South East Asia December 2011: The Beginning

I'm in my apartment and I can see my breath in little steam clouds as I stretch a little and prepare to take on the task of writing about my trip.

It's different this time; the trip was different. It was bigger, I guess.. quite literally in one way, as I was gone for a full two weeks, and I didn't even do that last year. But also in scope and meaning. It was one of those weeks where every day feels like a week all on its own, for what you see and do and try to comprehend. (GHP is like that. From the high to the low, the mad and the meaningful, fellow group members and I found ourselves agreeing that this was just what we needed.

Because yes, in step one I did want to get away from the cold. That is not the primary motivation, exploration and learning are that, but it is the beginning place. But I think if I had spent that week lying on a beach in south-someplace or other, I might still feel vaguely unsettled. It's not that I don't love the beach, and also that I don't see the importance of indulging oneself, nor the value in merely escaping the workaday responsibilities. I had, I confess, more internet access than I was wont to make public. I mean, I could get at the computers and internet if I wanted to, if I worked at it, but damn I just didn't want to work at it.

There was far too much else going on, really. And I want to share that stuff with you.

So I'm going to break it up into parts, because really, writing the entire thing at one go would be a beast for me to do, and also you would be far less likely to read it.

So, first, I'll just do the very beginning, before we even got to Cambodia: Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia (our "stopover")
What day is it today?
Today? Why today sir, it's Christmas Day!

On December 25th, I spent the morning cleaning up and getting ready to leave. I walked myself and my suitcase to the interstate bus stop through the sunny windy winter brightness. Everything was smooth and quiet, the bus nearly empty, with lots of time to spare, so no rushing. I met up with group members Miriam (not the same one as last year, though) and Simon, and we exchanged money into US dollars and Malaysian ringgits for the days ahead. I shamelessly tried to run the exchange booth out of $1 bills because I heard it's better to have small bills in Cambodia. Also, in case you haven't noticed, the exchange rate from yen to $ is still pretty ballin.

The flight to Malaysia from KIX is a new addition, but it is no less long. It was a six-and-a-half hour bore-a-thon in some ways, but mostly I just read in my book and cracked open my newly designated 'travel journal' that I got for my birthday from Erin, and tried to sleep a little.

Getting off the plane in KL requires stepping right out of the doors onto a wheeled stairway, not a jetbridge, so you're immediately in that air. The temperature in KL was like 34, that's sweatin weather, for those of you that don't use Celsius, and what I can tell you is that my room this morning was 4 degrees cold, and that change, so instant, from chilly airplane to hot-humid air above the tarmac, will make you take a deep breath and just be grateful to be able to do it.

We arrived at eleven-something, and then had to go through the normal processes of entering a foreign country. Then it was another hour ride from the airport to the city center. When we got in, I was pretty zonked, but the group was united for the first time, so we all went out to eat (at whatever place was open!), and even had time to get a quick drink along a street teeming with bars and clubs in the middle of KL. Our hotel was next to the KLCC towers, as you can see:


We didn't get back until about 4, and promptly crashed into sleep. We decided just to sleep til we were done, which ended up being around noon. Which was when I caught up with Anis, who was already on her way to pick me up to take me to her cousin's wedding reception! She was even bringing me a dress, becauase I'd asked her what to wear. I get really self conscious about wearing inappropriate things to other culture's/family's events.

Being in KL and being able to see Anis again was a huge bonus addition to the Cambodia trip. It was strange but good to be back so soon to the place I went for vacay only last year. We caught up briefly in the car, her story, like so many this past year, "same old, mostly." Even though it was only for a day, I am glad I got to spend time with her!

About weddings, she explained that they do it over several days. I'm just writing from memory, so don't quote me on this, but first there is the ceremony, the official wedding thing. After that, they have a reception for the bride's family and friends, and the next day, one for the groom's family and friends. Her cousin was the groom, although her younger sister was to be married the following weekend, and for that, Anis was the maid of honor.

Anis and I with the bride and groom!

Eating (of course)! That's her dad on the left.

