Malaysian highlights

I've now spent 2 weeks in Asia after my southern hemisphere sojourn. Although I'm sweating like a dirty old man in a Thai ping pong show, I am really enjoying this next stage of my journey. So far, I have spent 5 days in Singapore abusing the hospitality of my lovely friends and paying over the odds for a Vietnamese visa, followed by 10 days sampling the varied culinary and natural delights of Malaysia.

To be fair, my experiences in Malaysia have been boosted by some great company. After exploring KL's religious sights with a trip to the Hindu shrines and temples in the Batu caves and a pleasant afternoon taking in the aesthtics of the Museum of Islamic Art, before gorging on the melee of street food on offer (amongst the replica handbags), I left the city to venture into the hills. The stunning views from Boh Tea Plantation, and the cooler climate (the sights included strawberry farms and rose gardens as testament to the more English temperatures) were a welcome relief from the heat and dust of the capital. From here I ventured further north to Penang, an epicurean delight with plenty of temples, national parks and street art to deserve its World Heritage Status. The Penang Food Map was perhaps my favoured tourist map, illustrating the must-eats and the best place to find them.

It was in Penang, or more on the bus to Penang, that I met a fellow British female traveller who had just finished 2 years working in South Korea. The rest of my time in Malaysia was boosted by some good company from her, her friend and a girl I met in my hostel. We made friends with a few resident backpackers which kept our nights fuelled with a bit of social vodka, rum and beer to accompany our drinking games and to complement the days spent exploring Penang's temples and food stalls.

We continued our journey into Langkawi, with its beautiful beaches and duty free booze. I took the opportunity for 3 days of beach chillout, swimming in the clear, warm waters and dozing to the sound of jetskis, accompanied by my friends from Penang and finding an Italian lady to sample the fresh barbecued fish and tour the late night shops with.

All in all, a great time had in Malaysia - from bustling megacity, serene hill stations, culinary overload and some laid back beach culture - I enjoyed the variety the country had to offer. And it was really straightforward - Malay in Latin script and English as a national language helped immensely, and things were as they said they were: buses left on time (more or less), took the duration quoted, and cost the advertised price. I love the adventure side too, don't get me wrong, but I certainly appreciated knowing where I stood too. And in such beautiful surroundings with such great food, why wouldn't you just soak it all up and stay a little longer?