My landlord and a worker just left my apartment. It’s been about four months since I got here and I am now just putting up my photographs.  I would have liked to have put them up myself but apparently in Shekou, something about the walls, one needs a worker to hang things. I still have a couple of items I want to get but overall, my place is starting to feel like home.

Right now, I am trying to decide if I want to go anywhere over the holiday break.  I mean, such a tough decision… Bali, Istanbul, Beijing.  These are just some of my choices.  But part of me just wants to be at home and get settled.  Since I have been here, I haven’t had much time to myself.  Then again, I am here to travel (oh yeah, and work) so who I am I kidding? I will see if I can do both, travel and get settled.  I do have three and a half weeks off.

And then, my landlord said some dangerous words. “It’s okay if you paint.” Translation:  I will be down at the hardware store tomorrow.

The headscarves threw me a bit at first.  I am simply not used to seeing so many in one place.  I had never traveled to a Muslim country, but there I was in Malaysia surrounded by hijabs (google it).  Now the interesting thing about Malaysia though is that there are other religions happening there, so it’s actually quite diverse. However in every hotel, there was an arrow on the ceiling pointing towards Mecca, and I did hear the call to prayer a couple of times. I wasn’t in Kansas anymore.

Per usual, Westerners tend to stand out in Asian countries, particularly three unaccompanied American women, so photography was a challenge for me.  Because I stand out so much, there is nothing stealth in my approach.  I was forced to go ‘renegade’ – taking pictures from the window of taxis to get some shots. It’s not exactly what I had in mind, but I’ll just have figure out a way to make it all work next time.

We did get our share of catcalls, which I wasn’t expecting and it was a bit aggressive at times.  I wonder if it was because we were three western women and therefore, all bets were off.  Did these men behave this way with Malaysian women? I wasn’t there long enough to really make that call, but again, not expecting it. In China, it’s gotten to the point where I don’t really even notice the stares anymore.  But in Shekou, I have never felt leered at so that was a surprise.

We arrived in Kota Kinabalu (KK) after a 7-hour delay in the most sterile and bland airport in the world followed by a 3-hour flight. And then, to add to that pleasure, I couldn’t sleep on the plane and was seated behind the man with the world’s stinkiest feet – not kidding. Additionally, I was a bit anxious because I was going with two teachers that I really didn’t know that well.  It turns out that my worries were unnecessary as we ended up bonding over awkward travel experiences and inside jokes.  While there, we traveled to several different locations on the island.  For part of the time, we were in KK proper where we saw some gorgeous sunsets.  Then, we ventured out to a tiny beach resort right outside of town.  It was really lovely and a tad isolated, but the rain each afternoon was a perfect excuse to just relax. I managed to get attacked by some vicious bugs and mosquitoes or as my students say, moss-key-toes.  My legs look like a Christmas tree.  Note to self:  purchase travel size bug spray.

Next, we headed inland to see Mt. Kinabalu and stayed at the saddest hotel in the world called the Fairy Garden. We got totally micked. Okay, I admit I can be high-maintenance, but there were bats and swallows nesting in the stairwell as well as big bugs with wings on my pillow.  Gross.  As a side note, the food was delicious and we also found a small hovel that sold us some excellent treats and playing cards. From there, we ended up going to a little town called Poring where we walked over the forest on canopy bridges. That was pretty cool. Overall, I saw a lot of Malaysia and definitely want to go back to explore more.  But then I heard about a travel package that is a motorcycle tour through Vietnam.  Oh yeah.  Going to google it right now. Enjoy the photos below!

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Super excited.  Going to Malaysia in like, 36 hours…  so of course, I have to get my hair done.  Well, it turns out there is a woman in Shekou that does western hair.  I went to her tonight and I am loving the do!  At this salon, it costs extra to get it styled, but I paid because it’s worth it.  In case you didn’t know, my hair takes about 162 hours to blow dry.  I am not really kidding.  It’s pretty thick and if I want it to look effortless, I put in a lot of effort.  Some days I feel like it, some days I don’t.  That is why God invented hair rubber bands; so when I don’t feel like it.  Yep, right after fire came the bands.  You can look it up.

So about the 44^th hour into to this blow-dry she mentions this great place to get a massage.  I think to myself, I could use one.  I have been working non-stop, including going to my trainer, and dang it, I need it.  I head over to this place and it’s pretty Chinese.  By this I mean, it’s not western – at all.  Still, I am hoping for the best as I rub my neck.  Oh. The other thing about me that you may not know is that I get killer migraines.  I have lost days out of my life because of these awful beasts and besides pharmaceuticals, massages help.

In this particular establishment, no one speaks English. This is a challenge but I persevere and find out that for an hour massage, it will cost about $12US.  What a deal right?  Not so much.

I have had massages in the States before and it’s a very relaxing affair.  There is a locker to put your things in, a private room to change into a soft, comfortable robe, incense burning; it’s kinda dark.  Not a scary dark, but a relaxing, I could nap dark with tranquil Yanni-like-Enya music in the background.  If people speak, it’s to ask if you want some sort of cool refreshment like lavender water.  You know, calm.

Okay, now picture a very, very bright room with two Chinese ladies waiting and watching for you to get undressed, speaking in Chinese, with only a tiny little towel to cover you.  While your getting this massage, imagine women coming in and out of the room sporadically, bad Titanic music on the speakers above you, your clothes lumped in a corner, hoping no one pilfers your wallet.

Was it relaxing?  No.  Did it get the kinks out?  Surprisingly yes.  Let’s just say though that I will stick with Excedrin next time.  Here I come Malaysia!