Travelling from Nepal to Malaysia, there was a 25°C temperature shift, from 10°C to 35°C. There was also a huge improvement in air quality. In Nepal, they wood burning fires to cook and keep warm. This leads to always feeling like you are in a campfire. We both developed coughs from the pollution. This was amplified by our time in New Delhi, where the air quality index was hovering around 400. That did not help matters.

The first order of business was to wash our clothes once we arrived at our Air BnB. When we checked in, we unpacked our suitcases and it was as if we were standing around a campfire. Everything smelled like smoke and needed to be washed.

Red Eye flights are tough on the body…

On our arrival day, after the “red-eye” flight, we didn’t do much. The next day we took as a recovery day and simply walked around our neighbourhood, getting our bearings and trying some of Malaysia’s street food.

The street food is delicious. The price you pay for a meal here, is roughly the same as you would pay in Canada with one major difference. Prices here are in Malaysian Ringlets. There are 3.5 Ringlets to one $ CDN, so meals are effectively less than 1/3 of prices at home. Trust me when I say the food here packs a flavour punch. 

A bike tour in the country – we learned a lot!

On Saturday we went on a bike tour in the country. We were picked up at our hotel at 07:00, half an hour before sunrise. The heat becomes too much by midday and starting early is the only way to ensure safety. From our hotel we drove about 45 minutes to the west side of Penang Island. We were outfitted with bikes and then spent 2 ½ hours cycling around the country side learning and seeing and things we would have never seen had we just stayed in the city.

There were palm oil plantations. Malaysia is the world’s second largest producer of palm oil and these plantations have replaced almost all the rubber plantations. The reason is simple – labour. Once you plant a palm oil plantation, it will take three years to produce and then it will produce for 25 years. The only work you need to do is harvest the palm oil dates twice a year. Nothing else. No pruning, no fertilizer, no weeding. Rubber trees are very labour intensive. They need to be tapped every year, similar to maple trees.

Something interesting we learned was the social dynamic within Malaysia. On the west side of the Island, there were two types of communities. Malaysian (obviously) and Chinese. And never the two shall merge. Malay homes are spread out around a community and people come together at a common place to talk, socialize and work. Chinese homes are clustered together and they work, socialize and function as one harmonious unit. 

The decline of the rural population

Malaysia has an issue with the declining rural population. Currently there is a large exodus of middle-aged people to the cities and places like Singapore. These people will leave their children at home to be raised by the grandparents and only see their kids two or three times a year. When the children get to age, they too tend to leave the country for the city or abroad. This scenario has played out since time immemorial with every culture. The Industrial Revolution, the dust bowl years of the great depression, and many others. Progress has its costs and effects in ways we often do not consider. In the end everything will work out.

The British were here too…cannons guard the approaches

Penang was originally a British base and when the French declared war on all monarchies in 1793, Penang hill became a lookout for the Island. It provided a clear view of the straits of Malacca. The French, at that time, had a large naval presence in the area. By being able to see down the straits of Malacca, the British, at Fort Cornwallis below, would have ample notice of an impending attack. The hill is 712 meters above sea level and it is a steep grade. I feel bad for the men and animals that had to lug the cannons, such as this one, up to the top. The markings are from King George’s III reign. 

Today, Penang hill is a popular tourist attraction with a funicular to get you to the top in about five minutes. We spent a day there and appreciated the atmosphere. At the top we wandered through tropical forests, saw expansive views and enjoyed the afternoon. There was enough shade to “hide” from the hot equatorial sun.

The beaches are OK, the water is not clear

We headed to the beach one afternoon, however found it was not as nice as some we had been to. The beach we visited had powder white sand, however was a 30° slope, so not ideal for lounging on. There were places to sit in the shade on retaining walls, but these were not conducive to spending long hours. The biggest drawback was the water. It was not the clear blue that you hope to find on a tropical beach. It was more the murky colour of the Gulf coast. The water is part of the strait of Malacca and, despite being tidal, was not clear. There were only a few children playing in the water, not really anyone swimming.

As we wound down our time in Malaysia, we took in a few more tourist sites learning of the history and culture. We were appreciative of the extensive bus network and the fact the buses were air conditioned. It made getting around easy and very economical. 

Malaysia Airlines – wonderful service and on time track record

Our trip to the airport and the entire airport experience were fine. The first flight was as domestic flight from Penang to KL. The domestic terminal was clean, modern and had a number of eateries. There were queues and order. Things moved smoothly. We would have never thought anything would be done differently had it not been for the complete cluster at Kathmandu. Even things moved more smoothly in India. The one thing we wanted to see was if our water bottles would go through half full. They did. One pleasant surprise when we checked in, the agent asked if we would be willing to sit in the emergency exit row. That was a nice upgrade .

Thanks for reading, we’ll post more later about street art from Georgetown as well as highlights from Bali.

Feel free to leave any comments or ask any questions.

Cam and Meg