Melaka, Malaysia

I was going to go straight from KL to Singapore but as KL and me didn't gel so well I decided to make a mid-way stop in Melaka. Like Georgetown I immediately loved the place with its big culture mixes, cute colonial buildings and friendly people. Off the long-distance bus I hopped on a local bus for the 30 minute journey into the town. I met an Italian chap who was asking where I was going and what I was going to do (I had no plans). He told me how him and his girlfriend were having an argument and pointed to her scowling a few seats back. I awkwardly waved but received no response. As the bus pulled in I ciao'd and dashed off, not wanting to be in the middle of a feud. No clue where to go I strolled about in the intense heat getting some recommendations. I came across a cute looking place called Jalan Jalan and rang the bell. An older, balder, more tattoo'd version of me answered the door and ushered me in. We discussed London for ages (he's not been home in 25 years) then got into the subject of rooms; I could stay for 15 Ringgits a night (dorm) or check out the new place 50 meters down the road for 19 Ringgits a night (dorm). I opted for the new place and off we went. It was more like a house, with no reception, and no staff permanently there. Passing the 4-bed, mixed dorm it opens into a bright living room with wooden staircase up to the single and double private rooms. At the back are two showers and an open area with sinks. Jalan Jalan felt homely to me immediately. I knew I was actually home when a voice from the top of the stairs called "Stuart?". I looked up and there was Ilia - Russian partner in crime!! 

Ilia lounging about in the common room

Things quickly spiralled into a food and alcohol warp. A typical day would be duck noodles & toast with egg for breakfast (with a 100PLUS for the hangover), tandoori chicken or dosa for lunch (only after 3pm!) and, my favourite food from all of my travels, a fantastic spicy laksa for dinner. Post dinner we would sit and watch the giant karaoke stage ($3 for tourists to have a go) with the local elders, or have a go ourselves in a bar next to the stage. After this we'd go and see old Mr.Lee who would sell us cheap beer and brandy from his living room. One night we cycled around all night like a bunch of teenagers who's parents had left town. We tried to get into a club called MIXX at around 2am but it was shutting in 30 minutes and they wanted a full entrance fee. Next we caused much amusement in the McDonalds drive-thru before deciding we needed a swim on this balmy night. We eventually found one at a hotel at 4am, stating that we were going to check-in later that morning and would like to test it... I have no idea how the night-porter knew this was false! 

Hanging around on the karaoke stage

Ilia and Kat tearing up the karaoke "bar"

DELICIOUS Laksa & dumplings

Sam and his tits

Samah at the McDonalds drive-thru

Healthy living

Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia

Off the coach, using my Scottish companions previous KL knowledge, we headed for Bukit Bintang.  The place he'd been to before was full so we ended up in a place called i2inn. The room was tiny; you could just about fit the bunk bed in! The internet was dead, and when I mentioned it to reception they didn't want to tear themselves away from the cricket! The next day I checked out and moved to a 24 bed (yes, 24!) bed dormitory called Fernloft in Chinatown, which was MUCH cleaner, much cheaper (20 Ringgits), much friendlier, and the internet was good. If you're considering a stay in a 24 bed dorm be aware that at any time of the day there's always someone coming, always someone going, always someone awake, always someone snoring... you get the message. I strongly recommend earplugs and an eye mask!

Fernloft - 24 bed dorm

I like to walk around cities, camera firmly in hand. There's many great walking cities in the world, London being one of the best. There's normally enough to hold my attention from place to place but I didn't get KL. Roadwork diversions, building sites and endless main roads left me feeling bored. I know people that love KL so I've put it down to shell-shock after being on remote beach in Thailand, then the relaxed, small-town feel of Georgetown. One day I shall return, and love it!

Car fire

The Petronas towers: for years I've wanted to see them. They're such iconic objects that it's one of those 'am I really here?' moments when you arrive. Masses of shiny steel and glass soaring into the sky. The actual need for such things are questionable but you can't deny that they're an amazing feat of human design and engineering. I reluctantly stumped up the $18 for a visit to the top and the view was astonishing, but the tour a little clinical. I wanted to see the real guts, like the offices and working spaces. We were only taken to the plain top deck, then to the empty sky bridge.

