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Darren and Janet
Darren and Janet

Darren and Janet

traveled in 34 countries Read more🇦🇺Adelaide
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  • Darren and JanetMorocco and Portugal 2023Darren and Janet
    TanneryTanneryThe entrance to our riadFirst view of Morocco3Inside riad courtyard, our room is the lower window on the left

    Frankfurt to Marrakech

    March 2, 2023 in Morocco

    After catching the underground to the airport, we flew out of Frankfurt at 11am for a 3.5 hour flight to Marrakech.

    Our first sight of Morocco was a patchwork of brown and green fields from the plane window, with snow covered mountains in the distance - not quite what we were expecting!

    After finding an ATM, and buying a local SIM card, the next challenge was getting a taxi. We'd read about the problems at the airport with taxi drivers charging inflated prices, so much so that the government has mandated the price to the city at 70 dirham (about $10)... and even put a sign up to that effect. Seems word hasn't got to the drivers yet, as prices on offer ranged up to 350 dirham! When we said we'd pay the advertised price, the taxi organiser found us a driver, but he took another fare with us... so at least he got 140 for that trip 🙂

    Our accommodation is a traditional riad (courtyard house/hotel), very close to the main square, so our taxi dropped us on the outskirts of the city centre, and we walked the rest of the way through the busy lanes.

    We went for a late afternoon walk and took an impromptu tour through the tannery. It was quite a sight and smell - and I can safely say it's not high on my list to do again 🙄

    Dinner was at a local restaurant as the call to prayer was sounding, before a quiet night in the courtyard of our riad, avoiding the occasional shower of rain.    Read more

  • Darren and JanetMorocco and Portugal 2023Darren and Janet
    2Old Town Square
    Frankfurt skyline from one of the many bridgesSachsenhausen DistrictOld Town Square, town hall on right2Nameplates at Old Jewish CemeteryTechnology Museum display

    Bridges of Frankfurt

    March 1, 2023 in Germany ⋅ ☀️ 9 °C

    We spent the day crisscrossing the Main River, first visiting the old Jewish Cemetery on the way to the Sachsenhausen district, famous for its apple wine bars and half timbered buildings.

    We crossed back to the north and had lunch overlooking Römerberg, the old town square, site of royal coronations, Nazi book burnings and more recently Christmas markets. The distinct town hall buildings have been the seat of city administration since the 15th century.

    Our afternoon walk took us back to the south bank, and a quick visit to the technology museum (mainly for afternoon tea in their cafe), before heading home via the Kleinmarkthalle, a fresh food market, similar to the Adelaide Central Market.    Read more

  • Darren and JanetMorocco and Portugal 2023Darren and Janet
    1Here comes our train!
    Patronising one of the many bread shops1Beautiful Fountain, Market Square3Frankfurt Main Station, food vans in the foregroundSpinning the ring. Beautiful FountainThe last remaining section of Frankfurt city wall

    Nuremberg to Frankfurt

    February 28, 2023 in Germany ⋅ ☁️ 7 °C

    After breakfast we had a couple of hours up our sleeve before our train to Frankfurt, so we left the bags at the hotel and went for another walk along the city's historical mile.

    We ended up in the main market square at Schöner Brunnen (Beautiful Fountain), a 19m tall fountain in the shape of a Gothic spire. It was built in 1385 and has two brass rings embedded in the fence said to bring good luck to those who spin them.

    We purchased some local gingerbread and pastries for the journey and made our way to the train station.

    The 2 hour trip to Frankfurt was comfortable and smooth, with the train less than a quarter full.

    We grabbed a pork steak sandwich from the food vans near the station and walked the 2km journey to our accomodation via a number of caches.

    Our accommodation is only metres from the last remaining section of the Staufenmauer, the city wall originally constructed in 1180.

