Sweet Sweet Summertime

Geographe Bay

The heat is back and the beach is calling. Oh, summer, how I missed you!

The past few weeks have been filled with preparations for trips and departures, but now that work is finished and all my packing is complete, it is time to enjoy my holiday! I completed my au pair work on Friday and jumped right into enjoying my new found freedom, a.k.a. unemployment. :) It hasn't quite set in that I'm not going to be working and playing with those wonderful kiddos again, but luckily I have some spectacular adventures planned to keep me a bit preoccupied for the time-being.

Lunch at Brookwood

Knotting Hill

This weekend I was treated to a lovely little day trip by my wonderful boyfriend. On Sunday, Brad and I ventured down south to Busselton/Geographe Bay and Margaret River to sample some tasty wines. What a gorgeous day it was! The best company, delicious wine, and great food made for an awesome trip. We went to 4 wineries (Hay Shed, Howling Wolves, Knotting Hill, and Tassell Park) and the Margaret River Chocolate Factory all before finishing at Brookwood Estate for a fabulous lunch and more wine. :) Too bad I'm leaving the country in a few short weeks or I would have picked out a few more bottles and probably even more chocolate!

Brookwood Estate

Tomorrow I set out on another adventure. Brad and I leave midday for Melbourne. It's going to be so much fun and I cannot wait! I'm such a lucky girl to have a boyfriend that takes me to such amazing places. :)

Check back to see updates about my adventures in Melbourne as well as my last few weeks in Australia! Much love!!


~A

It's Beginning to Look a Lot Like....

Normally around this time of the year, I would already be sick of the cold weather, soggy shoes, and dark days. I would be gradually becoming more and more annoyed with the amount of Christmas music being played and the amount of Christmas decorations being put up. I'd be gearing up for a massive Thanksgiving feast and football games galore. Although, right now, more than anything else, I'm just immensely confused.

There are no recipes floating around for the best stuffing or cranberry sauce. There are very minimal commercials advertising Christmas sales. It's warm and sunny without a cloud in the sky, but there are Christmas trees in the city and angel decorations hanging from the light posts. I haven't heard a single Christmas carol. I haven't seen Santa. I haven't felt a bitter chill in the air or seen barren trees and brown grass. Somehow it just doesn't feel like "that time of year."

My wardrobe primarily consists of singlets, shorts, dresses, leggings, and sandals. My car windows are always down and I've always got a pair of sunnies close at hand. Sunscreen is a must now for my pale skin, but my freckles are making a comeback. Cold coffees and smoothies are refreshing treats and chilling at the beach watching the kite surfers is always fun. However, it doesn't feel like the "Holiday Season."

Where are my mittens and colorful scarves? Where's my wool peacoat? Where is the hot chocolate with peppermint Schnapps by the fire? Where are the big bowls of split pea soup or chili? Where's my electric mattress pad and multiple blankets? No coats, no slippers, no hot soup, no fireplaces, no spiced tea, no hot cocoa with hundreds of marshmallows. I'm having a hard time wrapping my mind around the reality of a hot Christmas. So far I'm not having much success.

In many ways I feel like I've just had an extra long Spring/Summer and I guess, in many ways, I have. However, with as weird as it feels to be wearing shorts and going to the beach in November, it will be fun experiencing a different type of Christmas and it will be a great way to finish out my year in Oz. Then my brutal awakening will come when I actually have to suffer through the cold and have soggy shoes again. But before I can get too stuck on adjusting to my coming home in January, I have to prepare myself for an upcoming trip. In December I will be venturing to Melbourne with my boyfriend. :) Since he's originally from Melbourne, he will be a spectacular tour guide. I can't wait! And I'll be sure to update you all on my travel plans. Don't be too jealous! ;-)

That's all I've got from my little corner of the world. Much love!



~A

Where the Streets Have a Name and are Filled with People

Over a week of being out of commission and only finding comfort in my bed or big chair, I figured it was time to venture out for a few hours and help kick this bug that's got me down. My friend invited me to visit the Beaufort St. Festival in Mt. Lawley (a suburb of Perth) this weekend. They literally shut down and cordon off  the street for the festival and mobs of people were everywhere. Face-painted children roamed the street hand-in-hand with their parents. Music of all sorts met our welcoming ears. Dogs of all shapes and sizes could be seen at every turn. Oh and the glorious smells of food that wafted through the air were nothing short of amazing.

