Singapore: A fitting end to mainland Eurasia

 

9th - 13th February

easy to feel small amongst the vista of marina bay, Singapore

Another day and unusually for us another capital. The last time we moved from capital to capital we were leaving Vilnius for Riga and coming to the end of our two month stint in Europe. That part of our journey feels a world away now but only in terms of distance.



Marina Sands Hotel from the gardens with the Singapore Flyer in the distance

Singapore Flyer from Gardens by the Bay

 It was fair to say that compared to the rest of Asia, Malaysia certainly felt like home more than anywhere else. They drive on the correct side of the road, its incredibly easy to travel by bus and coach, the population is football mad. But Singapore seems to have takes the ideals of the western world at done one better.



Flower Dome at Gardens by the Bay

The stunning Supertree Grove

The border crossing was certainly the most organized we have seen for a while now and it made the Thai-Malay border look as chaotic as wildebeest crossing a crocodile infested river in the Masai Mara. We were through in a matter minutes and that even gave them time for a little interrogation regarding whether we smoke or not?
The city itself is no different. Everything runs like a well oiled machine and despite the population density and tourist hoards you can walk around without suffocation on exhaust fumes and getting crushed trying to get on the metro. The place is so well oiled in fact that many feel this clinical metropolis lacks character. But I beg to differ.

 

Gardens by the bay also showcases a great range of wood sculptures

Singapore is an ultra modern, international trading giant and financial hub. Its also incredibly small and this means unlike any other city in the world it can manage things a little differently. If you have ever been to other parts of Asia the first three things you will think is "Hmmm how come nobody is gozzing (spitting for those who aren't English) and there isn't a bonfire in the road and litter in the river". If you think about it that is what gives the place a unique feel.

indoor waterfall ....check

I'd watch out for the cactus mate

The first tourist attraction we visited in Singapore was "Gardens by the Bay". This 101 hectare garden is an amazing feat of horticulture, eco-architecture and sustainability. It's like the Eden Project after ten Red Bull's. The park contains a plethora of habitats thanks to two huge dome conservatories. The park is dominated by the amazing treelike structures in "Supertree Grove". These verticle gardens perform many functions such as harness the suns rays for energy, collect rainwaters and act as an exhaust filter to reduce greenhouse gas emissions. Now I'm sorry if all this sounds quite boring but as an Environmental Manager I spent a lot of time trying to reduce carbon footprints and know one thing that is very hard to do is get a population thinking from the same page. In the UK most of the time the only way you will get anyone involved is with cash incentives. In Singapore they use this too but alongside projects like Gardens by the Bay which educate new minds. Oh yeah and with some good old fashioned fines thrown in for good measure. It what every city should strive for but I feel Singapore will remain an anomaly as its uniquely small and affluent.


Chinatown

Right green rant over its important to remember what getting to Singapore meant to us. The country lies on the Southern tip of the Malay Peninsula so in many ways it represents the last country before we have to set sail again. The last time we sailed the seas we were leaving Harwich, England for the Hook of Holland as we made landfall in mainland Europe. Therefore as a symbol of the lengths we have travelled Singapore represented a true milestone. In eight and a half months Bruvs with Blisters had made it across mainland Eurasia, from Amsterdam in the North-East to Singapore in the South-West so there was cause to celebrate.


Future destination maybe

Grab a granny day at Universal Studios

That wouldn't normally be a problem for us but there are a few things you need to note when visiting Singapore. There seems to be an unwritten rule in Chinatown that you can only purchase a pint if your also going to have food. Strange I know but it took three attempts before we found an establishment kind enough to accept customers looking for a laugh and a few pints without having to navigate their way through a plate of noodles. The cost is another factor and if you think the price of a pint in London is steep your wallets going to hurt feel as empty as a Chelsea fans head on the Paris metro (see I can still keep up with the news back home). Despite this we decided to forget about our dwindling pot of travel cash and celebrate.
After hitting a few cheapish local bars in Chinatown we moved towards Little India stopping in for a pint on the way and soon discovered the watering holes here are very different to the Fox & Hounds back home. Firstly there full of balding, middle aged men (I know your thinking that sounds exactly like an English pub but bear with me). Secondly, there are lots of women wearing not a lot and Thirdly, the windows are generally blacked out and fourthly everyone seems to want to shake hands.....all the time. I'm still not quite sure what was happening but all I know is that many guys were going upstairs and not coming back and one of the girls seemed interested in me until she found out I'm technically unemployed and homeless.   