    As we are staying in a self-contained apartment, dinner was dine-in, after a visit to the supermarket to purchase supplies.    Read more

  • Darren and JanetMorocco and Portugal 2023Darren and Janet
    2Rainbow pencil ceiling display, containing 32,400 pencils
    St Rochus Church and cemeterySt Rochus cemetery, Pachelbel's grave in the foreground2Faber-Castell factory3The gate is as close as we got to the Faber-Castell museum

    Pencils and Plague

    February 27, 2023 in Germany ⋅ ☁️ 3 °C

    We began the day with a trip to the Faber Castell pencil factory, in the hope they had a tour running. Unfortunately they didn't, and their museum was also closed today, so we had to settle for a visit to the shop and a walk around the grounds and surrounding woods.

    On the way back to the city we passed the Nicolaus Copernicus Planetarium (also closed on Mondays 🙄), but had more luck at St Rochus Cemetery. The cemetery was created to bury the victims of the plague of 1517–18. To avoid spreading the disease, city authorities decided to build the cemetery some distance from the city, so St. Rochus is located outside the old city wall. It's an unusual cemetery where most of the graves are low, stone coffin shapes. Among the notable burials are Franz Schmidt (the city executioner who left a diary detailing the 361 executions he performed during his 45 year career), and composer Johann Pachelbel (Canon in D)

    In the late afternoon we popped into the supermarket for supplies, had another walk around the city, and had dinner in our room.    Read more

  • Darren and JanetMorocco and Portugal 2023Darren and Janet
    Congress Hall, outside
    Main grandstand, Zeppelin FieldView of Zeppelin Field from top of grandstand (Oliver standing on speaker's podium)Congress Hall from Zeppelin Field1Photo on site of Nazi Party rallyCongress Hall, inside

    Rally Grounds

    February 26, 2023 in Germany ⋅ ⛅ 2 °C

    More snow and bitterly cold wind this morning, so we rugged up and caught the train to the former Nazi Party Rally Grounds, aka Zeppelin Field (named after the landing of one of Count Zeppelin's airships there in 1909).

    From 1933 the area was used by the Nazis Party for their annual party rally, with up to 200,000 attendees. During World War II it remained largely intact. On April 22 1945, the US Army held its victory parade at the main grandstand, and after the ceremony the swastika atop the building was blown up. In 1967 the pillar galleries were demolished because they were unsafe. The shortened grandstand remains, with the area still used for an annual motor racing event and cultural events.

    Across the lake from Zeppelin Field is Congress Hall. This huge building was to provide undercover seating for 50,000 people, and would have been almost twice the size of the Colosseum in Rome. The outside looks complete, but the interior is an unfinished shell, 39m in height. Construction work was abandoned in World War II and it remains unfinished today.

    We walked back to the city via a number of caches and had dinner at a local restaurant.    Read more

  • Darren and JanetMorocco and Portugal 2023Darren and Janet
    3Cobbled street with medieval half timbered houses
    Walking inside the city wallsHans-Sachs Fountain1Schayler Tower, 15th century city fortification3

    Walking Nuremberg in a flurry of snow

    February 25, 2023 in Germany ⋅ 🌧 2 °C

    We checked out of the hotel early today ready for our 9.18am fast train to Nuremberg. It's a popular route, with 50 trains a day making the 160km journey.

    We arrived in Nuremberg at 10.25am, and was surprised at how few people were on the streets. Turns out shops don't open until 11am on Saturday, so the streets were almost deserted.

    We spent the day walking around the old town, inside and along the city walls, a medieval defense constructed between 11th and 16th centuries. Approximately 4km of the original 5km are still standing.

    The old town is full of beautiful buildings, churches and squares - looking around you would never know that 90% of the old town was destroyed in one day by Allied bombers in 1945.

