From West to East

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8hr bus Journey, 1 hr squashed taxi ride and a 1/2hr bumpby fast boat ride and we arrive at the Perentian Islands the place I have been dreaming of since we started planning this trip.

So we get to Butterworth Bus station on the mainland after a quick ferry from Penang Island with plenty of time to kill as we want this trip to go ahead without too many trauma's like we've had in the past, especially with next bus being at 8.30 the next morning.

MMM being early is one thing but being three hrs early is taking it to the extreme, not to worry we'll be able to grab a juice and read our books with this being a major bus station and all. Nope.

Turns out Butterworth bus station is nothing but 12 kiosks all trying to get you to get on their bus while young children come up to you with their hand in the the air with lost puppy dog eyes and don't leave till you give them dosh. They are happy with 20 cents at which we were thinking no don't give in until you remember that 20 cents is only 2.5p (and they're really cute).

So after the three ours of practically sitting on our rucksacks to keep them safe and playing I-spy (much to dovey's annoyance) we board the comfiest coach ever built. Stagecoach could learn a thing or two, loadsa space (only 24 seats on the coach), loadsa leg room (even for Mr D) and they even had wee leg rests.

So it's 9.45pm, books, sarnies & crisps at the ready we are all set for our 8hr over night trip to Kota Bahru......10.30 lights go out !!! aaggghhh...

One loo stop later at 5.30am we arrive at Kota Bahru bus stop...yep you read right stop not station. We were dumped at this stop and as soon as we got off the bus and were trying to get our bearings we were mobbed by taxi drivers trying to take us to Kuala Besut. They knew where we were going as the only reason people go to Kota Bahru is to get the tranx to Kuala Besut jetty to get the boat to the Perhentians.

We are now getting into the money saving routine (hence the overnight bus - one nights less accomodation costs) we spotted another couple and asked them if they wanted to share a cab..Great.

An hour later we arrive at Kuala Besut absolutley knacked and feeling filthy but lady luck was looking down on us and rather than having to wait an hour and a half for the first ferry we find out there is one leaving at 7...yipeee...I can see a big zzzz's ahead on the beach at last.

Half an hour later after a pretty cool boat trip we arrive at the Perhentians, a quick stop was made at the "big Island" to drop off a french couple. We decided to stay on the ferry and head to the "small Island" where Long Beach is, it is meant to be more lively and aimed at a youger crowd, plus there were a few other folk our age going staying on the boat to go there so we thought we might get a chance to meet a few other folk...

Mmmmm Perhentians beautiful beaches NOT !!! - we must have pissed off lady luck.

Ourselves the Taxi couple and three Aussies arrive at Long Beach and as the boat departs we all look at each other in dismay, the beach was filthy there was no one about, I was starting to get a bad feeling about this. But hey it's probably just 'cause it's overcast, early and we're tired. So we thought it would be best to get checked in somewhere, get a shower and a couple of hours kip and everything will look so much better. To cut a long story short all the accomodation was minging, Mr D sat at the beach with the rucksacks ans I headed along one end of the beach looking at the chalets all of which were awful. Infact at one point one of the Aussie chicks came running out screaming she was getting bitten by red ants ! So back to Mr D with a not amused look on my face, he then took a shot at looking up the other end and by the look on his face when he got back he had experienced the same as me.

By this point the beach was deserted, the taxi couple had checked in somewhere, we spoke to the Aussies and they were checking in somewhere but they were not impressed and had taken the best of a bad bunch. We spoke to the Taxi couple and they were v v v unimpressed, the girl was as gutted as I was, Dovey and I mentioned that we were probably going to pay for one night in th expensive hotel (which was 5 times more expensive than our nightly budget) and then maybe see what the other Island was like if that was as bad we would go back to the mainland.

So sitting on the beach on our own thoroughly depressed when we heard a wee voice "taxi, taxi" ??? A boat taxi pulled up and before he could even ask where we were going we were running into the water, rucksacks on our back and jumping into the boat. So over to the Big Island we went, we got dropped off where the French couple got dropped off, no sooner had we got out the boat and a wee mannie was asking us if we had a place to stay, we looked at the beach huts and thought no way can we afford this but anything is better than what we had seen at the other Island. We went to look at the chalets and to this day we can't decide if they were really cool or if they were just a godsend in comparison.

So we checked in at Mama's place, dumped our stuff and grabbed some breakfast. Whilst looking at the sea view and sipping on our iced coffee, with the cheesiest smiles ever, we were chatting and saying how we wished to we could let the taxi couple know how much nicer it was over here. We saw a boat on the horizon and soon saw this couple waving madly at us !! Yup Taxi couple were soon having breakfast too.

