Cab - Call for a Taxi!

Cabaret - Sorry, old-timer... none of that here. You must have gotten your G.P.S. coordinates wrong... Langkawi is in M_a_l_a_y_s_i_a, and NOT in Thailand.

Cable-car - Construction is under-way for a cable-car ride -- tentatively scheduled for March/April 2002 completion -- up Gunung Mat Cincang, the second highest mountain range in Langkawi. It should become another of those must-see-tourist-attractions as the view from up there must be breathtaking!
Latest... it is operational. Watch this space for more info, soon!

Cafe - There are cafes in all the resorts serving the usual stuff but nothing worth writing home about, as the expression goes! There are several nice cafes but, strangely enough, there is not a single one that offers a decent cappucino!

Camera - Never leave home without it! and definitively a "must" item in the what-to-bring list. However, if you are too excited to leave for your holiday destination and, inexplicably, forgot to bring one along... have no fear (but you need to have yes money) as cameras are duty-free. One helpful reminder... shop around for good bargains!

The Japanese tourists never go about without -- at least -- one hanging around their necks. However, it must have given them stiff necks afterwards. So, upon returning home they must have gotten together, and produced (maybe) some of the world's best pocket cameras. To quote a phrase, necessity is the mother of all inventions!

Car - Yes, there are lots of cars about, and with import duties at 150% to 300% it is understandable that there are more imported cars than the locally-made Protons and Peroduas polluting the air.

Most car-owners place great value on their cars, but this outdid them all. One proud owner of a particular Porsche 911 rented a semi-detached house just for the sole purpose of "housing" his prized asset. Mind you, not in the porch, like us normal folks, but inside the living-room! Yes, a Porsche 911 is the sole "occupant" of this semi-d because owner of the car resides somewhere on the mainland.

On a less glamorous note, there are some cars that you can rent. Price? Well, its a long and complicated story really because the law of supply and demand comes into the equation. Click rental.

Coincidence or otherwise, but the names of the 2 local car manufacturers and the singular oil producing company in Malaysia all begin with the letter "P". The irony is only completed when you realise that we also have a traffic ordinance requiring new drivers to display the letter "P" on their vehicles.

I always view this as "a Patriot in the Petronas-fuelled Proton/Perodua." So, give way!

Cash - Yes... pleeease! Refer to Currency, below, for other details.

Cashew - Bless, you! It's nothing to sneeze at. After all, there are still lots of cashew-trees growing on the island, especially around Pantai Tengah. Living as long as 40 years, this hardy tree can grow up to 50 feet tall; producing fruits and sprouting young leaves which are edible.

Do you like nuts? If you do, then, did you know that the "nut" of the cashew grows outside the fruit and before it can be eaten, the nut needs to be dried and then processed? Also, did you know that one tree only produces around 10 pounds of edible cashew-nuts a year?

Well, now you do... know, that is, why cashew nuts cost a bomb... a small one!

Cat - The ever present felines, although most are strays!

In all probability this caution might sound irrelevant (absurd, even) but motorists should be made aware that cats, like the water-buffaloes, seem to possess this suicidal habit of being in the wrong place at the wrong time! This is especially true, during the months of December to March when mammals obey their natural instincts to procreate. It is the time when tom-cats chase lustily after their mates and, on H.N.S. (His Natural Service), they don't have the time to bother with looking out for passing motorists, who are unnatural travellers, anyway! So as superior beings, as we always claim ourselves to be, we should be more accomodating. Please drive carefully!

Strange but true! The Taiwanese and Japanese appear to have a... somewhat... conspicuous dislike for cats. Now, as to whether this is something deep-rooted in their culture, religion, psyche or whatever, is still beyond my feeble cognitive abilities, however, one explanation could be, that they, just like that famous French Emperor, Napoleon Bonaparte, suffer from ailurophobia; the fear of cats!

Also, the next time you happen to see a group of cats scavenging for food somewhere -- remember that, it's a clowder of cats, and, for the average Malaysian, the sight of a clowder of cats with short, stubby tails scavenging for food or whatever, is too mundane to even merit a notice. But, not for the average European.

To them, the experience is a source of much mystery and wonderment, which is really quite judicious, when you're aware of one of their infamous legends about Asians having a penchant for cats' tails!

