Malaysian Oasis

I believe I have stumbled on paradise. I have not been blogging, because I have been tucked away on the beautiful islands of Malaysia with White sand beaches, crystal-clear turquoise water, and unforgettable sunrises and sunsets. As I write this now, I am on the Perhentian Islands staring out into the lagoon of shimmering water nestled in the palm-fringed mountains. The sun is bright and the breeze is cool. For the first time since this trip began almost two and a half months ago, I am travelling alone. My travel partner and best friend, Mallary, took off to the Philippines for a few weeks to visit her old co-workers and friends.

Well, as travelers, we are never really alone. I have met another awesome group of people from all over the world - Swedish, German, English, South-African, and Canadian. It has been great sharing travel stories of where we've been and where we hope to be in the future. Everyone back home thought I was crazy for leaving for 5 months, but some of the people I have met have been travelling for years! I believe the record was a 70 year old woman who has been travelling since 1957!!

So much has happened since last I blogged, including that I am another year older (27, but shhhh, don't tell anyone - I'm getting old!). Mal and I were not sure what to expect while travelling through Malaysia as it is one of the countries less travelled in Southeast Asia. But, it is stunning. We celebrated my birthday on Puala Langkawi, an island just south of the Thai border. We spent the day exploring the island by scooter and then escaping the rain with the new Pirates of the Caribbean movie. The night ended perfectly at a chill Reggae bar on the beach under the stars. Langkawi was a nice island, but a bit too developed for us. It was basically a small Virginia Beach with older tourists and families, but we did enjoy a few lazy days on the beach right next to the wild monkeys.

Next, we ventured off to the Cameron Highlands to see the lush tea plantations in the middle of the country. The Highlands is just that, extremely high, so it was sooo cold at night. I even had to wear my sweater and socks to bed! Luckily, we were able to have our first hot showers since the US, a nice luxury I had actually forgotten about. We visited a strawberry farm, bee farm, two plantations, and spent the evenings playing cards at our favorite Indian restaurant and chatting with other travellers around the bonfire. This was the last stop before Mal and I separated, and I was due to travel to Puala Pankor, another Malaysian Island. At the last minute, a Canadian guy made a coin-flip decision to come along with me. It just works like that here. Us travellers make spur of the moment decisions, change plans at the drop of a dime, and set off with strangers!

So, off to Puala Pankor with my new friend. Pankor was the complete opposite of Langkawi - a tiny fishing island with hardly any Western tourists. Every day was an adventure finding the next place to swim and new rock to climb. Every night we were greeted by the most adorable and energetic puppy at our favorite beachfront restaurant.

Since I have been blogging, I have noticed a trend in my daily activities - simplicity. Many of the places I have traveled, especially in Malaysia offer a raw beauty unspoiled by the fast-track life. Some of my favorite memories are those sitting on a rock enjoying the majestic sunset. Or, just laying on the beach and appreciating the beautiful weather. I have challenged myself to not get bored when there really isn't anything to do. I have learned to just be.

Today, I embark on another great challenge. I am leaving for a 10-day meditation retreat. There will be 10 days of nothing but meditation from 4am to 9:30pm. Music, computers, and writing are all forbidden. Talking is even discouraged unless necessary. Straight up, nothing but myself and my mind. The goal is to free the mind of all things unhealthy and damaged. I am hoping to emerge a new person - whole in body, spirit, and mind. I have no idea what to expect, as I have never even meditated before in my life. I am so excited and terrified at the same time. Since no computers or writing are allowed, I will be off the radar for another 10 days or so. I can't wait to let everyone know what happens! I predict I will either become crazy or enlightened - and I am really hoping for the latter.

One Life To Live

No, this is not a Soap Opera! Welcome to Leah's Parallel Universe. I guess it was only a matter of time before I joined the world of travel blogs. So, here we are. Blogging is just a better way of documenting everything and giving people access who don't have Facebook. Oh my gosh....could it be?!? Yes, there are some people who don't have Facebook...like my mother. You will notice I added all my previous notes from Facebook. If you have been following the posts from me or Mallary, you may have noticed they have been mostly day/week accounts of what we have been up to, but there hasn't been much of a personal touch. It's time to change that.

I had an epiphany today. I realized that somewhere along the line a very long time ago, I lost who I was. I have been through some hard times throughout my life, and recently I was able to strip away all the crap that has built up over the years. My Leahishness was buried down so deep, and now it is time to dig myself out again. I suppose that is one of the reasons I wanted to take this trip in the first place. For me, traveling is magical. It is a chance for me to get away from the daily routine and rediscover myself in ways I never would have been able to do back home. I am so grateful that I even have the opportunity to do this, and I am humbled by the lives of my friends and family that keep them from doing so. But, this is my life...and the only one I have to live! So, I am going to live it out in style.

I hope you will join me on this adventure to rediscover myself. And, if you're lucky, maybe you will discover something new along the way as well! From here on out, be prepared to see Southeast Asia through my eyes - this parallel universe on the other side of the world.