Flight of the Navigator

Friday, December 4 - We stopped into the big Mall in Ipoh today for a few errands:

• We hooked ourselves up with a pay-as-you-go data plan so that we can use the internet without having to find free WIFI at cafes like Starbucks. (More about the headaches surrounding this later)


• We stopped at a cafe to use the internet (since we weren’t hooked up to the data plan yet) and to have a beverage (I had milk tea – which is a frothy, milky, sweet tea drink. Yummy!)


• We each bought a pair of shorts, and we bought some cookbooks that look really promising, including a cookbook for Dim Sum foods!


• But most importantly, we got a map of Ipoh so Rocker can finally figure out how Junkii’s hometown is laid out.

Being able to navigate is critical to my sanity, so while the map wasn’t cheap, it’s priceless in terms of my staying balanced.

Real Soup

Friday, December 4 - One of the best things to eat in Malaysia is a pork soup called Bak Kut Teh. It’s got a really complex broth made with loads of herbs and spices and tea (that’s the ‘teh’ in the title). It’s something we make at home quite often, but we can only make it from a packet and while it’s a reasonable facsimile, it’s definitely not the real thing.

The real thing is served piping hot in clay pots, and it tastes less like soy sauce than the one we get at home. Today we had the real thing for breakfast, and we were both reminded just what we we’ve been missing by not living here.

We’ll definitely need to have Bak Kut Teh again a few times before we leave Malaysia.

The Month of Living Dangerously

Friday, December 4 – So far so good on the traveller’s diarrhoea, you’ll be pleased to know. But this time, we ARE trying to be a bit more daring – with doctor’s permission, of course.

Evidently the water in Ipoh is chlorinated to some extent and the doctor at the travel clinic told us that, because that’s the case, and with the immunizations we’ve had, we probably don’t need to worry too much about getting sick from the water.

In fairness, we drink mostly bottled water and canned drinks, but at dinner last night we indulged in some fresh juice. I had roasted coconut and Junkii had his standard – pressed sugar cane. All made with water and served with ice. And we woke up this morning feeling fine!

Dinner last night was an Ipoh specialty – steamed chicken with noodles and bean sprouts. Sounds kinda gross, doesn’t it? Steamed chicken winds up with a skin that’s just about as far from “crispy” as you can get – not the best option for a die-hard KFC fan – and the noodles in broth are understated, to say the least (some might say tasteless). Plus the sprouts are made with sesame oil – a flavour I’m none too fond of.

But somehow, all these flavours seem to work together. I had this on my last trip and was none too impressed, but it does grow on you with repeated tastings. And the chicken – for being steamed – is just about as tender and moist as any you’ve ever had.

Found ‘Round Old Town

Thursday, December 3 - What I really want is a streetmap of Ipoh. There are so many little side streets and winding roads in this town that every time we head out from the family house I get lost within about 10 seconds!

The best for me to learn the lay of the land would be to follow along on a streetmap as we drive. I know I would quickly get my bearings. Only problem is that streetmaps seem to be pretty scarce.

Junkii’s brother thought we might find one at the Ipoh Visitor/Tourism centre located in Old Town, Ipoh. Junkii took the opportunity to give me a little walking tour of Old Town – home to hundreds of old colonial style buildings and small shops. Here are a few of the images we snapped, along with a brief video blog entry.

Dim Sum Breakfast

Given the amount of food we eat, there’s a good possibility this blog could become all about food. We’ll try to post more than just food photography, but we’re not gonna lie to you – food IS very important to us, and we want a record of the food we’re having on this trip. So, no apologies.

Thursday, December 3 - While Dim Sum in Canada generally means lunch, in Asia it means breakfast. On Thursday we rose early and hit one of the most popular Dim Sum joints in town. Recently moved into a new and lavish two-storey space, this was one of the nicest restaurants I’ve ever been to in Ipoh. But really, a restaurant that’s just decor isn’t gonna get a good reputation. There’s a reason this is one of the most popular Dim Sum places, and here it is.

