After a month in Sumatra, from mid-May to mid-June 2026, I will spend the second half of June in Kuala Lumpur. I have been here for the fourth time because the Malaysian capital has captivated me and I continually discover new corners. This time, I want to focus primarily on its history.

Kuala Lumpur is a relatively young city. It was founded 170 years ago as a pioneer settlement for the exploitation of local tin mines at the point where the Gombok River flows into the Klang River. On this peninsula, exactly at the site of the first settlement, lies the magnificent Jamek Sultan Abdul Samad Mosque, built in 1908, behind which the façades of fat office towers fill the horizon.

Back then, the settlement was a dismal collection of wooden shacks and bamboo huts on muddy ground, covered with dried palm leaves. The name itself did not suggest a particularly attractive place: Kuala Lumpur means “muddy river mouth.” The first settlers were miners, many of whom immigrated from China, and the Chinese soon played an important role.

Once Dominated by the Chinese

In 1868, the immigrant businessman Yap Ah Loy (1837–1885) from Guandong was appointed the Kapitan Cina of Kuala Lumpur; he was thus the official leader of the Chinese population and acted as an intermediary between the colonial administration, the Sultan of Selangor, the Chinese mining entrepreneurs, and the secret societies. The Chinese secret societies or triads were initially self-help organizations for migrants, turned into economic cartels, extorted protection money, practiced extrajudicial justice, and formed militias that fought each other and participated in the Selangor civil war.

This civil war between rival Malay princes and their Chinese allies lasted from 1867 to 1874. Kuala Lumpur suffered several times, and in 1872 large parts of the settlement burned down. Yap Ah Loy is regarded as the man to whom the city owes its rapid reconstruction.

Then the British Came

Around 1870, the British gained increasing influence and took over the administration of Selangor. In 1880, they moved the administrative seat to Kuala Lumpur. In 1896, it was also made the capital of the Federated Malay States (FMS), consisting of Selangor and three other sultanates. The British had established the federation to manage, tax, and defend their territories in Malaya more efficiently. Formally, the sultanates remained independent; in reality, political and economic power lay with the British colonial administration.

With independence in 1957, Kuala Lumpur remained the capital of the new state. In 1974, the city was carved out of Selangor and declared a “federal territory”; Selangor moved its capital to Shah Alam, about 25 kilometers west of the center of K.L. Shah Alam is in the Kuala Lumpur metropolitan area, where around eight million people live.

Colonial Splendor

From Chinatown, I stroll past Pasar Seni, the central market, a squat, sky-blue Art Deco building from the 1930s. A few minutes on foot away, across the Klang River, I arrive at the center of colonial Kuala Lumpur.

Around Dataran Merdeka, the Independence Square, can be found all the splendid architectural testimonies with which the colonizers manifested their alleged superiority. In just 50 years, Kuala Lumpur had developed from a makeshift outpost with a few dozen residents into a thriving city that had already reached a population of 45,000 by 1910.

The most prominent building at Merdeka Square is the expansive Sultan Abdul Samad Building, constructed in the 1890s. The name is a tribute to the fourth Sultan of Selangor, born in 1804, who sat on the throne for a full 41 years until he died in 1889. Despite the local name, the building was the center of British colonial power. It combined British state architecture with Moorish and Mughal-inspired forms; clock tower, round and pointed arches, brick façades, spiral staircases, and copper domes.

How Arthur Benison Hubback Shaped the City

In the execution of the imperial buildings, a name appears in the architecture team that would later shape the capital of British Malaya: Arthur Benison Hubback (1871 to 1948) from Liverpool. (Hubback's life could fill entire books. He arrived in Malaya in 1895 and was appointed chief architect of the FMS in 1900. He returned to Britain in 1914, fought in World War I first as a lieutenant colonel and finally as a brigadier general on the Western Front, was wounded, and highly decorated.)

Right next to the Sultan Abdul Samad Building stands another building in this typical colonial style with red brick, white bands, and onion domes. It was built in 1905 as the headquarters of the railway administration of the FMS. Later, the building served as the seat of various administrative departments before it was opened in 2010 as the National Textile Museum. The architect was again A. B. Hubback.