    It snowed off and on for most of the day, so we stopped a number of times for coffee, snacks and a long lunch!    Read more

  • Darren and JanetMorocco and Portugal 2023Darren and Janet
    Olympic Park
    Dachau, former barracks area and watchtower1Dachau memorial sculpture inspired by emaciated bodies of prisoners in barbed wire fencesOlympic Tower and BMW Building, view from Olympic MountainDachau, entrance gatesCache atop Olympic Mountain, closedCache atop Olympic Mountain, openCache atop Olympic Mountain, close-up3Dinner at Munchner Stubn

    Dachau, and Olympic Park

    February 24, 2023 in Germany ⋅ ☁️ 11 °C

    After a hearty breakfast we caught the local train and bus to Dachau Concentration Camp Memorial Site, approximately 16km north of Munich.

    Dachau was the longest operating concentration camp, established by Hitler in 1933 to house political prisoners. It was designed to accommodate 2,600 inmates, but when it was liberated in 1945, 32,000 prisoners were present.

    There's very few original buildings now standing, the notable exception being the crematorium. Mass killings didn't occur at Dachau, but overwork, overcrowding and poor diet led to high levels of illness and death.

    After lunch we returned to the central train station, then caught a tram to Olympic Park, site of the 1972 Olympic Games. We got good views of the area from the top of Olympic Mountain, one of the highest points in Munich with 360 degree views of the city. Our visit was cut short when it started raining, but not before we found one of the best caches we've ever seen, built into the geodetic reference marker on top of the hill.

    Dinner was at a traditional Bavarian restaurant, pork knuckle and beer beef goulash 😋    Read more

  • Darren and JanetMorocco and Portugal 2023Darren and Janet
    Neuschwanstein Castle, from Marienbruke
    3Oberammergau street, with a touch of snowLinderhof Palace1Marienbruke, from Neuschwanstein Castle2Hohenschwangau villiage and castle, from Neuschwanstein CastleCheese donuts to keep us going!1

    Royal Castles

    February 23, 2023 in Germany ⋅ ⛅ 8 °C

    Today was a full day tour of two of the royal castles of Bavaria, located close to the Austrian border, about 90 minutes from Munich.

    Linderhof Palace is the smaller castle, the only one of King Ludwig II’s castles which he lived to see completed. He liked to be alone and built the castle with no provision for guests. He also liked to dine alone and out of sight of his servants, so had installed a table that was lowered through the floor with a crank mechanism so it could be set in the room below, and raised when ready, ensuring no interaction with his servants. The table is still in working order, the only one of its kind in the world.

    After Linderhof we visited Oberammergau, home of the famous Passion Play, held every 10 years since 1634.

    We had a stand-up wurst lunch, before we visited Neuschwanstein Castle. It's often referred as a "fairy-tale castle" and was the model for the castle on the Walt Disney logo. Every room is elaborately decorated and filled with ornate furniture. Built on a rocky outcrop overlooking a valley, the best view of the castle is from Marienbruke, a bridge spanning the gorge behind the castle.

    Tours of the castle start every 5 minutes, with a maximum of 65 people per tour. Tickets must be purchased in advance, as it's a 45 minute walk from the ticket office to the castle entrance... and if you miss your allotted timeslot, you can't join another tour, and no refunds are given.

    After a long day and much walking, we arrived back in Munich at 7pm and grabbed some takeaway on the way back to our hotel.    Read more

  • Darren and JanetMorocco and Portugal 2023Darren and Janet
    Marienplatz
    1Art installation, outside law courts1Frauenkirche (Cathedral of our Lady), 149411Was a founding father statue, now a shrine to Michael Jackson

    Mooching in Munchen

    February 22, 2023 in Germany ⋅ ☁️ 10 °C

    After a smooth 13 hour flight, we arrived in Munich at 7am to a temperature of -2. We caught the train to the city and were lucky that our hotel room was ready, so we dropped the bags and headed for a day's walking around Munich.

    We spent most of the day in the old town, following a trail of caches through town. Lunch was classic tourist - overpriced alfresco in the main square (Marienplatz), consisting of wurst and sauerkraut. But what a setting!

    We went for a short walk in the local area before tea at our hotel.    Read more

  • Darren and JanetMorocco and Portugal 2023Darren and Janet
    1

    Singapore transit

    February 21, 2023 in Singapore ⋅ ⛅ 26 °C

    We started with a daytime flight to Singapore, then 9 hours in transit before we head to Munich.

