Uk Van Lifers First Impression of Central Malaysia

Uk Van Lifers First Impression of Central Malaysia

They don’t allow foreign cards Yeah you’re on YouTube Yay!! it’s too steep… Okay that’s it – Trudy’s in the garage! After arriving in Malaysia the 22nd country  on our around the world drive, We were forced to change our plan route due to the monsoon rains. An area of enhanced convection working into Malaysia.

So we headed Inland to is one of the oldest  rainforests in the world. It is trying to rain a little bit this morning, which is normal for  this time of year, but hey, we’re British! Rain never stops us right!

So let’s get the map on the side  of the van and just show you the plan for today. So the plan today is we’re going to be driving straight north, up into the Taman Negara Park,

And we’re going to probably try and park up and visit  somewhere right at the end of the road in Kuala Tahan, we were originally after the weather  going to skip going up there but we spoke to a local yesterday at the vanilla Farm,

Who said that it should be open and we should be able to see some of it, and if not it will be a beautiful  drive through the Malaysian Country Side. So yeah we are excited! Right let’s hit the road! Oh that’s not good hold on cupboards open already! Oh hold on cut that!

Okay start that again! It’s one of those mornings already! So yeah it was a good night’s sleep here, oh that’s nice isn’t it? look they got the little temple, little shrine, and somebody is praying this morning. We’ve been coming into these hotels because it’s been so humid in the van, and it’s no fun!

Actually in Trudy at night, we were starting to feel ill and we’ve only done a few nights. hotels here are like 15 to 20 pounds a night, so for me it makes perfect sense just to dip into  a hotel get some air-con, cool your body temperature down before you go again.

Yeah that’s something  I did not even think about, in a UK van, we wouldn’t even think about aircon really in the older vans. no but I would get air-con now, but I would definitely put it in, if we did a build of our  own, I would definitely put in air con!

And the thing is Trudy’s insulated, so she’s made to hold the heat, for the cold English weather! So the Drive North is about 2 hours this morning, so although it looks gray now the weather over here could change pretty quickly. So one minute it’s cloudy and one minute the sun can come out!

So we just got to go with it today and not worry  too much about the weather, it is what it is ! The problem with going in and out of the van and into the hotel is you forget stuff,

Stuff gets all over the place, so yeah so last night I didn’t take new clothes into the hotel, so this morning I’ve just changed my shirt in case you’re  wondering hey Chris, you look different?! That’s why. So now I feel all fresh after the shower I had  this morning.

So because we’re going off the beaten track a little bit today, I’m not sure how many  petrol stations there’s going to be, and we’ve only got half a tank so it is always safer just to top up,

So yeah if you see these diesel things this doesn’t mean that it’s run out, this is just to  stop you putting the wrong fuel in. So here you go London’s freshest coffee Pit Stop is here!!

I love that! Do you feel like you’re at home? I think we better buy a coffee for the road! Straignt coffee, although I feel like a vanilla latte as we’re in the vanilla region! L large? yes, sugar? no

I drive, she drives, and he makes the video, filming, editing – I make video, and I drive! Yeah you’re on YouTube Yay!! Thank you for the coffee ladies! And chicken Puffs, chicken Puffs! Byebye see you again! okay !!

The ladies in the petrol station saw the van and they were very excited to see Trudy is from England! But we got a Costa coffee that should wake us up! Taste of Home! I’m loving all these flowers in the middle of the road.

There’s always Kentucky Fried Chicken!  There’s a lot of Kentucky Fried Chickens in Malaysia – there are! So that’s a first for me – a chicken renang sausage roll!! it’s very good !

Marianne! Yeah it’s bad !! You got quite a few Crumbs from your from your chicken pizza puff this morning ! Yeah, it will have to stay there  till I stop, I can’t worry about it whilst I’m driving,

There something about that pasty, when you eat sausage rolls and stuff, you always end up wearing more than you eat. I love experiencing life in the towns, but it’s always nice to leave and head into the countryside. I’ve always had a love for trees and forests, they just make you feel good,

And of course you see things that you don’t normally see in towns. You’d think after driving in Malaysia for the past month that we would be used to it…. but there are actually banana trees out there!! I was just processing in my mind we …. Oh – there is a monkey running across the wire!!

That’s hilarious!! that’s my point – that’s mad!! Monkeys! Cockerels and chickens all the way down the sides of the road here outside the houses, I love that! I love that … and the little chicks! That’s a very impressive looking….  is that a temple? I don’t know looks like it.

