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A Year of Living AwesomelyA Year of Living Awesomely
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A Year of Living Awesomely

January 2024 - January 2025
In which we take our last big trip. SE Asia and Europe Read more
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  • 4countries
  • 120days
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  • 185kilometers
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  • A Year of Living Awesomely
    Day 5

    Attending to Repairs

    January 15 in Malaysia ⋅ 🌧 32 °C

    We are up fairly early and out the door for breakfast. Just around the corner from us (once you know, rather than walking around the world...) is an eatery we saw on our way here yesterday. It is located next door to a small Hindu temple, the Court Hill Sri Ganesar Temple. Today is the first day of Pongal, a multi-day Hindu harvest festival celebrated by Tamils held after the winter solstice. There is also a rice dish that is served made from rice boiled in milk with jaggery. We watch some of the proceedings in the temple then head to the cafe for a buffet breakfast. With tea, breakfast comes to about $4 each.

    After breakfast we order a Grab to get the phone repaired. I have located a number of phone repair shops in a plaza in Bukit Bintang called Plaza Low Yat, a multi story centre dedicated to tech. The first place we go to is an authorised Apple repairer. The screen is out of stock and will take at least a week to come in. We ask if they have a store in Malacca and the cost of the repair and almost fall on the floor when told it will be 1550RM or roughly $500! I leave the shop prepared to go in search of a store that sells refurbished phones when we are approached by a guy from another store who beckons us to follow him. 250 RM to repair. I am certain this will not be an authorised Apple part but if we can get the phone working I'm fine, if a little nervous, with that.

    We go off to have coffee while we wait and end up in a place in the lower ground of the plaza called Kopi Klub. The iced coffee here is great and I'm starting to feel confident about the direction the day will take. We collect the phone, order a Grab and return to the apartment. Time to pay that glorious pool another visit.

    We have the remaining sandwich and tub of yogurt for lunch then spend the afternoon resting our feet before we head out again this evening.

    The lead photo is of a tree that was near the temple. I have no idea what it was.    Read more

  • A Year of Living Awesomely
    Day 5

    Petronas Towers

    January 15 in Malaysia ⋅ 🌧 32 °C

    We order a Grab to head into the city centre where our plan is to have an early dinner and then go to the towers. We are dropped off at a place I have seen on YouTube and Facebook called NZ Curry House. It literally sits in the shadow of the Petronas Towers. Our plan was to have the Dosa tower but on learning it is more of a dessert we opt for a masala dosa for me, a biryani with curry for Richard and two juices. They are delicious and the whole meal is under $AU13.

    We negotiate the four or five pedestrian crossings to get to the towers beneath which is a huge shopping mall then pop out the other side just as the heavens open and so begins a tropical downpour. It is an hour until the light show begins and we debate waiting it out before deciding to call it a day.

    We are at a loss if we order a Grab as to where it will come to meet us so we ask the concierge who directs us to a pick up point. We are watching the driver in the app go to completely the wrong place before canceling the trip. We notice that the rain has stopped so we head back to where the light show will be arriving just as it starts.    Read more

  • A Year of Living Awesomely
    Day 6

    Court Hill Sri Ganesa Temple

    January 16 in Malaysia ⋅ 🌧 29 °C

    We had big plans for today but after yesterday and the cumulative effect of five days on our feet we decide to take it easy.

    We head across to the food centre at Menara Maybank for breakfast then over to the temple to see the inside. There is a worship in progress so after removing my shoes and washing my feet I ask permission to photograph and video.

    On my return to the room I read up on this lovely temple and discover it is very important in Malaysian history and also “this is the only temple in the world that conducts ‘sankha puja’ (conch shell puja) twice daily throughout the year. This propitious puja was initiated in the year 1939 at this temple. The twisting formation of a ‘sankhu’ enables tirtham (holy scented water) to flow spirally before bathing Lord Ganesha. As the ‘tirtham’ is infused with the chanting of Hindu mantras, together with the hydraulic push through the ‘sankhu’, this facilitates the potency of this ceremony. The conch-shell is said to be the abode of ‘devas’ (celestial beings). Therefore ‘sankha puja’ is considered most auspicious in Hindu rituals, and will promote the health, wealth and happiness of its participants. The glory of this temple is further enhanced by the gold 'garba graham' (entrance)at the main sanctum. Gold has the highest spiritual vibration according to Hindu scriptures, therefore this metal is used to channel 'shakti' (divine energy).”

