Kuching Malaysia July 2019

Sarawak River

We arrived in Kuching early evening and took a taxi to the Imperial Riverbank Hotel, which was not far from the main part of town. We wandered along the riverbank, where there were many eateries. We came across the musical fountain near the end of the performance, it was quite spectacular and we decided we would make sure we saw it all another night. We had dinner at one of the outdoor eateries on the river bank.

Kuching is a homophone for cat in Malaya and cats feature everywhere in souvenirs and statues around the town, it became fun noticing them all. On our first full day we discovered a food market but it was closing down when we arrived then found an ATM which we needed then

had a coffee at the ‘Fast & Furious’ café, its them was racing motorbikes, it actually wasn’t a bad place to eat or
drink. We then went down to the hub of the town to old Court House, then the Ranee Margaret Museum, the wife of one of the ‘White Rajahs’’.

We then walked across the main bridge where the Legislative building is situated, but it’s completely fenced and couldn’t easily get to the fort which was on the same side. We then decided to have a rest. We went out later and walked to the end of town and eventually ate dinner at an outdoor stall along the river. We then went for a drink at the bar at the Hilton.


We needed some laundry done and luckily there was one just across the road from our hotel, where we dropped off our clothes. We then took a boat across to the fort. We had to walk through a small village to get there. It’s now a museum of the history of the ‘White Rajahs, which was fascinating. They ruled Sarawak until after World War 2.


After we returned, we went the Museum Café which was quite pleasant. We revisited the market from the previous day. Then we booked a trip to see the orangutans and visit a longhouse. Dinner was at the Indan House Restaurant.


I love the orangutans; they are so human like and have such wonderfully expressive faces. They are in the wild and only come in when there isn’t any fruit available in the forest. There is information about each one and it was so touching to read it.

Orangutan

Then to the Anais Longhouse, which was fascinating. We saw pepper being dried, and various other food products drying and being sold. It was a very informative tour as we learnt about the nature of this environment.


Kuching has much on offer, we went to the Textile Museum, the Sarawak Museum, unfortunately the new museum was up and running but there was a small but very informative display close by. We then took a boat trip up and down the river which was enjoyable plus there was a small performance of folk dancing.


We also went to the night market but wasn’t overly impressed. The food stalls along the riverbank were better. We managed to catch the full performance of the musical fountain which was very impressive. There were more performances of music and dancing along the water front which added a festive air to the evening.


The following day we had a half day tour to the Sarawak Culture Village which was pleasurable and informative, there was also a performance of local dances of the various tribes of the area. It is here that the Rainforest Music Festival will take place. It would be a wonderful experience to attend.

We lunched at fried noodles and egg at Green Hill Restaurant

Cultural village playing sape

The next day we relaxed and didn’t do much really, coffee at the Hilton, lunch at the James Brooke Café went to the Chinese Museum and coffee at the Museum Café, so overall just enjoyed chilling out. We decided to cross the river for dinner as it looked as though it would be a good place to eat, we were bitterly disappointed, had a pretty ordinary dinner crossed back for drinks at the hotel across the road from ours.

We booked a trip on a Wetlands Wildlife cruise for the afternoon plus one to Bako National Park for the following day with Ooo Haa Tours & Travel who proved more professional than the previous tour company we used.


It was a pleasant trip and we were the only 2 on it. It took us along the river and into the south China Sea. We managed to see a proboscis monkey and a crocodile and fishing villages. Unfortunately, the weather was turning nasty and we had to return so missed out on some of the wildlife viewing, better than being caught in a storm and dangerous conditions in a small boat.  Our guide told us about a good place to eat called Top Spot which was close to our hotel and decided to go there for dinner.

The Big White Cat

There is a big white cat statue which is featured on brochures and I wanted to find it, so on ensuing day we went on the hunt. We found it no problem and discovered an interesting street in the bargain. As we returning back to base, we noticed a lovely little café a bookshop. The books were mainly relating to mediation and Zen like subjects, but the café was delightful with the beans freshly ground for each cup of coffee. It was such a quiet and peaceful place to relax I dubbed it the ‘Zen Café’’.

This night we decided to go to Top Spot for dinner. It was a huge area with many stalls where you choose the fish or meat and vegetables you want and then they cook it for you and bring it to your table. It definitely was a top spot!



