Malaysia: We found our paradise - even on a budget!

Yes, we like Malaysia. As soon as we started to land we already felt more comfortable than in Indonesia - well, cannot be any worse can it?:) We arrived in Kuala Lumpur, a really cool city and we have seen the twin towers, Chinatown and Little India. Lovely people and lots of cultural stuff here. And we also had our first feet therapy - little fishes eating our dead skin (sounds yummy doesn`t it?!) - We both laughed like chickens, cause it`s tickling really badly, but it was such a great thing to do!

At the beginning it seemed FAR TOO LONG to spend 2 weeks in Malaysia (for us super-quick backpackers, as we tried to sort out Raf´s visa for India), but in the end we fell in love with this country, in any sense. The food is great (you can see this as well when you check out the latest pics, as we put on some pounds...:)), the people are absolutely charming and friendly. Still shocked by the Indonesia culture, Malaysia is another world.

Cameron Highlands is an absolute highlight. We stayed in one of our favourite places so far, Fathers Guesthouse, a bit uphill in a nice remote area where you can really chill out and enjoy movies and good food. The tea plantation is like on a postcard, you cannot see any other colour than green and even I drank tea (once in a lifetime experience:)) We also did some nice hiking with another German girl we met at Cameron Highlands and the local farmers don`t hesitate to give you a lift on their little trucks to get back to town. As we still have a few days "to kill" we decided to go to Penang/Georgetown, a little ferry ride from the mainland on the west coast of Malaysia. We, again, stayed in a great place, Stardust, and had the biggest room ever so far! 2 huge double beds just for us...oh yes...even better than home:)
Georgetown is a very historic and cultural city with lots of temples. We even had two private guides, one from a lovely Muslim man who explained us the daily prayers` procedure (with me dressed like a little Muslim follower, check out the pics on facebook!) and one from a slightly drunk Chinese chap (who still had a bottle of whiskey hidden in his pocket). At least we learned how to pray in Muslim and Buddhist style, very interesting cultures. Our personal highlight in Georgetown was Keh Lok Seh temple. The biggest and most interesting temple/site we have seen so far! And now we know that I am a pig and Raf is a monkey (who would have guessed??? - all based on the Chinese horoscope!)

We also headed to Melakka for a short trip / 1 night, a well-known historic city, occupied by the Dutch, Portugese and English, so a real European / Malay mix.

We had a great time there, well, apart from the little slide down the stairs. Yes, I managed to slip when I walked down the stairs of our hostel that I could hardly breathe and thought my back fell apart. But after "nurse Raf" put a few plasters on the wound and I had a cold beer at night, it all was less painful.
Making our way back to KL, Raf successfully managed to get a stamp in his passport - India here we come!! And then....finally: The Pearl of Paradise - Pualau Perhentian.

We did not expect too much at all and were not sure if it `s only a real touristy place with a random beach. We were wrong. It was like in a movie, a real paradise where you feel like a different person.

We stayed in Matahari Chalets (a small bungalow only for us!) and enjoyed every second. The sun was very strong, the water was crystal clear, a few water taxis were crusing around and you could have dinner right next to the sea. It was a dream, somewhere everyone should spend their honeymoon (I am not saying anything!). We also did a great snorkeling trip where we spotted turtles, coral reefs and lots of different, colourful fish (Rafi even held Nemo in his hand! - briefly - ) and .....SHARKS! - no, we did not try to play Leonardo Di Caprio in the Beach, they are actually sharks, but small ones and don`t attack humans (we were told!). It was an amazing experience to swim with the sharks and fish and we felt a little bit like heroes:)
After 2 wonderful nights/days we needed to leave this little beauty and headed towards the border of Thailand...

Arielle and Nemo (above sea level)

Indonesia: Rocco Rocco Rocco!! Kopi Kopi Kopi!!!

After 2 nights in Singapore we took Jetstar (comfortable flight for about 3 hours and then the longest 10 seconds in the world as we went in a little thunderstorm and thought "this is it"!!!) - anyway - after our arrival we checked out the taxis and realised that we need to pay twice as much as we expected (not speaking about the arrival fee of 25US Dollars!).

First night, we stayed in Sanur, hotel was nice (finally a double room with ensuite, oh my god!!) and the town itself is not as touristy as other places. We then went to Kuta, which occasionally feels a bit like Ibiza for the budget traveller. It`s a very touristy area and everyone rips you off where they can (fair enough!) - example: we took a taxi to our hotel and he said "you can find your hotel round the corner" - well there was a corner, but no hotel. When we asked the locals they said it s another hour to walk. (WTF?!!) - But we learnt our lesson (one of many...!)
BUT - the long walk (and we did not dare taking another taxi!) was worth it, the hotel is really nice, and we feel like posh backpackers. We stay in Balisani Padma (for 11 Dollars!), swimming pool with bar, really BIG rooms with balcony and a minibar. What a paradise!! However, when you walk through the streets you always get the same questions "brum brum? wanna rent a motorbike? yes massage?" - they try to sell you everything and anything. "no thanks" does not count as they repeat it all over again.

