Westward Ho !

 

Yes! this is a cockpit complete with copilot ?

Our westward journey started on  a Wednesday  in Newcastle ; Australia , ( so as  not to be confused with the other one ) . At a latitude of 151Degree east , our destination at 91 degree west ( The Galápagos Islands ) was two thirds the way around the world . I suppose that if we had decided on that as our destination earlier , it would have been quicker to just cross the Pacific, rather than the Indian and Atlantic Oceans . But it was in Malaysia that we made the last minute decision to follow in Charles Darwin’s footsteps ; well sort of .

Unfortunately our first steps were up to the plane , then off again without it moving . The pilot informed us that the plane’s computer would not reboot , despite frequent efforts and dialogue with his technical support , via what seemed to be WhatsApp (  the cockpit door was open ; even terrorists wouldn’t take over this plane.) . At this point we led the exodus , our faith in this plane having been shattered . Qantas offered us a replacement flight the next day , but via Brisbane . Given that Cyclone Alfred ‘s expected arrival had already caused havoc , we declined a flight into this chaos , taking a direct flight to Melbourne the following day .  This somewhat stuttering start to our westward journey , did have one advantage in that we could return to our friend’s hospitality , complete with additional tax free shopping . Australia makes the 10% tax refund simple and efficient , in all AUS 250 ; we renew our Apple iPads on our intermittent Australian visits . 

So on Friday , after a very leisurely start we flew westwards again to Malaysia . Malaysian air had allowed us to change flights , at a very reasonable fee, which itself was refunded by Qantas.  

If it’s Tuesday  it must be KL ( Kuala Lumpur ) , the preceding day before we left to recommence our westward journey but our destination changed . We originally we were going to take a train home from Barcelona , but now our journey would continue by plane . The  changes started on the Monday when RENFE warned that our train may be cancelled due to strike action . We expect this with SNCF , but not the Spanish . So what to do ?  Ah I know , why not continue on to Ecuador while the option still exists . Our family there could be moving earlier than expected , and we had not yet visited Galapagos or Mash Pi ( a feature hotel ) .

If is Wednesday ( night ) it must be Dubai , an overnight stop to break the journey . The in-terminal hotel provides for 6 hours sleep , and easing of jet lag ; and two hours tax free shopping. It also keeps journey time to less than 8 hours and the obligation to switch to business flights . Money saved can then be used in designer shops.

If its Thursday ( night ) it must be Barcelona .  A hotel near the airport to catch a 8 am flight to Madrid , thence onward to Quito . That afternoon we had spent 1.5 frustrating hours and numerous phone calls getting the hotel’ shuttle bus . For the morning return to the airport we used Uber and a rather plush Audi . Time saved permitted a leisurely Spanish breakfast complete with the special offer of Cava . Ah ! That was after the need to repack to reduce the weight of our cases down to 23 kgs each,  apparently the baggage handlers  in Barcelona must be built of lesser stuff . 

If its Friday it must be Cumbaya ( Quito ) , and a surprise visit for our  grandchildren who live there. But no time for leisure , repack then : .If it’s Saturday it must be San Juan de Vielle , a hacienda 4 hours ,and a world , away from city urbanisation . It is a rural idyll , and a space to reconnect with nature after a week of continuous movement . 

Next Saturday , another airport hotel , for 6am flight to the Galapagos . They welcome tourists , but only after queuing in Quito airport at 5am  to pay a $ 15 exit  tax ;  having the bags scanned for biological risks ; filling in apparently the same form twice; paying an entry tax of $200 dollars ( each! )  on arrival . Ah ! they didn’t accept debit cards , so I had to be escorted to an outside cash machine , leaving my wife as collateral .   Not finished yet ! Another form and having the bags scanned yet again for pesky bugs . We were changing island , and conveniently  not having to change terminal , just plane . This second one had  aged considerably, and shrunk in size, accommodating  just twelve souls , and that included the pilot . His adjacent seat was occupied by our 7 year grandson as a birthday present . We were hoping he wouldn’t have to take a crash course ( bad choice of words ) in landing . 