    The remainder of the day is spent resting and visiting the pool. We have sandwiches in the room for dinner ahead of a big day of travel tomorrow.    Read more

  • A Year of Living Awesomely
    Day 7

    Taking the bus to Malacca

    January 17 in Malaysia ⋅ ☁️ 31 °C

    Today is probably the first time we really appreciate the fact that we are traveling light. After breakfast we make our way on foot to the bus station. It's about a 10 minute walk up and downhill then over an overpass to a four storey building where we meet our first challenge; locating where to buy tickets. We arrived here so we know what the bus platforms look like and are convinced that ticket sales will be anywhere but there. After visiting every floor in the building we end up on the lower ground floor to the platform for the airport where the is a small table with two men seated on fold up chairs writing out the bus tickets. So much for assumptions.

    We board the bus which is upholstered in a lovely shade of purple. The buses are very plush with reclining seats and leg rests. Our first leg to the airport takes about an hour. At the airport we want to find if the bus to Malacca makes a comfort stop as it is a two and a half hour journey. The first lady we spoke to was unable to understand what we were asking but luckily there was another lady who spoke great English and we established that we could buy a ticket to Seramban, then buy another ticket from there to Malacca.

    Our plan on reaching Seramban was to have lunch (Seramban is known for its beef noodles) but once there we discovered there was a bus leaving in 15 minutes, or three hours. We took option A and after attending to a quick visit boarded a bus with a bright orange interior.

    The overall journey was unremarkable as much of the landscape was concealed by the row of trees that lined the highway. We reach Malacca with about 90 minutes to kill before check-in and we attend to our growling bellies first up. Checking in involves a rather convoluted process much akin to being in some kind of puzzle solving challenge. Receive a WhatsApp message, wait until a designated time, receive a code for a letterbox where you will find a key and further instructions. It was even a bit of a challenge finding the entrance to the building which is one of four in a complex that includes the Hilton Hotel.

    We have the key. We are on the 34th floor of what turns out to be the tallest building in Malacca complete with a Skydeck on the topmost or 45th floor.

    After settling in, a bit of a rest and freshening up, we head to the pool level to check it out then head out to explore the nearby Portuguese Settlement where I have seen that there is a picturesque bar at the end of a jetty. It's about a 20 minute walk and involves walking along a narrow track and crossing a rickety bridge across a small canal then through a neighbourhood where every house proudly wears a crucifix on its front wall. Obviously these are the descendants of the Portuguese settlers and a little further on we reach the waterfront eateries and bars part of town where every second establishment is Portuguese seafood. We are in no rush and will come back at some point in our stay. We are set upon by stall holders all touting for our custom. It is early in the evening and there is no-one else around to hassle; we are the only prey right now.

    The Jetty bar is in a lovely spot and we treat ourselves to a drink looking out over the mud flats in the shadow of our building. A big late lunch sees us through the evening lightly supplemented with a snack in front of a movie.    Read more

  • A Year of Living Awesomely
    Day 8

    Day 8, Melaka & The River Walk

    January 18 in Malaysia ⋅ 🌧 30 °C

    We head across the road for breakfast of roti canai and teh tarik. We have grown to like this tea which is strong, sweet and made using the long pour method which aerates and cools it slightly. Roti canai is a roti made fluffy and crispy and served with dahl.

    After a fair bit of research into using the local buses that got us basically nowhere, we decide the best and easiest way to get around will be by using Grab. Our driver lets us out at Stadthuys, a historical structure built by the Dutch in 1650 that now houses a museum complex.    Read more

  • A Year of Living Awesomely
    Day 9

    Day 9, Working Out the Kinks

    January 19 in Malaysia ⋅ ☁️ 31 °C

    We are searching for fruit. And I am having a massage at 11:00. So far in our neighbourhood we have come across quite a few mini marts. They are great if you are looking for snacks, soft drinks and a limited selection of personal care items but very little else.

    It is incredibly cheap to eat here but occasionally I want something lighter and we definitely want some fruit so we widen the search net. After breakfast we head out further afield and stop for cool drinks at a cafe where a bunch of food delivery drivers are pulled up. I really like the iced coffee but today I choose a lemon water.

    The massage is amazing. First of all your feet are washed and then an hour of absolute bliss. And only 68 RM which is about $22.

    We return to the same cafe for lunch and choose the buffet. One rice, one meat, one veg, one egg, 12 RM or $4.

    We strike out for the apartment by a different route, stopping firstly at an ATM, and are about to call it quits when we spot a small shop with bananas and pineapples out front. Enough to keep us going until we find something a bit bigger. We also buy a knife because there isn’t one in the apartment.