There were some unique venues that we stopped at including the "Before I die..." interactive chalk board and "Wishing Tree." These were just two of the interactive hotspots for festival goers. All were encouraged to add something to the giant chalkboard that they would like to do before they died and of course, my friend and I had to do our part. :) At the wishing tree, we were asked to right a wish for anything and tie it to the tree. There were hundreds of wishes on the tree - everything from the ridiculous to the most heartfelt wish. It was such a gorgeous idea!

Karen also introduced me to another fabulous little cafe and one of the most delicious burger joints. Soto is a beautiful little corner cafe with great character. We enjoyed a short break from the hub bub and bustle of the streets while sipping on some cool drinks. Grill'd is a new favorite of mine thanks to Karen. The HUGE burgers remind me of Kopp's or Fuddruckers. Oh and it was soooooo good! I was the weirdo though and ordered a veggie burger but had to substitute a real beef patty for the veggie one. :) You would too when you saw what was on that burger for toppings - beetroot, avocado, tomato, salad, cheese, and some sauce I can't think of. Divine!

Now I'm off to finish out my leisurely Sunday arvo in Freo. An iced mocha and potato wedges with sour cream and sweet chili while people watching is always a pleasant way to spend a day. :) Much love from Australia! Hope you're all staying warm back home!

~A

Ticket to Ride

 

So it's official...I'm coming home in January. Well, that is assuming I get to Sydney in time for my flight. :) I have my ticket back to the states booked for January 11. Looks like my time in Oz is coming to an end...at least for the time being. It's amazing how fast a year can go, but luckily it's not over yet. I still have other travel plans in the works and Christmas is going to be spectacular! I'm not quite sure how I feel about a 40C Christmas though. It's going to be hot!!! I think a trip to the beach might be in order. :)

In the next couple months I'm sure I'll begin reflecting back on the year that I've had down under, but for now I'm going to live in the moment and enjoy every last minute I have in this wonderful country (until I come back!). The heat is creeping back and the pool has been a safe haven for the kids and me. Unfortunately, that means I spend way too much time outside and my skin still has not quite adjusted to the harsh Australian sun. Sunburn is no fun, but at least I know how to cope with it. :) And it's quite fun being able to say I got a sunburn in November when I'd normally be complaining about how cold it is getting back home. I better watch what I say though because I'm sure January will be a brutal welcome home!

As I prep for coming home there is so much to do, but I refuse to let the transition get the better of me. I've had heaps of fun here and I hope it keeps coming! Now, I'm off to finish some baking and maybe a coffee in the arvo. :)

Love to you all from the southern hemisphere!


~A


P.S. I forgot to mention that I got to enjoy a state fair of sorts a few weeks ago. The Perth Royal Show is the equivalent of the state fair, but unfortunately there are no giant cream puffs or deep fried beer or chocolate covered bacon. However, I did go on my first ever Ferris Wheel ride and for those of you that know me quite well, this was an interesting experience. I pretty much hated it at first, but learned to at least tolerate it. :) It was fun though. My favorite part of the show was visiting the baking competition. So much inspiration for new cakes and biscuits! And yes, that -------------------------------> is a cake. :)

Return from Hiatus

I realize I've had a bit of a writing slumber the past month. However, after being someplace for 9 months it's a little difficult to always find new and interesting topics to write about. Yes, I've been on a holiday in Australia, but it's almost turned into more of making a life for myself. No, I'm not grounding myself in Australia (at least not yet), but I've found stability and comfort here over the past 9 months that I don't think I would have found on a random holiday.

In the past month, I've hit a few bumps in my journey, but nothing that a little music and good company couldn't cure. The bumps haven't ruined my experience, but rather helped me grow as a person and learn from the mistakes and issues I have encountered. I guess I was just given a dose of reality the past month. Not everything is going to be perfect and undisturbed forever. It's how I've learned to deal with the problems, learn from the situation, and move on that has really been the blessing. I've been learning little life lessons and coping mechanisms that will certainly benefit me for the rest of my life.

