The food here is an adventure in itself

A few people were shocked that I'd eaten frogs, so I thought I'd put up some pics of other interesting foods that I've tried while I've been in Malaysia.

So far, I've learned three things;
1) the food here is tasty and very cheap, unless you eat in a hotel aimed at Westerners, then its more expensive than in Australia,
2) there is no real distinction between breakfast foods, lunch foods and dinner foods - people eat the same things all day long.
3) alot of foods here are completely unrecognisable - but you might be rewarded if you give them a try.

Green Mystery Drink

I thought I was ordering a banana crepe, but the lady gave me a plastic bag with a green liquid and pink and green floaty things in it!  Further inspection revealed that it was a sweet milky fruit drink and the pink floaty things were banana pieces.  I never did work out what the green things were - but you know I ate them anyway! :)

Sitting by the waterfront at Kota Kinabalu with my green 'mystery' drink.  

Lunch in Batu Puti village

This is the lunch that I was served when at a Community Ecovillage.  The spike fruit on the left is Rambutan.  Also egg, fish and sago root.  All served with rice.

The closest thing I've found to a Western omelette - Roti Telour (Egg Roti)

I've met Western tourists here who are just desperate for a Western breakfast, because in Malaysia the locals seem to eat the same sort of things for all meals - rice with curries, meat, vegies etc.  You just can't find omelettes or a western continental breakfast.  I don't mind that myself, but usually recommend that they go to an Indian cafe and order a Roti.  They cost around 2 Ringett (less than $1AUD)

Roti Telour with Tea.  Unless you say 'No susu', they'll always put condensed milk in your tea.

Chinese 'Kedai Kopi' (Coffee Shop) lunch
As a vegetarian, I have to be quite careful when I eat at a Kedai Kopi, because many of the vegetables are stuffed with meat, and you often can't tell until you've taken a bite.

Greens, Tofu and bread.  

Afternoon tea

Another tea with Chinese Sesame puffs stuffed with red bean

Market Snack

Yes, I know this looks far from appetising but its actually quite tasty!  Its a sort of pancake bread filled with a peanut paste.  Its served hot and wrapped in newspaper.  The market girl didn't stop beaming when I bought this from her.:)

Borneo Trek Day 3 - Because I have no choice, I go on....

Friday 27 August

After a breakfast of frogs and vegetables with rice served on sewn-together palm fronds, we commenced the hardest day of trekking I have ever done!  We were heading over a (small) mountain to Long Kerong village.

Breakfast

The walk was beautiful, but for me it was very very tough... The landscape and environment changed alot.  Sometimes it was quite temperate, with tall trees giving cool shade and solid ground. At other times the jungle was hot and humid, with muddy ground and sap oozing from the trees around.  The climb upward was very steep at times and I had to rely on the two amazing porters to help me up and carry my bag.  There were also some narrow bridges to navigate and very steep descents.  There is no way I could have managed without the help of the porters, Allan and Hagai.

The others at the base of a steep slope (which I was about to descend!)

Allan and Hagai helping me navigate slippery rocks.  Hagai is carrying both my backpack and his.

A little stream running through jungle

We had a rest to admire this view

Leeches!! I was lucky not to get any in my shoes, but I caught one that had slipped between the buttons of my shirt. One of the others had one in an even more personal spot....They were very brazen, those leeches..

J balances on a narrow bridge

Tall J is dwarfed by the size of the trees around

The trek was incredibly humbling because we were in complete reliance on our guide.  Many times, I walked off the path because the trail through the forest was so hard (for me) to see.  Each time, the porters set me back on the path.

At the end of a grueling day, we arrived at the village of Long Sait, where we stayed the night.  We bathed in the nearby stream.  I honestly have never seen so many stars in my life.