pterodactyl's eye view

The next day we carried our hangovers and headed towards Sentosa Island and Universal Studios. Both of us had been looking forward to this theme park for a while now after deciding it would be a good way to treat ourselves for making it all this way. Sadly despite enjoying aspects of the park the day went like a lead balloon.
Universal Studios Singapore is a relatively new and therefore small theme park and really if you want to make the most of Sentosa Island you need a couple of days to visit the waterpark as well. Most of the rides are rides incorporating 4D (Shrek and Transformers). The real annoying thing for us was that on the day we visited the two scariest and therefore best rides (Return of the Mummy and Battlestar Galactica Rollercoasters) were closed for maintenance. This left the Jurassic Park zone (which is always good), Shrek kingdom (ok), Madagascar (would be good if we were 7) and Sesame Street and they never reduced the entrance fee.
I'm sure when all the rides are open there would be enough to distract visitors for a full day but the only memories we could take with us were getting soaked on the awesome river rapids in Jurassic Park and being pressganged into dancing with Cookie Monster and Grover because we stood out like sore thumbs in a room full of Korean tourists (I still think some people thought we were a relation of Big Bird).

"Come to Singapore, it's the pits" 



Beat him by a whisker

In dead last it's Dick Dastedly

On our fourth and final full day Jono decided we should head back to Marina Bay one last time and have a closer look at the F1 track. Part of this was for ourselves but mostly it was for our friends Tom and Katy back home who run a very successful F1 blog could WTF1. Back in September we were in Vietnam at met quite a few people who had visited Singapore during the GP and said it was an awesome spectacle with the city backdrop, parties and firework displays. It's fair to say that February is definitely the tracks down seasons with nothing really happening but it did provide a great contrast to our friends blog who normally follow the events of the F1 calendar and rarely see the flipside. It turned out that you don't even need to pay to check out the pits, you can just follow the road around the Singapore Flier along the bay towards the permanent grandstand. Despite the minor preparation works for the upcoming Chinese New Year celebrations none of the workers seemed to bothered about two lanky foreigners dicking about and trying to replicate a photo finish. Its true when they say that the best things in life our free. Jono experienced a similar thing in LA when he snuck into the old and mostly unknown (when he asked for directions most people hadn't a clue what he was on about) Olympic Stadium


If you would like to see the results of our antics check out WTF1 at:
http://wtf1.co.uk/marina-bay-circuit-off-season/


It was a mixed visit in Singapore. On one hand some of the attractions we planned to visit turned out to be a little overrated but the sights we happened to pass by were fantastic. It was certainly nice to experience the height of civilization for a few days at least. But anyway after an endless list of bus, coach and rail travel it was time to grab our second ocean ferry to our penultimate country before the finish line INDONESIA!!!.

Innercity Life in KL

20th January - 9th February 2015

PETRONAS Towers from KLCC Park

 This may sound weird to some people but the Malaysian capital of Kuala Lumpur was a very memorable stop for us. For the first time in eight months we decided to step away from the tourist trail and put our energy towards doing some actual work. Jono and I had been chatting for a few moths about taking on some voluntary work and give something back to an area other than our pennies and queens heads.

 Many fellow travellers recommended using HelpX to find volunteer placements and sure enough after registering and a little research we found a perfect match, an up-cycling enterprise operating in a suburb in Kuala Lumpur.



