Jungle Train 1 day Koto Bharu 2 days

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Tuesday 3rd

Our emergency hotel was not the best we've had. Clean-ish and hot water but the decor is best forgotten. But it included breakfast and all for £9 a night.

We spent most of the morning getting to know the kids park better, hard as we already new every swing and roundabout. After picking up some supplies we wandered up to the train station about an hour early, there was no way we were going to miss it !

The train trundled in and on first inspection we thought it had been vandalised on its way from Singapore. The seats had seen there best days and the air con vents were hanging down.

After we stored our bags we found a 90 year old local in our seats, he didn't understand the numbers but soon did !

The train got under way and the carriage soon filled with the smell of curry. Some locals had jumped off and got one at the station cafe while we got on.

We soon started to pass dense jungle and then large areas of palm plantations and rubber trees with plastic bags collecting latex.

The scenery was amazing for as far as you could see. The only blot being the occasional area which had been completely cleared for either logging or planting.

We crossed wide rivers on ancient lattice type bridges which were best not seen.

The incredible view went on for ever, well until 7.30 when the light went. We had been on the train 5 hours by then, only another 3 to go!

I love travelling by train and this was really enjoyable --------- just a bit too long!

Finally we reached Koto Bharu near the Thai boarder and after a short taxi ride we arrived at our hotel, only 24 hours late !

Wednesday 4th

Our travel locations have hit a low. Koto Bharu is completely underwhelming! We're here for two days before moving to the islands just off shore and it's going to be a difficult task to find something interesting to do.

We can't even find somewhere for breakfast and have to resort to visiting 7 eleven for a coffee and pastry.

In the morning we wander around and visit two museums which are mildly interesting and go and look at the river. It's wide and very muddy ! About as interesting as KB.

After lunch we go in search of a culture show we've been told about. First there's coconut husk drumming. 32 identical tunes played on a coconut drum. Christine had to dig me hard in the ribs to stop me nodding off. It was just a little boring. This was followed by a youth group putting on a martial arts demonstration. They weren't bad. I wouldn't fancy facing many of them.

This was followed by fighting spinning tops. Sounded really exciting. It was terrible. They couldn't get their tops to spin. A bit of a problem for them ! We left soon afterwards.

On our way back from dinner we notice hundreds of birds roosting below our window making a hell of a noise. Another disturbed nights sleep coming!

Thursday 5th

We wander around for the morning trying to find something to do. There's an area in town where the locals hang their caged birds and let them sing. We go along and there's nothing there! Even the birds don't hang around in KB !

On our way home from getting a bite to eat at KFC (the only fast food chain we'd not visited) in the evening, it's just going dark and the sound of the tannoys all over town start up with the Mullahs singing the Koran. The whole State is Muslim and alcohol free.

The town looks like something out of The Birds. There are thousands of birds roosting on every building ledge. Another poor night's sleep coming!

We leave in the morning for a bus down the coast and then a short ferry trip across to the Perhentian Islands for 6 days of R & R in luxury !

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Comments

[Dominic]

Enjoying the Blog
Enjoying the blog. Reading every one and amazed that you are doing it so regularly. Is this going to be kept going through the remainder of the trip I wonder. So far so good.

[Steve and Chris]

Nothing else
hi Dom It's great to hear from you and that you're keeping track of us. I do a bit every night to remind us what we've done, to look back on. Also there's not much else for us to do of an evening so far. Some have compared me to Bill Bryson, but I don't think he's as good ! Next installment in about 6 days. We're having some R & R in the sun.

[K&M]

Good to see you are maintaining your youthful vigour by playing in jerantut park - no sign of other children in the picture, did you scare them away! We\'ve just returned from our own tame adventure in North Norfolk, some brilliant bits, some dreadful bits, namely the beds in our cottage, just like Goldilocks we tried them all, double bed, bunk beds, sofas, sofa cushions on the floor, but nowhere was \'just right\'. We\'d also thought Norfolk was flat and had imagined easy walks and cycle rides - not so. It\'s so hilly they hire out bikes with motors! No canopy walks for us, just hilly coastal paths (beautiful quiet beaches), no jungles, but some very overgrown nature walks where we had to beat back the nettles (reminded us of the walk we did with you around the back of Thorpe Green), no leach filled rivers (though we did get a few nasty mosquito bites - or maybe they were bed bugs) or exotic wildlife, but we had a lovely boat trip out from Blakeney to see the Seals and a number of birds we didn\'t recognise (forgot the Bird Book). Explored some of the towns and villages, again a mixed bag, some places we wouldn\'t visit again. Ate quite a lot, drank quite a lot (well M did). Weather was fabulous all week but forecast for Friday was very very wet so given the lack of good sleep and increasingly aching bodies (how can a mattress and pillow be so hazardous) we headed back a day early - our comfy bed beckoning. Now we\'ve had a wonderful nights sleep, aches and pains vanished, feeling refreshed and raring to go (back to work), all in all a good time. Keep the blog coming, it\'s great!

[Steve and Chris]

hi I'm pleased to hear we're not the only ones getting out ! yes on the subject of beds, it's the only thing I miss from home. I've also had some terrible nights sleep and only been going 3 weeks. Chris says she can sleep anywhere and does ! Thanks for such a long message it really is good to hear from every body. Hope to catch up soon with another episode of the aged travelers !

[The Marlow's]

Some things don't change
Your updates are the highlight of our week......it's good to have sent you off first on such an adventure so that we can learn from what doesn't go so well. It sounds far more fun although I can sense one or two frustrations!! Travel safely and remember its going to be such a great opportunity to rest...... Keep us amused by more updates.......lots of love, XXXX

[Steve and Chris]

Tales from the travellers
hi I'm pleased you find our adventures------- and misadventures worth keeping up with ! The trips going well apart from the normal mishaps for me ! The next edition will be in about 6 days time, possible not so amusing unless something happens to us between now and then ! Our Skype address is: stephen.dormer1 if you'd like a chat over Christmas when you're in NZ

[Pat]

A victory at last
Still loving your blogs with all your "ups & downs". Julia & I were victorious on Thursday night, which included another slam! Did you ever think of bridge while you were in the jungle?!!!! Off to Portugal tomorrow for 2 weeks. It's got a bit colder here in the last few days so looking forward to some warmth again. Keep writing and I'll have lots of catch up on when I get back.