Malaysia

[Josh]

Ive being pretty much all over Malaysia...

ditto

Studied for a semester just out of Kajang (home of satay sticks) about 40 mins from KL in 97...

and spent 3 months at the Butterworth Air Force Base, on the mainland from Penang Island in 2000-01.

Both very different trips, but they both had good times.

Traveling the length of the country numerous times in my first trip was unbelievable. Luxury 24 seater coaches, rickety old trains and all the mini buses. But the best bit was walking to the national highway from our accommodation and just hitchhiking to Singapore on a whim. It took 4 different vehicles and one whole day but we met plenty of great people. We even got a personal tour of the unopened KLIA airport site by one of the engineers. Then we stopped in at his place for lunch before hitting the highway again.

So many great memories, I can't wait to get away again. Europe can't come soon enough.

Back on topic, I drank a lot of the cheap Thai rocket fuel, and on more than a few occasions paid stacks of money at our favourite watering hole Hard Rock Cafe. In 2000 we had cases of VB and Tiger at the boozer, and when in town got buckets of 5 Carlsbergs for about RM20 ($9?)

 

[Cocko]

2. You get used the the stench after 3-4 days
3. Foods good and cheap if you know where to go
4. Tobaccos very cheap
8. Clothes and Runners are cheap!

My tip for doing any of part of asia is travel naked with an empty case!

 

[Jase71]

After a recent stopover in KL during March, two nights, then another four nights a few weeks after, I got to thinking how great it would be to work & live there for a couple of years. How does one go about finding work in Malaysia (without formal qualifications :lol: )

Serious question.

 

[Jase71]

My tip for doing any of part of asia is travel naked with an empty case!

Yep, very good advice. One T-Shirt and a pair of duds on the body, same again in the pack + a few pairs of synthetic undies in the bag and you're away.

A well stocked First Aid Kit should be packed though.....

 

[Josh]

After a recent stopover in KL during March, two nights, then another four nights a few weeks after, I got to thinking how great it would be to work & live there for a couple of years. How does one go about finding work in Malaysia (without formal qualifications :lol: )

Serious question.

Played a game of Aussie Rules in Jakarta when I was over there. Our side were all ex-pats. Most of the players either worked at the High Commission or were in the construction industry, mainly engineers. Just before the Asian Economic Crisis of '97 there were whole cities being built. Not too sure of the situation right now, but I'd bet they're still building plenty of things. That being said, if you're not the engineer or working for an international builder that pays in foreign currency, you'd be hard pressed earning the equivalent of the minimum wage back here.

Not too sure of other work foreigners can walk into in those parts.

You could pack up and move to Langkawi like Les, a Kiwi we met running his own little beach bar on the duty free island.

 

[Jase71]

Played a game of Aussie Rules in Jakarta when I was over there. Our side were all ex-pats. Most of the players either worked at the High Commission or were in the construction industry, mainly engineers. Just before the Asian Economic Crisis of '97 there were whole cities being built. Not too sure of the situation right now, but I'd bet they're still building plenty of things. That being said, if you're not the engineer or working for an international builder that pays in foreign currency, you'd be hard pressed earning the equivalent of the minimum wage back here.

Not too sure of other work foreigners can walk into in those parts.

You could pack up and move to Langkawi like Les, a Kiwi we met running his own little beach bar on the duty free island.

That raises a question that I had when I was in a taxi from KL's LCCT and the city (four one-hour trips in the last month). There's a shitload of housing developments that you see from the motorway, but they are all empty ! These estates roll into the horizon as far as the eye can see, and they are all empty (no curtains, cars, gardening, or any signs of life). What;s the go with THAT ? My partner spent some time in Malaysia a few years ago and suggested that there's a corruption element between the government and the construction industry in Malaysia in that they create these housing areas simply to turn over a buck (or a billion!) simply to chanell public funding into the pockets of the officials without regard to whether they actually get anyone to live in them. And I can tell you, there are over 10,000 houses that are probably empty, just along the route between the airport and the city.

 

[warrenlw63]

That raises a question that I had when I was in a taxi from KL's LCCT and the city (four one-hour trips in the last month). There's a shitload of housing developments that you see from the motorway, but they are all empty !

How about that protracted trip from the airport? Cabby speeds like a loonie and gives you this pleading look everytime they pay the freeway tolls. My wife got sucked in and wound up reimbursing them for said tolls. Wound up a pricier ride than we first anticipated. :lol:

I remember all the developments Jase. They were empty when we went past them earlier this year.

Warren -

 

[Fents]

The devolpments are still empty! well most of the ones i saw from KLIA to KL cdb. I think it comes down to price. i was looking at housing in the paper and thos tiny scrappy dirty apartments in a high rise were all the locals seem to live go for about $30,000 - $50,000 Rm. I think those nicer estate houses go for $70+K Rm which makes it un affordable to most locals over there.

I know in Langkowei you can buy a new 3 bedroom fully furnished flat in a high rise for $90,000AUD.

Should move there and setup a HBS and start importing ingredints imo jase.

 

[Katherine]

I remember all the developments Jase. They were empty when we went past them earlier this year.

Warren -

They were empty 10 years ago, maybe not the sames ones but saw plenty of empty developments... i I remember one in Malacca on the strait it was a built up unit block all empty over looking polluted water. Defiantly no resort.

 

[Sentry459]

Been thinking about heading to Malaysia on my next SE Asia trip. I'm a regular in the Philippines, where $0.50 beers and a $2 pack of smokes are the norm (though i have given up smokes since my last visit).