Okay so that’s the second Bank we’ve gone to in the last couple of days, but they don’t accept foreign cards which is interesting… so I don’t think there’s another ATM between here and where we’re going, so fingers crossed I have enough cash.

We’ve had the occasional card problem before, I remember one time the low  fuel light came on, so we pulled into a petrol station only to find that our card didn’t work and we didn’t have any cash, but normally our UK bank card does work, but two Bank ATMs in a row ….

Okay, we found another one in 20 miles, fingers crossed! That way? public bank. that was the bank we went to before so it should work. Success the public Bank definitely takes  foreign cards, it’s a good one, I got the money out so we’re set up! no problems whatsoever!

Taman Negara 58 km, so we’re turning off the main road, yeah and then we should be on slightly more interesting smaller roads Nice …. If there’s ever any doubt that we’re going through jungles…. there isn’t anymore!! I think when we were planning Malaysia and talking about driving around Malaysia and getting off the Beaten Track,

This is exactly what we were hoping for. There is little bit of subsidence on the road, there little bit of jungle, the wildlife and the nature, and the trees are just incredible the foliage is wild! Located 150 miles north of Kuala Lumpur,

The Taman Negara National Park is one of the best places to experience the rainforest on Mainland Malaysia, in fact it’s home to one of the oldest rainforests in the world, it is also home to the world’s longest canopy walk,

But being in the middle of the monsoon season it’s not the best time to visit, let’s hope it’s open! I’m loving how the low clouds are  hugging the tops of the trees on the Hills there, I just can’t get over the there rainforest  there, I know there’s palm here, but there is rainforest!!

We’re nearly at the entrance to the to the National Park, I’m expecting some  kind of Park entrance, but I’m not sure …. it’s lovely rainforest isn’t it? I’m loving the old motorbike and side car! So this is the main Town Kuala Tahan here in Taman Negara,

So if you turn right here it takes you down to the jetty. A few motorbikes here and stuff, places to eat. So if we can go down to the jetty, we might be able to get the the boat down the river a little bit, it’s very steep! it’s too steep!

Do you think so? yeah it’s too steep, because you won’t be able to turn around at the bottom either. Where do I park though? um I’m not sure! okay so we’re going to try and reverse and then park behind this red  car for the moment on the side of the road there. Go !

Okay. okay we’re all parked up. Apparently if you go down to the river, there’s a way that you can get a boat over to go and see the canopy walkway, which would be very cool. So yeah we’ll go and check that out and see if it’s running today.

It was a good call not bringing Trudy  down here because that is so steep! and she’s an old girl her brakes, aren’t …  they’re good, but they’re not the best, and there’s new ones just gone in, so we’re not sure!

Yeah if she didn’t stop she would technically go straight into that restaurant right at the bottom!!! Check out how fast this river is Flowing, that is due to the monsoon season, that’s really really fast! Crazy fast! I would not want to canoe in that! Oh my goodness!

Oh there’s a little floating restaurant there, that’s pretty cool! What is that? that’s the jetty, let’s go  and ask the guy on the jetty there. How much mud? mud! a lot of mud! Okay, thank you – bye! So we’re getting the boat over to the other side,

Oh it’s very fast yeah a lot of rain huh? yes so much water! a lot of water! I think if you were swimming here you’d be gone! yeah – gone there! luggage rack, I think you can stay here, that’s great, you put your luggage here and then it goes up there !! oh that’s genius!

You can’t use the bottom steps because they’re flooded now. wow look at this !! So hopefully we’ve just crossed the river there should be a ranger station that we can ask them what’s open, because it’s rainy season, a lot of it’s closed, but I know the  canopy walk is what we want to do,

But this is so cool! Barefoot only. Hello! hello! hi is this the entrance to the park here? No no – down there, okay, oh down there? Oh the park Centre’s down here. Wow this foliage look at this, look how tall that plant is! So they’ve actually got accommodation in the park here,

But we can’t get Trudy across here unfortunately. The Park Center here, So yeah, it’s typical, Today the canopy walk is closed, every Friday apparently for maintenance. And I asked, would it be open tomorrow? and they said if it’s raining no, if it’s dry yes!