Biji-Biji HQ in Taman Rainbow in Northern KL

Biji-Biji is the brainchild of a small multicultural group of friends who wanted to advertise sustainable living across Malaysia. Since coming onto the scene two years ago they have tried their hands at any project opportunity within grasp. Art installations, business fairs, concerts, training courses, furniture manufacture they do it all and with mainly recovered waste materials. With backgrounds in environmental management and cabinet making biji-biji was the perfect volunteer vocation for Jono and I. In two and a half weeks we worked on creating Chinese lanterns from water bottles for the New Year exhibition at a shopping centre and Jono assisted in a transforming an office space with wall panels made from recycled pallets.
The best thing about biji-biji was meeting  many interesting people. Some local, some from various corners of the world, some creators, some grafters, some entertainers but all were friendly, welcoming and unique. Its still early days for this small enterprise but if anyone can make an impact on changing the lifestyle and mind set of the Malay people to see value in waste its Rashvin and the gang. If your visiting KL and are interested in volunteer work Biji-Biji are always looking for extra helping hands. Contact them direct through the Biji-Biji Facebook page or search for them on HelpX if you have an account.



KLCC Mall inside the PETRONAS Towers

 The guys at biji-biji were pretty laid back and were always willing to allow us time at weekends and some weekdays for sightseeing. Kuala Lumpur is a large city but unlike other Asian capitals you don't really feel the population density. Sure its busy some times on the metro but you rarely feel claustrophobic. The place is noticeable more clinical and modern than the rest of the country especially around our first tourist stop, the Petronas Towers.
This international architectural icon is a beacon of wealth, success and progress. The affluence of the business district is immediately obvious with the grand array of designer stores, hotels and restaurants catering for the hoards of cash rich entrepreneurs who are now the mainstay of the cities elite upper class.

Although most of the areas activities are limited to shopping, eating and drinking, there are a few spots to drag visitors away from such tedium who may not need the latest Ralph Lauren polo shirt or look at the price on a Louis Vuitton belt and think "I can live for a month on that cash in Laos".   

1) On the upper floor of KLCC Mall you will find Galeri Petronas which showcases a collection of contemporary and modern creations from Malaysian and international artists acquired by the company over the years. For a private collection its a good sidetrack for half an hour and it's Free Admission.

2) Another Free area just outside KLCC mall is the adjacent KLCC Park. Don't let the imaginative name fall you this green space is a nice oasis amongst the modern steel-clad infrastructure. Bring your swimming trunks along as the park features a small shallow pool which is a great way to escape the midday heat. Grab some takeout grub from the mall food court and people watch from a shady bench for an hour whilst enjoying the vista of towering sentinel structures.



KLCC Park: Great place to chill out, cool down from the midday heat and people watch

3) On the far side of KLCC Park lies another popular attraction. Aquaria is renowned locally as Malaysia best aquarium and although the last such places we've visited were at SeaWorld, Florida ten years ago and a Sealife centre  in Hunstaunton, Norfolk in 1996 (I think) this place is certainly no washout (sorry about the pun).
We visited Aquaria with our Malaysian friend Mikhail and it was a great day out. If your a fan of the series river monsters the amazon section will make you think twice about having a swim in Brazil. The attractions showcase is a 90m travelator tunnel walk beneath a tank containing many tiger sharks and huge rays.

mangrove tank three floors high at Aquaria

4) Ok its another park walk but the Lake Gardens a little outside KL centre are a great escape from the city hustle and bustle. The
91 hectare space incorporates the cities impressive National Monument with an awesome view of the city, deer park, orchid garden, butterfly park, national museum, planetarium and more. Its a full day exploration on its own. 


KL will hold a lasting memory with us not just because we had work to do for a change. We met up with Mikhail who we last saw in Penang whilst he was on holiday.
Makhail was kind enough to meet us in the centre on one occasion to guide us around a few sights and introduce our taste buds to some new cuisine.