The Royal Selangor Club is also part of the ensemble of imperial imposing architecture at Merdeka Square. It was founded in 1884 and accepted high British officials and officers, Indian and Chinese honorees, as well as Malay nobles. The club took on its present form in 1910. A. B. Hubback did not design a building in an oriental-inspired colonial style this time, but rather drew on Tudor architecture with the characteristic half-timbering seen in England in the 16th century and revived in the 19th and early 20th centuries. In 1970, the club burned down and was then rebuilt in the same style.

Next to all the representative buildings, the Anglican Cathedral of Saint Mary (Cathedral Church of St. Mary the Virgin) at the northern edge of Independence Square looks almost inconspicuous. The structure, inaugurated in 1895 and entirely white, in the neo-Gothic style could easily be an ordinary English town church or even the church of a self-confident village. Only the ventilation grills instead of windows hint at its tropical location.

The cathedral appears even more modest when compared to the immediately adjacent magnificent Masjid Jamek Sultan Abdul Samad. This mosque, opened at the end of 1909, was also designed by A. B. Hubback in that style mix we generally refer to as “colonial”: Moorish arches, red-and-white brick façades, copper domes, slender minarets also topped with domes, along with open arcades and courtyards.

A little distance from Merdeka Square you can find more Hubback buildings, such as the former High Court (Old High Court), built from 1909 to 1915, or the former city hall (Old Town Hall) made of red bricks, from 1896 to 1904, whose left wing was originally occupied by the city administration and the right still serves as the city theater (“Panggung Bandaraya”).

Symbol of Modernity

About 15 minutes on foot south of Independence Square stands a building that many consider the pinnacle of A. B. Hubback's work: the Kuala Lumpur Railway Station with its white façades, domes, and decorative gables, majestically overlooking the tracks. It was inaugurated in 1910 and was meant to symbolize technological progress and mobility. The railway connected population centers, mining areas, and ports, thus elevating Kuala Lumpur to an economic, political, and military metropolis.

Directly opposite the station, which is still in use, Hubback also designed the building of the railway administration, which is connected to the station by underground passages. A. B. Hubback is also responsible for the main train station in the Malaysian mining town of Ipoh and the terminus of the Kowloon-Canton Railway in Hong Kong, of which only the famous clock tower remains.

In Europe, “colonialism” has become an emotionally charged and taboo-laden topic in recent years. In Malaysia, which itself was under the rule of the Dutch, Portuguese, British, and Japanese for centuries, this era is seen in a significantly more relaxed manner. 

Thus, in Kuala Lumpur, there is the “Colonial Path,” a marked round trip along the most significant colonial and early urban buildings. The charm of this path lies in the stylistic breaks between modern skyscraper façades and old town substance, revealing the three-dimensional experience of the history of the city's beginnings and its development into a million metropolis.

After two weeks, I have become even more familiar with this city, and I will certainly return for further discoveries.

After two de-stressing weeks on the island of Samosir in Lake Toba on Sumatra, I travel back to Medan on June 16, 2026, and a day later to Kuala Lumpur. I have unsuccessfully tried to extend my Indonesian visa by one month and am using the Malaysian capital for a so-called visa run, which means a short trip abroad to obtain a new visa for another month upon re-entry to Indonesia.

However, during my various visits, I have become a fan of K.L., and instead of the planned few days, I ended up staying for two weeks. Kuala Lumpur likes to present itself as a hyper-modern city with shopping malls, hotel palaces, city, and subway. And of course, with its skyscrapers made of steel, concrete, and glass. Notable examples are the Petronas Twin Towers or the recently opened Merdeka 118, the second tallest building in the world, measuring 678.9 meters to the tip of the antenna, surpassed only by the dizzying Burj Khalifa in the bling-bling world capital of Dubai.

Merdeka means

This year, we started with heavy hearts, as our parents in assisted living are not doing particularly well. If the circumstances regarding bookings and costs were easier, we would have certainly canceled the tour. So despite everything, we are on our way, and we will also keep the blog, intended for them to participate in what they can no longer do themselves. We hope that they will receive support so they can also view the photos and entries. We will keep our eyes and ears open and the camera ready for all those interested.