The principal features of our island were 6 volcanoes , most of which were told were active . I looked up the definition ..” An active volcano is one that has erupted during the Holocene epoch (the last 11,700 years), is currently erupting, or has the potential to erupt in the future. This includes volcanoes that have shown signs of activity, even if they are not erupting at the moment.“ Not sure that’s much reassurance ! Our guide explained that the one we were visiting was quite  benign  , in that when it last erupted , just in the last 20 years ( no 1000’s in that number ) the lave flowed gently westward … we were approaching from the east , so that’s alright then .  Standing on the rim which was 10 KM across , viewing the steam emitting from the central cauldron , I couldn’t  help thinking that there must have been a mighty big bang to create this as the world’s largest above water crater. Our westward journey finally ceased looking up at that  steam emitting above us , whilst  standing  in awe of the crater walls rising around . Time to retreat , and return eastwards , and to the relative safety of the Pyrenees . 

More relaxed island residents

testing, testing

 

No comment, well alright . What else would you put on top of your palace if you were the king ?

Time to test the hypothesis , do evening carbohydrates improve my walking speed . Not chocolate cake , but two slices of toast plus some grapes . Not excessive I know , but contrary to my self imposed  dietary rules :

A variation of the keto diet, itself  quoted as useful in loosing excess body fat ..without hunger . Now that sound too good to be true . Also good for improving type 2 diabetes ( needed ) …or  ‘metabolic syndrome’ ( whatever that may be ) . The diet requires consumption of lots of  protein and fat and little carbs’. Sounds attractive , but difficult in KL where we eat out all of the time . Chinese without rice or noodles ..mmmm.

Now its Monday morning , and time to burn off those excess carbs ; and see if I can at least match my previous speed record of 6.1km/hour .I still have some way to go to attain international speed walking performances , like double my rate ( the world record is apparently 20km in 1hour  38 minutes ; 11.8km/hr ) . So plenty of room for improvement , although I doubt my hips would allow the sort of flexibility required for too greater increase.

Fortunately the roads are still quiet , the majority Muslim drivers are in Ramadan mode ; and taking life easy , at least during the day . Those working as taxi drivers have a special challenge , they need to be alert at all times , despite being tired and hungry at the end of the day . My son had to engage his drive in animated conversation to ensure his safe arrival last evening ! The lack of cars on  my walk required few  compromises to my safety over speed . So I set out with a greater effort on stride length whilst maintains pace . 

I walk early morning , and so it seems so do the local troop of monkeys. They also follow the road , I suspect using the ubiquitous overhead telecom cables . Clever for them , easier than jumping from  tree to tree, and with no inconvenient gaps to worry about . My routine also matches a surprising number of two legged travellers , either out for their constitutional or that of their dogs . Well a qualification there , their employers’ dogs . Why walk yourself when you pay others to do the walking!  I try and wish all I pass a ‘good morning’ ; it is a pleasant surprise when that is reciprocated ; there is no common factor that seems to separate the pleasant from  the ‘ others’ . 

Now apologies for the error in the previous blog, I should have said ‘left right’ , plus another ,  ‘left right exhale’ . So with that correction I concentrate on maintaining speed . First check point ; ahead on time ; but then my mind wandered .

So would you if you were walking along side the king’s new palace . The current king is the Sultan of Johor , a billionaire in his own right ; and like any self respecting mega rich person , he is building himself a new palace . Well actually rebuilding the former Johor palace that overlooks the centre of KL . It is clearly there to make a statement,  complete with tall observation tower . Unfortunately the architect seems to have lost his way .  The  tower would not look out of place in an American prison and the multi story parking , in a shopping mall. However to ensure that there is no doubt has too the real purpose for the edifice , it comes complet with a one  story sized crown ! No further comment required . 

Left right, left, right exhale . Time check, oh drifting back on speed . Concentrate!

To cater for the needs of those breaking their fast , arisen are a plethora of pop up eating tents . These are mobbed , the one we passed last night was complete with squaddie in camouflage to maintain order . A car park on my route provided one such venue . At 8 in the morning it was deserted ; at night we can see the smoke from the cooking 2 km away . It would seem that this is yet another religious event that has lost out to commercialisation ; eating is more important than contemplation ..just like Christmas . 

Left right, left right exhale. Onwards and upwards , the final hill to the finish . 

With all this strenuous exertion , is that a chest pain I can feel ? ; and my fingers are swelling . No this is normal , and I have just had an ECG as part of my recent check up. Pain was wind . Some 30 years ago , I completed a 24 mile walk around Chatsworth , in Derbyshire . It may be a magnificent house , but it surrounded by a never ending  series of hills , all needing scaling to complete my sponsored walk in aid of a good cause . Next day I took my swollen fingers symptom to my GP . Explaining the walk involved , his gruff response was “ there can be nothing wrong with you , next ! ”

Left right , left right exhale .  Finished , and another  minute faster;  58 minutes 12.11 seconds . ( 6.2 km/h ) . So what’s next , more effort in the week to speed up . But we are off back to France next week , what then . Ah ! I still have 550km of the GR 10 ( the coast to coast Pyrenees hike ) left to finish. This needs 20km plus 1 km ascent each day . Realistically I have very few years left to complete this . Time for some serious training? 

