Melaka - Arrivals
Bev Gray and I met in the Kuala Lumpur airport today. She had arrived a couple hours earlier on a flight from Los Angeles. Two policemen met us at the airport, and drove us (in a very official car!) down the highway from KL - Selangor - to Melaka (Malacca is the English spelling) . It was an hour or so drive through miles and miles of date palm forests. We arrived at the Everly Resort Hotel on the Atlantic coast (a beach!) at around 4pm, had a quick shower, gathered up laundry to do (everything I have needs washing after 2 weeks in Spain!) and then Bev said 'lets go do something!' I think she's going to be a fun travel partner :) We took a taxi into the city and had a wonderful dinner at a Chinese restaurant, then set off to look for some shops, and right across the street was a 'Health Shop' - massage and reflexology (foot massage/stimulation techniques) and other Asian sorts of therapies. Bev said 'let's go!' (yes, she's going to be fun). So we did and I had my first ever foot massage and reflexology thing. It was fantastic!!! Hot water soak (with a tea bag in the water), massaging and pressing and finding some very painful spots in my feet - and then a leg massage (oh those riding muscles) and then they had to pry me from the chair because I was too relaxed to move. It was really quite wonderful. I think we're going to go back tomorrow for a head/neck/shoulder massage. My neck and shoulders have been hurting since I came off of the mare at the Ladies Challenge in Abu Dhabi ... maybe all I need is a good massage!
We took a taxi back to the hotel from the shopping center - which we eventually found but everything was closing up so we scoped out some things for the next day and decided to head back. We talked with the taxi driver on the way back and when he found out we were were American he got all excited and asked ' so please can you tell me what the D.C. stands for in Washington D.C? I've been wondering all my life and nobody has ever been able to tell me and you're the first Americans I've met, so please can you tell me??'. How funny - I told him 'District of Columbia' and he almost drove off the road with delight. oh thank you thank you! I've been calling it 'Duncan City' because Duncan is the only American name I could think of that begins with a D. :)
We got back to the hotel and met up with a group of Australians and New Zealanders- two of them are here to ride, the others to help and to enjoy their first visit to Malaysia. Hamdan was there also - looking a bit glassy eyed. He's the main organizer of the ride, and since Tuanku Mizan (the King) will be here to ride it's a very big deal - the whole state of Melaka wants to have a perfect event, Hamdan said even the governor has been calling to see how things are going!
So, tomorrow Bev and I are on our own for the day. I'm getting my hair cut in the morning, maybe a walk on the beach, and then back to the historic district to be tourists. and eat some more wonderful food!
I have a new book to read 'Three Cups of Tea' about a mountain climber who ended up dedicating his life to building schools in the poor mountainous villages of Northern Pakistan. So far it's looking like a good book!
Now, off to bed with drifting notes from the band playing in the hotel lobby, and the sound of waves crashing against the shore. I'm thrilled to be back in Malaysia, I do love this country.
Steph