21 Apr - 25 Apr 2009 Pulau Kapas

Southeast Asia

Federation of Malaysia

Negeri Terengganu Darul Iman

Pulau Kapas

Mak Cik Gemuk Beach Resort +6096245120

Basic and rugged, Malay-style sea-view chalet, right on the beach, with a double room for MYR 75.- or US$ 20.- per night.

Click below for an interactive road map of the Mak Cik Gemuk Beach Resort on Pulau Kapas and for directions:

N 05° 13.18' E 103° 15.68'

 



Allowing this beautiful tropical island with its steep and densely forested hinterland to take our breath away whilst hanging out under the warm sun at the soft, palm-fringed beaches (Pulau Kapas means Cotton Island, because the sand is as soft as cotton) on the northwest side of the 265 million years old island, waiting for the rays to jump, swimming in the crystal-clear aquamarine water, snorkelling in company with a variety of reef fishes over healthy table corals and colourful soft corals at the reef off the island's north side (opposite little Gem Island aka Pulau Gemia) and, shortly before midnight, watching a giant green sea turtle (Chelonia mydas) of 1.20 m length with an estimated weight of 150 kg laying about 120 eggs on the north beach, her nesting beach, and wondering if she was as old as we together.

"Now more than ever do I realize that I will never be content with a sedentary life, that I will always be haunted by thoughts of a sun-drenched elsewhere..."

(Isabelle Eberhardt)

Jungle-trekking through the lush undergrowth of the rainforest to the island's east coast, which every year turns into a wild lee shore during the northeast monsoon between November and February, and spotting big butterflies, monitor lizards of all sizes and birds as diverse as kingfishers, sea eagles and herons.

Riding the MGH Ferry from Pulau Kapas back to Marang (MYR 15.- or US$ 4.- per person) and thereafter a local bus to Kuala Terengganu (MYR 2.- per person), strolling along the new waterfront on the bank of the Sungai Terengganu and exploring the colourful central market and the compact Chinatown, killing time with a bunch of friendly locals at their long-stretched kampung beach near the airport and eventually flying with Firefly (“Your Community Airline”) in an ATR 72-500 from Kuala Terengganu’s Sultan Mahmud Airport back to Kuala Lumpur's Sultan Abdul Aziz Shah Airport at Subang for all inclusive MYR 35.- or US$ 10.- per person, one way.

Click below for more blog posts about West Malaysia's scenic east-coast islands
22 Feb - 10 Mar 2013 Pulau Tioman
19 Jul - 22 Jul 2011 Pulau Tioman
22 Mar - 25 Mar 2009 Pulau Perhentian Kecil

Click below for a summary of this year's travels

2009 Map Konni & Matt

Visit the Konni & Matt Online Albums and order high-res travel photos 
Konni & Matt Travel Photos

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14 Apr - 21 Apr 2009 Kuala Lumpur

Southeast Asia

Federation of Malaysia

Kuala Lumpur

Golden Triangle

28 Tengkat Tong Shin

Mutiara Villa Condos
Fully-furnished one-bedroom 700-sqft apartment (no. A-25-F) on 25th floor for MYR 1,750.- or US$ 483.- per month, with balcony and including free access to gym and swimming pool with Jacuzzi. Stunning views over the city.

Click below for an interactive road map of the Mutiara Villa Condos in Kuala Lumpur and for directions:

N 03° 08.77' E 101° 42.45'

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Konni: Female-bonding with her Persian friend Shahla (and her Iranian daughter Shirin who came to study business administration in Kuala Lumpur) over an infinite number of cups of coffee with doughnuts in their preferred shopping malls.

Practising our agnostic life skills on those orange-robed, shorn “Buddhist” bogus mendicants, whose aggressive demeanour reminded us of drilled sales reps from a multi-level marketing troupe, who approached us many times - some of them even a few times in a row (because “...these round-eyed people do all look the same, tida’ apa...”) - downtown Kuala Lumpur and who bulldog-like tried to sell us some overpriced religious bric-a-brac, again and again, always accompanied by the fashionable buzz word “peace”, their mechanical smile and their soulless imitation of a wây (the prayer-like palms-together gesture) thus supporting our believes about the huge difference between (i) a person's genuine spirituality and (ii) its institutionalised wrap-up by any sect, church or religion, regardless of the applied metaphor, fairy tale or name of idol/god, be it in the East or in the West.

