My mother made it to Malaysia.
She joined us here in George Town, Penang a couple days ago.
Despite being in her 80s, mom Diane seems none the worse for wear after completing the arduous journey from America.
Here’s mom’s itinerary:
Wednesday, January 8, 5:50 a.m.:
-Amtrak train, Cleveland, Ohio, USA to Poughkeepsie, New York. (visiting my brother & family before her trip).
Saturday, January 12: international travel begins.
– 1 p.m. depart Beacon, NY on Metro North train to New York City.
-3:15 p.m. #6 subway, NY Grand Central Station to 51St. /Lexington Ave.
-3:30 p.m. E line subway 51St. to Kew Gardens.
-3:50 p.m. transfer at Kew Gardens to Queens bus #10 to JFK Airport.
-4:30 p.m. transfer at JFK to AirTrain to JFK Terminal 8.
-7 p.m. Qatar Airlines flight from JFK to Doha, Qatar.
Monday, January 13:
-9 p.m. Qatar Airlines flight from DOH to Kuala Lumpur.
Tuesday, January 14:
-10 a.m. airport Express Train from KUL to Kuala Lumpur Sentral Station.
-11:40 a.m. KTM train KL Sentral to Penang Sentral Station in Butterworth, Penang, Malaysia.
-3:25 p.m. mom meets me at Penang Sentral Station; then ferry boat to George Town on Penang Island.
-4:20 p.m. Grab/Uber car from ferry terminal to our Airbnb accommodation in the Tanjung Tokong neighborhood.
Total: approximately 13,500 miles, 11 connections with suitcase and backpack, 37 hours of travel.
Above is a photo of the first moment I laid eyes on mom at Penang Sentral Station, as she hauled her suitcase up the stairs (they would not allow me onto the arrival platform without a ticket). Also seen are the exact moments of reunion with me, then my wife Ellen, then our celebratory dinner that first night.
Celebration indeed! What a trip! What a mom! What a blessing! We are thrilled that mom Diane is here and safe and healthy. My lord, just the thought of that travel shivers my timbers — and I’m 24 years younger than mom!
Honestly, this is one reason why we stay long-term in Asia. The hassle and expense of going back and forth to America is not fun (Mom paid $1,080 r/t). Even our jaunts from Asia to Eastern Europe and the Middle East in recent years have been exhausting.
Sorry we are so far away, mom. Moreover, we certainly understand why we don’t get other ‘visitors’ — and Americans in general usually vacation in Mexico, the Caribbean, Europe, etc. We are a long way from home (a 13-hour time difference).
But mom is like us – a slow traveler. Maybe the original slow traveler. She and my deceased father used to take yearly winter escapes from Cleveland, Ohio to warmer places all over the globe where they would spend 2-3 months relaxing, exploring, living. Heck, in both 2023 and 2024 mom Diane joined us in India. Those times we met her flights in New Delhi and Chennai; fewer transfers. In previous years, Vietnam and Philippines.
Since mom arrived I’ve been her ‘tour guide’. Although her and dad did some Asia trips, they never came to Malaysia. Whereas Penang is a repeat stop for my wife and I. We’ve been here four times for long stays.
George Town, a former British fort and port town (an island connected to the mainland by bridges), is an interesting mish-mash of old, new, rich, poor, city, jungle, beaches, mountains, Muslim, Buddhist, Christian, Hindu, Western, Chinese, Indian, Malay, refined, casual, tourist, and native. The street food is fantastic. The weather always steamy. The condo towers multiplying. The traffic often gridlocked.
Mom is settling into a routine, including daily Catholic mass. Plus walking miles every day with me – taking it all in. Marveling at the chaos and culture that makes Malaysia special. In fact, even in her 80s, she seems to handle the heat and humidity better than Ellen and I.
Of course, mom will stay with us in coming months as we move around Malaysia – and Sumatra, Indonesia. None of us have ever been there. It will certainly be a time to make memories. We’ll even celebrate mom’s next birthday! And Ellen and I will both be further inspired by our 80-some-year-old going on 30-some-year-old.
Welcome to Malaysia, mom. So glad you made it. And happy you can join us and avoid another Cleveland winter. We love you lots — and always admire your grace and faith and strength.
As always, be thankful and generous, happy trails & more beer.
Life is NOW!
Thanks for reading, “Mom meets us in Malaysia.”
About Theo
Theo (also called Tedly) retired early from the news business to wander the planet with his wife, Ellen. He enjoys exploring all Earth has to offer from jungles and beaches to volcanoes and deserts, always drinking beer along the way.