malaysia, the wrap up

our comments and observations of malaysia:

• we don't find malaysians to be quite as shy as other south east asians. they are actually somewhat outgoing, very helpful, and incredibly friendly.
• malaysians provide excellent customer service. professionals in service industries seem to go out of their way to do a great job.
• we didn't encounter near as many western tourists in malaysia, as in other countries of the region.
• we find the cultural diversity of malaysia to be amazing. kuala lumpur seems to have multi-ethnic cuisine options that are endless. we find the different cuisines of malaysia to be outstanding and some of the best eating in south east asia.
• kuala lumpur also has almost 52,000 street hawkers, or food stalls. being huge fans of street food, we just couldn't get enough of it.
• kuala lumpur is choke full of western-style restaurants such as mcdonalds, burger king, kfc, pizza hut, dunkin donuts, subway, and starbucks. mcdonalds is so incredibly popular that they offer 24 hour delivery with no minimum order for a 3 ringitt fee, or $1 usd. unreal
• malaysia lacks proper sidewalks.
• when david isn't nearby, they speak to me in malay…
• beer in malaysia the most expensive we've come across in south east asia, with a large bottle starting at about $4.00, and running as much as $10.00 a bottle in trendy restaurants in kuala lumpur.
• we love milk tea! we succeeded in our mission to drink it every day while in malaysia.
• malay chile peppers are actually edible and aren't nearly as "burn your face off" hot as the nearby thai chile peppers.
• malaysia is a safe country to travel. the country has some of the stiffest laws in south east asia and punishes drug trafficking with the death penalty.
• to the traveler, malaysia seems to be a bit more refined than other south east asian countries.
• malaysia is in the process of eliminating squat toilets. many toilet stalls come complete with instructions on how to sit instead of squat on the toilet seat. one set of instructions even stated, "you are not a bird". david once noticed a set of footprints on a toilet seat where the last user obviously did not read the posted instructions…
• malaysia is a wired country, with wifi being everywhere and readily available.
• english is widely spoken in malaysia - it even appears to be some malaysian's first and primarily used language.
• malaysians are rather aggressive drivers. unlike their thai neighbors, malaysians are not apt to allow pedestrians to cross.
• decent budget accommodations are difficult to come by in malaysia. a double room with a private bath costs more than $20 per night - considerably more than other countries in the region.
• things in malaysia cost a bit more than the other south east asian countries we've been to. you don't get as much bang for your ringitt, but the costs of food, touring, and transportation is still considered cheap to western travelers.

what things cost in malaysia:

• a/c double room with private bath at heeren inn in melaka $23.00
• milk tea $0.35
• large bottled water $0.60
• fresh tomato juice $0.50
• fresh brewed coffee $0.75
• lime juice with plum $0.60
• 12 oz can of diet coke $0.55
• a curry chicken samosa $0.30
• indian chicken tandoori and nan plate $2.50
• a nice seafood dinner for 2 at a chinese restaurant $12.00
• dim sum breakfast for 2 in penang $6.00
• large bottle of beer $4.00
• roti canai $0.50
• banana leaf indian set lunch $1.50
• curry mee $1.10
• fish ball soup $1.75
• chicken rice ball set $1.50
• admission to a chinese clan house $1.00
• admission to penang museum $1.00
• admission to the canopy walk on penang hill $1.50
• a five hour bus ride from penang to kuala lumpur $10.00
• a short ride on the kl monorail $0.60
• a shave and a haircut $5.00
• postcards $0.25 each
• postage to the usa $0.18
• wifi service at the guesthouse $1.50 per day
• a malay headscarf $4.00
• crystal earrings $3.00
• the malaysia mask $32.00
• a hand-made change purse $2.00

what's next?

we're currently in the city of melaka. tomorrow we'll board a 4 hour bus that will take us across the bridge (border) and into singapore - where we'll spend our last few days in south east asia. we'll be in touch…

alina