GoMad Nomad Travel

Dear GoMad Nomad,

My wife and I have been retired for a few years and have done a bit of traveling in Europe and South America. Our sights have now turned towards Asia and thinking about places where healthy retirees could go far on savings.  My wife has always been interested in India, but from what I’ve heard, that just sounds like a difficult place to travel.

Serving up snacks at a street stall in Little India in Penang, Malaysia

I’ve read your article on Malaysia and have been advocating this destination as an alternative. We’re now at a bit of an impasse, and I’d like to hear your ideas about the pros and cons of both countries.

-Baxter from Oak Ridge, TN

Dear Baxter,

Malaysia and India are both very worthy travel destinations that meet your lower-budget requirements, but they are very different beasts.

You’re right, India can be a difficult place to travel: physically taxing for travelers of any age. But it can also afford plenty of luxuries, it all depends on your travel style and budget. But more noteworthy, India can be mentally exhausting. India rearranges everything you thought was normal in our world. You will witness the extremes of humanity. It requires a very open mind and non-judgmental attitude.

There really is no place like India. Its diversity of peoples, languages, cultures is unparalleled. It is intensely spiritual: the birthplace of four of the world’s great religions.

If you are mentally and physically prepared and open to the challenges that India presents, it can be a very worthwhile and rewarding destination to travel.

After a recent to Malaysia, I left the country pleasantly surprised. I liked Malaysia because of its fusion of Asian cultures: Malay, Chinese, and Indian, as well as the distinct and very delicious cuisines that come from each of those cultures.

Malaysia is a rapidly modernizing country, and transportation is quite comfortable and easy to get around with air-conditioned coaches zipping from city to city.

Similar to India, Malaysians speak English well enough to facilitate everyday necessities and allow for conversations with locals to make your trip more meaningful.

Prices do vary, from region to region, but overall Malaysia is very affordable and what I call a good-value destination, meaning it’s not super cheap, but you get good quality service and products for inexpensive prices. Read my post on Malaysia: What it Costs.

Plus, there are some great things to see in Malaysia: world-class beaches, jungle trekking, wildlife viewing, diving/snorkeling, hill-stations, and the rich history and architecture of colonial settlements.

I really don’t have any negatives to tell you about Malaysia, except that the rapid modernization might leave you feeling that it’s not as exotic as you expected.

Hope this helps in your decision making process.

-Stephen

Have any retirees traveled to either India or Malaysia?  Leave your comments below…

One of the most lively and interesting places in Singapore is Little India. Vastly different from the rest of the island, Little India is a neighborhood of shops spilling onto the sidewalks. Saris, flowers, CDs, trinkets, spices, vegetables are all being sold. Not only are the colors striking, but so are the sights and smells. A different incense is wafting out of each shop and from some, a Bollywood soundtrack is blasting.

In Little India there are a multitude of restaurants and cafes in between the shops. Men sit drinking Tiger beer in the evening, with their eyes glued to a film or football or cricket. There are plenty of construction jobs in Singapore that are filled with Indians, Sri Lankans, and Bangladeshis on two-year contracts. The permanent population of Indians makes about 9% of Singapore’s total 4.8 million.

Although still much cleaner and organized than the mother country, Singapore’s Little India is the closest you can come to chaos in this squeaky clean island country.

Check out my Flickr album for more photos of Singapore’s Little India.

Text and photos by Stephen Bugno

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One of the most beautiful buildings I have ever seen, the Mumbai Victoria Terminus train station stands as a glorious testament to 19^th century architecture in this city of nearly 14 million people. It has been renamed Chhatrapati Shivaji Terminus.

The famous landmark, built in the Gothic style, was designed by Frederick William Stevens, in 1887-1888 and took 10 years to build.

As we approached the station by foot we crossed through a huge park, weaving our way in and around several pickup cricket matches.

Text and photo by Stephen Bugno