Yes, today's special... we have for you spicy cats' tails soup or sweet and sour puss'. Yummmie!

Good news... we now have a Langkawi Animal Shelter and Sanctuary, courtesy of some kind and caring residents. Email langkawilassie@hotmail.com for further details.

Cave - All around there are numerous caves worth exploring -- if you don't suffer from claustrophobia or allergies, as some people are known to NOT take too kindly to bat droppings!

Some of these caves are on dry land and some are only accessible by boat, while there is the odd one or two, that will only "reveal" itself at ebb tide.

Each cave has its own unique stalactites (those jutting down from the ceiling) and stalagmites (these growing from the ground upwards) formations.

You'd also find some ornamental round pebbles of crystalline limestone on the rocky shores along the bay below the Gua Langsir, which is on Pulau Dayang Bunting.

If, at all humanly possible, leave nothing behind and take nothing with you... no even photographs! After all, "things" that live and grow in caves do so for some good reasons and one of them is that, they are in no need of light! Geddit?

There are 24 "charted" caves, 15 in Langkawi and 9 scattered among the surrounding islands. So grab this opportunity and explore. At your leisure, of course. Contact the nearest tour-operator for further details.

Oh... one other thing... and this definitive! Osama bin Laden is NOT hiding in any of the caves!

Chalet - If you are travelling on a budget, tight or loose, then your best alternative would be any of the numerous chalets that are available at reasonable prices, although not all are reasonably well-kept. Do have a peek in My Friends where my recommendations are to be found. But, not now, though!

Champagne - Do you have Dom Perignon?
Who?

It is quite odd that NOT a single establishment has a "Champagne Breakfast" on their menu. Something to ponder upon, perhaps?

Chinese - There is a sizeable Chinese community living in Langkawi, and they are predominantly Buddhists. Interestingly enough, even though the Chinese New Year is NOT a religious affair per se, nevertheless, it is another occasion for Malaysians, of all races and faith, to enjoy yet another public holiday. Still, some people find it politically correct to accuse us of practising religious intolerance!

An occasion for some federal sponsored Open Houses... to show the world that we, Malaysians are so, so racially and religiously super tolerant!

Christianity - Coming soon.

Cigarette - Smokers should rejoice in the knowledge that prices are duty-free. Cuban cigars should be less expensive too... if only there were shops that stocked them! It would seem that the 2 "C's" are missing, i.e. cigars and champagne.

Civil servant - The universal saying goes, "there is nothing civil about civil servants"... and, imagine our consternation when, taken in the Malaysian context, we have 2 of these to contend with... the "Federal" and the "State" varieties... but in all honesty, there is nothing that sets these two apart when it comes down to efficiency, in which case they are clinically inseparable Siamese twins but with a split personality of Dr.Jeckyl and Mr.Hyde because they seem to relish at disagreeing with one another.

Getting caught up in bureaucracy is considered lucky because at least you do get the chance to be, in there, in the thick of things. In our case, the bureaucracy can be as thick as our rainforests... so dense that you can't even get a foot in! This is especially true if you get one political party ruling the state while another is holding the national majority. Thankfully, this was avoided, by a whisker, from happening in Kedah, but not so fortunate for the 2 other Malay states.

It is quite interesting to note that it was - at one time - the "unofficial" policy of the Kedah state government to post all errant and wayward officials to Langkawi where they are least likely to cause problems. Since this policy was only "lifted" less than 10 years ago, it is of no great mystery that the present Langkawi civil servants are what they are! Bad habits are the hardest to break - as the saying goes!

It's also legendary among civil servants to harbour ambitions of enjoying attractive pension benefits while under employment!

Understandably, they work best under pressure, but only when the Prime Minister is applying the pressure!

And, for the rest of us, there's nothing left to do but reflect, philosophically, that joining the civil service is like going on a journey, and it is NOT the journey that matters, but the ultimate destination and how quickly one gets there. Go figure!

Commission - Ever since January 1st, 1987, this word has forcefully intruded into the vocabulary of the average Langkawian. In the meanwhile, it has become a habit for most people to expect their commissions whenever they assume participation, directly or indirectly, in any successful sale... deservedly or otherwise.

Coincidence or otherwise, but the words "Capitalism" and "Commission" both starts with a "C." But then again, so does "Communism!"

