The first full day in Malaysia begins, as it should, with breakfast.
Kim's sister Hong takes us to a coffee shop near her home.
Now this coffee shop is much different from the way I understood a coffee shop to be. Here, a coffee shop is a place owned by someone who provides things like coffee and tea (in many different variations), as well as juices and other such beverages. They also rent out space within their coffee shop to hawkers, who have their carts and offer different foods. As well, you will note from the photo on the right, this place, like most we will go to, is open to the street. No air conditioning here, however ceiling fans and wall mounted fans are in great abundance.
So in we go, order and pay for our drinks (I quite like Malaysian milk tea), and then make the rounds of the hawkers selecting what we would like to eat, We order something from one, something else from another, indicating what table we are at. When the food is ready the hawker will bring it over to the table, we pay them, and proceed to enjoy our meal. Certainly a different type of process from what I was used to, but I like it. Along with the food we get from the hawkers we also get great chats and friendly exchanges as we order our food and then when they bring it to the table. A very relaxed atmosphere, even when the shop is busy.
During our breakfast I am also getting to know Hong, my sister-in-law. Although neither of us is particularly good in the other's language (her English is miles better than my Mandarin), we are still learning about each other and getting along famously. She is eager to teach me about her neighbourhood, as well as the local day to day lifestyle, and I am looking forward to learning, so it is an excellent opportunity for each of us.
Keeping in mind that I am writing about the early days of our Malaysian Adventure after being here for more than two weeks I think I can perhaps, at times, better describe my thoughts and feelings as I have had some reflection on events. Regardless, I hope that I can impart to my readers a feel of this adventure, because it still is. As we proceed, you will as well have an opportunity to meet the Malaysian members of our family and learn more about them.
Although breakfast may seem like a small event, it was a significant beginning of the learning process.
We will continue our day in the next post.
Before continuing with our Malaysian Adventure there is something that I would like to explain. There is a term that Chinese often use to describe a foreign man, particularly a Caucasian from Europe or North America. The term is Qwai Lo (or Qui Lo), meaning variously "ghost person" or "white devil", but referring to the pale complexion, sometimes blond or red hair and blue or green eyes of Caucasians. The term is utilized in similar forms in both Mandarin and Cantonese (Mandarin is the primary Chinese language in Malaysia and Singapore). Sometimes it is spoken in a derogatory form, however more often is it more a description than anything else. I was introduced to the term when I first met Kim in 1997 and I often use the term when referring to myself as do my friends and family.
In the last posting we traveled by car from KL to Melaka (also spelt Malacca). Now, as a Qwai Lo, I tend to be larger than most Chinese and therefore all insist that I sit in the front passenger seat of the vehicle whenever we go anywhere. One of the things that I did not mention was that the front passenger seat in Cynthia's car is defective, the seat back is permanently at about a 45 degree angle, which makes for a rather unique seating position. The solution is that as I enter the vehicle, two pillows are placed behind my back by the driver and then I am able to sit reasonably vertical and put on my seat belt. Of course this took a while to figure out so the initial travel (the trip to Melaka) was a bit interesting to say the least.
Once we arrived in Melaka we picked Cynthia up from work (and yes, don't know how we did it, but we got another person in the car with all the luggage), swung by their apartment so that she could shower and change and then headed over to our place of residence in Melaka. Kim's brother Ming has a house in Melaka where he stays when visiting and that's where we stay as well. Right next door is Kim's sister Hong and her daughter Ah Kim as well as her son and his family. To my great relief, Cynthia greeted me almost as a long lost father and Hong greeted me as a long lost brother. It was quite a feeling.
We had no sooner done some serious greeting, and gotten our bags into the house, when we were off to our first night market. Well, not really. We were off to where a night market was getting set up so that we could have some food. In the photos you can see the night market getting set up, a couple of food vendors (called hawkers), Kim and Cynthia picking out some food for us to eat and Kim, Cynthia and Henry getting ready to eat. As is the case with most of the photos you will see in these blog posts I am behind the camera, however I do sneak around in front from time to time.
After dinner we returned to the house and continued with some serious visiting finally getting to bed on our first night in Malaysia around 11 pm. I figure that was pretty darn good seeing as how we landed in Hong Kong around 6 am after a 13 hour flight from Vancouver and then landed in KL around 12:30 pm and arriving in Melaka about 4 pm. One might say it was a longish day.
Stay tuned, there will be more to come as we get caught up on our Malaysian Adventure.
Finally we touch down in Malaysia at the Kuala Lumpur International Airport. Kim is excited and frankly, I am really not sure what to expect. She is going into familiar territory, I am not. How will I be accepted by her family. I am sure that I felt pretty much the same way as Kim did when she was about to meet my mother for the first time, although she had a bit of a head start as she had already met my kids, sister and brother.
