So this is the first entry to my blog, however fashionably late it is. I will write about the experience up until departure in due course.
After a year of nervousness, last Thursday August 22nd I finally left the UK for Malaysia. After 21 hours of travelling, we finally arrived at Hotel Sutera, around 1 hour south of Kuala Lumpur kin the town of Seremban.
http://goo.gl/maps/yiSeP
We had barely enough time to think when our rep, Noraini arrived and announced she was taking us for food, at 2:30 in the morning. I had now been up for over 42 hours, however i couldn't say no to free food. We experienced the Malay favouriters Roti Canai and Nasi Goreng, along with Milo Ping and Tea Tarik. We finally flopped down in our beds at around 3:30 and instantly turned the AirCon down.
We all slept to a ridiculously late hour the next day, then chilled by the pool until mid afternoon. Feeling very relaxed we walked over the road to meet Kenny, the rather large Chinese phone shop owner. After being very jolly and enthusiastic for around 30 minutes he suddenly realised he had forgotten all our Sim cards, oops. After buying a Malaysia Nokia brick phone, complete with the classic game snake, we went to experience a Malaysian shopping mall and immediately regretted it. A horrible smell filled the entrance, something like garlic mixed with dirty socks. we where later informed this was a Malaysian delicacy known as Durian, a fruit which is currently in season. Noraini encouraged us to try a small bite, lets just say the Malaysians are welcome to this particular delicacy.
The rest of the day was filled with poolside antics, swimming, some Malay language and culture lessons and ended with a formal dinner. this was attended by past volunteers from the UK.
We awoke bright and early the next day and climbed into hot, sticky buses to travel to the town of Malaka on the west coast.
http://goo.gl/maps/WpJuB
Well myself and a friend hit the jackpot and where invited to travel with Noraini in her leather clad air conditioned car, oh yes. When we arrived we went to a beach front seafood restaurant and was again treated to an amazing Malaysian lunch. I experienced the Malay favourite 100 plus, effectively Lucozade but it actually works.
After lunch we strapped on life jackets and jumped from the balcony into the sea. It was incredibly salty and the floor was covered with a dark, sludgy mud. It felt like walking in thick, moving custard with large lumps. Some volunteers, including my partner James tried the myth that rubbing it on your skin acts as a beauty agent. I may ion the long term, but in the short term it just looked ridiculous.
After the swim in the sea, we where invited to ride on the restaurants banana boat, basically a huge inflatable, you guessed it, banana towed behind a speed boat. ill have to admit, at this point it did feel like a holiday. We then travelled into the centre of Malaka town to visit a world renowned Chinese heritage site. Although the buildings had been converted into shops, the architecture was breath taking, plus you could buy samurai swords. After buying the worlds most tourist like hat, now known as the Swag hat and trying a colourful rice lump Kuih Lapis we drove back to Seremban. Then due to a lack of organisation there was no food planned, so we had to go to McDonalds.
The next morning, Monday August 26th we packed our bags and prepared to leave Seremban. We met Marwati our rep from MARA and after almost forgetting one volunteer travelled in an amazing coach to Kuala Lumpur.
http://goo.gl/maps/65rMG
This coach, wow. the seats reclined completely flat, there was huge leg room, full AirCon, comfy leather seats and TV. As we travelled to KL I have top say I was enjoying Malaysia so far.