At the Mercy of Others

Wednesday, December 2 - We were quickly reminded that one of the drawbacks of travelling is having to rely on others for transportation. We’re used to taking ourselves wherever we need to go, so having to put our lives in the hands of others – people who have valid driver’s licenses in the countries we visit – can be a bit hair-raising.

We had to rely on Junkii’s brother to drive us from Kuala Lumpur airport to Ipoh. Well, not only was he late coming to get us (like 40 minutes late) but he had Junkii and I on the edges of our seats the whole way home. We’re used to driving above the speed limit, but this was giving interstellar travel a run for its money.

While we have our share of bad drivers in Ottawa, we take for granted the fact that, for the most part, people actually follow the traffic rules.

It doesn’t help that the other drivers in Malaysia don’t seem to pay attention at all to how close they are to each other. I daresay that if anyone actually had to brake quickly there would be a huge pileup. But what also doesn’t help is having Junkii in the seat behind me sucking in air every time we pass too close to another driver and shouting “Watch out!” any time a motorcycle cuts us off. I get where he’s coming from, but we have to remember that this is just how traffic works in this country.

Maybe the best approach is just to avoid watching the traffic and keep our eyes closed. Whatever the answer, we WILL have to try something to keep our stress levels down. After all, it’s not likely to get any better in Vietnam.

Arrival

Wednesday, December 2 - After 21 hours in the air, plus about 10 more waiting in airports and another 3 in the car from Kuala Lumpur, we finally made it to Ipoh! Tired as all hell, but happy to be here, and ready to tackle our first family dinner.

We picked up a can of Red Bull when we got to Ipoh to make sure we had energy because it turned out that Junkii’s parents had arranged for about 13 of their closest friends and family to meet up at a nearby restaurant for a... well, we stopped counting the number of dishes, but let’s estimate that it was a 10-course meal.

The food was delicious – all served with pints of cold beer, which tasted good after the long trip – and included dishes like crispy duck, chewy fish, and salty chicken. Okay, the Chinese names are much more colourful and delightful, but there are far too many to remember and report back to you. Best if you just look at the photos.

By the time we got to bed, we estimated we had pretty much been away for about 48 hours – with only about 4-6 hours of light napping scattered in.

Still Waiting

Still waiting for our flight - with a warm cup'o'starbucks - and taking the opportunity to play with the camera at Hong Kong airport. And, since we have a free wi-fi conection...

Title of Air Canada’s in-flight Magazine (AKA En Route)

So excited to be able to blog en route to our destination – not least because it means we’re off the plane. That’s right, it’s now 5 am in Hong Kong and – wonder of wonders – the worst of the day’s travel is over! Granted, we have one more leg to do – a 3-hour flight to Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia at 9 am local time, but that’s paltry compared to the 16-hour marathon we just went through.

(If you’re keeping track, we’re about 12 hours ahead of you North Americans.)

In fairness, the flight this time was way better than our 2005 trip. This plane had more leg room, the flight was as smooth as silk, and we had plenty of snacks, including free Kit Kat bars! Even the food was pretty good.

Still, it would be nice one day to travel in business class. Those rich pricks get their own reclining chair with dividers between them. So lucky. Of course, at twice the price, we’re not likely gonna be able to afford that anytime soon.

Okay, our next step is to find a transit (security) point and go find our gate. Then we have about 4 hours to kill. The food court is calling!

One More Sleep...

...and then we're off. Unfortunately, it looks like we're not gonna make it away from Ottawa unscathed. Looks like we're gonna get a dump of about 5-10 cm of snow overnight tonight, with flurries during the day Monday.

It shouldn't be enough to cause us travel problems, but we were hoping to miss the snow altogether this year - at least until we got back after new year. But if we've learned anything living in Canada it's that there's very little you can do to about winter weather, so you might as well try to find the bright side. That's one of the reasons we bought snow shoes this year - to try to 'embrace' the snow.

And the bright side of a snow storm before we leave? It will just make the arrival in 30+ degree weather that much sweeter.

Okay, that's enough of a break - gotta get back to the pre-departure checklist now.

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