SAS Travelogue-Malaysia

SAS Travelogue-Malaysia

by Rebecca Smith

OK WOW!!! Where do I start? We have only been here 3 days and are already leaving. This is the first country that I am truly upset about leaving from. We did not have much time here, but it is a beautiful place and the people are nice and so varied. The first day I went on an island tour. We went to like 37 temples, ok so I exaggerate, but it felt like a whole lot of freakin' temples. It was more like 3 or 4. Anyways, they were nice, but I'm sick of temples. We went to the Botanical Gardens, wherein, we were nearly attacked by monkeys. But when they were jumping around from tree to tree above our heads, I thought they were trying to kill me, in actuality, the female was trying to escape the male, but he won, and a couple of very gutter minded people videotaped some hot monkey lovin'. I think that's just an intrusion into the poor monkey's personal lives, even if they err a bit on the side of exhibitionists. OK, then we went to lunch at a Golf Club, which was gorgeous and afforded a beautiful view of the island coastal scene. But what else do you expect from a ritzy country club? OK, so then we went to some other places that obviously weren't that exciting cause I can't remember what the heck they were. We went to a Batik factory. Batik is a process of fabric painting that involves chemical dyes, wax, and a very skilled artisan. I bought some lovely silk Batik scarves. The last thing we did was go to the Butterfly farm. This was by far the coolest thing we did that day. There were thousands of Butterflies just flitting about in the hibiscus (the national flower of Malaysia). I took a picture holding one. Lovely. Then we found some turtles who were also engaging in a bit of baby making, and again the camcorders were rolling. Some people just don't understand the concept of a little privacy. That night I walked with some girls to go shopping, I went cuz I wanted to use the internet and find an underwater camera for the next day's excursion, but they were on a mission. We walked 5 miles to find a freaking Pizza Hut. I was soooooooo angry. It is so hot and humid here, just as bad as Vietnam, and I walked 5 miles to sit in a Pizza Hut, which I don't even like, and watch them eat pizza. Man, thank god I found an underwater camera or I would have killed someone that night. Anywho, next day, or yesterday as the locals like to refer to it (he he he), another girl on the ship had met this woman from Wales who lives here now and runs a tour company with her husband. She signed us up to go snorkeling in the coral reefs. There were only 4 other girls, who happened to be from SAS as well, and we took a motor boat out to the reefs. On the way, our guide stopped to buy some prawn and crabs from some fishermen so he could barbecue a lunch for us later. So at least we know it was fresh. Anywho, snorkeling was so much fun, but I think I swallowed most of the water. I fell off the ladder on the way in and banged up my knee and sliced open my finger, my back anf face are totally sunburned, but besides all that, it was awesome. I can take the pain for the fun I had. Anywho, it will all heal with time. I hope my pictures come out. The water was really clear, but my eyesight wasn't as clear as the water, so I might have taken a couple of pictures of my own foot. We'll see. Speaking of pictures, I got some developed in Nam, but the scanner on the ship broke the day before we got to Nam, so I won't be able to send any home or post them here unless it gets fixed, which I doubt. Oh well. OK so after snorkeling, we went back to Feringhi Beach and hung out with the Welsh lady's daughter's pet monkey. It was like babysitting an insane child. He jumped all over everything and his best friend was the kitty, who he rode around on like it was a horse. He bit one of the girls and then we decided play time was over. Another girl and I went to the supermarket and then went home to the ship. OK, so today, I went to a Tropical Fruit Orchard and Spice Estate. I was expecting to be hanging out in a lavish place, in the manner of an old plantation home of the French Indochine era. Well, nope, not really. It was just a farm like place on top of a mountain, it wasn't even a commercial farm. It was, our guide told us, an educational experiment funded by the government. They grow various types of tropical fruit and spices to see what grows well or best in the Malay environment. Then they exhibit for scientific and educational purposes. It was neat to see and try all the different fruits. It was a beautiful location. But I don't think I would have chosen this trip if given the choice again. But it didn't take up too much time, so I have only the regret that I could have spent more time seeing Malaysia if I had not gone. Oh well. When I move here, I can see it all I want. I told the woman from Wales that I want to move here, and she said I could stay with her until I got a job and my own place. So its set, too bad I can't remember her name. Oh well, ok, gotta get back to the ship or I won't be allowed out in India. Apparently I am supposed to look up Kavi's mom and Vinay's uncle in Madras, so I better not get dock time now. OK, since I don't know how to say goodbye in Malay, I will say good morning, since that's what time it is at home...so, Selamat Pagi!!!! Later, kids!!