The good, the bad and the ugly.

But travelling doesn't have to be expensive, and it certainly doesn't have to be with company. I've travelled to over 65 countries, and mostly solo, for almost 20 years now; I'm 'proof' that travelling (solo) can actually be cheaper than living back home, in the western world. 

Of course, I understand that some people reading this have commitments which don't allow them the freedom to travel, let alone travel alone, but this is aimed more at those who don't have commitments and are simply making excuses, gripping on to fear like it's a life-boat.

Learn the good, the bad, and the ugly of travelling solo with this list, and decide for yourself if you want to continue waiting around for that 1-week holiday in a year's time, which your friend still hasn't committed to. 

1. It's so liberating to do as you please, when you please and how you please. No need to confer with anyone, make endless plans then feel guilty about canceling last-minute, or being dragged from one place to another, in the name of compromise;
2. It encourages you to learn and fine-tune lots of necessary life-skills: from the logistics of researching and making decisions, to planning, surviving and learning to trust your instincts and judgments; 
3. It can be very social when you want it to be, meeting people as and when (in your hostel, in a café, on the beach...), and equally tranquil and quiet when you want the solitude;
4. It gives you the time and freedom to connect with yourself, pursue creative skills during the various 'idle' moments, and shows you who you really are and what you're capable of;
5. It lets you see how magical and vast the world is, and how insignificant your problems are; 
6. You see, experience and witness amazing things from exhilarating adventures, to curious cultures to tantalizing food, reminding you what it's like to be alive and realize how fortunate you truly are all whilst creating everlasting memories;
7. You make surprisingly instant, deep connections, finding yourself opening up in ways that you've struggled to get back home, and in a short time make life-long connections with people who make you feel seen, heard and understood;
8. Sometimes, it can get boring, lonely and suddenly overwhelm you with homesickness as you realise that connections may seem fleeting, repetitive and superficial;
9. It can be more expensive at times as you have the bear the full amount of a bill instead of splitting, like for a taxi, scooter or hotel room (assuming you don't use public transport or book dorms in hostels);
10. You will get noticed, stared at and questioned for travelling solo (as a female, anyway), with some people seeing it as bravery and awe-inspiring, whilst others see you as easy prey.

This is quite a brief list, but as you can see, the good outweighs the bad and the ugly. You just have to be patient and kind with yourself as you ride the waves, but it's totally worth it. So go on, what are you waiting for?

This blog will reveal that just because photos look like you're physcially in paradise, it doesn't mean that you're emotionally there too, nor that your experience matched it. Photos (especially on social media) only show 1 dimension- carefully curated, angled and shared to show only the 'perfection' and ignite envy, or inspiration, from your followers. 

On my fourth day in Langkawi, Malaysia, I decided to actually do something instead of lounge around on the hammock all day, so I opted for the cheapest tour available. At only MYR40 (around £8, instead of all the others starting at MYR 170, around £35), Island hopping sounded ideal- a morning tour visiting 3 islands on a serene boat trip. Ha, joke's on me!

The journey

It all started from waking up with a headache, probably from the soju the evening before as I had about 2/3 of the bottle, enjoying the feeling at the time! After a rushed breakfast, and a delayed pick-up, an unbearable smelly man with the worst B.O. sat next to me on the van, so I had to hold my breath whilst we drove around picking up others. Luckily, he moved to the back once new people were collected. 

The worst part of the journey was the boat ride itself. I'd been looking forward to having a tranquil and calming experience, but got the exact opposite. I'd stupidly sat towards the back edge, and as the captain was going ridiculously fast, I got completely drenched, head-to-toe. It wasn't pleasant at all! A reminder: never sit in the penultimate seat closest to the edge in a speedboat!

When I got off the boat, I told the captain that I got completely wet because he was going so fast, he just shrugged his shoulders like, "Oh well, it happens to everyone."

First stop: Dayang Bunting Marble Geoforest Park

Arriving to our first stop, I was already annoyed. They say bad things came in threes, so I wasn't sure if the headache, the smelly man and the boat ride counted as my three, or there was more! 