Despite the bumps, some great things have occurred as well. After my birthday, I prepared for Light the Night. It was a wonderful night filled with so much hope for those suffering from blood cancer and comfort for those that have lost someone from the awful disease. I am so proud of my team for coming together and raising over $1000 for the Leukemia Foundation!

I've also been planning out how to spend my last 3 months in Australia. Yes, I only have 3 months left! It has certainly gone fast, but it's not over yet. That's why I have some fun trips in the works to finish off my time here with a blast! Make sure to check back in the next few weeks with trip updates. :) And as some of you know and for those of you who don't know, I have a new guy in my life. :) He's pretty spectacular and has certainly made the last month more tolerable!

The sun is shining bright again and the heat is slowly coming back. I'm excited to spend time at the beach again, but the heat only reminds me that I will be leaving all the sooner. It's a bittersweet feeling. It'll be great to be home, but I'm not going to let that affect my last months here. :) See you all soon!


~A


P.S. Go Brew Crew!!!! I've got my Brewers paraphernalia and my MLB.TV subscription - hope I can use it for the World Series!!

A Perth-day Birthday

Being away from family on your birthday isn't always the easiest thing. However my friends and wonderful host family I have here made it a birthday I will never forget. :) I was very fortunate that my birthday fell in line with some days I was given off. Of course I had to use them wisely and did I ever! After a sleep in on Wednesday, I spent the day shopping with a new friend from choir and preparing for the big day ahead. It was nice having an easy day to prepare for some frivolity and fun. :)

Midnight arrived and for the first time in my life, because of the time difference, I shared a birthday with my oldest bro for 13 hours. It was fun skying with my parents because they were still in my brother's birthday while I was in mine. lol Talking with my parents on my birthday was certainly highlight, but it was bittersweet as well. As soon as the call started, they started singing "Happy Birthday" to me. Normally I just roll my eyes and laugh at them when they sing (esp. my mom hahah), but this was different. For the first time ever, "Happy Birthday" made me teary eyed. To top it off, they even finished off the song in harmony. I miss my parents, but at least we've kept good communication and my mom bombarded me with birthday cards the week before my birthday. :) In the middle of chatting with my parents, I heard a knocking at the door and then Lawson proceeded to yell through the door "Happy Birthday, Allison!!! We have presents for you!!" I met him at the door and he presented me with 3 beautiful handmade cards and 2 books. The Kirby's have been such a blessing. The cards are now hanging in my room and the books are great keepsakes for when I get back to the states. However in the meantime I will have to use one book regularly as it is a foodie book for Perth. I must explore more great food places!! After a leisurely early morning, I invited Mara to join me in Freo for a bit of a girls' day. We shopped and visited the Fairy Shop (I wish we had one of those when I was little!) We even stopped for a birthday cino!

Onto the evening! Lara offered to host a party at her place and she even made me an Eeyore cake. Such a sweetheart! A small group of us gathered for a barbecue and cake. Then it was out for the evening. I had a great time with a couple of my choir girls and some new friends dancing the night away. I even had a late night kebab for the first time. Delicious!

A busy Thursday was followed by a relaxing day spent with 2 lovely ladies and an adorable tot at a few wineries in the Swan Valley. The valley is located just north of Perth and boasts some of the best wines of the area. They certainly did not disappoint! First stop was Lancaster wineries. Our host was fabulous and the wine was divine. I even treated myself to a lovely Chenin Blanc. Yum! Onto Brookleigh Estate for lunch at Stewart's - such a beautiful meal at a gorgeous venue. Since it was my birthday and I am in Australia, why not try something a little different and unique for lunch? So I did and the kangaroo fillet was amazing. The meat was so tender and juicy. It was served with a beetroot salad and topped with a fresh horseradish sauce and paired with a lovely Shiraz. So tasty! After some great conversation and stuffing ourselves with food, it was time for a coffee. We ventured to Mondo Nougat. Wow! So much nougat and so many flavors! I think we went through over 25 or 30 little bars of nougat between 3 adults and 1 child. :) After nougat and coffee we had to say our goodbyes to the little tike and mum, but my friend and I continued on to one last winery. Entering Houghton Winery you could really see that it's springtime in WA - wildflowers in bloom everywhere and birds chattering. It was a brief stop, but I did manage to pick up a lovely Semillon Savignon Blanc. :) Of course upon leaving the winery, we had to stop for a little photo shoot in the flowers and the vineyard. The day was absolutely gorgeous and I couldn't have asked for better company!