    Fortunately Changi Airport has enough attractions and facilities to keep you amused for that long, including a butterfly garden and sunflower garden.Read more

  • Darren and JanetNorfolk Island 2022Darren and Janet
    Circular Quay
    View from Circular Quay viewing platform (spoiler - cache is the blue box low on the beam)Great Australian Clock, QVBBronze bird art, Macquarie Place Park (zoom in to see another on the black wire fence behind)Anchor of HMS Sirius, one of the First Fleet which ran aground and sank off Norfolk Island

    Circular Route To Circular Quay

    August 15, 2022 in Australia ⋅ ☁️ 17 °C

    We walked the streets of Sydney today, grabbing caches along the way.

    First stop Queen Victoria Building, home to the Great Australian Clock. At the time of installation, it was the world's largest hanging animated turret clock, weighing in at 4 tonnes (if you know of any bigger hanging animated turret clocks out there, let me know!)

    We continued via Hyde Park to Macquarie Place Park, and an artwork titled "The Distance of Your Heart". The art work takes the form of sixty seven bronze birds perched on balustrades, monuments, bus stops, and buildings on Bridge Street and in the park. They are gentle reminders to slow down and look around at the city.

    We continued to Circular Quay, complete with cruise boat in dock - an iconic view.

    Daily cache count = 27    Read more

  • Darren and JanetNorfolk Island 2022Darren and Janet
    Whaling boat, Kingston
    Chickens everywhere - Watermill Valley1Crane raising a dive boat, powered by the white ute on the leftKingston foreshore from the pier

    Norfuk Ailen - Yorlye kum baek sun*

    August 14, 2022 on Norfolk Island ⋅ ⛅ 18 °C

    Our last day on the island, and first stop after breakfast was the Sunday Market. There were about a dozen stalls of local crafts and produce under the verandah of the bond store.

    As our flight was mid afternoon, we drove back to the historic foreshore at Kingston for another walk around. We watched a boat being bought ashore via the pulley crane on the pier, which is raised by connecting their ute to a cable and reversing it along the pier.

    We returned to our hotel for coffee and cake, and to await our transport to the airport (about 2km, so easily walked if desired).

    Our flight to Sydney was on-time and smooth, and because flights to NI are from the international terminal, we had to clear immigration and customs before catching the airport train into the city.

    Dinner was Indonesian takeaway in our apartment.

    * "You all come back soon", traditional farewell from the island    Read more

  • Darren and JanetNorfolk Island 2022Darren and Janet
    1Moreton Bay fig trees, Hundred Acres
    2Headstone Reserve2Weekly produce market11Hundred Acres Reserve

    Hundred Acres, no Tiggers

    August 13, 2022 on Norfolk Island ⋅ ☁️ 17 °C

    First stop after breakfast was the weekly produce market, on the lawns in the main street. There were 3 stalls this week - as we're leaving tomorrow we only bought 2 oranges to have for afternoon tea.

    Our drive today was south west, to Headstone Reserve and Hundred Acres Reserve.

    Headstone Reserve is named for the headstone there for two soldiers who went fishing and were washed off the rocks and drowned in 1850.

    A walking track through Hundred Acres Reserve leads to Rocky Point, home to an observation post during World War II, and now a popular bird watching location. We saw terns, kingfisher and silver eyes, but none of the famed mutton birds, red tailed tropic birds, or masked booby.

    It is also home to some massive Moreton Bay fig trees, believed to be 200 years old.