Once we got there, we were told that we needed to pay another MYR20 (£4) to enter the freshwater lake. We'd been given just over an hour, and I was debating whether I should. I really didn't want to pay, as I thought that I'd probably not swim there anyway. FOMO trumped my instinct, and I went in, marching up the stairs, trying to pass the slow families with kids taking their sweet time.

Once I'd descended the stairs, previous irritation having snowballed, I slipped on the steep ramp. My left leg went ahead whilst my right bent, and I continued sliding down, grazing my knee and my foot where the flip-flop strap had dug into me. Embarrassed and hurt, I got up to inspect the damage. It wasn't too bad, but it stung as the skin was exposed. So on top of my already foul mood, now I couldn't walk properly nor go in the water (as Google advised against it due to exposing an open wound to bacteria found in water).

I hobbled on in the shaded path trying to calm myself down, take deep breaths, tell myself that I'm in nature and need to embrace the moment, trying to shake off my feelings so I could be present and appreciative. 

I guess, although it didn't completely work because sadly our emotions don't have a switch button so you can't just turn them off, I think it at least diluted my frustration a bit. However, I remember thinking, "This was a waste of money!"

Second stop: Eagle watching

Back on the boat, I refused to sit at the back again, so the captain had no choice but to get another passenger to move there in order to 'balance out' the boat.

Gripping for my dear life once again, the captain continued to drive the boat like he was an F1 driver, thinking it funny (or fun) to take sharp corners speedily and tilt the boat heavily, sending us to scream in fear as he stopped. Not fun at all!

He stopped in the middle of the sea, surrounded by cliffs, and in complete silence, threw something into the water. Before we knew what was happening,  flock of birds raced down to collect whatever food he'd thrown. He didn't even tell us that they were eagles! I almost didn't bother filming it! 

Zooming back, I was praying that we're going home because by now my annoyance at the captain had become pure loathing. But I was calculating that we've only had 2 'stops' out of 3, so there must be one more. 

Final stop: Beras Basah Beach

Our final stop turned out to be a stunning white-powder-sand and turquoise-clear-waters kind of beach. In other words, paradise! 

But I was annoyed to the max that the toilet was charged even though it's a hole in the ground, and not cleaned/ maintained, so what's the money for?! I was annoyed that I couldn't even go into the water because of my new wound. I was annoyed at all the people around me. I was annoyed that the beach wasn't wide enough or shaded enough to sit and chill. 

So there I was, in paradise, but I couldn't even get my feet wet. Nor pee in the sea for free!

Failing to find a private bush, I bit my morals and paid to pee. Then sat on a root of a tree with limited shade, trying to not get sand on the open wound on my feet, and I took some Instagrammable photos. 

At least my pictures will show what a great day I've had. No one wants to know that even in paradise you can have a bad experience. That would simply kill the dream.

Langkawi/Malaysia

First excursion with a digital translator - was surprisingly good, although sometimes very funny, for instance when instead of visiting a rubber plantation, a visit to a rubber seal is announced.

We are in Penang, Malaysia, the island also known as the Pearl of Asia. We are located at the dock of the capital George Town, in the state of Penang, which has around 1.3 million inhabitants. It is truly a multicultural island and very well-known for its excellent street food.
We are exploring the old town of George Town, a UNESCO World Heritage site because of its colonial architecture and especially because of the 'murals', the wall paintings, by foot and by bicycle rickshaw.

