Today began in the cool air of the Cameron Highlands and ended in steamy Ipoh. Like the journey from Kuala Lumpur to the Highlands, the road was winding and at times steep. But where that earlier drive passed through largely undeveloped jungle that seemed ready to reclaim the pavement, today’s descent moved through highly cultivated farmland on noticeably more manicured … Read More
Cameron Highlands, Malaysia – Day 2
Today I experienced the Cameron Highlands in greater depth, both the wonderful and the not so wonderful. The less appealing aspect is that this is an extremely touristy area, largely catering to Malaysian visitors. The confluence of Chinese New Year and the start of Ramadan meant enormous crowds. We were repeatedly snarled in traffic jams, often coming to a complete … Read More
Cameron Highlands, Malaysia – Day 1
This morning, I met Thomas, my guide and driver for the next week as I head north. For the first hour the highway was wide, smooth, and efficient. Sitting in an air-conditioned car, it was easy to forget I am in the tropics. Gradually the skyscrapers thinned, replaced by stretches of palm oil plantations and low rolling hills. Once off … Read More
Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia – Day 3
Today I completed the second half of my hop-on-hop-off tour, which ventured beyond the city center into neighborhoods on the edges of Kuala Lumpur. An aside: this is the first city I’ve visited where the hop-on-hop-off service isn’t run by the familiar Big Red Bus company. Instead, a local operator runs the show. The contrast was striking, and not in … Read More
Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia – Day 2
Today I made two new friends and re-learned a skill. Neither was planned, and both made the day unexpectedly special. My original plan was simple: take both routes of the hop-on-hop-off bus and get an overview of Kuala Lumpur. It is an easy walk from my hotel to a tour stop, and along the way I passed through KLCC Park, … Read More
Transit Day – Singapore to Kuala Lumpur
Lots to say today, but not many photos. I flew from Singapore to Kuala Lumpur (KL). It’s a short flight, less than an hour, but it took most of the day. In 2030 this will change when new high-speed rail service will whisk travelers between the two cities in 45 minutes. It’s a distance of just over two hundred miles. … Read More
Singapore – Day 3
Thanks to my doctor, physical therapist, and a lot of work on my part, I was able to survive yesterday. I walked more in a single day (including stairs) than I used to be able to walk in a month. Mind you, much of it, especially the stairs, was at a snail’s pace, but even so… Here’s where all the … Read More
Singapore – Day 2
The weather forecast for today promised high humidity and thunder showers. It was right on both counts. After ten minutes outside, my curls rivaled Little Orphan Annie’s. The thunder shower, supposed to start at noon, held off until nearly six. I was grateful for that, but not entirely (I’ll explain later). After breakfast I took my first ride on the … Read More
Singapore – Day 1
The last time I was in Singapore, Clinton was president. I came here several times on business. To say that a lot has changed since then is an extreme understatement. In fact, it is because of all the changes that I wanted to return here. The truth is, I didn’t much like the old Singapore. Those were the days of … Read More
Medellin, Colombia – Day 3
The plan today was to go to a park, using the metrocable to get there. However the parks were not open. Instead, we decided to go downtown. I wanted to revisit the Boteros. For those of you unfamiliar with Fernando Botero, he was a Colombian artist, very famous for his sculpture and his paintings. He lived for much of his … Read More