    We came back to town for lunch at a local cafe, and filled the car up with petrol - we drove 152km in the week, well inside our 35km per day inclusion! (for the record, petrol is $2.83/litre)

    Time for a quick dip in the outdoor spa, before heading out to dinner.    Read more

  • Darren and JanetNorfolk Island 2022Darren and Janet
    2Norfolk traffic jam
    2Fish and chips, Cascade PierBall Bay2Cache hunt, Ball BayCattle grids on each road into the shopping district to keep the cows out2Walking to dinner

    Fish, chips, cows and chickens

    August 12, 2022 on Norfolk Island ⋅ ⛅ 17 °C

    We started the day with a relaxed breakfast, a spot of shopping, and morning coffee. While chatting with locals we learnt that a local cook meets the fishing boats at Cascade Pier on Fridays and cooks fish and chips fresh on the pier.

    So we headed north for a fresh Trumpeter lunch, before heading to Ball Bay, then Two Chimneys Reserve for a bush walk and cache hunt at each.

    We were planning to have Chinese Takeaway for dinner, as it's in easy walking distance from our accommodation, but we learnt the hard way that you need to ring and order well in advance - when we arrived the wait time was 90 minutes, so a change of plans required!    Read more

  • Darren and JanetNorfolk Island 2022Darren and Janet
    Anson Bay
    From Mt Pitt, overlooking airport and Phillip IslandTrail from Mt Pitt to Mt BatesView from Bird RockAnson Bay from above

    Walking the National Park

    August 11, 2022 on Norfolk Island ⋅ ☀️ 16 °C

    Our plan today was to find most of the caches in Norfolk Island National Park, which covers 14% of the island.

    We started the day with a drive to the lookout at Mt Pitt, the second highest point on the island (1m lower than Mt Bates).

    Mt Pitt was once a thriving nesting site for the Providence Petrel.  The entire population (some 170,000 birds) was exterminated during the First Penal Settlement when the colony fell on hard times, necessitating the slaughter of the birds for food.  The petrels never re-established themselves on Norfolk Island, but a small population now nests on Phillip Island.

    Our walk began with an easy 20 minutes to Mt Bates, then 1.7km mostly downhill to Bird Rock Lookout.

    The return journey was, unsurprisingly, mostly uphill... and took considerably longer (especially when we detoured 700m to grab another cache!)

    We got back to the car in time for lunch, then a meandering drive across the north coast to Captain Cook Lookout (where he landed when claiming the island in 1774).

    Our final stop was the picturesque Anson Bay, where the track to the beach is an 800m zig zagging pathway.

    Dinner tonight was at the bowling club, a popular gathering point for locals and tourists alike.    Read more

  • Darren and JanetNorfolk Island 2022Darren and Janet
    1Bumboras Bay
    Kingston Bay2Commissariat Store, the steps were added later, note how they cover the lower floor windowsEmily Bay5Kingston from Flagstaff HillInside crank mill ruins

    Kingston Town

    August 10, 2022 on Norfolk Island ⋅ ⛅ 16 °C

    We spent most of today around Kingston, the capital/administrative centre of Norfolk Island, and the second-oldest settlement in Australia, founded a little over a month after Sydney.

    The area is a UNESCO World Heritage site, with a variety of buildings and ruins, including a jail, Government House, churches, stores and a convict powered crankmill.

    The area is also home to the second pier on the island... but the weather today was definitely not suitable for the supply ship, with rain and strong wind most if the day.    Read more

  • Darren and JanetNorfolk Island 2022Darren and Janet
    View from the cache, near Cockpit Waterfall
    1View from Palm Glen, Phillip Island in the distanceHeading to the cache, Cascade Bay (spoiler alert, cache is at the pine tree closest to the shore)Crossing the road for dinner. Give way to cows.Cascade Pier. No boat ramp, cranes are used to lower boats into the water

    Cascade and Cockpit

    August 9, 2022 on Norfolk Island ⋅ ⛅ 16 °C

    After breakfast at the hotel, we headed into the village to Norfolk Telecom to buy a local SIM card (NI isn't part of the Australian phone network).

    We then hosted a geocaching event at a local cafe, with 3 attendees (one was the only geocacher on the island, a 7th generation Islander and a direct descendant of Fletcher Christian).

    After morning tea we travelled north to Palm Glen walk in Norfolk Island National Park, which had panoramic views of the southern parts of Norfolk Island and out to Phillip Island (uninhabited island off the south coast).

