Bye, Bye Malaysia

Nu är det snart dags att säga hej då till Malaysia. Malaysia har varit regnigt, fullt av svenskar och avslappnande. Fick reda på att de enda direktflygen till langkawi går från moskva och stockholm, så det är kanske inte så märkligt att man hör svenska överallt här. Jag gillar fortfarande att träffa svenskar och att få prata lite svenska men misstänker att charmen med det kommer lägga sig i Thailand där det troligtvis är ännu fler svenskar... 

My friend from Taiwan, Sabrina

Black sand beach (without black sand)

One of the many waterfalls

Petrona towers

Petrona towers

Penang

Så vad har jag gjort i malaysia? Jag har sett kuala lumpur, penang och langkawi. Langkawi var helt klart min favorit av de tre. Vad jag gillar mest med Malaysia är alla glada och hjälpsamma människor. En dam skjutsade mig till exempel till thailändska ambassaden i penang för att hon tyckte det skulle vara för långt för mig att gå. Känns som folk här är genuint intresserade av att hjälpa en så att man får en så bra upplevelse av landet som möjligt, det gillar jag!

En av alla strander pa Langkawi

På tal om hjälpsamma människor så träffade jag just en sån idag. Hyrde moppe och åkte runt i regnet tills jag kom fram till lyxhotellet dentai. Dentai beach är känt som en av de bästa stränderna på ön langkawi men hela stranden är ockuperad av lyxhotell. Var dyngsur när jag kom fram till hotellet och gick in till receptionen för att fråga om jag kunde få se stranden. De sa att det gick bra men att någon ur personalen var tvungna att eskortera mig dit. Fick åka golfbil med en pratglad kille som berättade om dentai och som försökte lära mig lite malai och thai. Vi såg stranden och sedan visade han mig runt på området. De håller just nu på att bygga villor nere vid stranden, från sovrummet kan man hoppa direkt ner i poolen. Så enormt lyxigt ut, speciellt i kontrast till mitt 20personers sovsal med fällsängar. Tar en kaffe här och låtsas att jag är här på lyxsemester. Kaffet kostar för övrigt lika mycket som en natt på mitt hostel och min kaka blev snodd och uppäten av en apa. Låtsas att jag njuter men måste erkänna att jag känner mig mer avslappnad i mitt 20mannarum.

Min sovsal

Imorgon tar jag färjan till Thailand. Mitt första stopp blir inte krabi som det var tänkt utan koh lipe. Skulle boka biljett till krabi och killen i kassan frågade varför jag ville dit, vore inte koh lipe bättre? Surfade och frågade runt om denna lilla thailändska ö och gillade vad jag fick höra. Verkar vara en dyr ö men en mycket avslappnande sådan. Så nu bokades biljett dit och det visade sig att en kille från hostelet också ska dit. Skoj med resesällskap. Om det är någon som har några ideer på vad man bör se, göra eller vart man kan bo så tar jag gärna emot tips!

För övrigt har jag inga planer alls framöver. Ska försöka stanna på ett ställe en vecka eller så för att inte göra av med så mycket pengar på resor samt för att kunna slappna av ordentligt. Har även försökt samla på mig tips från andra backpackers. Verkar som östsidan är bäst så dit ska jag försöka ta mig. Är även lite sugen på att testa dykning men vi får se vad pengarna räcker till. 

On a bus to Paneng

Leaving Kuala Lumpur today. Came to this country because I wanted beaches and to go swimming. So how did I end up on a bus from one city to another city? I will only spend two nights in paneng and then go to the island langwaki which is a famous resort also for Malaysian tourists. It is supposed to be a huge island with a lot of things to see and to do. As long as they have a beach and a few hours of sun then I'll be happy. 

It is starting to feel a little bit lonely travelling alone. Because even though I meet nice people all the time and usually have someone to hang out with it's still not the same as hanging out with people you know. I really like being on a long trip like this but I would prefer to travel together with someone. 

I'm hoping I'll meet some people in Thailand who I can hang out with. Maybe I'll get to speak some Swedish and enjoy the sun at the same time. Feels like it might have been a bad time to go to Malaysia right in he middle of the monsoon but on the other hand it might be less crowded and that's always nice. 

