Long service is great

Melaka, Malaysia

jenny-tom — Thu, 15 Jan 2009 15:04:00 GMT

A quick note to those who are following this, Trevor and Trish, I think!~! We have run our coarse here in Melaka, and are just about to get on a bus for K.L to visit Mary and family. I think Sumartra finished off the adventures in us and we will just cruise until home on 21/ 22. Can't remember which. I think we have given up on the Sarawak idea and are now into the materialistic purchasing mode.World nomads is about to expire so won't bother starting a new one.

Looking forward to getting home now and seeing you all.

Love Jenny and Tom

Gallery: Lake Toba

jenny-tom — Thu, 8 Jan 2009 17:58:00 GMT

Lake Toba

jenny-tom — Wed, 7 Jan 2009 21:52:00 GMT

We are currently At Lake Toba in Nortern Sumartra, this is a bit of a travellers hang out, very pleasant as we have certainly been off the beaten trail. The internet here is veery slow will make this quick, expanded version face to face. We went by overnight bus to Banda Aceh, place just did not work out for us so flew back to Medan arrival point from Penang. Just loved Penang.

Met up with the (don't know how to describe him!!) tourist tout, guide whatever, who enlisted us on a jungle trek of three days. Mixed feelings about our jungle adventures. Saw gibbons, orangatangs, and other wild life. Averaged seeing one westerner a day for nearly a week and lived on Maggie noodles with beans, carrots and an egg for each meal.

A lot of time has been spent on mini buses and changing to other mini buses. It took us gfrom 8:00 am to 10:pm to get here yesterday. Roads are shocking. Just going to have a relax and clean up here for several days. Good to have conversations with other travellers for a change. There are an array of restuarants and associated activities.

In three or four days we will bus it overnight to Dumai and catch a ferry to Melaka, Malaysia.

We can't add any photos at the moment as this computer does not have a USB port. will add later

Gallery: Bus trip to Lake Toba

jenny-tom — Mon, 5 Jan 2009 17:51:00 GMT

Gallery: Katumbi Jungle trek

jenny-tom — Sun, 4 Jan 2009 17:44:00 GMT

Gallery: Banda Aceh

jenny-tom — Thu, 1 Jan 2009 17:34:00 GMT

Banda Aceh

jenny-tom — Thu, 1 Jan 2009 15:41:00 GMT

We had an overnight bus trip to here from Medan. About 12 hours of roller coaster travel. If the bus travels overnight the can drive more quickly- hairraising!!

Arrived tired. Could not get a map of the town, no help or information readily or not so readily available. We were extorted a couple of time with becuk drivers( the guys with the motorbike side cars. We went to visit the outside of the mosque but came across a protest and thought that I heard Australia mentionioned in increasingly angry tones. Decided distance was prudent. I could not get any information from newspapers, except on the front page of one I saw a photo of Dr Haniff. The mosque in Gaza has also just been bombed. Overall we do not feelo comfortable in this very Muslim place and flew out after twenty four hours back to Medan.

Gallery: Georgetown

jenny-tom — Tue, 30 Dec 2008 15:39:00 GMT

Kevin Koala

jenny-tom — Tue, 30 Dec 2008 15:19:00 GMT

Mum asked it Tom would like this crochet koala that fits over a tin, (pencil holder??) made by a frind of hers. Tom graciously accepted and carried it in his luggage to present to me for Xmas. I was not so gracious. Kevin Koala is now sharing our trip and having many experiences!!

Gallery: Kevin Koala

jenny-tom — Tue, 30 Dec 2008 15:15:00 GMT

Merry Christmas mum hears a knited koala around a tin thats ment to be a pencil holder

Industrial wonders of SE Asia

jenny-tom — Tue, 30 Dec 2008 14:54:00 GMT

These are quirky things that make us wonder or laugh and will be added to as our trip progresses.