Georgetown, Malaysia

Leaving Ton Sai I grabbed a boat with the lady from the Ting Tong coffee house, who's coffee machine had broken from our overuse (she was getting a repair in Au Nang). I got a tuk-tuk to Krabi and hopped on a bus to Trang to catch a train into Malaysia. I woke up on the bus WAY later than my expected arrival time in Trang. I got up and explained to the conductor and in a second the bus has stopped and I was on the side of the road. The bus ditched me at the side of the road. I crossed, stuck my thumb out and started walking. Within 5 minutes a little car stopped containing a man, a woman and two kids (who eyed this big ugly beardy man with much suspicion). The father was most interested in practising English so we spoke of countries and football most of the way until a police checkpoint meant he had to swap driving positions with his wife, as he had no licence. At Trang we exchanged email addresses (as you do) and they waved me off. I then found out that there's no train from Trang to Penang. My research was slightly wrong. I booked a coach for the next morning. I decided to have a look around a busy food market but soon wished I hadn't when extreme tiredness kicked in, and people looking, smiling and trying to talk to me went from being entertaining to a paranoid nightmare. I went straight back to the hotel and slept.

Next morning an 8am bus took me to Hatyai where I changed to a minibus at midday. The border was painless, although an eyebrow was raised and a chin scratched at why I had a 30 day visa stamp, but he realised it could not possibly be my error and set me loose into Malaysia. The three-lane, left-hand drive, raised motorway with metal barriers, hard tree-lined shoulder, European/Asian expensive cars and light rain dramatically reminded me of England. The only thing that brought me back to reality were the three Indonesian kids singing twinkle twinkle little star to me.

Someone recommended Penang to me. I had no idea what to expect when I got there; I had no hostel booked; I didn't even know the currency. The bus dropped me off and I found an ATM. I took out 500 Ringgits as it seemed like a good amount! I then found wi-fi and checked where I was and where I could find a dormitory. I was fortunately very close to  the old area of Georgetown. I strolled up Love Lane in ridiculous heat, noticeably hotter than Thailand. I had a good feeling about a hostel called "Red Inn" and I was greeted by a beaming receptionist called Lyn. When I was there the whole place was being run by three staff: 1 day reception, 1 night reception and 1 cleaner / breakfast cook. The Chinese owner didn't give any recognition of their hard work. He had CCTV and could monitor the staff from his cell phone, occasionally calling if something wasn't right or he thought the staff should push beer and snacks to the guests!

The lovely Lyn, pushing beer!

There's tons to do in Georgetown anyway, but with a week of music, arts, performance, street shows and food stalls under the banner of  the Georgetown festival, coupled with all of the great people I met, I ended up staying for two solid weeks. The food, oh the food! I'm dribbling at the thought. I don't even know where to begin with it. Georgetown food is so good, and varied, that you can actually get a (slightly confusing) food map. Me and my good Russian friend followed this map to come extent,  slurping delicious Chinese noodles, scoffing chicken tandoori's, munching Malaysian Laksa and topping with spicy samosa when peckish.

Fire!

At the Ros Mutiara tandoori restaurant the garlic naan tandoori set is second to NONE!

Urban sketchers were in town

Family photo at the Myanmar temple

Between the scorching sunshine it rained... a lot

The beautiful houses of Bangkok street and the Thai temple

The Manganiyar seduction at the local theatre - amazing!

Circle of Sound

Prizes if you can name them all

The most famous street-art in Georgetown

My birthday this year was particularly worldly with attendees from Russia, The Philippines, Sri Lanka, Malaysia, Switzerland, China and Japan. On the menu was some Chinese rice with some Malaysian satay, washed down with some chilled (Lyn insisted it should be chilled), imported French red which was reserved for this occasion, even though I had to pay for it. A drunk street artist from Singapore very kindly gave me a great little picture he'd painted on his phone and printed. From the Chinese wholesaler behind the hostel came some rum and brandy, which, for soaking-up purposes, forced a 3am rainy raid on a burger trolley called "Old Trafford". Keeping with the tradition of football related meat outlets there wasn't really any meat in the burger, and what meat there was looked highly suspicious, but with more alcohol than blood in the pipes it was a damn fine burger!

Rice, satay and chilled red wine

Antique bicycle

Beautiful lantern

What? LAP SAP?

Postcard artist - maybe there's one winging its way to you? ;)

Breakfast: Omelette, toast and the internet