I'm fascinated by this country and how extremely different it is in comparison to Nepal. Malaysia is similar to Sweden in so many ways but the only similarities to Nepal are cheap food and the heat.

Maybe I could find a good beach and stay in Malaysia for a few weeks? It would be nice to stay in one place, but on the other hand it's nice to see as much as possible and I quite like travelling by bus and train (not a big fan of airports). We'll see what'll happen. Maybe I'll really like langwaki or paneng and stay there or I'll leave and feel right at home talking to Swedish people and having drinks by the beach. Sounds alright to me!

Back in Sweden?

Twin Towers in Kuala Lumpur

Feels like I've just arrived to a modern version of Stockholm. Here I thought that Malaysia and Thailand would be poor undeveloped countries pretty similar to Nepal, but it looks like I was wrong. 

Flying in over kuala lumpur by night was almost as beautiful as flying out of the Himalayas. The ground was cowered in lights and the sky lit up by lightening, it was amazing! 

Today I've been touristing in Kuala Lumpur (also known as KL). Walked around all day with on of the guys at my hostel. Had a great day and it feels like we managed to see all the main tourist attractions. However, I was most impressed by a huge shopping mall because it felt so different from everything I've seen in Nepal. Felt like home at the same time as it felt like i saw a shopping mall for the very first time. I got really excited about it and started to take a lot of pictures. Not as impressed by the twin towers or the view over the city but still took some pictures of it.

Shopping mall in Kuala Lumpur - impressive

Twin Towers - not as impressive

Kuala Lumpur

Think I'll stay here one more day before I head to a beach in Malaysia (or Thailand). The plan for tomorrow is to figure out where to go next. Any ideas on the most amazing beach in Thailand or Malaysia? Otherwise I guess the best thing is to just ask around and read up on it in one of the guide books. Miss you all back in Sweden, see you in December!

By the way, I have now updated a few of the latest blog posts with pictures.

Going to Thailand

Ever since my family left, Nepal has been a bit lonely. I do have people to hang out with here and I have kept busy by doing nothing. I have spent some time with my friend John who I met in Slovenia last summer. I've also met some Swedish people when I went to rebook my flight ticket. It felt good to speak Swedish again and I have now decided to go to Thailand after Nepal. Thailand will work as a good mix of familiar and exotic. I'm guessing there will be plenty of opportunities for me to speak Swedish in Thailand. Usually I would hate to be surrounded by swedes while travelling but right now I can't think of anything better than that. I'll still meet some locals and other tourists I'm sure so it will still be vacation abroad. Hopefully there will be sun and amazing beaches as well, which I'm sure I wouldn't get if I went straight back to Sweden now.

So the plan right now is to (hopefully) fly out to Bangkok on Wednesday, and then go to some of the islands. If you know any good beaches or other places in Thailand then please let me know! I've heard that it might be rainy right now in Thailand so if I get tired of that i might go to some of the bordering countries and do some sightseeing. I still haven't figured it all out yet and I think I prefer to have it that way. A friend of mine laughed yesterday when I showed him the planning I'd done for this week. Saturday: read in the park, Sunday: read in a cafe and book tickets for Thailand and back to Sweden, Monday: meet a friend, tuesday: lunch with a friend, Wednesday: Thailand?
To my friend it seemed ridiculous to write these things down but I like to have things structured and to know that I'm allowed (or even supposed to) just relax. But I do agree that I don't have the busiest schedule right now...

My sister has all good pictures from their visit but I'll try to get them from her and upload some of them here. By the way, my camera is impossible to upload pictures from onto a computer. Therefore, no new pictures for a while. I'll try to fix it but I'm not too optimistic about it...

Miss Sweden, the grey weather, my family and my friends. What I most of all want to do right now is to go back home but I know I'd regret it if I did. It's just a month left and if I can spend that month on a beach, swimming and reading then I guess I shouldn't complain, right?

