Author: nettienotes

Just a quick note as limited wireless.  We have left Penang now and are on our island retreat at Pangcour Laut which is on the east side of Malaysia.

Penang is a really great place, would recommend highly for a winter holiday.   Full of personality, beautiful hotels and beaches etc.  would definitely come back.   I would not bother with KL again just a big city.  You can fly from Singapore to Penang so that is a great bonus which I did not know about.  This part of Malaysia is quite like Thailand as it is the same coastline.  Very good prices as well if you keep out of 5 star hotels for eating.  £1.20 for two scoops sorbet or ice cream at a nice little restaurant. Can pay about £40 for a good meal with wine, also of course a lot less.  Lots of lovely heritage from when the British were in Georgetown Penang.  They have a bridge which is 23km long!!

Just relaxing now for few days before we fly back to a cold UK. It wil be a shock to us I know xx

Breakfast view Penang

Named after William Cameron who discovered this beautiful place.  Also great credit and thanks to the Russell family who had the vision to grow tea here.  What more can I say really beautiful.

Yesterday started with a river cruise to a small water fall area where the water was very deep and the current quite fast over the rocks. We reached a point on the river where it was too shallow for the boat to go on and risked grounding in the rocks. All the boats are powered by motor boat engines. The water was beautifully clear with a brown colour running through t which I thought was similar to rivers in Ireland which have the peat which colours the water. In this case it was tannin from the leaves coming down from the mountain. Like tea really. We started a walk to the cascade which is a nice area for swimming or just relaxing.

On the way we saw tracks from elephants which was fascinating. They make big round. tracks and push everything aside in their path. The guide told us a story of a couple of men who camped near the track one night in their tent. Early in the morning the elephants came through and a baby elephant dragged one of the tents about a hundred yards with one man still in it. Luckily he only broke a few ribs.

Later we visited the Malaysia’s indigent people. They live in the jungle with their children and will accept visitors at times. They live off plants mostly and fruit. Eat the occasional monkey but not often as difficult to catch. They make medicine from plants such as one to cure a fever or another to stop bleeding. The women and children are very shy. They use blow pipes to catch birds to eat. They often don’t know how old they are.

Yesterday , we had our first full day in the Malaysian Jungle. This is the oldest protected rainforest area apparently. Last night we had a night walk and learned about spotting spiders by looking for the glow of their eyes with a torch. We also saw three green non poisonous snakes. Also a scorpion. It was a fascinating walk. Full of the noise of the jungle which was almost deafening at times. Some birds sound like jackhammers!! Today we did a canopy walk which is a walk on swing bridges 45 metres above the jungle floor. We feel quite privileged to be able to do that as a lot is quite new. A little bit scary but worth it for the views. In the afternoon we had a wonderful boat ride along the river, which was very beautiful. We were very lucky to see a kingfisher, eagle, some wild boar and on the way back some monkeys feeding on fruit in the trees. All pretty amazing. More when I get the wifi back properly. xx

Malacca was first discovered by a prince from Java in the 13th century.  He ruled this area until 1511 when the Portuguese took it over.   The Portuguese held onto Malacca with its access to trading via the Malacca Straits until 17th century.   There is a church still standing which dates back to the Portuguese time.  After nearly 300 years the Dutch invaded Malacca in 1597 and they held onto Malacca until 1797, when they handed it over peacefully to the British.  There are a number of Dutch and British buildings still standing in Malacca.   The British time of rule in Malacca and the rest of Malaya is on the whole looked on favourably as they introduced rubber plantations, palm tree oil and tea as well as tin mining which still add a lot to the economy even today.  Malacca is a very pleasant place to visit full of history and n ow protected as a historical place.  Sadly the Malacca Straits have moved further away from the historical centre through land reclamation.  So the view from the Officers

Club is no more.  We enjoyed it very much here, the people are warm and live quite simple lives.  Salaries are not high but they are very welcoming.  We really liked it.

Quite an adventuress trip today to Malacca which is famous for its trade in spices.  This area has been run by various powers since the 1600s.  First the Portuguese, then the Dutch and finally the British.

The train journey was like going back in time,    Very slow, one line and it chugged along for 5 hours from Singapore.  I thought it would never end.  Halfway through a sweet lady came around with a cardboard box giving all customers in Firat Class some banana cake and water.  Very nteresting countryside, with a lot less development than Singapore.   People are very friendly.  We strolled out and had a nice Chinese meal at a bistro which was quite modern with a lovely lady singing some of Shamia Twain’s songs very well indeed.  It was very atmospheric and relaxing.  This is a huge culture change from Singapore, and reminds me of Changi 40 (or more) years ago!!!   Our meal with dessert and 3 beers cost the equivalen of £20.  Amazing.  Off to bed now as up sine 5.30 this morning. xx

Had a great couple of days here.   Suffered from a bit of jet lag but 13 hrs sleep last night has helped!  Botanic gardens were stunning.  Especially the orchids.  Only 5 dollars to see them  (£2.50).  Rest is free.  Then after a short break in pool it was off to the a Raffles hotel for a Gin Sling.  I wasn’t crazy about long bar, bit steamy and smelly for my liking.  I enjoyed mine in the lovely bar downstairs and it was freshly made.    Dinner at the Quays.  Today we went to China town which I loved.  Amazing bargains.  £5 for beach dress. Pretty hair slide – £1.50.  I have paid £12 for same in UK.  Tonight lovely dinner in the Marina Bay Sands, really looking forward to that.  Early start tomorrow going to Malacca by train.  X

What a lovely vibrant city.  We are just beside Clarke quay which is very near to where Raffles is reputed to have landed in 1819. We walked all along the quay tonight and stopped in a little bar over looking the river and sipped a Margharita!  We enjoyed the buzz and bustle of the river taxis going by.  Had a Chinese dinner at a nice river front restaurant where I took some photos.  Just off to bed now at just after 11pm here but only 3pm in UK. Very strange.  Chat more tomorrow. Photo of our hotel and the Quay xxx