tinkertrails: August 2008

Mallaysia 24 Jam

Galloping along the beaches gazing out towards the crystal clear Andaman sea, I then ventured into Malaysia visiting the isle of Penang, home of a unique cuisine and a colourful cultural mix. The magic of standing Buddhas and colourful Hindu shrines listening to prayers from nearby mosques was shaterred by the shock of souvenir shops shadowing revered images. Georgetown where ancestor worship and mooncakes are seen alongside old Chinese Meeting Halls, rotis & saris in Little India, then Penang curry, mee goreng & tiger prawns washed down with Anchor beer... it was here a man riding his silent TrishaW caught me standing still gazing up at the stars and briskly ran over my toes - crunch and a yelp of pain - a block of ice followed by colourful bruising...
Up a windy road into the Cameron Highlands where the eversogreen tea plantations are kept that way by the downpours experienced throughout our stay - ditched hiking plans to be entertained by an oversized pool table and dried strawberries. Down to sealevel and the buzz of KL - welcome to the Rat Race ran the CEOs and employees cheered on by energetic supporters, up the KL communications tower then down to the mall to let loose on the rollercoaster, dodgems & other whirlygigs. Later found dancing to some 80s remix in Chinatown. Markets and malls, mosques & merdeka - independence!!
Next stop Melaka, now UNESCO World Heritage, once the wealthiest port in the area with remnants of the fort and a vibrant Chinatown where incense is constantly on the go and monitor lizards control the river. And then there were malls...
coming soon...Borneo - Sabah & Sarawak - Mt Kinabalu, Orang Utans, and Hammerhead sharks...

STILLNESS

as I try to rest up large between trips I'm reminded:

Stillness in stillness is not the real stillness. Only when you have stillness in motion does the true rhythm of nature manifest itself. (Courtesy of Master Hien)

I was also thinking about stagnant activity - that which goes nowhere...

Time to climb a mountain and get the ole muscles aching - meditation, determination, & deep heat...

Night dives

Never would I have imagined myself sliding down a rope in the darkness exploring the depths where sharks and barracudas play...envisaging myself taking a leap into turbulent waters as my legs turned to jelly, trying not to trip on my bright yellow fins whilst balancing my heavy tank and weighty belt, the boat rocked violently as the waves splashed over the sides - clasping my spotlight and regulator I made bubbles into thin air, plunged into the sea and reappeared trying to kept my mouth sealed as I bobbed on the salty surface. Reunited with my brilliant buddy who'd been keeping a close eye on the air consumption from my needy or greedy lungs, having had to rescue me from a runaway Mary Poppins ascent when I 'accidently' pressed the blue button - was I really slightly narked (nitrogen narcosis hits at 30m mark) or did I have no respect for my desperate lungs???!!!
It was dark - and I mean darkdark! - as we covered our spotlights sparkly creatures announced their presence. Winding our way around corals in search of... I just followed the lead lights in an attempt not to get lost!!!
Yet again my panicked breath had consumed most of my air supply so I surfaced early only to find an even more challenging task await!!! How the hell were we to get back on a rocky vessel without smashing heads, bodies, and flashlights??? Eyes & mind boggled as I edged my way along the rope whilst being thrown back and forth...finally grasping the ladder then being thrust back into the water as soon as I realeased one hand in an attempt to loosen my sticky fins...the near-empty tank felt weightier than before, the arms reaching out from the deck more distant...ready to face fate??? Not a chance - this time a firm grip & onto the deck - safe at last!!!

Indochina 2008

Back in Indochina - a whirlwind month in and out of bustling Bangkok, entranced by the Khmer temples - majestic Angkor Wat and its detailed bas relief, Angkor Thom and the Bayon Heads, the overpowering strength of the jungle roots at Ta Prohm... jumping over big stones dressed in moss then a 'Seeing Hands' massage to relieve the strain. In Phnom Penh the impact of the open wounds of Tuol Sleng prison and the Killing Fields are distanced whilst enjoying a drink at the Foreign Correspondents Club overlooking the river. A change of scene - sun and sea in Sihanoukville where hawkers offering manicures and massages also find a way of removing every hair in sight with the twist of a couple of threads. Heading south to the Delta region leaving aridness for lush fertile lands, a sudden change of pace crossing into Vietnam. Motos abound, horns honking, cottage industries on every door step, poker faces, conical hats, loaded cyclos... the quacking of juicy ducks emphasizes the freshness of produce at the Chau Doc market in the Mekong Delta where fruit and veges are displayed in neat piles and rows. Next Ho Chi Minh City - Saigon where around 7 million make their home - struck by the intense heat strolling past the remains of French colonialism - elegant avenues, a copycat hotel de ville, post office, opera house and cathedral... a thunderstorm breaks the tension but our open-air kitchen is no longer serving fried rice nor grilled anything!!
Further up the coast diving in Nha Trang and a drop of r&r before venturing out to tailors, historic Chinese meeting houses, and lao cau in Hoi An. Motorbikes in Hue to enjoy the countryside, the emperor Tu Duc's tomb, a vegetarian lunch with tofu 'fish' 'pork' in a Buddhist nunnery, then a boat along the Perfume River. That evening a cyclo ride nearby the walls of the old citadel stopping off for a special remedy Chinese tea before bed. Another night train where carriages rock from side to side all the way to Hanoi. A side trip to Halong Bay to enjoy the calm waters and 2000 karsts followed by a special Chinese massage where every organ was alerted by its own pressure point. Tai Chi at 5am by the Ho Tay the pho bo tai (noodle soup), meandering in the old quarter discovering the delights of Hang Quat (Buddha Image St), Hang Thuoc Bac (Traditional Medicine Street, Hang Gai (Silk St) and more. Dancing Water Puppets originating in the paddie fields are presented in a trilingual theatre, followed by catfish spring rolls at Highway 4.
A seemingly never-ending journey over the Annamite range into Laos where we gradually abandoned the hustle and bustle of Vietnamese towns for the dense rainforest of the Ho Chi Minh trail. As we entered Laos the roadside became speckled with Hmong villages and bright eyed children looking after their younger siblings. Faces changed as we arrived at lowland Pak Xan where the favourite is porcupine sampled on the banks of the Mekong. The capital Vientiane awaited with tranquility and wide-open spaces, the craziness of limestone backpacker territory in Vang Vieng where homesick folk watch 'Friends' after a day of boozing whilst tubing & acrobatic swings!!?? A day's journey of non-stop amazing picturesque lead to the jewel and former capital, Luang Prabang. A penisular between two rivers dotted with golden temples, saffron-robed monks, a colourful nightmarket and sticky rice and laap. Here I rediscovered my love of elephants as I sat on the neck of 'Mai Nam' patting it's prickly hair and caressinhg the speckled ears as we ventured through the jungle munching on banana trees. Paddling through fast waters down the Nam Khan river a bunch of kids could be seen high in the trees daring each other to jump into the whirlpools beyond. Time to do nothing for a couple of days on a slowboat up the Mekong River and back into Thailand where neons of 7-Eleven, Subway, McDonald's make their mark and tom kha kai is still a favourite.
Next - a few days off to go diving on Koh Tao and then heading to Malaysia and Borneo - watch this space!!!