A birthday is only one day a year, but when it is shared with such amazing people, one might wish it to never end. This was a birthday I will never forget and enjoyed to the fullest. Thank you to all who made it a wonderful day. You are all such a blessing to have in my life!


~A

Surf's Up Dude

Tomorrow I embark on another adventure as I participate in my 3^rd race in Perth. I will be running the 4km portion of the Cityto Surf with a friend from church. This race is incredible in the fact that it has grown immensely over the years and continues to bring newcomers each year. Participants come from all over Australia as well as all over the world. The total number of participants this year reaches well over 40,000. Should be a spectacular sight! *On a side note, as I was writing this, I thought that it would be quite amusing if they used this event to create a huge flash mob! :)* I initially was planning on running the 12km portion of this race, but I as I began training for the 12km my knee started acting up somewhat horribly. After that I kind of forgot about the idea of participating until I discovered a friend from church was training for the race. I soon found a running partner. :) City to Surf is huge not only in the numbers that it pulls in, but also for the fundraisers that it raises money for. As a participant you can choose to raise money and ask for sponsors and from there you can choose from dozens of different organizations to fundraise for. It’s a pretty phenomenal city event!

In the next few weeks, I have some pretty spectacular events happening. In addition to City to Surf this weekend, I’ve been invited to join a bunch of friends at a chocolate party (yes, there will be tons of chocolate because my friend won 10kg of chocolate!). In just under two weeks, I will be celebrating my birthday (the big 2-3! Haha) and thinking of my bro on his “unbirthday.” :) I’m bummed out that I will be missing out on my nephew’s upcoming birthday (he’s going to be 3!!), but there will be plenty more birthdays. *Nikki, I already call dibs on making the next two birthday cakes for Andrew and Sophie. :)* Then a few days after Andrew’s birthday, I will be participating in Light the Night.

Light the Night is a particularly special event to me as it a night supporting those that have blood cancer and continue their battle and remembering those that have lost their battle. The Leukemia Foundation sponsors this event and it is used as a fundraiser for the fight against all blood cancers. This year has been a time of growth for me, a time of loss, and a time of change. With that, I feel that this event will help me bring some closure regarding my grandma’s passing in May. Since I wasn’t able to go home for her funeral, I wanted to do something to remember her in my own way. So I started a team in her honor and now have a few friends to join me on that night. My choice to create the team was quite timely with some events going on at church as we lost a young mother recently to blood cancer. This event has been a way for me to connect with others in the church and hopefully bring awareness for the fight against leukemia, multiple myeloma, and all blood cancers. If you are in Australia and want to join me on September 21^st for this great event, please join my team. However, if you unable to join me please consider sponsoring me. Any donations are greatly appreciated and they certainly go to a great cause. Just visit my Light the Night page and it will direct you to the area for sponsorship.

As many of you know or have to come to find out, I moved to Australia for a year for a bit of soul searching and figuring out what I want for my life. These last 7.5 months have been amazing but by no means a breeze. I’ve had my fair share of trials and tribulations, heartache and sadness, frustrations and confusion, but I’ve realized that what I have learned this year far outweighs any of the bad that I may have come across. This year is the first time in my life where I’ve had to completely depend on myself 100% for getting things done and figuring out where to go next. I’ve made plenty of mistakes along the way, but I’ve learned and grown so much from all the choices I’ve made and the things I have done. I have really come into my own while being here and I couldn’t be happier with the independence I have found and the growth that has happened in my life. I really feel like “me” here and it’s a great feeling. I’m not living for anyone else. My choices aren’t based on anyone else. I am completely me. In some ways it’s scary realizing the growth and change that has happened in my life, but it’s so amazing at the same time! The best feeling I have come across while being here is absolute contentment with my life. Though it is not always easy being away from my family, I am content with the life I have created for myself in Perth. Sometimes it’s difficult being a decision maker, but I’m content to have that responsibility completely and fully now. I still don’t know exactly where my life is headed, but I am more than content to put that all in God’s hands and trust him fully to lead me in the direction he sees fit for my life. By far one of the greatest things I have learned from all of my Aussie friends is to be flexible and not let the little things get you down. No worries, mate. She’ll be right. :) Such a blessing this journey has been for my life! Bring on the next 4.5 months – I cannot wait!

