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Published: July 31st 2006
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We arrive in KL and check into a basic, but very clean backpacker lodge (Anjung). Things are starting to get very cheap - we pay 1 pound 50 each for an air conditioned room...
Most of our time in KL was spent wondering around the city, taking in the sights and vast shopping malls. Unfortunately we are unable to go up the Petronas Twin Towers, satisfying ourselves instead with a trip to the top of the Telecom tower. We are rewarded with great views of the city.
We were not overly enamored with KL - the city itself is pleasant, but not that special. We both felt as if we had a pair of scrutinising eyes on us and although we were never threatened in anyway, there was a edgy undercurrent that we had not felt in other places... And thankfully have not felt since leaving KL.
We left for the Kecil islands in the early hours of the morning. Our guest house had arranged for a taxi to meet us at 04:00 to take us to the airport... At first our taxi driver appeared to be a very chatty Malay, who had excellent English... As the journey
progressed we hear more and more rants about his persecution by the Chinese, his countless unjust trips to the insane asylum and the highly elaborate plots, that only he has seen through. Because of this knowledge he is being targeted by assassins. But this is not going to stop him single handedly orchestrating the collapse of the cruel, tyrannical Chinese empire, by bringing to light their secret schemes to bring down Proton (the Malaysian car industry) and show the true face of this unjust people to the world.... It soon becomes apparent that he is quite mad, suffering from intense paranoia and to be honest a very scary man... Nina and I nod in the right places when he constantly asks "do you know what I mean", sympathies with the persecution he has been subjected to and cling on for dear life as he weaves madly through traffic with his head turned to face us in the back... An interesting journey and thankfully we arrive safe, an hour later, at the airport.
A short plane journey, followed by a drive and a two hour boat journey and we are on the beautiful Kecil island, part of the Perhentian chain.
This tiny sandy speck is a real paradise - we rent a small beach hut and hit the golden beaches and deep blue sea. Paradise!!! On our first snorkeling trip we see a couple of turtles and a Hexagon Grouper. We dive a ship wreck the following day and also a coral atoll off the main land, both were excellent and we see a lot of cool stuff.
The evenings were spent in a big group at one of two bars. We met some really interesting people, some of whom have been on the island for months, others like us just passing through. Drink lots of Vodka and chat until the early hours. One of the guys has a tame monkey that sits on his shoulder and occasionally jumps from lap to lap - a very cute furry fella...
From Kecil we made our way to Penang, sleeping in KL airport for a few hours between the arrival of our night flight and early morning departure of the Penang flight.
We checked into the 75 Backpacker lodge in the heart of Georgetown and were very warmly greeted by the ever smiling Laow and his brother... They were
excellent hosts, very funny, attentive and helpful. We wondered around Penang on the first day, eating Banana Leaf meals in little India. We then rented a scooted, which had no breaks, to see the rest of the island... The coast line of Penang is not that great, but there is a mountainous area in the centre which is wonderful, very cool and fresh. Great after the heat of the low lands. We head up Penang Hill on an old mountain railway and take in the hazy views from the top. That evening after another Banana leaf, we check out the rip of Rolex's and fake Gucci handbags at a night market.
Really enjoy Penang - it is really friendly and vibrant, with great food and lots to see if you have your own transport.
At the guest house we arrange for a transfer to Koh Phangan (Thai). The 20 hour journey including bus and ferry cost 12.50 each - it is so unbelievably cheap here!
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Sarj
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Taxi driver sounds familiar ;-]
I am sure that taxi driver (or his brother) worked the minicabs in High Wycombe !! - Great to see that you are safe and having a blast. I am green with envy !! Looking forward to catching up when you get back. Don't worry, it all still here ..........