19.09.2004

Butterworth, Malaysia

Posted by justin

Butterworth, Malaysia. First stop, first snapshot of Malaysia. The bus depot was tucked under large cement highway flyovers just like Darling Harbour in Sydney - before it was developed. So on first sight Malaysia looked thoroughly modern and Western, with a glistening glass high-rise in the distance that could have come out of any CBD. It looked a little lonely though.

Though the scene of touts hollering for customers outside the little bus ticket booths was straight from the very undeveloped rough-and-tumble world. We found the booth for Cameron Highlands and organised to get some tickets for the next morning bus. We had to get some Ringgits Malaysia first, and a place to stay. A particularly helpful tout pointed us to the nearest hotel - next to the rising office block.

'Hotel' was an interesting word, though it was an interesting place to stay. Walking up the broad old creaky wooden stairs it was evident the building was a very rundown dusty relic someone must've stored in some old forgotten colonial closet. Built in the days when over-engineering of any construction was as normal as overly high ceilings - it seemed not to have been cleaned since. It was definitely charming in that Fight Club, abandoned building, sort of way - though a little pricey at 25 MYR ($10 AUD).

We ate some Indian food across the road and sat back inspecting the cultural mix. Malays and Chinese and Indians - with outrageously eighties haircuts with a real Indian-style mullet and leather jackets definitely giving us a great intro to what Malaysia is all about.

The twenty-storey office block next door seemed empty, lonely, and extremely grimy close up. It appeared to represent what Malaysia was about - rushing towards modernity but not quite nailing it on the execution. Then again here I was analysing a country based on one building - the first building - that I had seen. Hmm.

We went back and bought our bus tickets before heading back to the hotel. It rained and it poured that night - a little too loud for my liking. I went to close the window before realising it was closed, and the sound was the rain pouring in through a leaky roof right beside our bed. Having travelled for two days without showering we'd begun to develop a cat's fear of water so we eyed the ceiling fearfully for the rest of the night.

Next morning bright and early the ticketing guy obviously wouldn't accept the tickets we had bought because we had bought them through his friend. We already knew we'd been had so Danielle did some quick reconnaissance for the bus, confirming with a helpful passenger, before boarding the bus in stealth mode.

It wasn't long before our ticketing friend came on to tell us to get off. A lively discussion ensued as various passengers rallied around the opposing camps. In our favour was the fact most Malaysians speak English and could understand our argument. We quickly allied with a very helpful young Chinese woman - Josephy - who became our official translator as the situation heated up. A final solution was offered by her which was our first experience of Malaysian kindness.

We would only buy a very cheap ticket to the next major city - Ipoh - where we would get a lift with her cousin back to her house. She happened to be driving from there almost to the Cameron highlands for a cousin's wedding preperations. We knew when to cut our loses and this sounded like the right ticket.

Not knowing too much about Malaysia except it was a thoroughly Muslim country that once had an apparently 'recalcitrant' leader (who had his deputy locked up until a few weeks ago) - Josephy provided an example that would educate us a lot more about this country. A young, independant entrepreneur importing auto-parts from China, she refused to get married as in the Chinese community it meant having to marry the groom's family (not only in the Chinese community I suspect). She made much about how this was a thought requiring much shuddering. Her little three-year old daughter didn't seem to mind, and Josephy demonstrated a very Western outlook we had not totally expected. She had visited New Zealand and Australia for holidays and had been given a lot of help by locals on her travels - we we're obviously reaping the rewards of some kindly kiwi.

After picking up and dropping off various relatives she gave us an enthusiastic tour of her home-town before taking a half-hour detour to the tourist centre to pile up Danielle with brochure after brochure on Malaysia. She was champing at the bit to take us on a tour of the massive limestone caves around the area and took a lot of convincing before getting her back on her wedding prep destination.

After an hour journey we arrived in the last town before the Cameron Highlands. She went straight ahead and sorted out the local bus tickets for the last leg. I haven't met anyone more helpful - though as we travel through Malaysia it is becoming obvious that the Malaysians are the most friendly and helpful people of all the countries we've visited. Josephy's rundown of Malaysia seemed to fit our first impressions - a Malaysia thoroughly modern with a broad mix of cultures operating in relative harmony - but still retaining that raffish, uncivil edge that still lurks under highway flyovers, ready to rip you off all in good humour. But at it's most civil it is a country that allows progressive women like Josephy to thrive.