ABC and Cendol Desserts

After spending much time trying local curries it was a nice change to try two popular Malay desserts. Ais kacang (known as ABC) and Cendol are sweet dishes often seen as unusual to western eyes due to the presence of ingredients like red (kidney) beans and sweetcorn but don't be put of by the description as both really work well with the ice cream, crushed ice, grass jelly and coconut milk.
Sure it looks like the outcome of leaving lit fireworks in a refrigerator but I like it. 




Thaipusam at Batu Caves 

For the first time on our travels we actually managed to time our stay with a local festival and in early February the Hindu festival of Thaipusam is a big deal.

Kuala Lumpur is actually one of the only places left outside India where this event takes place and the temple at Batu Caves on the city outskirts provides the perfect setting. 
 Thaipusam coincides with the full moon on the month of Tamil (January/February) and is famous worldwide due to the actions of the devotees involved in the pilgrimage.

Thaipusam is a huge event for all Hindu's in Malaysia

The devotees must fast, live a life of celibacy and only eat pure Satvik food once a day for 48 days before the big day.
On the day their heads are shaved and they must complete a pilgrimage to Batu Caves from the city centre whilst undertaking burdens (kavadi).
These burdens range from carrying pots of milk to piercing the skin, tongue and cheeks with hooks or skewers. We saw one guy who had that many hooks in his back he resembled a fishing tackle shop.
The most popular kavadi is a decoraded wooden frame (although many we saw contained metal rods to strengthen the structure) which the devotees carry on their shoulders along the entire route. Needless to say the days events takes its toll on someone who has fasted for so long and many participants seem to wonder aimlessly to their goal in a trance like state with friends and family making sure they don't collapse under the intense heat.

The festival was a complete crush of people and colours with music playing and devotees chanting but one of the most spectacular gatherings you can possibly see. If you in KL in late January early February grit your teeth, bear the claustrophobic conditions and get your camera ready because you wont be disappointed.

Many backpackers underestimate KL labelling it up as "just another expensive capital city" but if you scratch beneath the surface and throw yourself out of the clinical epicenter and perhaps say with locals you will see a multicultural metropolis full of character and charm. Sure the cost of a pint is a rip off but a little detox never hurt anyone.

Oh yeah I forgot one thing. For those who read the last post here is the promised picture of a cat courtesy of Mikhails's family. Enjoy and thanks for reading.

Cameron Highlanders

16th - 20th January 2015

     We left Ipoh for the Cameron Highlands in convoy with a fellow countryman Oliver Hamler who had been couchsurfing with us at Bella's place. The three hour bus journey along the winding mountain highways was a smooth one until we reached a police checkpoint. The officers boarded the bus armed with guns and in an intimidating tone ordered us to "show our passports". Naturally we quickly responded to this request and waited for the officer to reach us. Unusually he had no interest in the passports of any "Westerners" and a little interrogating he ordered almost half the bus to head outside to the checkpoint desk at which point the bus continued on its way. We later found out that the region has been hit hard by illegal deforestation and agriculture from mostly Bangladeshi and Burmese immigrants looking to take advantage of increased salaries. As a result the Malay government has clamped down on any individuals looking for work without the proper documentation.

Who said we've passed our peak

Mossy Forest

Malaysian Pitcher Plant waiting to catch some insects

    

      Despite the eventful journey we made it to Tanah Rata in one piece. Tanah Rata is the main town in the Cameron Highlands and is therefore the main commercial hub for the area with plenty of hotels, hostels, restaurants and stores. We booked four nights at Fathers Guesthouse, one of the highest rated hostels in town due to the friendly atmosphere and the great treks they offer.

Our band of backpackers

   Its all about the trekking and the tea in the Cameron's and on our first full day we arranged to join a 4 hour guided hike up one of the nearer peaks. Our guide Jason was a wealth of knowledge regarding the local flora and fauna, particularly when it came to the wild orchids. Unlike our other short hikes this was real jungle and its easy to see how people can become disorientated moving through the slightly claustrophobic web of roots and branches. The sightings of animals was limited to a few birds and one non toxic viper but that didn't really matter to us because for once we were able to feel like proper explorers of old.