  Meeting her family was really fun, too. I always love to see the backgrounds from which my favorite people came. Everyone was very warm and welcoming, and I felt fine there. Sometimes I have a tendency to feel like an outsider or intruder on events like that, even as I get treated as special, not foreign. But the combination of their demeanor, Anis's presence, and my vacational vow to just let shit go helped allow me to just enjoy the festivities. Her sister, who was as friendly and warm as Anis, said she wished I would still be around for her wedding ceremony.

Afterward, Anis took me to Putrajaya (where I'd never been, actually!) so we could see at least a little of touristy things before she had to go back and take care of some things (helping plan her sister's wedding!). We visited the Putra Mosque where Anis wrapped my scarf around my head so I wouldn't have to wear the pink cloak-things they give to visitors. You have to be fully covered, and nothing real form-fitting either. But with my borrowed dress, I was already halfway there. The place was beautiful and peaceful, and it was my first visit to a mosque! (Having been to several types of temples and churches, both for events and just to sightsee..) You can also see the Perdana Putra, where they keep the Prime Minister's office, from the mosque.

She dropped me off, and I changed back back into westerner, and joined my friends at the rooftop pool to frolic until the pool closed at 7, then we ordered mojitos. We had a 4:30 departure time for the airport, which is an insane wake-up proposition.. still we didn't manage to get to bed until about 11 or 12, just hanging out in the hotel chatting with the group (Miriam, Nohea, Simon, Katie, Kameron, myself, and our chance meetup Brian, who was touring the same areas of Asia as us at the same time).

Sweet.

Brian, Miriam, Kameron, and myself... mojito time

Group: Katie, Brian, me, Kameron, Simon (not pictured: Nohea, Miriam)

Just as a note... Malaysia is one hour behind Japan, and Cambodia is two hours behind. Laos is on the same time as Cambodia. And here are the photos from that day:

2011_12_26

So then we dragged ourselves out of bed, into cabs, to the airport, where Miriam, Nohea, and I stopped for coffee/kayatoast, which caused us a little delay that others worried might cost us the flight (others worried, but not I... well so long as we jogged).

But finally secured in our seats, we took off for our early morning arrival in Siem Reap, Cambodia.

Amanohashidate, and the new pilgrimage

I use the word pilgrimage pretty liberally in my thinking and even in writing. To me, it typically means a journey with some spiritual significance attached. So my bike ride to Iwa Jinja that one day was a pilgrimage in my head. My trip to Omizutori at Nigatsugo was a kind of pilgrimage. At that time, in March, when fellow writers’ group member T-rav and I stood shivering in the dark cold of 2am Nara, I got a temple book separate page to commemorate the event (the event which I see I did not post about.. to be rectified). T-rav explained that he had a temple book so he could get it calligraphied at the temples he visited as he traveled about in Kansai; he’d gotten it at our nearby Engyo-ji (on top of Mt. Shosha, where they filmed the Last Samurai). I resolved to get such a book for myself.

Our trip to Amanohashidate was not a pilgrimage. It was a last-minute planned daytrip that almost got canceled on threat of rain. We packed our rain boots and ourselves into Robin Red and set off for this one of the three great sights of Japan.

The normal way to view Amanohashidate is to stand with your back to it, grab your ankles, and look at it upside-down between your legs. This makes it look like it’s in the sky, thus making it look more like the “bridge to heaven” it is supposed to be. It takes a pretty nice dose of imagination to make it look like that, but the landform itself is pretty ridiculous and therefore awesome.

From 2011_05_21

From 2011_05_21

We arrived and parked at the south end, and went up to the viewpoint there, before walking around the temple Chion-ji. We had lunch, and walked across the narrow landmass to the north side. It was surreal, like walking in a park with pine trees and the sea lining... both sides of the path. The water was gorgeous and clear and cold, and had jellyfish. 

From 2011_05_21

From 2011_05_21

At the north end, we walked through Kono Shrine and up toward the other viewpoint (we bought dual tickets, good for both chairlifts). At the top of the chairlift, we decided to go on foot up to the other temple, Nariai-ji, rather than take the bus. This was a mistake. We sweated dragged ourselves all the way up to the temple, and not without a susumebachi sighting (listen, I'm not skittish about bugs, but those things are effing scary. YOU try being possibly allergic to bees and then seeing one that is two freaking inches long and called "yak killer").