    

Sights and Sounds

 

Sights and Sounds

It was a beautiful Malaysian sun rise , with just a little high cloud and no wind .  Calm , it was a Saturday  morning during Ramadan , so 70 % of the population ( the Muslims ) would have been sleeping off their Suhoor : the pre-dawn meal, which has to be finished before the first light of dawn ,and   to set them up for the days fast . So little noise ; until that is the foggers started up their engines actually in the stair wells . So much for a Saturday lie in . For me it was a final push to set  me off on the morning march ; this time to complete the 6 km in under an hour , my previous best time  being 1hr 2 minutes . 

New track set up on my iPhone , timer started , and I am off!  I had decided that to increase speed , I had to both lengthen my stride whilst maintaining pace . So it was off on my toes and down onto my heals, letting my Nike Airs absorb the shock and add bounce. 

Left right exhale; left right exhale …for the next hour .

 

Concentration to ensure no slacking . I had looked at an ‘App” to monitor pace , but it seemed too complicated ( for me) ; and besides I needed my senses tuned to avoid being run over. Pavements are a rare luxury on old  rural roads ; I was mainly walking on Federal Hill , a bit of old KL not yet taken over by the bulldozers . This inability to cater for pedestrians is ubiquitous; we had just come back from a ‘retirement village’ in Australia where the minor roads had stamped on them “ slow down , shared road “ , euphemism for look no pavement!

Being semi rural and surrounded by trees , there were plenty of birds to add atmosphere . I recognised the Cole and probably a Malaysian black bird . The sun had only just risen, so could be enjoyed without frying , a little light cloud reducing it’s  intensity .No time for pictures!  With day time temperatures in the 30’s and high humidity ; outside exercise is best taken early morn. But wait , my mind is drifting ; 

back to left right exhale, left right exhale …

That stride length …. It was a down hill section , so time to lengthen stride ; uphill would be leaning forward to maintain momentum. 

No over leaning , must maintain balance . I have a large bruise on my hip , after tripping in a hair salon of all places ; the seat had a stupid design to catch out unsuspecting clients . I lay full stretch on the floor while I assessed possible damage ; aware that those around me were wondering if this old man was OK . Fortunately only bruised and embarrassed.   

I passed a trickling of water , left over from last nights thunderstorm . I was at the bottom of the hill passing the  surprising sight of water reservoirs ; I thought these were usually on top of the hills to maintain  supply pressure . Whilst ascending I tried to solve this conundrum : there is a small water tower on the hill , which is itself surrounded by expensive properties ; no room for large tanks  So I guess pressure is largely maintained through pumping , and the houses’ roof top water storage tanks . Wait ! 

Concentrate! left right exhale, left right exhale .

 It is worth it , just passing the first check point ahead of time . Must maintain momentum. Last 20 minutes to go , and still ahead of time . Rising confidence. Passed a worker sweeping out front . He may have been dressed in  standard working cloths , but from his physique and demure,  he  had all the appearance of a body guard. Perhaps the dress was a blind . Ah mind wandering !

Left right puff, left right puff . It’s getting harder!

Getting ready to cross the finishing line , phone out , stop watch says …YES.  59 minutes 17.11 seconds . Phew , completed in a speed of 6.1km/h.

 Feeling good walking through the mall to get revitalising coffee; black with the fasting diet . Also I  have to make up from eating part of a gigantic piece of chocolate cake . We were lead astray last night ; so I had to burn that off this morning …or did all that sugar help to maintain this mornings pace? Ah conundrum , perhaps further testing of the hypothesis is required !

Not sure where the bear fits in , hope none left in the woods !

 

 

Crowded Places

Now that looks painful!

…. And planes. Looking up at the sky it doesn’t seem all that crowed; Flight-tracker tells a different story ( see screenshot) .Every day there are 100,000 commercial flights,  jetting us off on holiday or to meet relatives . Costs have tumbled , so we fly more . Last century , a posting abroad involved a return home every five years . Now, we think nothing of taking multiple flights per year ; and achieved with such incredible safety and reliability. 