~A

Fantastic Food Frenzy

Finally my food tour update. I realize this should’ve happened a couple weeks ago, but I haven’t quite been in much of a journalistic mood. But here it is!

Throughout my trip to Kuala Lumpur, I experienced new and exciting foods. I had such a great adventure trying new tropical fruits and various vendor foods. Having the chance to experience local cuisine with locals was probably the best experience and the most educational. Here’s just a brief overview of the food tour I took at the end of my Malaysian journey.

The three hour tour started at an Indian restaurant. This restaurant is a bit different as it is actually located in a temple and there are no prices on the cuisine. No, this did not mean it was exorbitantly expensive, but rather it prices were based on what one could afford. In a sense it was a bit like a soup kitchen, but way more upscale as there was a specific dress code you had to abide by out of respect for the temple as well as keeping up the demeanor of the restaurant. Most Indian food in KL is of a very heavy Southern India influence. The flavors I tasted on that plate were incredible. What’s more amazing is that all the food is made by volunteers! Unfortunately I didn’t get a picture of my drink, but it was a fabulous Mango Lassi – a very good accompaniment to the spice of the curry. :)

Onto Chinese food! What you see pictured is barbecued pork belly. This was so delicious! Crisp and sweet charred outside, followed by the silkiness of the fatty belly, ending with a very tender piece of meat. Yum! The drink pictured here is kind of like lemonade but not. It’s lime with sour plums. On such a hot day, this certainly served well to refresh the palate and keep one cool!

Now for some snacks….by this time I was getting very full, but I did not want to give up and miss out on such great food! At a little street vendor we had rojak which was quite spicy, but filled with such great such like veggies, hard-boiled eggs, and chicken. Along with the rojak, we had something that kind of looks like soup. However, it was cold and was more or less a bowl of shaved ice with milk and flavoring. Made a very good pairing for the spice of the rojak. Our last stop for the day was to pick up some traditional Malaysian treats. We had a parchment full of fried bananas and fried stack of tapioca, sweet potato, and a starchy sweet that turned all caramel-y when fried. This is probably one of my poorer descriptions of the treat, but it sure was yummy! We finished off the tour with my favorite drink of the whole trip – teh tarik. This is an Indian pulled tea which I closely relate to chair just because of the spice and sweetness. However, I sincerely think teh tarik is phenomenally better than chai (yes, I am going out on a limb here hehe). The bubbles of the tea are creates by the tea maker pouring the mixed tea from pitcher to pitcher a few times. It’s quite a sight to see as it almost looks as though the tea is suspended in air just for a split second.

I was stuffed by the end, but it was a great day indeed. I love food. :)

~A

An International Affair

I've had quite the multi-cultural experience while visiting Kuala Lumpur. Not only have I been immersed into a city filled with Malay, Chinese, and Indian influences, but I have spent my days with Norwegians, Germans, Australians, Dutch, Polish, and Italians (just to name a few). Staying in a hostel really opens one's eyes to the world. Similarities between travelers are inevitable, but finding friends is an even greater treat. :)

While visiting Melaka for a simple day trip over the weekend, I managed to find a travel buddy - a Norwegian/Californian. How nice it is to meet another single traveler to spend some time with! Chris and I met by happening to take the same boat cruise in Melaka. Since we were both traveling alone, we decided to venture around together. Melaka is a very clean little city about 2 1/2 hours south of KL. It's interesting wandering around because not only do you see Asian influences but also those of Dutch and Portuguese. Melaka is situated right by the water with a river running right through it to the sea. The Dutch and Portuguese used Melaka as a port city, so touring around you can see remnants or replicas of various buildings or ships. We had some very yummy food while walking around - some pork dumplings of sorts and crispy potato on a stick. I also picked up a pair of the most wicked pants ever! I love them. :)