From 2011_05_21

We had a little time at Nariai-ji to look around and cool off. A temple lady (priestess?) came and asked if we had walked up, and warned us not to miss the bus back, since a baby bear had been spotted recently near the road, and there were worries that its mother would be hanging around. I went into the temple and there found temple books for sale. I leafed through the "look-at" copy of the one with watercolor images of different Kansai temples. I spotted Engyo-ji. I had been wanting to buy a temple book for a while, and it was nearing time to go, so I took the book to the window to get it purchased, calligraphied, and stamped.

From 2011_05_21

The same woman who had warned us about the bus and the bear tried to ascertain whether I understood what I was buying. I assured her I did. I was lying. When I got home, I looked up the kanji on the front of the book and discovered that what I'd bought was, actually, a pilgrimage book.

Because. Duh. Who else needs a temples book, anyway? To me, the most famous temple pilgrimage in Japan is the Shikoku 88 Temple Pilgrimage. The book I got is the Kansai (that I had been able to read) thirty-three (that too) Kannon (nope!) pilgrimage. The temple at the south end of Amanohashidate, for example, is not included in the book.

Let me start by saying, I know so little about Buddhism it's kind of ridiculous, being the religion enthusiast that I am, living where I do. So it was a delightful surprise to learn that Kannon is the Japanese name for Guanyin, the goddess of mercy.

Hmm... where have I heard about a goddess of mercy before? Oh right!

From Winter Vacation Part II: Penang

And Kek Lok Si was where I bought the two wooden bracelets I wear a lot (now when you glance through photos of me, see if I'm wearing them).

Easily spotted here.

From Okinawa Take Two

They were advertised as "avoid evils wood" and are inscribed with little kanji.

So I was like, sweet, I accidentally got myself maybe on a pilgrimage (which is kind of, it turns out, what happens to the character in that novel I'm kinda working on?), and I do like it when stuff comes together... so I thought, I'll do a bit more research and see what I decide.

The next day, meaning, the day after Amanohashidate, I went out to Kobe for an art gallery opening featuring the work of some JETs I know...

From 2011_05_22

On the train home, I was sitting in the jump seat (the little pull-down seat) when an old dude got on the train, and you do not (as a 25 year old) just sit there staring at the old dude who is standing, even on the long stretch between Kobe and Akashi, sorry, so I got up and he sat down, and then I noticed this poster, and did my best to read it.

From 2011_05_22

Because the parts I could read were west-country, and thirty-three, and the picture was of Nariai-ji, where I'd just bought my temple book, and the other picture was of the Kannon image, which I freshly knew is only displayed every 33 years. I wasn't sure (and still am not) if the poster was just promoting the idea of going on the pilgrimage tour, or announcing the extension of transportation lines toward Nariai-ji, or some other thing.

I do know that I have a newfound curiosity about Buddhism, Kannon, this travel, and in my spare spare time, I will be looking into it.

Winter Vacation: Kuala Lumpur

The last stop!

We got ourselves to KLCC, the Petronas Towers where Anis met us after a little searching. She took us home to drop our stuff off and get ready for dinner. We met her boyfriend and went out for some traditional on-banana-leaf Malaysian food which we ate by hand (not with utensils). Dinner in Mayalsia is often a more into-the-night time affair. We weren't even there until almost ten!

After a sumptuous meal, we went home to play with her pet iguana and chat until bedtime.

The next morning, we slept way longer than 8 hours. I woke baffled to blazing sunshine. We got dressed and heaed out for breakfast.. er.. lunch? We went to Old Town coffee which, like most restaurants, was half outside veranda porch. Miriam and I told Anis stories of Shiso life, and Anis and I told Miriam stories of Vanderbilt life. It was a pretty sweet way to start the day.

Since it was late in our trip, Miriam and I were totally ready to kick back and let Anis lead us. I did, however, want to find this one temple I'd read about in the guidebook, so we set off for Thean Hou Temple, which was not as easy to find (or get to) as we thought it would be. It was kinda nice, though, to take a long walk (er.. sometimes hike uphill) with friends through the humid hot.

From Winter Vacation Part IV: Kluang to KL

Superman!

