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Published: February 27th 2009
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Chinese Temple Gardens
They had built a small wall of China in this lovely garden along with koi and turtle ponds all fringed by the jungle. It was a lovely temple Well once again we got lucky. We had a great bus from Penang to Lamut but the driver failed on his mission to top us as we did arrive safely! Sometimes you get a wild one or sometimes they are tame but do try to drive the bus while texting their girlfriends or lighting a cigarette with both hands off the wheel steering by their elbows! Thats Asia and I suppose nothing too different from Africa either?
It was a short half hour ferry hop to the Island and then a quick minibus taxi - only 12 ringets and no one tried to scam us - to our hotel. We had booked the Hornbill right on the beach even though the Lonely Planet said it was noisy. No matter as Tel Boy wears earplugs and I just turn over!! Our room was lovely and there was hardly anyone in town. Our verandah over looked the beach and as you will see it was wonderful. The Island is only 8 kilometres all the way around and the road is cut through the jungle with a thin strip left next to the ocean which makes for lovely beaches fringed with trees. We were
Noodles drying in the sun
My favourite Mee we watched them making them inside the factory across the street some were for immediate use the rest for drying and selling not expecting too much wildlife in the town and were so taken by surprise when we saw a hornbill on the telephone wire outside our room! and then there were more in fact the whole place was teaming with them it was mindblowing. They are big quiet birds and not afraid of humans at all. In fact swallows, finches,fish eagles and mynahs abound on the island and we never tired of seeing them all.
Our first day was spent lazing on the beach swimming and reading and chilling out. There food shops and souvenir shops that lined the beach were nothing much to write home about in fact the food places were downright awful except for the chinese restaurant who was the only one selling beer (the others were all muslim and empty except for a few locals) so he was always packed - the food was tastey but really western chinese food not the real local stuff Tel Boy and i love.
The next day we rented a motorbike for a whole 30RM which is about R90.00 and had to put in our own petrol of course which was a further 6RM and of course we only got to
With my umbrella of course
An essential accessory when travelling in the tropics! it keeps the sun off when its shining and too hot and the rain for those sudden downpours use about a thimble full the whole time which means the shop get left loads for them to run around on in between rentals!! Way to go hey?
We went into town for breakfast and got a bowl full of lovely noodles only to see accross the street a noodle shop making mee (thin noodles) they were packaging them so they were drying on the side of the road on tables in the sun. Usually you get them they are fresh everywhere and so yummy. You can have them in soup or dry (means with out soup but of course they are waved about in the soup to heat and soften up)with bits of stuff like crispy wantons, slices of tofu, a few veggies and sauce usually accompanied by a small bowl of soup. Wan Ton Mee one of my all time favourite dishes!!!
Our day consisted of driving down lanes looking at houses, temples and talking to folk we met along the way. It was wonderful. Driving through jungles with monkeys on the side of the road. We stopped at Coral Beach for a swim (the next bay up from ours) and as we walked along the beach a
Pankor Beach
what a lovely unspoilt bay! family called us to see the snake that was sleeping in the tree. Well now that i am an expert on Vipers i knew what it was from our close encounter with them on Penang Hill and new that he was happily sleeping his day away. They told us that another couple was lazing on the beach when a small snake fell (slid) out of the tree onto his back - well all i can say was thank goodness it was not me. We had planned to go to the small island for snorkelling the next day but during the night there was a huge storm and rain like you cant believe and it was still raining when we got up so that was out the window. So we took the bike again and went for another ride just for fun.
Our bus ride back to KL was uneventful. I so love this city now if feels like coming home. You see such a mix of modern and old side by side. Skyscrapers and condominiums that are state of the art with kampong houses right next door. I am sure they will go under the developers hands in the future.
Nipa Bay
View from the other side!
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