When we started planning our one year of travel, we scheduled some intentional rest times. Malaysia was one of those times of rest. Jim had heard about Penang Island as a great place to visit and rest. So when we arrived in Kuala Lumpur early in the morning, we caught the first train to Penang Island, to the UNESCO world heritage town of Georgetown.
We loved the quaint city, known for its delicious multicultural food scene and brightly colored street art. We got a bonus because we were in time to celebrate the end of Chinese New Year festivals.
We spent a few days on the beach relaxing and enjoying being still. Then we toured more of the island visiting gardens and a fishing village. We stayed at a farm homestay where they grow durian. This is where we tried our first durian.
We realized how close we were to Thailand so we took a quick 3 day trip to visit friends from Seattle who moved back to Thailand. We had stayed with their parents on our last trip and we got to see them again as well. It was such a wonderful brief reunion.
Three generations
After our sweet visit in Khao Lak we returned to KL (Kuala Lumpur) for two days in the big city where we enjoyed more food, night markets and a visit to Batu Caves.
We accomplished our goal and left Malaysia feeling rested and replenished. Our time with friends in Thailand was a huge bonus! Of course there is so much more to see but that will have to wait. Oh wait I forgot to mention the durian! Wow, it was love at first taste for me (Jim took a little while to warm up to it). It’s like eating tiramisu with your hands. So good!
We are off to Indonesia, specifically Bali!
Happy New Year
We love you and miss you all!
Jim and Michelle
Our Travels Abroad 