Indiana Bones is back

this is more like it. where's that machete

     The jungles of the Cameron's are known as the "mossy forests" due to the abundance of tree hugging mosses. These sponge like plants are critical to much of the life that's evolved and many species are only found in this part of the world. From the peak of the mountain we had a great view of the valley below and a lunch break of much needed nutella sandwiches before heading toward the plantation. If I had known about the nutella and tea I would have tried this trekking lark a long time ago.


      As we approached the tea plantation we saw first hand the stark contrast from the thick mossy forest and the scorched earth from land clearance. However we were now left in awe of one of the most beautiful man-made landscapes around. The sweeping carpet of green leaved terraces stretched out as far as the eye could see and it was spectacular. The plantation shop signaled our finish line and being English we took great delight in celebrating with a finest and freshest cup of tea you can find with a view over the valley.



conditions change quickly here



thanks for the free parking

     Our second trek attempt came two days later where we planned to head out of Tanah Rata towards the town of Brinchang. The trek would be fine to complete on our own as long as we followed the trail. Like our first trek we decided to hike uphill through mossy forest for around 2 hours to reach a radio tower at the peak. From there it would be a longer gradual descent back to town through another plantation. This was a tougher hike than the first as it was uphill all the way but after just over two hours we made it to the top with a few scraped knees and a real bad case of sweat rot. The funny thing is by hitchhiking back and walking up we saved ourselves almost £20 compared to the guided tour which took tourists to the top by land rover, meaning they missed the jungle all together.
    

A stunning walk down to town through the plantations

    


look out KL were coming for you next

     As we leave the cool climate of the Cameron's behind and travel to the Malaysian capital of Kuala Lumpur we are left with a sad truth. Sadly much of this unique habitat is being destroyed at an alarming rate due to deforestation for tea plantations and increasing temperature due to air pollution. Unfortunately the Cameron Highlands do not yet have national park status and therefore lack sufficient environmental protection policies. Hard efforts from local conservationists like Jason have fallen on deaf ears as many lack the education to understand that losing the jungle will mean huge long term consequences including a decrease in soil nutrition, increased run off and risk of regular landslides. The effects of recent landslides during an unusually wet December 2014 still scarred the landscape.

     Once again government corruption does little to help the situation with many officials to focused on short term monetary gains to care about the consequences for future generations. So for us it was a real privilege to explore a beautiful environment that is likely to die out in the next fifty to one hundred years and become just another notch on the long list of victims of mankind.

      Right serious article over and I promise the next post will be of a lighter nature and contain a picture of a cat or something.

Couchsurfing in Ipoh

11th - 16th January 2015

    Our exit route from Penang should be nicknamed "The Overkill Line". Never has a four hour journey required a minibus and three regular busses but despite the slight inconvenience we made it to Ipoh.

Time to take out the trash

     Our initial plan was to spend two nights in at The Abbey Hotel which lies on the edge of the old town before attempting to couchsurf. If your expecting a lively atmosphere the Abby probably wouldn't be the right accommodation for you. The hotel is one of the newest additions to town and parts are still in construction. The common area is limited to one sofa by the front desk. If your just looking for a comfy bed then you'll feel fine here although it must be noted some of the rooms do not have a window but for a few quid a night and a central location we couldn't complain.


If we weren't trying to avoid flights this would be a great way to get to Oz

     Despite not featuring on the most travellers to visit list Ipoh and the surrounding region has a rich history and offers plenty of sights. The city was Malaysia's second administrative centre after Kuala Lumpur during British rule and became a lucrative earner for the empire due to the abundance of tin in the region.
    Today the old town features old colonial buildings and some great street art similar to what we saw in Penang. In front of the towns impressive railway station sits the plant that gives the town its name. The Antiaris or Ipoh Tree in Malay across Asia for being the plant which produces the poison jungle dwelling tribes used to soak their arrows and darts. Apparently some of these jungle peoples still live in remote regions of the Malay Peninsula and Borneo but in Ipoh the tree purely remains as an emblem of local pride.


no caption needed



"Are you sure you only sell durian here in Gopeng?"