We deplane, following the signs going up ramps, down stairs, finding and taking a train, then up stairs, down hallways until we reach immigration control. We provide our passports, stand quietly as they are scrutinized, then stamped and returned. Now off down the hallway and, lo & behold, we have arrived at the luggage carousel (along with all three hundred and some from our aircraft). Seems our baggage took a much more circuitous route than we as it was a good long wait before the first bag from the plane made its appearance. And wouldn't you know it, the chap standing beside me was happy as it was his bag, and he was gone. We waited, and waited, and waited. More bags appeared. Finally we saw the first of our bags, all of which I had specially marked with duct tape, as per "Red Green" (sorry, not all my friends will understand this reference but you can Google it). The second bag made its appearance after some time and then, wowzers, along came bag number three. Not only had Kim and I arrived, but all our luggage had as well. A celebratory moment indeed!
Now off to customs where we, and all other passengers, were waved through the area without even slowing down.
Now came our next challenge. Kim's daughter Cynthia had sent her boyfriend Henry to Kuala Lumpur (from this point on referred to as KL) to pick us up. The challenge, not having met we only had photos to go by, and one knows how accurate they can be at times. There were not a lot of Chinese ladies with western husbands however so Henry spotted us before we spotted him. After greetings came another challenge (sorry is this is sounding like Amazing Race). Cars in Malaysia generally are considerably smaller than cars in Canada. For example, a Toyota Corolla would be considered fairly large, a Prius about average (although I don't think either one is really sold here under those names). So now it is time to show some real imagination and shoehorn our three checked luggage, two carry-ons, a computer bag and a purse into Henry's Proton Saga. Good thing there were only three passengers. Whew!
Prior to getting all the baggage in the car one of my immediate actions was to unpack my trusty Nikon from my carry-on bag so that I could be ready to put it to work.
Now it was off on a drive of about an hour and a half to the city of Melaka, our final destination. I am including a few shots taken on the trip from KL to Melaka.
Upon our arrival there we completed a journey spanning approximately 13,800 km and 28.5 hours since we left our home in Edmonton.
Next - we have arrived.
First stop outside of Canada on our trip was Hong Kong, where we would connect with our flight to Kuala Lumpur.
As we deplaned it was only the second time that I had set foot outside of Canada or the United States going to a foreign destination. The first was in 2011 when I went to Geneva, Switzerland for a Kiwanis International convention. After leaving the plane we followed the instructions and found that we had to leave the secure area so that we could go through security again to make our connection. Not exactly sure how that works, however it does benefit the beverage industry as we had to divest ourselves of any bottles prior to re-entry.
After re-entry we then checked where we should go for our connection and discovered there was a considerable distance from where we were located to our departure gate. Thankfully, a Cathay Pacific golf cart driver picked us up, along with an elderly Chinese lady travelling to Viet Nam, and drove us, seemingly forever, to our gate. As our connecting flight was only two hours after arrival it would have been a grueling trek on foot methinks.
As it was quite early in the morning there were few stores open in the airport, which for the most part was good as buying things at the beginning of an adventure is something to be avoided. There was, however, a Chinese restaurant open and we were able to have a light dim sum as we waited.
Soon it was time to board and we settled into our seats for the 4 hour flight to Kuala Lumpur. Once again, we were flying Cathay Pacific, and they did not disappoint.
Next we touch down in Malaysia.
As many people know, a trip does not start when one checks in at the airport, or drives away from the house. It begins, quite often, months in advance as plans are made, tickets are purchased (in February for us), when holidays are booked at work.
Then, in the days prior to departure, the house is a flurry of activity, the living room looks like a bargain bin (after the shoppers have departed), as suitcases are packed, not so much with clothes for the trip, but with gifts and items not available in Malaysia for the family. Each bag must be carefully packed, then weighed so as not to be over the 50 pound limit for the airline.
Finally the day arrives. My daughter and her husband had volunteered to drive us to the airport. It took a bit of work but we managed to get the two of them, the two of us, three checked luggage, two carry-on bags, a computer bag (for where would I be without my technology) and a purse into their vehicle and off we went.
At the airport we checked in (all three bags almost exactly 50 pounds), breezed through security, found the proper gate and sat down to await our WestJet flight to Vancouver.
Upon arriving in Vancouver we had four hours between flights. Not an issue. I prefer a longer time between flights as it cuts down on connection issues. Besides, after twenty years in the military I was quite familiar with the "hurry up and wait" mentality and have no issue with waiting.
On schedule, we boarded our Cathay Pacific flight and took off for a 13 hour trip across the Pacific. I have to say that although long, this was the best flight I have ever experienced. The cabin crew were exemplary, always there to ensure that we were comfortable and seemingly psychic, knowing when we would like a drink or a snack.
Next, we arrive in Asia.
Two weeks into our trip I received encouragement to create a blog as I had been posting frequently to Facebook and friends were enjoying reading and following our trip.
In order to do this in the "proper" way (I think), I will include some posts to kind of get caught up to the present time. I will do this by referring to my Facebook posts and adding memories and feelings resulting from those activities.
I warn all in advance, there will be a considerable amount of reference to food, mainly because it is so varied, and so delicious, across this country. I have been accused (in jest) of eating my way across Malaysia. This is not entirely inaccurate, however I am actually eating less than I did in Canada, but more often. So instead of having one big meal at the end of the day along with chips and other snacks, we are having three to four small meals spaced throughout our day. That, combined with much walking, has caused me to lose some weight. How much, I don't know, but the belt needs to be tightened a notch or two to keep my shorts on.
Soon I will begin, with our departure from Canada.
