The Kinabatangan is Sabah’s longest river and the second-longest in all of Malaysia. It is a wide, muddy, fast-moving stretch of water that begins in the mountains of southwest Sabah and spills out into the Sulu Sea 563 km. later. While the upper reaches of the river have been severely affected by logging, the areas … More Cruising the Kinabatangan River in Search of Borneo’s Big Five
Borneo is well-known for its incredible wildlife, with a number of animals that are endemic, endangered and totally engaging. They are probably one of the main reasons tourists make the trek here. Let’s start with the proboscis monkey. This arboreal old-world monkey looks to have been a collaboration between Salvador Dali and a group of … More Hanging Out with the Red Rockets in Borneo
Cameron Highlands was one part of our trip we were really looking forward to, in part because there would be a 10-15 degree drop in temperature and in part because we had such fond memories of staying near a tea plantation in Munnar, India. We had scenes like this one in mind and we weren’t … More Cameron Highlands: The High Cost of Tea
When massive tin deposits were discovered in the Kinta Valley in the 1880’s, the town of Ipoh grew rapidly, creating great wealth and numerous millionaires. The many fabulous colonial-era homes and buildings of modern-day Ipoh are a testament to that heady time. One hundred years later, tin prices collapsed and many mines closed. Ipoh went … More Tin City: The Rise and Fall and Rise Again of Ipoh.
Over the years, Stephen and I have both had our share of unique barbershop/salon experiences while travelling. I usually come away with a no-style older-lady do that does nothing for me but trim up the rough edges. But nothing could have prepared us for the beating Stephen took two days ago at a barbershop picked … More Smackdown in Penang
There are many reasons Penang is well-known – fabulous street food, long-standing history of Malay, Chinese, Indian, and British citizens and its UNESCO-anointed capital city George Town, aka “Pearl of the Orient“. But one of the most entertaining aspects of visiting this Malaysian island it to play the “Where’s Waldo?” game of hunting down famous … More Chasing Murals in Penang
We were so looking forward to our week in Langkawi, attracted in part by Lonely Planet’s assessment that “Langkawi is synonymous with tropical paradise and for good reason.” Perhaps we should have looked closer at that copy (circa 1982, reprinted 2013), and realized that a lot can change in even 13 years. We started out … More Langkawi – We Wanted to Love You
Raffles Hotel, like much of Singapore, began life modestly as a 10-room inn in 1887. From there, it grew and expanded, attracting a colourful clientele with the likes of Somerset Maugham, Rudyard Kipling and Noel Coward warming the barstools in the famous Writer’s Bar. Named after British diplomat and founder of modern Singapore, Sir Stamford … More Fables and Fantasy in Singapore
We were so excited to include Singapore in our travels, but we were also prepared for a spendier excursion. Singapore’s reputation as one of the world’s most expensive cities preceded a visit here; an island filled with glass towers and deluxe shopping malls. It is all of that, of course. We saw a sign posted … More Singapore: Nothing Like We Expected!
After the clang and clamour of Kuala Lumpur, it has been a welcome respite to spend a few days in the beautiful coastal city of Melaka. The Melaka River bisects the city and is both representative of its trading past and its tourism future. Back in the 14th century, Melaka began as a major trade … More Melaka: A River Runs Through It
Leaving Ourselves Behind 