The next day we were off to Bako National Park, we were guided on a shortish hike which seemed longer as the tangle of tree roots over the undulating path could be easily trip over or slipped on so was taken quite carefully. It was very pleasant surroundings and would be a good place to stay for greater exploration of the park.

Proboscis monkey Bako N.P.

We got up close to proboscis monkeys and native pigs. There were other monkeys also who were very cheeky and would grab food etc from people sitting outside the restaurant. It was ultimately relaxing getting away from town and into nature. We also reprised Top Spot for our dinner that night.



The subsequent day we visited the Sikh Temple and there was a guide there who explained the ins and outs of the religion, then to the Muslim Heritage Museum, both were worthwhile visits.

Our last night in town we decided to go to a more upmarket restaurant Bla Bla but checked out its location first that afternoon. It proved to be a good choice as the food was delicious.

Kuching has some amazing street art, and we watched the gradual completion of one outstanding piece featuring musicians.


Our last day we returned to our ‘Zen Café’ I had a foot massage went again to the Commons Restaurant for lunch. We did some final shopping, went back to pack then decided afternoon tea (coffee & cake) at the Hilton would be a pleasant way to finish our stay. There was also a conference that day and there were a lot of security and important looking people milling around. This related to the arrival of the Chief Minister of Sarawak who came to open the conference, then all the flurry quickly died down.

From the 'Zen'Cafe

Back to our hotel, taxi to the airport and no our way back home.

Loved Kuching and hope to return and explore more places in Sarawak in the near future.

Kuala Lumpur June 2019

Escaping some of the Melbourne winter we decided to go to Kuala Lumpur then to Kuching in Sarawak for about 2½ weeks. We hadn’t been to K.L. for many years so was expecting a lot of change.


It was easy to get from the airport to the city and our hotel was in K.L. Central Station so we had no trouble finding it which was great as we arrived late in the evening and after depositing our bags in the room went up to the roof top bar for a drink.


Rested the next day we went to explore the city. We took the train to the main square and we wandered around the main square and admired many of the old colonial buildings. The Textile Museum was nearby so decided to check it out, it proved to be very interesting. They had a small café and decided to have a coffee, it was quiet and they were set up for a group, but as we were the only ones there at the time we had a coffee and biscuit, but they also supplied us with a complimentary local treat as I think we were a rare foreigner to patronise the café.

 We then visited the Jamek Mosque after which we visited the Central Market what can one say about a market that sells a range of goods including souvenirs and jewellery. We had lunch at Old

Jamek Mosque

Town Coffee situated there. We then walked to China Town and visited a couple of temples, Guan Yin Temple and Chan See Shue Temple. After all the walking we returned to the hotel for an aperitif then went close by for dinner.


Next day we took a day tour to Malacca, a town that was colonised initially by the Portuguese the history and buildings were very interesting but the main street was a bit disappointing, though I’m sure more time there would have given a better opportunity to explore the town I more detail. One feature which was rather funny is the over the top decorated Pedi-cabs really kitsch.

Not far from our hotel was the National Museum but it was a rather convoluted way to get there. We were lucky to arrive just in time for the free tour. Our guide proved to be very informative and was well worth joining the tour.

Decorated Pedicabs Malacca

After the museum we went to and explored the Botanical Gardens and found a little eatery there for lunch The Bird Sanctuary was close by and decided to go there. Many birds we not in cages but I felt sorry for the ones who were especially the lone and forlorn looking hornbill.

That evening we went to little India and had dinner there.

Everywhere we go we love to explore bookshops and there was a great one, Kinokuniya in the KLCC shopping mall. I always buy a book from local authors when I travel this time and ended up buying two. We had lunch in the mall, then went outside and viewed the Petronas Towers the las time we were in K.L they had just been built.


We scurried back to base as there was a sudden downpour. After it eased off, we then went to find the Hindu Temple which was very colourful and then to Central Market again to get a few presents.

The following day was our last in the city before we flew to Kuching, Sarawak. We had most of the day as we weren’t flying out until 5.30 in the evening. We had time to visit the National Mosque the concept of the design which was explained to us was fascinating.

Hindu Temple

We then went to the Islamic Art Museum which had a wonderful display which included Qajar Ceramics reflecting Persian artistic expression.


Then off to the airport for the next part of our Malaysian escape.

London January 2019

We arrive in London early evening and by the time we arrived at our accommodation in Camden Gardens it was quite late. We were staying near St. Pancreas, Kings Cross which was very convenient. We ended up at a nearby pizza restaurant.

