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Other traffic on the apron in Langkawi<\/span><\/span><\/a><\/div>Saying goodbye to my fantastic handlers<\/span><\/span><\/a><\/div>Taxiing for departure from Langkawi<\/span><\/span><\/a><\/div>Air Asia arriving as I depart<\/span><\/span><\/a><\/div>Departure from Langkawi<\/span><\/span><\/a><\/div>Climbing out from Langkawi<\/span><\/span><\/a><\/div> <\/div> <\/div>\n\n\n\nThe day’s flight was to be a short one, a little over 100 nautical miles to the city of Ipoh. This city, of about 700,000 people, is the third largest in Malaysia. The city is best know for its cuisine, and the many temples built into the caves that thread through the dramatic limestone peaks all around. It’s also known for being one of the cleanest cities in Malaysia, which is nice!<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Cenang beach<\/span><\/span><\/a><\/div>West coast of peninsular Malaysia<\/span><\/span><\/a><\/div>Nearing the coast again north of Penang<\/span><\/span><\/a><\/div>Penang<\/span><\/span><\/a><\/div>Penang<\/span><\/span><\/a><\/div>Haze south of Penang<\/span><\/span><\/a><\/div>Mountains west of Ipoh<\/span><\/span><\/a><\/div>A quarry west of Ipoh<\/span><\/span><\/a><\/div>Descending towards Ipoh<\/span><\/span><\/a><\/div> <\/div> <\/div>\n\n\n\nThe flight was straightforward, down the coast under control of “Butterworth approach”, past the city of Penang, and then heading inland for a dogleg to line up on approach to Ipoh, another “one-way” airport. As usual, I was the only one in General Aviation parking. Most Malaysian airports permit self-handling, so there was nobody there to meet me. This was quite pleasant, as it meant I could take my time to prepare my bag for the overnight stop, and secure the aircraft, without feeling rushed. This done I found my way into the domestic arrivals door and out into the main concourse without seeing a soul.<\/p>\n\n\n
On the arrival procedure to Ipoh<\/span><\/span><\/a><\/div>Approach to Ipoh<\/span><\/span><\/a><\/div>Homes around Ipoh<\/span><\/span><\/a><\/div>Final approach<\/span><\/span><\/a><\/div>Parked up in Ipoh<\/span><\/span><\/a><\/div>Parked up in Ipoh<\/span><\/span><\/a><\/div> <\/div> <\/div>\n\n\n\nBefore leaving the airport I located the administration office, so that I’d know where to go the following day to pay my fees for departure. They also let me know how to file my flight plan; email it to the control tower’s “yahoo.com” email address! I hopped into a “Grab”, and headed into town, and the centrally located “WEIL” hotel. Room costs were much, much more reasonable than we’re used to in the USA or Europe, and for less than $100 I had a great room on the top floor. A comfortable night helps a lot to rest from the stresses of flying!<\/p>\n\n\n
The unfinished Kellie's Castle<\/span><\/span><\/a><\/div>The unfinished Kellie's Castle<\/span><\/span><\/a><\/div>Some rooms were furnished as they might have been<\/span><\/span><\/a><\/div>The ruins of the old house<\/span><\/span><\/a><\/div> <\/div> <\/div>\n\n\n\nA short flight meant that I had plenty of time on arrival, so I took a car south to “Kellie’s Castle”, one of the major local tourist attractions. Construction on this stately-home style castle was begun in 1915 by Scottish businessman William Kellie-Smith, who’d arrived in Malaysia aged 20 in 1890 as a civil engineer. Sadly he died of pneumonia during a trip to Lisbon in 1926, and the unfinished structure fell into disrepair and was swallowed by the jungle. Many years later it was uncovered, and is now opened up to the public. <\/p>\n\n\n
First floor corridor at Kellie's Castle<\/span><\/span><\/a><\/div>This would have been a bedroom<\/span><\/span><\/a><\/div>The view from the tower<\/span><\/span><\/a><\/div>View from the tower<\/span><\/span><\/a><\/div> <\/div> <\/div>\n\n\n\nThe castle is certainly impressive, with parts of it furnished to show what it might have looked like. Kellie-Smith also had a love of secret passages, and several of these can be explored around the castle. Had it been finished, it would have been an incredible place to live! The once vast grounds and estate around the castle have now been mostly sold off, and all that’s left are a couple of small lawns surrounding the ruins of the old house, and the unfinished structure.<\/p>\n\n\n