Last days with my family

Sista dagarna med familjen spenderades i kathmandu. Vi flög från Pokhara och hade fantastisk utsikt över Himalaya. Dagen spenderade vi med att turista i en festivalfylld stad. Det är diwali(även kallat tihar) som firas nu. Som bekant har nepaleserna en hel del festivaler, denna festival var uppdelad i olika delar. En dag var hundens dag, en dag kråkans och sista stora dagen var brödernas dag. Men mest av allt firas laxmi, som är en av de största gudinnorna inom hinduismen. Hon är gudinnan för välfärd och pengar. Samtidigt firade urinvånarna (newari) sitt nyår, nu är det år 1133 i newari år, 2069 i nepali år och 2012 i europeiska år. Smidigt och inte det minsta förvirrande, eller?...

Gott nytt 1133!

Jattedockor valkomnar oss utanfor hotellet

Konstverk av tikka finns i varje gathorn

Kathmandu

Julljus for att fira diwali

Sju olikfargade prickar har man i pannan under denna festival

Fullt pa gatorna

Det var folk som dansade på flak inne i stan, ljus tända och vackra målningar på gatorna. Vackert men om man tyckt kathmandu varit högljutt och kaosartat innan så var det inget mot hur det var nu. Vi lyckade trots allt festivalande att göra en hel del shopping, se durbar square i både kathmandu och bakthapur, se apor i swayambhu templet och att besöka min värdesyster och hennes man. Vi var effektiva och det var skoj att ha någon att göra saker tillsammans med.  Nu har familjen precis lämnat mig och även om kvällen känns tung så tror jag att det kommer kännas bättre imorgon. Jag har värdsystern och en annan kompis här som jag kan umgås med, vilket känns bra. Jag är alltså inte helt ensam trots allt. Dessutom är nepaleser de snällaste människor man kan träffa. Ikväll gick jag och pratade med en tjej som jag träffade på gatan och blev sen bjuden på te av hotellpersonalen som tyckte jag såg ledsen ut. Alla tar hand om varandra här och inkluderar istället för exkluderar, vilket vi allt för ofta tenderar göra i Sverige.

Bakthapur

Bakthapur

Kathmandu

Kathmandu

Kathmandu

Mamma i Kathmandu

Maria i Kathmandu

Kathmandu

Kathmandu

Kathmandu

Kathmandu

Mamma i Kathmandu

Kathmandu

Poon Hill

Vandring med familjen till Poon Hill

Fem dagars vandring i Himalaya är nu över och vi är tillbaka i Kathmandu. Vandringen var molnig men bra ändå. Vi gick ca 6timmar om dagen upp och nerför stentrappor. Vi gick genom rhododendronskog och genom bergsbyar. Höjdpunkten skulle varit soluppgången från Poon Hill men efter en timmes vandring uppåt kunde vi bara se moln. Som tur var kunde vi se soluppgången från stugan där vi bodde på morgonen efter.

Maria, en molnig morgon pa Poon Hill

Soluppgang over bergen

Tyvärr blev både jag och Maria dåliga under de två sista dagarna av vandringen. Jag fick höjdsjukan och maria magsjuka. Höjdsjukan gjorde att vi var tvungna att gå ner 1000  höjdmeter och när jag vaknade på morgonen kändes det som jag knappt kunde lyfta benen, jag spydde och hade inga krafter alls. Guiden fick hålla i mig hela vägen ner och vi fick stanna på en sovpaus mitt på dagen, trots det orkade jag inte gå hela vägen. Som tur var fanns det bilväg en kort bit så vi hoppade in i en jeep och kunde på så vis korta ner vandringen med ca två timmar. Väl framme vid kvällens sovlodge så var det marias tur att bli dålig. Först trodde vi det berodde på jeepturen (som var aningen skumpig) men åksjuka brukar sällan hålla i sig en hel natt. Troligtvis var det en släng av magsjuka/matförgiftning som hon fått. Det gick som tur var snart över och nu mår båda jag och Maria prima!

Jag i vart kalla sovrum

Maria, i vart kalla sovrum

Vandringen tog på våra krafter och vi var nog alla rätt nöjda med att få åka tillbaka till Pokhara efter fem dagar vandring. I Pokhara gick vi i affärer, njöt av solen och fick välförtjänt massage. Jag sprang även på några av mina gamla trekking- och volontärsvänner. Mycket kul när man känner igen folk på gatan i dessa tidigare väldigt främmande städer. Det visar på hur litet Nepal är, eller så handlar det snarare om att alla turister åker till samma ställe...