    We spend the afternoon resting and by the pool then order a Grab to head into Jonker Walk in time for dinner. This whole area is closed to traffic from 4:00pm on Fridays through Sundays. And the stalls are incredible. First up we try squid on skewers. Next up chicken pieces, then we come to a seafood stand and order the garlic ki g prawns. We finish off with a dessert called 8 treasures ice with an interesting mix of ingredients including corn kernels. It is strangely delicious. All up we spent $21    Read more

  • A Year of Living Awesomely
    Day 10

    A Cheap Day Chilling

    January 20 in Malaysia ⋅ ☁️ 26 °C

    Today was a rest day. We tried a different place for roti canai for breakfast, across the street for buffet lunch, then tried a Chinese place for dinner.

    It was raining lightly when we went down to the pool and it was rather lovely.

    I spent the time getting on top of my video editing    Read more

  • A Year of Living Awesomely
    Day 11

    Another Quiet Day, Great to Slow Down

    January 21 in Malaysia ⋅ ☁️ 31 °C

    We discovered today we need to be clearer when ordering. After I waited for my breakfast to come we twigged that they thought we meant just one breakfast total, whereas we thought we meant just one roti each. Never mind, I got my breakfast in the end.

    We spent the day relaxing, doing video editing, Duolingo, migrating footage from my GoPro and by the pool.

    We had lunch in a slightly more upmarket cafe and realised it was the first air conditioned place apart from the airport we had eaten at since landing in Singapore. Lunch was Char Kway Teow with a fried egg for me, and Nasi Lemak with chicken rending for Richard plus two nice icy fresh juices. All of this was 55 RM, a little more than we are typically spending but still great value by Australian standards at about $AU17

    We bought some items at the local minimart and had a simple dinner.    Read more

  • A Year of Living Awesomely
    Day 12

    Sunset at the Mosque

    January 22 in Malaysia ⋅ ☁️ 29 °C

    We went up to the pool for sunrise, with a little smoky haze it was quite dramatic. Had our usual breakfast then took it easy until 11:00 when Richard went for a massage while I continued doing some video editing.

    Lunch a bit on the pricey side today as Richard couldn’t resist the goat curry. I opted for fish with tempeh on the side. A bit of pool time in the afternoon and the we headed out to see the beautiful Melaka Straits Mosque at sunset.

    It’s like getting two shows in one, firstly the beautiful sunset. Richard is certain he saw one, maybe two sea otters. Then the call to prayer while the lights on the mosque slowly brighten as the light fades from the sky    Read more

  • A Year of Living Awesomely
    Day 13

    Off to the Markets

    January 23 in Malaysia ⋅ ☁️ 31 °C

    Today we are heading to the markets so it's up early and a Grab ride in to the Little India district where there is a small fresh produce market.

    Things are done differently here and I recall it was at about roughly this point in our travels in India many years ago that we chose to give up meat while there. Our constitutions are a little stronger now. Perhaps it comes with age. There is no refrigeration here and I don't see any ice either.

    The fish section is at least under cover. There are a couple of stalls where chickens are being butchered without such luxury. The remainder of the market is fruit and veg with one or two stalls selling packaged items.

    We stop by a stall selling fried dough balls and sticks. I recall seeing these in Chinatown in Sydney. I have no idea what they're called but I think they are sometimes eaten with congee.

    I do some videoing and then we head across the road in search of breakfast. I spot a place doing chicken and rice balls so we head on in. Absolutely delicious. We return to the market to buy some fruit, and I buy some thongs, before heading across to the river walk and back up towards Dutch Square where we order a Grab back to the apartment.

    We head out again for lunch and this time head for the clothing markets. Richard wants to buy a shirt to work out in. Our Grab lets us out in front of McDonalds and inspired by my colleague Matt in Hong Kong who did an entire virtual tour of a McDonalds, we go in to check out what's on offer. The first thing we notice is that we can eat far more cheaply in the kinds of places we have been than at Macca's but they do have some interesting menu items.

    Richard gets his shirt then we go in search of lunch. We find a place doing various versions of nasi goreng which will do just fine. We are also keen to find somewhere that sells plain, unsweetened yogurt and so we go in search of a supermarket since the mini markets so far haven't had anything like that. We find ourselves inside a big mall with lots of shiny well-known western stores such as MAC and Timberland and Bata but no supermarket. We'll try again tomorrow.    Read more

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