Sunday was a day of relaxing with a little Starbucks treat and attempting some shopping. After some successful bargain hunting, Chris and I made our way back to the hostel to rest up for a bit. However on the way back we had a slight change of plans when we randomly made friends with some other travelers on the street. We all aren't exactly sure how we met, but it was fun hanging out with some new people. So with 2 Germans, a Norwegian, and an American, we made our way to Chinatown. After some haggling with shop keepers and my persuasive nagging to try some different foods, we made our way back to the hostels for a little R&R before heading out for the evening. Our goal was to see some live cultural dance that was within walking distance in the shopping district, but it was certainly a less than stellar event and we made our way to the bars. A few nice cold beers is a great way to end a hot day in Kl. :)

Malte, me, Chris, Andreas

After a short visit to Batu Caves with our new little group, we trained back to the city in search of Central Market. This market was originally a wet market used for trade, but was almost torn down in the 70s/80s. However, some local conservationists fought to save the building because of the character and integrity it brought to the city. It was saved from demolition and was turned into a market for shopping. I originally thought the market would be more like a flea market with vendors and stalls. However, I was quite mistaken as the whole building has been revamped and is completely air-conditioned. The market is set up more like a mall with proper stores and kiosks, but all have a very multi-cultural influence - everything from a Little India shop to a glass blower. The day concluded with some great fun and laughter with my new friends - even met an Aussie from Perth. haha :)

I'm amazed by all the wonderful people I've met while visiting KL and the stories they have to share. The world is such a big place, but even being in a completely foreign place by myself, I've come to start to feel at home. Everyone has been so welcoming and friendly and I'm so thankful for the friends I've made along the way. Just this tiny taste of traveling alone and hearing stories from all these amazing people, I've really got an itch to get out there and experience even more of the world! :)

~A

Conquering My Fears

My adventures in Malaysia just seem to be getting bigger and better everyday. On Thursday I conquered a fear that once paralyzed me and kept me from doing things I always dreamed of. Very high heights have certainly been something I tend to stay clear from, but in the past few years I've tried going outside my comfort zone and venture to the unknown.

Climbing up the mountain side in Juneau, Alaska in a sky car was quite a trying experience, but it made me want to change how I let heights affect me. The next year while on a cruise in the Caribbean with some of my best girlfriends, I decided to try zip-lining (or flying fox as it is also commonly known). I didn't do so well at first, even freaking out on the tester platform. However, I got up the nerve to actually do all the different levels and loved it! What an experience flying through the jungle in Belize!! :)

So since I'm on holiday in Malaysia, I decided to venture out once again. Why not?! You only live once! :) I didn't do anything too crazy, but something that is certainly new and exciting to me. I happened upon some adventure tours while searching for things to do while in Kuala Lumpur and one company particularly peaked my interest with their trekking and camping adventures. They got me hooked when I read about waterfall abseiling (a.k.a. repelling). Repelling down a wall is one thing, but having to do it from 4 stories up while a waterfall comes down next to you and sometimes on top of you is quite the trick.

I can't believe I did it! What a rush! My first time ever repelling and I choose to do it in the Malaysian jungle next to a waterfall. The sights were unbelievably beautiful! Lush green trees, tiny yellow butterflies, gorgeous blue skies, frogs and lizards racing me down the wall - amazing! :) The area was so peaceful and relaxing even though the hike was a bit of a trek. We had to hike down the side of the hill, hanging onto vines, bamboo, and trees to help guide us to the beginning of the abseil. Harnesses on, helmets on, smiles on - ready? Let's do this! What a blast!!

I was able to do the abseil 3 different times and after each decent we trekked through the river for about 10 min and up the side of the hill, climbing rocks and roots to get back to the starting point. While hiking back to the starting point, we could even hear the faint call of gibbons (monkeys) in the jungle! After the abseil, we were able to swim in some of the pools at the top of the waterfall. One of them was deep enough to dive into and it even had a natural waterslide! So much fun!!!

My guides for this trek were absolutely fantastic beyond words! They arranged a solo trip especially for me and even managed to coerce a friend into coming along to help reduce the cost of the excursion for me. Amos and Kevin are best friends that started OpenSky Unlimited. Check out their website to view pics of other abseils and trekking adventures! In addition to the phenomenal waterfall experience, they helped me explore more traditional Malaysian cuisine from a typical Indian breakfast of a simple pulled dough served with dahl to a traditional Chinese meal for lunch which included tofu, watercress, sweet and sour pork, and produce from local farmers. On our trek they included a little lesson on a bean that was growing on a farm nearby. This bean is unique and has four points - when cut it looks like an "X". These beans were even included in our meal - tasty!

