Our plans, decisions, and adventures
We had read about Malacca--that it was a pretty town, a seaside town, a town full of history--so we added it as a stop on our way from Penang to Singapore. I won't dispute any of these adjectives, but I will add one more to the bottom of the list. Pretty town The Malacca River... Continue Reading →
Kuala Lumpur (often shortened to KL) was full of surprises for us. First, its size. We hadn't been in a big city for a while and hadn't really researched this one before we arrived. So our first view had us jaws agape as we ogled the skyscrapers that populate the city. Second, the view from... Continue Reading →
I knew there were stairs involved and caves, but I hadn't realized there would be so much colour. I also knew that the Batu Caves play a significant role in Malaysian Thaipusam celebrations, which should have given me a clue. At the bottom of the stairs is an enormous Lord Murugan statue; at his feet... Continue Reading →
We spent a month in Penang and had many opportunities to bus or Grab into town and wander (our home was in Miami Green, about 10km from the center of George Town). This post provides a little taste of our month of exploration. For specific activities that I thought warranted their own post, see the... Continue Reading →
For Chinese New Year, Kek Lok Si temple is all dressed up in her finest and the crowds come to admire her. Since we had not seen Kek Lok Si yet, we wanted to explore Malaysia's largest Buddhist temple in the daylight as well as at night. We chose the first official night of lights,... Continue Reading →
Penang is a small island. Though most of the population and activity is in George Town, in the northeast corner, extending south and west from there, we thought it might be a fun day trip to rent a car and circumnavigate the island. Our new friends, Karen and Rick, thought so, too, so we set... Continue Reading →
One way to get a different perspective on Penang is to get up to the top of Penang Hill. In past years, getting to the top of the hill, a distance of almost 2 km from the lower station, took about 40 minutes. Since 2012 the trip takes only 4 1/2 minutes aboard a fast,... Continue Reading →
We have the great fortune of being in Penang, Malaysia, for some of the most important celebrations of the year. Malaysian people are a colorful ethnic mix of indigenous Malays, Chinese, and Indian, primarily, and these roots are on display in the many religious and cultural festivals, and Penang is home to some of the... Continue Reading →
We took a ferry from the Kuah port in Langkawi. The port is watched over by an enormous eagle, and the terminal is very modern and large. We wandered through a few huge and empty halls (except for unused security equipment) before arriving at our waiting area. Boarding our ferry About 3 hours after leaving... Continue Reading →
We made the decision to spend a week in Langkawi, an island north of Penang in Malaysia, when we were deprived of ocean beaches. After a week in beautiful seaside Koh Lanta, and several weeks in Chiang Mai where food is wonderful and cheap, Langkawi had a lot to live up to. We stayed at... Continue Reading →
When our visit to the Thai island of Koh Lanta was over, we headed to Langkawi, Malaysia, by ferry. It was an interesting trip and process, and I hope that documenting it might prove useful for others who might be interested in making the same journey. The first part of the trip is the same... Continue Reading →
Just left: West Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada
Now: Road trip - Washington, USA and British Columbia, Canada
Up next: Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada
Life: Phase Next 