Hubs and I are off travelling in a few days and I’m beginning to think we may have bitten off more than we can chew.
This time around, we have [dis]organised the entire trip ourselves, and apart from needing to book a train/boat or two, we’re pretty much sorted….I hope! If not we may be sleeping on park benches!
We’re off to Peninsula Malaysia for three weeks and now I’ve seriously scrutinized our itinerary, it’s beginning to dawn on me that there’s a fair whack of travelling involved.
Getting lost is highly probable, but, we have compasses and maps….
and we can speak forty languages between us, and blend in anywhere.
NOT!!!
So….
it all begins with a 12 hour flight to Singapore, oh, how I loathe flying!
Once on the ground we have to locate the first coach-shuttle service, then, three coaches later, if we do find Melaka, we shall chill for a couple of days.
A local bus, and an express bus shall then whisk us off to Kuala Lumpur, where we stay the night, then, we get to hang out in…
Teman Negara.
Getting there requires a four hour drive and a three hour boat trip, which takes us to the heart of a 130 million year old rain forest for a week.
What joy!
It’s very remote and home to a host of wildlife, utter heaven for me, and hopefully, hubs too!
After that it’s back to KL by car and boat for a night, then it’s off to Penang, hopefully by train. If we arrive there we shall relax for another couple of days …..then…..we get to visit another place of my dreams.
The Island of Langkawi.
A heavenly place where we get to island hop and enjoy another pristine rain forest for a week.
Simply can’t wait!
From there…..welllll….. maybe we’ll book a flight back to Singapore, and if we can’t we’ll just hitch a lift, we do have a few days there before returning home.
It’s all still a little vague to be utterly truthful. Hardly any trains/boats/coaches are booked. We intend on just hopping on them while we’re there, just like the locals do!
Yes!!!
If we do manage to find all these stations/jetties etc, we’ll be laughing.
As I said, we have compasses, maps, wind-up torches and leech socks, what else could we possibly need.
Actually, we don’t have leech socks yet…where do you buy them????
I’m hoping mushrooms like these will be served up everywhere we go!
And Finally……
A very happy Lunar New Year to one and all.
I shall catch up with you all when I get home, see? Ever the optimist!
Here’s to you all having some decent weather, I’ll order in some sunshine, after all I shall be overdosing on the stuff!
You and Hubs are tremendously intrepid. I’m so impressed that you’d attempt all that and hope that you’ll be vastly rewarded with rain forest beauty to fill your soul. Glad you’re back safely 🙂
Thanks Anne, I have to say this was the best holiday we have had, local travel certainly enhanced the experience and turned it into a real adventure.xxx
I hope that you have yourselves a most enjoyable time, and all your journeys go without a hitch. xx
Thanks Flighty.xxx
Thanks Jess, we organised six weeks in Oz five years ago and that worked out, just a little nervous re this one as we don’t have the language. Looking forward to following your Australian trip, I bet you wish you were still there.xxx
Hey, if I can organise a holiday from scratch and emerge unscathed then you most certainly can!!
Have a really great time. It sounds just wonderful. I so want to be warm again.
Sounds like a fantastic trip! I hope you share lots of photos!
Thanks Jason, no doubt I’ll take far too may photos!xxx
Hitch up your leech socks and wade in! Enjoy, enjoy. I am so looking forward to hearing about your trip when you return. Take lots of photos.
Oh…you know FAR too much about leeches!!! xxx
Have a great trip, Dina, thats part of the adventure getting lost and doscovering new places. Look forward to hearing all about your hols when you get back. Definitely need to share some of your sunshine with us we need it!!
Thanks Annie, I have no doubt that we shall get lost but I’m sure all will be well…in the end! I do hope you get some decent weather!xxx
Great post and images. Enjoy another holiday.
Thanks Peter, not long to go now!xxx
Good morning dear Dina….That’s the way to do it – what I call ‘going with the flow….’ This way you will come across all sorts of fascinating people and places that are not necessary on a schedule. Have a wonderful time. I will look forward very much to seeing all your pictures, especially those taken in two different rain forests…..Enjoy – Enjoy – Janet. xxxx
Thanks Janet, yes, going with the flow can be fun and as you say creates lots of interesting opportunities, unexpected views and encounters with interesting people…..not knowing what
comes next is liberating too. I am really looking forward to seeing those ancient forests. xxx
Oh, you’re going to have the best time! I have no doubt you’ll be rattled now and again, but that’s all part of the fun. And you know that people are people, and will help you out. The news folks like to show us all the grinches and goblins, but that’s never been my experience of the world. (Well, ok — almost never. But it still doesn’t keep me home!)
Leech socks? I have to go back and re-read. The one time I came upon leeches, at a lake named for them in Minnesota, it was not pleasant. May you escape all things leechy and unlucky!
Thanks Linda, I’m quite sure we will both lose the plot at times! I agree with you, in my experience people are generally very helpful.