Our first impression of London was a bit of a cultural shock after spending three weeks in Europe and Scandinavia.

Our first full day in London we explored along the Thames then we caught up with a friend at Greenwich, travelling via the river, it’s always a great place to spend time as there is always so much to see. That night we ended up having dinner at the local pub which was just around the corner from our accommodation.

We were very luck as the British Library was close to where we were staying and they had a fabulous exhibition called ‘Anglo-Saxon Kingdom – War, Art and Word’. It had original documents, like the Doomsday Book and many others which was extremely interesting as well as looking around at other aspects of the library. We spent the whole morning there ending up with lunch.

In the afternoon we went to Leicester Square walking around enjoying looking in second-hand bookshops and tacky souvenir shops. We decided to book a play, then found a place for dinner.

The next day we went out to visit my cousin in Dagenham, she has often said she would like to see me again and it was the main reason for going to London. Later that day we walked the length Oxford Street. We love walking around cities as you see more and can take in the atmosphere of an area.

The following morning, we caught the train from Paddington station to Exeter (note even the cheapest tickets were very expensive). We went to meet another friend there for lunch. Exeter is a really pleasant university town, with an interesting Cathedral, and archaeological ruins, and very charming shops.

Exeter Cathedral

On our 4^th day we went to Tower Bridge and the exhibition of the original Engine Room which is now obsolete as the opening and closing of the bridge is now computerised, very informative. We then walked to Borough Market and enjoyed lunch there. We then went to the Tate Modern Gallery our full day was finished off by going to ‘The Play Goes Wrong’ in the evening.

There is always heaps to do and see in London and as it had been ages since our last visit there was always things to explore. We first had to go to the Bank of England to exchange some old pound notes we had for new ones we could use. We then walked to St. Martins in the Field for lunch and stayed for the free

Tower Bridge

concert, but also booked for a recital that evening and ended up having an early dinner at the Silver Cross Pub.

On our last day we went to the Tate Gallery for a Pre-Raphaelite Exhibition of the artist Edward Burne-Jones. We then walked back to Leicester Square and ended up at Foyles Bookshop and of course bought some books and DVDs. I checked out the travel books and they had my book Pieces of China in stock which was gratifying. Our last night we had dinner at an Indian Restaurant close to our accommodation, then packed up our cases ready for the trip back home.

The Tate Gallery

Iceland Intrepid Tour January 2019

 Our first stop was Ꝧingvellir National Park is Iceland’s most important spot as it was where the Viking settlers established the world’s first democratic parliament It was blanketed by snow but had a

Icelandic Horses

stark beauty. Then we visited the geo-thermal area and witnessed the geysir (an Icelandic word), very impressive then to the Golden waterfall, one of many waterfalls we would see on the trip. A little side trip to see the Icelandic horses which a very cute and quite small and not surprisingly have thick coats. We then arrived at a working farm to stay the night (Hotel Fljotshliᵭ).

Ꝧingvellir National Park

The next day we were on the move to and visited Skogafloss waterfall on the Skoga River in the Skaftafell National Park. On the way to the glacier lagoon we stopped at Dyrhόlaey which is a rocky plateau on the coast with a spectacular view of the sunrise. It was extremely windy that I felt that I could have been blown off the cliff. We then travelled through the Eldhraun lava field of the 1783 eruption of the volcano Laki which had a devastating effect across the countryside. We visited the Fjadrargljufur canyon. We then stopped at Jokulsarlon glacial lagoon with its many huge lumps of blue tinged ice broken off from the glacier at the coast. We then headed back to Vik I Mydral where we would stay the night, but on the way stopped at a small village church.

The following morning, we went to the black beach south shore and enjoyed another great sunrise over the Reynisdrangar basalt sea stacks, then off to two more waterfalls one being Seijalandsfoss.

Glacial Lagoon

We then travelled to the Blue Lagoon a famous thermal pool to enjoy a relaxing time in the pools, though they were very crowded. From there we headed back to Reykjavik for an overnight stay.

In the morning we had a drive around the city, though we had explored on our first few days there. In the afternoon we flew to Akureyi, capital of the North, which was a charming town, the prominent Lutheran church is located at the centre of the city on a hill dominating the surrounds. It has 3200 pipe-organ, and a suspended ship hanging from the ceiling reflecting the old Nordic tradition giving offerings for the protection of their seafarers. There are many interesting features but the similarities in design to that of the Reykjavik cathedral are due to the fact it was the same designer for each. On our way to our hotel we stopped at the beautiful Goᵭafoss or waterfall of the Gods to fight with the wind. Before checking into our hotel, we walked around Skutustadir pseudo craters which resemble a true volcanic crater but has no actual vent from which lava has erupted.