    Lunch was a picnic near Cockpit Waterfall, before heading to Cascade Bay, home to one of 2 piers on the island.

    Shipping supplies to NI is a constant issue - the island has no safe harbour, so supplies can't be imported by container, but must be transferred to smaller vessels before coming ashore. A ship is due in the next few days, so currently many items are in short supply - for example there is no beer available at the Bond Store (the only liquor outlet on the island), and the only soft drinks on the supermarket shelves are ginger beer and tonic water!

    Dinner was locally caught Trumpeter fish at a restaurant across the road from our accommodation.    Read more

  • Darren and JanetNorfolk Island 2022Darren and Janet
    Cemetery Bay

    Welcome to Norfolk, Yu laik sum plun*

    August 8, 2022 on Norfolk Island ⋅ ☀️ 18 °C

    Back to the airport this morning, arriving the recommended 3 hours before our flight 😲... which was well founded, as we spent an hour in the security line!

    We arrived on Norfolk Island at 2.30pm (time zone is one hour ahead of Sydney), checked into our accommodation, picked up our rental car, then grabbed a late lunch at the bakery.

    First impressions are green and hilly, with a relaxed tropical feel - on our first drive into the village the local policeman waved to us 3 times 😁

    We went for a quick drive to Cemetery Bay for a walk around the historic cemetery, before heading back to the RSL for dinner (one of the few places on the island with public wi-fi - we attempted to buy a SIM card earlier, but the post office was closed and the supermarket had run out for the day).

    Monday at the RSL was also bingo night, so we naturally partook. Of the 3 games we played, we each won one full house prize!

    We switched on the TV before bedtime, and thought we'd gained an hour - the broadcast is a direct feed from Australia, so the guide and shows are all one hour later than the advertised time.

    *Have some bananas    Read more

  • Darren and JanetNorfolk Island 2022Darren and Janet
    Brickworks chimneys and kilns
    City view from Sydney Park HillWirrambi Wetland

    On the way... almost!

    August 7, 2022 in Australia ⋅ ⛅ 15 °C

    We stayed at the airport hotel last night, in preparation for a 6am flight to Sydney, then 10.30am connection to Norfolk Island.

    Boarding in Adelaide was old school, via the tarmac - haven't done that for a few years!

    The flight to Sydney was smooth and we transferred to the international terminal for the connecting flight. While waiting, they announced that our flight was cancelled due to crew shortages, so we had to reverse the process through passport control, collect our luggage and get assigned a hotel for the night.

    We caught a shuttle to one of the airport hotels a few kilometres away, then had the afternoon to fill. Luckily there were 10 caches within walking distance, so we headed towards Sydney Park.

    Sydney Park is a 100 acre inner city park, formerly a clay pit, brickworks and waste dump, now reclaimed as a wetland and recreation area, and is very popular with dog walkers! When we were about halfway around 2 new lab caches appeared on our map, so we had some backtracking and 10 more caches to find... and our afternoon was complete 😁

    Dinner was in the hotel restaurant (thanks Qantas), and some Commonwealth Games viewing before another early start tomorrow.    Read more

  • Darren and JanetSingapore & Malaysia 2020Darren and Janet
    Petronas Towers
    First coconut for the tripGeocachers at our event

    Leap Day

    February 29, 2020 in Malaysia ⋅ ⛅ 33 °C

    Our final day in Malaysia, and it's a leap day... so we have arranged a geocaching event at the Petronas Towers, to meet local and visiting cachers. Having previously been warned that any event in Malaysia where you're not alone is a good event, we were very pleased to have 9 attendees.

    One of the local cachers then escorted a group of us to complete a nearby NFC cache (Near Field Communication), and as we don't have any of this type of cache in Adelaide, it was interesting to see it in action.

    After morning tea at the towers, we found a few more caches with the locals, and had lunch at the Hard Rock Cafe before catching the monorail back to our hotel to collect our bags, then the train to the airport.