Coral - NOT the betting shop... but the marine variety. There are some good diving spots where you can get to observe vibrant and colourful marine life among some beautiful coral formations. See My Friends for details.

Corkscrew - Wine lovers please be advised to include this "little" item in your what-to-bring list! Odd though it may seem, but this simple gadget is not available in the shops. Maybe, one very good reason being that NOT many people drink wine! So, most shop-keepers don't even know what this is, even though there are Swiss knives, which could do the job just as well. Also, there is no equivalent in the Malay vocabulary -- neither corkscrew nor Swiss knife. Ahh... now you know!

Cotton - Pack clothes made from this material. It's the heat and the humidity, you see! It is a fact that cotton absorbs moisture (read, perspiration) much better than polyester.

Cream - Refer to Sun-lotion.

Crash-helmet - The wearing of crash-helmet is mandatory! So, bikers -- and pillions too -- please observe this traffic ordinance... unless, of course, you'd wish to donate RM 300.00 to enrich the nation's coffers!

They say... When in Rome do as the Romans do... but in Langkawi do what the Langkawians obstinately refuse to do... wear a safety crash-helmet!

Credit card - All major credit cards are accepted... however, only by the hotels/resorts and a few larger establishments. But, cash withdrawals are possible from banks and the automated-cash-dispensing-machines, or ATM's, as they called in Malaysia.

In truth, the smaller shops would love to accept credit-cards, but the banks have put up ridiculous regulations that it has become almost impossible to be a "vendor." It's the classic Catch 22 situation for the small shopkeepers!

You see, to qualify as a merchant-vendor, a business must have a minimum monthly sales of RM 30,000, a sum that is not unattainable if payments by credit-cards could be accepted. For a small-time business, a monthly cash sales of such an amount is very rare, besides if one were able to generate that much cash sales then why would one be in need of credit card payments?

There are other considerations, for instance... how many tourists, foreign or local, would go around, in their T-shirts and shorts, with a wallet full of cash, assuming they have pockets big enough to accomodate such an item? Furthermore, with the present Malaysian currency regulations, how many foreign tourists would want to hold in the local currency, amounts which they might not necessarily use anyway, knowing full well that the money isn't legal tender beyond our shores and all Ringgit left over would have to be re-exchanged... meaning they have lost twice in the exchange rates, right? Now, add the impulsive nature of shopping and see the big picture!

The irony is that our Tourism Minister, in his own way, aspires to turn Malaysia into a shopping haven... but how to maximize sales if you don't maximize the means to spend?

Crescent - Foreign tourists will notice more crescents instead of crosses -- and we're not talking about mosques or churches here! For example, instead of the Red Cross you will find the Red Crescent painted on the ambulances and in hospitals.

Is red the colour of medicine, I wonder?

Crocodile - There is a crocodile farm on the north-eastern part of the island which, I presume, is one of those "must-see" places while in Langkawi. Please note that there is an entrance fee of a few ringgit.

As an aside, it is worth knowing that buaya, which means crocodile, is also the colloquial Malay term for a male flirt. Although crocodiles are no longer a part of the fauna, their two-legged cousins are ever on the increase! So, single females beware... or, rejoice!

Currency - The unit currency for Malaysia is the Ringgit or RM and, since the 1998 financial crisis, it has been pegged to the US dollar at the rate of US $1.00 = RM 3.80) The largest denomination is RM 100.00 followed by the RM 50.00 which is supported by the RM 10.00 with the RM 5.00 and RM 2.00 making up the rest but the lowest denomination is the again-revived RM 1.00 note, co-existing with it's alloyed twin! RM 1.00 = 100 sen, the other coins in circulation are the 50 sen ; 20 sen ; 10 sen ; 5 sen and the 1 sen.

Curse - Ahhh... the legendary curse of Mahsuri... it's so legendary that everybody in Langkawi curses! Cursing must be the accepted thing, I suppose, because they seem to curse at every thing. Funny thing is, didn't they teach us that cursing is bad? Isn't civility suppose to frown upon cursing? So, if cursing is bad, then why this aggrandizement of a curse?

Go here to know more, but, before you read about the legends, please take a minute to ponder on this, "the propensity to regurgitate legends is indirectly proportional to cognitive ability!"

Custom - Here are a few local customs to observe...