Category Archives: Uncategorized

Record highs in Nanjing

My old friend Sue came over from Suzhou to see me and in planning our day we had to make sure we were outdoors for the least amount of time. For shoe shopping we decided therefore to go to Fashion Lady which is a huge underground cavern full of small shops.  It’s dark and like… Read More »

Summer insect din

The cicadas live underground for 17 years and then emerge and fill the air with a deafening sound. Even amongst the busy streets of Nanjing it is sometimes hard to make yourself heard. The cicadas in this clip were singing for a mate at the 1912 area of the city and were perhaps singing extra… Read More »

Dancing on the cool streets

I am trying not to venture out of the house during the hours of daylight if I can help it. It’s far too hot and sweaty. When I eventually emerge the whole place is dancing.  These people are dancing outside the library in the middle of town but everywhere you look in the evening there’s… Read More »

Kuala Lumpur Railway Station

I called at the railway station, an old colonial building like something you imagine from the days of the Indian Raj. I wanted to buy a ticket for the overnight train tomorrow to Singapore. I decided to go as soon as possible to ensure that I had left enough time to queue in the doubtless… Read More »

Nasi Kandar Pelita, Kuala Lumpur

Hungry again I got the monorail and the underground to have a look around the shopping area to see if there was a nice quiet local café to have a meal. However, there were lots of people shopping in huge gleaming shopping malls selling all the usual labels. There were indeed restaurants there but of… Read More »

Arrival in Kuala Lumpur

I have left The Cameron Highlands behind and got a coach to KL. It took just over 4 hours and was only a quarter full. The scenery was unremarkable – a lot of palm trees and roadside shacks. On arrival at the bus station I decided not to take a taxi and to walk around… Read More »

Tea Plantations

Decided to go and have a look at the tea plantations today and signed up for a jungle trek. The plantations are extensive and our guide was an ecologist who knew all about tea and told us that, unlike wine grapes, there was only one type of tea plant – Camellia – and that the… Read More »

Into the jungle

A lazy day today catching up with some sleep and took route 10 up into the mountains to see what I could see. It’s Ramadam so the restaurants are quiet until later in the day. Remarkably there is a Starbucks here but all other places are local and much busier! I had a lovely plateful… Read More »

Leaving for Cameron Highlands

 I had enough time to go and have a look at the harbour side and I wanted to see Marina Bay Sands Hotel. I got the MRT underground to that part of the city and spent an hour trying not to spend any money then headed back to Little India and to Arab St.  10pm… Read More »

Little India for breakfast and lunch

Arrived 2.5hrs late in Singapore last night after a delay caused by air traffic in Shanghai. God knows what they have to do with Nanjing but that’s what the captain told us. I rushed for the taxis and got one straight away to Emma’s house. Luckily she was still up and welcoming.  This morning I… Read More »