Between the history lessons, talks about durian, and all the great laughs, I had a fabulously unforgettable day! :)


~A


P.S. Photos to come courtesy of my awesome guide, Kevin! :)

Elephants, Monkeys, and Snakes - Oh, my!!

Arriving in Kuala Lumpur on Sunday arvo was quite the shock. I knew it would be hot and humid, but I didn't realize how much! The heat is a nice change from the cooler, rainy weather in Perth. Although by midday I've been wishing for at least some air-con in my room. :) That's right people - no air-con! Oh well, at least I can duck into some public buildings or the trains to get some cooler air.

Before arriving in KL, I decided to stay at a small hostel near Chinatown. It's a quaint little place which such lovely staff and guests. I was even fortunate enough to make friends with some guests the first night and then spent the next day wandering around the city with them. I have a single room in the guesthouse that is probably no bigger than a closet - no joke! No worries though as I only need it for a place to sleep. The bathrooms are co-ed and communal, but at least there are private showers. :)

Sunday arvo and evening I spent much of the time walking around and getting my bearings where I would be staying the next week or so. And of course I had to go to Starbucks during my meandering. :) The city is a busy place with cars everywhere. Be careful, though, because cars do not stop for pedestrians and if you get hit, it's your fault. Good thing I usually try to cross in a group! hehe I had a fabulous dinner with some of my new friends at little place in Chinatown - delicious!

 Monday I spent the day with my two Italian friends, Stefania and Antonio. We leisurely made our way to the Batu Caves which houses a Hindu Temple. In addition to the temple itself, tourists are attracted to the caves because of the immense climb to the top - 274 stairs! There are also monkeys harassing passersby, so the climb is a bit humorous as well as frightening as you don't want to get attacked by a monkey! :) The caves are ginormous and absolutely breathtaking! From there we made our way to the Lake Gardens in search of the butterflies. We were very tired and hot by this time, but persevered and eventually found the butterflies with a little detour in the deer park. The Lake Gardens is a sunken garden of sorts with very steep declines to get into the park. Even though the sun was very hot, the sights were still quite beautiful! Check out the butterflies we got to see at the KL Butterfly Park! After a long day out we went for dinner and ventured through some markets before heading to bed for the night.

Durian

I had an adventure of a lifetime on Tuesday. My day was filled with driving through the countryside and stopping in small towns. I was able to try local fruits such as durian and jackfruit - both of which are like nothing I have ever tasted before. Durian has a very distinct odor, but has sweet flesh with almost a garlic taste - strange, huh? :) Jackfruit is very mild and has a more typical tropical taste. I also had a wonderful Southern Indian meal for lunch which was served on a banana leave. Such good curry! :)


Then it was off to visit animals while stopping off to learn about rubber trees and palm oil. First stop was Deerland where I was able to feed deer up close, hold a snake (yuck!), and pet a Malaysian Sun Bear. Yes, I touched a bear. :) Finally off to see the elephants! I was able to feed the elephants and take a short ride. The highlight of the day though was playing in the river with the elephants. :) After a quick shower it was off to visit monkeys and the oldest lighthouse in Malaysia that overlooks the Melaka Straight. Such a view! While visiting the lighthouse, I was able to feed Silver Leaf monkeys. So cute and friendly!! Before finishing off my day with millions of fireflies, I had a wonderful fresh seafood meal on the river - sweet and sour fish, fried rice, and some of the best prawns ever! It was finally dark enough for the firefly tour. I wish I was able to get some pictures or video, but I'm fairly certain I won't forget that sight. While silently cruising along the river, I saw what looked like flickering Christmas lights in the trees. But these were certainly not your typical Christmas lights! :) What a long day it was, but definitely well worth it!!

View from dinner :)

Best pancake ever!

Oh and I can certainly not forget about one of the best pancakes of my life! The sights and smells at this little roadside market were incredible and unforgettable! I must recreate this. :)


~A