Across the Strait of Malacca (the 900km long sea route), we arrive in Malaysia, docking in Port Klang in the morning, greeted by a drum formation.
Malaysia, once home to vast mangrove forests that have unfortunately been mostly deforested due to the very resilient timber, is a multicultural country with a total population of 34 million, with the capital Kuala Lumpur housing around 9 million residents in the city and surrounding areas. The predominantly Muslim population is currently in the fasting month of Ramadan.
We visit Kuala Lumpur, located about 40km from Port Klang, starting with the 'Royal Selangor Pewter Complex' where pewter craftsmanship has been produced since 1885.
The Batu Caves, a Hindu temple, consist of 3 main caves, accessible via 272 colorful steps (main cave), dominated at the entrance by a 42.7m high golden statue of Lord Murugan (son of Shiva) and the ever-present monkeys.
Merdeka Square, the freedom square, is the place where independence from England was proclaimed in 1957, featuring an impressive 100m high flagpole. The square is surrounded by colonial buildings such as St. Mary's Cathedral, the Sultan Abdul Samad Building with its red and white bricks, and Merdeka 118, the 678m high tower.
Lastly, a stop at the Petronas Twin Towers, standing at 452m, with the sky bridge connecting the 41st and 42nd floors and the observation deck on the 89th floor.

We are in Singapore, the city-state of 700 square kilometers located on the Johor Strait, with just over 6 million residents.
An innovative, almost futuristic, extremely multicultural economic metropolis with iconic parks and the impressive Marina Bay.
Singapore is characterized by monsoons, the season of which is just starting, as we experience through spontaneous heavy rain showers and thunderstorms.
After extensively viewing Singapore from above in 2024, this time we stay on the 'ground' and explore the city primarily on foot, visiting iconic destinations such as Marina Bay with Singapore's landmark, the Merlion (Singapura, the city of the lion), Singapore River, the Raffles Hotel with the legendary 'Long Bar', China Town, as well as the impressive architecture, both futuristic and colonial.
The Chinese New Year, under the sign of the horse, is also still present everywhere, as it only ends after 15 days, with daily rituals and traditional activities.

www.

how-why-where

Where do we have to cross the street

How do we get across the street

Why is it so 'fucking bad' for pedestrians here? Sidewalks just stop. There are hardly any pedestrian crossings. We search for directions in vain.

The 4th and further W questions could be: What thought, what concept is behind this city planning?

So many questions - unfortunately no answers. Malaysia - Kuala Lumpur, the last time we were here was in 2017. Our favorite city among the mega-cities. We find very little to nothing of what we liked. The city seems unkempt, neglected, strained, haphazardly built without sense or reason compared to before. To be honest? Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia, you can do better, you should do better!

It doesn’t dampen our joy in Malaysia, but it makes us thoughtful. Previously, in some conversations in other places, we heard that our Malaysia has changed a lot. Let’s continue thinking in Ws: What vision, what attitude shapes political thought? Where is Malaysia heading?

We would like to understand it - with this feeling we continue. To Sri Lanka, we turn back, heading home. We are looking forward to the new, the unknown that we will encounter in Sri Lanka. We say goodbye to Southeast Asia, and that’s good. Rightly so. Every day was worth it.

Between heaven and earth

Penang Hill. Breathtaking views over the city of Georgetown, the sea, and across to the mainland greet us after the steep journey on the funicular railway. Signposts guide us to the 130 million years old rainforest, a UNESCO Biosphere Reserve, accessible via a designated nature trail, a long 'Canopy Walk' suspension bridge, and an almost floating observation platform.

Ferns on the ground glow deep green, while some trees grow endlessly towards the sky. Insects buzz, hum, and chirp at an astonishing volume; squirrels make chattering sounds, monkeys screech, and birds call out loud.

Between heaven and earth.

Georgetown, the building “Komtar,” since 1976 the tallest building in the city.
65th floor, we walk outside the building, secured with rope, harness, and net, yet feeling the safety of a stable ground. 67th floor, outside the Komtar building, we step onto glass and it seems there is nothing between us and the very bottom. Back in the lower floors, we see a virtual dinosaur stomping along the ceiling - it hasn't found its way yet and keeps coming back. Around the corner stands Jan Josef Liefers (?), a magical place :-)

Perhaps this is our last time in Georgetown, maybe even for the very last time. On our way back to our hotel, we see how the moon almost touches the crescent of the mosque. May our journey be blessed.

We are now also taking to the skies; our path leads us to Sumatra. Before that, there will be some beautifying; my hair tickles my nose, I still need some powder on my nose, prayers are laid out on the plane - everything is taken care of!