    We had plenty of time to spare, so bought a lounge package where we could have a shower and a meal before our flight home.    Read more

  • Darren and JanetSingapore & Malaysia 2020Darren and Janet
    Muddy confluence, and Jamek mosque
    Sultan Abdul Samad Building, the former British Administration officesQueen Victoria fountain, Merdeka Square, currently in a poor state of repair2Food stalls pop up around the train stationMore great street artStreet light decoration

    Muddy Confluence

    February 28, 2020 in Malaysia ⋅ ⛅ 33 °C

    Another day exploring the streets of KL, but this time we were out the door by 7.30am in an attempt to beat the heat.

    We caught the monorail and metro to the city centre and arrived just before 8am, with the peak hour crowds. The area around the train station transforms in the morning into a temporary food court, as stalls pop up to feed the arriving workers with sandwiches, rice, drinks and the national dish, Nasi Lemak (rice, sambal, cucumber, egg, peanuts and dried fish, wrapped in a banana leaf).

    We spent most of the day exploring the area around Merdeka (Independence) Square, where the national flag was first raised in 1957.

    Kuala Lumpur (literal translation, muddy confluence), was built where the rivers Klang and Gombak merge. Along these rivers the locals once bathed, washed laundry, and buffaloes wallowed. Crocodiles were also sunning on the banks, prompting the British Administration to offer rewards to capture them, dead or alive. The capture of a crocodile measuring 15 feet would return $15.00 Straits Dollars in 1912. Looking at the rivers today, it's difficult to imagine.

    We returned for a late afternoon swim, before tea in the local food court (nasi lemak of course, $1.66 each)    Read more

  • Darren and JanetSingapore & Malaysia 2020Darren and Janet
    Fresh juice... delicious
    1Street art, Chinatown15th floor rooftop pool, between two 43 storey accommodation towers1Monorail, monorail, monorail (for The Simpson's fans)13D street art1Chinatown was very quiet - we were one stall's first sale at 1.30pm

    The streets of KL

    February 27, 2020 in Malaysia ⋅ ⛅ 33 °C

    With nothing particular planned today, one of us had a sleep-in 😁... so we were a bit late getting going.

    We caught the monorail towards town, then walked a circuitous route toward Chinatown via a number of caches, Malaysian Scout Headquarters, coffee shops and numerous drink stalls.

    After navigating the metro and monorail, we arrived back at our hotel in time for a late afternoon swim, and a quiet night in.    Read more

  • Darren and JanetSingapore & Malaysia 2020Darren and Janet
    Batu Caves entrance
    Batu Caves, interiorKellie's CastleKellie's Castle (right), Kellie's original home which it was to replace (left)Kellie's Castle, what was to be the rooftop indoor tennis court and entertainment areaBatu Caves, gate detail

    Castle and caves

    February 26, 2020 in Malaysia ⋅ ⛅ 33 °C

    We departed Ipoh at 9am and headed to Kellie's Castle on the outskirts. Kellie's Castle is a partially completed mansion built by a Scottish businessman in the 1910/20's, which has a six storey tower and was to have the first elevator in Malaysia, an indoor tennis court, rooftop entertainment area, and escape stairways and tunnels from most rooms.
    Unfortunately he died before it was complete, and his wife wasn't interested in living there, so it was sold and was neglected for decades, until it was opened to tourism.

    The road to Kuala Lumpur is mostly freeway, so apart from a lunch stop at a large outdoor food venue, we headed to Batu Caves, on the northern edge of KL. Batu Caves are a series of cave temples dedicated to the Lord Murugan, the Hindu God of War. It is one of the most popular Hindu shrines outside India, and is entered via a colourful 272 steps.

