Started out (too) early, but a beautiful day for a detour through Minneapolis en route to Singapore via LA. Had a fun afternoon hanging with Colin and Julie, eating great food and enjoying lively conversation!

Arrived in Singapore before sunrise and managed to make our way from the airport by train- clean, quiet and speedy trains with the easiest way to access and pay. Explored the Chinatown and nearby downtown. So much amazing new architecture mixed in with turn of the century shophouses and temples. Capped the day with a great anniversary dinner at an izakaya - lots of sake, tasty food, and really nice people.

The morning sunshine seemed to defy the threat of rain and we ventured out. Kopi and pork bao for breakfast and then the train to Orchard Road. This is the area where nutmeg orchards once stood but now is a busy shopping street that is the pride of Singapore. High-end retail with glitzy storefronts and waiting queues of taxis yields to more traditional malls crowded with shoppers as we move south. We walk up Emerald Hill to see beautifully preserved traditional row houses. After a robot-served lunch we spend the heat of the day in the National Museum of Singapore taking in exhibits of Singapore’s history from muddy island to world class city. The rain does come while we had been relaxing over a beer and making our way back by train was a challenge, but one we met with near perfect success.

Although we visited Gardens by the Bay and Marina Sands in 2014, it’s such a staple of Singapore it didn’t seem right to skip it. Lots of improvements as the area continues to develop. Visited Safdie’s Arts & Science Museum where there was a crazy exhibit called Sneakertopia. The show covered the design and cultural impact of sneakers including art, graffiti, and icons of sports and film The exhibition had a preponderance of US references. Dined in a local hawker center eating Hainanese Chicken and Rice from the same place that Anthony Bourdain visited ages ago along with some delicious thing from a Turkish stall.

Arrived in Malaysia mid-morning and negotiated our way from KLIA into the city. The streets of KL Chinatown were steamy hot and bustling with shoppers and vendors spilling across the walks. The smell of the various foods and spices were intense in the heat. We ate and wandered some before heading back to the hotel. Tian Jing is a small, 2-story hotel with about 15-20 rooms. The room was tall and spacious AND the bathroom occupied the balcony in a small tree-filled courtyard. This was going to be interesting.

A day of random exploring in a city of immense variety. Indian breakfast, KL Tower views, dim sum lunch, monorails, National Museum, bao dinner, sake bar, and the excitement of getting caught in a crazy thunderstorm.

Another steamy day in KL. The botanic gardens and bird park made for some fun encounters including macaques and monitors too. Such a city of contrasts.

The train from KL to Butterworth runs in the lowlands west of the mountains. The way was marked by a few cities and many small villages. Palms and huge tropical trees filled the view for miles. From Butterworth we took the ferry to George Town on the island of Penang. Its colonial heritage is evident in the old town area, a UNESCO World Heritage site.

Beautiful day in George Town. The clear, sunny skies made for wonderful images but also searing heat and humidity. The old town area is filled with quaint old shop houses, temples, mosques and street art. Jetties extend into the harbor with shops and homes perched on stilts and knit together with zigzagging boardwalks. A real cultural melting pot.

Took the city bus to the Penang National Park on the north side of the island. The long bus ride left us 15 minutes short of the park entrance. Although the park was closed for the morning to celebrate Eid al-Fitr we took a boat to Monkey Beach and hiked to the lighthouse. Great jungle hike. Not sure I have ever perspired like that before - when the back of your hands and knuckles sweat you know it is hot.

Chill day…but sooo hot. Wandered about George Town with no real direction. I can see why people choose to move here. If you can handle the heat it seems quite manageable and comfortable, and certainly affordable.

Back in KL. Didn’t think we could find a roti canai as delicious as in George Town, but we did. KL downtown is beautiful; lots of tree-lined streets, new hi-rises, and lovely parks. Capped the day with a dip in the rooftop pool at the hotel.

One last roti canai breakfast in George Town before we take the ferry to Butterworth and train back to Kuala Lumpur. Thought we arrived early for the ferry only to learn we barely made the cut off. When we arrived in KL the skies opened up. Forced to settle for pizza near the hotel and were so happy we did as it was delicious.

Malysia’s Taman Negara has been a national park longer than Malaysia has been a country. We traveled by bus and boat to get there. The cottage lodgings are set in this ancient rainforest that is truly amazing. Kicked off the adventure with a night hike finding lots of strange insects, spiders, snakes, and scorpions.

Couldn’t start a hike to Bukit Teresek early enough to beat the heat. The 800m vertical climb- with ups and downs along the way-left us drenched in sweat. The guide led us off the boardwalk trail for a taste of jungle hiking, pulling ourselves up over roots and rocks and hanging onto vines for support. Followed the summit stop with the canopy walk on a series of 5 or 6 rope and plank bridges spanning over the jungle 60’ below. Three hours later the shower and AC of the cabin were a welcome retreat even if we were sharing the room with a noisy gecko. Capped it off with a night boat ride along the river in hopes of spotting wildlife but settled for stars.

If you travel between KL and Taman Negara (at Kuala Tahan) unless you hire a private driver stopping at Kuala Tembeling is hard to avoid. The area at the Jetty exists for the sole purpose of transfers in multiple directions by bus and boat. Tourists of all sorts gather about. \240A small restaurant staffed by shuffling, muslim women serves the most basic of meals. Other staff have the nerve to charge 1/2 Ringgit for use of the dirty toilet rooms, but all in all, still an interesting spot.

Last stop in KL. Made our way to the observation level of Petronas Towers. Questionable ranking this ever as the tallest in the world as it has always been shorter than the Sears Tower, but it was a nice view.

Borneo! Arrived in Kota Kinabula on a plane with more children than adults. Plenty hot here but the waterfront makes you think it’s cooler. \240The night markets are amazing and the sunsets aren’t too bad either.

Exploring KK Borneo starts with a bit of \240history of Sabah at the National Museum, followed by an old clock tower that is the only surviving pre-war structure. Lunch on a banana leaf, an Irish pub, a view of Mount Kinabalu and a rainbow too- fun, lazy day.

Island hopping in Borneo means negotiating with one of the many companies offering boats to the islands and then trying to decipher their methodology of boarding. Pretty chaotic but does sort out in the end. First stop was Manukan where the beaches and shore are thick with coral fragments. Sapi Island was much quieter with soft sand beaches too. Beautiful weather, relaxing day.

Flew to Sandakan and took a car to Sepilok, Borneo- home to several nature preserves and wildlife sanctuaries. The jungles here are amazing, and the heat and humidity leave you drenched and exhausted. The sun bears, macaques, and orangutans were wonderful to see.

The lodge along the Kinabatangan River was a bumpy couple of hours away by bus, but shortly after arrival we were out on the river watching families of macaques, proboscis monkeys, and orangutans moving about the jungle around us. A night hike let us know that elephants were nearby even though we haven’t seen them yet.

Day 2 on the Kinabatangan River. Early wake up so we can catch the wildlife in the morning along the river- albeit without a full cup of coffee. Followed lunch with an afternoon rainforest hike-absolutely amazing to see and hear and smell a place like this. Night boat trip took us farther up river and we were rewarded with two Bornean elephants along the river.

Back in KK again. Said goodbye to the nice Welsh couple we met at the river and had a chill evening with some shopping in the night market, a beautiful sunset, cold wine, and Borneo pizza too.

Back in Singapore and loving Kampong Glam, the Muslim neighborhood. The area is vibrant and colorful and full of wonderful restaurants and shops.

Last day. Traipsing around Singapore-so much new architecture since we were here last and so much more under construction. Love Singapore.

Making our way home.