Gallery: Industrial wonders of Asia

jenny-tom — Tue, 30 Dec 2008 14:44:00 GMT

Batu Ferrengi

jenny-tom — Tue, 30 Dec 2008 14:43:00 GMT

We spent xmas at Bayview Beach resort on the small strip of beach about 20 kms from Georgetown. Mary, (who I flatted with many years ago in Melbourne) and her family were booked into an other resort closeby for Xmas. Her husband, John has recently been transferred to Kuala Lumpa, we will catch up with them again later this trip. The beach is somewhat disappointing with jellyfish in the sea, jet skis, parasailing, riding funny things behind speed boats etc. However it was good to have a change of pace and enjoy the 4-5 star experience. The buffet breakfast was amazing with huge selections of Indian, Chinese, American, English, Malay etc. But after three mornings I was over it!!

We spent a quiet Xmas day, a huge buffet breakfast followed by a huge buffet breakfast shared with Mary, John and the girls, Emily and Lorna. Later we went for a Sunday drive and it was interesting to see that the high rise resorts and accomodation quickly gave way to jungle and small village. Between Batu Ferrengi and Georgetown was built up.

Georgetown, Penang Malaysia

jenny-tom — Tue, 30 Dec 2008 14:14:00 GMT

Lucky that we like Georgetown as this is a long time to spend here. We had one night here before heading 20 km SW to the beach resort strip of Batu Ferrengi for Xmas.

Geogetown is full of historic buildings, of grand and meagre proportions. I just love looking at the buildings. Yesterday we had a tour of an incredible house built by a Chinese trader that has been brilliantly restored. We could not take photos inside but have bought the pictorial book. It is possible to stay motel stlyle in one of the 16 bebrooms and I would think this should be a must for anyone planning a visit to George town. After spending two nihgts in a windowless room, Hence refered to as the cave, we have now moved to a hotel opposite the above mentioned mansion.It was built at the same time but in an Anglo style, and I think may have been last updated in the 50's or 60's. But it has windows, is set back off the road, has large room and an air of grace about it. In years to come I can imagine it may come to someones attention to capitalise on its strengths.

The cave cost less than $20 a night and the new digs are about double that.

Georgetown mix of ethnic groups is wonderful too. Little India is not a few interspersed resurants, to me it sees like full on India. Blaring music and DVD shops, sari shops, food stalls restauants etc. And Many Indians!!!

The food hawkers are great too and we are getting more proficient at making decissions of which of the unknowns to eat. Lots of noodle dishes for about $1:50. We had a great Indian dinner last night, certainly not upmarket but more than adequate, an large opensided on the footpath afair. We ordered more than we could eat for $15 total for the two of us, including mango lassi and mango juice.

It becomes more expensive for meals when you want Western foot. Breakfast is the stubling block for us. I have now invested in an electic waater heating wand and insulated mug and can enjoy tea or ginger and honey drinks in our room. Small things can greatly add to the comfort and enjoyment of the day.

Rai Ley Beach

jenny-tom — Thu, 25 Dec 2008 22:30:00 GMT

LIked it here

Gallery: Koh Lanta

jenny-tom — Sat, 20 Dec 2008 21:17:00 GMT

Gallery: Rai Ley Beach

jenny-tom — Thu, 18 Dec 2008 22:17:00 GMT

Gallery: Phi Phi Island

jenny-tom — Thu, 18 Dec 2008 22:07:00 GMT

Koh Yao Noi

jenny-tom — Thu, 18 Dec 2008 00:21:00 GMT

Koh Yao Noi is a great relief after the busslte of Puket. It is very much a rual setting with village life continuing with some travellers drifting about. The idea is that the residents did not want free for all development to occure here as they started to get some of the overflow from tourists in this part of Thailand. So a scheme was set up by the government whereby residents were given assistance to build bungalows suiltable for tourists.

We arrived on a longboat with a few local and a young German couple who had much the same idea as ourselves, to stay in homestay accomodation. As it was a Sunday we were not able to contact the organising body and previous attempts by both parties had found incorrect phone numbers. So the helpful driver took us to the family where we stayed. It was not what we originally expected. We thought that guests joined in with the family in their daily occupations, but that was not the case. It was hard with the language barrier to find out their daily commitments. LOng Bang showed us a bucket with some shell fish and sea slugs in it so we thought he may have been a fisherman. When asked if we could join him with fishing he booked us on a fishing trip to the local fish farm. We did not fish in the enclosures though!!

Gallery: Koh Yao Noi

jenny-tom — Tue, 16 Dec 2008 00:07:00 GMT

Homestay on a quiet island