     On our first full day we ventured outside Ipoh and caught a local bus to Kellies Castle. Sadly this unfinished, ruined mansion was closed on the day we visited but we were still able to get a few photos from the entrance. The journey wasn't a complete waste though as the nearby town of Gopeng contained a nice selection of street art.

Although there are limited sights in Ipoh old town there are plenty of places to grab a bite to eat. Great independent Chinese tea houses operate on the same roads as the street art and offer a range of great noodle based grub. These tea shops are famous for the dessert caramel cake which is very reminiscent of the crème caramel dishes you can find in Europe. A sugar rush is always welcome when your on the move.



Never look a gift horse in the mouth

 By the time we returned from our magical mystery tour it was time to grab some dinner. Jono arranged for us to meet a local couchsurfer who lived on the outskirts of the city and had some rooms available for the following night.
Amazingly this was the first time we had managed to find a vacant host through the site. We attempted to use couchsurfer to find cheap accommodation in Europe but spaces are competitive and the nature of our travels meant we were never in one place very long, so our plan never worked out. We have found that the site offers a great platform for arranging meet ups with local hosts. This function has proved incredibly useful in large, unfamiliar cities and we met some great local guides in Warsaw, Riga and Saint Petersburg.




Bruvs with Bella

No need for washing dishes in the Indian restaurant

First impressions were great as Bella arranged to pick us up with her friend John and food court style restaurant. The corrugated roof courtyard looked at little rough and dilapidated at first sight but out here that's a good sign of a culinary diamond in the rough. The food court offered a range of culinary delights from the region and beyond. Laksa, Pad Thai, Satay, Singapore Mehun, Penang Curry, they had the lot.
As we have been in Asia for a while now I though I'd be a smart ass and try a Penang curry. I had eaten this dish a few times before in Thailand and Malaysia and though I could handle the chili. Unfortunately I soon found out that the dishes in Penang and Thailand are adapted to tourists taste buds and spent most of the time sweating and crying. Later I was told Penang Curry is mild to medium dish on the spicy spectrum (mental note: stick to butter chicken).
Bella and John were great guides and we shared stories of travel, job, countries and family for a good few hours before moving on. Before dropping us off at the Abby Hotel they were kind enough to show us a local temple but it was a bit of a wash out on account of the tropical weather front hitting the region. I guess we should be glad it was the end of the wet season.

     The next day we were picked up and led to "Casa D'Bella" where we would be staying for a few nights. Bella's place is ideal for couchsurfing and she had enough room for four or five surfers. The place was on a quiet estate and guarded 24/7 by six or so cats (if food was out). Bella's efforts go far and beyond the minimal requirements of a host and she took great joy in  offering us advice regarding sights and offering to drive us around.


A great view of the karst mountains from the cave temple

Our first sight on the cards was a nearby cave temple dedicated to Chinese Buddhism. There are many cave temples around Ipoh most of which charge an entrance fee but Bella assured us this one would be free and offer great views of the karst landscape. The natural weathered limestone structure was filled with statues and murals depicting gods and idols. The most magnificent of these was a 7 meter high Buddha. A 300 step stone staircase ascended from the rear of the temple and hugged the limestone cliff and led to a stone elephant idol at the summit. The view from the top wasn't as stunning as other karst landscapes we'd seen in China and Vietnam but considering this area isn't a popular tourist it sure as hell left us wondering why the coaches aren't flocking to the region.



Cave Buddha

One of many cave temples in the region






















Turtle power!

    After the temple we ventured to the aptly named "Jurassic Park". This small landscaped space was a great place to chill out and have lunch. The entrance of park is blocked off by a small lake nestled between two karst limestone hills. A small ferry was required to cross this water body where your serenaded by the lyrics of "Islands in the stream" by Dolly Parton and Kenny Rogers. Pretty strange!?