So yeah, this is the hike to go up to the to the canopy walk, which is what we really wanted to do….. he said the other ones you probably have to do with a guide … Okay we’re going to go and eat instead! we always eat when we need to think!

I’ve noticed as well there are two  flags outside… one is the Malay flag and the black and white one is the Pahang flag which is the region that we’re in!! Okay, it’s the state flag! I understand. We really wanted to see the canopy walk because that’s something we’ve never done before,

So I think what we’re going to do is get the boat back over, and I think some of these Huts here that we just walked past, we’re restaurants …. so we’ll go and have some lunch there, but it is what it is, sometimes you know these things you don’t know until you get here,

And the weather’s  played a part obviously in creating a few problems. Hello! Her is our money! With such a strong current, I was amazed at how The Boatman managed to keep the boat heading in the right direction. Even more so when he came into dock!

Good job, he has definitely done that before !! Okay we’re going to go here and see if they’re serving food. Oh my goodness look at this walkway! One at a time, I think! Wow this is cool! This is a perfect little  restaurant pit stop for lunch, right by the river! Nice!

It’s so muddy if you were to fall in, you would be gone! The guys fishing with a throw net, He is throwing the net, let it sink down, Oh I got a friend! I think the cat wants to see if there’s any food! Is there any fish coming?

It was a wonderful symbiotic relationship the boy had with his cat, the cat followed him and waited patiently, and in return the boy shared his catch. mee hoon, oh you’ve got the little fine noodles, and I have got … Marianne’s got the thick noodles … with a view!!

I reckon that’s pretty good – cheers!! Because Life’s Too Short ….   the T-shirt says it all!! So after that fantastic lunch and look at the river, we’re going going to be heading a little bit more West,

We’re going to go west a couple of hours before we find somewhere for the night,  heading towards the Cameron Highlands, and what’s interesting is we thought we  were going for a canopy walk we ended up having a lovely lunch and meeting a fabulous family,

And the most extraordinary relationship between a little boy and a cat! There you  go… every day is an interesting day when you travelling. Well the weather is definitely brightening up  a bit as we’re heading west, which is great!

It is slowly getting more and more hilly  and it actually looks like they’re   almost terraced, like to plant tea, but it  doesn’t look like there’s any tea planted in this region?! We are still a couple of hours from the Cameron Highlands, but the landscape has definitely been moulded.

Okay so we’re just arriving in Kuala Lipis, so we think we’re going to stop here for the  night, and see if we can find a little hotel with air con, I found one online. We are just going over the river, it looks like a nice little town.

Okay we’re nearly there, it’s this building here, I think? It looks pretty modern, it looks cool. That’s perfect, park It in there. I’ll park it in there! that looks good right let’s see if we can get a room for the night! Great!

Okay all the ladies from the hotel we so impressed with Trudy! Hi, they wanted to come and see the van! oh meet Trudy! Wow – Trudy !! we have a kitchen…. There you go, this will do look! bed, coffee, desk, air con, I can feel it! and toilet and shower!

So yeah, this will do for the night, there’s no window but we don’t really need a window, it’s just … is what it is, and it’s cheap and cheerful it was like like £16 a night! And you don’t need a window when you can gaze into my eyes! Oh my goodness ! The Next Day

Welcome back to Malaysia, it’s time to hit the road again, we’re going to check out, and it’s time to go to Kuala Lumpur! It’s been lovely thank you very much! It’s been a great stay here at the Starwell hotel in Kuala Lipis, Trudy’s in secure parking,

It’s all good, but before we hit the road, we’re going to go and grab a bite to eat,  because it is lunchtime, and I’m starving as always! That is one seriously big dead Beetle! That looks like a Cicada, oh maybe that’s a beetle? oh my goodness !

So yesterday we had a really lovely  curry, in this Aliaf Maju restaurant here, and I’m really fancying some mee goreng for lunch which I haven’t eaten enough of since I’ve been here in Malaysia, so yeah we’re going to go back there for lunch!

Wow wow look at all this food, it looks amazing, I think I am going to have mee goreng, Can I have a small bowl of those vegetables? Thank you. Marianne’s  getting into the music! It is good right ?! Very good music!

