Blog

Our Malaysian adventure continued as we left the cool, misty air of the Cameron Highlands behind and made our way to the buzzing heart of the country – Kuala Lumpur. We stayed in a small but comfortable apartment in a high-rise block, surrounded by the vibrant skyline of KL. The contrast from the peaceful hills to the energy of the city was incredible. One of our first stops was the iconic Batu Caves – a must-see, but not for the faint-hearted! The towering statue of […]

We spent a few days in Tanah Rata, the main town in the Cameron Highlands, hoping for a breath of fresh air (literally) and a change of pace. The bus ride up was an experience on its own—tight, winding roads snaking through steep hills blanketed in green. All along the way, plastic tunnel houses dominated the slopes—functional but not exactly scenic. And in the valleys, streams choked with rubbish painted a sobering picture of the region’s environmental struggles. Into the Mist […]

Our time in Penang, Malaysia, was an unforgettable mix of culture, adventure, good friends, and seriously good food. We kicked things off in style with a great apartment—modern, super comfortable, and best of all, it had an infinity pool that overlooked the city. It quickly became our go-to spot to escape the relentless heat and unwind after full-on days. We were lucky enough to catch up with some friends from New Zealand while we were there, which added an extra […]

Our trip to the Perhentian Islands started with a wild ride—literally. After the kids hitched a fun lift on a motorbike trailer from the ticket office in Besut, we jumped into a long boat headed for the islands. But the ride was anything but smooth. The waves were big, the boat bounced hard, and while Indah and I hung on with nervous laughs, Kat and Hartley went a bit green. It felt more like a theme park ride than a […]

Kuantan – Jurantut to Taman Negara then beyond to Kota Bharu Jerantut: Quirky Stays & Café Surprises Our accommodation in Jerantut was… let’s just say, “basic.” No Wi-Fi, patchy air conditioning, and not much space to stretch out. But travel is all about the unexpected, and it didn’t take us long to stumble upon a hidden gem: The Gypsy Café. Run by a wonderfully laid-back, hippy-style family, this spot served up rustic European fare in the quirkiest of settings—mismatched furniture, string […]

Journey Along Malaysia’s East Coast: Mersing to Kuantan We caught a bus from Mersing and hugged the eastern coastline of Malaysia all the way to Kuantan — a scenic ride filled with palm plantations, glimpses of the South China Sea, and roadside surprises. Our accommodation turned out to be in a high-rise apartment right on the shoreline. At first glance, it looked sleek and luxurious… but as they say, looks can be deceiving. We set out to explore Kuantan on […]

After our time in Singapore we boarded an early morning bus and headed north to Mersing, a small fishing town on Malaysia’s east coast. Mersing: Cats, Coffee & a (False) Spider Bite Mersing welcomed us with a wall of heat—seriously, intense. Add that to lingering gastro symptoms and the chaos of getting the kids set up for online school in a new country, and let’s just say… our motivation to explore wasn’t exactly peaking. But, as travel often goes, even low-energy […]

What started as a pipe dream slowly evolved into a real plan—one that took over a year to prepare. After months of saving, arranging care for our cat, and securing a tenant for our home, we finally did it. Kat, the kids, and I packed up our lives into seven travel packs and set off on our year-long (or longer) journey. We left on February 26th, 2025, with the aim of exploring Europe and the UK, with a few stops […]