Malaysia

Hi all! Sorry about the lag in posts. I got really sick after Vietnam, I literally thought I had the bird flu and was gonna die, so I didn't feel like writing. Luckily I pulled through. Anyway, this is Malaysia... For me Malaysia was one of the more interesting stops on our itinerary. Most of the places we would be going I had heard a lot about, with the exception of Namibia, but Malaysia was a place I literally never new existed. The country of Malaysia is split into two seperate pieces of land: a peninsula above Singapore including many neighboring islands, and a land mass located across the sea on the same island as Borneo in Indonesia. Penang, where we docked, is located on an island off the coast of the former part of Malaysia in the strait of Malacca. Penang was the most interesting place to dock so far because the small port cannot handle our massive ship which forced us to anchor in the bay and use tenders to get passengers on and off the ship. Penang is the biggest of a series of tropical islands situated off of Malaysia and is home to some fantastic beaches, many sacred temples, and some of the finest cuisine in the world. The mix of Indian, Chinese, and indigenous Malay people that inhabit the islands lend to a unique variety of dishes that blurs the lines between these cultures. The islands are fantastically clean and safe, and I ate some of the tastiest and cheapest street food I have eaten in any on the ports.
Upon arrival in Penang, I took a tender over with some friends to explore the island. While sitting in the crowded tender (lifeboat) rolling in the swelling seas and experiencing the humidity of 100 people sweating in one boat I realized how terrible it would be to actually be forced to use these boats if an accident ever occurred on the open ocean. Anyway, when we got to shore we immediately went to get some food and beers at a sidewalk restaurant. Communication was a bit tough but we ended up ordering something spicy and delicious and washed it down with a couple of Tigers. The rest of the day was spent exploring the town and making arrangements for our stay there. That evening almost all of the SASers who weren't on big trips hit the local clubs. Dropping 700 college students off on a small tropical island makes a significant dent in the bar-going population, I think SAS should tell local club owners in advance so they can stock up. After checking out the local scene and grubbing some delicious late night street food I went to bed.
The next morning I had an FDP called, Religions of Malaysia. Malaysia is unique in that such a diverse group of religions all function harmoniously on the island. The place is littered with varied temples with one literally on every street corner. Our guide was a nice 2nd generation Malaysian Chinese woman, who was a Buddhist and Taoist. She took us to many temples including Buddhist, Taoist, Islamic, and Christian. Visiting the Buddhist temple inspired awe in the sheer amount of work that goes into creating these places of worship and the dedication of the people who practice the religion. The one we visited was located on the hillside, (proper Feng Shui), and had stunning views and an overpopulated turtle pond. The Taoist temple was packed with people praying and lighting incense and afterwards we were allowed to stop for a Thai iced tea and a curbside meal. We saw the Christian church that was established there by the British in the 1800's. The Islamic mosque was very interesting also. The people were exceptionally nice and very eager to give us a tour and tell us about their religion and customs. The Sanskrit writing on the walls was very beautiful to see and gave me an appreciation for this ancient culture. I think many in our group were surprised to see that the Muslims were the kindest people we had met all day and that not all of them are connected with terrorism and anti-American ideas. The tour ended and a few of us in our group got a cab to the airport where we would take a prop plane to the small resort island of Langkawi where we would spend the next few days.

mustache malyasia was a pact I had going with some friends

Langkawi is an archipelago of 99 islands with only two being populated. Langkawi is a UNESCO Geopark site and has some spectacular beaches, forests, and waterfalls. The night we got there we got situated in our hotel and went out to a small bar where the island music was live and the drinks were cheap.

Malaysian Roots

The next morning we decided to rent motorscooters to access the island more efficiently. It would have been a great decision had it not started pouring rain on our drive into town. Luckily it was warm rain and we had a blast smashing through the puddles and getting soaked. We ate some food and visited some little tourist shops before heading to the beach. It was still pouring and the runoff into the ocean looked a little questionable but we still took a quick swim. The water was warmer than the air and it felt good to be back in the ocean. We went back to the hotel to use the spa and sauna, and mess with the monkeys on our front porch. They got into one of our rooms and stole the fruitbasket which was interesting. That night we went to eat at a local spot and enjoyed some spicy, great, and inexpensive food. That night we enjoyed live music once again.
The next morning we utilized our scooters once again and headed to the geopark. Luckily the sun came out to bless us and the day turned out to be the best in Malaysia. The waterfall in the forest on top of the mountain was spectacular, and we enjoyed finding creative ways to jump and slide down the rocks. With a short hike up 400 steps you can get to the top of the waterfall where you can sit in a pool overlooking the edge of the falls. From there you can see out to the ocean.
Afterwards we enjoyed some thai soup and coconuts and caught a cab to the ferry that would take us back to Penang. Most SASers who stayed in Langkawi were on that ferry and it turned out to be a party. The sunset was stunning over the strait of Mallaca and I enjoyed the ride. I would recommend the islands of Malaysia to anyone looking for natural beauty, warm waters, and spicy food.

This guy was getting down on the dancefloor...

-Chris