    Our accommodation for the next 3 nights is on the 33rd floor of Berjaya Times Square, the 12th largest building in the world (by floor area) 😁    Read more

  • Darren and JanetSingapore & Malaysia 2020Darren and Janet
    1Mural Arts Lane, Ipoh
    Cave temple, Ipoh1Barbershop, Concubines Lane, Ipoh- yes, that's the whole shop!1People's Park, old town, IpohNature fights back, IpohWaterfall, Lubak Timah... actually a silted up dam, now flowing around the edge

    Cave temples and concubines

    February 25, 2020 in Malaysia ⋅ ⛅ 32 °C

    Our last day in the highlands and we started with more tea plantations. We revisited one from yesterday to do the factory tour, and pick up the 2 caches there!

    We began the trip down the mountain after a quick stop at a roadside market to buy some sweet potatoes for Rosli's mum (and had some for morning tea that they cook ready for the shoppers).

    We stopped enroute at a waterfall and hot spring, which isn't very popular with the locals as they charge an entrance fee (5RM = $1.66 each), so we were the only one's there... or it could be that hot springs aren't popular when it's 35 degrees and humid!

    Ipoh is the 3rd largest city in Malaysia and was built on limestone and tin mining. It still has an industrial feel, but they are trying to increase tourism by promoting the limestone caves and food culture.

    On the outskirts of town we visited one of a number of cave temples, before heading in to Concubine Lane for lunch. The town has a large Cantonese population who came for the mining boom, and many of the businessman housed their second wives in this street to visit when they were in town for business.

    After a walk around the old town, we visited Mural Arts Lane, an otherwise drab alley that's been transformed by local artists, before walking back to our hotel.    Read more

  • Darren and JanetSingapore & Malaysia 2020Darren and Janet
    Heading down from the Mossy Forest
    1New growth, Mossy ForestOliver among the tea plantsKeah Farm marketMossy Forest... the path's starting to get soggy!Butterfly Farm resident

    Mossy Forest and Butterfly Farm

    February 24, 2020 in Malaysia ⋅ ⛅ 23 °C

    We had a full day touring the highlands today, with a second night at the same hotel.

    Our day began with a drive to the Mossy Forest, on a road not for the fainthearted! Apart from being steep and winding, large sections of the road were in disrepair, and most of the journey was single lane - on blind corners drivers sound their horn on approach and if they hear a return beep, someone has to pull across to let the other pass.

    The Mossy Forest is a high altitude region where low cloud means the area is usually covered in mist and moisture, and today was no exception - the view from the top was non-existent, but we found the path was closed just after the peak because of recent rains... all in all, not the most successful outing 🙄

    By the time we journeyed down the mountain the weather had cleared slightly, so we stopped at some of the lookouts again to view over the tea plantations.

    We had lunch in Brinchang, then visited a butterfly farm, strawberry plantation, cactus outlet, local market, waterfall and Buddhist temple on our way back to Tanah Rata for the evening.    Read more

  • Darren and JanetSingapore & Malaysia 2020Darren and Janet
    Tea plantations
    with Michael Jackson1Blue Mosque, Shah Alammore tea plantationsIskander waterfallView from the hotel balcony, Tanah Rata

    Up to the highlands

    February 23, 2020 in Malaysia ⋅ ⛅ 22 °C

    Today we are headed to the Cameron Highlands, a popular holiday destination for locals and international tourists, as the temperature rarely gets to 30 degrees, and humidity is low.

    On the way out of KL we visited the Blue Mosque: capacity 24,000, claim to fame: the largest religious dome in the world.

    The Cameron Highlands is a collection of small towns which became popular among the British in the 1930's as an escape from the tropical heat, but is now famous for it's tea plantations, strawberry farms and honey production.

    We stopped at an indigenous local's house on the way, a friend of Rosli known as Michael Jackson, for his uncanny resemblance... he invited us into his single room house for a chat, and his brother was happy to demonstrate his prowess with a blowpipe and poison dart!

    We visited a couple of tea plantations (quite touristy, so we didn't stay long), but did a short hike to lookout with spectacular views over the valley.

    After a late lunch we checked into our hotel before a dusk walk... and put a jacket on for the first time this holiday, as the temperature dropped below 20 degrees!    Read more

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