Becoming regulars at our favourite sushi bar Sakae Sushi at Pavilion Kuala Lumpur and enjoying every time the enthusiastic welcome in Japanese (“Irashaimasu!”) by their friendly young staff, the superb quality and freshness of their fish and seafood and the great value for money: (i) one bowl of excellent miso soup for MYR 1.90 or US$ 0.50, (ii) one six-piece set of salmon makimono for MYR 1.90 or US$ 0.50, (iii) one California temaki (hand roll) for MYR 3.90 or US$ 1.05, (iv) one two-piece set of tuna maguro premium sushi for MYR 3.90 or US$ 1.05 and (v) one five-piece set of red snapper sashimi for MYR 9.90 or US$ 2.75.

Flying with Firefly (“Your Community Airline”) in an undefatigable ATR 72-500 from Kuala Lumpur's Sultan Abdul Aziz Shah Airport at Subang to Kuala Terengganu’s Sultan Mahmud Airport on the east coast of Peninsular Malaysia for all inclusive MYR 35.- or US$ 10.- per person, one way, taking thereafter the local S.P. Bumi bus from Kuala Terengganu's city centre to the fishing village of Marang for MYR 2.- per person and taking from here the MGH ferry to Pulau Kapas for MYR 15.- or US$ 4.- per person, one way, for the 15-min long 3-nm boat ride.

Click below for a summary of this year's travels
2009 Map Konni & Matt

Click below and see more Konni & Matt Pictures

Photos 2009-07 West Malaysia East Coast
Photos 2008-09 Kuala Lumpur II
Photos 2008-08 Kuala Lumpur I

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10 Apr - 14 Apr 2009 Singapore

Southeast Asia

Singapore

City Centre

Catholic Centre Building

Waterloo Hostel +6563366555 waterhtl@singnet.com.sg

Clean double room, with air-con, for SGD 70.- or US$ 47.- per night.

Click below for an interactive road map of the Waterloo Hostel in Singapore, which we would recommend, and for directions:

N 01° 17.90' E 103° 51.08'

 

Taking a stroll along historical Waterloo Street from Fort Canning Park to the Rochor Centre, the street where we set up camp right in the centre of Singapore, and pilgrimaging in our neighbourhood from one temple to another: (i) the Hindi Sri Krishnan Temple, (ii) the Christian Church of St. Peter and Paul, (iii) the Jewish Maghain Aboth Synagogue, (iv) the Malabar Muslim Jama-Ath Mosque and (v) the Chinese Kwang Im Thong Hut Cho Temple - all situated within only a few steps from our hotel.

Exploring clean and well organised central Singapore, a fine and garden city and the world's only shopping mall with a seat in the United Nations, by means of FunVee’s Double Decker Open Top bus +6567383338 (hop-on-hop-off ticket: SGD 15.- or US$ 10.- per person, valid for 24 hours), thus getting an overview (i) of the colonial district with Raffles’ landing site, located north of the Singapore River, (ii) of  the central business district (highlight: the surreal “Homage to Newton” sculpture by Salvador Dali in the atrium of UOB Plaza) and Chinatown, both south of the Singapore River, (iii) of Little India, (iv) of Kampong Glam (the Muslim centre of Singapore) and (v) of Orchard Road (Singapore’s premier shopping district and the irresistible magnet of the island’s consumerist economy).

Doing extensive walking tours centred around Singapore’s oldest buildings, such as the charming 1835 CE Armenian Church, as well as around her newest ones, such as the ultra-modern Singapore Management University, thus discovering the rich cultural history of (i) the colonial district (with City Hall and Supreme Court, St. Andrew’s Cathedral, Victoria Theatre and Concert Hall, The Padang [the colonial cricket pitch] and the Old Parliament House [built in 1827 CE]), (ii) Little India, focused around Serangoon Road (with the Sri Veeramakaliamman Temple, dedicated to bloodthirsty Kali, the Sri Srinivasa Perumal Temple, dedicated to Vishnu, and the Taoist Leong San See Temple, dedicated to Kuan Yin, Goddess of Mercy) and (iii) sanitised and gentrified Chinatown, the original site where Teochew, Cantonese, Hokkien, Hakka and Hainanese immigrants lived and worked (with the elaborate Than Hock Keng Temple [translated as Temple of Heavenly Bliss], built in 1839 CE without the use of a single nail and dedicated to the Goddess of Seafarers, Ma Zu, and where we enjoyed a great performance of lion dance and dragon dance) with nowadays many beautifully restored clanhouses, opium dens and pre-war shophouses-turned-bars/pubs/boutiques - Saint Jack would be turning in his grave.

