

Our last dinner was at Coral View. The atmosphere was really nice - eating on the white sand with candle lights and countless stars over our heads. We decided to splurge on our last meal on the island, so we had a char coal grilled squid and a mango curry with rice/salad/drink. The final bill came to US$12. :)

dinner at Coral View








our chalet at Mama's








leaving the island

Day 52: Kuala Lumpur

It was less than a year ago from my last visit to Malaysia. I remember the delicious Malaysian food fondly. As soon as we checked into our hotel (thanks, kim), we hit a Muslim-Indian restaurant next to the hotel. The freshly baked naan and tandoori chicken were to die for.

The next day we went to Chinatown for lunch. We saw many faked designer goods – all made in China but cost a few times more. Afterwards, we went to the bus station to secure two tickets to Kuala Besuit (8-hour ride), the ferry jetty to Perhentian Islands. Unfortunately, the tickets for the night bus were sold out, so we ended up with two tickets to Kota Bharu, which is still 90 minutes away from Kuala Besuit. We would figure out the connections when we get to Kota Bharu.

lunch at Chinatown food court









In the evening, we had a lovely dinner with Kim at Madam Kwan's in KLCC. The night view of the Twin Towers was as magnificent as before. The next day Kim treated us to a good Thai restaurant. We had an afternoon to kill before our night bus, so we went to KLCC and spent quite a bit of time at the Japanese Bookshop. On the way to pick up our bags from the hotel, luck would have it – the rain started. After we got our bags, we got into a taxi (no meter used even though there is one, of course), but the driver refused to drive us to the bus station across town due to the congested traffic (caused by the rain). He suggested taking the LRT, and said it would be faster than driving. We took his advice and eventually made it to the bus station in the nick of time. Two close calls in a row.

our dinner spread at Madam Kwan's & night views of the Twin Towers/KLCC












Having been through countless bus rides in China, the double-decker night bus at KL was a luxury. There was no spitting, smoking or cheesy videos on board. The air conditioning was so strong that most people put on their jackets when they got on the bus. Good thing we brought the fleece and wool blanket with us.

our "freezing" night bus








touch down in Kuala Lumpur ... notice the suit bag :)









our first sweet corn in our trip - for some reason, all the corns we bought in China were not sweet.

Day 50: Shanghai

Before going to Shanghai, we came across a photo of a guy carrying a freshly tailored suit in one of the rice terrace places in southern China. We were laughing at how foolish it looks. Well, we went to Shanghai to get one suit and one dress for Hide's wedding. These are what we ended up with when we left Shanghai: two tailored suits, two tailored cashmere coats, one tailored black dress, one tailored Chinese dress, one tailored trenchcoat, six pairs of shoes (one for me) and other miscelleneous items, including one big bag to fit all the things we bought. :)

Overall we spent one week in Shanghai – the longest we ever spent in one place. Shopping was one of two reasons for our extended stay. The other was that the apartment of our friend, Cookie, was simply too nice. Honestly, it was the best accommodation during our entire trip in China. It had a gym, a doorman, a housekeeper and a maid who cooks three times a week. Cookie also treated us to a fancy Italian restaurant (apparently owned by a Taiwanese).

We also met up with Rae, another good friend from Switzerland. Rae treated us to Ye Shanghai, an up-scale restaurant in Xintiandi, and an amazing massage at Green. My God, it was one night to remember. BTW, Rae's place has similar services as Cookie's place. Just to kick it up a notch, her place has a free breakfast buffet.

It was good to see Rae and Cookie doing so well in Shanghai. Having been spoiled in Shanghai, we knew it was going to be difficult to hit the road again in backpacker style, i.e. US$10 hostel. But leave, we must. Our next destination is Kuala Lumpur in Malaysia.

Before we end this blog entry, we have to share with you how we got to the airport in Hangzhou. The night before our flight, Cookie suggested booking an early taxi at 7:30am because of a forecasted rain. A normal taxi ride would take 20 minutes, leaving us plenty of time for our 9am airport shuttle bus. At 7:20am, we promptly went down to the lobby and waited for the taxi, which did not show up. In fact, no taxi was available and we weren't the only people waiting. At 7:45am, we decided to put on our rain coats and walk to the metro station with our backpacks and, of course, the freshly tailored suits and dresses. When we walked out, we saw why there was no taxi. The streets were flooded to knee high. It was a funny scene to see people in suits and dresses walking with shoes and socks in their hands.

Anyway, we were 10 minutes late when we got to the bus station. We quickly hailed a taxi and headed to the train station for a fast train that takes only an hour to Hangzhou. When we got to the train station, we already missed the train by 30 minutes due to the congested traffic. So the driver took us to a long-distance bus station for a 2-hour ride to Hangzhou. We bought our tickets at 10:28am, and the bus left on schedule at 10:30am. After arriving in Hangzhou at 12:30pm sharp, we immediately got into another taxi and arrived at the airport at 1pm – just 15 minutes before the check-in closing. That was a close call. Too close even for me.

Note: we did not take many photos during our stay in Shanghai because we were at the fabrics market most of the time. There is one snack you should try if you are in Shanghai. It's the pan-fried steam buns at First Food Department Store. Four delicious buns for RMB4.5. What a deal. The line-up is well worth it.