From Winter Vacation Part IV: Kluang to KL

The temple was cool, though not as massive as Kek Lok Si; there was a turtle sanctuary in back. After exploring a bit, we went back to town to do a little shopping.

Miriam and I had been putting off making purchases for ourselves, but in the Little India of KL, we bought saris and I snagged a complement of jewelry to go with it.

We let Anis and Lee choose where to take us for our last dinner in KL, and they chose (full circle?) a restaurant which claimed to deliver Penang cuisine. We also let them order, so we got one last round of unfamilar foods. Everything was interesting and flavorful!


We went back to her place to pack up and prepare for our last day and then eventual departure. Since our flight was later in the afternoon, we were able to go visit the Batu Caves and Cave Temple in the morning. This was a temple not in Chinese style like the others we'd been visiting, but a Hindu temple instead!

From Winter Vacation Part IV: Kluang to KL

From Winter Vacation Part IV: Kluang to KL

We climbed the steps amid the faithful, some of whom walked up barefoot, others carrying offering items, jars or flowers or fruit, and a few people even had bit stalks of what I think was sugarcane. The task was hard enough without carrying anything! The Batu Caves are most famous for the festival of Thaipusam, in which devotees pierce their body to show gratitude for prayers granted, or to implore the aid of Murugan (the god of this temple). This festival is around February, so we missed out, but we also missed the crowds!

From Winter Vacation Part IV: Kluang to KL

Near the temple entrance, there was a guy who would take your picture with a snake or large iguana for a small fee. I wasn't too big on the idea (not because I'm afraid of snakes, but because on this trip I had started to become more aware of what I did by spending my money where I did.. that is, what I was supporting), but Miriam jumped for it, so we did. Anis manned the camera and we got a few good shots.

From Winter Vacation Part IV: Kluang to KL

The caves themselves were pretty cool, and the mischevious monkeys who lived there liked to try stealing the devotional flowers and things of devotees. I am shy in working temples, less so now in Japanese things with which I have more experience, but I really do not want to do something rude in someone's holy place, and my ignorance makes that a lot more likely in foreign countries!

From Winter Vacation Part IV: Kluang to KL

 But for what little I know, I do like the Hindu gods. I have a little Ganesha statue of my own. Small shrines were to be found here and there in the cave walls, and bright colors everywhere. I love the brightness of Indian traditional dress. Some devotees had shaved heads, painted gold. It was really cool, overall.

From Winter Vacation Part IV: Kluang to KL

Before we descended, a man near the snake table who had greeted us earlier asked if we'd like a little blessing. I was, as I mentioned, shy, but he said it was alright. The  I like it when people want to share stuff like that, and since I am a fan of blessings, I decided to give a little donation and get one. Miriam couldn't have the powders applied to her forehead because of skin allergies!

It was the guy over there in orange.

From Winter Vacation Part IV: Kluang to KL

We climbed back down, bought some Indian snacks and sweets, and headed back to grab our things and head to the airport.


I really enjoyed hanging out with Anis and exploring a few new types of temples. Eating and shopping were of course lovely too. I hope to go see her again sometime soon... she suggested we go to the island side of Malaysia (sounds like she's up for a real rainforesty adventure!), although I kind of liked the easy pace of life just kicking it in KL.

Ah, this.

From Winter Vacation Part IV: Kluang to KL

After another (argh) 7 hour flight, we were back in Tokyo, greeted by a giant poster of Arashi. We retrieved our cold-weather clothes (I really did like the bag-check guy at Haneda ^_^), exchanged our money, and crashed at our Tokyo hotel, bemoaning the freezing wind the whole way. It took basically all of the following day to get back home, but there we were, at the end of a great winter vacation.

Winter Vacation: Kluang

M and I referred to Kluang as "the Shiso of Malaysia," and it became more and more apparent that this was the case the longer we stayed there.

In the bigger cities in Japan, it's not too hard to get around or make yourself understood in English. Many people speak it, if only a little. You need know no Japanese to get around in Tokyo. You can manage Kobe and Osaka, too, as well as lots of other big cities with a bit of willingness to look around for the English there. But if you get out in the countryside (liiiike Shiso?), fewer and fewer people really speak English. This isn't a problem for us in Japan, because we either know some Japanese or know people who do.. but Miriam and I would have only the phrases outlined in the guidebook, and no knowledge whatever.