In Sumatra, at Lake Toba, we want to meet Roslin. We met her 34 years ago, unfortunately lost touch, but by a happy coincidence, we found each other again. Thank you!

Since I generally avoid beach holidays, where I - unlike Anja - just end up getting burned, we choose LamanLeman, a homestay amidst rice fields. Sulaiman and Julita warmly welcome us. Sulaiman masters the art of making a perfect cappuccino; he teaches at the tourism academy. A scooter, the best way to explore Langkawi, is also waiting for us upon our arrival.

In the following week, we discover Langkawi on extensive tours that alternately take us to one of the tourist hotspots and one of the beaches around the island. A highlight in the west of the island is the Sky Cab cable car up to the Eagle's Nest Skywalk and the Langkawi Sky Bridge situated in the middle of a nature park. In the east of Langkawi lies the Kilim Geoforest Park: karst rocks and mangroves. The highest mountain on the island is Gunung Raya, which fortunately we do not have to climb on foot.

A week goes by in the blink of an eye!

Langkawi - you beautiful island up north, on the west side of Malaysia, near the border with Thailand. An interpretation of your name means: 'Island of the reddish-brown eagle'. The Malay word for eagle is 'helang' (colloquially 'lang'), and 'kawi' refers to a red stone that was used as chalk.

We fly from Georgetown/Penang to Langkawi, 50 minutes, a hop. 

Langkawi - everything the island heart desires can be found here. Beautiful beaches, whether white and powdery, rocky, wide and long, or hidden in a cove. Whether loud, noisy, full of adventure offerings, or quiet and secluded. Mountains covered with jungle, monkeys to watch out for, wide views, short paths. Unique, UNESCO-protected landscapes where limestone meets mangrove. 

A mix of awe-inspiring luxury resorts to simple accommodations, mediocre beach restaurants with canned beer for the pumped-up gentlemen and the preened ladies, excellent food in simple warungs, and everywhere warm-hearted people who may marvel at the individual tourist species. We spend the 7 days with moped tours, beach breaks, and enjoy the view from our guesthouse over the rice fields.

We let the last day wind down relaxed. A visit to Langkawi is worth it 🫠

We are completely satisfied with the spontaneous choice of this much smaller city compared to Kuala Lumpur. The multicultural mix and the peaceful spirit among its people are impressive. We felt very safe at all times and in every place in George Town and on the island of Penang. The people are extraordinarily friendly and almost never intrusive. Despite the high population density and the many tourists, both the city and the island are very clean .... almost similar to Singapore .... only George Town is much more vibrant, lively, and not as sterile as the larger neighbor. Brief, pleasant conversations with other tourists - for example, from the UK, Canada, the Netherlands, Romania, the USA, or Cyprus - also enriched our stay.

The following images - wildly mixed and symbolizing the versatility of George Town - exemplify why the city itself refers to as the 'Pearl of Southeast Asia'!

Our highlight was not necessarily the 18-meter-high statue of a Buddha at the highest point of the temple complex, but rather the view over many other impressive buildings towards the white pagoda .... indescribably beautiful!

.... was a great experience that further enhanced the already beautiful impression of George Town. During the tour, we were not only well-informed about the culinary scene but also learned about the long immigration history of George Town - through the Chinese, British, and Indians. Our 'guest team' was also international .... consisting of English, Dutch, and Romanian participants.

Now, let the photos speak for themselves, and we leave the tastes and aromas to your imagination!

We travel by night train from Thailand to Malaysia. At 2:00 AM, I wake up to go to the bathroom. Looking out the window, I realize we are stopping at the Surat Thani train station, from where the ferry to Koh Samui departs. Not an option! At 8:00 AM, we reach the border crossing at Padang Besar. Immigration procedures, train transfer, a modern commuter train runs between Padang Besar and Butterworth, from where the ferry crosses to George Town. What strikes us immediately: Malaysia is incredibly clean. No litter!

We have booked three nights, two full days before proceeding to the island of Langkawi. We spend the first day on an excursion to the beach at Batu Ferringhi, 20 km outside the city, popular especially with local tourists. We don't remember it like this: The cleanliness is impressive here as well. Malaysia seems to be doing a lot against the plastic that otherwise desecrates the environment everywhere.