After that delicious lunch, we’re heading  back to Trudy, we’re going to be driving to KL today, because we got to get some work done on  Trudy, if you’ve been following us for a while you remember we had some problems with the brake lines,

So we’re going to take it back, get some new brake lines built, he’s also going to adjust the handbrake, and then we’ve got an RV shop appointment to go and get the roof hatches fixed, but while we’re there we’ll go and check out and film some stuff, of our favourite  little spots in KL

KL here we come! Thank you! It’s nice to see such a beautiful sunny  day for a change, we’ve lost the rain! Okay why is it as soon as I said it was sunny now gone cloudy? How does that even happen? Unbelievable!

But no rain, not yet! I need you to say that we’re not going to win the lottery and then buy a ticket!! Okay! It was a good feeling to be heading back to KL to finally get Trudy’s brake lines replaced and to get the roof hatches resealed,

Having a leaking roof in monsoon season  is never good, and in a few days she’ll be all fixed up and ready to start the long 7 month drive back towards the UK and home!

Loving this we’re just joining the highway and we got views of the the rolling hills and then on that side we got the rainforest, so after we’ve been to Kuala Lumpur, we’re going to head north and go to the Cameron Highlands,

Which looks absolutely fantastic – I never knew that Malaysia had so many hills but yeah, an amazing drive today! So we this got going  through the Genting Highlands, just north of KL here beautiful mountains, absolutely stunning!

There’s one thing Kuala Lumpur has a lot of, it’s flyovers! I have never seen a city with so many flyovers they’re everywhere !! That’s a beautiful looking  mosque that one. Thank you, mango – the guy in the car next door just bought some  mango for us from the food vendor,

How nice is that? thank you, that’s so sweet! We got all the bikes in front of us at the traffic lights, they are raring to go! We’re nearly there, watch the bikes! it’s like the Wacky Races!!

We’ve arrived back at the polo club and Natasha and Peter have very kindly arranged for us to park up again There she is! That perfect timing, perfect timing! The Next Day Good morning, so this morning we are going back to the polo Club to pick up Trudy, because we’re taking her to the garage!

And I want to just say a quick thank you to Natasha for letting us use her address to receive the parts from Europe, and thank you to Auto Recambi for sending them out as always they’ve got our back and they keep sending us parts,

We are not sponsored at all, but it’s just been a great experience, we’ve used them in Vancouver, and all the times we’ve been in desperation on the road, they’ve managed  to find the parts for us – Adriana thank you! okay left, put there yeah okay that’s it Trudy’s in the garage,

And for 1 to 3 days depending how long it takes them to get the brake pipes built, if they can, so we’ll come back tonight and just see  how it’s going, she’s going to be beautiful! A couple of hours later! We just got a call from the  garage to say the van’s ready!

So what we thought was going to take them a couple  of days to do, they’ve done in one morning, just over one morning!! So yeah Trudy’s pipes are all fixed they built some new brake pipes, we’re excited that means she’s almost ready for the next leg of the adventure,

Now we just got to go to the RV shop to repair the  leaking roof hatches, but that’s not today, that’s tomorrow! Okay so today we’re doing some more work on Trudy, we’re driving about an hour south, we’re going to leave Trudy to get the roof hatch done,

At a guy called Syams Place, that we  visited in a previous video, you may have seen it and then we’ll pick her up in  a couple of days! so yeah South we go! There you go CampeRV Okay that’s it we’re leaving Trudy and  we’ll be back in a few days time,

Hopefully she’ll be leak free – yes!! These guys are in charge of Trudy! they’re going to be doing the work on Trudy, thank you very much guys we’ll see you later turn on

After leaving Malaysia’s east coast we head inland in our UK van to see what central Malaysia is like.

Watch More Here:

SUBSCRIBE https://www.youtube.com/@TREADtheglobe

Travel vlog 625 | Filmed Dec 2023 | Malaysia | Country 37/197

📝 NEWS LETTER Updates from the road: https://treadtheglobe.com/

📍 FOLLOW OUR ROUTE : https://www.polarsteps.com/TREADTheGlobe

⏩ SOCIAL MEDIA

INSTAGRAM: https://www.instagram.com/treadtheglobeofficial
FACEBOOK: https://www.facebook.com/treadtheglobe
TWITTER: https://twitter.com/treadtheglobe
WEBSITE: https://treadtheglobe.com

🎵Get royalty free music here: https://www.epidemicsound.com/referral/fohfcc

#vanlife #treadtheglobe #Malaysia

NOTE: Some of the links may be affiliate links, which means when you buy something we may receive a small commission. There is no additional charge to you, and it helps keep us travelling so thank you.