Central Ipoh<\/span><\/span><\/a><\/div>Exploring Ipoh<\/span><\/span><\/a><\/div>Old buildings in Ipoh<\/span><\/span><\/a><\/div>Ipoh<\/span><\/span><\/a><\/div>The mall by the hotel<\/span><\/span><\/a><\/div>Central mall in Ipoh<\/span><\/span><\/a><\/div> <\/div> <\/div>\n\n\n\nThat evening I walked around the town a little to explore, as well as the vast mall that the hotel was connected to, and took full advantage of the incredibly cheap sushi prices available for some reason in Ipoh! Luckily, cheap inland sushi was a gamble that paid off, digestively speaking.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
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I had planned my departure from Ipoh for lunch time, giving me some time in the morning to go and visit one of the city’s famous cave temples. The Kek Lok Tong cave temple was not far south of the hotel, reached through small back-roads in a housing area, but well developed and clearly host to many visitors in peak season. Luckily for me, this was not peak season and things were fairly quiet. <\/p>\n\n\n
At the Kek Lok Tong cave temple<\/span><\/span><\/a><\/div>Looking out from Kek Lok Tong<\/span><\/span><\/a><\/div>Cave features in Kek Lok Tong<\/span><\/span><\/a><\/div>Stalactites in Kek Lok Tong<\/span><\/span><\/a><\/div>The water garden<\/span><\/span><\/a><\/div>Buddhist statues<\/span><\/span><\/a><\/div> <\/div> <\/div>\n\n\n\nAn interesting feature of this cave temple, which was opened to visitors in the 1970s, is that it runs all the way through the limestone formation. One enters at the front, and wanders deeper enjoying the beautiful statues and dramatic cave geology, and then rounds a corner to find an exit onto a large area of gardens and lily ponds. I had bought some fish food from a stand at the entrance (and had then wandered through the cave wondering if I’d been stitched up, as there were clearly no fish) so spent a while sitting by the main pond, throwing pellets to the fish and turtles thronging below me.<\/p>\n\n\n
Feeding the fish<\/span><\/span><\/a><\/div>Sculpture at the cave temple<\/span><\/span><\/a><\/div>"Do not add more fish or turtles"<\/span><\/span><\/a><\/div>Please, stop bringing us rabbits!<\/span><\/span><\/a><\/div> <\/div> <\/div>\n\n\n\nIt was a short drive back to the airport. I went straight to the administration office and paid my landing and parking fees for the 1 day visit. $5! This was much more like it, and really demonstrates how countries such as Laos, India, and others needlessly penalise General Aviation and all but eliminate it. The people making these policies don’t think about the lost tourism, hotel, and other income for the area; only about the money they can skim off, or the bribes they can take. <\/p>\n\n\n\n
The airport police escorted me through security, and I prepared the aircraft for departure. Calling for engine start and clearance, I discovered one of the disadvantages of a procedural-based airport with no radar. Two commercial flights were due in the next 30 minutes, and with no radar, ATC couldn’t guarantee separation; so I’d be waiting until they both arrived! I could probably have asked to leave VFR and been responsible for my own separation, but I wasn’t in any real hurry so I was happy to relax and watch the jet and turboprop arrive and disgorge their passengers into the terminal. I was given taxi clearance as the second aircraft pulled in, and was soon on my way.<\/p>\n\n\n
I don't like the name, to be honest<\/span><\/span><\/a><\/div>Flying school visitors at Ipoh<\/span><\/span><\/a><\/div>Arrival number one<\/span><\/span><\/a><\/div>Arrival number two - my turn to go!<\/span><\/span><\/a><\/div>Departing Ipoh<\/span><\/span><\/a><\/div>Great flying weather over Malaysia<\/span><\/span><\/a><\/div> <\/div> <\/div>\n\n\n\nToday’s flight was another short one, to the city of Malacca. I set out along the continuation of the same airway that I’d followed the day before. To the left, the central mountains of Malaysia, and to my right, the sea. I flew at 7,000ft, and even at that relatively low altitude, the ground was almost invisible in the haze. I flew over Kuala Lumpur without catching more than a glimpse of the city below, although views of the main international airport were rather clearer.<\/p>\n\n\n