TRAVEL: MALAYASIA

KUALA LUMPAR

Petronas Towers

 TAMAN NEGARA RAINFOREST

up early we crossed the river in a boat, it took only a minute, although early it was getting hot and humid (rainy season perks) the entrance ticket was very cheap and get you to pay for the right to take photos. we were dismayed to discover that on Thursdays (today) the rope bridge is closed for maintenance. Taman Negara is reputed to be the oldest rainforest in the world, its huge!with thousands of florals and faunas, plants and animals.  we didn't come across many people.

 Kuala Lumpur

we headed back to KL, deciding to skip the highlands, you could get a minivan directly to it or a view other places, however it was expensive, for example the Perhentian islands in the west - but getting back would be complicated.  we spent a chill day,  we stayed in a hostel in the centre. Malik went out with some of the guys from our hoste, finding out about a free tourist bus etc,

GEORGETOWN - PANANG
Saturday 1st September,  George Town
the beds in the hostel - an old Chinese ancestral home of the 18/1900s are a type of bunk made from metal containers, in levels of 5, each with mattress, light and plugs, and get supplied with a blanket and pillow of course. breakfast is also included. the owner is very helpful and friendly, the showers quite clean too. the bunks are many

IPOH

the Ipoh hostel is pretty chilled. however you can charge your phone in the room as there aren't enough plugs. we got a bus to Kek Lok Tong, a cave temple complex, it was very relaxing, not busy either, I climbed far up and discovered a group of monkeys, the temple cave itself has many statues inside too.

after this we got the bus back to the town centre, checking out the market, the colonial and chinese style buildings, getting some samples of their famous sweet coffee and the Ipoh murals. back at the hostel we met a young British couple who had been travelling around Asia, the girl unfortunately had broken her leg, hindering their plans. we shared a grab (uber) to the bus station to head back to KL.

KUALA LUMPA

after another couple chill days in KL were I took Malik around the markets and china town, checked out the big mosque and the park beside the Aviary along with going just outside the centre to the Batu caves and hindu temple - he went for his flight back to China and I went on a short bus ride to Malacca, an old Dutch town not too far from KL (having previously got my visa)

Petaling Street Market

 china town and market

Bukit Nanas

finally getting a rope bridge in the middle of KL

 BATU CAVES

I arrived to a quiet bus station, I was informed there was indeed another public bus o the town and to just wait, thankfully another older British guy appeared who was also wanting to do the same. we ended up staying at the same hostel, neither were fans, the owner spoke French and automatically favoured all his French travellers (a common occurrence I find) the room was as hot as hell was the world's noisiest fan. we shared whatsapps and decided as both solo travellers to go venture around the local area. was so nice yet strange to see the intermixing of the religions, buddhist, christian and muslim here, it was a peaceful co-existance unlike in so many other countries (for instance my own, were christians fight with each other due to whether they are catholic or protestant) the tuk-tuks here are lavishly decorated with lights feathers, toys, etc, overcrowded children's jumble sales on wheels that play music. we stopped for a while and had fresh coconuts. (coconuts and durians are available everywhere here, along with the coffee, there's also a lot of British products, I was happy to get ribena once again) 

MALACCA

a humid morning followed by rainy but cooler afternoon I changed hostel sharing a private room with the British guy with bunks (much better, neither of us like the previous place) I spent the afternoon checking out the sites such as the temples, ancient houses and Dutch custom house, nearly rescuing a small abandoned kitten en route!

the place is relaxing and interesting, not as busy as KL but also not too quiet. spent the night with some other hostellers, having got drinks from the big mall. we had the strangest newcomer, his skin had a condition like Michael Jackson so was whitening, yet he was convinced he was albino....he was. tad crazy, we had to humour him. the next day I browsed the Main Street and markets before getting the bus and heading to KL for my flight that night.