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Published: August 18th 2006
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Resting in Hotel
Having R & R in Johor Bahru Melaka - Mersing - Tioman - Johor Bahru
Well I think I have established that I am not a very intrepid traveller, I am finding the 'basic accom and resorts' hard to cope with. I think its because I'm on my own, I am sure if I was with someone, we would have a laugh about it and get on with it. But on my own, it leaves me feeling a bit vulnerable and wondering what the hell am I doing there?
The last few days have been example of this.
Melaka, on arrival by bus from KL, was a typical Malaysian town except with a little square of historical buildings and museum, all of which took an afternoon to explore. Otherwise it had very little going for it, I managed to find a nice clean family run guest house, called Holittel, or Aunt Mollies. Which was one bonus. There was a shopping mall where a girl could get the necessities. Finally managed to find an internet cafe (which turned out to be one computer in the back mozzie ridden room) called discovery. The only post box appeared to be in the Post office which was shut on Sunday when
Melaka Square
Very busy road runs along the side, making it difficult to cross, many trishaws constantly offering trip around the town! I arrived.
The buildings were a mix up of historical and completely demolished houses, curious.
Quickly moved onto Mersing, with the idea of going to Tioman for a few days and lounge on the beach and snorkel. Aunt Mollie got my bus ticket and off I went on Tuesday. Arrived at Mersing 4pm expecting to get a room there and go to Tioman the next day, however the Tout was there at bus stop with a boat going straight to Tioman at 5.30pm and he could arrange accommodation too. So I quickly decided, one less place to book into, go for it. On advice I suggested ABC bungalows. The boat took quite a while to get out, as tide was low and it was choppy, It got more choppy with boat being more like a submarine, and very risky at each jetty to get people off, what with low tide and wave chop, the boat couldn't get close enough and people had to have help up onto jetty. My stomach was going further into my sweaty trainers with each drop, mine being second to last. At one point the engines cut and now it was dark, so we were there
Melaka clock tower
Look at the buildings behind with no engine and no light. Finally it was my turn and managed that OK, there was me and a Japanese chap who I couldn't see, but we established we were at same place, Makota, or something, which was quite a long walk from the jetty. We were each shown to our 'bunalow', (no welcome drink like Flora Bay), it was in fact a little shed, in desparate need of knocking down and re-building, in it was a bed and wooden box, with torn linoline floor, at back was a toilet/shower. There was a fan,which seemed to do little to take away the heat. I pulled down the mozzie net, which was probably too late and went in search of something to eat, remembering I hadn't eaten since breakfast when the lovely chap of Aunt Mollies had given me some of his homemade 'Wantoo'. There were some teanagers sprawled around in the dark near the beach but no sign of anything to eat, I was shown to a table on the beach in the dark and given a menu I couldn't see. I just decided to give it a miss, already badly bitten and sore from day before, could not
River walk, Melaka
Could be really nice.... handle anymore mozzie bites. Went back to my shed and had a very restless itchy sweaty night. Next day a walk back along the path in search of breakfast found those scary monkeys all across the path, If I'd known that the night before, I never would have been able to walk along there in dark. Booked on next boat out, (even though I'd paid for 5 nights in this shed and a return ferry ticket for Sun). I am sure I was given the worst accom on the island, there looked like some nice resorts as we picked up in daylight that morning, the island is lovely, more rustic than the Perhentians, but I had just lost the plot, I'm obviously not tough enough. Was even feeling like jacking it all in and going home.
We endured over an hour on the boat again, packed with at least 30 people + bags and still quite rough, even with windows shut, in our submarine, water was flooding in. We all retreived our, now wet, bags and as we got off the boat, there were all sorts of touts, I was so exhausted I went in a taxi, as it turned
out with two others to Johor Bahru, Which is the Malaysian town next to Singapore, just have to cross the causeway. As its still Malaysia I booked into a top notch hotel, at cheaper rates than will get in Singapore (which I beleive is almost same as back home). Went up to my room and bathed and slept, later went for a swim and had a bite to eat, starting to feel somewhat better.
I intend to stay here a few days now to just rest and get back some energy to go onward.
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J&S
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You are doing well!
Hi Lor, you are doing well Sis. Everyone has their downpoints in long trips. Just thing of the comforts ahead..... Singapore sling at raffles bar, shopping, er um, can't think of much else to do in Singers! Stay safe. X