Hikes, heat and smelly feet

20^th February – 21^st February (Kuala Lumpur)

After an early start we arrived in Kuala Lumpur around lunch, sorted a SIM card and cash (more efficiently than in Chiang Mai) and went for a walk. We visited the famous Petronas twin towers, picked up a McFlurry (also a highlight) before exploring the peaceful KLCC Park. We then dropped our stuff at our great hostel called Dorms KL, before heading for the Sri Maha Mariamman Temple (Hindu), which was founded in 1873. The highlight was the beautiful entrance tower (gopuram) which was added in 1972 and set it apart from the surrounding streets. The temple is also the starting point for an annual procession to the Batu Caves as part of the Thaipusam festival. We then walked up Petaling Street, which was bustling with street vendors selling bits and bobs (Del Boy would have loved it). We got great vibes from Kuala Lumpur which reminded us of New York. One final treat? Gluten free pasta (home cooked) topped with veg and rotisserie chicken. Life’s a dream.

In the morning (after an excellent breakfast of Masala Tosai) we did the Kuala Lumpur Heritage walk, a self-guided tour of some of the old buildings in the city. We started with central market square (a former trading hub) which had a clock tower to honour the coronation of King George VI. Next, the Jamek Mosque, built in 1907 and the first brick mosque in the city. We then passed the old magistrates building and city hall, but the highlight was the beautiful Sultan Abdul Samad building. This was also the point where, on the 30th August 1957, the British flag was lowered and the (now independent) Malaysian flag was raised. We also visited the old post office, textiles museum and the chartered bank where after severe flooding in 1926, millions of dollars were dried out at a neighbouring cricket ground!! The walk was signed, the pavements were clean and the city felt closer to cities in Europe than others we have visited in Asia. We then returned to central market and St. John’s cathedral. As a side note we found Kuala Lumpur to be multicultural, with Indian, Chinese and Malay presences, but we mainly noticed the Indian influence, especially with food (curries, roti etc.). Finally in the afternoon we took a four hour bus to the Cameron Highlands, winding through green mountains towards temperatures of about 25 degrees. Helen couldn’t wait.

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22^nd February – 23^rd February (Cameron Highlands)

The highlands are very comparable to Nuwara Eliya in Sri Lanka. Their name originates from the British explorer, William Cameron, who came across the area during an expedition in 1885. Since then the highlands have remained a haven for tea plantations (due to the cooler temperatures) and colonial influences are evident in the architecture of the buildings. The area was gorgeous. Vibrantly green, dotted with peaks and connected by windy roads. After another breakfast of Tosai we headed into the forest for some hiking. We started at the Robinson waterfalls, before taking trail number 8 (lots of trails run out from Tanah Rata where we are staying) to Gunung Berembum (1840 m). The forest walking was wonderful, albeit VERY wet and wild (a proper rainforest). We trekked for about three hours before returning for a hot coffee, lunch and a much needed warm up (yes… a warm up). Then we walked down to Cameron Highlands Tea, a tea shop/plantation that was very busy due to the unreal views of the valley. Our final stop, Parit falls, capped a solid day of naturing.

On our second morning we hiked to the top of Gunung Jasar on route number 10 (1704 m). The walk wasn’t anywhere near as wild as day one, but with the sun shining the views were great. We then walked down route number 6, past farms, tea plantations and forests, loving the cool temperatures. It was another wonderful morning in the Cameron Highlands, which has become one of our favourite spots. Lunch was Tosai (yes breakfast was also Tosai) because when you’ve eaten a LOT of rice over the last three months, rice flour pancakes sound (and taste) simply divine. In the afternoon we travelled by bus (~4 hours) to Butterworth and then caught the ferry to George Town.

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24^th February – 25^th February (George Town)

George Town = back to mega-hot temperatures. We woke early and caught a bus to Penang Hill, before I started a one and a half hour trek to the top (Helen got the train and sat at the top eating ice cream). The trek was straight out of sweat city but the views of George Town and Butterworth were worth it. In the afternoon (in the same area) we visited the Kek Lok Si temple, which was also wonderful. It is the largest Buddhist complex in Malaysia and its temples and pagodas were awash with colour, with peaceful music playing in the background. After sorting some supplies for dinner (we did a picnic in our room), we cruised around the streets of George Town, taking in the wonderful artwork. In 2012 Penang’s council hired London-trained Lithuanian artist, Ernest Zacharevic and his quirky work is now on show throughout the city. It was a lovely way to spend the evening, even though it was still around 30 degrees.

On our second day in George Town we walked around the city. We passed town hall, Fort Cornwallis, the Queen Victoria memorial clock, Chew Jetty, Khoo Kongsi (a Chinese clan temple from 1810) and Kuan Yin Temple to name a few. It was a fun morning exploring as George Town has a friendly and quirky vibe. With street art on every corner, colonial architecture, street vendors and a coastal breeze, we wished we could have stayed for longer (except perhaps for the heat). In the afternoon we journeyed to Langkawi and after swapping accommodation (let’s not get into that) we booked a day tour and tucked into a very spicy dinner.

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26^th February – 27^th February (Langkawi)

We woke in Langkawi and set out for a mangrove tour. We travelled by van to the Kilim Karst Geoforest park, located in the northeast of the island. The Tanjung Rhu river runs through the area and along with the many karsts and lush mangrove forests it made for stunning views as we zipped along in a speedboat. The park contains some of the oldest limestone (~500 million) in Malaysia and is brimming with life. We saw two species of eagle (White bellied sea eagle and Brahminy kite), fish farms (with tiger grouper, stingrays, a species of tuna fish and sea bass) and monkeys as well as many caves and karsts. One cave in particular (Kelawar) stood out because we got to walk inside and admire hundreds of bats sleeping just above our heads. After a relaxing afternoon we walked along the beach before dinner at the Thursday night market (luck was on our side with the dates). Two boxes of potato wedges, some tofu and chocolate coconut pancakes later we felt energised enough to catch the sunset (although we did miss the best bit…we may have got distracted by the food…). Nonetheless, with the temperatures dropping the evening beach walk was so peaceful with the sound of the waves lapping against the sand.  The fire dancers also made for interesting viewing. Today (the 27^th) more beach fun awaits. It has been an amazing first week in Malaysia and we are looking forward to more adventures.

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You may be wandering about the title for this blog post? We decided to leave our big rucksacks in Kuala Lumpur and travel with day bags to make things easier. The down side… we have a limited capacity for clothes and it’s very sweaty. Hence the increasingly smelly feet…