Malaysia: Oh Jungleland
We decide on a boat tour down a river cutting through Langkawi, supposedly virgin terrain, plenty of wildlife included. When looking at Langkawi and its surroundings, I think it would be a surprise if they could develop every single island out there, every acre of bog land. We are loaded into a simple motorboat, suitable for up to a dozen people; instead it's just Liebi, the boys, and I. Down the river we sputter, thick jungle vegetation and high cliffs surrounding us. The guide’s eyesight is impeccable, but then again, I’m sure that’s what he’s been trained for. He spots a medium sized viper coiled around a branch of a tree spouting out of the water on the riverbank. I catch something out of the corner of my eye and watch a huge iguana paddle across the river. I film the eagles swooping in to snag the fish from the surface. Somewhere King Kong must be between those cliffs.
We stop at a fish farm, where Axl touches manta rays and other big critters destined for somebody’s diner downtown. Eventually, we get off the boat and walk through bat caves before a path leads us back into the jungle and further down the river. We re-board and proceed to take a lovely ride upstream. We are now out in the ocean, scattered islands rising from it at intervals. Needless to say, it is also a muggy 95 or so degrees, and we need to watch ourselves from becoming burnt like lobsters. And yet, the scene seems really complete. The baby, a mere seven months, enjoys going out with his family and gazes into the thick of the brush like the rest of us. Axl’s eyes beam whenever he spots another animal. Although Liebi and I are not accustomed to cows walking in the middle of the road or stray dogs dotting every square foot of the city scape, that is all Axl has ever known. Seeing exotic creatures has become routine for him. Axl is not yet three, and he has already ridden a camel and an elephant. I suspect at sometime he will ride a horse, too.
We get off the boat and take a rickety but air-conditioned minivan back to the resort. On the way back there are still several vivid reminders of why this place may not be as prosperous as it seems, While most on the island have sold out to development one way or the other, people more off the beaten bath seem less eager to give up the land and resources they were born into. There are old rusty gas pumps, shanties made out of material we can’t begin to imagine, and old, appliances that suck a lot of energy and possibly only benefit marginally. People get around a lot on motorcycles, the private (and often public) transportation machine of choice in Asia (behind the bicycle). These are Muslims, for the most part, and I am reminded of that when I hear my first call to prayer in years.
I need to exercise, but the air conditioning at the gym is inadequate, so I grab the ipod and burn my own trail through town. I find some good paths, mainly through the park and reach the turning point at over three miles on the beach, close to the main mosque. Someone has built a circuit for model race cars, and I watch these little engines buzzing skillfully around the curves. The greeting is the same any Muslim would give: Salaam Alikoom, peace on you. Unlikely I’ll ever forget that.
I also realize I have fallen hard for Malay food. This wouldn’t be everybody’s cup of tea, but I absolutely adore their mixes of the sweet and spicy. Too hot, or even mildly spicy, is a constant turnoff and has alienated me from many country’s cuisine, but Malaysia’s is not among them.
We have another night in Langkawi, but use it to get some sleep. Luckily we can take a taxi back to the airport and it will be on to Kuala Lumpur, the capital.
We stop at a fish farm, where Axl touches manta rays and other big critters destined for somebody’s diner downtown. Eventually, we get off the boat and walk through bat caves before a path leads us back into the jungle and further down the river. We re-board and proceed to take a lovely ride upstream. We are now out in the ocean, scattered islands rising from it at intervals. Needless to say, it is also a muggy 95 or so degrees, and we need to watch ourselves from becoming burnt like lobsters. And yet, the scene seems really complete. The baby, a mere seven months, enjoys going out with his family and gazes into the thick of the brush like the rest of us. Axl’s eyes beam whenever he spots another animal. Although Liebi and I are not accustomed to cows walking in the middle of the road or stray dogs dotting every square foot of the city scape, that is all Axl has ever known. Seeing exotic creatures has become routine for him. Axl is not yet three, and he has already ridden a camel and an elephant. I suspect at sometime he will ride a horse, too.
We get off the boat and take a rickety but air-conditioned minivan back to the resort. On the way back there are still several vivid reminders of why this place may not be as prosperous as it seems, While most on the island have sold out to development one way or the other, people more off the beaten bath seem less eager to give up the land and resources they were born into. There are old rusty gas pumps, shanties made out of material we can’t begin to imagine, and old, appliances that suck a lot of energy and possibly only benefit marginally. People get around a lot on motorcycles, the private (and often public) transportation machine of choice in Asia (behind the bicycle). These are Muslims, for the most part, and I am reminded of that when I hear my first call to prayer in years.
I need to exercise, but the air conditioning at the gym is inadequate, so I grab the ipod and burn my own trail through town. I find some good paths, mainly through the park and reach the turning point at over three miles on the beach, close to the main mosque. Someone has built a circuit for model race cars, and I watch these little engines buzzing skillfully around the curves. The greeting is the same any Muslim would give: Salaam Alikoom, peace on you. Unlikely I’ll ever forget that.
I also realize I have fallen hard for Malay food. This wouldn’t be everybody’s cup of tea, but I absolutely adore their mixes of the sweet and spicy. Too hot, or even mildly spicy, is a constant turnoff and has alienated me from many country’s cuisine, but Malaysia’s is not among them.
We have another night in Langkawi, but use it to get some sleep. Luckily we can take a taxi back to the airport and it will be on to Kuala Lumpur, the capital.
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