Malaysia and such...

First of all, again, let me apologize for not being more on top of my blogging. Since being in Asia our time between ports has significantly decreased. From Malaysia to Vietnam (where I am writing this from) we had 3 days at sea, so trying to write updates, do my school work and still maintain my social life (that’s right, I have one of those!) is quite difficult… anyhoo, on with what you really want to hear about…
My time in Malaysia was great! (And no I didn’t kill the Prime Minister). The first three days I was on a SAS sponsored trip to the Cameron Highlands and the next two days I spent with some friends at a sweet hotel in Penang. First of all, getting off the ship in Penang was not as easy as it normally is – we had to tender our way in… meaning that the ship was anchored in the harbour and we used the (HOT HOT HOT) lifeboats to get from land to the ship. Anyhoo, the first day began with a tender ride to land and then off to the busses for our 4 hour ride to the highlands. We stopped twice on the way for a “happy stop” as our guide called them and also for lunch at a Chinese restaurant. After our stop we continued to climb up into the highlands (6,000 ft). About a half hour before we made it to our hotel it started to downpour! Now, maybe its just because I have only seen the sun since beginning this adventure, but that kind of rain was foreign to me (and not because it was in Malaysia). We eventually made it to the hotel, broke out the rain coat and flip-flops and headed down to the city. We did a bit of shopping and found an internet café where we could make calls to the US for less than .10 a minute and internet for even cheaper – it was beautiful! Spent a few hours there and then headed back to the hotel for the evening. The next morning we had land rovers (like the ones on Ace Ventura!) that took us through the highlands to different tea plantations and to one of the highest peaks in Malaysia. Riding in the land rovers was an experience to say the least. With four of us in the back with no real seats it was pretty bumpy and uncomfortable but the sights that we saw were totally worth it. We went on two different jungle hikes and saw some native plants and insects. Our guides were great and explained everything very well. They even showed us different plants that the natives used and still use as medicinal. It was really interesting. We also stopped at a tea factory. BOH (Best of Highlands) is the brand that is most famous in Malaysia so I stocked up at the factory and I hope to share some with everyone when I get back (Yep, I kinda went a little crazy with the tea). In the afternoon we had planned to go to a village a visit with some of the native people but due to a gigantic tree in the road our plans changed and we visited a smaller village that we had passed earlier. The people that lived in the village were very welcoming being that we came in completely unexpected – our guide had lived with them for a period of time a while back so he knew it would be acceptable for us to just show up. The chief of the village was kind enough to give us a blow gun demonstration and even let us try it. It was a great experience and the pictures are priceless. After our visit we headed back to the main part of town where we stopped at a strawberry farm where I bought the most amazing strawberry ice-cream!! Yum! The Cameron highlands are known for its strawberries (as well as tea) so it was great to be able to make a short stop there. The next day we visited some temples and some sights on our way back to Penang. My favourite was a Buddhist temple that was built into a cave. Again, only the pictures can really explain. Once we got back to Penang I quickly got back to the ship, unpacked, repacked, and headed back out to a hotel in Penang with 3 of my friends. The hotel was built in the traditional British colonial style. It was beautiful and the time to relax was well needed. That night we went out to dinner at a traditional Malaysian place and met an American family who just moved to Dubai about 6 months ago. It was really cool to hear their story and also just be in a “family” for a few minutes. After the restaurant kicked us out because we were there too late the mom would not leave without seeing us off safely and giving us a “mom” hug. She was so sweet! The next day, after lying out by the pool, we went for an early dinner to Subway – you should be jealous. It was the first we had had subway since leaving the states so it was quite refreshing, although it didn’t taste the same. For dessert we went next door to Starbucks! I got my traditional London Fog and man, was it good! – First time to have Starbucks since leaving the states too. After our dinner we headed to Gurney Plaza – a huge shopping center in Penang. We went to get some groceries and headed back to the hotel to watch a movie. The next day, Easter Sunday, we pretty much chilled by the pool all morning until brunch at the hotel. After brunch we packed up, took some “family portraits” and then headed back to the ship. I will admit that my time in Malaysia was more like vacation than an educational experience, although I did learn a lot at Cameron Highlands. The down time was well needed and it was a great time to spend with friends. Easter night we had a service on the ship which was great. The turnout was more than I expected and I think a lot of seeds were planted. I hope this update finds everyone well and I will try my best to give you my thoughts and feelings on Viet Nam as soon as I can – and I will try to upload some pictures when I find an internet café. Miss you all!
love love love
Cherie