Unfortunately, this weekend the funicular does not operate up to Penang Hill due to maintenance work. Instead, we take a walk through the old town of George Town on the second day, a UNESCO World Heritage site, famous for its street art. Just like in Thailand, there are many vacancies here, barred doors where undelivered, unopened letters accumulate.

At 'Edelweiss' on Armenian Street, which has been run for many years by Urs, a Swiss man, and his Malaysian wife, we learn that Penang has also not recovered from Covid. Many shops have not reopened, tourism has changed. Every day, streams of tourists flow through Armenian Street. Urs complains that some come in, order coffee and cake, take a picture, then leave everything behind.

.... is not the only but the most beautiful beach on the island of Penang.

By taking bus line 101, which runs every 15 minutes, you can reach it in about 50 minutes from downtown George Town. Both ticket and cash payments are possible. The long ride gave us the opportunity to 'get to know' other neighborhoods of George Town, especially those with countless high-rise buildings and malls.

Batu Ferringhi is not a dream beach, but it's more than okay as a change of pace for a city vacation. The beach sand is quite nice, and the water feels just as warm as the air at around 32°C. All in all, it's a pleasant change.

.... was the tallest building in Malaysia at its construction in the late 1980s, before being surpassed by the Petronas Towers in Kuala Lumpur.

In addition to the views over George Town and Penang Island, we were particularly drawn to two attractions of the TOP of Penang: on one hand, a glass Skywalk at a height of 249 meters and on the other - even crazier - the 'circumference' of the Tower at nearly the same height on a narrow, iron walkway.

So we did it, documented with some photos ....

.... after that, we enjoyed the evening views, the sunset, and the nighttime George Town.

Thank you for this special experience!

Welcome to Malaysia! Don't forget to smile!

No, Malaysia, I won't. I'm doing just fine :-)

After a night and 1000 kilometers by train, we arrive - and I'm happy, excited. Malaysia has always been a country where we feel safe and well taken care of. Now, after the initial caution about what changes we might encounter, we realize how much this country has developed, how clean the streets are, and how efficiently public transport operates. From the border, we continue straight to Penang, an island in the northwest of Malaysia.

Georgetown. Art, street art, an ethnic mix of the population. Chinese, Indians, Malays. All Malays. Georgetown, UNESCO World Heritage - the third distinguished city we are visiting on this trip: Hoi An in Vietnam, Luang Prabang in Laos, and now Georgetown. We've already looked up which cities in which countries are distinguished - worthwhile destinations :-) for future travels!

The images of Georgetown and Batu Ferringhi (beach) speak for themselves - it's fantastic!

There are changes, however; we would be superficial if we didn't see and mention them - tour groups, predominantly young Chinese, flood the hip streets, mostly focused solely on the pronounced selfie culture. Me here, me there, my cake, my tic, my toc, ... Go around the corner, and it gets noticeably emptier.

We talk with a restaurant owner, Urs, a Swiss who has been living there with his Malaysian wife for a long time. The pandemic has turned everything upside down for him and many others and changed a lot here as well. He complains, like our hotelier, that there is no staff to be found, let alone good staff. We see that the shops are equipped like 'fast shops' - quick, expensive, hip. Loud and inviting for selfies. Urs describes it as follows: they come in, take pictures, and leave. They want cake, rummage around for the photo, leave it standing, and walk away. The new species of tourists.

The dynamics are changing. Many others have had to close due to the economic impact of the pandemic; vacancies are also visible here. The Malaysian government is becoming more bureaucratic, the hurdles are rising, Urs is going to stop next year. However, Urs is already well over 60 - a good time.

The city is changing; it pulses to a new rhythm. How it will turn out - the next generation will decide - we still find it magnificent, beautiful, unique.

Look and enjoy!

On the way back from the river safari, we made a stop in Sepilok. There is a breeding center for sun bears and one for orangutans.

Seeing the orangutans up close was quite an amazing experience. The apes are very human-like, and you can really see how social and intelligent they are.