Discovering the region’s art, religion and culture - from the Islamic world to the glories of China - in the fascinating (i) Asian Civilisations Museum (“Where Asian cultures come alive!’), enjoying tremendously the temporary exhibition of ink paintings (in a style reminiscent of the impressionist painters of the early 1900s) by Wu Guanzhong from mainland China in the (ii) Singapore Art Museum (housed in a restored 19th century CE mission school), and being blinded by the shiny brass of the old fire engines in (iii) Singapore’s Civil Defence Museum, housed in the city’s Central Fire Station, a lovingly restored heritage building.
 

Cruising (for SGD 27.- per person) on the MV “Cheng Ho” (a replica of a Chinese junk of the Ming Dynasty and named after the renowned Chinese Admiral who commandeered the imperial fleet of more than 300 ships in the early 15th century CE and sailed across the Indian Ocean, spreading China’s influence to India, the Middle East and Africa) between many large vessels, lying at anchor, from the South Pier to Sentosa Island and Kusu Island (visiting the Tua Pek Kong Temple) and enjoying an entirely different view of Singapore - one from out at sea.

Boarding the Singapore Flyer (for SGD 23.- per person for senior citizens), a gigantic observation wheel with air-con capsules which weigh 16 t each, rising 165 m above the city and enjoying great views of the skyline of Singapore, of the busy anchorage behind the marina barrage, of the futuristic Esplanade - Theatres on the Bay - with its durian-shaped twin glass domes, of Marina Bay and the ongoing land reclamation and of the brand-new Formula 1 racing track right below us ... and wondering whether this symbolic landmark wheel is supposed to permanently and subconsciously remind the workaholic hamsters of the nanny state in their treadmills to keep on moving, aiyah!

Taking the Singapore-Johore Express bus for SGD 2.40 or US$ 1.60 per person from Queen Street Bus Terminal via the Singaporean checkpoint and the Malaysian checkpoint (looking again into naturally smiling faces and being issued with another 90-day visit pass for a “social visit” to Malaysia on arrival, free of charge) to Johor Bahru’s Larkin Bus Terminal and thereafter the local bus A1 for MYR 3.50 or US$ 1.- to the modern Sultan Ismail Airport and flying eventually with Firefly (“Your Community Airline”) in an ATR 72 from Johor Bahru back to Kuala Lumpur's Sultan Abdul Aziz Shah Airport at Subang for all inclusive MYR 35.- or US$ 10.- per person, one way.

“Kuala Lumpur had a certain something… There was a sense of freedom perhaps, of anarchy even, that Singapore so sorely lacked. Perhaps it was the lack of deference to authority, the physical space, the ability to take a step back and enjoy a moment of quiet that lent Kuala Lumpur its atmosphere. Singaporeans were always adding to the list of reasons each one kept to hand, in case they met a Malaysian, of why it was so much better on the island than the peninsula. They ranged from law and order to cleanliness, from clean government to good schools, and always ended on the strength of the Singaporean economy. But in the end, the Malaysian would nod as if to agree to the points made - and then shrug to indicate that they probably wouldn’t trade passports, not really. And if pressed for a reason they would fall back on that old chestnut which somehow seemed to capture everything that was wrong about Singapore - but your government bans chewing gum. The nanny state and the police state all rolled into one.”

(Shamini Flint)

Click below for more blog posts about our big-city trips

13 Mar - 18 Mar 2013 Bangkok

13 Dec - 17 Dec 2012 Hong Kong

08 Dec - 13 Dec 2012 Canton

25 Oct - 08 Nov 2012 Hanoi

03 Jul - 31 Jul 2012 Beijing

02 Jun - 01 Jul 2012 Toronto

05 May - 01 Jun 2012 Taipei

Click below for a summary of this year's travels

2009 Map Konni & Matt


Recommended books - click below for your Amazon order from Germany:

 
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