Next morning, we explored Myvatn Lake area, walked in the Dimmuborgir lava field and Namaskard

Geo-thermal area

geo-thermal area which was extraordinary. In the afternoon we visited the small town of Husavik we decided not to go and wallow in another thermal pool. The town was extremely small and not much seemed open even though it was Thursday. We visited the Whale Museum which turned out to be extremely interesting.

The last day of the tour we drove back to Akureyri where we visited the Christmas Garden, the complex includes a building like a gingerbread house selling innumerable lollies and Christmas decorations, plus another building that sells handicrafts and local products. We flew back to Reykjavik in the afternoon and in the evening we all met again for our last dinner together.

It was a thoroughly enjoyable trip and our guide Jurate was excellent.

Iceland January 2019

We arrived in Reykjavik at 3.40 pm it was already dark. After we settled into our hotel, we went to explore down town. We just checked the layout and as it was getting late, we started looking for a place to eat and found a Thai restaurant and decided to eat there.

The next day we were out and about quite early ready to explore the city. Our first mission was to find an ATM to get some Icelandic money and when we found one it was right next to a bookshop, which is always a favourite place for us no matter where we are. Of course, we went in and as they had a café, we had our morning coffee fix and enjoyed looking at the books. Wherever I go I like to by book by a local author of the country often a novel as I feel they if an insight into the society, though non-fiction can also be on the list. Iceland has the most authors per population than any other country, maybe because it’s so bleak and dark during winter so huddled at home one can let imagination run riot.

Typical Building

We tore ourselves away from the cosy bookshop and went up to the cathedral which dominates the city. Being a Lutheran church, the interior is plain compared to the Gothic churches in mainland Europe, but its architecture drew ideas from that making its structure a simple ‘Gothic’. The main feature is the amazing 5275 pipe organ which was installed in 1992, individuals sponsored each of the pipes and their names are inscribed on them. We then went to the Settlement Museum which is built around a 10^th century Viking longhouse. The exhibitions give a glimpse into early Icelandic life and is well worth a visit. Then off to the Modern Art Museum with ever changing exhibitions. Then off to Volcano House shows films every hour about the Vestmannaeyjar volcanoes and Eyjafjallajőkull which were very informative. 

Reykjavik Cathedral

In the evening we went to the Loftid Bar, there we had the local drinks of Brennivin a caraway flavoured spirit and Snorri pale ale. Later we went to the Uppsalir for dinner.

I was determined to taste more Icelandic food, we bought pylsur, hotdogs supposedly very special, not a fan of hotdogs anyway, so probably not a good person to judge their uniqueness or quality, we then went to the market, which was OK had a range of goods, antiques, clothes, jewellery and food. It’s here we tasted the famous or infamous hᾱkarl fermented shark, it is definitely an acquired taste and not one I would want to pursue acquiring, in a word it was disgusting and the taste seems to last in your mouth for a long time.

We walked to the cathedral again on the following day hoping there would be an organ recital but it mainly takes place in summer. There is a hand knitters association, and being a knitter myself I decided to check it out. About the only thing that is cheap in Iceland is knitting wool, I bought some as well as a pattern which I plan to knit when I get home. And near this shop we went into a bakery and bought the last Icelandic thing on my tasting list, vinarbrauᵭ a rolled pastry laced with custard and jam. Extremely yummy and definitely recommended. We also bought a CD of modern Icelandic music, which is quite haunting.

One of the Main Streets

Then off to the National Gallery and Museum both extremely interesting and well worth the visit.

We would be meeting up with our tour group the following day but had the whole day for further exploration of Reykjavik we just basically wandered around down to the coast and just enjoyed the day, another venture into the book shop from which I bought the book Independent People by Halldόr Laxness. Iceland has the most writers per population than anywhere else, maybe it’s the unforgiving weather during winter makes writing one of the few activities one can do huddled in doors during the cold and dark.

In the evening we met our tour guide plus our fellow companions. Then we had dinner and were rushed off to a Northern Lights hunt which unfortunately did not appear.

Up early for the start of the tour.