After that, it was already time to say Good Bye Malaysia, and we got ready for the next leg: Indonesia, here we go! So it was a tiring bus journey, sleeping at the airport, and getting on the flight to Jakarta while being overtired…

The influences of Chinese, Malays, Indians, and Brits have shaped the cityscape as well as the interior design of countless historical houses, as well as the culinary offerings of the city.

One doesn't even know where to look first, what to photograph first. Overwhelming. In this regard... pictures speak louder than words.

PS: Remarkably, in comparison to our previous experiences, George Town has the liveliness of Hoi An and the cleanliness of Singapore.

.... the direct distance is about 3,000 km. With two flights and two taxi rides, as well as the waiting times at both airports, we ultimately took from 8:30 AM to 10:00 PM 'from door to door'.

Changi Airport in Singapore once again impressed as a transfer station. To pass the time, Karsten treated himself to a great back massage.

At Penang Airport, things went pretty quickly. The taxi driver from there to our hotel in George Town was very chatty, so the short ride passed by in a flash.

Hotel and hotel room provide everything necessary; our room also has a large balcony overlooking the green courtyard with a pool .... which resembles more of a small park.

George Town .... we are curious about you!

Kinabatangan River 14.01.26-16.01.26

After Aminu landed in KK on the 12th, we traveled to Sandakan the next day, a city in the east of Sabah. There, we were picked up the following day for a three-day river safari!

The Kinabatangan River flows right through the jungle in Sabah. Along its banks, one can observe all sorts of animals, especially monkeys. We stayed two nights in a jungle camp and made trips up and down the river every morning at 6 and every afternoon at 4. We were able to see a lot: the famous proboscis monkeys of Borneo, macaques, silvered langurs, orangutans, crocodiles, hornbills, and even a small elephant on the way to the camp. Hanging out and sleeping in the camp was incredible, the soundscape and closeness to nature were great. We met really nice people!

01.03.26-01.12.26 - Kuching, Bako National Park, Kota Kinabalu & Kundasang

The Philippines sounded great to me, but I found it too much change, so I stayed in Malaysia and headed to Borneo instead.

January 3-5, 2026: I was in Kuching, the largest city in Sarawak, the western part of Borneo. Unfortunately, the weather wasn't very favorable, but I was still able to explore the beautiful city and take a walk along the river.

January 6-7, 2026: early in the morning, I took a bus to a ferry terminal and from there traveled to Bako National Park, which can only be reached by boat, and spent the night there. It was amazing!!! The national park was truly beautiful, and I had many wonderful experiences:

-a hike to a stunning beach through the jungle

-on the way back, I almost stepped on a snake, which was terrifying because of my phobia but also fascinating, as there happened to be a Malaysian botanist nearby who assured me that the snake was not venomous. Thus, I was less afraid to watch it, and it lingered by the path for a while, hunting frogs.

-in the park, there are proboscis monkeys that look a bit quirky - but not as bizarre as the nasalis monkeys! Evolution really had a silly turn there…

-there were crocodile warning signs everywhere on the beach… yet the Xxxxxx still chilled there.

-in the evening, I went on a night hike with a group and saw a lemur, many insects, and a small snake.

January 7-8, 2026: in the morning, I returned by boat and spent the day in Kuching. I actually wanted to take the bus to Sabah, but due to many floods, as well as landslides and collapsed bridges along the way, I ended up flying to Kota Kinabalu in the evening and spent another day there. There's a fantastic night market and a beautiful 'floating mosque' in Kota Kinabalu.

January 9-11, 2026: finally, I traveled to the small mountain village of Kundasang, located near Mount Kinabalu. I arrived at night in pouring rain and couldn't see the landscape at all - my amazement the next morning at the beautiful mountain backdrop was even greater. I went on a hike to a lookout point for a day. When I wanted to head back on the 11th, my bus that I had booked didn't arrive even after a three-quarters of an hour wait. Two super nice Malaysian women then approached me and kindly drove me the three hours to Kota Kinabalu without asking for anything in return. That was incredibly kind and an extremely fun ride!

On January 12, Aminu flew from Manila to KK :)