Saying good bye to Peninsular Malaysia (image 1), passing through the strip of water between Penang island and Peninsular Malaysia. Unfortunately it was impossible to take the bike with us in the passenger ferry.
We had packed and shipped the TDM in an onion boat from Penang on the previous evening after having spent whole day at the port to make sure the thing will be done properly and would get there in one piece. This is the most used method of shipping bikes by overland travelers shipping bikes to Indonesia from the port of Penang. The onion boat take 18 hours, leaving 12pm, to get to Belawan in Sumatra and the passenger ferry takes 5hours, leaving 9:45am next day and we were hoping to get Belawan before the bike arrive to make sure it will be unloaded safely.

The town in the east coast of Malaysian Peninsular varies greatly form those of the south, Kuala Terengganu, Kota Bharu, Chertineg and Mersing, the towns we visited, are much more relaxed and laid back. The population is predominantly Malay with few Chinese and Indian in the town centers. And these towns receive foreign tourists compared to the west cast.
Mosques (religion) plays a greater role in the east cost, where as in the east coast you would need to look hard to find a mosque, the east coast is dotted with mosques. The 4am prayer call is something we could not get used to!
There was not limit to choice of food in the east coast and the beaches were popular with the locals but cleaning up the rubbish afterward was not. But the city centres (where the littering meant a 500 Ringgit fine) were very clean and tidy.

We met up with Dave and Rose by chance as we were travelling in the opposite directions from Kuala Terenganu, (North Central Malaysia) to Penang.We met Dave and Rose who are doing a overland tour in the blue Land Rover in Kathmandu in January. They have joined up with a German couple and planning to head north to China in the coming months.

Malaysia is the largest car market in the South East Asia and the market is dominated by the Local manufactures Proton (based on Mitsubishi) and Perodua (based on Daihatsu) and Malays are quite keen on making them loud and bright.

Highlands and lakes of north central Malaysia


The tropical downpours comes and goes with out a warning


Best roads and highways since leaving Europe, through out the country. The typical landscape along the roads and highways is the palm oil palm plantation. Malaysia is the worlds largest producer of palm oil.

Melaka, 145km south of KL is with out a doubt one of the most beauitful towns in Malaysia and has been home to Chinese Royalty, Portugese seafarers, Dutch traders and English colonist.

Malaka recived its first royal patrons in the 14th century when Parameswara, a Hindu prince from Sumatra, chose it as a favoured port for resuppling trading ships.
In 1405Admiral Cheng Ho arrived from China bearing gifts and the promise of protection from the Siamese enemies. This was followed by the arrival of Chinese settlers who inter married this the Malay and came to be known as the Baba Nonya. The Chinese quater of the Malaka city center with its streets full of beauitful mansions and shop-houses remain the most attractive section of city to this date (image 2 &3).

In 1511 the Portugese arrived in Melaka and ended the Muslim domination of the eastern trade route and the Protugese set up their bases in the Melaka hill over looking the straights. The St. Pauls Chirch (image 3&4) was built by the them in 1521. It has taken portugese over a month to divid and conquer Melaka. The sole surviving relic of the old Portugesefort , Porta de Santiago (image 5)
.The bright red coloured town square on the bottom of the hill houses the Stadthuys and the Christ Chirch are the most imposing relics of the Dutch period which lasted from 1641 to 1795. The Stadthuys which housed the town Hall and governer's residence said to be the oldest Dutch building in the East.
The English took over from the Dutch in 1795 and initially carried out a scorched policy to avoid Melaka falling to French hands and moved most of its population to Penang, the English strong hold. But English continued to rule Melaka and rest of Malaysia till independence in 1957.
Maly mosque that combines traditional Chinese, Indian and Malay architectural features.


Colourful (and expensive) rickshaws roaming the streets of Melaka

Melaka Sungai River harbour

Food in Malaysia is just great, excellent choice if Indian (above), malay and Chinese. Channai Roti and mango Lassi for breakfast is something we got acustomed to very quickly.

While we were in KL we nipped over to the Carey island, about 120km west of the KL center, this island is home to a tribe called Meh Meri, whose main income these days come from selling beautifully crafted traditional and spiritual masks and figures.

We were joined by my mother while we were in KL. The Petrona towers on the back ground were the tallest towers in the world till Taipei 101 tower became the world tallest building couple of years ago. But the Petrona towers remain the worlds tallest twin towers and it is an impressive site.
View of KL from the telecom tower.

Merdeka Square, KL is certainly very green. Tree lined streets, roads and highways are the norm. And there are few well preserved colonial buildings around.
Overall KL, with a population of just under 2 million is one of the smallest capitals we have visited but one with wide diversity, the Chinese, Indian, Arabic quaters certainly add to the character. But it all lacks the latest flashy glitter of Bangkok, its thriving personality.