THE HILLMAN 2013 ASIAN ADVENTURE
Section I: Singapore/Malaysia
Page 9
www.hillmanweb.com/asia/malaysia09.html
Photos by Bill and Sue-On
(click to see full size)
Captions by Sue-On
(expanded from our FaceBook pages)

JOHOR BAHRU and SINGAPORE
Part I: April 15

 
Meeting Sue-On's "sistah" Karen Lee 
Karen is not really my blood relative tho' we've been very connected like sisters. We met in a chat group way back, 1992 and maintained the friendship even tho' we haven't stayed in touch with others. We have never met in person until years later.

However, in the mean time, she met our niece Anna when she was travelling to Malaysia via New Zealand, Australia, etc. We wanted her to have a contact in Malaysia in case of trouble. Karen met her and showed her the area where she lived, etc.

Then a couple of years later, Karen met our good friends Kerry and Edah up near their family and winter home, far from Karen's home in Johor Bahru. Karen was visiting an old school friend at her resort, and Esther was also a friend of Kerry and Edah's.

Kerry (a former student of Bill's and later our drummer and bass player) was the only Caucasian there (and for many many miles around the area!) They were both curious about each other and were eavesdropping on each other's conversations. The word Canada came up and one thing led to another.

The next day, I got an email from Karen to say she had been in an accident. Some crazy white guy on a motorcycle ran into her on a rural road!  We were shocked and worried. She attached a picture, with a warning to be prepared to be shocked...
We were! There was Karen's, sitting side by side with Kerry! LOL!
What are the chances of them meeting via a mutual friend?

So, finally, in 2013, after spending a month with our friends Kerry and Edah in their "not-so Humble Hotel", we all went south to Johor Bahru.
Karen and I finally met! 
We are waiting for her to come to Canada.
But she's waiting for a plane ticket from her elder sister! LOL!

Enroute south to Johor Bahru on the expressway.
Passing through a small mountain range. 
The mtns are like big lumps rather than like the Rocky Mtns. 
because of the composition of the rock - limestone, marble...
Some of the quarries...
for marble and for new housing...
On the hillsides, to prevent erosion. 
Much of the drainage is built with steps, to slow down the flow 
and to allow access for the maintenance crew. 
This slopes are reinforced with hard top.
" A lump"
This is a roadside rest area! 
It's got oodles of bathrooms, shops, eateries...
Another view of the rest stop building.
The eating area. 
All along one wall are all kinds of food stalls...
Young ladies selling this kind of "apple"...
looks a bit like a small red delicious 
but the texture is more like a yellow Asian pear
...crisp and juicy but not too sweet.
We were looking for Chinese salted plums and found this kind. 
It's more like dried fruit but soft, salt, sweet, sour...
Makes my mouth water just thinking of these!

A nice snack: roasted chickpeas!
Our roadside picnic! YUM!
This was our second stop enroute south to Johor Bahru. 
Edah's sister Kakpah packed chili chicken, coconut rice, 
cucumbers, and watermelon for a picnic for the four of us!
Dessert at Baskin-Robbins. . . in Malaysia!?!
Entering Johor Bahru, Malaysia.
The convention centre as we entered Johor Bahru.
ET call home?!
Our hotel Puteri Pacific, Johor Bahru. 
The hotel was great and the imperial deluxe upgrade and
a complimentary full buffet breakfast was US $80.00/night! 
The service was great and the doorman is hilarious...
Pretended to "cry" when we were leaving.
My "sister of 20 years" 
Karen lee and I,
meeting finally! 
My "new sister" in JB: Ang Lai Nguang.
She, along with Karen drove us everywhere in JB 
as well as to Singapore. 
Ang is a super shopper as well...
picked up 2 KG of white peppercorns for me!
The seafood restaurant that 
Juliana and Azhar took us to - 
on the waterfront.
Ummm... Bill doesn't like sashimi, 
but he was game to pose with the fresh squid ;-)
Oh YES!!! Delicious! 
Now to get to the FRESH durian ;-)
The Hillmans and our dinner hostess Ally Juliana Pabill!
The happy group at a great restaurant on the waterfront.
It was a wonderful evening of friendship and food :-) 
Thank you to our Malaysian family! 
Bill enjoying his first soursop drink
- very refreshing!
The lobster that 
Karen Lee and Ally Juliana Pabill 
chose for our dinner - beautifully plated.
Edah, Kery, and Adriana: 
She kept us well entertained! 
Bill shows Azhar our house on his phone 
when he pulled up a map of our area.


BACK TO MALAYSIA/SINGAPORE

Hundreds of Photos with Captions

CHINA
MALAYSIA / SINGAPORE
Singapore ~ Malaysia
HILLMAN TRAVEL ADVENTURES
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Bill and Sue-On Hillman Eclectic Studio
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Brandon, Manitoba, Canada