Happily, Zul and his mother met us at the bus station, dissolving instantly our worries about not knowing either a, where we were in town, or b, how we would get in touch with them. They took us to dinner and we spent the evening enjoying their company.

Delicious!

From Winter Vacation Part IV: Kluang to KL

We went back to their wide, airy home where we looked at some photos of childhood Zul before getting caught up in a Malaysian movie (Adnan Sempit) which was excellently bilingual (with subtitles switching between Malay and English at the screen bottom). The movie was a good illustration of the way people around us were often talking in Malaysia. It also made more apparent the way that English is kind of a class marker. The movie's protagonist is not good at English, but the high-born object of his affections (his boss) certainly is, and a Malaysian dude who has been spending time in London is threatening to steal her away. The movie was really fun, all the more so because Zul explained the points we would have otherwise missed, having not been steeped in Malaysian (popular) culture ourselves. Things like the meaning of the word sempit (narrow-minded), the culture of the motorbiking ruffians, etc. I don't know if you can find this movie in your local rental shop, and I of course would never advocate illegal downloading just so you might enjoy it, so...


The next morning, we went to breakfast at Zul's favorite coffee shop, Kluang Rail Coffee. It is an establishment of some renown, and that was where we first tried kaya (coconut jam). Our various breads came slathered in it, with slabs of butter wedged in too. It was heavenly. Zul's mom taught us how to properly open the soft-boiled eggs (after his attempt failed), and I also tried the cham, a brew of coffee grounds and tea leaves together.

Kluang Rail Coffee: also delicious!

From Winter Vacation Part IV: Kluang to KL

Then we went to the post office and to a market area to shop for souveneirs. Most of the goods we brought back for friends (and selves), we got in the market at Kluang. Zul's mom even bargained with the shopkeepers for us, pulling the (already in ringgits) price down further.

Dragonfruit in the market outside where we got souvenirs. And yes, delicious.

From Winter Vacation Part IV: Kluang to KL

On the way back, we stopped for lunch at a restaurant reported (by Zul) to have been the favorite of the old king.What stands out in my mind there, and in all of Kluang really, is the bougainvillea growing everywhere I looked. The restaurant had a picture of the old king up on the wall, and had the feel of a very classy, high-style hangout from a long time ago. Made me think of rich people in old movies.

You can see the old king in the background!

From Winter Vacation Part IV: Kluang to KL

Bougainvillea!

From Winter Vacation Part IV: Kluang to KL

After this, we needed to go catch our bus to KL, so we loaded up the car, exchanged hugs and promises to write, and M and I got one last look at Malaysian suburbia through the windows of the car.

The bus rolled north through tamed-jungle looking miles of ..maybe rubber trees? I don't really know. On our way to meet Anis in the capital, and our last stop!

Winter Vacation: Singapore

Crammed back into a tiny airline seat, rushed around by harried airline workers, we endured some more horribly noisy children until touching down in one of the nicest airports in the world. Singapore's airport fee, I noticed when buying, was quite a bit higher than any of the other airports we were using for this trip. When we got there, I understood why.

Clean, sleek, and very modern, we passed through to the metro system, following directions carefully copied on my travel sheet. Signs in the metro proclaimed fines for messing with the alarms at $500 SD. (Singapore dollars are about twice the value of Malaysian ringgits, so around 60 or 65 cents each) Eating or drinking on the train would be $50. They don't mess around.

From Winter Vacation Part III: Singapore

We found our hostel, Sleepy Sam's, neat and friendly and on a well-visited street not accessible to cars. The top of the street is dominated by the golden domes of the Sultan Mosque, and the area is lined with trees, shops, and restaurants. I recommend it to anyone seeking a budget place in Singapore! We dropped off our stuff, showered gratefully in the strangely-open-air bathroom (the sink area, not the shower itself), and got a late lunch in a nearby Turkish restaurant, plotting our next move.