We decieded to stay maybe one or two nights and head back to the mainland. But as we set off for a walk along the beach next door was a dive shop, we got chatting to one of the guys and before we had even walked to the end of the beach we had decided we definatley going to sign up for it we were going to get our PADI's.

We took a four day course which was extremely tiring, we would be diving all day and then we would have to study for an exam the next morning....some holiday !!!

But it was all sooooo worth it,

(Mr D will take over from here)

The guys from the dive shop were pretty sound about everything, they let us know that as it was a 4 day course, and diving isn't for evryone, we could do the first day's course which included a confined (shallow) water exercise in the morning and a deeper dive in the afternoon and then decide if we wanted to continue. I reckon Lee and I had pretty made up our mind that we would be staying, but it was good of them anyway.

Diving's amazing, from the minute you get under the water there's way too much to take in, even if you're diving an about 3 metres of water, there's still fish swimming about you and nibbling at your legs so there's no way to get bored. I'd managed to become the mosquito's best friend by this time (47 bites at one point), and I had a bite on the back of my calf that I scratched too much and had been bleeding. It had healed a wee bit once I got in the water but it turns out that there's a fish in the shallows around here who's job it is to clean stuff. It decided that the bite on my leg needed cleaning, and had about 5 go's at it until my leg started bleeding again, part of me wanted to see him battered and surrounded by tartare, but I guess he's only doing his job !!

We went down about 12 metres on our first dive and it's a totally different world down there (like you'll be surprised !!), you just float about, point at stuff that you've only ever seen on TV before, dodge jelllyfish and looking out for The Titan Triggerfish.

I'd never heard of a Titan Triggerfish before but we'd heard a few of the instructors talking about them, turns out they are these fish that are about a metre long and about half a metre wide. They lay their eggs on the ocean floor and they get really knarky if anyone comes near their nest, as you would. Only thing is, their territory around their nest rises from the floor in an upside down cone shape which means if one swims at you and you go up, then you're going further into it's territory and they get even more knarky. They're brilliant to watch though and as long as you keep your distance, then they don't mind you and go about their business. Oh yeah, and we saw Nemo too, neh neh neh neh neh !!

Our nights pretty much got taken up by studying to be honest, you get this huge book to read through and tests every morning to do, we'd turn up in the morning with our books coverred in egg and jam as we'd been revising over breakfast but at least we made it in the end. I don't think it's really possible to fail your PADI's to be honest, but they're hard work, but as my little sister said when she heard, at least it's one qualification I worked for and passed, cheers Elaine !!

Getting our certificate menas that we are now legally entitled to dive anywhere in the world on our own. Seriously, Lee and I can take off and go diving now whenever and wherever we want. 4 dives we've had and to be honest I wouldn't want to hook up my Low Pressure Inflator Hose to my BCD without an instructor watching (divers will find that funny by the way). I think we'll stick to diving with folk who know what they're are doing for the moment. Can't wait for the Great Barrier Reef.

Our last full day was sent on the beach, as we have had little or no opportunity to catch some sun while we've been here, due to the weather. It was nice and clear for the afternoon so we did nothing, just sat on the beach and drank water (perhaps the odd beer or two crept in there as well) and swam. It wiz braw byraway !!

We were kind of in two minds to stay a bit longer on Besar but we thought it would be a good idea to move on. Originally we had planned to head down to few places on the east coast but we had read a lot about Singapore so we decided to get the overnight train to there.

Just a wee note from Lee and I guys, keep the comments coming, Lee and I really enjoy getting them.

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Photos

Beach @ mama's place
overcast on our first day on the Perhentian Islands

Celebrating getting our PADI's
Our first chance to get wellied into to vino of the whole trip...lesson learnt... do not try to operate camera whilst in this state

Comments

[Feebs]

Jealous? Moi? Nah....!
How gorgeous, I know you are probably fed up hearing it - but the photos are stunning! Not missing much here, had Roberts birthday night out on Saturday, and spent the whole night laughing about the last time we had been at Sarahs flat! Remember the lovely photos Lee? Anyway we are missing you, keep up the good work with the journal, its turning out to be a bloody good read. Take care! x

[mum]

all looks great
That was some journey but all worth it in the end. You've certainly kept yourselves very busy with not too much lazing around. Love reading your logs - they always make good reading and quite humerous at times. Keep them coming. Talk soon mum xxx