We then headed to Denpassar to catch a bus to Probolingo, where Gunung Bromo, an active vulcano can be seen! We took one of the local busses with air-con (well, it did not work, so we just tried not to pass out!) which takes around 9 hours to arrive in Probolingo, the village where you start your journey to Gunung Bromo, an active volcano. After a dreadful few hour journey, we took a ferry to cross to Java (where we saw a few sailors with boats that seemed like "self made" ones). After a few more hours, a heavy thunderstorm and lighting hit us and when we stopped for dinner all the electricity went off (and we nearly wetted our pants!). We can say that "thunderstorms" here are different to what we know from Europe...SCARY MAN!!

Anyway, in Probolingo they dropped us off a different stop to all other (local) people where the bus driver introduced us to his friend (and left us there!) who tried to sell us a tour. Well, in the end we were not convinced and stayed one night in Probolingo (our hostel was a real shithole) where we woke up at 2am cause a big carneval celebration went ahead (just in front of our hostel of course!). The next day we checked out a few other places and finally went with another tour operator. We stayed one night in Joshis Guesthouse, absolutely great, although awful decoration. It is run by a German lady and her indonesian husband (strange combination). Food was excellent and the room was nice. We then got off at 4am (for a change!) to see the sun rise of Gunung Bromo, absolutely AMAZING!!!

We were both really stunned by the beauty of nature...After that our jeep driver (Michael Schumacher is nothing compared to him!) drove us to the actual volcano (well not literally in there!) where we could walk to the edge (try not to slip...) with other stunning views of the mountains, the landscape of Bromo....A picture to die for...

After our great day trip we had a pick up with 3 other Germans from Berlin to go to Borobodur / Yogyakarta. We had a personal driver who drove just the 5 of us (for 9 hours!) to Yogya. Oh my God - Indonesians know how to drive...after Gunung Bromo THIS driver was even "better". No rules, just like a battlefield - overtaking wherever, whenever and whatever. Although air-conditioned, we were sweating like it had 30 degrees in the car - I guess this is their way to drive but seriously, worse than Naples!! :)

We finally arrived after another LONG and stressful journey where we stayed in Yogya to go to Borrobodur the next day. We made our own way there and the temple, which is the biggest Buddhist temple in the world, was another big highlight. Absolutely worth it, but a shame we did not know much what it meant (well, wikipedia should do). We also saw a few monks who did their prayers, and we were amazed about this really peaceful place.

After these hightlights, we had our personal highlight, although we did not know (yet). Of course, the two tourists decided to go for the cheaper economy train to Jakarta for 2 Euros per person and 11 hours. Too good to be true. Well, true it was but good...no. We realised that the train has a certain number of seats and approximately double the numer of passengers. Which means, 1/3 sat on the floor (dirty with all the rubbish lying around) and the rest is squeezed together. We even needed to pay somebody who worked on the train to get a seat (seperate ones). Very sceptical about the whole thing, the party started..."rocco rocco rocco (which means smoke/cigarettes)....kopi kopi kopi (which means coffee)" - a few dozen people walked from one side to the other trying to sell ANYTHING AND EVERYTHING...it was loud, everyone smoked, and us two, the only tourists who are on the train. GREAT IDEA! ...the hours passed...and the train stood still...for hours...after a while we realised that we were delayed..for 6 hours! CAN IT BE ANY WORSE?? Yes it can. People started to beg for money and what was worst, SING for money, with a lound amp and a voice to run away...! It was all very surreal, absurd, unbelievable. We counted the minutes...After a neverending journey we finally reached Jakarta, after we have seen many slums, tents and wrecked houses where people are living, tons of rubbish everywhere. Not a nice pictures, but reality.
A very nice woman helped us to get a local bus to Gambir station, where we wanted to find accomondation...We thought it was all over, but then a gang (called 2000 - 2000 guys who run a kind of Camorra metropole here) got on the bus, saying something in indonesia, scary guys with bruises on the arms. We got told to give them money, otherwise we get into trouble. Well, that s welcome to the capital! Anyway, after a last night in Indonesia/Jakarta we took the plane to Malaysia...and we feel so much better, safer and comfy here to be honest.
Raf & Mel (safe again)

Singapore: We love restaurants...

We cannot believe we were in Australia a few days ago, as THIS seems like a total new world here. Singapore is very developed, big skyscrapers, lots of business people, a great metro system and absolutely stunning food! It`s a bit like a slap in the face when you get off the plane as it suddenly has 30 -40 degrees and the air stands still. As we arrived at midnight we needed (AGAIN) to sleep at the airport, slightly uncomfortable - but hey, we are already used to it. We stayed in a very nice hostel though - aircon rooms (it s like gold...!) and nice people. First thing we did - checking out the cheap places to eat. Chinatown and Little India are great for good and cheap food, you pay 2 euros or less and get noodles with seafood (like heaven!).

We met a really nice couple from Germany and went together to see a few Buddha and Hindu temples, absolutely surreal when you enter and you feel like a little ant next to a 20 meter Buddha! Being in Singapore, we were looking forward to the rest of Southeastasia, as it seemed a great place on earth to travel.
Raf and Mel aka. "noodlemania"