From Winter Vacation Part III: Singapore This is the bathroom in the Botanic Gardens, but you get the idea. From Winter Vacation Part III: Singapore

From Winter Vacation Part III: Singapore

In Singapore, the thing I most wanted to see was the zoo, as I'd read reviews about it being very impressive (I guess especially when compared to most zoos in Asia). There were also the botanical gardens, and then the city's districts (Little India, Chinatown, etc.) which were already familiar concepts to us from Penang, as well as reading about KL.

From Winter Vacation Part III: Singapore

We also needed to get bus tickets to Kluang for the following afternoon. This proved to be much more difficult than I anticipated, mostly because the bus companies could not understand why we wanted to go to Kluang (if they in fact knew of the place). Everyone assumed we wanted to go to Klang, which is near KL. Not so, we wanted that town in the middle of Johor. ("Johor Bahru?" "No, Kluang. Right here?") We finally found a coach and booked some tickets.


We decided to go to the botanical gardens first, then make our way to the Night Safari, a complex next door to the zoo and the world's only night zoo. It's a great concept, especially since everyone's had that zoo day where all the animals were asleep.


The botanical gardens were gorgeous, but a rain started just after we arrived, and did not let up until after dark. I was disappointed because I had really wanted to explore the gardens better, but what we did get to see was pretty cool.

From Winter Vacation Part III: Singapore

We had dinner at Subway in one of the big modern buildings, excited that we could get our hands on those cookies (which the Japanese Subway for some reason LACKS). I spilled my entire cup of tea at Miriam (luckily, only a little bit actually got on the white lacy dress she wore) after tasting it and finding my combination of flavors displeasing yet myself unable to get free refills. Then we got on a bus and went to the Night Safari.


I don't have any photos of that, unfortunately, because it was a no-flash zone. We saw an animal show which was really cool. The otters were the best. All the zoo-related shows had conservationist undertones messages, naturally, so they had three otters come out to pick up paper cups, plastic bottles, and aluminum cans and put them in the correct recycling bins. The first two were done in a flash and getting their treats, but the alumican guy became mesmerized by the shiny thing it was carrying and spun the thing around for a very long time. The host laughed and said something about "quality control," and it did look like the creature was possibly checking to make sure this was in fact an aluminum can before putting it in the bin, but I thought it was hilariously cute to see the otter twirl that can. It happened a lot less on the second can, and the otters left the stage.


We saw a lot of nocturnal and semi-nocturnal animals doing their thing. Took a ride on the tram, and by the end of that, it was nearly closing time, and we were exhausted. We took a cap back to our hostel, telling the driver we wanted to go to the Sultan Mosque. He was a new driver, and also quite worried about our safety since it was late and we were asking to be dropped off somewhere a bit away from the main road. We kept saying our hotel was there, but he didn't really believe us because there were no "hotels" there, actually. We fell asleep pretty fast upon return.


The next morning after complimentary breakfast and handing over my laundry to be washed while I frolicked, we set out for the zoo, where we spent most of the day; the Singapore Zoo is world class, though it also made me realize that I've been to a couple world-class zoos in my life. We had a good time and enjoyed some shows and watched some animals. I could have sat and watched some of the animals for a lot longer, but our bus was at 5 and we had a lot to do before then.

What?

From Winter Vacation Part III: Singapore

Fun fact: the word orang utan is Malaysian for "man of the forest".. I had wondered about this when I saw mentions of the "Orang Asli" in the guidebook, wondering why this name for primates was being applied to a group of people native to Malaysia. But I later realized, it goes the other way. "Orang" is the term used for a people. The orangutans are certainly people-like, too. One sat right next to the glass on one side of the enclosure and looked up at us with eyes to which it was impossible not to ascribe human qualities. 

From Winter Vacation Part III: Singapore

From Winter Vacation Part III: Singapore

At designated times and for a fee, you could feed various animals around the zoo.

From Winter Vacation Part III: Singapore

Animals I had never heard of: Mouse Deer.

From Winter Vacation Part III: Singapore

 Once we got back, it was getting fairly late. I showered while Miriam got some souveneirs, then we went to catch our bus. I realized upon getting to the bus place that I hadn't gotten my air-dry items from the laundry yet, so I actually jogged all the way back to the hostel to get them. 

