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Published: July 29th 2007
Howdy partners! Since the last blog we spent another night in KL then decided to move on to Melacca the next day. The bus journey took around 2 hours and we stayed at Seria's hostel which was very basic but the owner was so welcoming and told us to treat it as we would our own home. That evening we went out for our dinner and decided to catch another movie at the cinema inside the shopping mall, it was transformers and not bad for a kids film.
The next day we decided to go and do some sightseeing and follow a walking route that is in the lonely planet guide. First stop was an art gallery and a youth museum which were ok, well the museum was rubbish and the art gallery was not bad. It started to rain so we went for a coffee then decided that all the temples and mosques featured on our walk were getting a little repetative so we decided to give it a miss and go in search of a spa for a steam and sauna. We came to the conclusion that we have under 2 weeks left of our trip and
we want to spend the rest of it relaxing and having fun before we return to dreaded Beeston!!
Before we could go in search of a spa we spotted the bowling alley and had a few games all three of which Laurie won. I know this will sound so bad but we actually went to the cinema again, to see Vacancy this time and then got a taxi to Chinatown to play pool and have dinner. Also to have a few drinks. The Geography Bar where we had dinner had a live singer who was terrible. He was old and Malaysian and thought he was the bees knees!! He sang well known songs such as Bob Marley and sang them in a jamaican accent too whilst winking at the ladies and giving the thumbs up to anyone he made eye contact with. The best was when he sang Mustang Sally and was thrusting his hips and making strange grunts into the microphone like he was a sex god, we left as he was really annoying after a while.
The next morning we got a taxi to the bus station and jumped on the bus to Mersing which took
sunset
Salang, Tioman Islandfour and a half hours. From Mersing we took a 3 hour boat ride to Tioman Island for a bit more beach time before home. We decided to stay at Salang which is in the North West of the Island. We arrived here around 9.30 pm and found a place to sleep and went and got some food before going to bed, our room was not great and we decided to find somewhere else the next day.
After breakfast and packing our now bulging backpacks we found a much nicer room at Salang Sayang Chalets. This part of the Island is very nice, lovely beach and crystal clear water with a small Island a few hundred metres from the shore that is surrounded by huge rocks, we intend to swim to it before we leave.
The day was spent walking around and exploring and fixing a problem i had with my bank card as it had been blocked, all ok now though. There is a small river a little back from the beach with a bridge going over it, and we have seen huge monitor lizards every time we have been past. The largest was lazily walking onto
the muddy bank and at around 2 metres long he was a big boy. He looked like an alligator in the water at first but luckily they are harmless. Later we went to the only place that serves alcohol on the Island and had a few (ok about 8) cocktails and got a few sandwiches to take away for our tea which we saved till we got in at about 12.30am as all the food places close quite early.
We awoke the next day a little bleary eyed and took ourselves for breakfast well brunch actually at around 11.30. The weather was so miserable it rained all day long, although it was nice and cosy on our verranda as we are on the beachfront and spent most of the day sat on our comfy chairs, wrapped in a blanket reading our books and listening to the waves and the rain, oh its just so relaxing here no matter what the weather!! In fact the most eventfull part of our day was when a large monkey strode over to the bin 3 metres from where we were sat on our porch, took the lid off and pulled out a loaf
of bread and started munching away. He was bold as brass and not at all bothered about being so close to us. Then he pulled out a bag of crisps (onion rings if you must) and there must have been about half a bag left as he was eating them for ages, just putting them on his fingers and crunching away. We could not take our eyes off him he was so comical. Then he went back for the bread and would take a slice, eat all the middle and throw the rest away (probably does not like the crusts!!) He disappeared once he was full, then a little bird came and claimed his leftover bread. Its so good to be around all the wildlife that are free to do as they please, watching them beats t.v anyday.
Finally we woke up to sunshine and went on to the beach for the first time since we got here. Its still a little cloudy in parts but the sun is so strong here it blasts right through it anyway. It was all about snorkelling, the water here is perfect and the visibilty must be more than 10 metres at times.
Monitor Lizard
Salang, Tioman Island There are loads of fish here even in shallow water, although most of the coral is dead until you get a bit further out. Once you are further from shore it is really good though, there is a huge variety of coral and fish, but no sharks or turtles spotted so far. It looks just like the huge underwater gardens you see on telly!!
That night we went out for a drink in the early bar, and met up with a couple from London and loads of locals and got a bit tipsy. Then we went to the late bar and carried on until we were all well gone, before stumbling back up the beach. By this point we were both starting to find loads of little bites all over us, annoying.
The following day was our last at Salang and we did the usual lazing about, eating etc etc. The next morning we got a boat to Juara, on the east of the island. We had to join a 'Round the island boat trip' to get there and luckily Juara was the first stop. Unluckily for the rest of them though the boat was not doing too
Taxi!
Melaka well when we got off at Juara. It had already stopped 3 or 4 times because some kind of alarm was going off. Then a couple of hours later it really pissed it down! I think we are an unlucky charm.
Juara looked very quiet when we first arrived but we found a great little place called River View Resort with the most laid back owner you have ever met. He showed us our room which had good views at both ends, and then showed us the little canteen where you can help yourself to free tea and coffee, juice and water and there's free internet and pool table. Help yourself to beers out the fridge but they are 5 ringgit each, "just try to remember how many you've had and we'll settle up after". His malaysian wife was nice as well. He was from England and must have had a bit of cash when he moved over here because he's got a 4wd, Jet ski, 4 or 5 windsurf things, sailboat and a motorboat anchored at sea. Not bad.
Juara was all about relaxing, nothing else to do. The chinese restaurant nec door was really good, we ate there twice and a couple of times in the cafes. The bites are getting worse and worse, apparently they are sandfly bites not mosquitos. We look like we have caught the plague. Its so itchy, they are like big boils spreading more each day. Now we are in Singapore and nowhere near any god damn sandflies but they are still multipying! We need to research on the Internet to find out how to get rid of them because they are driving us up the wall. I think i need to get really drunk so i can fall asleep without scratching them all night!!
So this will be the last blog that we do from abroad. Home in 4 days time, booo! (Scratch scratch). Last blog we will do from home. Au revoir.
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aunt linda
non-member comment
BETTER LATE THAN NEVER
Been following your adventures from the start of your trip through Grans copies of your blogs posted from Jackie. Only just got Internet so you will have to stay out a bit longer so I can polish up on my typing skills.You seem to have had a fantastic time and so have we following your trip of a lifetime. Keep safe and lets have a party(with you cooking) when your feet have reached the ground. Lots and Lots of love from all of us. xxxxxxxxxxx