It's Bohemian

Malaysia has proven to be one of the most alluring journeys so far. I entered the great country with an open mind, and left with a fine appreciation for the people, the land, the culture, and especially the food! I travelled for a little over a month and really got to dive into the diversity that is Malaysia. On a daily basis we would chat with locals who warmly welcomed us to their country, "Welcome to Malaysia!" they would say with a sincere smile across their face as in saying we know this place has so much to offer and are sure you will enjoy it. They thanked us for being there, for discovering, for co-existing. I think that is the most suitable word I would use to describe Malaysia. CO-EXIST. The people with backgrounds from India, China, Thailand, Japan, Indonesia, and anywhere else in the region you could imagine, all lived crammed together in small cities and made it work so well. Walking down the street you would see Chinese Temples, hear the call to prayer from the mosque across the street, then glance out and see Hindu shrines. It was humbling  to see how tolerant everyone was of each others beliefs and cultures. And the food definitely represented the eclectic mix. I could rave about the food for paragraphs and still not do it justice. I have eaten some really spectacular meals in my life, but nothing compares to the delicious Malay food we. I got pretty scrawny the month I spend in Thailand, but the Malaysians definitely did a good job fattening me up a bit! The Teh Tarki was a nice warm Indian tea that was so sweet and always hit the spot. We would indulge in Chinese buns filled with anything from BBQ Pork to a Sweet Kaya cream. The Malays sure like their spices and most of the dishes were a vibrant color red. Throughout the years many countries have tried to take over Malaysia. The influences of these groups have left colorful cultures, delicious cuisines, and inspiring arts.

I have so many stories to tell of Malaysia, I'm not quite sure where to start?!…

The Perhentian islands easily ranked on the top of my list. You could swim 100 feet out and still see the bottom of the ocean through the crystal clear waters. The snorkeling was so bright, with every spectrum of the rainbow on display in the underwater utopias. My favorite were the Rainbow Sherbert fish swimming around. Their real names were called Parot Fish (google it!) They were so colorful and plump. They would eat alge off the rocks and it was so funny to hear their scraping mouths eating a nice fresh dinner. Little Nemo fish were abundant. They would guard their sea anemones that would flow free of disturbances. After following a cute little Angel fish around observing it for a couple minutes, I noticed the group that I was snorkeling with (consisting of my best friend James, and 2 sweet Brits we'd be traveling with) huddled up motioning for me to get over there quickly! We were being circled by 4 Black tip sharks! As I was struggling to fight my way into the center of the crowd (so I wouldn't be the first to get eaten) I realized that the sharks really didn't care about us being there. They just came up, checked us out, and proceeded on their way. But MAN!… was my heart racing! It was such a cool thing to see. You tend to feel so free floating along monitoring the world under the sea, but when all the sudden your heartbeat starts doing overtime, you tend to feel a little helpless. Needless to say I made it back the coast pretty quickly. Mainly because I wanted to discuss what had just happened with the others, my legs were getting tired from kicking, and I had enough of the sun beaming down on my backside. Did I mention how AMAZING the coral reefs were?! Mind-blowing! Snorkeling around the island was easily one of my favorite past times.

Then there was the giant Lizard in my bed! This was by far the most horrifying thing to happen to me so far. The Monitor Lizards on the Perhentian islands were HUGE. I'm talking like the size of a Kimodo Dragon. One day, a 3 ft baby found it's way through the mosquito net so thoughtfully tucked under the mattress, and perched itself like a little princess on top of my white, silk sleeping bag. The manager of the bungalows chased it out with a big stick, claiming it was a small gecko. "Baby" he kept calling it. If that was a baby I surely didn't want to see his parents!…Needless to say I turned into quite the headcase that night. Every little sound i heard I was convinced it was the lizard trying to get back in for some revenge. I was seriously loosing my mind!…I couldn't sleep, I was just replaying the image of it's scaly, slimy skin on my bed (even though we got fresh sheets) it's slippery tounge slithering in and out of it's mouth, it's strong, powerful tail flipping around. I was going insane!…I contemplated sleeping in the sand on the beach, but as peaceful as that would be with the moonlight and the sound of waves, I just couldn't shake that lizard out of my imagination. I thought it would come to get me out there. There are thousands on that island. One of them was going to get me… Yeah. I gained back my sanity at some point, and passed out of pure exhaustion. Fighting to stay awake just got too hard. So I woke up the next morning (lizard-free) packed my bag and headed to D'Lagoon, a private beach where Monitor Lizards couldn't get into my bed! I was a little bummed I didn't go to D'Lagoon sooner because this was a nice little hidden paradise! I'd spend my mornings playing with a baby monkey, my afternoons, reading in a hammock under a nice shady palm tree, and my evenings either playing cards with crazy old locals, or join the Malay boys in a competitive game of volleyball. I knew I shouldn't have picked up a game with them- I torn my rotator cuff in my left shoulder while getting too extreme with the jumps snowboarding this past winter, and haven't splurged on surgery to fix it yet. So I knew I would complain about it hurting for weeks after the game, but just couldn't refuse. They were all impressed with my play.

