MELAKA (MALACCA) - The Final Part

continuation from Part III

Satisfied that we'd had our fill of the capital, it was time to continue south to Melaka or Malacca. Our sailing date was nearing - March 9th beckoned and we'd still got Singapore to get to. A lot of the buses continue straight through to Singapore and it felt so good to see the city listed on street signs - our last point in Singapore was within a day's travel - we'd almost made it.

Melaka sits on the south-west coast of Malaysia, a city with a turbulent history of Portugese, Dutch, British, Japanese, British (again) and finally Malaysian influence, going back over 600 years. Like it's northern neighbour of Penang, it was well located for nations vying for strategic and commercial influence over the region - hence it's frequent changing of hands. The dominating landmark of the Melaka Fort up on the hill overlooking the town is well worth a visit - fortunately saved from destruction by the British (it posed a formidable fort) when Sir Stamford Raffles stepped in and managed to save at least the entrance. Inside the fort were several gravestones going back to the 1600s, including one with a skull and crossbones, making the mind race imagining tales of piracy on the Melaka Straits. Some were for families with English names and we wondered about what kind of a life they must have travelling from Britain, with nothing to prepare them for the heat and the alien life of the tropics.

In the town square is the old Dutch Christ Church - bright red and dating back to 1753 it still welcomes worshippers today. It sits in the town square, opposite the Dutch Stadhuys Building - the former residence of the Dutch Governor in the 17th Century. This building houses an excellent town museum where a guide took us around, giving us an insight into life in Malaysia and particularly Melaka - and how the different cultures have intermingled and thrived.

Whilst walking around, it's impossible to avoid the cycle rickshaw drivers, plying their trade and hoping to transport you anywhere you want. Normally it's good fun to do at least one ride somewhere, but these offered something special. I'd never seen such pimped rickshaws as I did here. They were covered in garish tinsel - pinks, yellows and greens, with flashing lights and car radios providing the entertainment. There was no way we could miss a ride in one of these so we jumped in and were whisked along in a surreal journey through the streets of Melaka, to the strains of Guns and Roses "Sweet Child Of Mine". What naturally follows is the "up-sell", so we booked the chatty driver for a tour of the town the following day. He turned out to be a great guide and took us to a traditional Melaka house and out to sample the health-giving waters of a nearby spring, but perhaps best of all was the ride in his rickshaw, slicing through the traffic like only rickshaw-drivers know how.It was then back to the hostel to make a halal-based sandwich and to plan our onward journey.

The following day it was time to leave and head south again for our last stop in Asia - Singapore awaited. It felt funny getting on that bus - it marked a significant journey in a melodramatic way. Asia had been so much fun and our last country was coming up, before Australia, but we knew further adventures lay around the corner and as we pulled into Singapore, the heavens opened and we hit a tropical rainstorm. Lightening flashed around the skyscrapers as we crossed the bridge into the city, jumping into a cab and on our way to see Cherry, a friend from home. The cab took us past the port and we craned our necks, looking at the gantries that we'd next see from our cabin window in a few days' time. We arrived at a very plush condo to be met by Cherry's smiling face waiting for us - a lovely welcome after another long day. We stayed with Cherry for 5 days, enjoying the hospitality and lifestyle that this city has to offer. Whilst Cherry worked,the next day we headed out to see the famous Singapore landmark of Merlion Park - a curious statue of half-lion, half-fish that has become the symbol of Singapore. I had long planned a couple of Singapore Slings to mark the end of the Asian leg and it wasn't long before we all made our way over to the Long Bar at the Raffles Hotel to sample the traditional monkey nuts (you are obliged to throw the shells on the floor like a bizarre ritual), washed down by a Singapore Sling. (It was so good, we visited twice!). Cherry made us feel very welcome at her home in Singapore and took us up the Asia Tower with the highest nightclub and bar in town for an amazing night-time view, whilst working our way through the various cocktails on offer! We hit the town a few times in Singapore, anxious to leave Asia with a bang but it was as our stay was coming to an end - ready to finish it off with a visit to the Ministry of Sound, that the shipping agent told us that the boat was due to leave for Brisbane a day early.

We were packed and ready to go - Cherry managed to get back from work in time to wave us off as our cab arrived and whisked us away to the huge port. We were taken through the gates and after having our pictures taken and documents checked, we were driven to the side of the biggest ship I've ever seen. It towered above us as we unloaded our bags from the car and as the cab disappeared into the maze of gantries, we made our way up the stairs to our transportation to Australia, completing my long-held dream of getting to Australia without flying.

I hope you've enjoyed this blog - it's rather longer than normal! Anyway, the next one will cover

Australia - from the Great Barrier Reef to the desert town of Birdsville. Bye for now.

Texts and photos in this posting are copyright of Andy Horsman - Andrew Horsman. Click this link for more adventures of Andy Horsman.