Early morning rush to Europe, nobody over Ukraine!

My uncles and aunts emigrated to the far flung empire , never to see their parents again.  We were fortunate this Christmas to reunite as a family from  opposite sides of the globe. Cousins could reacquaint , enjoy our wide open spaces ; yet as 16 , come together on one extended table to enjoy the festive meal . Being the South of France , clear blue sky , no wind;  meant eating outside was also possible . Spacious togetherness. 

At the start of the Autumn , the woodshed was stacked to the rafters with seemingly an infinite source of fire wood . The efficiency of our wood burning fire place had been improved by an exhaust fan on the chimney and another to extract more heat for the fire surround . So as soon as the temperature dipped , the fire was lit . Our main  back up heating is from  reverse AC , electrically efficient ; especially from that generated by our solar panels . Previous winters have been abroad ; in the warmth . This year has been a renewal of living with lower temperatures . Consequently a never ending supply of wood found its way onto the hearth . We  have an electrical tariff , which  for 30 days of the year is six times the normal rate ( France’s nuclear generation has been struggling with reliability of late )  . So extra wood embers were used to cook . By January , the remaining wood in our previously crowded  shed , was looking lonely . No problem , we were off to southern  heat ; leaving behind our handyman to replenish our shed with previously  felled trees. 

Kuala Lumpur was grown from a few huts on a muddy river bank in 1858 to now it seems infinite tower blocks jostling for ever decreasing space It is a physical manifestation of what Asia’s economic growth rate means on the ground ; or what is left of the space available. We were first here nearly 30 years ago , and change is spectacular . Back then roads were crowed with motor cycles . In the intervening years an impressive motorway network has blossomed , and a mass transit system built . Increased wealth has meant that two wheel transport has largely been replaced by four ; but in rush hour the roads seem no less crowded, albeit journeys taken in increased comfort . 

View from Petronas towers , kampungs replaced with tower blocks 

Malaysia recognises four principal religions , and with that their special holidays . Currently ,in the winter period hardly a week goes by without a religious or cultural event .( see list in appendix ). Such was the proliferation of holidays , that when I worked here , my boss insisted that we declared our religious affiliation , and only took the relevant days off . Now I have retired , I have no such constraint and can join in all the festivities. Our visit this year coincided with Chinese New Year, when for one day of the year the shops are actually shut . However not to loose too much money,  on other days , the shopping malls host Dragon dances to bring in the punters . 

A riot of red for the Chinese 

On the other hand the Hindu Tamils go in for spiritual enlightenment derived from self inflicted pain . We joined probably 1 million followers to view the spectacle , leaving before the crowds became impossible. Not to be outdone by the mercurial Chinese , there were a myriad of stalls catering to every religious and physical need , plus plenty of medical support . I suppose if the devotees trance is broken there needs to be someone on hand to stem the blood ! 

With so many cultures , there are a vast array of restaurants catering for every taste and every wallet ; from  Gordon Ramey’s , where it is possible to imbibe fine French wine by the glass ! To  ridiculously cheap street food of equal quality ! Living in KL it makes almost no economic sense to eat at home ; unless to meet a craving for simple beans on toast . In six weeks , we have eaten in just three times!  This feast of delights needless to say impacted on our own physical space . We were running out of room for fat cells and other blood related issues . Fortunately around in KL were plenty of clinics and hospitals, all very reasonably ( for us ) priced  . Diets have been adjusted to enable continued imbibition. 

Malaysia is close to Australia , well closer than Europe , so off we went to visit friends and relatives . The flight takes 8 hours of which just to cross the continent of Australia takes four . With a population of just 27 million , it cannot be described as a crowded place . However , that population wants to live where it isn’t dessert , so the edge of the continent is in big demand . That and the greed of developers , means that on new estates the bungalows are so close they could share rain water gutters. The challenge in Malaysia seems to provide space for the AC units . Space is always relative!  

Malaysian holidays

• 1. Eid-ul-Fitr (Hari Raya Aidilfitri)
• 2. Chinese New Year
• 3. Deepavali
• 4. Christmas
• 5. Eid-ul-Adha (Hari Raya Aidiladha)
• 6. Thaipusam
• 7. Hari Gawai
• 8. Pesta Kaamatan
• 9. Wesak Day
• 10. Pongal
• 11. Merdeka (Independence Day)
• 12. Malaysia Day
• 13. Awal Muharram
• 14. Nuzul Quran