Dinosaurs do exist here

Back home were used to seeing families walking their dog and letting their kids feed the ducks. In Ipoh the ducks have been replaced by a large colony of turtles and koi carp and monkeys (on the shore) all begging for your lunch. Granted it's an artificial environment designed to draw in visitors but in Jurassic Park it works well. If your really lucky you may even see a few "Dinosaurs" (monitor lizards) which roam the more isolated areas of the park. 


It's true when they say "only mad dogs and Englishmen walk out in the midday sun" and after our brief exploration of the area we settled into the Malaysian way of life a kicked back and chilled during the heat of the day. Malaysia's climate is very consistent all year round with an average high of 32°C so out here working hours tend start much earlier than back home to avoid the peak heat.
Bella's home had the feel of a guesthouse with the atmosphere of a top hostel and it was great to spend time with like minded backpackers all with an interesting story to tell. It's not everyday that you meet a French national who has been living in the Amazon Rainforest with indigenous tribes for the last year. Most evenings we would have a nice group meal at Bella's favourite eateries. One in particular we visited a lot over the week. It was a banana leaf restaurant offering great curry dishes. Proper curries not like the adaptations we get in the UK. All the meat is cooked off the bone, served with naan's and roti's and best of all served on a banana leaf. No cutlery, no plate, no washing up that's how they roll here


Jurassic Park lake





Ipoh is the gateway to the Cameron Highlands famous for the cool climate and jungle trekking. Most tourists skip Ipoh in favour of the Cameron's but unbeknown to us Ipoh has trekking routes to match. If you manage to avoid the corruption that is.
Bella was kind enough to take us to a national park where we could trek to a waterfall. This would have been great if it wasn't for the local "Forestry Bureau". No sooner had we parked up and got out of the car a group of Malay locals came out of nowhere and  "welcomed" us to Malaysia. Now its fair to say as much as we like friendly welcomes during our travels we have noticed a definite correlation between friendly welcomes and people looking to con tourists and sure enough we were right. The main guy said that if we wanted to enter the reserve (which Bella informed us was free to visit to all) we would have to pay for a "permit". Frustrated by this cock and bull story Bella advised us that its best if we don't see the waterfall and that she would report the story to the local newspaper to warn others. This sort of thing is frustrating but all part of the package of South East Asia travel unfortunately. Corruption amongst government officials and bureaus is rife and a real issue. The short sighted gains of the minority unfortunately cause a knock on impact for local tourism. If a few cases get reported then an area gets a bad reputation and tourists go elsewhere. Its as simple as that.


This sort of thing can happen almost anywhere and if your backpacking you should remember that if someone seems overly friendly chances are they are a friendly person but there is always a 5% chance they want something from you. Its therefore perfectly healthy for you to be a little paranoid.



Not quite the waterfall but it will do

Jess "The 30l backpacker girl"

 In summary our first experience couchsurfing was a great one and if your fed up of boutique hostels that are full of travellers fixated on their phones and laptops then it definitely ticks all the boxes. You meet interesting local people, share knowledge, make friends with like minded travellers, get extremely cheap accommodation and all you have to do is pay the kindness back if your paths cross again. We both hope to meet Bella again some day.


 Even though neither of us had ever heard of Ipoh before our visit we were extremely glad we stopped by. It's an overlooked part of Malaysia with awesome countryside, history, culture and an array of sights. A little like our home town Northampton and the surrounding county which was the English capital for a few years, has a long history of shoemaking, famous battles, royal estates and stunning rolling fields but few people know about it. If your looking for a break from the tourist hoards and want to experience genuine Malaysia add Ipoh to your bucket list.

Bruvs with Blisters: Packing for your travels

Bruvs with Blisters: Packing for your travels: When planning a backpacking adventure for the first time most people worry  about what to pack....