From Winter Vacation Part III: Singapore

There were three people on the bus (including us two) and I was baffled as to why they even ran buses to Kluang at all, much less twice a day. Spent the bus trip as it has become my custom to.. mostly writing postcards. Once we crossed the border and stopped in Johor Bahru, the bus filled up with loud-talking passengers and a really intense movie came on the TV screen (about a kidnapped kid and his desperate, taxi-driving father).. we didn't get to see the end of the movie! ...but that was because we had arrived in Kluang!

From Winter Vacation Part III: Singapore

Bye Singapore!

Tomodachi Tourism

Tomorrow, M and I set off for our Winter Vacation Extravaganza. As I pack and clean and make lists and check my e-mail and prepare all the little things for leaving, I keep getting notes from people in different places.

Just got one from my friend in Malaysia saying he's looking forward to seeing me, even though we're only going to be able to stop in his town a little while.

M pointed out that although we are leaving on the 31st and returning the 10th, we're only spending like three nights in hotels (two by the beach in Penang, one in Singapore). The rest of the time, we are crashing with or imposing on various friends of mine (okay one night might be an overnight train to save us some time, but who is counting?).

Seriously. In Kyoto, in Tokyo, in Kluang and KL we have invitations or actual plans to stay the night with four different friends of mine.

Which would be impressive, except... I would probably not be traveling to these places if I didn't have friends there to begin with. I mean, Malaysia is awesome, and Kyoto and Tokyo too.. but why would you go, if not to see someone (or go with someone, which is essentially, to me, the same)? The awesome additional things you get to see and do (mobs of kimono-wearing shrinegoers on the 1st, Emperor in Tokyo, beaches in Malaysia, etc.) are nice additions, but for me, the backbone of a trip usually begins with my contacts. There are so many places to see in the world, I'll never see them all. So I'll settle for first seeing/exploring the ones inhabited by people I like.

It can grow bigger and more interesting from there, but that first kernel is almost always a person.

Welcome to tomodachi tourism.

I'll be out of pocket for a little while, though I might be able to grab an internet connection somewhere, I am certainly not lugging this laptop around with me. In SE Asia we will be packing "light and dirty." In the meantime, enjoy this itinerary I've cobbled together after hours of charting (literally) the options. The non-Malaysia parts all ended up being mostly accidental discoveries of awesomeness tacked on to this plan by my crack team of Guardian Agents who are determined that I should have a good time. Because I really couldn't have designed a better flowing plan if I tried.

31st - 9:30am bus to Kyoto, wandering and shopping, go stay the night with Nami.
1st - Traditional New Year Greeting visit to Nami's husband's parents, then to her parents, then to her home shrine. Depart for Tokyo, say 'what up' to Sumir, stay with Alejandro.
2nd - Stand in line for a while, see the Imperial Palace and maybe Emperor (palace is open twice a year, today and the 23rd of December), 11:30pm flight to Malaysia.
3rd - Arrive in Malaysia at the crack of dawn, hop a short flight to Penang, stumble into sweet splurge hotel (relatively speaking.. is $100 per person for two nights high end to you? It is when the other options are low as $16!) and go find a spot on the beach.
4th - Explore Georgetown, or maybe that sweet jungle park on the other side of the island. Or lie on the sand again.
5th - Morning flight to Singapore. Explore Singapore; they have a kickass zoo and also a night safari.
6th - More Singapore, get a bus to Johor Bahru or Kluang to meet my friend. Hang out in Kluang until the 1am night train, or stay with friend and take morning train.
7th - If we took the night train, we're in KL at 7:30am, if not, we're there around 2:30pm, either way we'll tool around the city, checking guidebook frequently until other friend is done with work.
8th - Do whatever we want in KL with friend and book as guides.
9th - KL morning, flight back to Tokyo at 2:30pm. Probably stay that night in Tokyo.
10th - Make our way back to our little (FROZEN) mountain town with our new tans freckles.

At some point this trip will include delicious stall food, walking tours, and hopefully cheap massages and reflexology, but I haven't nailed all that down yet. Some things are better picked up on the fly.

I'm already trying to figure out how to get back and I haven't even been yet.

That's the other perk of tomodachi tourism - you can [almost] always go back!