I’m hoping to remain leech free, but mozzies and such tend to gravitate to me whatever I do!xxx
How marvelous to hear that you have been to Langkawi…and almost jumped a train to Penang, we almost booked a hotel in the Cameron Highlands, I recall many tea plantations ?but we couldn’t get there…..it did look lovely though. We stayed in KL on the way to Oz a few years ago, it was more my thing than Dubai!
We do cross paths, travel wise, don’t we…you living Oz, posting on places I’ve loved, lived in, and visited, and recently Italy….now Malaysia….I shall remember to take pics of that train journey, just for you! I wonder where else our travel paths have crossed? xxx
Sound like a great time to go to Malaysia …and right away from the wintery weather. We had fun in KL, and hired a driver to take us up to the Cameron Highlands, which was cooler (plenty of jungle on the way)….and great market gardens and flower gardens in the highlands. Our driver said the next time we came we should go on the Penang by train …so I look forward to you doing that for us…and taking some photos! We also went to Langkawi, which is absolutely beautiful. I have to say, we didn’t go too far because of the humidity…but we sat under palm trees by the sea…what is not to love?.. have a lovely time and take lots of photos.
Sounds amazing! You are very brave and adventurous! I look forward to arm chair travelling through your photos at some point!! Have a wonderful time!xxx
Hi Rosie! Nagging you now….when are you going to sort a new blog?????? I am missing you!!!
I’m not at all brave but can be utterly reckless…lol…I do love a good adventure though, and you can’t have one if it’s all mapped out for you…so, here we go!xxx
Have a wonderful time. Can’t wait to hear all about it when you get back.
Oh and I meant to say it was nice to hear from you at Christmas time.
I will have to get up there to see you some time too !
Happy wanderings ! Xxx
Hi Keggs, yes, you come to me or vice versa! Soon! xxx
I shall certainly eat some shrooms for you too, it will be a great pleasure! I’m a hobbit when it comes to the little beauties. Thanks Veggiemummy.xxx
Oh, I’m so envious; your holiday sounds fantastic. Have fun, take lots of photos and eat some of those shrooms for me! xx
Oh, my goodness! I’m so excited for you that I feel like I’ll be holding a bit of my breath till you’re home, safe and sound and loaded with photos and stories! (The photos in this post are wonderful, too, Dina! Happy Year of the Rooster!)
Have a wonderful adventure; love to you both, and great joy as you explore these lovely places!
Ahh, thanks Kitty, to be honest I’ll be holding my breath too, but I’m sure all will be well and we’ll navigate our way like a pair of old troopers! We are lucky getting to visit such beautiful places. It will certainly be an adventure! Huge hugs. xxx
I’m sure you will have a wonderful time, just come back safely! Looking forward to all your wonderful photos!
Thanks Pauline. I think we’ll have quite the adventure.xxx
Love your spirit of adventure – that’s the way to do it! Cast caution to the winds and make it up as you go along!! Once you get there you will have two paradises … lucky girl. Have a fabulous time, stay safe and come back to tell us all about it! Hugs xx
Thanks Gill, I am really looking forward to it, often travelling itself is the best part, y’have to throw caution to the winds at times for sure! I also rather like it when things aren’t regimented.xxx
Gasp…….I shall have get out an atlas (or just Google) and find these unfamiliar places, and you are actually going on the trail, physically doing it! Bloomin’ fantastic. Good on ya!
A friend has been to Vietnam three times, once on her honeymoon. Took her mum on one recent excursion. She/they did a lot of local bus hopping and friend did a few other kinds of hopping on occasions mum wasn’t with her. Familiarity and all that…….
You’ll have a great time.
Thanks Menhir. It feels good to be travelling through Malaysia, I’m hoping to get a good sense of the place, some of the places we are visiting are utterly, stunningly beautiful. I can’t wait to experience jungles again.
I would love to visit Vietnam, maybe next year….xxx
Loved all of your photographs here, they are just so colourful.
Your holiday sounds very exciting, I’m sure things will go to plan (of course they will!) but if not just be flexible / compromise / have another glass of wine or cup of tea.
Importantly have a wonderful, wonderful time and come back and tell us all about it.
I can’t wait to see the photographs.
Good wishes to you both as you very soon start your travels
All the best Jan
Thanks Jan. I’m sure this holiday will be exciting, I just hope it’s the right sort of excitement!
I shall take your advice and pack plenty of wine!xxx
How exciting. You’re certainly adventurous if nothing else. I’m sure you’ll have a wonderful time and I look forward to hearing all about it on your return.
Lol, thanks Jo. I do feel like I’m heading off on a grand adventure! xxx
Wow, what intrepid travellers you are. What an exciting itinerary. It sounds wonderful. I am looking forward to reading about it and seeing your photos. Have a wonderful time and take care.
Intrepid indeed. I do hope we don’t end up regretting our foolhardiness! Thanks Chloris.xxx
Have a great adventure and good luck!
Thanks Sue. This trip will certainly be an adventure, for better or worse! xxx