Rhododenron skog

Fish Tail (ett vackert berg) syns om man tittar noga i mitten av bilden

Ett av manga vattenfall utmed vandringsstigen

Pappa och mamma i en av de kallaste lodgerna

Family Visit

My family has now been traveling with me in Nepal for the last 7 days. Feels nice to not travel alone and to have someone to share everything with. So what have we done so far? Well, on our first night together we went out for dinner with my volunteer friend Mike. I got some real food (pizza) and my family got to experience the touristy Kathmandu by sitting on the floor eating vegetarian food.

On day two we woke up early and took the bus to Chitwan. Got off in Narayangarth and went by taxi to my first host family in Rampur. My host family were very excited about us visiting and thought my family was "rambro chaa" = very beautiful. We also went to the orphanage where I spent my first month in Nepal and I have really missed those kids. Felt awful to leave them when I knew this time it would probably be the last time.

Day three we had a goodbye ceremony at the orphanage for me and then we said goodbye to my host family. We all got necklaces made by flowers and we were given enough tikka to make us look like warriors. We left Rampur for Fulbari and the monastery in which I taught for three weeks. We played games with the monks and gave them a few books which my family had brought from Sweden. I also left a folder for volunteers to use in the future. The folder contained a lot of material from my colleague Pia (thanks Pia!), and a few notes on what we had done with the monks previously. I also left one folder with each monk's name on it, the folder is to keep all the work each monks makes in class, to make it a bit easier for future volunteers to know what they have worked with earlier. We left the monks at 4.30 and went by taxi to Sauraha, more known as Chitwan's National Park.

Day four started with elephant riding at 7 O'clock. We got to see deer and birds but no rhino. Fortunately, our hotel manager were waiting for us at the end of our elephant ride. He knew there were rhinos not far from there and ordered our elephant rider to turn around and take us there, so he did! We saw two rhinos drinking by a small water hole and we were really close. They were big but not as big as when you see them from ground level. After lunch we went on a jungle walk. We walked for four hours but it wasn't until the very end that we saw a rhino. The rhino had made it all the way to the shore of the town, which apparently is very uncommon. After our long jungle walk we had dinner at a fancy restaurant and were picked up by our hotel manager, Raju. Raju drow us to a cultural show which I had seen last time I went to the national park. Unfortunately the show was full, but luckily we had Raju with us. Raju managed to get us the best seats by carrying a bench from outside into the middle of the aisle. We ended up with the best seats and the show was great, just as I remembered it!

Day five was the day we went to Bandipur. Bandipur is a small old Newari town on the road from Chitwan to Pokhara. We went there by bus and got there by lunch time. We had lunch overlooking the mountains which surround the town. The entire day was spend just wandering around and eating. We watched the sunrise from the top of a mountain and could see the sky turn orange and pink while the sun dissappeared behind the mountains.

On day six me and Maria got up at five to watched the sunrise. We walked up the same mountain as yesterday and watched the sun go up behind the mountains. Even though it wasn't as impressive as sunset had been it was a great view. We could see more and more mountains in the far distance and the valley looked like a big lake due to all the fog. Walking down we met a lot of Nepali people who were on their way up to the temple, on the top of the mountain, to pray. People stopped to take their pictures with us, because even though Bandipur is a touristy place it is mostly used to Nepali tourists. Later that day we took the bus to Pokhara, because the taxi we had ordered couldn't fit all our bags (even if the Napalis seemed to think it would...). We got on a tourist bus and had to sit up in the front because it was full, I do however think we ended up with the best seats because the view on our way to Pokhara was amazing.

Today is day 7 and we have spent the day preparing for tomorrow and shopping. We have also been to a Tibetan refugee camp and watched small monks falling asleep during the ceremony. Tomorrow we'll leave for our Poon Hill trek. The trek is only five days and is said to be one of the most touristy treks but still I'm so excited about getting up in the mountains again. I can't wait for tomorrow!