The Perhentian Islands had no roads, so you had to hike through jungles to get anywhere. There were no ATMS, so if you ran out of Ringott, you would just have to borrow from a fellow backpacker until cash became accessible off the island. The sunsets were amazing, the mornings were serene, and the atmosphere was calming. I LOVED this place, but was happy to adventure to our next destination.

While in Kuala Terranganu- The world cup was at its finest! Malays and backpackers would flock to the night markets to watch the 'football' matches on the super big screen. Hundreds of people would swarm around ordering food and drinks, engaging in conversations with friends, getting wild when someone scored a goal, and just laughing and carrying on. I will always relate soccer with this wonderfully ancient fishing town that struck it rich in oil.

There were so many other fun places! Caves in Ipoh, Tea Plantations in Cameron Highlands, (see last blog) gastronomic excellencies in Melaka, trekking high up in the jungle on canopy walks in 130 Million year old rainforest in Taman Negara, and the futuristic architecture of Kuala Lumpur…Malaysia was easily one of the most enjoyable places to travel if you like to eat and chat with locals that are just as curious about you, as you are of them.

While I was in Kuala Lumpur, I realized I only had 10 days left before I had to catch a flight back to Bangkok. On a whim, I booked a train ticket to Singapore to spend a few days there, then head into Indonesia! I have been really wanting to visit Bali, Sumatra, Java, and Ubud, but with such a short time and 17,000 Islands to visit, I thought I might leave that for another adventure. Plus I've heard from fellow backpackers that Pirates are pretty common if I was to take a boat to the country- I know I would be the first person to get snatched up and held for ransom… So I think I made a wise decision?!…

But Singapore was unreal! So architecturally advanced. Super modern. Super clean. Chewing gum is illegal, and they WILL fine you for it! The government holds a strong hand over this wealthy country. Any food you desire is available, any shopping you want to do can be done at any of the thousands of retail malls, and the art scene is BOOMING! I visited many galleries and enjoyed an all night art festival that Singapore Management University put on. THere was everything from Bizarre Dance interpretations, to grafiti artists, to a Burmese Circus! This night, in my opinion, was SPECTACULAR!!! I love the fine arts! Photography, Sculptures, Music…anything that freely expresses creativity! LOVED IT. (I have so much awe-inspiring video footage from that night, so at the rate I've been producing films…Expect it in like 3 months?…hehe) It was so easy to get lost in the mad swirl of skyscrapers. This place was first-class affluent, and extremely high-tech. Everything about this city seemed so tailored and after living in 2nd & 3rd world countries- I totally welcomed that! Squat toilets were hard to come by in this modern land. The only thing I didn't like (besides how expensive it was) was the incident where I almost got fined $500 for carrying an empty McDonalds cup in the Subway system!…I'm glad I talked my way outta that one!…but that Jasmine Green tea, which is common for McD's restaurants out here, sure was worth it!

And alas, I am back in Thailand. I feel so comfortable here. My heart belongs here. I have fallen in love with the people, the culture, the style, and the simple way of life, much more than any destination so far. It's my 3rd time here, and I don't feel like a Farang anymore. I know the ins and outs of these familiar cities. I feel so relaxed when I'm here. Bangkok is cluttered and chaotic, but I can appreciate this place so much more after leaving it…I just can't stay here too long- The pollution, corruption, and the ping pong shows really rub me the wrong way. Tomorrow I start Island hopping again, which proves to be my favorite hobby. I love the laid back approach to everything, the fresh breeze gracing my face, the wind in my hair while riding motorbikes around the islands, and the hunt for Sticky Rice with Fresh Mangos, Sweet Coconut Soup, and the cheapest most delectable Pad Thai this country has to offer. On the downside, since I'm so close to the equator, a day in the sun ages me a month- I've convinced myself- but it is well worth it! I just need to buy some breathable clothes to cover my body and invest in some overpriced sunscreen….Ah the life of a traveler. What did I do to deserve this wonderful lifestyle?…Oh yeah, drop everything and just GO!